MadWorld Haunted Attraction 2016

This is the season that millions of Americans love. It also extremely popular in other countries as well. Can you guess it? That's right, it's Halloween. Spooky decorations, kids and adults screaming into the night as they go door to door asking for free candy, "Trick-or-Treat".

So many adults did this as children growing up and want to continue their tradition with their kids. Making their own costumes whether they are being silly, scary, heroic, or villainous, we all enjoy the dress up. There are also traditions of gathering your family or friends and finding a local haunted house and have a great time.

This is where MadWorld Haunted Attractions plays a large roll in your tradition. MadWorld is locally own and operated by two brothers that have taken their passion for Halloween and horror to a level that few people have only dreamed of. They have taken their passion a created a small haunted attraction. The Haunt Season officially starts on the first weekend of October and MadWorld is there ready to open their gates welcoming in the masses.

This is Tim and Joseph Thompson's sixth season bringing with them over 150 staff members ready and waiting to bring your nightmares to life. MadWorld has grown in the past years because of their talented actors. MadWorld relies on their scare-actor based haunt, rather than the use of animatronic props to scar you. These so called live actors no only talk to you but they will follow your every move. The development team at MadWorld spends months on ways to get inside a person's mind to create new ways to bring fear to the haunt.

One of those ways is to be able to fear from everyday situations and phobias that we all have in our everyday lives and drop you in the middle of it with sets and actors ready to bring you in. Once you are in their "MadWorld", you want to get out as quickly as possible. That is where the fun begins, the trail from start to finish is a half mile through the dark woods where the only bright light is a full moon when it comes around, otherwise you have the dimly lit yellow lights that hide more then they allow you to show.

This haunted attraction is where you need to be this Halloween season. They have it all with food, scares, and creatures roaming all around you. If I see you in line check my pulse, I may just be a dead prop in the corner.  

Horror Icons

What a great time for Horror Fans

Halloween
It been announced that Michael Myers along with the original creator, John Carpenter as the Executive Producer will be putting together the next chapter of the Halloween story. With this being made 38 years after the original slasher movie where John says this one being the 10th and the scariest of them all. I for one can not wait to see this film to see how scary this movie can be after Rob Zombie did some great additions. I seen this during a sleep over at a friends house on Halloween night. What made it more scary is that we all lived in a smaller community like this and knew that we had been followed just before watching the movie and scared to death to close our eyes. When I was a little older I was given a blue full jump suit like in the movie and I took and old mask and turned it inside out. Everyone knew who I was playing even though I wasn't wearing a Micheal mask. I was in the 6th grade and taller than everyone else so it made it that much cooler.

Friday the 13th
This a great announcement following the of the 13th edition of a 36 year old horror sage of the murderous Jason Voorhees. this project has already started and has a release date being sometime in January 2017. knowing that January 2017 has a Friday the 13th I'm guessing that we will see the release date of that. I can remember watching the original movie at a friends house, I was too young at the time to see it in theaters, I was just 11 when it hit, we all were scared to death watching each scene where the students were being hunted and killed one by one. It was great having HBO where we saw it, there was not a pay-per-view to wait for.

Leatherface
All of know that while both of these movies are great and will forever be known for kill counts , screams, and plenty of blood, the other release of the trio that still doesn't have a known release date is the prequel to the 1974 original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. this story takes us years before in the teen years of the cannibal killing machine that shocked so many of when we first saw it on the big screen. TCM was only something that I had heard of as a teenager and seeing it banned everywhere it was difficult to locate a copy in my small town. It wasn't until college in South Florida where I was able to find a copy of it on VHS. Block Buster was just starting out with family entertainment and did not carry it. This was the great mom & pop store that had everything including all the Faces of Dead movies, which I later rented as well. I remembered my roommates and I sitting there in the dark watching this guy with a chainsaw running after Sally while she pushes her brother Franklin in a wheelchair through the woods. We were yelling at the small TV for her to leave him behind and run like hell. Just as we did "Leatherface" broke into his happy dance and took care of whiny Franklin.

Photos where pulled from the internet and are not owned by me


New Image released June 7, 2016

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Orlando #26

Halloween Horror Nights 2016

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

The first room of Halloween Horror Nights Orlando has been announced and it is one of my favorites. It is from the 1974 horror classic Texas Chainsaw Massacre. 

