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looking for a little insite on Trailer haunts

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  • #16
    looking for a little insite on Trailer haunts

    Thats what i was looking for! Thank you Rich. I will send you a email for that document and I will try and catch up with you in Vegas in Nov.

    Buck
    Capt.Chaos
    Fear Asylum Haunted House
    Brookings,SD

    fear-asylum.com

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    • #17
      I have exits every 45 feet or less, simply because my trailers are 45 feet long. I chose not to arrange mine in a circle because I am using an area off to the left of the manor as well as the areas in between the trailers. I still have the wheels on all the trailers but mine are not easily portable. Mine are located on my property and sit on hard packed dirt, not asphalt. I actually dug holes for support posts under each bridge or walkway. If you are on pavement you obviously could not do that. Like Rich said there are different circumstances to each venue or area where you will have your trailers set up. I do not plan on moving mine. I could but it would take a great deal of tearing down. I have a total of 5270 sq ft which includes the area off to the left that is the childrens playground. People walk through and around in that before exiting. I have room for 2 additional trailers off tp the right when I can afford them. Across the entire front of the facade I have a large porch with columns very close to that of Larrys trailer haunt. You walk up to the middle front of the trailer to the entrance. These are old pictures but it might give you some idea of what can be done with trailers. The fireplace is in the dining room with actor hiding areas on either side. This is a double fireplace with the other side in the master bedroom. Actors can scare both rooms with relative ease. Hope this helps.
      Sue
      Attached Files
      Last edited by terrormasue; 03-29-2011, 07:15 AM.
      http://www.GraystoneHaunt.com

      Comment


      • #18
        A company in Buffalo created a haunted trailer show to carry from fair to fair. Used 70 foot office trailers. (had air conditioning for the summer time, it was nice at the county/state fairs) Lined them up side by side nearly an inch away from each other. Laid down steel plates and velcrow curtains to block light and to safely transport to the next trailer. They created a floor plan as if they were together by just cutting doors in to the sides of them. Whats stopping you from taking a bunch of them and doing the same thing. theoretically all you would have to do is get an experienced driver to pull them close together and connect the door ways some how.

        They were kinda stuck with the same floor plan but could change the theme in each room every year. They were great because they were built permanent inside but time destroys the frames. Plus every time they had to move it was costly.

        Easy to assemble, fun to permanently make scenes. pain in the butt to move and level. still though, a time saver.

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        • #19
          First Sue, thanks for the pictures, see what can be done when you don't have to move them!!!!
          It also looks like people do not see the back or maybe even sides of the attraction which means you
          just focus on the facade. If you are in a parking lot, all four sides have to be a facade so you tend
          to use the box style.

          I focus most of the attention in build portable attractions because that will cover more applications.
          But if you do have your own space or space where the trailers do not have to move, a basically permanent
          attraction can be built using the trailers as the building components. If you do NOT move them be aware.
          Under these conditions they could be deemed a permanent structure and would permitted and inspected
          as a "building" instead of a temporary structure. Everything is a matter of interpretation.

          We had a secondary attraction one year that was a wood wall black maze with tarps on top.
          The fire inspector stated there are two ways to look at this, a tent with wood walls which only needed
          one emergency exit, one emergency light, one extinguisher.....or a building with a cloth top which
          would require a sprinkler system. They chose the building!!! I countered with what requirements were
          need for the tent choice, a center pole, guy lines, what?? They said NO they consider it a building!!
          So everything is always a matter of interpretations.

          buffaloSCREAMS13: building in a mobile home trailer has it's advantages and major disadvantages.
          First is transportation and set up. They require a specialized truck and crew to move, skate together
          and level. I have the Asylum that uses these. It costs $1,500 each way to transport and set up just 3
          of the trailers that are mobile homes. It costs be about $700 to move all the rest (9)of the semi-trailers.
          You may have to get a special transportation permit because of the width (another way the city prints money).

