NEWS: SLASH at Halloween Horror Nights; Fire at Fear Factory; Candy Trends; and More!

0:07 Coming up your weekly roundup of news from around the haunt industry. Welcome to the show. I'm Philip on the HN Show. We bring you the hant news, information and education you need to prepare for Halloween. On Tuesdays, we bring you a roundup of news from haunts worldwide. Read more about these stories and so much more in our free weekly newsletter. Subscribe at the link in the show notes, and as always for the news roundup, I'm passing it off to Darryl. This is the final call for Haunted attractions and sponsors. The Haunted Attraction Network's annual Haunt a Thon is back for its eleventh year, and your haunt could be part of it. Running from September first to October thirty, first, Hantthon twenty twenty five ill once again celebrate the haunted attraction industry with daily videos, podcasts, and short form content spotlighting the best haunts across the globe. Whether you're a mega haunt or a passionate home haunter, this is your chance to be seen by millions of Halloween fans. The last day to submit your application and this year the Hauntedthon is Thursday, July thirty First. Our sponsorship opportunities include haunt features, podcast advertising, vertical video ad integration, and newsletter features in the very publication you are listening to now.

1:23 In twenty twenty four, the Haunted Attraction Network delivered forty point two million video views across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, thirty three thousand podcast downloads from horror focused listeners, thirteen thousand monthly website views, and forty five hundred engaged email subscribers, and national media features on outlets like NBC's California Live and NPR's Marketplace. With a social media reach of over five hundred and fifty thousand followers, Hantathon offers unmatched exposure to haunted attractions looking to build long term visibility and connect with an engage helloween audience. To inquire about our sponsorship packages, contact Philip directly at Philip at Haunted Attraction Network dot com. What makes an IP popular? Lessons from Comic Con for theme parks. What makes an IP popular today?

2:15 It's not just the box officers streaming stats. It's the fans who show up, dress up, and wait five hours for a free experience at San Diego Comic Con, Percy Jackson, Alien and Kpop Demon Hunters proved that passion not just numbers powers IP. In this week's episode of Green Tag, Philip and Scott breakdown why pop ups are becoming the new focus groups, how activations create the data stories that boards and licensers want, and what theme park professionals can learn from the way studios test, validate, and launch IP in the wild. If you're pitching an IP partnership or designing a seasonal overlay, this episode is your blueprint. Follow the links in our show notes to listen to the Green Tag Podcast. Slash is to create an all new experiences for Halloween Horror Night Hollywood. The Grammy Award winning guitarist and songwriter Slash is returning to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal Studio, California for his seventh year with a trio of original experiences. The House Scarecrow music by Slash puts retribution at the forefront as Mother Nature seeks vengeance to the homesteaders for their sins of the past that will be carried out by farmland scarecrows, mute witnesses who have become the guardians of destruction for anyone who crosses their path. Slash's cinematic score heightens each scene's tension. Halloween Horror Nights will also celebrate the vinyl only album release of Slash Music of Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights Volume two, A scary soundtrack, will complement

3:46 last year's sold out vinyl only album with a slate of original music that Slash has created over the past six years for a variety of Universal Studios Hollywood Haunted houses. The album, which includes a tribute by John Murdy, creative director and executive producer of Halloween Horrorites, will be available for purchase. Lastly, this year will feature a themed Slash Bar located in Jurassic Cove in bibune cocktails inspired by Slash's music, including Dance of the Dead, Beautiful, Dangerous, and the non alcoholic option Slash's Snake Pit. The menu will also include some of Slash's favorite foods such as chicken setee tacos, Thai beef tacos, and ty curry tacos, and a slash Hat cake reminiscent of his signature top hat.

4:30 As a longtime fan of Halloween Horrorites that has been incredibly rewarding to not have only experienced the event as a guest, but to have partnered with Universal Studios Hollywood for so many years to create an array of original music that intensifies the storylines of these haunted houses, said Slash. This year's collaboration with Halloween Horrorites and the chance to become one of the event's marquee experiences is truly humbling, and I can't wait for guests to join me when they step into the Terror. HHN Hollywood run select dates September fourth through novem Umber second. You can learn more via the comprehensive guide by following the links in our show notes. The Lagoon Show and Nightmare Fuel returned to Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando. Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida announced the return of two entertainment favorites to Halloween Horror Nights in social media posts on July twenty fourth.

5:20 Nightmare Fuel and The Lagoon Show a ghost story is rising from its watery grave to haunt the Universal Studios Lagoon in Hantophonic, a ghoulish journey featuring towering water screens and eerie music. This marks the first Lagoon Show since twenty twenty two and the new Nightmare Fuel Circus of Decay. A once vibrant circus festers into an unending nightmare with a sinister spectacle of pyro aerialists and illusions. HHN Orlando runs select dates August twenty ninth through November. Two new villains teased for the Disneyland resorts Ugi Boogie Bash. Two new villains are joining the festivities at the Ugi Boogie Bash at Disney Halloween Party in Disneyland, California Adventures in Anaheim, California.

