HauntCon reviews?

[bodybagging]

Anyone have anything to report?

[xxxdirk]

I just got back cause I have two hypnosis shows to do tonight/Sunday morning. Had a great time and went through many very cool haunts. 13th gate,House of Shock, and Phobia were the biggies that all loved. The seminars were very informative and it was great hanging with everyone n some cool new exhibitors. Len announced the location for 2008, but out of respect for him, I will not post here until he gives the formal announcement.

[hauntedhousenut]

Bodybaggin

Rob, I thought you guys were going to be there.

[bodybagging]

Conflicts of interest, prevented us from attending.

[drfrightner]

I was told they're going to the Wisconsin Dells area. Considering the success of the Frozen Tundra tour I don't think this was a good choice because many people have already toured the area just last year. We'll see...

The thing with these Hauntcon's are they're fun, but the vendors don't seem to make money. Seems like the attendance was down again, and the vendors money wise aren't screaming with joy.

The people who attended are sceaming with joy if they visited House of Shock and 13th Gate. From everyone I talked to people where just blown away by these two attractions, making the trip worth the price they paid to get there.

I haven't heard anything about the tour of the local Houston attractions yet but I'm sure I will hear some soon. About 100 or so people tour 13th Gate and House of Shock and loved it.

Those are great attractions for sure!!!

Hauntcon seems to have found a mold of being a social event, fun for the people who go but not so much of a tradeshow. I think in the end to be a tradeshow you have to stop in one place for a long time, and establish yourself. People seem to have had a good time touring the attractions and that is the important thing. I also heard some of the seminars where well attended...

That is about all I heard.

Larry

[stafford]

Back Yesterday

Just got back yesterday, attended the pre show tour, and the haunt tours in Houston, then flew home Saturday morning. 13th Gate and House of Shock were fantastic. The level of detail at 13th Gate was incredible, similar to Rocky Point, but probably more realistic in it's detail, their asylum and sewer areas were something to see.

House of Shock's pre show was definitely "shocking", coming from my background and upbringing, it definitely had be out of my comfort zone. But hey, they got under my skin, and that's hard to do. The haunt itself was excellent, well detailed, and the actors are really up close and personal, was grabbed a few times. All in all, a great haunt, if you're not easily offended.

Also toured Chamber of Horrors and The Haunted Mortuary on the pre show tour. Chamber of Horrors is a fairly new haunt outside New Orleans. The Mortuary looks like it's gearing up to be a great tourist attraction and seasonal haunt, talk about atmosphere, an actual mortuary in the heart of the New Orleans "city of the dead" graveyard area. Location, location, location, sheesh!

In Houston, toured Nightmare on the Bayou and Phobia, an excellent time was had by all. Then spent a day at the Hauntcon show before heading home. The show was a good opportunity to catch up with friends and make some new ones.

I don't know that the location of the Hauntcon 2009 is that secret since it was on the back of the show brochure, it said join us in Milwaukee in 2009. I heard rumblings that Terror on the Fox will be on the pre show tour, so if you missed it on the Frozen Tundra tour, here's your second chance.

All in all, as Larry had said, the pre show tour was well worth the price of admission. As it's nearly impossible for me to get away during Sept/Oct, Hauntcon in the past few years has given me the opportunity to see Rocky Point, Nightmare on 13th, Erebus, 13th Gate, and House of Shock, haunts with a long running history of excellence, that I would probably not have been able to see otherwise. If this is a trend continued at Hauntcon, I will definitely continue to attend.

[Grimley]

This was our first visit to Hauntcon. It being only 3 hours drive I decided to go and see things for myself. I was unable to attend the tours but did visit the showroom floor. It was good to see Little Spider props(now Haunted Enterprises) again as I had not seen them since 2006. I also met a few new vendors I have never seen at Transworld. I think the event looked well organized and very professionally run. One of the vendors I know said they sold their booth so the sales seemed to be going ok. I really wish I had the time to do the tours but I can always save that for next year.

