Haunted Attraction Network

TransWorld's Halloween & Attractions Show wrapped up Sunday in St. Louis, and this week's newsletter is dedicated to the full recap. We spoke with 16 vendors across the show floor, where the trend toward retailtainment was impossible to miss: booths are becoming experiences. We also covered the OSCARES (record attendance this year), a new HAA president, and an insurance conversation the industry can't avoid.In this issue:- 16 Vendor Spotlights from the Show Floor- OSCARES 2026 Winners- HAA Elects New President, Approves Bylaws Change- State of the Industry (With Full Audio)- TransWorld Announces 2027 Dates- Halloween Horror Nights 35 Tickets on SaleRead the stories here

Held annually at TransWorld's Halloween & Attractions Show, the State of the Industry Seminar brings together HAA board members, haunt owners, operators, and vendors for a candid look at the past season and the challenges ahead. Moderated by outgoing President Jim Werner (Pennhurst Asylum), this year's discussion covered the ongoing insurance crisis, AI's impact on search and operations, and a push for collaboration over competition. Read our full recap here.

TransWorld's Halloween & Attractions Show kicks off this week in St. Louis. Whether you're heading to the show floor or following from home, here's what the industry is talking about heading into the biggest week of the year.Also this week:- Halloween Horror Nights 35 Reveals First Haunted House and Returning Icons- Jana Partners Pushes Six Flags to Explore Sale- Sesame Workshop Sues United Parks to Terminate Licensing Agreement- Carowinds Brings The Conjuring: Beyond Fear to Spring Break with First-Ever Scream Break- HAA Proposes Bylaws Changes That Would Open Board Seat to Non-Owner/Operators- Minecraft World Announced for Chessington World of Adventures in 2027- Funland to Renovate Haunted Mansion Ride- Horror at Hinchingbrooke House Cancelled Due to School Grounds Damagehttps://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/transworld-week-is-here

TransWorld's Halloween & Attractions Show returns to St. Louis next week with 450+ exhibitors, dozens of seminars, and a full week of industry events. We put together a guide to help you navigate it all.Also this week:- Travis Kelce Signs On as Six Flags Brand Ambassador- New State Lease Terms Put Old Joliet Haunted Prison's Future in Question- Will Attractions Be Impacted by Conflict in the Middle East?- Limited-Time Savings on Universal Horror Unleashed Tickets- Wicked New England Returns to Salem With Year-Two Expansion- Slashers Axe Throwing Hosts 2nd Annual Purge Night Tournament. Read more: http://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/the-haunt-industry-descends-on-st-louis-next-week

It's March, and that means convention season for the haunted attraction industry is upon us! This week: Preview the floor plans for TransWorld's Halloween & Attractions Show, coming up March 26th - 29th in St. Louis; Midsummer Scream Tickets On Sal; East Coast Haunters Convention Haunt Tour Tickets On Sale; Texas Haunters Convention Registration Open; United Parks Reports Declining Revenue Amid Stock Buybacks; Dark Masquerade Returns to Queen Mary in March; Distortions Unlimited Reveals Frankenstein  Animatronic. Read the stories here.

Six Flags is rethinking seasonal events after cancelling Christmas lead to an estimated loss of 425,000 visitors. Also this week:- Imminent Doom Haunted House wins OSCARES Best New Haunt Award. Read the news here 

The 2026 OSCARES Award winners have been announced, honoring excellence across the haunted attraction industry ahead of the March 28th ceremony at TransWorld.Also this week: Glenwood Caverns Files for Bankruptcy After $116M Verdict; Dark Masquerade Returns in March After Sold-Out Debut; Derry Halloween Proposes Ticketing System for 40th Anniversary; East Coast Haunters Convention Announces Haunt Tours; HAA Live Auction Moves to Thursday Night; Midsummer Scream Haunter Pass Applications Open; 7 Gates Screampark Rebrands as Pine Street Horror. Read more here

D'Amaro is Disney's new CEO, underscoring that Disney's future runs through physical experiences rather than linear media; we explain why this will benefit Halloween events.Also this week: Spooky Swap Meet Tickets on Sale; Runway Showcase at TransWorld's Halloween & Attractions Show; East Coast Haunters Convention Announces Haunt Tours; 3rd Annual Halfway to Halloween Festival Comes to Rancho Jurupa Park; Six Flags Restructures Season Passes Into Regional Tiers; Haunted Calgary Delivers Ghoulish Greetings for Valentine's Day. Read more here

Over 100 haunts are opening for Valentine's weekend, and Dark Hour's new interactive mechanic shows how operators are evolving the off-season format.This week: Dark Hour's Glow Stick Mechanic Turns Blackout Haunts Into a Game; Universal's Hotel Strategy Crosses $1B Quarterly EBITDA; Attractions Magazine's Epic Universe Guide Now Available Digitally; Ask the Haunter: Live Q&A with Philip Hernandez (Feb 10); Efteling Partners with HHN's Nightmare Fuel Team for New Show; Horrorland Miami's "Love Kills" Valentine's Event; Creep It Real OC Announces 2026 Dates; HAA Proposes Bylaw Opening Board to Non-Owner/Operators; 100+ Valentine's and Friday the 13th Haunts Nationwide.Read more here.

Dark Hour Haunted House (Plano, TX) will bring back Love Is Blind for Valentine’s weekend, reintroducing the event with a new interactive mechanic that turns a traditional blackout haunt into a choice-driven experience. The limited-run event will take place Friday, February 13, and Saturday, February 14, at Dark Hour Haunted House in Plano, Texas. Unlike earlier iterations of Love Is Blind, this version incorporates gameplay elements from Dark Hour’s Dead by Dark Hour format, asking guests to actively manage how they move through the attraction rather than simply endure the darkness.In this interview, I sit down with Alan Hobbs, owner of Dark Hour Haunted House, to discuss the event, why he's merging interactivity into it, and what haunters should be thinking about in 2026.Read the article here.

Haunts nationwide are experimenting with immersive Valentine’s formats, while new retail data suggests a resilient outlook for the 2026 Halloween season. This week: Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor Launches "Dark Masquerade"; Cinema of Horrors' "Hearts of Horror"; Brass Ring Excellence Award Finalists; Universal's Fan Fest Nights Doubles Down on Core Fans; Halloween Retailers Expect a Slight Increase in Business in 2026; Haunted Attraction Association to Add New Paid Administrator Role; Creep I.E. Con Returns This Weekend. Read more here

Fright Nights WV is opening for Valentine’s weekend with Final Cut: ‘Til Death, a survival-horror experience that places guests directly inside the story while they navigate Valentine’s-themed horror scenarios. Layered inside the attraction is Cupid Crawl, a three-stop bar crawl hidden behind secret doors and available exclusively to upgraded ticket holders. Creative Director Ashley Long joined The Haunted Attraction Network to explain how the event works and why it represents a more intentional approach to off-season programming.Read the article here.Subscribe to our newsletter here.

100+ Haunts nationwide are preparing to open for Valentine's Day next month, and we'll explore one haunt, Fright Nights WV, and its strategy in depth. Plus: VFX Creates Launches 2026 Product Line;  Is Six Flags Preparing to Sell More Parks?; Scooby-Doo Meets Universal Monsters at USH; The Halloween & Costume Association Spooky Awards Winners; University of Florida Study Suggests A Good Scare Can Bring People Together; Hershey Aims to Break Out of the Seasonal Game; Camp Nowhere Returns This Summer; Russ McKamey Wins Partial Summary Judgement on E-mail Hack Lawsuit. Read more here.

Universal is reportedly exploring plans for a theme park in Saudi Arabia, funded through a licensing arrangement backed by a government entity. If it moves forward, the project would place Universal alongside Disney, which recently announced a similar licensing deal in Abu Dhabi—one Disney says will be accretive from day one. Also: Submissions are now being accepted for the 2025 Home Haunter Awards Show.  Read the news here.

Merry Hauntings from the Haunted Attraction Network! While most haunts have concluded their holiday run, 8 haunts are still operating this coming weekend. Also this week: Six Flags Magic Mountain Delays New Coaster; Zombie Fun Run at Field of Screams PA Raises $8,000 for PA Breast Cancer Coalition; HauntPay Releases 2025 Season Data in Updated Report; TransWorld Announces "Heaven & Hell" Costume Ball; Read more here.

156 haunted houses nationwide are extending the scare season into December! Nearly half of all events (48%) are concentrated in Southern states, with Texas leading the nation at 14 holiday haunts and Pennsylvania close behind at 13. Also this week: Six Flags Appoints John Reilly as New CEO; Hollow Acres Banned from Christmas Parade; HAA Seeks Board Member Nominations; In Memorial: Remembering Jan Knuth. Read the news here. Our 2025 Holiday Haunt Guide is here.

IAAPA Expo 2025 underscored a clear trend: seasonal events continue to grow, even as IAAPA’s Haunting Grounds remains a modest pavilion compared to dedicated Halloween shows like TransWorld. This year’s exhibitors highlighted how operators are expanding fall and holiday offerings with modular scenic design, interactive environments, AR overlays, and family-friendly installations. In this episode, you’ll hear the full interviews with IAAPA’s Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Michael Shelton, and Sally Dark Rides, offering deeper insight into IAAPA’s strategic shift toward curated show-floor zones, the rising importance of food and beverage, and new dark-ride innovations coming to Kings Island and Doha Quest. You’ll also hear from all the exhibitors featured in the Haunting Grounds pavilion, including:Plague Productions, Nethercraft, IWG, Dogwood Entertainment, and Verse Immersive, each showcasing products designed to enhance seasonal and Halloween experiences. This episode is adapted from our on-site coverage at IAAPA Expo 2025. The full video tour of the Haunting Grounds is here.

IAAPA Expo 2025 returned to the Orange County Convention Center with record-breaking attendance and a show floor packed with innovations across the attractions industry. Among its newest and fastest-growing areas is the Haunting Grounds, a dedicated pavilion in the North Concourse focused on Halloween and seasonal events.Also this week:- 32nd Annual Thea Awards Recipients Announced- Sally Dark Rides Brings Mini™ Dark Ride to Qatar- Creep It Real Festive Kicked Off the Holiday Season with Cosplay, Entertainment, Spooky Vendors, and More. Read more here. 

What began as a youth center fundraiser in 2019 has grown into one of the most acclaimed haunted attractions in Oregon. Nightmares on the Rogue, located in Medford, is now a 30,000-square-foot Halloween destination featuring three immersive haunted houses and a bustling midway. At the heart of it all is owner Devin Price, who envisioned a haunt that could bring storytelling, spectacle, and community together. Read more here.

In Westminster, Maryland, Hera’s Nightmare is planning an ambitious year-round expansion. After winning the 2025 OSCARES Award for First Year Haunt, owner Carlos Rivas doubled the attraction’s size to 25,000 square feet and introduced The Horror Vault — a selfie walkthrough designed for guests to capture their own horror moments.“People want to take pictures when they go through the haunt, but that’s hard when you’re getting scared,” Rivas said. “So I wanted to make an interactive version of a haunted house where you can take videos, take pictures, and really see the scenic details we put in.”For Rivas, The Horror Vault isn’t just a gimmick; it’s a glimpse of how haunted attractions can stay relevant beyond the Halloween window. By offering a photo-ready environment open throughout October and beyond, Hera’s Nightmare is tapping into the social-sharing culture that drives modern audience engagement.The takeaway? As haunts search for year-round revenue, the next big innovation may not be a bigger scare — but a better way to keep guests involved between them. Read more here.