Here is the announcing video.   

(April 14, 2016)

The Exorcist

The second room was announced on Tuesday will be a real big hit and will be on everyone's list to see first. It has never been done before and is based on the movie that has scared so many people over the years. "The Exorcist" is come and will hit you in the face and make you turn your head in circles and spit out puke green vomit.
This will be an interesting room to walk through considering it is a lot of bedroom scenes, lets just hope they do not show what she does with the cross. But none the less it is the first year of them performing this movie and i'm sure it will be a big hit.


Here is the announcing video

(April 27, 2016)

The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead house has just been announced, and this year's TWD house will be an epic one. We (guests) will be walking through each season of TWD from season one through to season six. We will be treated to seeing area of Hershel's farm from season two, Woodburry from season three, When they had this in a previous year, we got to see heads in fish tanks with Penny creeping us out, Terminus in season four and five, and now Alexandria in five and six. while some critics are saying that Universal is beating a dead horse with having TWD every year, I say "Bring back The Walking Dead scare zones!". They were great and much better than last year's (2015) scare zones with the crazies. The second best scare zone was done with The Purge, with the release of a new chapter this July, I hope they bring back a Purge scare zone.

Here is the link to their video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxY3UAsEjA0&feature=youtu.be

These three are screen shots from their video.

(June 3, 2016)

BIG announcement

It was announced today (6/8/16) that there would be something new coming to HHN. Here is a screen shot from their video that was sent out on all of their social media forms. Everyone across the interweb is calling this "Chance", We all know and love Chance. She was a big hit at HHN 25 last year in the stage show with Jack. I think she will be a great Icon all by herself.
Here is a link to the Video on YouTube.
Halloween Horror Nights 26

Could be Chance's eyes.

It is shaping up nicely and I can not wait for the first night, I will be there.

"You Won't Stand a Chance" is what Universal is saying about bringing Chance into the spotlight as the HHN Icon. She did a great job last year with Jack. Jack has taught her well enough to take his place while he is still doing time for the crime.  This year will be even better than last year. The performer playing this part does an amazing job. Her voice is the perfect pitch for her and I couldn't see it being done any other way. Here is a few pictures from their site.
Here is the link to her video.
You Won't stand a Chance

(Posted 6/9/16)

Just announced...

Michael Myers is returning to the Universal's Halloween Horror Nights.

Image used from the Universal Orlando blog

He was a pick part of the 2014 event with the building of the home that he killed and looking for the babysitter. This year will be a bit different. it has been told that we will be walking into the final scene and then enter the hospital where we will have an entire new maze from before. Everyone is looking forward to this new take on the original story. Here is the link to their announcement video.

Halloween Announcement 

(7/7/16)

Just Announced.... 

On August 3rd there was a link sent out for SoundCloud that got the internet buzzing again on the much awaited announcement of a new maze. There we little confusion as to what it was or even how to open the file because some people did not have the SoundCloud app. then it was reported through an UK interview that there was a maze in Orlando that will be a new one this year (2016) but had not been officially released by Universal Studios. Until today. "Krampus" is Coming to Town.

Used from the HHN website

Here is the video announcement.

Krampus is coming to town.


Just coming in over the wire...
Universal Studios has announced more mazes, this time it is for their original room designs. These are the rooms that so many people enjoy because there is no script the designers have to follow other than what they can think of. No Limits of screams and scares. With that being said, i present to you the three original rooms created for HHN 26...

First on the list Lunatic's Playground 3D-You Won't Stand a Chance

This room of course ties in with the crazy but cute and sexy Chance. Chance if you already did not know is Jack's girl. just like Harley Quinn is to The Joker. Jack is still locked up behind bars and Chance is taking over with several of her jail mate buddies that what to please her in order to stay alive themselves.
If it is anything like last year's Alice in Wonderland 3D, it will be the best of them all.