[xxxdirk]

Seeing how Stafford spilled the beans, I will confirm. It was announced Hauntcon 2009, end of April into May Milwaukee Wisconsin. I am assuming there will be a pretour as well as visits to many Wisconsin haunts including Terror On The Fox. I know some of you went to Terror last year and Froze your butts off, so 2009 will be a chance to see the haunt without having to see it through the cloud of steam coming from your breath.

[drfrightner]

Going forward Hauntcon should consider dropping the tradeshow aspect and focus on haunt tours and seminars only, I think that would save them money and or earn them more money and be just as successful.

I've now talked to 6 different vendors who told me they did horrible and will not go back. From last years Hauntcon to this years Hauntcon they lost so many vendors its not even funny, and I will expect them to lose a lot more next year. From looking at the tradeshow floor plan this show has shrunk and shrunk...its ONLY because vendors have to make money at these things, and when they can't cover costs they don't return.

Additionally there are to many of these regional events and you just can't attend them all...some people are going MHC, some are going to the EHC, and adding IAAPA and well the Transworld show. Some are telling me they're now doing so much business just from the net they not putting a zillion events on their calender. IF you're going to do a tradeshow the tradeshow has to focus on tours and social activities or you have to focus on vendors and attracting buyers. Hauntcon has a focus on the social aspects with horror movies, hearse rallies, garage sales, blah, blah...which doesn't bring vendors the type of buyers they need to make money.

As for next years choice...

All in all I think the choice to go to Milwaukee was the absolute WORST choice they could have every made. I was talking to some people who have attended every single Hauntcon who already told me they will not go next year because they've already seen all the haunts in that area at Transworld just a year or so ago.

I will predict this will be the lowest attended Hauntcon of all so far... not because the haunts are not worthy of a tour, but because of the Frozen Tundra just a little over a year ago.

When you look at the numbers, about 100 people attended the 13th Gate/House of Shock Tour at Hauntcon, and what did Frozen Tundra do a year ago...what about 150 or whatever? Well what that tells you is that there are about 100 to 200 people who will take off work, who will pay a premium price to take haunt tours when not on a weekend. I would bet you ANY PRICE for the MOST part the people who attended the 13th Gate tour just a couple days ago are the same people who attended Frozen Tundra just a year ago.

Those people are not and I mean FOR THE MOST part going to go through all the time and costs to do it again just 24 months later. Considering those guys already organized a tour and it went better than 13th Gate or the Rocky Point pre-tours of Hauntcon the people who wanted to see those attractions already saw them.

WORST CHOICE you could have ever made in my opinion. They should have considered a city like Boston and done some Salem haunts, etc. etc.

Or how about New York area where there are TONS of haunts especially in New Jersey. Its not that I don't like the haunts in Wisconsin because I do, but I think Frozen Tundra Tour more or less already exposed that market.

Creative Visions tried to talk Leonard into coming to St. Louis and Leonard said if I moved he would come to St. Louis...LOL. Leonard admitted to me that if he came to St. Louis it would probably be the most successful one he had ever done, because of the fact that I would probably promote it to death, the darkness, the regional location to so many people, blah, blah but told me he doesn't trust me to come here.

So I guess there will never be a Hauntcon in St. Louis...but there might be something else coming here March 2008. We'll see...

Larry

[mindtumor]

Going forward Hauntcon should consider dropping the tradeshow aspect and focus on haunt tours and seminars only, I think that would save them money and or earn them more money and be just as successful.

I've now talked to 6 different vendors who told me they did horrible and will not go back. From last years Hauntcon to this years Hauntcon they lost so many vendors its not even funny, and I will expect them to lose a lot more next year. From looking at the tradeshow floor plan this show has shrunk and shrunk...its ONLY because vendors have to make money at these things, and when they can't cover costs they don't return.

