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Transworld 2011 The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

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  • #31
    tim..............

    the union KILLS people presenting at the convention center. $60.00 to screw in a light bulb. (someone I know works there) gimmie a break... Philly is no bargain either. hotels downtown are a ripoff (go to priceline.com) rental cars are a joke. 35 minutes from the airport (maybe).... you need a cab to travel to south street and stuff. OAKS, (pa) convention center is alot more friendly ($$$ cash wise) but, it is near Valley Forge. Kinda far from center city. Nice try, ( I am also from here and would LOVE to see the show in philly) but to be realistic, I could never see it happening here. You think people are pissed now.... don't bring it here with our prices.

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    • #32
      $250 for wireless internet...REALLY? I'm so using my phone as a hotspot next time. Screw unions. -Tyler
      Chris Riehl
      Sales@spookyfinder.com
      (586)209-6935
      www.spookyfinder.com

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      • #33
        SEE.............this is what's wrong.............

        in all fairness, other cities are probably like this too, but when your trying to sell your wares, gotta pay $1400.00 for a damn booth, plus this other stuff, how can you make any money? That is a definate, total ripoff !!!! not a business expense!!!!!

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        • #34
          Similar to the thread on the Pro Haunt Chat... you have to go where it is finanancially feasible for the vendors, bottom line. IF they can't afford to show....we HAVE no show!!! Also no matter where you go you will some kind of issue. How many years were we at Rosemont?? STill there were issues with restaurants, bars etc. At least you can walk to choices in St. Louis.

          Philly in March??? Why do you think we left Chicago????

          Weather is also an issue. We have to be able to get to the show to do the show!!!

          So instead of ranting and raving on the message boards, construct a civil response and sent it to TW??? I am sure they would love to entertain good constructive comments. Right now I would say this was the best attended show to date. Complaint if you want, but people showed up! IF good constructive comments can increase that attendance TW and vendors alike are more than willing to respond. It makes good business sense.
          R&J Productions
          Las Vegas, NV
          www.LasVegasHaunts.com

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          • #35
            I would love to see the show in Atlanta, GA. The move would inject new life and interest, we could beg Ben to open Netherworld and see what other haunts are there. I know there are facilities available, the IAAPA convention was held there a few years ago.

            Just for the record, I have no ties to Atlanta, I'm located in MA and would have to travel like everyone else.

            Dan Augusto

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            • #36
              Heheh Georgia. Hehehe Stab-ville. Rj has already suggested what I was really going to say. Complain to someone who gives two hoots like the people who organize the transworld event.

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              • #37
                Transworld-"Chicago" Always expensive.

                Many yrs. ago a jeweler tried renting floor space there(same building) "The Jewelry Show", and "once" was enough for him! "Too expensive!"
                He and his wife traveled all over the USA making a good living selling their creations.. but never again at that location.. "Too Expensive!"
                At every show they attended fees were involved and some of those certain shows were pricey but they were venues where they had high-ticket buyers always show up and spend good money, so it all worked out for them.
                They also avoided returning to BS/phoney shows that were poorly organized, poorly run and just crappy or dangerous.
                (Many people paid with cash back then)
                hauntedravensgrin.com

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                • #38
                  As someone who has been going to this show since 1996 (only missing it twice), I would say that the show is very much alive and well. There were droves of buyers, hundreds of vendors, and lots of great atmosphere. While I do miss the giant makeup and costume vendors...most of them wouldnt even talk to the haunt crowd anyway...I used to have to fight just to get catalogs to see the products that were coming out. So while in some ways I miss them, in other ways I dont. I think their being gone has helped step up the game for some of the other custom costume makers and really promote a better quality show across the board in the haunt industry. Im happier to see stuff like movie quality costumes from Robert Kurtman's Creature Corps going into a haunt than a Rubies costume you can buy for $35 at your local costume shop or K-Mart...again it promotes higher quality haunting all around.

                  As for entertainment, If you couldn't find fun things to do or found bad service you either weren't looking, had bad luck, or didn't try very hard. We had great experiences everywhere we went, and couldn't even fit in everything we wanted to do. Just a sampling of places we went to included:

                  Silver Ball Room - A Punk Rock pinball pub (playing nothing but punk music and had a whole room of great pinball machines)
                  Casinos
                  Pappy's - BEST Barbecue I have ever had. It is now a last day before coming home tradition!
                  City Museum - Most amazing work of art ever.
                  Then every restaurant we went to was amazing and the service was great. Anyone that had otherwise again really must have had bad luck.

                  I enjoyed being able to walk to most things...Chicago was such a pain for night life...you had a 45minute tram ride or 20 minute (expensive) cab ride to get to downtown...and you were a lot less likely to run into other haunters.

                  Show wise I will agree with many that it seemed like a lot less of the big "wow" new innovative products...lots of twists on things the vendors were already doing. There were only about a handful of things that got my attention this year as compared to a lot more last year. As for quality....there has always been good and bad stuff..because there are buyers that will and do buy both. Some buyers would rather save a buck by going with a lower quality item (although value doesnt always mean lower quality) and take a hit on the quality end of things. If they can pay for the booth...they have every right to be there.

