Another haunt tour for March?

[JamBam]

Friday night

Whoever is setting the HHA meeting up needs to remember that there are many of us that are members of BOTH groups. I am planning on attending both meetings. Also, last years event was not attended by some that have put a number on it, but the IAHA event WAS attended by Mr Morris and about 150 others including myself.

Remember, two groups CAN function and co-exist. The consequence of running IAHA out of existance will be to get those involved in that group to join HHA. Be careful what you wish for.

Lastly, if Saturday is scheduled and Darkness does open (which is what we are hoping for), a I-70 Gateway State Haunt Tour in Columbia could still happen. Those that want to attend both, could buy the timed tickets from Darkness for an early or late time.

[Speculo]

Hopefully the plan will be to have a quick introductory HHA meeting on Friday to roll it all out to the industry.

This will take place immediately after the show closes, maybe 6-7 or even 6-6:45 on site, so as not to be in the way of other activities.

This will allow for those who choose to go to the IAHA event to do so, and those who chose to go to Haunt tour to do so.

And for that matter...those who choose to go to the bar to do so!

I agree this new group can co-exist with IAHA, and the HHVA.

This is the basic idea -

HHVA represents Vendors
HHA represents Haunted Houses
IAHA serves everyone

The thinking is that HHA will have a very clear set of goals and focus on them making success and progress very realistic.

Honestly the goal is advance this industry and help us all!

Thanks!

[drfrightner]

Brett,

I don't agree that two haunt tours can happen on the same night especially when one of those haunts is over 2 hours away We will not open until 7pm then you have to go through the haunted house itself, and we will only allow for a certain amount of people per hour. When people go in until when they come out will be scattered... no time to go to Darkness, then drive over to some pick up spot for a bus then drive them to Columbia, blah, blah.

That is impossible. The only night for this tour is Friday. If they do it on Sunday no one will come because everyone will be going home. You can't do it on Thursday because no enough haunt will be in town yet.

Friday is the only night. So what if events like IAHA, and this haunt tour overlap, people can choose what they want to do. You yourself said it best... they only had 100 to 150 people attend. That isn't very many considering there was over 8,000 people who attended last years Transworld show.

People who want to attend IAHA can, those who don't can go to a haunt tour, those who want to do nothing but go to bed, or go eat, have meetings with customers, or just hang out in a hotel and chat with other people can do that as well. People will do what they want to do we all know that.

Just my opinion.

Larry

[SomeThingInTheIce]

Ya, two on the same night is pushing it. I don't know my way around St. lLouis I would like to have some time to get to both events and it would be nice to have something to do on diffrent nights with other haunters.

[swampboy]

Brett,

I don't agree that two haunt tours can happen on the same night especially when one of those haunts is over 2 hours away We will not open until 7pm then you have to go through the haunted house itself, and we will only allow for a certain amount of people per hour. When people go in until when they come out will be scattered... no time to go to Darkness, then drive over to some pick up spot for a bus then drive them to Columbia, blah, blah.

That is impossible. The only night for this tour is Friday. If they do it on Sunday no one will come because everyone will be going home. You can't do it on Thursday because no enough haunt will be in town yet.

Friday is the only night. So what if events like IAHA, and this haunt tour overlap, people can choose what they want to do. You yourself said it best... they only had 100 to 150 people attend. That isn't very many considering there was over 8,000 people who attended last years Transworld show.

People who want to attend IAHA can, those who don't can go to a haunt tour, those who want to do nothing but go to bed, or go eat, have meetings with customers, or just hang out in a hotel and chat with other people can do that as well. People will do what they want to do we all know that.

Just my opinion.

Larry

Maybe The Darkness should be Friday night then and the other Haunts Saturday Night. Its timed ticketing and very close to the event so the conflict with IAHA would be very minimal - little travel time combined with timed ticketing means a much smaller amount of people would be conflicted. Once they see the darkness they can go to the party afterwards and/or before.

Since the other haunt is 2 hours away, seems like Saturday night would be better for that one.

Seems like the best case for everyone.

[JamBam]

schedules

The Darkness on Friday is a solution. The schedules should be coordinated somewaht as NOT to try to conflict.

Last year, the auction of that haunt was changed after the auctioneer heard rumors of ??? Maybe TW should do all scheduling.

[damon carson]

Nothing against the other two haunts in Columbia but the Darkness shouldnt have to change any dates. Friday is there best bet if not then, well not at all. I cant really see enough people going two hours to make it worth while for anyone. Maybe there not in it for the money? I dont really care. Just how I feel hope no one takes any offense. Darkness had there dates set many months ago. There still isnt anything set in stone yet for any other tours.
Damon

[xxxdirk]

LOL, yeah I can see Larry changing his date. No, I have to agree, Larry had this set up long before and so he should have "dibbs" on the date he picked....

[drfrightner]

Here is how it will probably break down if these guys do their tour...

Friday Night directly after the show: First HHA meeting, directly after board buses for this haunt tour.

Clearly you have another option you can skip the haunt tour and go to the IAHA meeting. People have choices in life, to get married, to have kids, not to have kids, watch football or cut the grass, and the list goes on.

This isn't something to argue about, you as someone who will attend this show have choices you just make one and go for it.

You will also have a choice of joining the new HHA, or not joining. I think when you see the whole plan layed out, and you will see this soon that going to another IAHA meeting will be a mute point. But again choose for yourself what you want to do it is totally up to YOU!

I know what I will do... I will attend the first ever HHA meeting then board a bus for Columbia.

Larry

[swampboy]

I'm new

I'm new to the community on here so can some one tell me if the disdain for IAHA is universal? It's getting totally disrespected on here. I'm not a member btw so I don't really get offended, just surprised I guess.

