Oct. 1, 2024

NEWS: Woods of Terror's Largest Expansion; Park Troubles

NEWS: Woods of Terror's Largest Expansion; Park Troubles

Read the full stories https://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/woods-of-terrors-largest-expansion-park-troubles. Woods Of Terror opens largest expansion; IAAPA's Quarterly Outlook Survey; Knott's Scary Farm opens two new mazes; Dark Nights at...

Apple Podcasts podcast player badge
Spotify podcast player badge
Castro podcast player badge
RSS Feed podcast player badge
Amazon Music podcast player badge
Audible podcast player badge
iHeartRadio podcast player badge
Podcast Addict podcast player badge
Podchaser podcast player badge
Castbox podcast player badge
Deezer podcast player badge
YouTube podcast player badge
Soundcloud podcast player badge
Apple Podcasts podcast player iconSpotify podcast player iconCastro podcast player iconRSS Feed podcast player iconAmazon Music podcast player iconAudible podcast player iconiHeartRadio podcast player iconPodcast Addict podcast player iconPodchaser podcast player iconCastbox podcast player iconDeezer podcast player iconYouTube podcast player iconSoundcloud podcast player icon

Read the full stories here. Woods Of Terror opens largest expansion; IAAPA's Quarterly Outlook Survey; Knott's Scary Farm opens two new mazes; Dark Nights at Hersheypark creates a well-balanced Halloween Experience for all ages; The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park returns September 27th; Midnight Terror Haunted House's 10th anniversary; Cannabis Maze debuting at Fear at the Farm; Busch Gardens Williamsburg's new chaperone policy following a large fight and stabbing the first two weekends of Howl-O-Scream; The Dent Schoolhouse's chaperone policy; Movie Park Germany adds "A Quiet Place: Stay Quiet, Stay Alive"; Costume trend predictions for the 2024 Halloween season.

WEBVTT

1
00:00:07.480 --> 00:00:10.279
Coming up your weekly roundup of news from around the

2
00:00:10.279 --> 00:00:17.399
haunt industry. Welcome to the show. I'm Philip on the

3
00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:21.199
HN Show. We bring you the haunt news, information and

4
00:00:21.399 --> 00:00:24.839
education you need to prepare for Halloween. On Tuesdays, we

5
00:00:24.839 --> 00:00:28.320
bring you a roundup of news from haunts worldwide. Read

6
00:00:28.359 --> 00:00:30.640
more about these stories and so much more in our

7
00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:34.240
free weekly newsletter. Subscribe at the link in the show notes,

8
00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:37.039
and as always for the news roundup, I'm passing it

9
00:00:37.079 --> 00:00:37.679
off to Darryl.

10
00:00:38.479 --> 00:00:41.679
The Woods of Terror in Greensboro, North Carolina has returned

11
00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:45.600
with sixteen Haunted attractions sprawled over eight hundred thousand square

12
00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:50.320
feet of terrifying landscapes. Running select nights now through November ninth,

13
00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:52.960
the event offers over an hour of thrills with more

14
00:00:53.000 --> 00:00:56.320
than one hundred and twenty actors, live music, and refreshments.

15
00:00:56.640 --> 00:00:59.679
This year's event features two exciting new editions. The first

16
00:00:59.719 --> 00:01:03.439
is Akropolis, a sprawling, eerie, New Orleans style city of

17
00:01:03.479 --> 00:01:06.200
the dead. We've up the stakes in every way possible,

18
00:01:06.200 --> 00:01:09.840
says Eddie McLaurin, the owner known as Bone Daddy. Each

19
00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:12.920
year we create new scares, and Necropolis is going to

20
00:01:12.920 --> 00:01:15.799
immerse guests in a whole new level of fear. A

21
00:01:15.920 --> 00:01:20.040
second new edition will debut in October. Baba Yaga. Baba

22
00:01:20.120 --> 00:01:22.280
Yaga's Witch House will appear to have grown out of

23
00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:24.799
the earth from roots and vines, and it will stand

24
00:01:24.840 --> 00:01:28.680
taller than Disney's Space Mountain. When Woods of Terror reopens

25
00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:31.760
the first weekend December for their first ever Christmas haunt,

26
00:01:31.799 --> 00:01:35.359
this area will be transformed into a crampus layer. Tickets

27
00:01:35.359 --> 00:01:37.799
are on sale now for Woods of Terror, starting at

