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I want to hear some reviews of Halloween Extreme.

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  • #17
    Small but Fun

    I had attended on Saturday all day and late into the night. I was thrown off being that they did not have a one day joint ticket into both Halloween Extreme and Spooky Empire's Mayhem. The show floor was small but diverse with products. I knowing this was a first time convention thought it was better than I had expected. Yes, living a few hours from Orlando, I do go to IAAPA every year (I do projects for non haunted attractions too). They set the bar on all conventions very high but I am realistic too. I have never been to the St Louis show. For the past two years I have donated to the Insane Shane party and never have been. It is not because I do not want to. It just always manages to hit when the theme parks and attraction industry want their stuff built for a summer opening. It ends up being that I am to swamped with work and the fact it is so far that it takes about a week out of my schedule. I was hoping the Universal Halloween Horror Nights panel was more on the building and design topic but…. that is just me. Over all I had a great time and I am happy to have heard they are doing this again next year. The one BIG problem I had was they sold out on the Halloween Extreme shirts Friday. I really wanted one bad. Lol Please make more. Lol I am looking forward to a bigger and better show next year.

    Thank You for a great time,

    Robert Travis
    Scenic Art Productions
    ScenicArtProductions@Yahoo.COM
    https://www.Facebook.com/scenicartproductions

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    • #18
      Moving TW

      I live in middle TN and wonder how many people have heard of the HUGE new convention center that Nashville built downtown? Over a million sq. ft. with plenty of space and things to do in walking distance!! Most haunt owners work great with each other here and would be happy to open a haunt for haunt owners to enjoy. I feel that many attendees love love love seeing other haunts that they would never see other wise. People are constantly looking for things to replicate and bring back to their city that has not been seen in their region yet. Nashville would also be an easy distance for a bus tour down to Disturbia! My 2nd vote would be Atlanta as Netherworld is so so top notch and would possibly be able to also do a bus tour to Atrox! I feel there are more mid range size haunts than big boys at TW and being centrally located makes for easier travel cost and ability to haul items bought as oppose to fit them in a carry on!! Just 1 persons opinion here but I like some variety! Im not a huge country person but there really is only 1 Nashville! Now its gotten big time prepared for conventions to take advantage of it!

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      • #19
        Couple things I would be totally opposed to Atlanta because I hated that city for a convention. IAAPA was there twice is was the two worst attended shows they ever did, the buyers and exhibitors complained like crazy. Its hard to get around very few hotels near the convention center I 110% hated Atlanta along with everyone else from IAAPA. Don't get me wrong I don't hate the city and I don't hate Netherworld but I hated the city for a convention for 1000 million reasons... so no way Jose.

        Nashville I've never really been there... I've been through it but never really stayed there long. Don't know much about the city.

        One thing you have to look for for this industry is a very cheap space, the city must be drivable and it needs to stay central because as we all know haunters as a whole are CHEAP! They show needs to stay as cheap as possible to keep it growing. Again I could care less if the show moved, in fact I hope it does... I won't attend anymore I think I've just think overall I'm done with tradeshows. I'm seriously thinking for the first time of NOT attending IAAPA... so don't worry about what I think other than the fact that I KNOW tradeshows. Atlanta no way, Orlando no no way, Vegas out of the question anywhere west of St Louis is a bad idea totally, one of extreme of the country like east coast another bad idea... it must stay central.

        So any advice I give will be good for the industry as a whole. Anyway what does this conversation about a review of Halloween Extreme have to do with moving TW main show. I think its because its simply admitting that all these little shows don't work and we'd as a whole would rather see one show work and where that show should be, and what should happen, and this and that... is in the end what we all care about most.

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

        Comment


        • #20
          Hummm

          Nashville has tons to offer and the Opryland hotel is one of the largest hotels in the world everyone could stay at the hotel without worrying about it selling out ( I would think) now if it were during the summer that's a different story they have tons of places to eat in the hotel and places to shop in there as well or tons within walking distance! I don't know though I want to see it move I just don't know where because there is so many cool places to put the show and so many cool city's to explore. To me St. Louis is not the cheapest anymore I mean the Ren Grand is nice but in Orlando we stayed at a 4 star hotel that blowed the the Ren out of the water and it was $79.00 per night! And I mean now TW charges to get in where it NEVER did before EVER so I feel the Americas Center has a hold on them now and pretty much can do what they want knowing they are going to be there so they can charge whatever so this is another reason I say move it there is plenty of places that would love to host this show. Again it's not the little $50.00 but this is a sign that there is more to come because they can do it. Memphis may be cheap as well also Louisville KY, Dallas, shoot it's exciting to think of the places out there. Shane and it's just my opinions, thoughts and how I see it.
          sigpic

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          • #21
            Shane,

            I can tell you this for sure... it will never move to Orlando. The venders would throw a fit and for good reason. The vendors and the show organizer would want the focus of the show to be on the show not Disneyworld, not Universal, not the beach, not the nightlife they have there, blah, blah...

