Thread: Visiting haunts.

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Kind of related to the "A Haunters Motivation" thread, I was curious to see if anyone gets the chance to go see other peoples yard haunts? I know once I get working on my stuff I find it hard to get out and see other peoples yard haunts, especially if they only have it running on Halloween night. I wanted to get down to see the Davis Graveyard in Milwuakie Oregon last year but just didn't have a day to spare. This year I have more time to prepare so I am going to plan a trip to see a few of the other yard haunts as well in the Portland area. So does anyone else find the time to see others Haunts and if so do you think it adds to the motivation? Or where there any particular yard haunts that you saw IN PERSON that stood out in your mind?

I guess to answer my own question I would say that the House of Restless Spirits in Santa Monica California was mind boggling in its greatness and serves as a daily motivator to me personally. I wish I had more time to go visit a lot more yard haunts. Its fun to see video and pics online, but there is nothing like seeing them in person. It is similar to looking through the posts on this forum, you get so many great ideas and inspirations. I know that the House on Haunted Hill outside of L.A. has to be seen in person to fully see how cool it is. I was amazed that they have a 10-15 minute long automated show every 20 minutes or so. It is stuff like that gets my juices flowing to create bigger and better things every year.

I try to get to at least BIG pro haunt each year, and then I visit other local pro haunts on Sundays, because we aren't open.

I like to go to see what others can create. I like seeing what others do with use of lighting/props/sound... and maybe even get a good idea or two!
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It seems like I always noticed the good yard haunts in our area the day after, when people are tearing down. I am hoping to contact the local paper this year and try to organize something similar to the listing that is done for christmas displays. I think it would be great if there was a list of addresses in which all agreed to make their haunts available to the public on another day besides halloween. A contest with judges would be a step up, but not completely necessary.

When I was a child, my parents always drove us around to see haunts during october and christmas displays during well christmas season. I am now 28 years old and each and every year I drive around and do the same. My haunt does take lot of time, but I always male time to visit and to go to haunted attractions.

Yard haunts? No, I haven't had the chance to see anyone's for a long time. There's 2 REAL close that I'ld like to see. 3-4 relatively close. But, no time to get away from my duties.

I do make a point of walking the neighborhood sometime during the week before halloween to see what everyone has up. But, it's not the same as seeing it in action.

ALSO, I've taken to inviting anyone that wants to come over on the 30th. It's when I'm doing my test lighting, and getting all my pics done. Sure, me and the kids aren't in costume, and the sound system typically is not in place, but everything's up and running, and we have a little party for anyone to come hang out for a few hours. It's nice to be 'informal' and not in character, just to talk to folks and see what they like/don't like.

I hope to make time this year. I didn't get to check out any because I was working right up until Halloween getting mine together. There used to be a few families in the neighborhood that combined to make one big walkthrough, but the instigators moved away so I was pretty much the only show in my neighborhood.

Last year was our first year in our neighborhood and much to my delight, I discovered that one of the neighbors, a few blocks away, whose house I have to pass to get out of my subdivision, do a big yard haunt. They had stuff from one end of their lawn to the other. I didn't stop over there Halloween night, but after passing it everyday, it stirred up a lot of motivation to make my yard haunt the best that I possibly could =)

Halloween night, we met another family that usually haunts their yard, but hadn't last year, due to a vacation in Oct. I hope to find it this year =) It's nice to have some competition to keep eachother motivated!

Originally Posted by Curlgoddess

I didn't stop over there Halloween night, but after passing it everyday, it stirred up a lot of motivation to make my yard haunt the best that I possibly could =)

Halloween night, we met another family that usually haunts their yard, but hadn't last year, due to a vacation in Oct. I hope to find it this year =) It's nice to have some competition to keep eachother motivated!

Heh....I always tell my kids: "It's not a competition" but we know the truth, don't we

Originally Posted by Scatterbrains

Heh....I always tell my kids: "It's not a competition" but we know the truth, don't we

LOL, yes we do!