28
00:01:37.799 --> 00:01:41.959
thirty five to fifty dollars for general admission. On September twelfth,

29
00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:45.640
the Santa Monica Art Museum in Santa Monica, California opened

30
00:01:45.799 --> 00:01:51.040
Monsters Exhibit of Horrors, operating Wednesdays through Sundays. The exhibit

31
00:01:51.079 --> 00:01:54.480
features art from creators like Jim McKenzie and Andrew Freeman,

32
00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:58.079
photo ops, a coffin simulator, and more as it takes

33
00:01:58.159 --> 00:02:02.359
visitors through eight team chambers to explore monster origins, evolution,

34
00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:07.000
and psychological impact. The Haunted Attraction Network toured the museum

35
00:02:07.040 --> 00:02:11.080
with curator Ricardo Puentes and learned more about Puente's vision

36
00:02:11.080 --> 00:02:13.680
and for the exhibit. The goal is to make a

37
00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:16.680
space where people find interesting, to change the way people

38
00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:19.879
see art and consider what his art said. Pwentes Tickets

39
00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:22.960
are on sale now starting at twenty dollars for general admission.

40
00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:26.840
The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park in San Diego, California

41
00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:30.800
returns September twenty second through November two for two haunts

42
00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:34.520
in one, the thirty five hundred square foot experiment Maze

43
00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:37.879
and the titular mile long outdoor Trail. Tickets are on

44
00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:40.560
sale now starting at thirty two ninety nine for general

45
00:02:40.599 --> 00:02:43.840
admission and forty seven ninety nine for scream Pass admission.

46
00:02:44.280 --> 00:02:47.080
Purchased your tickets in advance to receive ten dollars off

47
00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:51.039
either general admission or scream Pass admission. On opening night, Friday,

48
00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:55.560
September twenty seventh, Midnight Terror Haunted House in Oaklawn, Illinois,

49
00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:59.919
celebrates its tenth anniversary this Halloween season. Launched in twenty

50
00:03:00.199 --> 00:03:04.240
fourteen by haunt owner and marine veteran Justin Serniac, Midnight

51
00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:07.639
Terror plans to celebrate this milestone with a limited supply

52
00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:11.360
of forty percent off discounted tickets each night, all new

53
00:03:11.400 --> 00:03:15.639
psycho circus area populated by malevolent clowns, and four special

54
00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:20.400
events lights on Trigger Treating on October twenty sixth Blackout event,

55
00:03:20.520 --> 00:03:24.520
November three, Clown Takeover in November eighth to ninth, and

56
00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:28.960
Christmas Fear December thirteenth through fifteen. We're providing the best

57
00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:32.800
Helloween event value in Chicago Land by offering throwback prices

58
00:03:32.800 --> 00:03:35.159
similar to what we charged ten years ago when we

59
00:03:35.199 --> 00:03:39.400
first opened at Serniac. The event offers two interconnected haunts,

60
00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:43.759
Black Oak Grove and Factory of Mallam, now populated with

61
00:03:43.879 --> 00:03:47.599
more scare actors than ever before. It's a fulfilling achievement

62
00:03:47.639 --> 00:03:50.439
to reach ten years. We built a major following a

63
00:03:50.479 --> 00:03:53.879
strong tradition and a stellar reputation over the past decade

64
00:03:53.879 --> 00:03:56.520
that I'm very proud of, said Serniac. We've had over

65
00:03:56.599 --> 00:03:59.840
two hundred thousand visitors to Midnight Terror since we first opened.

66
00:04:00.360 --> 00:04:02.840
I love seeing so many of the same loyal faces

67
00:04:02.879 --> 00:04:06.400
return to our haunt every year, including fans who years

68
00:04:06.439 --> 00:04:09.520
ago were teenagers or young adults, but who now bring

69
00:04:09.560 --> 00:04:12.879
their own youngsters to our haunt. Tickets for Midnight Terror

70
00:04:12.919 --> 00:04:15.840
are on sale now, starting as low as twenty dollars.

