# Most Important Props?



## Uncle_Daniel (Oct 2, 2009)

I know this is kind of subjective in a way but I was wondering what you all think are the major props one should start with when first planning a haunt? I am thinking grave yard area is a must. I want to have next years Pumpkin Patch haunted so I guess fishing for suggestions what do you all think I should make must haves for that?


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## FirstSpartan (Oct 4, 2009)

It's definitely subjective. IMO you have to begin by satisfying your own personal tastes and the fans will follow. You'll have a couple that dislike it, think it's over the top or think you're just plain nuts but that's to be expected, you can't satisfy everyone. But in the end you'll be the one coming home and seeing it every night.
I try to keep to a theme in my haunt with the creepy/scary effect with skeletons, graveyard and spiders. I do have a pumpkin rot guy this year that fit in nicely. 

Having said that, in my haunt the tombstones are a must. The other big props like skeletons are the main focus but the tombstones are the glue that hold the scene together.

I think the pumpkin patch needs a 'Pumpkin Overlord'. Who's going to keep those pumpkins in the patch in line? Something towering and evil looking with a gaze that misses nothing! A great place for a pumpkin rot style scarecrow.


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

What do you people do for a pumpkin patch? Hoards of pumpkins? haybales, and cornstalks? I am curious.


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## The Watcher (Sep 13, 2008)

jaege said:


> What do you people do for a pumpkin patch? Hoards of pumpkins? haybales, and cornstalks? I am curious.


You plant seeds!


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## IMU (Apr 8, 2009)

It all depends on your theme. For ME ... a shipwreck for my Pirates!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

A graveyard is the basis of our yard display, but (as IMU points out), the central theme can vary depending on the haunter.

A haunted pumpkin patch needs a good scarecrow for sure. Use real pumpkins or pick up several fake ones you can "corpse" when they go on sale after Halloween. Add a rickety low garden fence to define the patch area. Throw in some crows and maybe a few rats chewing on the pumpkins.


Hmmm, this is starting to sound like a really good idea for us to do next year


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

At the beginning of the year, I planned out the haunt and listed the projects that I wanted to build. Throughout the year, that plan changed as I tried to get more continuity in the display. I've found that I'm working backwards...trying to get last minute props done that should have come first. Start with a theme...graveyard, zombies, swamp, pumpkin patch, pirates, aliens, etc. Then consider a standout prop or two for that theme. 

You mention a graveyard. I'd start a graveyard with tombstones, a fence, coffin, and a maybe a corpse. After creating a primary display, I'd look at add-ons and fillers - crows, fog, fireflies, lightning, background sounds, creepy cloth, etc.


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

And how would you do fireflies? That sounds cool.


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## The Creepster (Sep 18, 2009)

got to have a air cannon..easy effective scare


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

jaege said:


> And how would you do fireflies? That sounds cool.


Maybe rigging up LEDs to cycle on and off some way?


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## The Watcher (Sep 13, 2008)

If you do a pumpkin patch next year, these are a few of the things we are putting in ours this year. The singing pumpkins, which is a 30.00 dvd you can buy here. Then you need a projector ( doesn't have to be a good one ) and 3 pumpkins fake are real. The scarecrow Roxy mentioned. Pumpkin people are good also. You can have them static or animate. Here is the one I built for ours.

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=16250&highlight=Daddy+Jack

Also you could have a live actor in there carving on a pumpkin.Our patch will only be about 12 foot square this year. A friend of mine has Ivy and he has to trim it this time of year, so we will use that our ground cover vines.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

jaege said:


> And how would you do fireflies? That sounds cool.


To do fireflies....wire up some small seed lights.....you can get these at Hobby Lobby in the train area. I believe they are 12v and can be wired up to an ac adapter. Or...look at wedding areas in places like Michael's.

Take a small circle of black paper....a couple inches in diameter...feed a seed light through the center of the paper on a very very thin wire a couple feet long. Glue the wire on the back of the circle. Then wrap the wire around a thick dowell or cylinder so its coiled and bouncy. Pin down the wires to something sturdy in a very dark area....so the wires with the lights hang down in the wind...maybe a foot apart. They should bounce around and flitter like fireflies.

Do a search on threads for a how to.

I believe there are electronic version...but that's going to be much more expensive. If someone can find the how to thread...please post.


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## The Watcher (Sep 13, 2008)

Here is the how to for fireflies

http://www.hiddenmickeys.org/Imagineering/Fireflies.html


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## Uncle_Daniel (Oct 2, 2009)

Thanks for the input you all have given so far! I did not expect this much feed back so soon and SO many great ideas! I gives me something to start with and work from there.
What about simple Animation for people who are kind of lame when it comes to things like that. I am rather creative with art and that but nuts and bolts I need the Dummies version of!


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## The Archivist (May 31, 2009)

The Watcher said:


> Here is the how to for fireflies
> 
> http://www.hiddenmickeys.org/Imagineering/Fireflies.html


Best how to for fireflies in my opinion. Who better to show how to make fireflies than Disney Imagineers?


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## The Creepster (Sep 18, 2009)

Uncle_Daniel said:


> Thanks for the input you all have given so far! I did not expect this much feed back so soon and SO many great ideas! I gives me something to start with and work from there.
> What about simple Animation for people who are kind of lame when it comes to things like that. I am rather creative with art and that but nuts and bolts I need the Dummies version of!


kinda cutting it close huh?


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

Uncle_Daniel said:


> Thanks for the input you all have given so far! I did not expect this much feed back so soon and SO many great ideas! I gives me something to start with and work from there.
> What about simple Animation for people who are kind of lame when it comes to things like that. I am rather creative with art and that but nuts and bolts I need the Dummies version of!


If you want to try animation you could try an FCG (Flying Crank Ghost). It's a popular animation with many haunters.


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