Second on the list is Ghost Town-The Curse of Lightning Gulch
This is another interesting room that has so many possibilities with endless design ideas and directions to head into. The story behind this is that the people came to town to search for gold as the gold rush hit in the 1800s. Then there was a thundering, lightning, and death this small gold minning town is cursed and those that have died have not passed over, in fact they are hanging around to gather others to join them.
The pictures that are posted show a great improvement in the design elements than in previous years with dead bodies. I'm looking forward to this one too.
The video link

Pulled from the HHN website (8/10/16)

The last remaining room that I believed to have been code maned "Cobweb" is now be upgraded to Tomb of the Ancients.
This is one of the only rooms that have been teased for so long with many speculations as to what they could possibly think of next. I do not know if anyone was able to guess this room's identity. I'm sure this room will be filled with the un-dead in crypts and skulls and whatever else that can scare the crap out of us in the dark. These creatures are looking for revenge to those who have disturbed their slumber. Good luck to all who enter in hopes for a healthy exit.

The Video Link

Pulled from the HHN website (8/10/16)

WOW That is a lot of information and activities to enjoy But there is still more. Not only do we have eight mazes to blow our minds but there are also the "Scare Zones". Scare Zones are areas throughout the park where you are walking through their world or nightmare. It has been extremely fun to see what is takes to bring large areas in places to seem like an entirely different world. This year's Scare Zones promise to be some of their best.

1. Survive or Die-sounds like another Walking Dead set-up until you know the story and background. There are three groups of survivors searching to gain control of a machine that provides clean air to a destroyed Earth's atmosphere. They will be looking for people to help their cause.

2. Banshee's Lair-This area, I'm guessing will be in the small area with all the over grown trees and shade that everyone enjoys because at night it gets nice and dark in that area and all things get you fast. Be on the look out for anything, trees can move.

3. Dead Man's Wharf-This is a great name and in a great area that I'm guessing will be next to the water where the popular shark hangs. There once was a fishing vessel named Annabel Lee never came home and is lost forever. As the fog rolls in so do all the lost spirits that were lost, they are all looking to bring with them more people.\

4. Vamp 1955-Who does not enjoy the feel of the 50's. Once again I'm going to guess that this will be placed over in Mel's D ie In. There is a twist to this 50's throwback with the characters are not carrying switchblades, but fangs. Vampires will once again rule the night and searching for victims of a late night snack.

5. A Chance In Hell-This of course will be one of the most popular areas of the night. named after one of the sexiest creatures Universal has ever found but also one of the most deadly. She is one the search for more cellmates to help her for whatever she can think of, but destroy however she see fit to those who get in her way. this area will be a blast to see and I hope to get several great pictures within this hellhole.  

What is Halloween Horror Nights without a couple of shows? This year is no different than any other.
Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure-we can have HHN without these two dudes and wild adventures.

Academy of Villains: House of Fear-Chance's inmates are out to put on a show that will get everyone up to dance and cheer. But are you cheering for more or to get away alive. this will be another wonderful show to enjoy on the front stage.

At the time of this post, HHN Orlando has one more big announcement to go before opening night. There have been all sorts of ideas, suggestions, and hopes of what would be perfect for a strong female lead for the event this year. One that I like and would be great to see is American Horror Story (AHS). I fully believe that some of all areas of each season could be done and followed through a maze. This year's event has shaped up to be one of the best.
Stick around this blog for other news. will also be posting links to life videos from the first weekend.

**************THIS JUST IN************

It seems that there was a leak of some sort that the last room to be announced is the American Horror Story. There is a lot of mixed feelings about this house as I was able to see from blogs and FaceBook posts. Many people are just happy that ever house, maze, show, and scare zone has been announced. AHS has tons of fans whether it being for all seasons or individual seasons, there are a lot. it also appears to be just as many people that are not fans for one reason or another. I am a fan of the show until the story changes into a different direction than where it should have gone. There seem to be a long drug out build up of suspense only to hit the peak right at the end of a season with too many unresolved issues not covered. I enjoy the overall story line of each season with the exception of the last season, "Hotel" that started out with a bang but it fizzled out for me.
As for a full house maze, there are plenty of great scenes throughout all five seasons that can be pulled out and used. Several comments I have seen is "How are they going to create a story with five different shows?". Who says there has to be a moving story in a maze when there is some many character backstories to choose from. They could even build a scene from each season that could play out well. I am interested in seeing how it looks.
The Video Announcement
The trailer, I must say, really looks interesting. I hate to know that they will be taking place of TWD.