Additionally there are to many of these regional events and you just can't attend them all...some people are going MHC, some are going to the EHC, and adding IAAPA and well the Transworld show. Some are telling me they're now doing so much business just from the net they not putting a zillion events on their calender. IF you're going to do a tradeshow the tradeshow has to focus on tours and social activities or you have to focus on vendors and attracting buyers. Hauntcon has a focus on the social aspects with horror movies, hearse rallies, garage sales, blah, blah...which doesn't bring vendors the type of buyers they need to make money.

As for next years choice...

All in all I think the choice to go to Milwaukee was the absolute WORST choice they could have every made. I was talking to some people who have attended every single Hauntcon who already told me they will not go next year because they've already seen all the haunts in that area at Transworld just a year or so ago.

I will predict this will be the lowest attended Hauntcon of all so far... not because the haunts are not worthy of a tour, but because of the Frozen Tundra just a little over a year ago.

When you look at the numbers, about 100 people attended the 13th Gate/House of Shock Tour at Hauntcon, and what did Frozen Tundra do a year ago...what about 150 or whatever? Well what that tells you is that there are about 100 to 200 people who will take off work, who will pay a premium price to take haunt tours when not on a weekend. I would bet you ANY PRICE for the MOST part the people who attended the 13th Gate tour just a couple days ago are the same people who attended Frozen Tundra just a year ago.

Those people are not and I mean FOR THE MOST part going to go through all the time and costs to do it again just 24 months later. Considering those guys already organized a tour and it went better than 13th Gate or the Rocky Point pre-tours of Hauntcon the people who wanted to see those attractions already saw them.

WORST CHOICE you could have ever made in my opinion. They should have considered a city like Boston and done some Salem haunts, etc. etc.

Or how about New York area where there are TONS of haunts especially in New Jersey. Its not that I don't like the haunts in Wisconsin because I do, but I think Frozen Tundra Tour more or less already exposed that market.

Creative Visions tried to talk Leonard into coming to St. Louis and Leonard said if I moved he would come to St. Louis...LOL. Leonard admitted to me that if he came to St. Louis it would probably be the most successful one he had ever done, because of the fact that I would probably promote it to death, the darkness, the regional location to so many people, blah, blah but told me he doesn't trust me to come here.

So I guess there will never be a Hauntcon in St. Louis...but there might be something else coming here March 2008. We'll see...

Larry

Well whatever might have been coming in March 2008, I guess I already missed it!LOL!

[hauntedhousenut]

Larry

Are you sure about the numbers that attended the 13th gate/house of shock tour?

last year I attended the one in michigan, and on the friday night tour Erebus/Realm there had to be over 600 people easily.

And about the next location for 2009 in Wiskey, are you saying that because of personal feeelings or do you really think it's a bad location.

And last but not least, I think everyone is aware of your take on Hauntcon, which I don't have a problem with personally; but what is the difference with you on this subject and Greystone on theirs? oops silly me, you have the power to delete!

How about this for an idea Larry, why don't you put on a two day seminar at your locations, that includes education, and socialization, and haunt tours.

[xxxdirk]

Larry, there is more than JUST TOF in Wisconsin. I would think you would know that cause you know about all the haunts in the US. We have quite a few haunts that people have not been to and many are pretty damn good. How about waiting until AFTER you see the schedule before you go bashing an event just cause you have issues with the producer? Or if you are so convincd that you could do a better event, why not create your own convention? I would love to see your haunts in person.

As far as there being too many conventions, I think a lot of choices is a good thing. I am sure vendors would LOVE to have 1 convention everyone goes to. It would save alot of money in booth fees, but having to go to trade SHOWS is part of the cost of being a vendor IMHO. Some people will wanna go to Hauntcon, some to MWHC, some to EHC, and some people go to more than one.

Ron

[drfrightner]

Whoops... meant to say 2009. My bad!

