Friday Seminars

• 3 Steps to Increasing Profits by Improving the Guest Experience

  Zack Oates, Founder and CEO, Ovation

  Friday 10:15am-12:15pm

  Room 120

  $110/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $130/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  You put so much work into getting customers to visit your business -- but how do you get them back and fight back against online reviews? Zack Oates has spent his career researching the relationships between customers and businesses and how to improve them. After analyzing millions of customer interactions, Zack will share the 3 C's that make up the ladder of loyalty - convenience, consistency, and connection - and give actionable tips for attracting customers, encouraging repeat visits, and fostering lifelong relationships. Listeners will also: Understand the essence of hospitality in the digital age and how to leverage it to create devoted fans. Master the art of measuring, tracking, and enhancing your customer experience for sustained success. Discover the secrets to transforming first-time customers into loyal patrons and how to unlock the hidden profits within customer retention. BIO: Zack Oates is an author, husband, father of 4, entrepreneur, and hot tub aficionado (but not in that order, necessarily). He is the Founder and CEO of Ovation, the #1 restaurant feedback platform in America working with over 8,500 businesses, voted Top 50 Most Influential Supplier by Nation’s Restaurant News, awarded 2023's Most Inspirational Business Leader, and host of the 400+ episode podcast “Give an Ovation." Learn more at www.ovationup.com. He grew up in restaurants before getting into startups. He was voted Top 100 Entrepreneurs 2x, rang the NASDAQ bell, has been to over 50 countries, and started 3 companies and an international non-profit. He went on over 1,000 dates before he got married and wrote a book, “Dating Never Works...Until it Does.”

• Essential Scareactor Training: Safety & Technique for Haunted House Actors

  Jonathan Glickman, Frightnights at the South Florida Fairgrounds

  Friday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Being scary shouldn’t be risky for your actors or your guests. This seminar for scare actors and trainers dives into the core concepts and skills every haunted attraction actor needs to succeed: safe scare techniques, communication, smart use of props, and preventing and dealing with problem guests without escalating the situation. Learn how to scare effectively without creating safety hazards, avoid common actor mistakes, and keep the experience thrilling but controlled. Whether you’re a beginner to a seasoned veteran, this training will help you scare smarter, stay safer, work together, and create unforgettable (but safe) frights for every visitor. BIO: Jonathan started performing professionally 30 years ago. He has performed in shows and venues doing everything from stage, improv, commedia dell’arte, and busking to opera, including stunts, stage combat, and fire eating (along with some ice hockey goaltending). He has written and directed shows and created characters around the Eastern US and Japan and worked at Skull Kingdom, HHN, and at Enigma Haunt and Fright Nights at the South Florida Fairgrounds as a manager and actor trainer. He is also an attorney by profession. Jonathan strives to utilize the wide range of performance and other disciplines he has worked and trained in to bring new and considered approaches to scareacting and scareactor training.

  C.H.A.O.S. (this seminar goes towards your C.H.A.O.S. Safety Certification)

• 31 Secrets to Successful Attraction Marketing in a World of Rising Expectations

  Brad Weinstein, Newbridge

  Friday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Want to learn how to dramatically improve your attraction’s marketing & increase your success in a world of rising expectations? This fast -paced seminar is designed to help people of all experience levels (newbies to industry veterans) and will cover a spectrum of ways you can strategically improve your attraction’s marketing in 2026 and beyond. With over a decade of experience that includes top attractions and brands (such as Disney World and Google), Brad Weinstein will share valuable insights and takeaways with you that will make the small cost of this seminar more than pay for itself! Topics covered in this seminar include: *Key reasons your customers’ expectations are rising (and actionable tips on how to adjust your marketing accordingly to increase long-term success). *Strategic tweaks you can make to your ads and messaging to increase success (small tweaks can make a big difference). *Critical & costly marketing mistakes you should avoid. *Valuable insights on how to grow your attendance and attract the right customers (who will be more likely to return and buy tickets again in the future). *Why your marketing is probably not as effective as it should be (and how to fix it). *Discover how to make your attraction’s brand stronger, more effective, and better positioned to sell more tickets. *Learn key differences between very successful and unsuccessful attraction marketing. And more! You will leave this seminar empowered with clear, actionable takeaways you can implement to increase the success of your attraction’s marketing in 2026 and beyond! BIO: Brad's experience includes The Walt Disney Company, Elitch Gardens Theme Park, Google, professional haunted attractions, and world class advertising agencies in NYC.

• Larger Than Life: How to Elevate Your Hayride Event

  Ben Bates & Randy Bates, The Bates Motel & Haunted Hayride

  Friday 11:30am-12:30pm

  127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Hayrides offer the chance to create massive, unforgettable moments—but too often they don’t fully deliver. This seminar explores how to elevate a hayride into a larger-than-life experience through bold visuals, strong pacing, and purposeful performance. Learn how to scale sets, props, characters, and scares so they read clearly from a moving audience, along with storytelling techniques designed specifically for outdoor environments. Whether you’re building a new hayride or upgrading an existing one, you’ll walk away with practical strategies to increase spectacle, immersion, and guest impact.

• Spooky Spectacles: Crafting Halloween Projection Mapping Content with AI

  Ross Arroyo, illumibot

  Friday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Light up the night and bring your haunt to life with the magic of projection mapping! In this one-hour seminar, you’ll explore how cutting-edge AI tools and creative projection techniques can transform ordinary spaces into immersive, bone-chilling experiences. Learn how to choose the right projector for your haunt, master contrast and throw ratios for maximum impact, and discover smart mounting and alignment strategies that eliminate shadows and distractions. We’ll also dive into Halloween-specific effects—like fog integration, motion-triggered scares, and color theory for eerie atmospheres—and how to blend them seamlessly with your projection setup. Whether you’re running a haunted attraction, decorating your home, or creating a larger-scale spectacle, you’ll walk away ready to thrill your audience with unforgettable visuals. Who Should Attend: Haunted attraction operators, home haunters, decorators, event designers, farms, zoos, and Halloween enthusiasts eager to integrate projection mapping and AI into their creative process. What You’ll Learn: • How projection mapping works and how to plan a successful setup • The key tools for creating, animating, and managing projection content • How to integrate projections with lighting, fog, and practical effects • Strategies for scaling from small yard haunts to full attractions • How to harness AI to supercharge creativity and streamline your workflow