71
00:04:16.279 --> 00:04:19.680
The event runs nights September twenty seventh through November ninth,

72
00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:22.920
with a Christmas event on December thirteenth through fifteen. Fright

73
00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:26.600
at the Farm in Zumbroda, Minnesota has returned select nights

74
00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:30.439
October eleventh through November second with their unique indoor Outed

75
00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:34.839
Haunted Cannabis Maze. The Haunt is located on Willows Keep Farm,

76
00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:37.639
which began in the nineteen twenties as a dairy operation,

77
00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:41.120
but when owner Ted Glatti became licensed as a hemp grower,

78
00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:44.240
the farm was converted to grow cannabis and now grows

79
00:04:44.279 --> 00:04:47.399
different varieties of industrial hemp. Tickets are on sale now

80
00:04:47.439 --> 00:04:50.199
for eighteen dollars online twenty dollars at the door. Fright

81
00:04:50.199 --> 00:04:52.680
at the Farm partners with Pine Area People for the

82
00:04:52.839 --> 00:04:55.240
Arts for the fifty to one hundred scare actors at

83
00:04:55.279 --> 00:04:57.839
the event each night. The next round of scare act

84
00:04:57.959 --> 00:05:02.120
auditions will take place on Saturdays, September twenty eighth. Bush Gardens,

85
00:05:02.160 --> 00:05:06.800
Williamsburg and Williamsburg, Virginia has implemented a chaperone policy for

86
00:05:06.879 --> 00:05:10.600
Hello Scream beginning this past Friday. All visitors age fifteen

87
00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:13.040
and younger must be accompanied by a chaperone who is

88
00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:15.920
at least twenty one years old when visiting after four pm.

89
00:05:15.959 --> 00:05:19.240
On Hollow Scream event nights, the chaperone must accompany their

90
00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:22.720
party at entry, remain inside the park during their visit,

91
00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:26.360
and be available by phone throughout their stay. Each chaperone

92
00:05:26.360 --> 00:05:29.279
may accompany up to ten visitors at a time. Guess

93
00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:31.879
stage fifteen years or younger who are found inside the

94
00:05:31.879 --> 00:05:35.360
park unaccompanied by a chaperone will be subject to ejection

95
00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:38.639
without refund. This policy has been put in place after

96
00:05:38.680 --> 00:05:40.800
a large fight and a stabbing occurred in the first

97
00:05:40.839 --> 00:05:44.319
two weekends of this year's Hello Scream event. Furthermore, as

98
00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:48.319
announced on September nineteenth by the James City County Police Department,

99
00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:53.079
anyone ages seventeen and under must be accompanied by a parent, guardian,

100
00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:56.480
or custodian when in a public place between midnight and

101
00:05:56.560 --> 00:06:01.639
five am. Local news station WCEVTV report this rule applies

102
00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:05.600
anywhere in James City County, not just Bush Gardens Williamsburg.

103
00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:09.759
The Dent Schoolhouse in Dent, Ohio has implemented a chaperone

104
00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:13.000
policy for this year's event as well. Starting this past Friday,

105
00:06:13.040 --> 00:06:15.560
all guests fifteen years of age or younger must be

106
00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:19.000
accompanied by a chaperone twenty one or older. The chaperone

107
00:06:19.000 --> 00:06:22.040
may a company up to five children. Chaperones must be

108
00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:23.959
with a group in line, but are not required to

109
00:06:24.079 --> 00:06:27.439
enter the attraction. Guests sixteen year older may be asked

110
00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:30.079
to show a photo IDAs proof of age. In the

111
00:06:30.120 --> 00:06:32.879
Facebook post, the Haunt said, we believe that this new

112
00:06:32.959 --> 00:06:36.600
chaperone policy, as well as new security detail will help

113
00:06:36.680 --> 00:06:39.360
ensure that the Dent Schoolhouse continues to have a fun,

114
00:06:39.639 --> 00:06:42.759
positive atmosphere for all Haunt seekers as they look for

115
00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:46.040
a night of Halloween fun. Dark Knights at Hershey Park

116
00:06:46.079 --> 00:06:50.199
and Hershey, Pennsylvania creates a well balanced Helloween experience for

117
00:06:50.279 --> 00:06:54.319
all ages. The Haunted Attraction Networks owned Philip Bernandez contributed

118
00:06:54.360 --> 00:06:57.439
to a recent article an in Park Magazine where he

119
00:06:57.519 --> 00:07:00.639
explains how the event's balanced approach to Helloween fun and

120
00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:03.800
scares make the event stand out. He cites three key

121
00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:08.480
factors in the park's balanced approach for the Halloween event, value, consistency,

122
00:07:08.600 --> 00:07:12.839
and accessibility. The event's five haunts, free scare zones, activity

123
00:07:12.879 --> 00:07:16.519
and entertainment are all included with regular park admission, offering

124
00:07:16.600 --> 00:07:19.959
a strong incentive for families and seasoned passholders. The park

125
00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:22.680
is also divided into a scary section with the mazes

126
00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:26.160
and scare Zones. The family friendly Avenue of the Afterlife,

127
00:07:26.439 --> 00:07:29.279
a scare free zone that includes themed entertainment and food.

