New Darkness Video - Check Me Out!

[graystone]

Sean Sean Sean

Somebody has to pay for the Darkness! Look you know and I know there are many who thinks this is the craziest thing that they ever heard. But hey really if there are geeks and freeks thats stupid enough to pay that then hell let Larry take advantage of them ya know. Really who in their right mind would pay for 45 minutes in a haunt for 100.00 bucks when you can go to any major theam park for all day for half that.

Let me add this if gas don't change and our economey don't ease up there will be no visitors to the Darkness. Do you realize that 100.00 will feed a family of 4 for a week. Lets see do we go to the selfproclaimed greatest show on earth or do we eat? Larry thats even wrong for you to think you can get away with that. Honestly do you have no shame? I am serious man you need to take to the man up stairs and ask him if what you are doing is right! Shane and its Shane and Sean and Tyler and Nut is going to eat this week Shane this time.

[drfrightner]

Just FYI...the lights on tour is going to include DINNER, DRINKS, a ticket to come back on Saturday. Disney does the same thing for their haunted mansion and charges $300 bucks or more. This is what it is...if you don't want to come don't come! It's really that simple.

You built a haunted house because you love it, but you are also trying to make a profit, and you'd like to make a huge profit so you could do this full time year around. You don't do this full time year around by giving everything away for free do you?

I'd say grow up and be a strong business person, put your business first. A lot of the same people who would make claims like I'm ripping you off or someone else is ripping you off or that is too much or this is too much are the same people who have terrible websites, horrid graphics, and won't spend enough to promote their attraction.

I wrote an article on this very subject, you'll spend thousands on an animation, but think someone wanting $1500 for a website or $2500 for some graphics is a rip off... see you have your priorities totally backwards, because its what the public see first.

You have to understand these principles in order to advance and grow your business, its not all blood and guts, there is a lot more to it. I'm not in business to give everything I have away for free. I worked damn hard to build up my business, with a lot of ups and downs, and I share a lot of what I know and learn on this site for nothing, and through other outlets like videos, magazines and seminars.

Its really this simple... you either feel its worth it to your business or you don't and if you don't don't come! Cydney Neil produced these same types of events and charged a lot more than I'm going to charge, and what she actually charged wasn't 1/10th what it was really worth.

You can take that to the bank!

Larry

[Spookyfinder]

How about, you knock the food and drink and just go with the $50... which is still WAY overpriced but still. I'll bet there will be a protest against this! -Tyler

[SpFXChic]

Wow, the Darkness is beautiful...and, of course, you know I don't mean that in a frou-frou she-she sort of way. Amazing attention to detail! Looks like you had a great time in the video, Kip.

Alright, on the note that Larry is charging $100 for a lights on tour with dinner, drinks, etc...I'm torn on this one. On the one hand, I'm like the majority of most of you...I have a day job that pays the bills, and I haunt during the season and do makeup on the side, because they are my passion. The $ from that day job can only stretch so far, right? $100 is a chunk of change for a lot of people. But if I plan, and I save, I will gladly drop $100 on something that I wouldn't normally splurge on. Some gals like to go shoe-shopping or buy a nice new bag, I like to go shop for FX makeup supplies and haunt videos. LOL.

All of us are striving to make our haunts the best they can be, whether you are an owner, an actor, etc. We all want to see them do well. How often is it that an FX artist gets a limited invite to Rick Baker's studio for a behind the scenes tour for $100? And they get to see how things are put together and talk to Rick himself? Same goes for George Lucas or Bill Gates? Now, by no means am I placing Larry on a pedestal and saying he is the haunt god or that the Darkness is the best haunt ever - I've never seen it in person(sorry, Larry), but you've got to admit, the man *is* doing something right. He's successful in this industry. People drool over the photos he's posted on these boards, and the videos he's shared of his haunts. So, on the other hand, spending $100 to take a peek behind the scenes and be able to snap photos of his work, let alone speak to the guy, have dinner and a drink and enjoy yourself with other haunters doesn't seem too bad a price. And if it includes a ticket to go to the show on Saturday to see it in motion, well then...BONUS! Or...you could think of it as $50 for Thursday, and $50 for Saturday...totaling $100.

Either way, if you want to go Thursday, go. If not, don't. If you do go, chances are you will learn at least one thing, or meet one new contact, and that can be priceless down the road.

And that would be my two cents worth.

[UndeadProd]

Just my perspective --

It costs $17 p/ticket to see ScareHouse.

It will cost Barb and I $200 to attend the Darkness event.

In order to justify the amount - all we neeed to do is learn one idea that will lure in just 12 extra people to our event (12 x 17 = $204)

If you are charging $10 per ticket, you'll need to learn something that will bring in roughly 10 extra people to justify the cost.

In my opinion, it makes this pretty much a no-brainer.

I have found that $200 spent on any kind of tour, seminar, subscription, video, association dues, or any kind of networking with fellow haunts and haunters is usually more worthwhile than just about any kind of physical purchase.

I have yet to find a $200 prop that will increase attendance, lower operating costs, connect me with fellow haunters, and serve me food and drinks.

Whether it's a marketing or sponsorship tip, or an operational idea, or even a suggestion on a different source for materials ... these kinds of tours and gatherings are invaluable.

[MMManiac]

I see what your saying but...
how exactly do you monitor that it was that $200 investment that brought in those extra 10 people? You can't. It could have been a mixture of alot of things and you could be $200 richer on top of it. You can learn more and experience more going to disney for the day and its cheaper...

[graystone]

The Point Is

Its just wrong to charge so much that your fellow haunters pay for your haunt. I mean hell would we all not like someone else to pay for ours? Larry will have customers next October God willing and those are the ones who should help pay just like us. So either charge everyone the ridiculous price or 50/100 or charge everyone the regular season rate. Either way he will have visitors in March and October so its still gonna see a few extra bucks.

I don't expect him to let everyone in for free and no one should. But to take advantage of the industry by letting us fellow haunters pay for this is just plain stupid. It has nothing to do with learning either. You will learn just as much by paying regular admission. But anyway if there is people who wants to help Larry refurbish his haunt well more power to them! Shane and its I will take my $100 and put it in my own attraction Shane this time.

[damon carson]

Im with Scarehouse on this one. If you just learn one thing utilize it in your haunt. And bring in enough extra people from it. It will more than pay for itself in the long run. Who is doing the tours? You Larry or Jim or both? With food and drink and the networking during or after the tour I think it would be more than worth the money. A t-shirt would be nice though.
Thanks,
Damon