6:03 The Disneyland resort released a social media video teasing the new editions. The video begins with shadows of thorny vines and green smoke, implying Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty is on her way. Next, a futuristic risk attachment falls into frame, appearing to be the one syndrome muses to control his omnidroids in the first Incredibles film. Oogi Boogie Bash takes place thirty one select nights August seventeenth through October thirty First tickets are on sale now starting at one hundred and thirty nine to one hundred and ninety nine per person with certain dates already sold out. Disneyland Halloween Foody Guide twenty twenty five. This year's Disneyland Helloween Foody Guide is now available, highlighting all the seasonal food and beverage offerings available from the Disneyland resort in Anaheim, California during their Halloween time celebrations. With more and more haunts adding themed bars and dining to their Halloween offerings, hunters may want to take inspiration from Disney's creative and varied limited time menu items, from pumpkin spice and fall flavors to ghoulish Halloween specialties. Almost two hundred seasonal treats are spread throughout the park's hotels and downtown Disney Tivoli Gardens celebrates twenty years of Halloween festivities. From October third to November two, Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark will celebrate twenty years of Halloween festivities with glowing jack o lanterns, haunted houses, and lively market stalls. Drawing on both American customs and older

7:34 European traditions, including Nordic harvest festivals and Celtic sown roots, the park will blend spooky thrills with a cozy autumn charm for an experience that appeals to all ages. Over twenty thousand pumpkins will be on display, and the park will host a Danish Giant Pumpkin Championship, crowding Denmark's largest pumpkin of the year. Brave souls can enter two Haunted houses. Family friendly shows, rides, and seasonal food and ridges will delight children and adults alike. Learn more and book your tickets today via the park's official website. A fire at Fear Factory SLC on July twenty third, a grass fire spread to a small portion of the grounds of Fear Factory SLC in Salt Lake City, Utah. Staff and nearby locals notice the smoke and quickly called the authorities, preventing the spread to further areas of the building. Fear Factory lost a Fear Factory lost a small structure in the blaze, but the majority of the attraction was unaffected. The Fear Factory team thanks the SLC firefighters for their swift action, and they plan to work hard to get things back on track and ready for our best Halloween season yet.

8:39 The Haunt will run select dates September twelfth through November first. Learn more on their official website. Queen Mary's Dark Harbor unveils haunting lineup of twenty twenty five's special event. The Queen Mary's Dark Harbor in Long Beach, California, is expanding its Halloween horror experience this year with a bold lineup of themed special events, from day Confused dance nights to midnight pillow fights and cultural celebrations. Dark Harbor twenty twenty five promises more ways than ever to slay the night in style. Each Sunday, The Dark Harbor will pay tribute to one of its signature mazes with exclusive giveaways, icon appearances, and deep dives into May's lore. Other event highlights include Pride Week October eighth and ninth, Sleepover Spectacular October twelfth, Goth Night October fifteenth, and Dia de las Muertos weekend November first and second. Mars releases Summer Ween consumer trend data.

9:33 New MARS and IPSOS data spotlights how gen Z and millennials are driving the rise of the summer Ween phenomena, with gen Z and Millennials one point five and one point six times more likely to celebrate summer Ween respectively. Summer Ween is a movement, and Mars is matching that energy, making sure your favorite Halloween products are on shelf whenever you're ready to celebrate, said Tim Labell, Mars Chief Halloween Officer and President of Sales. Inspired by the fans reshaping tradition and were ready to celebrate alongside them with more than ninety products in our twenty twenty five Halloween lineup. Popular Mars candy offerings are already in stores, such as M and M's Milk Chocolate, Pumpkin Pie and Halloween Blend, Snickers, Pumpkins, Twigs and Snickers, Ghoulish Green and Skittles Shriekers. One in five Halloween celebrants start planning early, two months ahead of October thirty first, and those early planners are three times more likely to pick up candy as soon as it hits shelves. They are also two times more likely to celebrate with friends, cook spooky meals, and dress up for Halloween.

10:35 Learn more on Mars's official annual Tricks, Treats and Trends report. Five Nights at Freddy's two official trailer debuts. The official trailer for Five Nights at Freddy's Two has arrived, Slated for a December fifth, twenty twenty five release. This highly anticipated sequel will dive further into the lore of the new animatronics and more Victims. Stars Josh Hutterson, Piper Rubio, Elizabeth Lale Matthew Lillard will all return with a handful of new faces, including McKenna, Grace, t O Brionis, Freddie Carter, Wayne Knight, Theatis Crane, and Skeet Ulrich. Creative director and executive producer of Halloween Horror Night's at Universal Studios Hollywood, John Murdy, has already announced that the Five Nights at Freddy's franchises coming in a whole new way to the event this year, with an unofficial announcement that they are planning a maze in an ign video last month. Universal has yet to make an official announcement in how the IP will be represented this year's AHHN event, but the upcoming film release may mean greater exposure in the parks.

11:36 Some upcoming events this July through September include Haunterras Against Hate Event three in Louisville, Kentucky. August eight through tenth, Midsummer Scream in Long Beach, California, August fifteenth and sixteenth, and Creep at Real Oc in Santa Ana, California, September twelfth through fourteen. And that's all for the news this week. Today's episode was produced by me Philip Ernandi, with reporting by Daryl Plunky post production by David Swope. This hant News Update is a production of the Haunted Attraction Network and you can sign up to our weekly newsletter at Hanta Attractionnetwork dot com. Support for this episode comes from Gantum Lighty and controls. Until next time, Haunters Stay Scary. This is a Haunted Attraction Network production.