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  • Eureka Screams Spring Break Update...

    Last night was our first night of our Spring Break event and many on this forum have PM'd me and asked me to provide updates. Sometimes the news is good and sometimes the news is not so good. Today... the news is not so good, but all is not lost! We still have tonight and next Friday and Saturday.

    The update so far is that we only had approx. 60 people (That's right only 60!) attend last night. I could be off by 3 or 4 in either direction, we haven't counted the tickets sold yet, but that really won't take too long when we get to it. :lol: We're hoping for a much better turn out for the remaining nights, but only time will tell. We're still trying to find out what happened to our airbrush makeup artist. He's MIA and we haven't been able to reach him.

    For those of you who have asked for a report because you too are thinking about operating an "off-season" event, take heart. This is our first run at this and it's not over yet! Remember some markets can do extremely well with something that will not work well in another area. I'll continue to provide updates as this event plays out. Please send us positive thoughts and energy! With a staff of 35 people we hope we can at least break even.

    Actors get really restless when they're ready to scare and no one is coming through! Mari (our Fright Team Manager, that many of you met in Chicago) is awesome! She had the actors working on coming up with new lines for their character and encouraged them to develop their characters and rehearse during the downtime. My wish is for all of you to have a Mari! Don't any of you dare try to recruit her away from us though :!: :wink:

    Kel
    Chris Riehl
    Sales@spookyfinder.com
    (586)209-6935
    www.spookyfinder.com

  • #2
    One of the things we do in down times is let the actors go through a few at a time. It gives the other actors something to do and it lets the actors see the haunt while it is running.

    Comment


    • #3
      School breaks can be good or not-so-good, weather dependant too.
      I turn on two low-energy bulbs at the front and two at the rear of my house and wait, just me.
      If and when anyone shows up I turn on the circuits in pretty much one room at a time as we go into them. About 65 motion switches turn on and off many of the circuits for me.
      The air compressor gets turned on as I am half way through the front room presentation and stays on until the tour is completed.
      My wife is usually available to help if suddenly more show up at any time. We have a pocket doorbell made from a car alarm that even will send us a signal a black and a half away, so I could be in a store around the corner and not miss someone, it also works sending the signal to the underground wine cellar.
      I think my college crowd has dropped off alot, maybe because of the economy? Summer jobs and part time jobs might not be so easy to find or good anymore?
      hauntedravensgrin.com

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Eureka Screams Spring Break Update...

        Originally posted by Raycliff Manor
        Today... the news is not so good, but all is not lost! We still have tonight and next Friday and Saturday.
        It will work out just fine, Brother. You'll see. I'm sending good vibes your way.

        Comment


        • #5
          Thanks for the feedback, suggestions and good vibes! I'll keep you all posted! By the way Brad's here visiting from Texas and he did an awesome job as a crazed clown last night! I wish I had have his energy! He's with Mari and a group of Fright Team members getting lined up for the St. Patty's Day Parade with the hearse pulling the giant headstone marquee. I'm busy with the inn and wish I could have gone, but I'm sure they're having a blast!

          Kel
          Chris Riehl
          Sales@spookyfinder.com
          (586)209-6935
          www.spookyfinder.com

          Comment


          • #6
            Tons of positive thoughts and energy your way, Kel! Sounds like Mari is on top of the situation! Wish I could be there to help you out!
            www.mindseizure.com
            www.myspace.com/mindseizurehauntedhouse

            Comment


            • #7
              I've never attempted such a thing for several reasons... first and foremost no time, but also because I can't get my haunted house ready in time, when you have so many updates you're doing.

              Additionally the cost to market something like this, plus labor to operate, just doesn't seem like the risk vs. the return.

              Maybe you make a few bucks, but is it worth it? If you do several thousand people its probably worth it.

              I would have a few tips on how to promote something like this but it would all start with keeping your website current, constantly updated so people visit so often and an aggressive way to capture your customers email address's. The cheapest way to promote something like this would be email blast.

              I don't know that I would ever try something like this but I'm glad to hear you're updating us with your results. Very interested!!!

