HaunTopic Radio: Haunted Attractions | Haunted Houses | Halloween | Haunters

We're going live with one of the true pioneers of the haunted attraction industry — David Bertolino, the founder of Spooky World. If you've ever been through a professional haunt and wondered what really goes into creating those experiences, this is your chance to hear it straight from someone who helped shape the industry. From its early days as a haunted hayride to becoming a full-scale Halloween destination, Spooky World has set the standard for immersive scares, detailed sets, and high-energy performances. During this live, expect real behind-the-scenes insight — not just about what you see as a guest, but what it actually takes to run a major haunted attraction year after year. We'll be talking about what works, what doesn't, and how the industry has evolved over time. Whether you're a haunt fan, actor, or someone thinking about getting into the business, this is a rare opportunity to learn from experience you won't find anywhere else. Join the Haunter's Toolbox Facebook Group to attend the next live session if you missed this one: https://www.facebook.com/groups/haunterstoolbox Find The Spooky World Book here. Join the Haunter's Toolbox membership and start your own Haunted Attraction Business. Reward, recognize, and retain your haunt crew with Merit Badges for Haunters ScareItBadges.com

Vendor Spotlight: Haunt Dolls/Conjured Media Hosted by HauntersToolbox.com Before Haunt Dolls was even a thought, Alex Berland, who also runs Conjured Media, a marketing agency that specializes in haunted attractions, would get crochet dolls as holiday gifts for his clients of the characters his team would create with them. The dolls were so well received and cherished that in 2024 it became obvious that the next step would be to launch a project dedicated to making pieces that the public could get their hands on yet still be something special they could display proudly. Haunt Dolls is an art project that merges the worlds of creepy and cute together, bringing limited edition collectables to life in yarn. A Haunt Dolls collectable is a physical manifestation of an artist's unique vision that you can proudly interact with and display. Check out Haunt Dolls: HauntDolls.com Market your Attraction: https://conjured.media/

Philip Hernandez, the founder of the Haunted Attraction Network and CEO of Gantom, answers all of your marketing questions. He has experience in social media, marketing, video & audio, theme parks, haunted attractions, public relations, press releases, and much more. Find Philip at HauntedAttractionNetwork.com Start and grow your haunted attraction at HauntersToolbox.com Reward, Retain, and Recognize your haunt staff with ScareItBadges.com

Start, grow, and scale your Haunted Attraction at HauntersToolbox.com In this episode, we discuss many things like Scare Actors, Safety, Timed Ticketing, Wall panels, Haunt Construction, Tent Haunts, Outdoor Trails, International Haunts, and more! Leonard Pickel has over 50 years of themed attraction design and operations experience in year-round and seasonal installations, museums, and dark rides. Creating more than 300 original and innovative dark-themed attractions for major venues worldwide. A few of Leonard's accomplishments: -1987: created the industry's first turn-key Haunted House "˜kits" and the first adaptation of the "Field Theory" for Haunted Attractions (The Triangular Grid System) -1993 to 2000: Applied his October seasonal experience toward a summer seasonal haunted house with Mayhem Manor® in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. -1994 to 2009: Co-founded Haunted Attraction Magazine, the premier publication for the dark amusement industry. -1997: Formed the Haunted Industry's first trade association, the International Association of Haunted Attractions (IAHA). -2004 to 2017: Launched the first national convention devoted solely to the Haunted Attraction Industry. The Haunted Attraction National Tradeshow and Convention (HAuNTcon®) -2009: Awarded a lifetime achievement award from the International Association of Haunted Attractions and was honored with a question using his name in the Millennium Edition of Trivial Pursuit. -2009: Appeared as an industry expert in several television programs including the Travel Channel special about Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida and America's Best Haunted Houses. -1976 to present: Constantly searching for new challenges and striving for new heights in his Haunting career, Leonard has 40-plus years of experience designing all types of commercial Attractions. Contact Leonard Pickel at Hauntrepreneurs.com

It stinks that we don't get to travel during October to visit haunted attractions because most of us are busy with our haunt businesses and projects. Nick and Beverly Pappas have traveled thousands of miles yearly as Haunt customers and have seen things we haven't. Listen to their stories and get a peek at how Haunts are changing. What are the trends coming for the industry? How do Haunts compare between now and then? Are you doing everything at your attraction to maximize your guest experience? Become a Haunter's Toolbox member at HauntersToolbox.com

A complete walkthrough of the Sithon management platform for haunted attraction staff/actors, why communication with your team is important, and things you can do this season to keep your staff coming back every year! Things Sithon can do (all from your phone): -Custom Actor Recruitment -Scheduling -Actor/Staff Management -Costume Management -Time Tracking -Email & Text Notifications -Dedicated Personnel Line -Background Checks -Attraction Studio -Staffing Metrics -Awards Tracking -On-Demand Reports From Sithon.io : Recruit, manage and communicate with your actors and staff with Sithon. Developed by a veteran haunted attraction manager, Sithon is an easy-to-use platform that includes everything you need to make personnel management easier for you and your managers. Anytime. Anywhere No selling on this webinar. Just solid information that will help you be stress-free this season. Start and grow your haunted attraction business at HauntersToolbox.com

There are a few ways to make more revenue with your attraction: 1) Raise your prices 2) Get more customers 3) Sell more to your current customers We will focus this master class on selling more to your current customers by using the space you already have. Things like themed dinners, private tours, and ticket upgrades allow you to charge more for unique experiences without needing extra space. Shawn Lippert, the co-owner of Scarehouse Windsor, joins us to show how he increased the revenue at his attraction by adding interactive dinner experiences. We'll also share some various ways that you can earn more revenue at your Haunt this season. To get more monthly Master Classes like this one delivered to your inbox and take your Haunt to the next level; become a member at HauntersToolbox.com

Creating realistic scenes requires detailed wall panels. But where do you start? Should you use a light base paint or black? What are simple ways to distress your sets? How do you make charred walls, peeling paint, bubbled paint? What materials do you need to create amazing sets? We answer these questions and more during this Master Class with Scenic Artist Rich Cimino from BentCirkus.com Start and grow your Haunted Attraction at HauntersToolbox.com Reward, Retain, & Recognize your employees with ScareItBadges.com