Thread: What did you learn this year?

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I learned a few things. First, test all of your electrically powered props at the same time as you would on Halloween night. The first 30 minutes of the night I spent tripping breakers and having to run an extension cord over the roof of the house. Second, those little pin lights work great, for the first hour. Then they became too dim to be effective. And lastly, some people have no respect. I had to chase people out of my fenced off cemetery. Not only do I not want them breaking my props but I had power cords run through the cemetery and later found out that one of my cameras cords was tripped over and unplugged soon after the haunt started. That was the purpose of the fence, to keep people out!

I'm a beginner, so I learned lots of things this year. Like, PVC primer can stain a white kitchen cabinet, and that I have no skills for buying men's clothing at the Salvation Army. The werewolf's arms and legs were too long for the shirt and pants. Fortunately, the toters didn't notice that my fixes made him look funny.

I learned that when hubby tells me he is excited that our daughter is old enough to TOT with friends on her own so he can help with the haunt really translates into... I'm glad I can hang out with neighbors and drink while watching you hand out candy and man the fog machine.

1. Too many projects, not enough time.
2. I don't like the new 400 w foggers (I will only buy 1000 w from now on)
3. Location is everything when positioning your props.
4. I need a bigger yard.

I learned its all gonna be ok!

My brother was working on the haunt right up until dark, We had a huge party with lots of different ages and diversities in personalities, and not a thing went wrong.

No one tore anything up, no one messed with anything, and everyone got along and had fun,

I learned that the stress and worries were unwarranted.

learned wind sucks but after it died down it was amazing and tons of fun

I learned >>>>Don't give it to them & then taketh away!

WE did not finish so much of our haunt this year. Lots of stuff did not get put out plus 2 rooms did not get done, plus we did not bake our gourmet brownies this year ( but I handed out chocolates that we make for our accounts to all the adults & called them "Adult Treats", some were liquor filled truffles) but people still wanted those Brownies. I never had time to get into my costume because we were still decorating 2 minutes before the 1st kid came to the door.

ANd the biggest thing of the night>>>>>I did not take pictures of my families this year.......I just could not stand another minute on my feet with this darn stuff I have in them. Boy did I hear about that. Everybody was nice but its amazing how they remember every little detail of what we do!! Gonna make it up to them next season.

As far as the haunt, everything went perfect but it appeared none of us could seem to keep a portable cd player operating....thank God the neighbor was here!

Even if you can't get it all out there, everyone appreciates what you do get out there, no matter how little or how big.

I learned:

- Kids' eyes get wider and more frightened looking than I imagined.

- Adults really appreciate what I do

- I need to quit being a control freak/ perfectionist

- 99.9% of kids are well- behaved and respectful of your props

- people who 'volunteer' to help may have ulterior motives

- I need another fog machine

- Regardless of Halloween being on Oct 31, if it falls on a Sunday in South Carolina then you best plan on being ready the day before. I was not.

- People stopping out front in their car, and applauding, feels real good.

1. Must build a fog chiller.
2. My wife (Endora421) is a really hot witch.
3. Need better motors for props, so the props actually work.
4. Lighting and sound are really important.