              Larry
              Larry Kirchner
              President
              www.HalloweenProductions.com
              www.BlacklightAttractions.com
              www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
              www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

              Comment


              • #8
                reply

                Kel,

                I know theres a feeling of despair right now as your thinking of lost moneys but if anything it is a couple of weekends your crew is getting together and acting that they normally wouldn't get. If anything they will appreciate it because now the long wait until October is shorter for them.

                We do the same thing Barry described on very slow nights in October(Usually first weekend open) let a couple of the actors go through at a time to see the show themselves.

                Im curios you being in Arkansas, is Eureka Springs a big spring break city? Do you have a lot of visitors every year that prompted this idea or are you trying to draw them in from other city's?

                Comment


                • #9
                  One night I had maybe 5 or 6 employees doing nothing and only two people were here for a tour . The guys all pretended to be customers as everyone had a seat. Then as planned, after just a few minutes I said one certain previously discussed word (for the cue) and my people all screamed, jumped up and ran from the room(even though nothing the least bit scary was happening)
                  The customers were running too!
                  They didn't know why, but they decided they had better run!
                  Quite the experiment in group psychology.
                  "Everybody's doing it, doing it,
                  Picken their nose and chewing it, chewing it!"
                  (I don't care for the taste...but EVERYBODY'S Doing it, so I guess I will!)
                  hauntedravensgrin.com

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Just another quick update. We had 105 people come through the attraction last night. Better than the night before, but still nothing like the fall season. We do still have next weekend though and the news coverage and other press and media attention will be taking place this week, so we'll seee how it goes.

                    Larry, We knew that any time you present a new concept to the public, you have to expect to face the challenge of getting people used to an idea. Visiting a haunted attraction during the Spring is definitely a new concept here! :lol: In talking to Cydney Neil though, they experienced incredible success for their first Spring Break event last year! If you're interested, you might contact her to discuss this. I have a feeling you'd be much better positioned to encounter more immediate success with something like this.

                    Kevin and Gwen, thanks so much for the words of encouragement and thanks Barry for the suggestion. We did have the actors take turns running through the attraction during down time and they had a blast doing so. To answer your question Kevin, Eureka Springs is a tourist destination town but not necessarily a big Spring Break destination. Because we are in a wet county and surrounded by dry counties, we do tend to get pretty busy during Spring Break though, but we need to offer more here for the Spring Break aged audience. We're hoping the haunted attraction is part of doing so. If we can break even this year and get a good start at it, we'll probably go ahead with it again next year and see if we can build it.

                    For an update on our Tinkle Tally, we had 2 on Friday night and three last night, so we're up to 5 so far! We had a group of people who own and operate the Chamber of Horrors in Little Rock, Arkansas drive 4 hours last night to check out the haunt. They said they had heard we have the best haunt in Arkansas! They said we not only lived up to, but exceeded our reputation! Now that was a sweet compliment!

                    One funny story; we had a couple who won tickets on the radio. They drove to the station in Fayetteville and picked up the tickets and then drove an hour to the attraction to enjoy the show. They didn't make it past the first room! After they encountered the first scare, they went back to the intro room and informed our actor that they were done and wanted out. Yep, we're doing our job. People pay to be scared and these two, even though they lasted about two minutes, got what they paid for!

                    Brad who was in visiting from Texas headed back home today. He has a 7 hour drive! He had a blast and informed me that he will be logging on here to share a couple of the stories from his experience here at Rayclif Manor. He's got a couple of awesome stories to share!

                    Kevin is absolutely right, this is an investment in our team and we are shortening our wait to the fall season! Some great memories have been made again at the haunt!

                    Kel
                    Chris Riehl
                    Sales@spookyfinder.com
                    (586)209-6935
                    www.spookyfinder.com

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I love your idea of haunts in months other than october. I wish someone would do something like that in DFW area.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Kel,

                        It takes time to educate people. Hopefully next weekend will help you break even financially, but even if it doesn't quite get there, it may still be worth putting on the event. Not only does it give you a nice off season opportunity for your crew, it all helps in building media coverage and word of mouth for the fall. In the long run, I suspect it will turn out to be a benefit. Good luck and keep us posted.