                  On copycats...it has always happened and always will, and it is in every industry, not just ours...especially when the items aren't patented. As a buyer it is their job to research which are the best. Original is also not always the best...I have seen many times where a copycat made necessary improvements on a product and made it better.

                  Price wise...its going to cost a lot at any big convention center. With that kind of a show...its not going to get much cheaper anywhere else, and have the same amenities and extras that we get with Transworld. The union thing is of course a pain and expensive....but it comes with the location, and from shows that we have done is even more expensive in Austin.

                  Thats just my two cents on it all.

                  Mike "Pogo" Hach
                  -Mike "Pogo" Hach

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                  • #39
                    Well said, Mike.

                    glad you had a positive experience. I think that's all anybody wants and expects for the price they pay.

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      Regarding Chuck's comments on STL

                      Chuck, you're right on both counts.

                      All convention cities have challenges, but STL is pretty poor on some counts.
                      Except location, it is relatively central to haunters from Michigan to the
                      Gulf! An easy drive for many many people.

                      Food, customer service, hotels - not so great. Except for Denise at the
                      Drury front desk, she get's it, a truly helpful happy person that tries to
                      make others feel welcomed. It's a carry friendly state so I don't mind
                      trekking from one hotel to another at midnight, can't say that about
                      Illinois.

                      Chicago's great but it's too cold. Atlanta is outstanding in March on all counts.
                      First, the convention facility is amazing, three major hotels within two blocks,
                      and it's near 70 most days by now. Outstanding dining within walking distance,
                      met Ted himself at his "Montana Grill" downtown two years ago, lots of places
                      to go for drinks and steak.

                      When the convention center's finished in Nashville it'll make for a great option
                      as well, even more actual night life in a concentrated area than Atlanta- and
                      Nashville's like Houston in that it takes zero chite from punks and derelicts in
                      the tourist zone - you're nearly as safe as Disney Land in the Broadway Corridor.
                      Still, not as centrally located as St. Louis.

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                      • #41
                        Me and mine had no ill experiences in the city at all. The dinners were great (I highly recommend Mosaic and Mango) and the hotel staff were fine and all the people I saw were friendly. I dont see the giant issues that some of you had with it? I wasnt with you obviously I had a great time, Im really looking forward to going to city museum again next year.
                        Allen H
                        www.Stiltbeaststudios.com
                        http://www.youtube.com/user/Stiltbea...s?feature=mhee

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                        • #42
                          I don't think you can ask for better entertainment for the price... WORLD CLASS casino and resort across the street. The arena had events going on blues hockey and what ever just down the street. You had a bowling alley, dueling piano bar, tons of places eat, night clubs, city museum, museums to visit if you choose to take a break from the show alll free mind you from art gallery, science center, and our zoo is WORLD CLASS voted best in America.

                          You guys keep saying you like city museum well there is another place some thing is better: Magic House you guys missed that one.

                          A hotel everyone shacked up in is directly across the street from the convention center, haunt tours, parties, and for the buyers the show was free.

                          What else can you ask for... we had great education and a giant show floor.

                          To me however the only let down was the products the innovation was not great... probably the worst I've ever seen overall.

                          Outside of that I would say you couldn't ask for more.

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

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                          • #43
                            I agree with Allen, we also had a great experience with the hotels, restaurants, the bars, casino, convention and the vendors. Most of all, we all get to spend time together as an industry. Having everything within walking distance is a plus and the chance to see some great haunts is awesome but I do think its time to move on to a new location. Three years is long enough. I'd like to see it go to a convention center that has a similar setup as St Louis. Hopefully some of the ones mentioned above are as accommodating. It would be nice to see some of the haunts in New Orleans, Atlanta, Nashville and even in a few years back to St Louis to see the Darkness again.

                            I think the vendors had an off year with new ideas. I do hope they all had a successful show with tons of orders so they can come back strong next year with lots of great stuff. Gore-galore has a right to be upset, this is a very small industry when it comes to specialized prop makers and there's a lot of room for new ideas. No need to copy someones else. I also think Midnight Studios stole the show with some great looking costumes and props.

                            I can't believe it went by so fast, I didn't even make it to all the booths. It was great seeing a lot of you at the show.

                            Wayne

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                            • #44
                              the good and ok

                              I thought the show was great but i do agree that the show should move every year so we can see haunts around the country. It would keep the interest for everyone buyer's and vendors. Yes there are issues in every major city but I think it would be nice for the show to move around. I had nothing but good experiences with the restaurants and bars. And would be happy to go back to St.Louis in a few years but let's all write TW and ask them to move it.

                              Shawn
                              http://bradentonhauntedtrail.com

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                Believe me when I say I was not thrilled when St Louis was chosen. I have come however to enjoy the city. There is a lot a person can do and much of it within walking distance. We did not have any service issues at restaurants or the hotel. The only thing I worry about every year is the weather. We lucked out this year and the weather was very nice. As for the show moving every year its a nice thought but not the right show. More hauntcon. We go to buy and deal and the extra activities are just that. Extra. In Chicago the was nothing to do other than go to the hotel bar. There was nothing for 30 miles.
                                Lordgrimley.com for the very best items on the net.

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