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  • Best sites your pick...?

    So as I am scouting locations here in TN so I can start building next month for the 2014 season and mapping the bigger haunts... i was visiting their websites. Made me think about if the community had a fav 5 of sites of haunts.. Not the haunt itself or how much money they make but just a fav five of the designs you like the flavor of? The visual aspect. Anyone got favorites? The top 5 bad ass design, Halloween Attraction sites? Even if its a cookie cutter..whatever floats your boat!

  • #2
    There are tons of great haunt websites.
    but

    My #1 ultimate favorite haunt web site is
    www.deadacres.com

    this one presses on my brain
    Kevin R. Alvey
    info at gore-galore.com
    www.gore-galore.com
    www.halloweenmusicgalore.com
    www.youtube.com/goregalore13
    www.facebook.com/goregalore


    sigpic

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    • #3
      Oh that site is vomit. Lol

      I prefer clean, concise websites that are quick loading, easy to navigate, and show a good YouTube video on the home page.

      Although slightly biased as they are right down the road from me, I prefer www.hundredacresmanor.com and www.scarehouse.com. Both have a very appealing and brief video that summarizes the haunt.

      With more and more people using phones to view sites, ones that use a shitload of flash are tacky and not mobile friendly. It was cool 12 years ago, but as we thrust ourselves into a mobile and moving market, anyone is silly and dumb to not focus more on mobile development and simple websites that get the point across quickly and efficiently.

      Just my opinion, though!

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      • #4
        The scarehouse website is nice but their show isn't very scary.
        Whereas Dead Acres site is horrible but their show is great.

        DA

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        • #5
          DA I agree, but some haunts go for more entertainment than "fear."

          I prefer great marketing and advertising, that's what sells. Great YouTube videos followed by actors within the haunt that were in the commercials makes it feel more "Hollywood" and not as "scary."

          However, HundredAcresManor is not only a clean and concise page but also quite a good scare.

          Regarding scares, btw, I'm assuming you and I are on the same page regarding scare vs. startle. A SCARE is a no-shit fear that someone is fearful for their life or of an event or room, etc. A STARTLE is when you are caught off guard and your instincts of reactionary forces (fight or flight) kick in. This, for me, happens quite a bit. I am STARTLED easily. But scared? Hasn't happened since I was deployed my first time in 06, headed home in a C-130 and thought we were going down.

          Just clarifying...

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          • #6
            Lots of great ones

            i'm with Kevin... The www.deadacres.com site is pretty hard to beat! That style is right up my alley!

            Doug.
            www.frightprops.com

            [FrightProps Blog]
            [Google+] [YouTube]
            [Facebook] [Twitter] [Tumblr] [Pinterest]

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            • #7
              Nightmareaftershock,

              I think I judge scary based on the level of intensity on how I feel as I tour. The suspense, the startle scares, the dealing of dread all adds up. I noticed the Scarehouse has a lot of actors, very commonly small girls, talking and yelling as you pass. It's kinda hard to get scared when you walk into the scene and you already see the actor and you pretty much know what's going to happen. I did think their sound did contribute to the scariness of their show. By no means it is a bad show its good, just not very scary for ME, is all.

              DA

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              • #8
                DA call me Keegan.

                I agree with what you say, however. Good points. I still like their site much better than Hoochie. I think Hoochie is WAY too busy and distracting. Also, my opinion, sort of unprofessional looking.....

                Just my opinion.

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                • #9
                  Sorry Keegan, I was trying to remember your name just wouldn't come to me!

                  I agree though about the dead acres site, it's beyond busy and not as good a representation for how great the haunt is in my opinion.

                  DA

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                  • #10
                    Couple things to keep in mind... many people are using their phones now or tablets so I wouldn't focus to much on flash elements anymore. Iphone for example doesn't support flash. Anyway I think the most important thing of all is content and easy navigation not necessarily all the flashy graphics and stuff. Can I get easy to find details about the haunt, directions, or buy tickets is more important than anything. I think videos or photos of the haunt let the customers know your haunt rocks or not.

                    For my haunts website I focus on slick graphics and tons of content... you can go over flashy but you might lose position on Google. When you go searching for my haunts you find them all over the place. I'm more concerned with overall traffic than I am an overly flashy website. I'm not doing mobile sites anymore because I find myself hating them because I want more content. On Hauntworld for example we simply got rid of the flash pumpkin map because of the mobile usage.

                    I think all haunt websites should have a blog we have one on Scarefest and it helps add content, and more up to date information.

                    You can check out my website www.scarefest.com
                    Larry Kirchner
                    President
                    www.HalloweenProductions.com
                    www.BlacklightAttractions.com
                    www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
                    www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

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                    • #11
                      Valid points but since we are talking about visual preference.. no one is wrong. I was so impressed with Dead Acres site years ago and how banging the sound popped the site, I contacted the band Creature Feature for rights to reuse their music which they granted. I downloaded their album and blasted it and drove my family crazy. Use it for one of my workout songs now...

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                      • #12
                        Here is the problem with major web designers that many haunts use. The web designers do so many sites that they start to reuse graphics and use the same type of layout. I can usually go to a website and tell right away what company they're using. So, in order for the haunt to stand out, they have to be creative in what they want. I like Dead Acres' website because there's not another haunt out there that has a site like there's. It's crazy and off the wall just like the haunt is.
                        Spooky Wishes
                        Noah


                        City Blood: Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana's #1 Haunt Site!

                        http://www.ohioshaunted.com

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Jolly Pumpkin View Post
                          Here is the problem with major web designers that many haunts use. The web designers do so many sites that they start to reuse graphics and use the same type of layout. I can usually go to a website and tell right away what company they're using.
                          Agreed, but that's how some web designers keep their cost within the budget of the customer. If you want a totally unique look, you have to be willing to shell out more than ~ 1k.
                          News and event coverage from directly inside the Haunt Industry - http://www.hauntersdigest.com
                          Get a Website and/or Mobile App for Your Attraction - http://www.charlesterry.com

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                          • #14
                            Thank you

                            I appreciate everyone enjoying our website .... It was over a year in the making..... I believe standing out in a crowd sells tickets .... Yet I was also concerned about quick content for mobile phones... Kids today use mobile ...So we have that too.. If u try to access the Haunted Hoochie website with a mobile device u will see....


                            on another note Midwest is around the corner... And man oh man did we make something kewl...no other haunt in America has anything even close to it . .... Yet.. It's sooo scary it has even scared me ...its just that good... Hope to c everyone here
                            in order to see the orchestra ...you must turn your back on the crowd...



                            www.HAUNTEDHOOCHIE.COM
                            www.DEADACRES.COM

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                            • #15
                              Mine might not be as good, but they are pretty decent. Thought I'd drop by to show off LOL. I just finished a completely animated one:

                              http://redcrowdesign.net/themadness/

                              and here a couple of other ones that I'm also pretty proud of:

                              http://dimensionsofdarkness.com
                              http://juneaustudios.com
                              http://redcrowdesign.net/portfolio/w...b/default.html
                              http://www.maliciousstudios.com/
                              http://www.redcrowdesign.net

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