# Budget-be-damned Haunt Ideas/Dreams



## MurrayTX (Nov 4, 2011)

A post on the 2013 Haunt Ideas re: a ghost hunter interactive theme has inspired me to start this one. If you got that blank check to setup a haunt, assuming insurance costs are also fully covered, what would you design? 

One of mine would definitely be a rarity in haunts... Reavers (Firefly). A grungy sci-fi set design with reavers attacking other actors and chasing guests. Of all the more recent boogeymen in films, Reavers easily scare me the most. And as long as we are going fantasy with this thing, I would give guests a paintball gun with 5 "Rounds". In my experience with stress fire scenario accuracy, likely few.actors would ever get shot. ;-)


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

The obvious problems are that: the paintball guns would be turned on other guests, the guns would get stolen, someone would get shot in the face.
The less obvious problems would be in the fact that you can't have actors touching, much less munching on, guests.
While I loved both the show and the movie, I think most people would understand it more as just zombies rather than "Reavers", though it does sound like fun. You'd need to have a lot of "plants" who can and will get caught and eaten, or at least chewed upon.

I'd consider doing a trip through Alfred Hitchcock's movies, with the villains gathering and chasing the guests out. This would require basically two of each character so that one could stay with the scene while the other does the chasing with the other villains.


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## MurrayTX (Nov 4, 2011)

The attacking would be actor on after in my nerdy fantasy haunt of Reavers. Any the paintball thing is a huge collection of potential problems, hence the inclusion in this thread rather than a realistic haunt thread. If I was going a but realistic, I still think Reaver type frighteners are a rarely utilized but useful fear... the deranged but very much living madmen who have graphic physical defilements bordering on cenobite territory.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

I understand the difference between Reavers and zombies, but I think that without prior knowledge that the bulk of the guests wouldn't know the difference. You could try to explain it to them either verbally or with a few posters/signs prior to the guests entering the haunt, but very few guests want to (or maybe can), want to have to think that hard for a haunt. Keep in mind that it took most of the movie "Serenity" to make people understand the story line of who and what Reavers are. 
I understand that this is a fantasy haunt, but I'm trying to keep some line of plausibility in, regardless of the "blank check" idea. You still need to keep the mentality, memory, and attention span of the guests in mind.


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## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

I would do an ode to killer Aliens from outerspace and the whole sci fi alien ship meets killer clowns,mutated cotton candy victims and zombie aliens....Just crazy all out.


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## JustJimAZ (Aug 19, 2010)

Reavers! There is genius there! Imagine a space (or cowboy) themed haunt.

You could be investigating a downed freighter outside of town. Before you even enter, there is a TV playing an official bulletin "debunking" reavers, and a local sheriff warning you about them. 

Each scene has someone killed, mutilated, or driven insane, with someone (like the lunatic) telling the story. Maybe in one scene, the "captains log" is playing, recording that they have been overtaken, they won't survive... and then he is attacked on screen by reavers! At that moment (maybe 3 scenes in?) a reaver attacks the guests... They are pursued from room to room, with reavers at every turn...How will they escape?

OK, that would be a bit much for a garage haunt, but with enough space....


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## JustJimAZ (Aug 19, 2010)

I was in a pro haunt yesterday that has a life sized T-Rex head pop out at you. That would be on the fantasy list! Oh - and they made the walls move. That was pretty awesome too!


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

I would go with the typical old creaky haunted house. And since this is a fantasy, it's always a dark and stormy night with a lot of lighting cracks. Of course a cemetary in the yard. And it wouldn't be just for Halloween. I would live there year round. Again, since this is fantasy, I'd dress like Mortisha Adams. I'm really getting into this.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I would commission Stolloween to make a papier mache haunt for me:jol:


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## JustJimAZ (Aug 19, 2010)

RoxyBlue said:


> I would commission Stolloween to make a papier mache haunt for me:jol:


Now THAT is stellar! On that note...
I think I would like to have Dave Lowe, Stolloween, and Terra design and build a haunt, under the combined "supervision" of Revenant and Lauriebeast. I'm not sure how I would fit Allen in there, but He would be welcome to swing by!


