Check out Transworld's new Video

[drfrightner]

Pretty cool. They are already ramped up and no one has even opened yet. Larry

[drfrightner]

I know they also have already worked out every single seminar... so that is done as well. They are way ahead of the curve here. I'm doing a seminar as well but it will probably be my last because I'm just tied of it all. I'm doing a seminar about web marketing. Also trying to figure out if we should open our haunts again. What do you guys think?

It was so much work... it was a living breathing reality show on a daily basis.

I can say one thing about the show itself, our company will sorta get back into selling items to haunted houses. We are bringing this whole new line of FX that you can use in your haunted houses to replace a certain percentage of your actors. Hard to explain. I can only say it will be the best thing you've ever seen ... I'm pulling out all the stops. It will be awesome.

We start production on them this October.

Larry

[damon carson]

Our Booth

That was pretty cool! Jays and my booth wasnt shown just once but 3 times! The one with Mrs. Claus! Ha ha! She was at our booth on Saturday. Very nice girl.
Damon
Frightmasters

[Spookyfinder]

I say Atlanta... -Tyler

[Stacy Johnston]

Been there done that

>> Also trying to figure out if we should open our haunts again. What do you guys think?

Yeah, give it a rest this year. Been there done that.

[freak 'n' stein]

I like the Darkness and all but after a couple years in a row it's time for something new. Creepyworld would my first choice to see, something new and different maybe other local haunts too.

DA

Agreed...it would be nice to see Lemp one more time if it's getting more detail, but I think other local haunts as well as Creepyworld!!

and I also agree with [MENTION=93]Nightgore[/MENTION] -- ATL would be my FIRST choice if the show moved. Not just because it's closer but it would be a nice change of pace!! Netherworld would be a breath of fresh air...[MENTION=364]Speculo[/MENTION]'s show blows me away every season!!

[damon carson]

Open Darkness for Oct price and hours

Larry no matter how many people have visited your haunts with the attendance Transworld had last year I would still open. Maybe after 3 years give everyone a break and just charge regular season admission for Darkness. Maybe give other people the opportunity to see it. You can always open Lemp and maybe part of Creepyworld for your lights on tours and actor tours. Just sayin thats what I would do. This is just a suggestion.
Damon
Frightmasters

[Jonathan]

Looks awesome. I cannot wait to be there again. RFR is slated with our booth and it is going to be a fun romp for thindustry. Transworld is on the ball this year in prepping for 2012.

[drfrightner]

The haunt show is in St. Louis not because of haunt tours, I don't think TW cares at all if a haunt opens or not. The show is here because of location and because the city works with TW to make things more affordable. We have nothing to do with the show being here or not. If we don't open the show will go on. As for Creepyworld that is really impossible. I would love to open Creepyworld I really would because I've said it 1000 times Creepyworld is better than The Darkness... it truly is one of the best haunted attraction in America. You'd have to come see it during the Halloween season.

It would be impossible because I would be setting up everything in the winter... the place is massive. It takes like 4 months to set up and almost a month to store away. Not possible.

Other local haunts there is only Six Flags and one other guy who opens. Two other haunts had opened but have since closed.

People can make the trek from here to KC... it would set you back four hours each way.

Anyway... we seriously won't know anything until we get open and figure out what we will or won't do with our haunts for 2012. I will NOT OPEN them if I can't do something over the top.

I think one person said 'been there done that'... well I don't agree really because if anyone says we didn't do massive overhauls and each year introduce FX and sets that NO one has ever seen before that wouldn't be fair.

We have tried to transform those attractions each time into something totally different.

I will be honest I have not thought even for one second what I would change in either place... I'll have to get inspired here soon. Once I do I'll let you know. If I can can't up with a plan for Terror Visions to The Darkness to Lemp then we would do nothing. However I'm sure I'll come up with something but we'll see.

Larry

[drfrightner]

Like I said in the previous post... the show isn't about haunt tours at all. I think at least after you read the new Hauntworld Magazine you'll see where I stand!!!

A discussion should start about vendors... personally overall I thought the show from a vendor standpoint was one of the weakest I've seen. It seems like a lot of the vendors have hit a brick wall with idea's and many of the vendors are doing the same exact thing every single year just different skin.

I think a healthy discussion about what you want to see, how certain companies need a facelift or a complete overhaul and push them into new directions.

That sort of discussion I think would be great!

Larry

[OblivionHauntedHouse]

Every tour I have ever been on people are pissed for small things here and there. I was disheartened because the first year we went to the advertised 'lights on' tour - it wasn't nearly as lights on as I had expected, but that really is small peanuts.

HOWEVER - if you have gone to the darkness 2 years in a row or twice at all - you cannot walk away saying they did not do a MASSIVE overhaul of that place. And coming from our haunt where we tear down and build up year after year, changing EVERYTHING...I appreciate the changes and work that goes into that change and it really gives me the power to thing 'if they can do that, imagine what we can do!"

