Thread: Giving it up

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Has anyone ever considered giving up on doing their haunt due to either weather conditions, theft of props, neighborhood opposition, getting tired of the setup/take down of everything or any other reason? Just a question that has come to light to me.

I live in the Northeast and this last Halloween was horrible rain. And I refused to cancel my party due to weather. As a matter of fact it down poured for my party and I do and indoor/outdoor party. I guess when your drinking and having a good time the rain means very little. Not one person left during the rain or after. Actually more arrived !!! Hang in there everything is going to be all right !!!

I live in also live in new england. I'm not a haunter, but I know that when I want to go to a haunt...bad weather kind of makes it better. Even if it is cold and rainy. We like to look back on it and say man...that was great....remember the storm..and of course it cuts the crowds down. Theft of props...that would bum me out. props get expensive....and if you work on them yourself...it is emotional to loose a nice item. But Please hang in there....in my area so many good haunts have closed over the years. I don't want to loose any more!

It would suck to give up such an awesome occasion as Hallowe'en simply due to inclement weather. I would suggest that you capitalize on lousy weather - get an outrageous "Lightning Machine", and couple that with a sound system blaring Thunder claps on the front yard.
Afraid of props being stolen? Restrict your stuff to items that are easily replaced, home-made tombstones, like I use.
Neighborhood Opposition? Piss on 'em if they can't take a joke. The neighborhood kids will love it.
And, hey, EVERYBODY goes through the Hell that is set-up and knock-down. That's the price we all pay for our passion.

I have considered scaling back a bit or rotating some of the props I put out every year, but never thought about giving it up entirely. I could never do that.

We usually run our haunt no matter the weather, unless it's downpouring. We've had snow the last couple years around Halloween, nothing less Halloweenish than snow covered props...lol

We haven't run into any issues with theft of stuff, hopefully it stays that way too.

Rain i sno issue...theft is an issue you can work around..maybe some motion lights for after you go to bed?

It rained last year as well as heavy winds, worst weather since I have started 3 years ago. But it was the biggest turnout I have ever had!

I have had my bad days, but the good outweigh them by far! I have torential winds here that rip or knock down walls, pillars, gravestones, fascades and castmember help(Yes, had one take a fall due to wind!). It rains every 4th year for some appearant reason too.. This has only made my fight back stronger with heavier built props to detour/protect from thieves and the elements. Don't give up hope if you are leaning towards calling it. Its a challenge at times but we are all here together in one or more small ways to support one another! "When one falls, another shall rise to pick one back up!" Thats what I live by and believe in firmly! Halloween Lives Forever!!!

Last year, more than everything was ripped apart on Halloween day from huge winds, so strong that the entire maze we were almost done with (a huge car canopy with walls and was almost done) was flipped twice even if was secured with ropes and everything. All my tombstone and props were all knock down, it was very depressing. But we still did it and add more than 300 kids anyway.

2 years ago, we had a snow storm 2 days before Halloween, destroying the wood maze we had built and a haunted gazeebo completely. We ducktaped the maze and prayed it hold. It did Thank God, we were so scared the structure would collapsed on the kids. (L).

What nearly made my wife and me quit was when stupid teens trashed the front of the haunt at 2:00am. Luckely, the damage was not that bad and we repaired it quickly. But it really killed the spirit of it. I hope it never happens again..

JM