            As I said at IAAPA people go to that show for one day them BAM out the door never to be seen again. Vendors in this industry want your attention on the show, during the show, at the show until the end of the show... won't happen in Orlando. Everything about Orlando is better than St Louis, Houston, Nashville, to Little Rock Arkansas and every single thing between. If you want a vacation slash tradeshow you go to Orlando, if you want a tradeshow where everything that leads up the show is the tradeshow to your entire time at the show is the tradeshow you don't go to LA, Vegas, and especially Orlando.

            Getting back to Atlanta for a sec... when IAAPA was there that was actually one of the positives. There was nothing to do there so people stayed at the show but the downside was the attendance went rock bottom... people hated it so much they didn't want to come back. I remember in Atlanta having to stay 10 miles away from the convention center... hard to get around in that city.

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

            Comment


            • #22
              Larry

              I don't think it will ever go to Orlando either. The reason I mentioned Orlando was the fact we got nice rooms for a lot cheaper than in St. Louis I actually don't think it's ever going to leave St. Louis but its cool to see others thoughts and opinions and explore options. I will say this if another major trade show promoter was to get involved and compete things may get different as a vendor I can see you like it being close to you as well as others that's close to St. Louis I get that part totally. For me myself I would never want it in my front door that would be no fun or excitement for me I want to go somewhere. LOL I think it's safe to say St. Louis it is and there is no need for anyone to get offended or preach as to "why" but again it's fun to explore other possibilities and cities you know. Shane and it's I still say wherever it is people will still go no matter what.
              sigpic

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              • #23
                I talked to a vendor today who went to this show and they told me it wasn't good ... not many buyers and not many buyers for haunted house equipment. I think most of the people came over from the horror show ... these horror fan shows are everywhere now.

                Shane I'm right there with ya... in fact while we are exploring cities lets throw something in the mix like Bahamas or Hawaii or something like that. LOL And again I'm all for the show moving to a different city lets just make sure it works for our industries benefit, problems, issues, etc, etc.

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

                Comment


                • #24
                  Larry

                  LOL lets move it to the Rain Forest or the African Plains now that would be exciting! LOL Shane and it's watch out for the running of the water buffalo's!
                  sigpic

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                  • #25
                    In all honesty getting to St. Louis from the west coast is a pain in the @#$. Chicago was always a lot easier on travel logistics and pocketbook in general. By the way somewhere in Texas wouldn't be bad and they have more haunts than anywhere else. Just sayin'.

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                    • #26
                      I'm from the west coast also, So I vote for Austin Texas!


                      Larry
                      www.abracadaver.com

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                      • #27
                        Extreme Review

                        I decided at the last minute to bring my wife and 6 year old girl and make it a long weekend trip and hit Disney for one day, since my daughter has never been. The floor was like a mini scale model of TransWorld....much smaller than expected. And when vendors like GhostRide are there without one full length body on display....I figured out pretty quickly this was not going to live up to the hype. The hotel was very nice, and we checked in and were told that everyone in the convention is booked on the same floors. WOW!! Big mistake. Now I understand it was my decision to bring my 6 year old, but come on. Was it the constant screaming and mother f*ckers from everyone coming off the elevator until 3 am that I'm pissed off about, or was it the slamming on the walls at 4 am from the room next to us that sounded like they were trying to collapse the wall? Either way we had to switch rooms for the next two nights. Hey I'm all about the party, but come on...have some respect

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                        • #28
                          Originally posted by robert View Post
                          In all honesty getting to St. Louis from the west coast is a pain in the @#$. Chicago was always a lot easier on travel logistics and pocketbook in general. By the way somewhere in Texas wouldn't be bad and they have more haunts than anywhere else. Just sayin'.

                          Isn't it about the same travel time from the west coast to St Louis and Chicago? It's about 2 hours to either city from the east coast.

                          Allan

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                          • #29
                            Originally posted by MDKing View Post
                            Isn't it about the same travel time from the west coast to St Louis and Chicago? It's about 2 hours to either city from the east coast.

                            Allan
                            The prices and lack of connections (or direct flights) to St. Louis make scheduling and travel tougher.

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