Haunt Weekly

Send us Fan Mail First off, we are deeply sorry about the unplanned, unannounced and extended hiatus. However, we hope that this extra-long, equally unannounced and unplanned episode can make amends for it. In this episode, we talk about why we went on hiatus, what our plans are for the future of the podcast, and all about our 2025 Halloween season.  Please accept our apologies for the lack of upd...

Send us Fan Mail Most of the continent is currently under a heat dome. Feels like temperatures are climbing into the 110s and even 120s. It's not just hot, it's dangerously hot. But that sucks for haunters. Right now is when we want to be working on our builds and other projects. However, being outside for more than a few minutes is a death sentence. Fortunately, there are still ways to...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we re doing the news!  And there is a LOT of news to go over. We have an update on the Field of Screams, big news from Chicago and the loss of an industry legend.  It's a busy time for the news so kick back, relax and let us bring to you all the haunted attraction news that's fit for print, or rather, podcast. This Week's Episode Includes:...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we're asking a simple question: Why is the haunted attraction industry so connected with the United States? We lay out seven reasons why the haunt industry is tied to the United States and it may struggle to find newer audiences abroad. This Week's Episode Includes: 1. Intro 2. Work We Did for the Haunt 3. Question of the Week 4. What is a Haun...

Send us Fan Mail It is haunt recruitment season and actors everywhere are signing up for, training at and otherwise onboarding at haunted attractions. This includes many first-time haunters.  So, if you're a new haunter or joining a new place, what warning signs should you be looking for? We have nine major ones here.  This episode takes an even greater importance in light of recent news at F...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we're talking about the relatively new practice of "Buy Now, Pay Later," a form of short-term loan that many are using to make expensive purchases.  To the older crowd, it might not seem like that big of a deal. However, to your younger audience, this is rapidly becoming one of the most popular methods of payment. This is especially true f...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we are doing the news. It's admittedly a bit of a heavy episode with some major haunt closures to discuss. However, we do our best to provide some light and fun stories at the end. This Week's Episode Includes:  1. Intro 2. Work We Did for the Haunt 3. Question of the Week 4. Conference Reminders 5. Six Flags America to Shutter - https://www.wm...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we're looking at the film Sinners and what haunted attractions can learn from it. To be clear, this is not a review of Sinners. If you want that, we think it's a great film and you absolutely should see it in theaters if you can.  Instead, this episode discusses ways the film is unique and what it can teach haunted attractions.  This Week'...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we're looking on the bright side of life and finding seven reasons that the 2025 haunt season may be amazing. Truthfully, this was a tough episode to write. However, there is some genuinely good news and some ways haunts could be an in-demand experience this fall. This Week's Episode Includes:  1. Intro 2. Question of the Week 3. Conference Rem...

Send us Fan Mail The 2025 haunt season is looking to be an unusual one. Though it is still many months away, there are several warning signs that the industry might be in trouble. From the ongoing tariff crisis to economic woes. From a lackluster Hollywood lineup to potential weather concerns, we're covering it all. If that seems depressing, well, wait until next week when we try to come up w...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we are doing the news! It's a bit of a bummer episode as we say goodbye to several haunts, and another major attraction is searching for a new location. We also have an update on the tariff situation and its possible impacts on Halloween. It's a packed episode with a lot of rough news, but also a really fun ending. This Week's Episode Incl...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we're examining one of the most difficult and most common questions we ask ourselves: Should this be our last year haunting? In this episode, we will discuss the reasons to make 2025 our last year, the reasons to keep going and also some talk about this podcast. It's a difficult episode, but maybe not as difficult as you might think. So sit bac...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we're taking a virtual trip to Alaska to examine The Great North's latest episode, The Ghost Boat.  When we saw this episode, we knew we had to discuss it. It represents haunted attractions in a fairly positive light and expresses a feeling that every haunter knows: Dealing with VIPs. So, how did the Tobin family deal with this? As usual, poorl...

Send us Fan Mail Are you looking for a way to experience the thrill of running a haunt in a card game? Well, Scream Park may have just what you want. With fantastic artwork and colorful characters, it replicates the building of a haunt in card game format. While some bumps could be ironed out, it's an interesting game that I am sure many a haunter will identify with.  If you want to learn mor...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we're doing the news. Though there aren't many stories, we have several important news items to share. First, we have details about the upcoming Universal haunted attraction in Vegas year-round. A major international player is buying up US theme parks, and one haunt is a finalist for a special award. It's a surprisingly important episode,...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever been in a place that just felt "off?" A place that looked lived in but felt abandoned? Then you've visited The Backrooms. In this episode, we're looking at The Backrooms, a meme that's been around for 6-7 years but has remained relevant. Best of all, it has some real potential for haunted attractions. So we're talking about the meme, wha...

Send us Fan Mail We are in the post-Transworld hangover period. With Transworld behind us, the photos all posted to social media, and us awkwardly explaining why we couldn't go, it's time to recap Transworld, our trip to St. Louis, and some other stuff to fill the time. So get ready for a potpourri episode as we discuss the Transworld aftermath, our trip to St. Louis and a short discussi...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we're discussing Transworld and sharing some of the things we wish we knew on our first trip. So, whether you're a veteran or a first-timer, this is a great way to get caught up on what you need to know before heading to St. Louis. This Week's Episode Includes: 1. Intro 2. Housekeeping 3. Work We Did for the Haunt 4. Question of the Week 5...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we're doing the news. This episode includes a haunt that has failed to issue refunds, another shuttered by a deep freeze, and one haunt that's also a movie theater. All in all, this is a surprisingly packed episode filled with the latest haunted attraction news that's fit to print. This Week's Episode Includes: 1. Intro 2. Work We Did...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we're reliving the nightmare that was a New Orleans Superb Owl but taking the opportunity to find ways haunts can be better neighbors. Having a home or a business near a haunt isn't always easy. But there are many things we can do to make it better and get fewer complaints along the way. So strap in as we turn on our inner Mr. Rogers and try to...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we're discussing tariffs and how they might impact the industry in 2025. So yes, this is another sad episode. However, our industry is not immune to this issue and could face serious challenges should the tariffs proposed come into effect. This Week's Episode Includes: 1. Intro 2. Housekeeping Updates 3. Question of the Week 4. Conference Remin...

Send us Fan Mail Many haunted attractions claim to be actually haunted. Some have reasonable claims to the title. Others, less so. But is it a good idea? What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a truly "haunted" attraction? That's what we're looking at in this episode. This Week's Episode Includes: 1. Intro 2. Our Crazy Past Week 3. Question of the Week 4. Cards...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we're doing the news. This includes tragic news from Malaysia, updates from Cedar Point and Disney as well as the closure of Party City.  If it's haunted attraction news, it's in this podcast. That includes good news, bad news and weird news... This Week's Episode Includes: 1. Intro 2. Question of the Week 3. Conference Reminders 4. T...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we're making our 2025 predictions and looking back at the ones we made in 2024. So what chaos will 2025 bring the haunt industry? Who knows! Certainly not us. But that won't stop us from making ten predictions about the upcoming year. Of course, it wouldn't be complete if we didn't also look back at our 2024 predictions to see how wro...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Haunt Weekly, we're talking about digital security and what you can do to ensure that you and your haunt are safe from professional hackers and drunken customers alike. Haunts are in an unusual place when it comes to digital security. They are very exposed but, as small businesses, don't usually have the expertise or the manpower to lock things down. Fortuna...