          Also you may have different requirements because jurisdictions will have ordinances that cover the
          use of mobile homes. Building in a semi-trailer has very few regulations...so far! Mobile homes may have to
          install hurricane straps. Straps that wrap around the frame and then must be anchored to the ground. It not a
          difficult procedure, just an added step that requires an added inspection, so probably an added fee. The mobile
          homes are not designed for a lot of transportation, not like a semi-trailer. You "level" the semi by lowering the legs.
          The mobile home has to have a crew level it ( I did it once myself, took me 10 hours to do a double wide!)
          They do it in a couple hours. You also have to have it leveled when in storage. They are more critical for
          being leveled. You may have a lot that looks level, but with a 60 foot trailer I have had it 10 inches off the
          ground on one end and over 30 inches on the other side!!! Wheels had to be removed! Makes placing skirting a pain!!

          A good driver can probably get the semis close enough to work with. IF you don't have good driver, you just rent
          a fork lift or borrow if someone is close enough to nudge the trailers. Then you are not building and connectors
          between trailers, you walk directly from one into the other which helps complete the illusion that it is one big structure.
          Not too many houses where you outside every time you go from one room to the other!!

          There are a alot of questions and decisions when choosing any style of attraction. Each has advantages and disadvantages.
          Your job is weight the facts and make the best decision. As a consultant for this style of attraction my job is to help
          define those choices and the ramifications of those choices. The decisions that save the most money are usually ones that
          I already learned the hard (and expensive) way!!

          Hope this helps, now I have to get back to actually WORKING on my attractions, before the wife (partner) starts complaining
          about all the time on the computer!!! Good luck!!

          Rich
          R&J Productions
          Las Vegas, NV
          www.LasVegasHaunts.com

          Comment


          • #20
            Agreed with you Rich. They were a major pain but as everything has advantages and disadvantages to them. Semi's probably work fairly well. I know a few great haunts that do it this way. You are very right with the cost of moving an office trailer. Its very costly plus road permits. can only move hour after sunrise and an hour before sunset. Definitely cant move them easily with one forklift.

            The advantages with the office trailers is that they are a few feet wider and longer than a regular 48 or 53 footer. like i stated previously if you were planning on carting it around in the summer for fairs, they usually have air conditioning which is almost a reason on its own to go thru during a hot summer day while walking the fair grounds hahaha.

            I helped revamp a few office trailers for a haunted house and also a Horror Movie Museum. Great ideas, but can only use them for so many years. unless you completely switch them up!

            But otherwise you said everything else best!

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            • #21
              Originally posted by buffaloSCREAMS13 View Post
              they usually have air conditioning which is almost a reason on its own to go thru during a hot summer day while walking the fair grounds hahaha.
              A good reason to get a refrigerated trailer (reefer) and include it in there somewhere. The extreme cold can make a neat meat freezer or cave.

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              • #22
                Just curious, do haunts charge the same amount for the entrance fee on a trailer haunt?

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                • #23
                  If you have a large enough attraction it will depend on your market.
                  Haunts here are $12.00.

                  Refrigerated trailers: with the added insulation you end up with about 7 1/2 ft. Also the foam they use for them is extremely flammable.
                  You may have a difficult to impossible time getting one to pass use for occupancy.
                  R&J Productions
                  Las Vegas, NV
                  www.LasVegasHaunts.com

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Hey Rich,
                    Seems like way back when, the idea was to have a group of trailers less than 1000 sqft, which would preclude having it sprinkled. Then a non flammable 20' ramp, or something, between that and another 1000 sqft set of trailers. Is that still a viable option?
                    Karl
                    http://www.piratesofemerson.com

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Yup, still an option, infact our Hotel Fear is built on that concept. The Asylum is too big and requires a sprinkler. The issue for anyone just starting in this concept is do I build accordingly and hope things stay the same or just bite the bullet and install a sprinkler from the get go???

                      I have already had to deal with a jurisdiction changing guidelines. I was originally designed for 75 feet to an exit, then had to accomodate to 50 feet.
                      It was obviously done, but it required a redesign, remodel, rewire, ect.

                      Another jurisdiction just created a new classification called "Haunted House" which overrides any other guideline and states if it is a Haunted House it requires a sprinkler...period!!

                      So if I was building from scratch I would just build in a sprinkler system while it's easy to accomodate, then in most cases you are OVER the code requirements!!
                      (that can really frustrate an inspector!!!)

