With 26 Days to go...

[drfrightner]

Ken,

WOW thanks for the heads up. Your photos looked great btw.

I didn't even know thanks a ton!

Larry

[Jolly Pumpkin]

I used to be a mascot for a waterpark and Christmas events can be very profitable. It's a lot of work and very hectic changing from warm fun in the sun to a winter wonderland.

[SomeThingInTheIce]

I was told by a Halloween retailer that the wholesale and a lot of the halloween retailers didn't want the haunt owners at the show. She said "I have a short amount of time to spend $300,00.00 I can't be standing behind someone looking at one custume trying to make up his mind." THEY don't want us, she also told me that Transworld lost Rubies. This is all secound hand so take it for what it is woth. This is the FIRST haunt show and it looks like it WILL be a hit, it will only get better. God I'm sick of the doom and gloom, there is such a thing as a self fufilling prophecy.

[Ken Spriggs]

Hmmm

We all smoking crack these days?

Look....LARRY? We all see you pushing for this and that.....Cool have at it.

Can anyone tell me....a small vendor which show he should do?
Which one will give me the best bang for its buck?

Larry says Iaapa? Hmmmm did you see us there Larry?
Show was DEAD as a doornail.......
Now we have a half baked Halloween show to join.........and I can't buy stuff wholesale to resell?
What did I miss here?

Just do the show it will be great....well we are.......who is going to take the beatings when it doesn't work? Who is going to pay our bills if the orders aren't rolling in?

Your right......me and my partners are STILL going to be paying those bills......I don't see a money back guarantee anywhere.

Larry? We as a company are doing the round of shows AGAIN this year. With a new product i have no idea what is going to happen but we need to spend some cash to see how it will go.

When I fail.....not because the product sucks.....but because of the economy.....you going to ask OBAMA for a bailout plan for the haunted house industry?

I hear what you are saying Larry.........I hear you loud and clear.
But what about when it doesn't work.........who is going to say.......sorry I was wrong?

Now I really hope this lotto ticket I just bought will answer all my prayers and NONE of you will be seeing me at TW......That would be a beautiful thing!!!!!

Oh and I am not looking to fight....discuss maybe.....but not fight.
I will be joining Shane in the damn I am 40 club at the end of the week....so I am old now and frail.

[Spookyfinder]

Nah... I've got to get a few things actually; some animations, a COUPLE of props, one silicone masks... and TONS of little things. I do have a crew that working on our silicone and foam prosthetics right now... but I'll be picking up some from vendors to help lighten' the load. I'm also meeting with Interactive Ticketing to discuss our online ticketing options... paint, cloths, etc. etc... really, just price checking because I've went through and found almost every haunt "supply" from actual providers... trying to eleminate the middle man (haunt vendor).

For example.... Erosion cloth.... no way in HELL I'm paying $150 a roll! Not when I can get it WAY cheaper! Oh, and no way I'm paying $150 for a guilie (sp?) suit... hell no! -Tyler

PS: Ken, I'll be getting some stench... be ready! lol...

[Ken Spriggs]

Oh

Somethingintheice?????

You are 100% correct in what you say.

WE as an industry did this to ourselves......hmmm why are there people outside with pitchforks and torches?

We did.......let me as ALL of you a question.
Scenario...you are a salesperson for ... RUBIES costumes
You see a guy in a suit......or a guy wearing a black tshirt that says GATES OF HELL (and you have already talked to 4 other people with the same shirt on)

Who are you going to run and take care of????
RIGHT...you are going to talk to the guy in the black tshirt........NO YOU AREN'T
Your going to go where you think the $ is.
You already know the guys in the black tshirt only wants the suit over there in the corner.
They have had their whole crew stand there for the last 5 hours on and off just looking at 1 thing.

So you know the pitchforks and the torches are being laid down.......I guess even rioting people understand life.

I do know a few people who careless what they look like.....and wear tshirts and wipe their asses with $100 bills.....

Do I make sense....or is it just to myself?

Haunted houses have no right buying certain things at a wholesale level.
Wholesale means....your going to resell it.....not use it
That would be an end user....hence you get Retail pricing

Why should i be able to call Kenner toys and get the crap as cheap as Toys r us?
I can....if I sell the stuff in my store.....not because I like to collect them or make displays with them.
(bad example....I don't collect Star Wars stuff any MORE)

Seems like everytime a big show comes up.....people sprout claws and want to tear everyone down...........
Just finish making your products.....or finish wishing the show was today.....and go.

We will never know if it will work if you all sit and wait.
We as a company are doing this show.....and we hope our customers do show up!!!

Now 1 thing I know for sure.......since the show is in St Louis.....I am not going to see David Copperfield or Amazing Jonathan at my booth...........

[Gore Galore]

Larry,

Yup,
thats right. I was told 350 something booths. I was thinking 350 vendors but it is not.
But if anyone realizes this is the largest # of haunt vendors in the haunt section ever.
And the most pre-registered buyers the haunt show has ever had.

I am personally pretty excited about this show.
We have 3 times the # of new costumes we have ever done in 1 year.
We have 9 new costumes this year, plus many more new items.

And I expect to see lots of buyers hoping we can help them make an impact in their own markets.

And Ken,
You may not see David Copperfield, but he also won't tell you he is going to buy 11 pieces. 1 for each island he haunts and then doesn't follow through.

Plus Ken,
I know you are going to bring it. You are a good vendor and provide good quality product at a decent price so you will do fine.
Stop worrying.

I don't know if you realize or not. But this type of attitude is the same every year.
Doom and gloom. Just think back every year on this message board how everyone is always negative and expecting the worst and it is always better than expected.

[Matt Marich]

You don't need to defend yourself Larry, we all know by now you got our backs even if you are a lovable nut job!