128
00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:33.240
This incentivizes families to stay into the evening, allowing them

129
00:07:33.240 --> 00:07:35.800
to choose how scary or not they would like the

130
00:07:35.879 --> 00:07:39.279
night to become. A common misconception is that Halloween events

131
00:07:39.279 --> 00:07:43.240
should scare guests. They should entertain guests, not necessarily scare them,

132
00:07:43.240 --> 00:07:46.720
assert Hernandez. Hershey Park's approach shows that you can still

133
00:07:46.759 --> 00:07:50.959
offer quality experiences without overwhelming guests with crowds or steep

134
00:07:51.000 --> 00:07:54.600
ticket prices. Ultimately, Dark Knights is a testament to Hershey

135
00:07:54.639 --> 00:07:57.000
Park's ability to create an event that is both thrilling

136
00:07:57.240 --> 00:08:00.040
and inclusive, making it a model for the future of

137
00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:04.399
seasonal events. Not Scary Farm in Buena Parte, California opened

138
00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:07.120
this past weekend, and the Haunted Attraction Network was there

139
00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:10.439
to explore this year's two new mazes, Eight Fingers nine

140
00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:14.240
The Boogeyman and Widows. In eight Fingers nine The Boogeyman,

141
00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:17.439
step inside a living fairy tale in a colonial township

142
00:08:17.480 --> 00:08:20.319
that is under siege by an inhuman monster that emerges

143
00:08:20.360 --> 00:08:23.959
from the shadows to eat your fingers. In Widows try

144
00:08:23.959 --> 00:08:27.199
to escape from the spider possessed residents of the Convalescent Home.

145
00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:31.040
This year's Not Scary Farm event features ten mazes, five

146
00:08:31.079 --> 00:08:35.360
scare zones, three shows, Elvira Experience, Into the Fog Art

147
00:08:35.399 --> 00:08:38.519
Show and more. Tickets are on sale now, starting at

148
00:08:38.519 --> 00:08:41.919
fifty nine to ninety nine for general admission. Movie Park

149
00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:46.039
Germany in Betrop, Germany, expands its IP offerings for this

150
00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:50.120
year's Halloween Horror Festival with a new Haunt experience, A

151
00:08:50.200 --> 00:08:53.759
Quiet Place, Stay Quiet, Stay Alive. The Haunt will feature

152
00:08:53.799 --> 00:08:56.440
eight detailed scenes from A Quiet Place and A Quiet

153
00:08:56.440 --> 00:08:59.840
Place Part Two in an over fourteen hundred square meter

154
00:09:00.279 --> 00:09:05.000
space approximately fifteen thousand square feet. Demand for an IP

155
00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:07.679
horror house has been very strong among our guests, said

156
00:09:07.720 --> 00:09:13.039
the theme park's Halloween project manager, Manuel Prasatovic. A Quiet Place,

157
00:09:13.080 --> 00:09:16.080
Stay Quiet, Stay Alive joins seven other hans at the

158
00:09:16.120 --> 00:09:19.200
Halloween Horror Festival, as well as a variety of thrilling

159
00:09:19.279 --> 00:09:23.399
shows and entertainment options. Tickets are on sale now. Write

160
00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:26.159
Best Or Wild Waves theme Park and water Park in

161
00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:30.200
Federal Way, Washington, dares fans to confront their fears by

162
00:09:30.279 --> 00:09:35.399
enduring a twenty four hour Cryptkeeper challenge Beginning Friday, October fourth,

163
00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:37.919
six guests will compete to see who can spend the

164
00:09:37.960 --> 00:09:41.000
full twenty four hours in the coffin the last survivor

165
00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:43.559
who will win two Wild Waves twenty twenty five season

166
00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:47.080
passes with a twenty twenty five season dining plan, and

167
00:09:47.159 --> 00:09:50.720
two twenty twenty four vip Fright Fast passes, a six

168
00:09:50.799 --> 00:09:54.840
hundred dollars value in total. Interested souls eighteen and over

169
00:09:55.279 --> 00:09:58.480
must submit a short written request explaining why they should

170
00:09:58.519 --> 00:10:02.159
be among the chosen few by the online application form.