Secondly as for how many people attended the 13th Gate compared to how many people attended the Michigan tour or whatever... you must understand Leonard for whatever reason didn't have the event IN NEW ORLEANS, he had the event in Houston, just like he didn't have the event in SALT LAKE rather than Denver.

The mega haunt was in Salt Lake not Denver, so if you wanted to see Rocky Point for example you had to pay a ton of money for plane tickets, blah, blah, and come in extra early, that is why the tour had so few people. Same with 13th Gate and House of Shock, you had to pay way more money because of bus rides, hotels, and all the extra expense.

I'm sure the tours of Phobia had WAY more people because that haunt is in the city that Hauntcon was actually in...had Leonard had the event in New Orleans I'm sure tons more people would have toured 13th Gate and House of Shock. But there was only two buses for those two haunts opposed to I'm sure several times more for Phobia because it was acutally in Houston.

When the event was in Detroit area, Erebus was in Detroit, had the tour been in say CHicago and you bus them over to Erebus you would have had the same exact results about 100 people rather than 4 or 500 people.

I hope that clears that up.

Secondly, as for me saying Milwaukee is a bad choice... NO WAY is it personal feelings NO WAY! I think there are a lot of haunts in the area and some pretty good ones, and that is NOT the point.

I'm only stating my opinion based on FACTS and LOGIC! The Frozen Tundra tour was very successful and toured several haunts in the area...correct?

The main haunt most haunt owners would like to see is Terror on the Fox... guess what most of the people who would like to see Terror on the Fox that go to these types of events ALREADY WENT...correct?

Lets be honest okay...it cost money to go to these events, its time away from your job, your family and everything else. A good reason to go is to see something you haven't already seen. Additionally lets be honest NO ONE is going to Hauntcon to buy new stuff from their haunts, because vendors are dropping Hauntcon as a place to exhibit. VENDORS for the most part are doing horrible there because it is NOT a buyers show.

So why do people attend??? TO SEE NEW HAUNTS...by going to a city that has already had a VERY successful TOUR is not smart and that is NOT a shot against Milwaukee area at all.

I mean we can lay a bet on it, because I've been know to make bets, but I will bet it will hit an ALL TIME record LOW in attendance due to the SUCCESS of Frozen Tundra just 16 months ago. This was a bad choice a real bad choice because of the SUCCESSFUL tour produced there just 16 months ago.

What I'm not saying isn't personal and its not NEGATIVE...its just stating a fact, that you can't dispute. You may not like it especially if you love Hauntcon but it would be hard for you to deny that 'yeah maybe it was to soon to go back to an area where a HUGELY successful tour took place not that long ago'.

Let me give you an example that maybe you can understand...

I run a magazine, Leonard runs a magazine...

I know this for a fact that Leonard had told haunts, he will not cover their haunt because its been on my cover already, and I can tell you that I'm not going to turn around and do a featured story on a haunt when it was just on his cover within the past year...that is stupid!

I'm not saying I would NEVER do a story because its been on his cover but I'm not going to cover a haunt that was on his cover within the past 4 to 8 issues. DO THE PEOPLE WANT TO SEE THE SAME THINGS COVERED AGAIN???

I wouldn't do it not based on personal feelings but rather thinking about the people who subscribe to our magazine. I want to do something new and different, and I'm sure he feels the same way.

I want to give you something you haven't seen before, I want to inform you of things you may not have known until you read the magazine, but I dont' want to give you something you already know or have seen.

Same thing here... most of you already went there just last year, going back to that area maybe 5 years from now would have been smarter. Going to Boston now that would have been a tour!!!! Going to New York area now that would have been something NEW!!!!!!!!!!!

Just my opinion but I think I'm right but we'll see. Either way I do wish those haunts luck and Hauntcon success.

Larry

[Feargore]

i thank hantcon looks like FUN!!!!!!!!!!

-Taylor

[drfrightner]

I think that is the point... Hauntcon is fun!

Larry