                      So Karl...how are things in the Bay area??? Thinking of finally putting in a trailer haunt????
                      I have an awesome entry designed for your style of attraction!!!
                      Still love your ship/trailer/stage...it's awesome!!!


                      Rich
                      Last edited by RJ Productions; 03-31-2011, 08:12 PM.
                      R&J Productions
                      Las Vegas, NV
                      www.LasVegasHaunts.com

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Originally posted by RJ Productions View Post
                        So Karl...how are things in the Bay area??? Thinking of finally putting in a trailer haunt????
                        I have an awesome entry designed for your style of attraction!!!
                        Still love your ship/trailer/stage...it's awesome!!!
                        Rich
                        Naw, got too many trailers as it is and I love our tents
                        Remember we looked at that option for the SoCal haunt a bunch of years back. Bad Karma then and it never wore off!

                        Now that you've unlocked the infamous film strip option on posts for the masses, thought I would try it out. One of the bands on our ship/float/stage.
                        Enjoy
                        Last edited by Karl Fields; 03-31-2011, 11:47 PM.
                        http://www.piratesofemerson.com

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          speaking about trailer haunts and portable/easily assembled haunts for temporary shows, hows everyones opinion on those black inflatable haunts and also the Inflatable beast and giant made by brainchild labs.

                          Other than the heat they contain and the easily puncture material, are they good to use at a fair or even as a second "location"

                          If it was me and I had my hands on "the beast" inflatable, I would just blow up the head and stick it on top of my building as a good eye catcher hahaha

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            See Karl,
                            us Ol' Dogs CAN learn new tricks!!! Linked over to your recap video. Looks like the move was helpful!! Awesome!!

                            Pirates of the Carribean...May 20th.... another Year of the Pirate!!
                            Not many of us with a movie franchisecovering your theme!!!
                            Looks good in the previews I've seen!!!

                            buffaloScreams: many of us have looked into those options. If you are looking to use the inflatable haunt as maybe a kid's haunt
                            it could work or maybe a small 3D. Not vey effective as a main attraction. Smal footprint and the colums to support the thing take up a major space.
                            Same for the Beast. Great curb appeal, could be something to draw your crowd. But not many "rooms" for the size it covers. It IS an eyecatcher!!

                            Also you may want to check with your fire inspectors. A friend used the inflatable haunt as a small kid's attraction. FD was concerned as to what would happen if he lost power. Concern was it deflating and trapping kids under it!! They wouldn't take any info from the company showing how long it would stay inflated. He had to provide a special back up system to keep seperate power to the blowers incase of a power failure. Just check first, the Beast had several blowers.


                            Rich
                            R&J Productions
                            Las Vegas, NV
                            www.LasVegasHaunts.com

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Inflateable things are a hassle. You discover late at night it is starting to deflate, walking around you discover one of the fans has blown out a circuit breaker hundreds of feet away behind a locked door and the plug that goes to the extention cord at the fan is smoking. So all of a sudden you are wrestling with things. The now not working fan is now a portal to 12 or16 inch tube of excaping air and has to be tied off. Of course that circuit generally took out a few fans so you are impromptu running cords to a different building to run the fans that still work.

                              Of course the guy who offered the inflatable even though he lives next door to the attraction has made sure he was gone for the evening. Do you have other fans? Are you into becoming an emediate electrician? The fans work many hours pushing against a force and this is what is going to fail. If you have extra fans they are seriously heavy and ususally there are no elephants to quickly move things into place and save the day. And it is in the dark. It is up to you Mister Phelps if you decide to take this mission.

                              Happy Halloween.
                              Last edited by Greg Chrise; 04-01-2011, 09:36 AM. Reason: not enough coffee yet.
                              sigpic

                              Another fabulous post from the U.S.Department of Wild Imaginings, now in spectaclar stereo, sponsored by the Adhesives and Sealants Council, suggesting ways to stick things together since the 1800s. Not fabulous in a gay way. Your results may vary. Illinois residents add 8% sales tax. These posts have been made by professional post makers, do not try this type of posting on your own without extensive training, lovely assistants and a trusty clown horn.

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