[xxxdirk]

HHA is Larry baby. Hauntworld is his board. You do the math....

[drfrightner]

Dirk,

HHA is something this industry needs, and that includes YOU! You need a professional association speaking for YOUR industry, not home haunters, not horror fans, not enthusiasts, no one but people who own and operate haunted houses and or Halloween events.

This industry is now a 1 billion dollar industry, its high time we had our voices heard, by people who own attractions! You own an attraction and you are needed and you are valuable. Would you ever let your actors tell you how to run your business or this industry?

No you would not. Their advice can be valuable and in some cases more valuable than our own, but we are the ones taking the risks, we are the ones that deal with an injury or rain, or those failed seasons, or some new haunt that opens up down the street, or has to pay the bills in the end or answers to an irate customers, just us the owners and the operators.

I hope IAHA continues believe it or not, I hope they survive, I hope they become more of a group for everyone as Ben has stated, a group that is for all haunters, and let HHA simply be the group that speaks for the professionals. Let HHA launch efforts to promote our industry, our solve our industries problems, not home haunters, not people who do not own haunts but still somehow make their ways to these boards of IAHA.

HHA is something I know we need, just like I knew we needed national PR, just like I knew we needed to produce a television show that showcased our whole industry, and this vision is shared by many.

Once this officially launches it will not be my baby, it will be YOUR baby, you and everyone else who owns a haunted house. I will simply be ONE VOTE out of hopefully a THOUSAND!

Larry

[RJ Productions]

I was checking the boards just after tear down and it was pretty slow, everyone recuperating. Then I take a week or so off to catch up on "real house" projects and stuff actually happens!

I like the idea of additional tours being available. Dreamreapers was successful even though other tours happened every year. They even did OK when the Frozen Tundra Tour carted people a heck of a lot further that this proposed Columbia Tour!!

I agree that having TWO separate Haunts does make the distance more bearable.

As far as opposing activities, face it you can't please everyone! The BIG issue to remember is that the IAHA party is primarily for IAHA MEMBERS. And not even all of the IAHA members will even attend. So why do these Haunt owners who are stupid enough....UH... I mean gracious enough to open their haunts have to schedule around the IAHA? People we're only talking about 150 members max....what about the OTHER hundreds of attendees??? Are they just supposed to sit around the bar and wait for the IAHA party to end??? Let’s be serious. NO event pulls in every attendee, even the Darkness Tour. People that want to attend the IAHA can do so, those that want to do the tour can do so, the rest of the cheap skates will just hang around the bar and wait for people to get done and show up!!!!

My only advice to the Haunt owners is to know what you are getting yourself into. The Haunters will be the WORST audience you will ever have, PERIOD! They don’t get scared, they walk 10 times slower than a normal patron, they touch what they’re not supposed to, go where they’re not supposed to, do what they’re not supposed to, then do nothing but complain about it afterwards!!!!

OK I’m not being TOTALLY fair. Many of the people will truly enjoy themselves and appreciate your effort. It’s just a select few that will bitch no matter what happens and every little incident will be blown out of proportion. Just look at Adam’s comment about the Vegas Tour. He makes it sound like all the busses were lost and people wandered Vegas for days!!! Actually ONE bus got lost because the driver didn’t follow the map provided but used her own. Meanwhile 7 other busses each made several trips without incident, moving over 700 people with TW only allowing TWO spaces to load the busses!

I would suggest doing what the Tundra Tour did. Figure a bottom line, how many people you need to cover your basic cost. Pre-sell the tickets. If you don’t get enough people by set cut off date, you cancel the tour! Possibly get one of the on-line ticket services to sponsor you. IF the tour doesn’t happen everyone gets their money back…simple! We used Click N Print and they were great. Contact Clint and see if they would be interested, or maybe another service will set up. Just make sure they understand the cancellation policy.

If you do not have much set up, it is NOT too late to plan such a tour. Since you have two haunts working together, you can divvy up responsibility.

Larry will put on one heck of a tour, because it’s Larry and he never does anything small. Will there be someone complaining? You betcha!! So I would advise the Haunt owners to do your best, but prepare for 10 times more criticism than you have ALL October, and you will be lucky to cover your expenses! The only saving grace is that most of the complaints will come from people who don’t even own a haunt. The real Haunt Owners will appreciate the effort and support you as best we can.

It’s all about choices. You can never please everyone and you shouldn’t expect to. TW is not stupid, they will support your tour if you go about it professionally and provide a service for the attendees. Whether they sponsor the IAHA event or not, their duty is to the entire show and the IAHA event is just a small amount of the total attendees. It’s all about choice, heck even TW schedules seminars against each other and attending the convention floor! Those that want to visit another Haunt will do so, those that don’t won’t. Your biggest stumbling block will be the transportation time and that’s one thing you can’t get around!

Only do this if it makes sense for you. Good luck!

[drfrightner]

Rich,

I'm glad you are back in the fold to offer your logical advice! I love how you tell it the way it is... and you are 110% correct on this. People have choices as I've pointed out myself. People choose to watch the Super Bowl and others say 'hey this is a great day to go shopping'. Just because the Super Bowl is on TV doesn't mean all the other stations JUST SHUT DOWN!

I will attend the haunted house tour because as a haunted house owner I want to see other haunted houses. I think most people who come to this show will want to visit with vendors, write orders, grab as many idea's as possible from seminars and see haunted houses. This is our nature!

I look forward to this haunt tour. But as I've said before people have choices and they can make any choice they want...

I hope people attend the first ever HHA meeting on Friday directly after the show ends and then attends these haunted houses. For those who choose to attend other functions good for you!

Larry