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol:I would have real ghosts that would fly right through patrons....How much do you think that would cost?


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## austenandrews (Aug 22, 2010)

I'd just love to have the resources to experiment with all the crazy ideas that come to me when I can't sleep, that I'll never get around to. Optical illusions, projection tricks, oversize animatronic costumes, big animated walkthrough sets; I'd go crazy.

As for big haunt concepts, I can think of several that would be a blast to build. A mad science/land of the giants adventure. A big cartoony Hell. A full-bore ghost story, using every optical trick in the book to convince people ghosts are real. I'd love to try an old-fashioned dark ride, but updated and intense. Something - maybe a science fiction setting - with lots of long halls and high vertical spaces that takes visitors up and down and all over.

Great, now I'm going to have another sleepless night.


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## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

scareme said:


> i would go with the typical old creaky haunted house. And since this is a fantasy, it's always a dark and stormy night with a lot of lighting cracks. Of course a cemetary in the yard. And it wouldn't be just for halloween. I would live there year round. Again, since this is fantasy, i'd dress like mortisha adams. I'm really getting into this. :d


lmao!!!!


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## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

I'd have a bunch of mazes and twisted staircases and a baby crying and David Bowie as a...... Wait..


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## The_Caretaker (Mar 6, 2007)

I'd do a fully animated skeleton if money was no object


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## GOT (Apr 17, 2007)

I would like to make a large maze out of nothing but PVC pipe bars for walls spaced about 4" apart. I would then have monsters roaming the maze. You would be able to see the monsters stalking the maze, but would not know if you are avoiding them or headed right for them. Even at $0.10 a foot, the cost would add up quickly.


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## Uruk-Hai (Nov 4, 2006)

I don't think I'd change my theme much or go out and buy a crazy amount of high-end props. My main goal would be to have someplace indoors where I could set up the haunt and never take it down - just build on to it every year and add more and more detail. A big property in the country with a barn or quonset hut next to a stand of forest would be perfect.


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## [email protected] (Aug 25, 2012)

I like GOT's maze concept, at least for a portion of the haunt.


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## MurrayTX (Nov 4, 2011)

I have found what I hope is a not-too-distant possibility for haunts that I really hope happens. The link is a Reddit GIF.... elevator prank:


http://imgur.com/rc5pS

 Too cool.

I wonder if a thick piece of plexi over a monitor with an all black screen
, then whatever, and back to black would be a decent poor man's version of a freaky walkway. Of course, a mirrored walkway might unnerve the skirt wearers regardless of the monitor effect.


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## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

RoxyBlue said:


> I would commission Stolloween to make a papier mache haunt for me:jol:


When you get the blank check please make sure you call me...can use the cash about now. 

If I had an unlimited budget to start a haunt I would start by contacting quite a number of haunters I know on this site and others that are struggling financially and offer them an insane amount of money to work together with me to create the ultimate creative haunt...something like a year long make and take with great pay.....gotta dream.


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## Cat_Bones (Jun 1, 2012)

With a blank check?? Oh man I'd buy a huge piece of land build up a warehouse or 2 and a few creepy houses ala 13 ghosts with a gallery of horrors in the basement, house on haunted hill, and amityvill horror

then hire all you amazing people to help me set up the Scariest Place On Earth forget Disney!!  Oh man I need to win the lotto


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

Why is it that I always go back to wanting a spinning tunnel and a fully animated skeleton organist.....


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## UsedCoffins (Jan 7, 2013)

I'd have 4 old school buses. You could call me and my crew to come to your field or parking lot for a halloween event. The 4 buses get corralled into a square where the back door of each leads to the front door of the next. Each bus has the seats removed and can have 1 larger or 2 smaller scenes. There's plenty of room in the square center to set up a cemetery or event activity. Ideally the haunt convoy could roll in and set up within about 4 hours during the daylight and be ready for actors to arrive and prep before the night.

I don't know if this could make money or be viable, but that wasn't the question.


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