171
00:10:02.639 --> 00:10:05.799
Follow the links in our show notes. The Pennsylvania Department

172
00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:08.480
of Labor and Industry would like to remind all haunts

173
00:10:08.519 --> 00:10:11.320
that they must comply with all provisions of the Child

174
00:10:11.399 --> 00:10:15.840
Labor Act if staffing their haunt with miners. Ellowine attractions

175
00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:18.720
are designed to scare, but that doesn't mean child performers

176
00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:23.080
should be put in dangerous environments, whether from patrons, older employees,

177
00:10:23.320 --> 00:10:27.639
or unsafe conditions. Ellen I Secretary Nancy A. Walker said

178
00:10:27.960 --> 00:10:31.559
it's critical that haunted attraction employers follow the law by

179
00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:36.320
ensuring required breaks, securing entertainment permits, and remembering that children

180
00:10:36.360 --> 00:10:39.559
cannot work past certain hours on school nights. I want

181
00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:42.600
parents and young performers to know there is recourse and

182
00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:46.080
that protections exist if something feels off, whether it's about

183
00:10:46.080 --> 00:10:51.120
working hours or unsafe uncomfortable situations. Pennsylvania's Child Labor Act

184
00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:54.200
is enforced by the Bureau of Labor Law Compliance, who

185
00:10:54.279 --> 00:10:58.960
issues approximately fifteen hundred entertainment permits for child labor each year.

186
00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:03.159
The acquire information about the child's employment arrangement and a

187
00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:06.519
parent or guardians signature, and must be submitted before the

188
00:11:06.600 --> 00:11:10.320
child's first rehearsal or performance. Violation of the Child Labor

189
00:11:10.360 --> 00:11:14.440
Act may result in either administrative or criminal penalties, including

190
00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:18.080
fines and or imprisonment. In a recent press release, the

191
00:11:18.120 --> 00:11:22.320
Halloween Costume Association announced their costume trend predictions for the

192
00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:25.960
twenty twenty four Halloween season. From classic movie monsters to

193
00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:29.879
modern pop culture icons, This year's hottest costumes bring together

194
00:11:29.960 --> 00:11:33.519
beloved characters with contemporary flair. According to the Helloween In

195
00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:38.039
Costume Association, hot trends will include Wednesday, Adams, Barbie and Ken,

196
00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:42.279
superheroes and villains like Spider Man, Wonder Woman, and Harley Quinn,

197
00:11:42.440 --> 00:11:45.519
and horror movie villains such as Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers,

198
00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:48.879
Ghost Bace and Penny Wise. Eighties and nineties throwbacks are

199
00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:52.200
also expected to be popular choices, with costumes inspired by

200
00:11:52.200 --> 00:11:55.440
classic shows like Friends, Fresh Prints of bel Air and

201
00:11:55.559 --> 00:11:59.120
movies like Ghostbusters and Jurassic Park. Have you been listening

202
00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:03.159
to our sixty one day hauntedthon happening right now through Halloween.

203
00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:07.240
Celebrate Haunted attractions daily via short and long form videos

204
00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:12.039
and podcasts, including recent ones including Monster Exhibitive Horrors, the

205
00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:16.240
Santa Monica Art Museum Tour, Not Scary Farm twenty twenty four,

206
00:12:16.440 --> 00:12:20.919
New Mazes Woods of Terror twenty twenty four Full event walkthrough.

207
00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:25.120
Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, or follow the links in

208
00:12:25.159 --> 00:12:25.919
our show notes.

209
00:12:27.080 --> 00:12:29.720
And that's all for the news this week. Today's episode

210
00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:33.480
was produced by me Philip Ernandez, with reporting by Daryl Plunky,

211
00:12:33.960 --> 00:12:37.320
post production by David Swope. This Haunt News Update is

212
00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:40.120
a production of the Haunted Attraction Network, and you can

213
00:12:40.159 --> 00:12:43.039
sign up to our weekly newsletter at Haunted Attraction Network

214
00:12:43.080 --> 00:12:46.440
dot com. Support for this episode comes from Gantum Lighty

215
00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:53.080
and controls. Until next time, Haunters Stay Scary. This is

216
00:12:53.120 --> 00:13:01.879
a Haunted Attraction Network production.