See you in ol' Saint looie, looie!

[drfrightner]

No I didn't say exhibit at IAAPA, I said everyone should attend IAAPA. Also I'm refuting a point made by Shane who doesn' have a clue, that our industry has 100 times more in common with an amusement show than a retail show.

People are confusing their love for Halloween with what is best for their business. IAAPA is 5 BILLION times better for your business than Transworld Retail show... no I'm sorry make that 10 BILLION!

WE ARE NOT RETAILERS PERIOD! WE SHOULD NOT BE CO-LOCATING WITH ARE A RETAIL SHOW PERIOD!

If you want to go and LOOK because God knows we're not buyers at the sexy cloths, wigs, batman and robin stuff go as a looker. If you own and or operate an amusement attraction which is EXACTLY what a haunted house is, then you should go to an AMUSEMENT SHOW NOT A RETAIL SHOW! PERIOD!

If you don't want to listen then go to a retail show... but don't sit here and call me or any other MAJOR haunt out there ego maniacs, or don't slam us because we are successful and you are not! You are NOT successful because those attractions who can't see through glass love drama, fanfest gatherings, or whatever.

I'm a success because I believed in myself, because I pushed myself to do more, learn more, get better, because I spent the money good or bad to take risks. When I was a haunt doing 8000 people at $6.00 it was a risk to invest thousands into marketing and grow the attraction that could have been the end of me right there...

but it wasn't. Was it?

I'm big old bad Larry with the biggest haunt, the most toys, who brags to much so just rip on old Larry, cast off everything he says as just being that he doesn't understand the small haunts and what they go through.

Listen you can all sit her and argue for another hundred years, put down your fellow haunts who do tours, rip on someone's masks, criticize everything someone tries to do for themselves or the industry as a whole but again when you are out of the business because lack of attendance don't point fingers at me or anyone else who tried to tell you the facts.

Take them or leave them.

Bottom line... NO RETAIL SHOW NOTHING IN COMMON NOTHING OTHER THAN SAME HOLIDAY! YOU ARE AN AMSUEMENT ATTRACTION YOU NEED TO ATTEND AN ATTRACTION SHOWS!

The best one of the bunch is IAAPA, second best FUN EXPO, if we can't get YOU THERE we need them to come to YOU, and we can only do that with an HALLOWEEN AMUSEMENT SHOW.

Larry

[drfrightner]

Kevin, Matt...

Thanks!

What I posted earlier today is the exact number of booths sold and unique vendors attending. I expect as does Transworld the numbers will grow after their retail show. They will be at the show selling for this show.

Lets keep the shows seperate and grow this one into a full blown amusement show with a slide to Halloween Attractions.

I expect over 2,000 people to attend this show from Universal Studios, to Six Flags, to Busch Gardens, to buyers overseas, to every haunt owner in the nation. QUALIFIED BUYERS FOR PEOPLE WHO OWN AND OPERATE ATTRACTIONS!

Over here I'm still working the phone, emails and letters to people promoting the show. I won't quit until the March 29th at 4pm.

Larry

[Grimley]

Larry the part you are missing is the buyers that go to both sides of the show. We have purchased from the Halloween and Haunt side EVERY year. This will end however with all of these damn shows. Yes some will go and look while others may buy. So in the end we get screwed with the split. Well in the end the haunt vendors actually get screwed even more because we can't buy their product. Maybe unit 70 was smart for sitting this one out. See how things go the first year is probably smarter. Transworld claims 3000 buyers. Is that attendees or buyers. I know some haunts bring 15 people. I hope they are not counting all of these as buyers.

[oakhillshaunterTHEFEAR]

there are too many shows to keep track of I'm still confused at which one is which and whos arguing what side. I like the Christmas idea and I'm fine with Transworld bein transworld. But only other convention that seems clear cut to me is the MHC. All these nation haunters conventions, hauntcons, IAAPA conventions are confusing me. Transworld is split up as it is so why are there even more of these things. Ben is the new president tell him to some how within 2-3 years get all of the conventions RELATED to HAUNTERS not halloween HAUNTERS into 1 or 2 conventions and then possibly keep them in march. Easier said then done i guess. Vincent This Time!

[screamline studios]

Screamline attended the transworld meeting last year when everyone (for the most part) said keep this show together!!! NO SCREW WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY do what we think is best as we wear our sunday best and have no clue what all of us haunters want... I really do wish the show success but as a vendor we will not be vending this year, however we will attend to get the lay of the land for future vending. In my opinion folks we already have to many just haunt trade shows and adding one more just makes it even worse. Going on four years ago we vended at a show called MHC, it was a bust the first year, but with alot of hard work, compassion, sacrific, and hell just a hole lot of love! POOF they created a show for the haunt industry!! Haunters for haunters! there is alot to be said about this, and if anyone thinks transworld will have this passion let me FUCKING SEE IT. As a fellow haunter and vendor i can say this!! I am open to a new show but give me a reason just one good reason why i would go to transworld show(as a vendor) over MHC or any other haunt show that has been around for a while!!!! just because they have 112 vendors WOW!!! I am sorry if i sound negitive but i never once backed this move and never will.

angry dude,

Jason Blaszczak

http://screamlinestudios.com

[graystone]

Jason

Many including myself were lead to believe that all the vendors wanted this. Are you saying that was not the case? I maybe just misreading your post. And if I am reading it right who and what caused them to go aginst the fact that most vendors wanted it to stay together? Shane and its can you explain more? Shane this time.

This is not to invite Drama as Larry will assuse me of. I am just trying to see what went wrong?

[screamline studios]

Shane,

It was the big wigs that attended transworld that did not want us haunters around and them alone....So with that said shane! most vendors never wanted a move, i believe it was a move to please just the big boys.

Jason