(8/16/16)

      

What it takes to start a haunted house attraction

When a person finds a need to visit a haunted attraction, there are several reasons for it. For some people they enjoy being scared, some enjoy it for the entertainment value of it, some enjoy the art and design of it. It is often used as a way for family and friends gather to have a good time and to be together. Whatever brings you to a haunt is always a good reason. The next time you find yourself visiting a haunt look around at what it takes to start one. I am going to list a few.

1.       Capital

You need to start with capital, lots of money. You will need to have a few thousand in the bank before planning can start.

2.       Location

Once you have found the capital whether you borrowed from the bank, family, friends, or investors, you are going to need a place to set it up. When you are in the search for a location, you need to keep in mind that you could be a successful haunt and you need room to grow. Find that area where you can grow and add new attractions plus you have to make sure that you plenty of parking spaces for your actors and staff members. This location also needs to an easy access to main roads and highways so your customers can find you fast.

3.       Management Team

These are the people that are just as excited about being a part of a haunt as you are about being an owner. Once again you should look at growth and break down the areas of your haunt and delegate areas of responsibility so that you as the owner can concentrate on meeting your customers and the PR work.

4.       Creative Team

With location laid out, you meet with your design staff and bounce around ideas and ways to carry out these ideas. This includes an overall theme of your haunt and then the break down theme to each room or scare zone to the haunt that draws people to want to see what you have to offer. These people are the ones that dream up the scares that brings you the money.

5.       Actors

With everyone and everything in place you need to make sure that you have the best people for the right roll. When you placed these people in their place they will shine like the sun on a rainy day. You also need to take care of your actors and make sure they are safe and happy.

6.       Advertisement

Here you will need to start early as soon as you find your location. Start with word of mouth, flyers, posters, social media, and other “free” methods that you can find and use.

These are areas that you should investigate before starting your haunt. There are several smaller details that you will run in to. I suggest that you partner with a small scale successful haunt that you can get your question answered. As long as they don’t see you as direct competition, they will be more then welcome to help you in any way. The haunt community is growing and extremely friendly and enjoy sharing stories and ideas that they have done and seen results either positive or otherwise.  

Ed Edmunds

Taken from Google search

Another day gone and one more day closer to being able to meet all the people I have befriended through Facebook. All the artist that have struggled before me to pave the way for learning on-line the craft that I have been able to enjoy and can't wait to get back to doing. 

This is my first trip to Transworld and I look forward to walking and talking with each group of vendors that attend. One of the people that I hope to be able to talk with is someone I have been a fan of ever sense I saw his show on the travel channel years ago. The show was called "Making Monsters" and has one of the best minds in the business, Marsha Edmunds. She is married to the man that puts all the madness together. He is Ed Edmunds. I watched every episode that came on over and over again. Watching him paint and create not only masks that you may have seen but did not know who created it, but also animatronics that will jump out and scare the poop out of you. 

There are so many creations that have come from the minds of the company of "Distortions Unlimited". I was able to locate the face and "liked" him on Facebook and it seems that he never sleeps. I would hear bell sounds going off on my phone and it would be Ed posting an article or a video to his Facebook page at all hours in the morning. Granted that I live on the East Coast in South Carolina and he lives on the other side of the country so it is expected to some extent that there would be a few come in at 1am or 2am. He only has just under 4,000 friends so he has plenty of room for more.

For those that who have not seen the show or do not know who this is, please crawl out from under the rock and check him out.

I can not say enough about this man, his team, and his company. I have yet to meet any of them and I look forward to meeting them all. If I lived closer, I would have my application filled out and ready to hand them in the hopes that they would hire me. The amount of skill it takes to get out so many different items out on time is immeasurable. I have to get a few nice pictures with them.

Taken from their Facebook

Grim Stitch Factory

Photo from Facebook

My First post leading up to Transworld next week (3/18/15) is dedicated to Grim Stitch Factory.
For those whom have never met the man behind the art they should, as I will be able to do this next week. I first learned about this place while researching on how to make a realist looking skin mask. this was a picture that I found that push me to hassle this guy to tell me how to do it.