• How to Implement Food & Drink to Maximize Impact on Customer Experience and Profit

  Patrick Konopelski, Shocktoberfest

  Friday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Food and beverage offerings can be far more than an afterthought—they are a powerful tool for enhancing the guest experience and increasing per-capita spending. This session explores proven food and beverage strategies designed specifically for haunted attractions, showing how the right concepts, placement, and operations can boost profits, and elevate your event from entry to exit. Patrick has been in the catering and food service industry for over 40 years, as well as the haunt business for 35 years. He will share his expertise regarding Food Trucks, Concession Stands, Catering, and the pros and cons of Alcohol sales. BIO: Patrick Konopelski was born and raised in Reading, Pennsylvania located about an hour west of Philadelphia. After graduating from Kutztown University, Patrick started a food service company that specializes in large catered events. In 1991 he created Shocktoberfest a 27 acre scream park located in the same town. He is a past president of the Haunted Attraction Association and continues to work with the association. Over the years, Patrick has consulted for haunted attraction’s, zoo’s, and amusement parks in the areas of Haunt, Christmas, and food service.

• Visual Impact: Scenic Finish Tools and Techniques That Sell the Scene

  Teddy Summers - Outerworlds

  Friday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Learn how professional scenic finishing transforms ordinary sets into visually striking environments that captivate guests and elevate the overall attraction experience. This seminar explores essential tools, materials, and techniques used to create depth, texture, realism, and aging effects that make scenes read clearly in low light and high-traffic conditions. Attendees will gain practical, cost-effective methods to enhance durability, speed up production, and create finishes that support storytelling, sell the illusion, and help their attraction stand out from the competition. BIO: Teddy Summers is an event and production manager with over 20 years of experience in haunted attractions, escape rooms, and immersive environments. He specializes in scenic detailing, technical integration, and high‑volume operations, with a background in multi‑site management and control systems. Teddy also provides ongoing design and technical services for major parks and independent venues, with a focus on reliable infrastructure and efficient guest flow

• Supersized Scares: Turning Giant Props into Powerful Marketing Tools

  Bob Nordquist, Pure Terror; Paul Kotran, Reapers Revenge

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Large props do more than decorate your attraction, they stop traffic, spark curiosity, and create instant marketing moments. When designed and deployed strategically, oversized props can become powerful visual anchors that draw guests in long before they ever enter the queue or board a ride.This seminar explores how to use large-scale props as effective marketing tools for haunted attractions, hayrides, and seasonal events. Attendees will learn where and how to place oversized elements for maximum visibility—along roadways, loading zones, and ride paths—how to design props that read clearly from a distance and at night, and how to integrate them seamlessly into walk-through experiences and moving attractions like hayrides. The session will also cover how to turn these massive visuals into must-share photo opportunities that organically promote your event on social media and extend your marketing reach well beyond the property. BIOS: Bob Nordquist is best known as the owner and creator of Pure Terror Scream Park, a large haunted attraction located in Monroe, New York. Pure Terror Scream Park is notable within the industry for its scale, immersive design, and intensity—featuring multiple distinct haunted house attractions at a single site. The attraction has earned a reputation as one of the region’s most extreme Halloween experiences and is recognized for holding the Guinness World Record for the world’s longest walk-through haunted attraction. Pure Terror Scream Park Nordquist’s approach to attraction design emphasizes high-impact scares, detailed environments, and continuous innovation, often refreshing major elements year-to-year to maintain excitement and replay value among attendees. Under his leadership, Pure Terror has expanded its offerings and developed a dedicated following among Halloween and horror enthusiasts. In addition to his work running Pure Terror, Nordquist has authored content for the attraction’s website, offering guides and articles related to haunted houses and Halloween attractions—suggesting a role not only as an operator but also as a voice within the broader haunt community. Paul Kotran is the owner and creative force behind Reaper’s Revenge, one of the most well-known haunted attractions in the Northeastern United States. Located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Reaper’s Revenge has earned a national reputation for its massive scale, intense scares, and continual evolution, drawing guests from across the region year after year. Paul's decades of experience in the haunted attraction industry, Paul has overseen the design, construction, and operation of large-scale haunted houses, hayrides, and immersive outdoor experiences. His approach combines high-impact visuals, aggressive pacing, and strategic guest flow to create attractions that are both terrifying and operationally efficient.Paul is also recognized within the industry for his hands-on leadership style, innovative marketing tactics, and willingness to push creative boundaries while maintaining strong business fundamentals. His insights into attraction design, crowd management, and seasonal operations make him a respected voice among haunt owners and operators nationwide.

• Rush To Terror

  Nathan Harris, Halloween Maze

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Learn fast and efficient methods, tips, and tricks on how to set up and tear down your seasonal haunted house with a tight timeline. Helpful tips for blueprints, assets, scene setups, and prop recommendations for quick setup and tear down. This is a must for those with a setup and teardown haunted house event. Learn the fear-ins and outs from a team of haunters located in one of the hardest markets.

• Unlock the Future of Fear: What Gen Z & Gen A Really Want From Your Haunted Attraction

  Scott Simmons, ScareHouse

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  The next generation of haunt fans isn’t just changing the industry—they’re rewriting the rules entirely. In this revealing, fast-paced seminar, you’ll gain access to years of deeply researched consumer data sourced from nationally recognized leaders in tourism, attractions, and entertainment. If your target audience is Generation Z or the rapidly emerging Generation Alpha, this is the information you cannot afford to overlook. Today’s younger audiences make decisions differently. They investigate, compare, and analyze before committing to any major purchase—especially an entertainment experience. They expect authenticity, personalization, interactivity, and tech-forward marketing that speaks their language. Their relationship with AI, social platforms, and digital community spaces has fundamentally reshaped how—and why—they choose the attractions they visit. This session breaks down those shifts with clarity and actionability. You’ll learn: *How Gen Z and Gen A actually use AI and social media to evaluate experiences *What kinds of advertising they trust (and which they immediately dismiss) *What they expect from an event before showing up—and what keeps them coming back *How their engagement habits differ from Millennials and previous generations *The surprising data on pre-purchase research and how it impacts your funnel *Practical strategies to adapt your marketing, storytelling, and operations to meet their expectations Understanding this data is no longer optional. The haunts that thrive in the next 5–10 years will be those that evolve now. Discover how to attract, engage, and retain the new generation of thrill-seekers—before your competition does. Bio: Scott Simmons is the Marketing Director of ScareHouse (featured on Good Morning America, The Daily Show, CBS News, Late Night with Seth Meyers and many other national media outlets) and an experienced writer/producer who has previously created content and/or marketing services for NBC, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carnegie Museums, and Travel Channel. Scott continues to produce cinematic and highly engaging video content for social media platforms (generating over eight million views on YouTube) as well as national broadcasts on broadcast and cable networks. In addition to his ScareHouse collaborations with Universal Studios, Legendary Pictures and Weta Workshop he continues to provide multimedia content and/or marketing services to top themed attractions across the country such as Factory of Terror, Field of Screams, Cutting Edge Haunted House, and the Ohio Christmas Factory.