                        Dave
                        Lords of Chaos, LLC
                        House of Chaos Haunted Attraction

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Hang in there buddy. You might not get the numbers this weekend or maybe this year, but like Kevin said, you are getting your actors excited about the haunt, and you are also networking for more actors. Plus next year, people will expect the haunt to take place!!

                          Ron
                          www.atheateroflostsouls.com Or if you need makeup or supplies www.abramagic.com


                          "I am a frickin evil genius who deserves some frickin respect!"

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            The Ravens Grin Inn has been trying to educate the general public that a haunted house can be open (and worth seeing) every night of the entire year now for 20 years.
                            It has been an uphill battle.
                            You are talking, telling them this and part of their brain just shuts you off, the preconceived notion of October-Only blurrs out the words.
                            I really enjoy the "Off-Season" I have all my fun then, doing tours for small groups of mostly real fans of what I do here, people that want to be here and don't gripe about money or the drive to get here and are usually fairly lavish with their compliments as they finally find themselves still alive at the end of the show.
                            I am the haunt-junky who would like to scare and entertain EVERYONE that comes through my door.(Clarification:I mean EVERYONE, ALL THE WAY THROUGH THIS HOUSE, EVERY ROOM, EVERY CORNER, FOR EVERY MINUTE that they are here, that's what I mean!) I need my "Fix" everynight, so I'm open and ready for them almost everynight!!!
                            ..and since I am such an addict, I am extremely gratefull to them when anyone shows up..........
                            5 to 10 may be showing up here tonight, they called ahead, one is a fan for sure, excited about coming here from 3 hours away.
                            I think you have done very well Kelly at least in certain important aspects.
                            You made it "happen" is number one.
                            You have had , what? 135 people show up so far? Very Good!
                            Onward and upward!
                            hauntedravensgrin.com

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              reply

                              Ohhh Dry county's nestled in between a wet one, that is tough! Myself prefer the wet ones,a lot actually! And yes im talking alcohol for you dirty minded that veered off imedialty think i meant somethingelse!

                              Im sure one or two of you did! LOL

                              A few things that Euraka Springs the city might do to help the Spring Break situation.

                              Pub Crawls are always fun and if you guys planned it make a Zombie pub crawl, those seem to be taking off lately! Still got to try one myslef.

                              My personal favortie, for the two weeks set up a bar in the laundramat,college kids need to wash their dirty britches why not have a cocktail while doing laundry next to the cutie washing those g-strings,i know i sure would! Talk to the local laundramat and advertise at all the hotels they stay at.

                              As far as haunt realted ideas, if you have the room for it next year possibly build a small stage out near the waiting line and ask a local band to play or bands if you can find a few to play. We built a huge stage for our local bands to play on, they did all their own scheduling and they made sure they had at least three acts a night all season long.They supplied their own sound systems.
                              They loved us for giving them a place to play and in return they gave us entertainment. We had nothing to do with it except supplying the stage and a building to play in they did all the managment with it and pefromed.
                              They now rent the stage from us all the time during the off season.

                              Matter of fact, the band i have on my Myspace is from Rockford where i live, they palyed our haunt 4 times a season and were always headliner, they just broke a record deal and are on the Yagermeister tour,pretty cool!
                              This is the band that did all the managment of the bands.

                              Think about it, bands have small fan clubs that attend their shows, if you have 3-5 bands play a night you will end up with an extra 200 in your parking lot. It's not huge numbers but it helps.

                              I guess Kel the really important question i should have asked is, what is the draw to Eureka Springs for Spring Break? Iv'e never been there.
                              Beaches? Amusment parks? Or just the fact that this is where they go to drink?
                              The other question is how do you tie yourself into it in every advertising posssibilty possible? If their going to the bars hit the bars up for help placing vouchers and for sure send a few monsters over to the bars on friday and saturday nights to make a quick apperance,ask the owners for permission to hand out vouchers, they may think you trying to steal their customers. Im sure somethings possible.

                              Just a few thoughts, i have zillions of them therefore i never sleep. I am Vampire!

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