[creeperguardian]

I bealive it is a great time to start the 2013 haunt planning thread you can post what are your plans for your haunt or party for the new year i would love to hear them if you have not planned any thing for your haunt or party and need some ideas or help you can post that too

 

[IowaGuy]

Think the only decision I've mostly put my foot down on for 2013 is no more buying animations from Spirit Halloween unless something Really catches my eye, sorry guys...the quality just isn't there.

 

[Arlita]

I agree Guy when I buy something I want it to last more than one year, I will say I bought the jumping spider this year and it scared a lot of people I am hoping it will work next year?

 

[IowaGuy]

Ha haha HF really needs a "like" button

 

[22606]

Ha haha HF really needs a "like" button

There was, along with a couple of other buttons, until most of us complained about there being far too much going on and our heads hurting

 

[creeperguardian]

i agree tho spirit has awsome animated stuff its like oh god any more we are gonna be outta room im going thru some ideas i know that for sure im gonna update my cemetery which would be the fence and stones

 

[moonwitchkitty]

thinking werewolf this year, would a grave yard be a good back ground?? or maybe a Voodoo theme? any suggestions?

 

[creeperguardian]

thinking werewolf this year, would a grave yard be a good back ground?? or maybe a Voodoo theme? any suggestions?

A grave yard is a great background and the were wolf could look like he is chained to a tombstone trying to get free

 

[TheGraveyardCareTaker]

I planned Halloween 2013 3 days after Halloween 2012.. it's never too early! The original idea was to finally do the schoolhouse theme that I have been dreaming of for years, but due to recent events, that idea will be scrapped. Originally the main basis of the story (full one was not complete) was that the school teacher had been practicing witchcraft in their lessons (as the townspeople had suspected, spreading the rumor through town), brainwashing the children. On Halloween Day, the children came to school in their trick or treat costumes.. only to ravage the town for brains instead of treats. I will alter the story (as I feel that it might not be appropriate to include a school) while still keeping the time period and witchcraft concept. I'm still trying to figure out a main story to work with, but I know I want to take on a "Salem witch trials" theme. For some strange reason, I am in love with the old school mid-western settlement/Little House on the Prairie/American Gothic time period and this fits very well. If anyone has any ideas on how I can create a story around a witch trials theme, please feel free to contribute! I know I want to create a main character, but I'm at the moment stuck on how to go about executing it.. I was thinking maybe plaster their image on "Wanted" posters and having their trial go horribly wrong and them getting their revenge on the townspeople..

I did fall in love with the facade design I had for this theme, so I am keeping the same design and just switching the "schoolhouse" sign with a "town hall" one (studying images from this time period, these buildings could have actually looked very similar depending on the town or village!).

I will have my usual cemetery setup on the lawn side of the yard, and on the other side create this witch trials setting. My plague body cart from this past Halloween will return, but with instead a banging toe pincher coffin being placed in it.

I am also seriously looking into some stuff from Creepy Collection. I'd like to have some severed heads/torsos on stakes in front of my facade. It would be an investment, but their insanely detailed selection is too hard to ignore! Has anybody purchased from them? How was your experience? From their FaceBook and YouTube pages, they seem like they really work with the customers and have great service.

 

[Deadview]

I agree IowaGuy. To me Spirit sux. The only thing I will buy from them from now on will be the fog juice. They can't screw that up, could they ? Well from now on I think I've got the confidence to build my own props for the yard. This year I'm making the cloaked ghost along with a couple other things. Time to have some fun.

 

[osenator]

I love Spirit! I struck Gold tis year, and hopefully more next year. Can't beat The hanging Vampire for only 22$!

 

[Paint It Black]

I think I need help on how to incorporate some of the more generic Halloween props into my Midnight Carnival theme. I plan to use my skeletons as ringmaster, clowns, etc. But what about the cocoon man, spiders, bats, spector, stuff like that?

 

[grimreaper1962]

I would like to try my hand at a pneumatic prop of some sort. Something fairly simple for a first project. Any ideas?

 

[Scatterbrains]

I would like to try my hand at a pneumatic prop of some sort. Something fairly simple for a first project. Any ideas?

I've got a trash can trauma, 3 scissor props and a casa fear zombie. The trash can is probably the easiest and cheapest to make. The scissors are a little more complicated and the casa fear is the toughest since it requires two cylinders and a prop controller which makes it the most expensive. All of mine were made as group builds at Rocky Mountain Haunter get togethers.

While pneumatics make for awesome props, you really need to think about safety with these things. Not just the door closer versus actual cylinder ones, but controlling the crowd so they don't get smacked when the prop comes flying out or up. I had my styrofoam head fly off my trashcan trauma this year but didn't notice it as the metal stock slid out of the bottom and the head just dropped back in the can. So when the next ToT looked, all that came up was the metal...luckily the kid wasn't close enough to get hit, but could've easily lost and eye or worse if they were closer. Scared the crap out of me and we shut that prop down for the night. Next year it will be at least an arms length away in the future. My scissor props are already placed where a physical barrier prevents someone from getting smacked in the head..but ya never no if someone is going to try and bypass the barriers, so this is one of the reasons I don't put pneumatics on sensors. I want someone making sure it's safe for the prop to be triggered. I'm not trying to scare you off. I will continue to use my pneumatics but you need to focus on safety first scare second

 

[22606]

I think I need help on how to incorporate some of the more generic Halloween props into my Midnight Carnival theme. I plan to use my skeletons as ringmaster, clowns, etc. But what about the cocoon man, spiders, bats, spector, stuff like that?