• Queue Line Mayhem: Taming the Monster Crowd

  Anthony J. Barbosa - Nightmare Acres Haunted Attraction

  Friday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  How to manage, control, and entertain massive crowds like a seasoned pro. From restless guests to overexcited superfans, queue lines can make or break the guest experience — and your safety record. This high-energy session teaches proven strategies to manage long lines, maintain flow, prevent conflicts, and even turn waiting into entertainment. Whether you’re dealing with 50 or 5,000 people, you’ll leave ready to handle chaos like a pro.

  C.H.A.O.S. (this seminar goes towards your C.H.A.O.S. Safety Certification)

• Refreshing Your Scenes: How to Keep the Haunt Experience New Every Season

  Aaron Smith & Pete Karlowicz, Niles Scream Park

  Friday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  In an industry where repeat customers are your greatest fans (and your toughest critics) standing still is the fastest way to fade away. This seminar explores the philosophy of never-ending change and why the most successful haunts believe that if you build it, they will come… back again and again. Learn how to continually refresh scenes, evolve storylines, and reimagine spaces without rebuilding your entire attraction each year. We’ll discuss creative strategies, practical updates and mindset shifts that keep your haunt feeling new, unexpected and worth revisiting every season. Whether it’s subtle tweaks or bold transformations, this session will inspire you to treat change not as a challenge, but as the engine that drives long-term excitement and growth.

• Master Class - More Screams, More Time, More Tickets: Audience Strategies That Drive Long-Term Growth

  TJ Mannarino, Universal Studios

  Friday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Growing attendance isn’t about chasing trends—it’s about truly understanding your audience and designing an experience that keeps them coming back year after year. In this seminar, we’ll break down how successful, established haunted attractions continue to expand their audience in an increasingly competitive market. Learn how to identify who your guests really are, what motivates them to attend, and how to design experiences that keep them on-site longer, spending more, and talking about your attraction long after they leave. This session dives into real-world strategies used by top haunts to maintain excitement, avoid stagnation, and grow sustainably, without losing their core identity. BIO: TJ Mannarino is the Vice President of Entertainment Art & Design for Universal Destinations & Experiences, and has been an active creative force in the entertainment industry for more than 40 years. In his current role, TJ oversees the development and production of all live entertainment attractions across Universal’s four world-class theme parks, eleven award-winning Loews Hotel resorts, and the CityWalk entertainment complex. He leads the divisions responsible for entertainment design, scenic, costuming, and makeup, guiding teams that bring Universal’s most iconic experiences to life. During his 30-year tenure at Universal Orlando, TJ has led multidisciplinary teams of artists and designers in creating some of the industry’s most innovative and acclaimed live entertainment offerings. Among these are the award-winning Bourne Stuntacular, the Universal’s Great Movie Escape experience, the Jurassic Park Raptor Encounter, and the grand opening of Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon, featuring appearances by the casts of The Today Show and The Tonight Show. His leadership has also shaped guest-favorite seasonal and immersive experiences including The Wizarding World of Harry Potter entertainment programs, Grinchmas, Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s, and Mardi Gras. TJ and his team are especially recognized for the groundbreaking creative design of Universal Orlando’s award-winning Halloween Horror Nights. Now in its 35th year, this two-month-long event features newly developed haunted houses inspired by iconic films, hit television shows, and original stories, accompanied by immersive scare zones, hundreds of “scareactors,” and live shows. TJ’s expertise has been featured in the Travel Channel’s The Art of the Scare and highlighted in major publications including Haunted Attraction Magazine, Fangoria, and Entertainment Design. Before joining Universal Destinations & Experiences, TJ built a diverse and successful career in film and television and studied at the University of Florida.

Seminars Sponsored By

Saturday Seminars

• The AI Advantage

  Key Note Speaker: Rider Harris, GoBananasAI, Founder

  Saturday 8:30am-10:00am

  Room 120

  $90/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $110/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Rider Harris will take you inside the AI tools that are quietly transforming how attraction owners operate their businesses. You'll get a complete walkthrough of platforms like ChatGPT and Claude, covering every feature, the art of getting exactly what you need from these tools, and real-world applications built specifically for the attractions industry. You'll learn how operators are using AI right now to write marketing copy that actually converts, social media content calendars that grow your socials, design puzzle concepts and storylines, train staff faster, streamline booking communications, and handle the hundred small tasks that eat up your off-season. We'll also look at what's coming next and how to position your business ahead of the curve. Whether you run a Haunted House, Escape room, seasonal attraction, or family entertainment center, you'll leave this session with immediately usable skills and a clear understanding of how AI fits into your operation. BIO Rider Harris is a professional artificial intelligence strategist, consultant, and keynote speaker, best known as the founder of GoBananas.ai, an AI training and implementation company focused on helping organizations transform business operations with practical AI solutions. Rider helps companies implement AI strategies that deliver measurable ROI and long-term adoption. He has led AI workshops, keynotes, and consulting engagements for over 100 organizations, training thousands of professionals in practical applications of tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and enterprise AI platforms. Known for his business-first approach, Harris focuses on turning AI into real operational impact, not abstract theory. He is based in Las Vegas and works with teams nationwide.

