Thread: First weekend a success!!!

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Well I sort of took charge of the haunt at my campground this year and this past weekend was a resounding success. I spent most of the summer cleaning up the trail from years of abuse. The trail is about a quarter mile through the woods. First thing I did was name it. For years all it was called was "The Ghost Trail". I went with a redneck chainsaw theme and christened it...
"Timberland Hollow" The campground's name is Timberland Lake so the name fits. I cleared out "Blinds" for my actors to hide in off the sides of the path. And I can't stress enough the importance of lighting.

I used strobes to temporarily blind my victims. The lights create, almost a photonic force field that lets no light penetrate it. The actor can stand in the trail as close as 4 to 5 feet in front of the victims and they cannot see them till it's too late.

I have actors come out the main door to the trail and grab a "Plant" I have in line. I have a girl and her friend ride the hay wagon to the trail entrance, wait in line till the right moment. Then I have 2 actors dressed in biohazard suits come out through the entrance, shining a flashlight in the eyes of the trail goers until they get to the planted actor. They then scream "We have an infected one" or something to that effect, grab her, and drag her kicking and screaming all the way into the entrance. I had one lady run right out of line and down the road with her boyfriend hollering "Come back , it's all and act" priceless!!

We did an over under on how many people we could make pee themselves. We bet 4 but I think we had 6. And when they think they are at the end, I have an air jet strapped to the back of a tree at a point near the end of the trail where the path gets very narrow about 2 feet. At the end of the trail we have a table where we sell juice and glow sticks and such. I have the trigger set at the end of the table about 80 feet away from the jets, in full view of the trigger person. They round the corner thinking it's over then"Pfffft" gotcha one last time. This coming weekend is going to be our busiest and the Halloween weather gods look like they are smiling on us.

So I will see if I can get a video of the trail up this weekend as there is too much to try to explain in type. Well wish us luck!!

Thundr, thanks for the description and congrats on a successful weekend. I liked your description of the biohaz guys grabbing your plant. Sounds like a lot of fun and I for one will be awaiting the video. How many people are you hoping to go through by the end of Halloween?

OH, This sounds fun. I love haunted houses/trails, etc.

I definitely look forward to your video good luck on your trail!

Looking forward to vid!!!

That sounds FANTASTIC. Way to go. I can't wait to see that video.

That sounds awesome! I would like to do a big haunt of these days. I have so many ideas I want to put into play. But they don't translate well into a home haunt...

Ok, got a video up and running. It's kinda long but shows the whole trail from start to finish. It is only a daylight vid, so you really don't get the full effect.
I use the term "Blind" several times in the video. That term refers to a hiding spot, i.e duck blind.
Our 2nd weekend went extremely well, except for a power outtage on one whole half of the trail, aaaaaargh!!! But our resident electrician Carlos hooked us up quite well.
I'll try to get a nighttime vid posted but I don't think the recorder will capture much in the dark , but I'll try


Cheers!

That's really cool. I can't wait to see it at night.

Trail in The Woods, you say? Dude, you guys GOTTA get a couple of these - http://www.cheap-ghillie-suits.com/

Look around, apparently you can purchase the material and make your own. Trust me, a scareactor in one of these is INVISIBLE in the woods, and I mean standing 10' away...