For those that think this is gross is only looking at it from the thought that this is real. to some extent it is. There is information on his website that I invite everyone to look at. When I look at his work I see the beauty in the art and what it takes to do it. I have badgered the man too much to find out the process of what is done to get the effect but like a true artist, I was only given hints and elements to some of what it takes to make one but not the process itself. Which is fine because I spent the money buying the items and practiced a few times to duplicate one of these for me to wear in the Haunted House that I work in. I think I was on the right road to being able to get my own started, but I also work 50 hours a week and I am completing my undergrad degree so my thought process was not focused on where I would want it to be which is in the art of creating masks. But this allowed me to appreciate his work that much more. The man behind the masks is just as interesting as his creations. I have included this picture of what he says is his workshop. I looks great and you can get all kinds of inspirations for all things horror related just by looking at the pictures not to mention being immersed in the feel of the room. this picture was also taken from his website Grim Stitch Factory. 

   
My wife doesn't like what I have done with my office because I have started to add things to the surrounding much like his workspace. My wife doesn't like it because that where we sit and watch TV at night and she says it creeps her out. I just see it as a win for me. 

Whether you are in the market for a mask for Halloween, add to a collection, or even if you have been planning on creating a character for a movie, you should start with this guy. Find him on Facebook, Twitter, and on the web.
I look forward to meeting the make behind all these creations at Transworld 2015. 

Countdown to Transworld 2015

As I have posted earlier, I will be traveling to St. Louis Missouri Next Week (3/19/15) for the largest Haunted Attraction industry trade show in the United States. I will also be posting pictures of some of their work and company details and videos. Lots of pictures and videos. I will also will be attending The Darkness to see how they put it all together to be able to scare so many people night after night, year after year. All this will be posted here, my Facebook and Instagram. There will be a variance in each of them so you are not getting the same information from several different sources. There are so many Vendors that will be there are I have met through Facebook that I am excited to be able to meet them in person and get an up-close personal look at their work. 

Facebook Chainsaw Rips

Instagram Chainsaw Rips

Transworld 2015

Transworld is just around the corner and I can not wait.
This is my first trip and I want to see it all. I could even be tricked to wondering down a dark alley just to see something jump out at me.
I will be going to each booth with many questions for not only the haunt I work with but to further my own make-up, mask, and set design creativeness. It is going to be wild and go all night.
I am driving all night Wednesday night to be there when the doors open Thursday morning wrapping up the first day with a trip down to the Darkness.
I work with some of the best people in South Carolina in the MadWorld Haunted Attraction off exit 35 on HWY85. We are looking to get a lot of great products and even more ideas to bring us up to the next level.
I will be posting as much information as I can with plenty of pictures and there may be a few videos.

If there are any booths that you have questions about please let me know before I leave Sunday afternoon, I'll get it for you.

TransWorld's Halloween & Attraction Show

It has been long times sense my last posting. There have been a lot of activity and planning for the upcoming Halloween season. I know it's only the end of January but with me working full time, starting my senior year in college, and planning to attend TransWorld. 

For those of you who don't know what that is, I copied this from their website "TransWorld’s Halloween & Attraction show is the ONLY industry trade show of its kind in the world.  There is no other show that has as many exhibitors and industry related products. For the last 19 years, TransWorld’s annual Halloween & Attractions show has created the market place for the Haunted House industry. Each year the Industry gathers to network, get new ideas and purchase products.  This show is a MUST ATTEND event if you are thinking about opening or currently operate a Haunt, Corn Maze, Farm, Pumpkin Patch, Paint Ball Field, Family Fun Center, Amusement Park, Zoo, Aquarium, Halloween Retail Store or anything Halloween related.  We have everything you need to make your Halloween season a success.   Each year, the show continues to grow with NEW EXHIBITORS, NEW PRODUCT, and more buyers on the show floor. The Halloween & Attractions Show combines the products and knowledge of over 300 exhibitors that you need to see this March! 

I'll be there when the doors open and stay until they kick me out Thursday - Sunday.

I also have a back stage pass to see The Darkness with the lights on to see how they were able to pull off "America's Best Haunted House". 



Stop by and see up dated pictures from the show floor.