• Cast Director- The Most Important Job That No One Wants

  Allen Hopps, Dark Hour Haunted House - Sponsored by Brush Fire

  Saturday 10:15am-11:15am

  123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Every great haunted house depends on one thing above all else: a strong, well-directed cast. Yet many attractions overlook one of the most important leadership roles in the business, the Cast Director. In this session, industry veteran Allen Hopps draws on 25 years of training actors and shows leadership across the country to explore what separates an average team from an unforgettable one. You’ll learn why every haunt needs a dedicated casting leader, what skills and personality traits make that person succeed, and how to build the support systems that keep your performers motivated and consistent all season long. Allen will share the proven tools and techniques used at Dark Hour Haunted House to keep casting organized, energy high, and performances exceptional. If you want to elevate your actors and your overall show quality, this class will help you build the leadership structure your haunt deserves.

• Backstage Survival Guide- Makeup Artist Edition

  Jade Carlson, Christian Cedillos

  Saturday 10:15am-11:15am

  120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Learn how to conquer common obstacles like airbrush clogging, uncooperative actors, and time crunches, all while delivering jaw-dropping, terrifying looks that will have customers trembling in fear. Discover pro tips, troubleshooting techniques, and speed-building strategies that will elevate your artistry even in the most high-pressure environments. Perfect for artists looking to sharpen their skills, boost efficiency, and create horror-ready transformations on demand.

• What’s Scarier Than the Ghosts in a Haunted House? A Fire—with No Way Out

  Holly Burgess & Val Ziavras, National Fire Protection Association

  Saturday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  The NFPA classifies haunted houses as special amusement buildings due to their dark, maze-like layouts, limited visibility, and frequent use of combustible materials—conditions that present unique and serious life safety challenges. This session will examine the fire protection and life safety systems required to safeguard guests and staff, and how those requirements can vary based on the specific design and operation of each attraction. Shaped by past tragedies such as the 1984 Six Flags Haunted Castle fire, these standards serve as a powerful reminder that while fear may be part of the experience, safety can never be an illusion.

  C.H.A.O.S. (this seminar goes towards your C.H.A.O.S. Safety Certification)

• From Good to Unforgettable: Why Your Haunted Attraction Needs Finishing Touches to Succeed

  Dave Carry-Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, Brian Demski-Demski Creations, Blain Quam-13th Gate Haunted House, moderated by Dwayne Sanburn, 13th Gate Haunted House

  Saturday 11:30am-12:30pm

  127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Great haunted attractions aren’t defined solely by big props, impressive sets, or elaborate scenes; they are remembered because of the details. The finishing touches are what transform a haunt from something guests walk through into something they believe. Take advantage of this rare opportunity to bring your questions directly to experienced professionals and some of the most creative minds in the haunted attraction industry. This is not a traditional seminar; this highly interactive question-and-answer session is built around open discussion, real-world problem solving, and expert insight. Attendees are encouraged to ask specific questions, share challenges, and receive practical guidance they can immediately apply to their own haunted attractions.

• The Art of Creativity for Haunted Attractions: How to Make Your Attraction Different from the Rest!

  Ryan Settlemyre, Lake Hickory Haunts

  Saturday 11:30am-12:30pm

  120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Learn how to Grow Your haunt into a Beacon of Fear that stands out in its own unique and special way! In this seminar, Ryan Settlemyre, Owner of Lake Hickory Haunts, will share applicable and practical tips, tricks, and strategies to assist you in bringing your attraction to the next level, while using your location's unique strengths to your advantage. In addition, you will learn how to grow and expand your business’s operations, marketing, and sales, all while operating on a limited budget. BIO: Ryan Settlemyre is the Owner, Director of Operations, and Show Director of Lake Hickory Haunts and Lake Hickory Escape in Hickory, NC. Since 2012 at the age of 17, Ryan has dedicated himself to his craft and grown Lake Hickory Haunts from the ground up, beginning with no budget and few resources. Now, in its 15th year of business, Lake Hickory Haunts has transformed into a large-scale Haunted Attraction and Entertainment Venue, visited by many from around the globe each year. Whether he’s acting alongside his actors, building alongside his build crew, or lighting in scenes; Ryan has always been a hands-on leader, with experience in Acting/Actor Training, Construction, Set Design, Special FX & Lighting, Management, Marketing, Business Operations, and much more. Ryan is proof that with enough dedication, passion, creativity, and faith; anyone can open, operate, and grow a haunted attraction.

• Luminating Fear: Lighting Solutions for Any Haunt - sponsored by iLuminateFX

  Alexx Argen and Justin Abundo

  Saturday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Explore lighting solutions across the full spectrum-from pin spots and budget-friendly Amazon fixtures to high-end floods, practicals, and full DMX-controlled systems. This session covers lighting options and sourcing strategies for every budget, with guidance on how to scale your setup as your attraction grows. Attendees will experience a live lighting demonstration and leave with a sample pack of iLuminateFX light fixtures. Learn essential do’s and don’ts, proven tips and tricks, and insider techniques that allow you to light your attraction effectively-often at half the expected cost. Discover how industry professionals control, expand, and optimize attraction lighting using today’s ever-evolving tools and technologies. BIOS: Alexx Argen is a themed entertainment professional specializing in theatrical lighting and immersive scenic experiences. Known for blending practical creativity with strong visual storytelling, Alexx uses lighting and atmosphere to bring spaces to bring spaces to life. Some of the most legendary attractions across the country have had Alexx come and put his unique touch on their shows. Justin Abundo is a lighting designer and installer specializing in immersive haunted attractions and escape rooms, with a focus on practical, story-driven lighting that supports timing, atmosphere, and reliable operation. His experience includes officially licensed projects such as the SAW Escape Room, Escape Blair Witch, and Escape IT Ch. 1&2. In season, Alexx is the Technical Director at Pennhurst Asylum. Justin builds custom technical and mechanical effects for attractions across the country. Most recently, they have both worked on the latest additions to The Darkness Haunted House in St. Louis, Missouri; Saw Legacy Haunted Attractions at multiple Six Flags parks; as well as the new The Strangers: No Escape Haunted Attraction at Six Flags Over Texas.

