Haunted houses - what ever happened to them?

[TheHand]

I remember when I was young some friends of mine and I would set up haunted houses on Halloween. Usually we'd use the standard stuff, peeled grapes in boxes marked "eyes", men in skelleton suits jumping out at people, big cauldrons of dry Ice, etc. etc. etc.

One Halloween we got together a bit of a budget and went all the way, full fledged dry wall carved into shapes, styrofoam, we even borrowed a fog generator from some friends in the movie industry. Instead of jack-o-landerns we got a few flashlights, put face shaped shades, and set them on a circut board, and hid them, pointing at walls, throughout the place, then set it to randomly power those flashlights so that every once in a while a face would randomly appear on the wall.

Instead of skelleton people, we had sound makers which would come from the shadows. Some of the rooms were seriously disturbing, with sounds coming out of pitch black corners.

The best, however, was the rain of eyes. We spent a bloody day peeling large red grapes, spent nearly $50 on them. Then we would randomly pour them on people who tried to walk out. Of course that only lasted a couple of trips, since we soon ran out of grapes.

The clean up was a serious pain in the ass, but it was worth it.

These days though, I never see these any more. Granted, I don't go trick or treating (Im a little old for it at this point), but those who I talk to agree, there just doesnt seem to be any haunted houses any more.

So what ever happened to these? Are there any cool haunted houses? Is anyone doing anything like this? If so, post pics. ;)

[crabapple]

Theme parks have absorbed some of this business around Halloweentime...but there are smaller haunts that go up in most major cities. Do a search on "haunted attractions" and you'll find webpages with listings of these. Maybe some in your area! There's a good chance there's one local to you.

If you like yard haunts, I recommend you check out this page. This yard haunt stopped operating last year but they have a wonderful website with history, pictures, audio and more!


www.hauntinggrounds.org

[bloodrayne]

My friends (Travis, Myke-the artist, remember?, and others) operate a haunted house...well, it's actually a haunted SHIP...Right here on the river (about 10 minutes from my house)...I can get free tickets whenever I want, or play a character, but I have my hands full with the baby this year...I feel bad because they really want us to come down this year...

It's rated as one of the best (we believe it's THE best) in the area...There's stuff about it on the 'net...But, here's their official site:
http://ussnightmare.com/

[Roderick Usher]

I make one every year with the dads at my son's elementary schoolhttp://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k115/RoderickUsher_2006/HH2.jpg

last year we raised $20K for the school
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k115/RoderickUsher_2006/HH.jpg

[crabapple]

I like the little piggy, or whatever that thing is that's standing there by the skeleton. Dog, wolf, coyote, whatever that thing is. Looks like a pig though.

[urgeok]

I like the little piggy, or whatever that thing is that's standing there by the skeleton. Dog, wolf, coyote, whatever that thing is. Looks like a pig though.


ha ! i almost asked where he got a pig with fur - then i saw your post :)

i think it has to be a wolf .. just the angle of the pic makes it look fatter than it is ..


unless they did find a furry pig ..

[X¤MurderDoll¤X]

a sue-happy society.

[crabapple]

Maybe it's a boar. Or a pig-dog.

You know the pig is a corss between a man and a dog. God made the pig that way because He saw that we needed bacon foir breakforst.

[urgeok]

Maybe it's a boar. Or a pig-dog.

You know the pig is a corss between a man and a dog. God made the pig that way because He saw that we needed bacon foir breakforst.



pigs / people / dogs .... they's all good eatin'

[neverending]

They are still there. Perhaps in your area they're not being done for some reason. If you look around the internet you'll find plenty of companies that are selling props and effects for haunted houses. Something has to be keeping them in business. I post on a lot of Halloween themed message boards and there are members on many of them who are discussing their haunts for this year. I think in general this year is a slower year for Halloween. There was a lot more buzz around Halloween last year. Maybe next year will be another big year.

In general though, it's my impression there are haunts happening across the country this year.

[crabapple]

Guys, I have to be a cheerleader about this: Support Halloween!
Get out there and attend those attractions. Drag your friends along. Buy pumpkin everythings. Pass out candy, treats, plastic goodies. Advertise Halloween! Take care of it and it will take care of you. Get out there and do your part! If you can't spend money, draw a jack-o-lantern on a napkin and tape it to your window. Advertise--buy--sell--get out and yell. Make Halloween commercially viable in any way you can by both spending money and encouraging people's interest in it.

We still have about ONE WEEK. Get out there and make it count. It's the only horror-themed holiday, it kicks ass, and it deserves the support of the horror community. Doing good work for Halloween will make you a happier person.

[neverending]

Without being too mercinary, might I suggest listening to Halloween radio to get in the mood?

[crabapple]

Yes, yes, your radio stationthing is a good start!

[PR3SSUR3]

I would spend the entire night - a week if necessary - in any so-called Haunted House without even getting scared, or shitting my pants.

No payment necessary - if I saw a ghost, I'd maybe find Jesus, Or Santa.

Can you get paid for staying in these so-called Haunted "Gay" Houses?

:confused:

[crabapple]

I think some of them have big gay boat rides.

[Haunted]

I would spend the entire night - a week if necessary - in any so-called Haunted House without even getting scared, or shitting my pants.

No payment necessary - if I saw a ghost, I'd maybe find Jesus, Or Santa.

Can you get paid for staying in these so-called Haunted "Gay" Houses?

:confused:

If you see a ghost, Pr3ssur3, I would recommend becoming Neo-Pagan.:D :D

Old jokes...

[1beastieibe]

We have some Haunted attractions in my area, the problem is they are filled with middle school kids acting retared and rubbing up on each other:mad:

[Haunted]

No-no-no-no! You've got to do subtle research to find the really haunted places. You've got to get some ol' timer mumbling to you... "Well... I'll tell you what they used to say about this one place when I was young as you. Now don't you be goin' up there at night by yourself because this one time me and my friend Cliff..."

Support Halloween! Hug a Witch... A real Witch (Because if it weren't for our Foremothers and fathers there wouldn't be a Halloween).

[urgeok]

I would spend the entire night - a week if necessary - in any so-called Haunted House without even getting scared, or shitting my pants.

No payment necessary - if I saw a ghost, I'd maybe find Jesus, Or Santa.

Can you get paid for staying in these so-called Haunted "Gay" Houses?

:confused:

here here !

i dont know if i'd want to be known for a guy who stays in them .. sooner or later the people pulling the levers will become over zealous and actually stab you in frustration.

the only thing to fear from a 'hunted house' is the threat of lime disease from mouse shit.

[slayer666]

The only one I know of around here is one that a fraternity at the local university does every year. It seems fairly popular, and they donate the money they raise to Habitat for Humanity.

[PhilnEdee]

The was a big resurgence in this area this year...had Ghost Walks in Huntsville and in Guntersville..Haunted Barns, Haunted Arenas, Cells of Terror (Prison), and a few Haunted Corn Mazes...we saw most of them, and had a good time at all of them, def need to be in the Halloween mood...may try to make one tonight and then go see SawIII...but as for the original post...I was asking the same thing two years ago, like WTF are the haunted houses...this year they came back for some reason...since so many of you seemed to like Halloween III, maybe its the season of the witch...:confused:

[stygianwitch]

maybe its the season of the witch...

:D :D :D :D :cool: