# Time to reinvent, but disappointing??



## Ryan Wern (Dec 3, 2009)

For the last four years I have been participating in Halloween in one way or another. The first year I moved into this neighborhood, I did a simple graveyard with dry ice and spooky sound effects. That evolved into a walk-through haunt, partly because I thought I could do way better than the other guy on the street that did one. I was right. I have done my haunt by myself (planning, building, props, etc) for the last 3 years, outdoing myself every year. Here is my dilema this year...I'm tired. The last 5 years of personal problems, work, and just life in general has taken a toll on me. I don't want to do the walk-through anymore. I have several reasons for this, but the big ones are LIABILITY because I live in sue-happy California, the other is time. Not necessarily time to work on the haunt, but time with my kids. Due to the fact that I do everything myself, it takes me an entire year to get ready and about a month to actually put the haunt up. Then it takes more time to tear down, store, and start over. I haven't been ToT'ing with my youngest EVER. So it's time for a change. I don't want to disappoint the neighborhood because I have become the lone guy in the area that does a home haunt and it's a huge hit, so here is what I came up with:

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS FAR FROM AN ORIGINAL IDEA. IT'S BEEN DONE MANY TIMES BY MANY OF YOU, SO IF I "BORROW" AN IDEA, DON'T THINK I'M TRYING TO TAKE CREDIT FOR YOUR HARD WORK.

I want to do a semi walk-through play on "Pirates of the Carribean". The only walk-through areas will be roped-off paths to keep people out of my actual displays, along with one area that ToT's can actually walk into to get their candy. I decided to go with this theme because I already have most of the material I need to do it and it can be super cool if done right.

Main scene: Skeletal captain at the helm of the shipwreck. I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about. My twist will be an incorporation of the cannon battle scene on the ride with shipwreck scene. 
Props: I will take apart my "coffin creep" talking Gemmy skull guy that I hacked for last year and use his upper torso and talking head for the skeletal captain. He's already corpsed and ready to go, he just needs legs, which is just going to be a 2x4 framed base. I will throw in a deer motor at the waist and one on his right arm, which will be holding up a rusty sword. I will include 3 cannons (likely full-size) and borrow the idea of placing a red light in one end of the tubing and plumbing in an air line to each cannon and my fog machine, so each cannon will be able to blast out smoke plumes when fired with a nice red burst of light. To aid the realism, I just got 2 15'' powered subs...can't wait to hear THOSE cannon blasts. This scene will play out something like this...5 minutes of dimly lit, ship groaning, wind howling, with the occasional lightning and thunder blast (2 spot lights probably placed on the roof), pirate captain stationary. 2nd part of the show, everything comes to life...more lights kick on, revealing a few more skeletal pirates on the wreckage loading the cannons or something. Captain starts moving at the waist and pointing the sword, as if directing the cannon fire and speaking the whole Captain Barbossa spiel from the ride. Cannons firing. This will probably cycle 2 times, allowing about 5 minutes of a battle scene. This will all be controlled with my Light-O-Rama controllers. This scene will be just about in the middle of my driveway and hopefully I will be able to cover my garage door up with it.

2nd scene: Drunken pirates!

I was planning on repainting some of my wall panels to make a "town" scene similar to the ride with drunken pirates, rum barrels, etc. and place this in my front yard. Skeletal pirates rocking back and forth to the "Yo Ho Yo Ho" pirate song we all know and love with the aid of a few spare motors and talking skulls I have sitting around. This scene will be what ToT's walk through to get into the 3rd scene where their "treasure" is! Light-O-Rama in use here too for all effects.

3rd scene Treasure cave:

Basically this will involve covering the walkway to my front door and making it look like a cave. I'd like to incorporate a treasure chest and some fake Dollar Tree gold jewelry in here along with some twinkling lights that will also be controlled by the Light-O-Rama. Above the entrance to the cave will be the talking Jolly Roger from the ride. I would split the stereo track using Audacity so one channel controlls the talking skull's audio, while the other channel will just echo the foreboding "DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES" from speakers placed inside the cave. At the end of the cave someone will be handing out candy and popcorn.

I will use jute cloth, nets, other junk I already have to set the scenes. I can paint cardboard pouring tubes to use as wood beams. I have enough lumber left over in my garage to build a small town and was going to use chicken wire and Great Stuff with spray paint to make rock formations and stuff.

That's pretty much what I have planned. The beauty of this is that I can hit PLAY and WALK AWAY. I'm sure I can find people to dress in costume and kinda hang out to make sure nobody messes with anything, and I can go walk around with my kids! What do you think? Do you think that going from a walk-through to a walk-by would be a let down for the neighborhood?

Side Note: the guy down the street that used to do the walk through (he hasn't done his since I started doing mine) and I talked the other day. He is going to borrow all my stuff for the walk through and do his again, just using my stuff. i think that's a great idea and will make our block THE place to ToT this year!!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

And this is a scale-back from what you used to do? Man!

Between your set up and your neighbor's borrowing of your former set up, I think there will be plenty to please the ToTs. Besides, it's good to change things up now and then just to keep the haunt fresh and your creative juices flowing every year


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

No wonder it took you so long to prepare, set up and take down. You just have had a heck of a haunt.


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## Dark Star (Nov 6, 2007)

RoxyBlue said:


> And this is a scale-back from what you used to do? Man!


That's what I was thinking! I hardly think anyone will be disappointed with what you have planned. Sounds great!


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

Sounds like a plan...everyone wins.


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## Ryan Wern (Dec 3, 2009)

jaege said:


> No wonder it took you so long to prepare, set up and take down. You just have had a heck of a haunt.


It wasn't so much that it was all that great, but planning, building, painting, electrical, etc. all just takes TONS and TONS of time. If you look on YouTube, type in "Halloween 2010 Vineyard Circle". It's the first video that pops up. You can see what we did last year


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## Ryan Wern (Dec 3, 2009)

RoxyBlue said:


> And this is a scale-back from what you used to do? Man!
> 
> Between your set up and your neighbor's borrowing of your former set up, I think there will be plenty to please the ToTs. Besides, it's good to change things up now and then just to keep the haunt fresh and your creative juices flowing every year


It is! Even though it sounds like alot, all it really is is 4-6 props that I pretty much already have built and doing a little redecorating. Compared to doing the walk-through, this is nothing. If you have never seen or used a Light-O-Rama controller, look them up, they are a life saver. You can control pretty much everything with these things from lights to props. That thing will be the backbone of my display this year.


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## Ryan Wern (Dec 3, 2009)

Thanks for the feedback. I'm sure I'll be asking some of you who do these real top-notch yard haunts lots of questions about lighting and stuff. I'm used to doing everything indoors!


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## Zurgh (Dec 21, 2009)

Sounds great, go for it! 
I'll say from experience, do rope off/fence off the off limit areas. I had kids running through my graveyard until I put up a fence... and I never would have known if I didn't have cameras recording. Also, I think that it's cool to help out your neighbor like that. Getting someone to site supervise while your out & about is an excellent idea, too. And never get scared off by the potential sue happy, just CYA as best as you can. Halloween is on a Monday this year. If it makes you feel better, just tell your self that your scaling it back due to a potential lower weekday turnout.


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## Ryan Wern (Dec 3, 2009)

Zurgh said:


> Sounds great, go for it!
> I'll say from experience, do rope off/fence off the off limit areas. I had kids running through my graveyard until I put up a fence... and I never would have known if I didn't have cameras recording. Also, I think that it's cool to help out your neighbor like that. Getting someone to site supervise while your out & about is an excellent idea, too. And never get scared off by the potential sue happy, just CYA as best as you can. Halloween is on a Monday this year. If it makes you feel better, just tell your self that your scaling it back due to a potential lower weekday turnout.


Well part of the reason for the scale-back was also because of the turn out last year. We still had around 200 come through, but compared the the previous 2 years, the turnout was way down and I really busted my hump last year. As far as the neighbor goes, the unfortunate thing is part of the reason he had to quit doing his is that he lost most of his stuff in a divorce....ouch. Somebody might as well get some use out of all the crap I've built. He has some pretty solid ideas, so our street should be very crowded this year between the two of us doing our thing.


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## Dixie (Feb 18, 2009)

I think the most exciting part of this for me is that your neighbor will be doing a haunt this year, that just builds the hype and excitement 10 fold. I wish I could come to your neighborhood!

I think your plan sounds fabulous. Don't forget (like *I* do all too often) that none of your neighbors hang out on the forums every night, and don't see any other pirate haunts, so everything you described will be new and MAGICAL. That is what we always try to create - Magic - whether its through a scare, or a creepy feeling, or a haunting beauty. And between you and your neighbor - I am POSITIVE that this will be Halloween magic, and FAR from a dissapointment.

Can't wait to follow it!


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## Ryan Wern (Dec 3, 2009)

Dixie said:


> I think the most exciting part of this for me is that your neighbor will be doing a haunt this year, that just builds the hype and excitement 10 fold. I wish I could come to your neighborhood!
> 
> I think your plan sounds fabulous. Don't forget (like *I* do all too often) that none of your neighbors hang out on the forums every night, and don't see any other pirate haunts, so everything you described will be new and MAGICAL. That is what we always try to create - Magic - whether its through a scare, or a creepy feeling, or a haunting beauty. And between you and your neighbor - I am POSITIVE that this will be Halloween magic, and FAR from a dissapointment.
> 
> Can't wait to follow it!


Thanks for wanting to see my haunt, I wish you could come too. I also wish I lived in Texas!! LOL! I have family in the DFW area, I might have to swing by one year.

I told the neighbor I'd be willing to help him design something and do the sound for him (I LOVE Google Sketchup and Audacity!!) because that's where his stuff used to always lack, in the creativity department. Ya he had people that jumped out and said BOO, but it was always the same year in and year out. He's pumped up for this year, I hope it turns out well.

I'm glad you mentioned that "magic" feeling. That's what I try to capture. I like to play off emotion rather than the jump-out-and-BOO stuff. This year will be quite different tahn what I'm used to, but honestly I'm looking forward to doing it more than I have in years past. I pretty sure the neighborhood will enjoy it, but they will be expecting the walk through...that's where I was unsure how a front yard display would be recieved by them. At the end of the day, I do it for 3 reasons: 
1. The kids!! They love what I do and it gives them memories and allows them to have more fun than they otherwise would have.

2. Charity. We pick one every year to donate (money, food, etc.) too. This year is an organization that my daughters' Girl Scout troops support called Supplies for Soldiers and we will be collecting approved items to send overseas to our soldiers

3. To use as a creative outlet for me

As long as all 3 of these criteria are met, I'm happy! Thanks for the kind words. I'll get a build thread going in the near future.


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