• Designing the Ultimate Haunt: Building an Effective Layout for Maximum Impact

  Mike Henrie & Jake Mabey, Nightmare on 13th

  Saturday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  The layout of your haunted house can make or break the guest experience. In this seminar, discover how to design a seamless, immersive flow that maximizes scares, builds suspense, and keeps visitors engaged from start to finish. We’ll explore key principles of haunted house layout, including pacing, sightline control, and strategic use of space. Learn how to balance tight, claustrophobic areas with open scenes, plan safe yet thrilling pathways, and incorporate staging zones for actors and effects. Whether you’re designing a new haunt or improving an existing one, this session provides practical tips and creative strategies to craft a layout that enhances storytelling, optimizes guest flow, and leaves a lasting impression. BIOS: Mike Henrie founded Nightmare on 13th Haunted Attraction in 1990 in Salt Lake City, building it into one of the region’s most recognized seasonal entertainment experiences. For more than 36 years, he has led the attraction with a relentless focus on innovation, immersive design, and operational excellence. Mike is known for his expertise in maximizing layout flow and atmospheric storytelling to create unforgettable guest immersion. Each season, he challenges himself and his team to elevate the experience—continually increasing perceived value by developing new, more sophisticated ways to surprise, thrill, and scare audiences. Jake Mabey is a haunt industry professional with over 15 years of experience in immersive entertainment. As General Manager of Nightmare on 13th, one of the nation’s top haunted attractions, his background spans nearly every aspect of the industry. Everything from scare acting, costuming, security, management, and construction to the design of the creative and technical parts of the attractions. He has spent years with his team building and designing haunted attractions and escape rooms, combining operational leadership with immersive storytelling. His unique perspective, rooted equally in creative development and operational leadership, gives him a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to run large-scale immersive entertainment safely, efficiently, and profitably. He currently oversees the two successful haunted attractions at Nightmare on 13th, collaborating with his team to redesign and evolve the experiences year after year to keep them innovative, impactful, and unforgettable.

• Jack O' Lanterns to Jingle Bells: Design Strategies for a Seasonal Show Switchover

  Emily O’Hara, Detroit Zoo

  Saturday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Join us for an engaging session designed to help you strategize your seasonal show design. This seminar will provide practical techniques for laying out holiday displays that can be easily transitioned between events, saving time and resources while maintaining visual impact. We’ll start by guiding attendees through an assessment of their current seasonal assets to identify key elements that define their guest experience. From there, we’ll explore how to leverage existing infrastructure to maximize flexibility and efficiency. Participants will learn how to plan layouts that allow for smooth changeovers, incorporate accessibility considerations, and uncover gaps and opportunities within their current show plans. Finally, we’ll discuss strategies to ensure your displays remain adaptable and impactful year after year. Whether you’re managing spooky Halloween scenes or festive winter holiday décor, this seminar will equip you with the tools to create dynamic, guest-friendly displays that transition across seasons.

• Maximizing Guest Flow and Queue Management: Turning Lines Into an Experience

  Brett Bertolino, Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group

  Saturday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  High-demand attractions inevitably create lines. The difference between frustration and loyalty lies in how those lines are designed. This seminar delivers a practical, operations-driven framework for calculating true throughput, managing peak surges, reducing perceived wait times, and integrating immersive storytelling into queue environments. Attendees will gain actionable strategies for structuring queue layouts, deploying live activation efficiently, integrating VIP and Express lanes without damaging guest sentiment, and unlocking revenue opportunities within dwell time. BIO: Brett Bertolino is the Director of Special Projects for Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group. In this role, Brett helps oversee the company’s new and innovative projects to ensure they are completed on time, budget and to the high level of quality that Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group is known for. He has more than 25 years of experience producing large scale live events and festivals from coast to coast including award winning events like the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor, Shaqtoberfest, Halloween Nights and Terror Behind the Walls. His current project is Festival Fright Nights at the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA. Prior to joining Thirteenth Floor, Brett was the Vice President and Director of Operations for Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site in Philadelphia, PA where he oversaw all operations for this nationally recognized museum and attraction.

• A Practical Look at AI for Haunted Attractions

  Brian Collins, Atomic Productions Inc

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  A Practical Look at AI for Haunted Attractions cuts through the hype to show how artificial intelligence can be used right now to improve marketing, guest experience, and production value for haunts of all sizes. Drawing on over four decades in television, advertising, and hands-on haunt experience at Atrox Factory, Brian Collins presents a grounded, real-world approach to AI as a creative multiplier—not a replacement for talent or tradition. Through clear fundamentals, relatable examples, and real case studies, attendees will see how accessible AI tools can lower costs, speed up turnaround, and help attractions stand out in an increasingly noisy entertainment landscape. From recruitment videos and guest rules to theatrical celebrity intros, this session focuses on practical wins, honest limitations, and smart ways to gain a small but meaningful edge—without losing what makes haunted attractions feel real. Bio: Brian Collins is the owner of Atomic Pictures, a Birmingham, Alabama-based production company he founded in 1999. With more than 40 years of experience in cable television, post-production, advertising, branding and documentary filmmaking, Brian brings a deep, hands-on understanding of visual storytelling across formats and platforms. Brian has worked with a wide range of local, regional, and national clients, including seasonal attractions, delivering strategic creative solutions from concept through final delivery. He has provided advertising and asset creation for Atrox Factory for over 25 years.

• 30 Terrifying Character Archetypes, Actor Scares and Wild Costumes Your Haunted Attraction Needs!

  Allen Hopps, Dark Hour Haunted House, Ben Armstrong, NETHERWORLD Haunted House

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Tired of boring clowns and annoying chainsaws? Dive deep into the process of character creation with Allen Hopps of Dark Hour and Ben Armstrong of NETHERWORLD as they dig into the rich history of their haunts and other epic attractions around the country to explore some innovative and unique acts sure to entertain, amuse and disgust your guests. Strange props, unusual dialogue, wild costumes, odd body movement and wicked scares are just the beginning in this fast-paced seminar sure to inspire owners, actor trainers and performers alike!

• First-Class Customer Service: How to Build a Top-Notch Front-of-House Team from the Ground Up!

  Amy Hollaman, Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Where does the guest experience really begin? Long before the first scare—with your website, your social presence, and word of mouth. But the show truly starts in the parking lot the moment guests arrive, and it doesn’t end until they leave your property. This seminar breaks down how to build a confident, polished, and guest-focused front-of-house team that delivers a theme-park-level experience at attractions of any size. Learn how to recruit the right people, inspire buy-in, train for consistency, and manage real-world challenges with professionalism and confidence. We’ll cover signage strategy, de-escalation techniques, real-life case studies, and elevated customer-service standards that turn first-time guests into lifelong fans. BIO: Amy Hollaman currently serves as Senior Regional Manager for Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, focusing on bringing authentic venues and historical sites to life in inventive and innovative ways. Amy currently oversees interactive attractions and Halloween events in Colorado, California and recently launched Otherworld Philadelphia. In 2024, Amy took on the role of Creative Lead for The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor in Long Beach, CA. Prior to her work with Thirteenth Floor, she also served as the Creative Director of Terror Behind the Walls at Eastern State Penitentiary and the Director of Guest Experience at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami.

