Haunted all my life, from yard haunts, parties, helping at local haunts. Bought 3 48' Trailers and took two years to build. Launched in 2016 and added a 4th trailer before season's end. Ran at $10 tickets at about 8 minute walkthroughs Doubled our attendance in 2017 even though we moved. Production is working with charities but hoping to go for-profit very soon.
Last year we changed up about 60% of the haunt or more... expecting lower attendance we put show-stoppers in place to increase the show length / experience. By week 3, middle of our season, our parking lot was packed and turning cars away. We immediately pulled / changed the "show stoppers" in order to get throughput. It was planned, but had to do it 2 weeks earlier. We expected to be that busy the last weekend, not the middle of season.
We want to put as much detail as possible into our haunts. Carving foam, very nice crypts and caves are in plans for 2018. We partnered with another haunt 20 minutes away because when I met the fella in 2016, we really liked him and he seemed cool. Unfortunately we didn't see eye to eye and if he works with us this year, it'll be his exit. He haunted the house that is on the property and we did the trailers. Shortly after season start, he was having issues with various things and we could see early on that we just weren't working well together.
With that said, we are most likely going to have a 1,100 sq ft house to add to our trailers... on top of us putting in a courtyard the size of the trailers themselves outside. So they'd leave the trailers, go down into the "cellar" and into a courtyard / graveyard with crypt and cave. If we have the house, we'll add in the house.
SO! Lots to do, lots to plan and not enough time!
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