If they change part of the darkness. Yes, I would go again as would the rest of my team.

[freak 'n' stein]

Every tour I have ever been on people are pissed for small things here and there. I was disheartened because the first year we went to the advertised 'lights on' tour - it wasn't nearly as lights on as I had expected, but that really is small peanuts.

HOWEVER - if you have gone to the darkness 2 years in a row or twice at all - you cannot walk away saying they did not do a MASSIVE overhaul of that place. And coming from our haunt where we tear down and build up year after year, changing EVERYTHING...I appreciate the changes and work that goes into that change and it really gives me the power to thing 'if they can do that, imagine what we can do!"

If they change part of the darkness. Yes, I would go again as would the rest of my team.

Agreed. I don't think it's a matter of going. It's the price I have to pay as a fellow haunter. I understand running a show in the off season costs, but the only difference between myself and the customer is I am allowed to take pics and videos. The value to me isn't quite there. Don't get me wrong, cause I would pay the same price I've paid for the past two years to go again...I just think it's a bit spiked.

[drfrightner]

Couple things...

First I've explained this before but we said several times we'll have all the show lights on with overhead lights off with no fog so you could see everything. I agree that most people say lights on should be no show lights, no sound, no actors, nothing just lights overhead on. That isn't how I wanted to display my haunted house because all haunts from Disney to ours doesn't look right without the show lights on. However you can't take pictures if there is fog so we did not use that. Secondly, we saw a lot of people with lights for their camera. I didn't think it was a big deal and rather feel it was better displayed the way we did it.

Secondly, I appreciate you saying that you would agree we change a lot on the attraction because we do an unreal amount of work went into doing it and a lot of costs. I think we pushed our crew to the brink of total chaos ... people worked like daily day and night and still could not get it done. I think every single year we bit off way more than we could chew only because we wanted to give people the best possible show.

We could do a lot less and get everything done 110% or we could push to do everything including the kitchen sink which is what we do... we try hard, we spent lots fo money, lots of time and let me say left us all worn out totally. Lastly year Jim never once got to see the show he and our entire crew worked at the Darkness and Lemp every day of the show but Sunday all day and all night just trying to get it ready.


Lastly, as for the cost... I can't go over this enough. Look if you can pay $10,000 for some animation you can afford $50.00 for all the creative we pour into what we do. You pay $50.00 for a seminar is it worth it... that is up to you to decide. I ONLY VIEW my haunt tours as LIVE interactive seminars, not trying to scare you to death, not trying to do things you already know about... I'm trying to do something new.

Tell TW they shouldn't charge $50.00 for a seminar ... I will NEVER stop saying the same thing. There are too many haunters who complain about how much a video is, or a magazine, or a seminar or whatever. You spends tens of thousands to improve your haunted house, you charge $20, $30, and yes haunts are charging upwards of $50.00 for some tickets so I dont' think we are charging to much at all.

Fact is if I charged like $20.00 we'd sell 2000 or 3000 tickets then the tour would suck... too many people walking so slow we'd be there until 5am. Nah... I'll do it the same.

If people don't think its worth the money I'm not upset if you don't come...

Lastly, let me say again if I can't GO ALL OUT in attempt to blow myself away, amaze me, then I won't do it. If I'm not excited about what we can do to improve the haunt then I can't open to the public. I do things over the top... I try to do everything first class. If I can't do that I'm not interested.

Look I've spent probably $50,000.00 to simply improve Hauntworld features this year, now I'm spending about 10k to move the site to the Cloud because I like to do things first class... the money back to me is NOT a concern.

I've lost money on Hauntworld.com I've lost money on these haunt tours... iits just a matter of how much are you willing to lose! LOL

I'm okay with who wants to come or don't.

Its a choice.

Larry

[drfrightner]

On another subject which was the original subject... if you can believe this our company will be selling products again starting next season. We are ALREADY working on it... yes it will take that LONG to develope what we are going to offer at the show 2012. They will be awesome I can promise you!

What we are going to bring no one has ever tried before... so it will be something new. I also hope that ALL VENDORS step it up next year because no offense but I don't want to see more puppets, or more of the same animations, blah, blah...

I want all companies to think out side the box and offer a new direction, something different, do something you've never thought of doing before... do something that you might only find in some high end special effect show, something anything just not the same old stuff you bring every single year.

TIME TO STEP IT UP!

Larry

[damon carson]

My suggestion of charging 20 bucks to go through the Darkness I remember you even saying one year after T.W. I can understand you would have to limit the number of ticket sales. And with the show going on no one wants to be up all night. And with actors working straight through with no breaks ect. No one would want to work all night till 2am or 3am or later. But It would be nice in a perfect world. Maybe if you sold just say 1000 tickets. But its your haunt you call the shots. No matter what you can never make everyone happy. With 5000 attendees last year at T.W and even more possibly next year I would run the tours into the ground. Theres no way you will get the same customers year after year after year. Ya some but not everyone.
Damon
Frightmasters