• Interactive Lighting: Simplified

  Marcus Ledet, Light-O-Rama

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 263

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  This seminar introduces practical software and hardware workflows that make interactive lighting approachable, repeatable, and scalable. Operators will learn what it truly means to “sequence” lights and how that foundational skill translates into synchronized lighting, audio, and guest-triggered interactions without complex programming or steep learning curves. The session focuses on real-world holiday applications including drive-thru displays, walk-thru shows, and interactive experiences. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how to build engaging lighting experiences that are reliable, efficient to operate, and easy to expand season after season. Attendees will learn how to: Understand light sequencing fundamentals and apply them to various entertainment environments Build synchronized lighting and audio moments without advanced coding or complex systems Create interactive holiday scenes that are reliable, repeatable, and easy for staff to operate Design scalable seasonal lighting experiences that can grow year after year without rework

• Sculpting the Spook: Professional Foam Carving for Halloween & Attractions Design

  Mitch Mitton, Mitton Theme Design

  Saturday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  In this demonstration-based seminar, attendees will be guided through the creative and technical fundamentals of foam carving specifically for haunted houses, theme parks, and seasonal attractions. Through live demonstrations and expert explanation, the presenter will cover how to select the right types of foam—such as XPS, EPS, and high-density urethane based on durability, cost, and application. The session will showcase essential tools of the trade, including hot wire cutters, rotary tools, hand knives, and sanding and finishing equipment, along with proven techniques for carving textures, reliefs, skeletal forms, tombstones, façade elements, and other scenic shapes. Attendees will also learn best practices for reinforcement, sealing, and protective coatings to guard against weather, abrasion, and UV exposure. Painting, texturing, and aging methods used to achieve a convincingly haunted, time-worn appearance will be demonstrated, along with important safety considerations, ergonomics, and efficient workflow practices. The seminar concludes with a full live demo in which a sample prop is carved from start to finish, followed by a Q&A session. BIO: Mitch Mitton is a professional sculptor that believes in sharing the skills that he has discovered. This journey began before graduating from La Tech with a BFA. Back in 1969. There were many doors that would slam in your face if you wanted to buy professional material or ask questions. But there were some that understood. Simply explaining that you were making art generally would work. For that reason, he wrote a textbook answering the same questions that were repeated over and over. He has worked as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator. Then as a team member at Walt Disney World in a department that sculpted the Main Street windows. All in all, he has 50 plus years of professional experience. Credits include working on some 50 Movies producing props and sculptures. One special project was theming the 3 pianos For The Piano Lesson. Mixed in there he has taught on the college level in Florida and several classes at SCAD. As the founder and administrator of Foam Carving Methods on Facebook he has built a following of members that look forward to his Work in Progress posts.

• Screams, Silence, and Soundscapes: Using Audio to Amplify Fear in Your Haunt

  Marco D’Andrea, Fear Columbus Haunted House

  Saturday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Sound is one of the most underutilized -yet it is one of the most powerful tools in any haunted attraction. The right audio can build suspense, misdirect guests, heighten scares, and immerse visitors in your world before they even see a single prop. In this seminar, we’ll dive deep into the psychology of sound and how to use it effectively in your haunt. Learn how to create layered soundscapes, place speakers for maximum impact, use silence strategically, and avoid common sound design mistakes. Whether you're working with a shoestring budget or a pro-level setup, this session will show you how to make your haunt sound as terrifying as it looks.

• Year-Round Fear: Making a Living in Horror Beyond October

  Tim Dunne and the Fright Kingdom Team

  Saturday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Why let the excitement end on November 1st? In this dynamic session, you’ll explore innovative ways to transform your haunted attraction into a year-round revenue generator and entertainment destination. Discover how to reimagine your space for multiple seasons, turning frights into festive winter wonderlands, eerie spring experiences, summer scream nights, and more. We’ll dive into proven strategies for programming, theming, and event development that keep guests coming back long after Halloween has passed. You’ll also learn effective marketing tactics for reaching new audiences each season, as well as practical operational insights to help you manage staffing, transitions, and logistics with ease. Whether you're looking to increase profits, strengthen customer loyalty, or build a versatile attraction that thrives in every season, this seminar will equip you with the ideas and tools to make year-round fear not only possible, but profitable.

Seminars Sponsored By

HALLOWEEN SEMINARS

• C.H.A.O.S Safety Seminars

  Thursday 8:30am-12:30pm

  Room 120

  Member: $20, Non-Member: $75

  Elevate your haunted attraction’s safety standards with the C.H.A.O.S Safety Course, the gold standard in haunted house safety training. This course prepares owners and operators to meet the unique safety challenges of the Haunt Industry. Learn essential safety protocols, emergency preparedness, and best practices from industry experts, all designed to protect guests and staff while maintaining a high-impact experience. This course provides the knowledge and confidence needed to pursue C.H.A.O.S Certification and set your attraction apart. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your operation and enter the 2026 Haunt Season fully prepared. The Certified Haunted Attraction Operator Safety (C.H.A.O.S.) Program is the Haunted Attraction Association (HAA)’s safety certification course that is recommended to anyone running a haunted attraction. This 4 hour Fire & Safety seminar is mandatory for certification. Safety, liability concerns, fire marshal issues, and proper methods of building a safe event are keys to this seminar. The seminar also covers tragedies that have affected the rules and laws that now regulate haunted house/entertainment/dark attractions today. Individuals must complete eight hours in order to receive full C.H.A.O.S. certification, so four additional hours/credits/seminars are required. Once completed, you will receive a C.H.A.O.S. Course Completion Certificate to show your fire marshal, insurance carrier, and local authorities to show your desire to run a safe haunted attraction. Each person must attend the 8 hours individually and hour credits cannot be shared or combined between staff from the same attraction/different individuals. To be eligible for the HAA Top Haunts program, at least one staff member must have current C.H.A.O.S. certification. Several insurance companies in our industry now offer discounts for owners/operators with up-to-date C.H.A.O.S. certification. Effective March 2020, all C.H.A.O.S. certificates are valid and current for three years. Your dedication and certification in the C.H.A.O.S. Program helps your event, and our industry, strive to be safe, proactive and responsible. Classes on the TransWorld schedule have a small C.H.A.O.S. logo at the bottom of the description of the classes are credit classes. You can also get one hour credit for the Friday morning State of the Industry by the HAA and two early bird seminars with the C.H.A.O.S. credit logo.

