What a Great Halloween Night

Wow - can we do that again?! It is November first and the skys have opened up. It is POURING. Fat drops dumping down in waves, thunder, lightening... all real unlike last night. Thank goodness it waited until today!

Wireless Haunting

Good friend Glen called in sick to work Friday and came over to finish setting up the Haunt. I really needed it too as Thursday it threatened to pour all day and I lost precious time avoiding putting out the electronics in the drizzle that persisted.

On one of our many runs to the local big box hardware store we decided to give wireless AC switches a try. These are the devices sold to turn your Christmas lights on and off, I suppose, with a little hand-held garage-door-like remote. They worked great for our props this year. Even for fast props like the new air cannon!

We had about a hundred ToTs; similar to last year, and the response was great. Comment after comment about how fun it was; scary -- best house in the neighborhood. LOL It really is all worth it, isn't it?


Three of the friends who showed up are excellent photographers and cinematographers so I expect to have fun video to show in the near future. I've included some photos I hope you enjoy.

Lessons Learned

Every year there are countless little things learned and this year was no exception.

• Replace every battery ( CD players and other devices are more predictable that way )
• Actor scares are still the best
• Props need to be louder than I think they need to be -- the encroaching crowd is loud and screaming
• People will run right past everything if you let them. Build in obstacles to slow them down
• Pre-teens make good helpers for quick startles, but should not run a complex prop like the Magic Mirror
• Half the ToTs will ignore an "Exit Only" sign

See You in 2010?

Sadly, it looks like next year Hamilton Manor will be dark. Good friend and fellow Haunter, Penn, will be getting married and we are told that if we attend we will have lifetime helpers for the Haunts to come...

Contrast that with the Egging our house will take and I think it will be worth it, don't you?

Finally, more pictures here in my 2008 Halloween Gallery. Your questions, comments and critiques are always welcome.

Happy Halloween everyone... it's teardown time and I am ready to start programming songs for Christmas lights.

Cheers!

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