Theme Parks Want Halloween Every Month

Universal's New Experience is?"Halloween Horror Nights Meets Comic Con"? Universal’s new event - Universal Fan Fest Nights, blends pop-up experiences, immersive LARPing, and haunt-style walkthroughs. Halloween Horror Nights is Universal's most profitable event because it leads to higher per-cap spending and, more critically, allows the park to double-sell inventory. Universal can sell the same day twice - once for the daytime and once for the nighttime. However, as much as theme parks are trying to make Halloween last from Aug - Nov, that still leaves 9 months where inventory can only be sold once. But, what if Universal could do Halloween Horror Nights every month? Enter Fan Fest Nights. With Fan Fest Nights, Universal can test whether guests will pay a separate admission to experience something outside of Halloween Horror Nights. If this test goes, we could see a future where theme parks have 'hard ticket' events happening monthly.?We discuss on this week's show.

Tokyo Disney Investing in Halloween The new Fantasy Springs area boosted Tokyo Disneyland's revenue, but management underscored how critical seasonal events (like Halloween) are to?make up for "soft" demand in other park areas; the report also underscored how important events like Halloween are to driving merch and F&B sales.?This week, Green Tagged breaks down Oriental Land Company’s latest earnings, revealing how Fantasy Springs and seasonal activations like Halloween helped boost attendance and spending and created operational challenges.?

How Far Can Disney Push Its Pricing Power? Learn more about Disney's Q1 FY25 earnings in an Attractions Magazine article?by the Haunted Attraction Network's Philip Hernandez.?The earnings report highlights Disney's?strong performance in theme parks and cruises (with international parks seeing a 28% jump in operating income) but underscores ongoing challenges in streaming.?Disney's ability to increase prices without significantly losing demand is impressive. However, the key question remains: How high can Disney push prices before consumers start to push back? While international growth and expanded cruise capacity offer new revenue streams,?Disney's reliance on price hikes and its IP-driven strategy could face limits if economic conditions tighten or if market saturation occurs.

Haunted Attraction Association

Annual Meeting to Be Held?on Friday, February 28th

The Haunted Attraction Association's?Annual Meeting of members and directors will be held during TransWorld's Halloween & Attractions Show (St. Louis, MO)?on Friday, February 28th at 9:30 a.m. The HAA State of the Industry meeting will immediately follow at 10:00 a.m. Join the HAA as they discuss our industry's current landscape, emerging trends, and what’s on the horizon.

OSCARES

Celebrate excellence across the haunt industry with the OSCARES at TransWorld's Halloween & Attractions Show on Saturday, March 1st at 5:00 p.m.?Awards categories include Vendor Excellence Awards, Board of Directors Awards (now including?awards for mid and small-tier attractions), Special Recognition Award, Home Haunt Award, and Lifetime Achievement Award. The event includes?complimentary food and a cash bar for all to enjoy. Renewed HAA members will receive a free drink and priority seating - visit the HAA booth (Booth #2023) in advance to receive your coupon.

Conventions & Mixers

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TransWorld's Free Seminar Schedule Announced

TransWorld's Halloween & Attractions Show?(St. Louis, MO) has announced their free seminar lineup for Friday, February 28th and Saturday, March 1st. Join members of the haunt industry as they discuss topics including attraction liability, creating interactive experiences, social media influencers, and more. Additionally, delve deeper into products and services you find on the show floor with exhibitor-led, free seminars from CFX;?Tune2 Technologies, LLC; Bloody Mary Makeup; ClueQuest; Weldwood Marketing; and FearWorm Hauntvertising.

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U.S. Haunts & Events

The Sunken Manor Looks to Expand into Agritourism The owners of The Sunken Manor (Greenville, SC) have?requested Greenville County rezone the property from?"residential suburban" to "agricultural" to allow for a major agritourism expansion. The family-run business, "168 Hours", bought the twenty-two-acre property in 2023 to create a?haunted attraction and escape room. Now they would like to restore the property's historic Keeler Mill, creating a functioning farm that would grow crops, raise livestock, and host activities such as classes, tours, hay rides, and pumpkin patches.

Netflix Dining Experience Coming to Las Vegas Netflix Bites, a new Netflix-themed dining experience, is coming to the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino?(Las Vegas, NV). The one-year culinary residency serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with each menu item inspired by a hit Netflix show or movie. Of note to horror and Halloween fans are dishes themed after Stranger Things, Wednesday, Army of the Dead, and The Fall of the House of Usher. Netflix Bites will operate for breakfast and lunch from 7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. daily and for dinner 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. (Sunday through Thursday), 5:00 p.m. - Midnight (Fridays and Saturdays). Walk-ups are welcome, but reservations are encouraged. Learn more and make a reservation on their official website.