  C.H.A.O.S. (this seminar goes towards 4 hours of your C.H.A.O.S. Safety Certification)

• Terror Under the Open Sky: Crafting Multi-Element Outdoor Haunted Attractions.

  Eddie McLaurin and the Woods of Terror Team

  Thursday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Step beyond the confines of traditional indoor haunts and explore the unique opportunities and challenges of designing fear in the great outdoors. This session will guide you through how to plan, build, and execute a multi-element outdoor haunted attraction that is cohesive, immersive, and safe. Discover how to use natural terrain to your advantage, create distinct themed zones, manage guest flow in open environments, and construct durable structures that can withstand weather and wear. Whether you’re expanding your existing haunt or starting from the ground up, this seminar will provide the insight and inspiration you need to unleash unforgettable terror under the open sky. BIOS: Eddie McLaurin - Founder & Owner-Operator, The Legendary Woods of Terror Eddie McLaurin is the founder and owner-operator of The Legendary Woods of Terror, one of North Carolina’s most recognized and enduring haunted attractions. Since launching the event in 1991, McLaurin has grown Woods of Terror from a small seasonal haunt into a nationally recognized Halloween destination that draws tens of thousands of guests annually. What began as a passion project rooted in hands-on creativity has evolved into a large-scale immersive experience built on strategic growth, operational discipline, and reinvestment. For more than three decades, McLaurin has led the development of elaborate haunted environments, structural expansions, actor training programs, and multi-attraction trail concepts. He remains deeply hands-on in design, operations, and long-term vision—ensuring each season builds upon the legacy established in 1991. Nathan Fultz - Building Operations Manager at The Legendary Woods of Terror | Consultant Nathan Fultz is a 30-year veteran of the haunted attraction industry, recognized for building immersive, revenue-driven experiences that blend creative vision with operational precision. He has owned, operated, designed, constructed, and consulted on nearly every aspect of haunted attraction production. His expertise spans structural development, scenic design, actor flow engineering, guest throughput strategy, infrastructure planning, land-use coordination, safety systems, marketing strategy, and long-term scalability. Nathan has contributed to the continued growth and operational refinement of The Legendary Woods of Terror, helping support high-volume attendance while maintaining strong guest experience standards. As a consultant, he works nationwide to transform creative concepts into scalable, profitable attractions positioned for long-term success. Ryan Visingard - Head Art Director at The Legendary Woods of Terror | Creative Consultant With 32 years at the intersection of spectacle and shadow, Ryan Visingard brings a rare combination of circus showmanship and modern immersive design. Raised within a multi-generational circus family, he developed mastery in timing, performer discipline, spatial awareness, and audience psychology. Focused on independent parks and haunted attractions, Ryan specializes in transforming operational constraints into creative breakthroughs. As Head Art Director at The Legendary Woods of Terror, he blends traditional showmanship with immersive horror design—crafting layered environments, narrative immersion, and atmospheric depth built to endure.

• Getting Started Right: What You Need to Know Before Entering the Attractions Industry

  Bruce Stanton, Reign of Terror Haunted House

  Thursday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Launching a haunted attraction or immersive experience is exhilarating, but the challenges can make or break your success. This session covers the essentials—from choosing the right attraction model and accurately estimating startup costs to navigating venue selection, staffing, marketing, and revenue strategies. Gain the knowledge you need to launch wisely and grow sustainably. Walk away with a practical budgeting framework and valuable insights to help you evolve and strengthen your attraction year after year.

• Perfecting the Haunted Attraction Experience: How to create polished well designed events that bring 'em back year after year!

  Ben Armstrong-Netherworld Haunted Attraction, T.J Mannarino-Universal Studios, Chris Stafford-Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group

  Thursday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  This seminar roundtable will feature an in depth discussion of proven methods designed to enhance guests enjoyment at your haunted attraction. Topics covered will include specialized marketing before they even get to the event, what patrons will experience when they arrive on site, key moments that should and should not happen inside the attraction and what awaits them on property afterwards including food options, giftshops, photo ops and more! If you are looking to add that extra zest to enhance customer satisfaction and spike return visits year after year this seminar is for you! BIOS: Chris Stafford - Chris has been producing live-entertainment events for the past 24 years and is CEO & Founding Partner of Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, the world’s largest producer of themed Halloween events. He opened his first attraction in Denver, Colorado with his business partner who he met while working at a local haunted house as a teenager. He founded Thirteenth Floor with two more partners from Austin, Texas while working for one of the nation’s largest banks. In 2010, he ended his 12-year career in banking, and began dedicating all his efforts to his true passion. Since then, Thirteenth Floor has grown rapidly and currently operates 29 attractions, including haunted houses, Halloween festivals, location-based entertainment venues, and an immersive art exhibit. Thirteenth Floor operates in 18 cities across the US. Chris lives in Colorado with his wife and their two children.

• Keep ’Em Screaming: Top Ways The Dent Schoolhouse Wows Returning Fans!

  Bud Stross, Dent Schoolhouse

  Thursday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Repeat customers are the lifeblood of a successful haunt—and Dent Schoolhouse knows how to keep even the most hardened fans screaming. This fast-paced session reveals the top scare-focused strategies Dent uses to redesign moments, escalate fear, subvert expectations, and hit returning guests when they least expect it. Learn how Dent refreshes timing, actor tactics, misdirection, and payoff scares to ensure loyal customers are still jumping, yelling, and swearing they’ll never come back—until next year.