I'd say to have a freakshow poster announcing the presence of a 'spider woman' near the spot where the cocoon man is hanging and, of course, add a few medium- to large-sized spiders. As for the bats, maybe have a sign nearby that reads 'pygmy vampires' or something similar, or you could tout there being a 'king of the bats' and have them be his offspring. Hope that these ideas help, PIB.

 

[Paint It Black]

I'd say to have a freakshow poster announcing the presence of a 'spider woman' near the spot where the cocoon man is hanging and, of course, add a few medium- to large-sized spiders. As for the bats, maybe have a sign nearby that reads 'pygmy vampires' or something similar, or you could tout there being a 'king of the bats' and have them be his offspring. Hope that these ideas help, PIB.

Ooohhh. Both are great ideas, Thanks Garth! I'm glad I asked the question here.

 

[Scary Firefighter]

I keep toying with the idea of adding the backyard to the haunt. But in order to do that I need to put a gate in on the north side of the house to act as the exit to the "haunted path" to go with the gate on the south side of the house that could be the entrance. I have to replace the north side backyard fence anyway so I figure I might as well put the gate in also.

The only way I can add the backyard to the haunt is if I add the gate. Otherwise there is not much else I can add on to my haunt anymore because the front yard is pretty much full of props. But other thing come to mind, most of all liability. I'm a little nervous about what issues I may face if some kid hurts themselves while walking through the backyard. On top of that I would almost bet that if something bad were to happen it would be because of some kid doing something that he or she knew darn good and well they should not be doing.

I bet a haunted trail through the back yard would go over very well though.... I could get two maybe three actors to jump out for scares, I could add a drop panel by the exit and/or entrance, there are some good spots were I could set up some pretty cool "scenes" and new props and I have a shed in the back that could be used for any number of things.

 

[oaklawn Crematory]

i agree tho spirit has awsome animated stuff its like oh god any more we are gonna be outta room im going thru some ideas i know that for sure im gonna update my cemetery which would be the fence and stones

I'm really not impressed with the Spirit animated props. They are far too expensive and they tend to look "cheap" and unrealistic (if a zombie can look realistic). I do however, like one.

 

[22606]

Ooohhh. Both are great ideas, Thanks Garth! I'm glad I asked the question here.

You are very welcome, Paint It Black.

I'm really not impressed with the Spirit animated props. They are far too expensive and they tend to look "cheap" and unrealistic (if a zombie can look realistic). I do however, like one.

Don't get too caught up in ripping one of the main sponsors of the forum or there may not be a Halloween Forum in 2013, oaklawn. I don't know about you, but I do not want this to switch over to a Valentine's or St. Patty's Day forum...

 

[creeperguardian]

I planned Halloween 2013 3 days after Halloween 2012.. it's never too early! The original idea was to finally do the schoolhouse theme that I have been dreaming of for years, but due to recent events, that idea will be scrapped. Originally the main basis of the story (full one was not complete) was that the school teacher had been practicing witchcraft in their lessons (as the townspeople had suspected, spreading the rumor through town), brainwashing the children. On Halloween Day, the children came to school in their trick or treat costumes.. only to ravage the town for brains instead of treats. I will alter the story (as I feel that it might not be appropriate to include a school) while still keeping the time period and witchcraft concept. I'm still trying to figure out a main story to work with, but I know I want to take on a "Salem witch trials" theme. For some strange reason, I am in love with the old school mid-western settlement/Little House on the Prairie/American Gothic time period and this fits very well. If anyone has any ideas on how I can create a story around a witch trials theme, please feel free to contribute! I know I want to create a main character, but I'm at the moment stuck on how to go about executing it.. I was thinking maybe plaster their image on "Wanted" posters and having their trial go horribly wrong and them getting their revenge on the townspeople..

I did fall in love with the facade design I had for this theme, so I am keeping the same design and just switching the "schoolhouse" sign with a "town hall" one (studying images from this time period, these buildings could have actually looked very similar depending on the town or village!).

I will have my usual cemetery setup on the lawn side of the yard, and on the other side create this witch trials setting. My plague body cart from this past Halloween will return, but with instead a banging toe pincher coffin being placed in it.

I am also seriously looking into some stuff from Creepy Collection. I'd like to have some severed heads/torsos on stakes in front of my facade. It would be an investment, but their insanely detailed selection is too hard to ignore! Has anybody purchased from them? How was your experience? From their FaceBook and YouTube pages, they seem like they really work with the customers and have great service.

Wow awsome i would love to see this in 2013 awsome