• Fabricating Fear: How CNC Machining & 3D Printing Can Transform Your Attraction

  Brad Bays, Plaque Productions

  Thursday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Unlock the next level of themed production with the precision of CNC and the versatility of 3D printing. This session will break down how to turn your creative vision into physical realities such as multi-layered props, intricate set pieces, engraved tombstones, signage, and interactive elements. You’ll learn how to integrate digital fabrication into your workflow to scale creativity, reduce recurring costs, and deliver standout visuals on any budget. We’ll cover material selection, design pipelines, ideal machine and tool types, production strategies, and practical finishing techniques so you can move from concept to installation with efficiency and impact. Whether you’re a seasoned pro already running this equipment or someone considering the jump into CNC and 3D printing, you’ll walk away with actionable techniques to streamline fabrication, enhance immersion, and wow your guests—no matter the size of your attraction or the tightness of your calendar.

• Build,Train and Retain Your Legion of Monsters! Tips, Tricks and Techniques to Keep Your Staff Haunting for Years to Come.

  Ben Armstrong, Netherworld Haunted House

  Thursday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  The #1 problem most existing attraction owners mention is employee retention both during the season and year to year. In this fast-moving in-depth class, we learn the hard-earned secrets of finding haunted attraction staff, setting them up for success as employees and keeping them coming back year after year. This includes on boarding and payment policies, attraction design, backstage flow, costume ergonomics, performance training, and nightly supervision. Culture building, incentives and morale maintenance will also be discussed and are key to the complex process of shaping seasonal staff into motivated monsters hungry for the next scare! Ben has over 35+ years of experience in the Haunted Attraction Industry with 30 this season as an attraction owner, 18 years in the TV industry, and an extensive background in leadership roles in creative non-profit organizations.

• Haunted Attraction Security: Lessons from the Dark

  Allen Hopps, Dark Hour Haunted House

  Thursday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Running security for a haunted attraction isn’t just about stopping problems; it’s about protecting your show, your cast, and your guests without killing the mood or the magic. In this brand-new seminar, Allen Hopps shares the lessons he learned after personally taking over the security operations at Dark Hour Haunted House, one of Texas’s largest and most professionally run attractions. You’ll get an inside look at what worked, what failed, and the innovative fixes that transformed a broken system into a model of safety and guest experience. From de-escalation tactics and crowd flow to actor protection and incident reporting, this class covers the real-world do’s and don’ts of haunt security that every owner, manager, and operations lead needs to know before the next season.If you want to create a safer, smoother, and more professional operation without losing the scare factor, this session is your blueprint.

  C.H.A.O.S. (this seminar goes towards your C.H.A.O.S. Safety Certification)

• 3 Steps to Increasing Profits by Improving the Guest Experience

  Zack Oates, Founder and CEO, Ovation

  Friday 10:15am-12:15pm

  Room 120

  $110/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $130/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  You put so much work into getting customers to visit your business -- but how do you get them back and fight back against online reviews? Zack Oates has spent his career researching the relationships between customers and businesses and how to improve them. After analyzing millions of customer interactions, Zack will share the 3 C's that make up the ladder of loyalty - convenience, consistency, and connection - and give actionable tips for attracting customers, encouraging repeat visits, and fostering lifelong relationships. Listeners will also: Understand the essence of hospitality in the digital age and how to leverage it to create devoted fans. Master the art of measuring, tracking, and enhancing your customer experience for sustained success. Discover the secrets to transforming first-time customers into loyal patrons and how to unlock the hidden profits within customer retention. BIO: Zack Oates is an author, husband, father of 4, entrepreneur, and hot tub aficionado (but not in that order, necessarily). He is the Founder and CEO of Ovation, the #1 restaurant feedback platform in America working with over 8,500 businesses, voted Top 50 Most Influential Supplier by Nation’s Restaurant News, awarded 2023's Most Inspirational Business Leader, and host of the 400+ episode podcast “Give an Ovation." Learn more at www.ovationup.com. He grew up in restaurants before getting into startups. He was voted Top 100 Entrepreneurs 2x, rang the NASDAQ bell, has been to over 50 countries, and started 3 companies and an international non-profit. He went on over 1,000 dates before he got married and wrote a book, “Dating Never Works...Until it Does.”

• Essential Scareactor Training: Safety & Technique for Haunted House Actors

  Jonathan Glickman, Frightnights at the South Florida Fairgrounds

  Friday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Being scary shouldn’t be risky for your actors or your guests. This seminar for scare actors and trainers dives into the core concepts and skills every haunted attraction actor needs to succeed: safe scare techniques, communication, smart use of props, and preventing and dealing with problem guests without escalating the situation. Learn how to scare effectively without creating safety hazards, avoid common actor mistakes, and keep the experience thrilling but controlled. Whether you’re a beginner to a seasoned veteran, this training will help you scare smarter, stay safer, work together, and create unforgettable (but safe) frights for every visitor. BIO: Jonathan started performing professionally 30 years ago. He has performed in shows and venues doing everything from stage, improv, commedia dell’arte, and busking to opera, including stunts, stage combat, and fire eating (along with some ice hockey goaltending). He has written and directed shows and created characters around the Eastern US and Japan and worked at Skull Kingdom, HHN, and at Enigma Haunt and Fright Nights at the South Florida Fairgrounds as a manager and actor trainer. He is also an attorney by profession. Jonathan strives to utilize the wide range of performance and other disciplines he has worked and trained in to bring new and considered approaches to scareacting and scareactor training.

  C.H.A.O.S. (this seminar goes towards your C.H.A.O.S. Safety Certification)

• 31 Secrets to Successful Attraction Marketing in a World of Rising Expectations

  Brad Weinstein, Newbridge

  Friday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Want to learn how to dramatically improve your attraction’s marketing & increase your success in a world of rising expectations? This fast -paced seminar is designed to help people of all experience levels (newbies to industry veterans) and will cover a spectrum of ways you can strategically improve your attraction’s marketing in 2026 and beyond. With over a decade of experience that includes top attractions and brands (such as Disney World and Google), Brad Weinstein will share valuable insights and takeaways with you that will make the small cost of this seminar more than pay for itself! Topics covered in this seminar include: *Key reasons your customers’ expectations are rising (and actionable tips on how to adjust your marketing accordingly to increase long-term success). *Strategic tweaks you can make to your ads and messaging to increase success (small tweaks can make a big difference). *Critical & costly marketing mistakes you should avoid. *Valuable insights on how to grow your attendance and attract the right customers (who will be more likely to return and buy tickets again in the future). *Why your marketing is probably not as effective as it should be (and how to fix it). *Discover how to make your attraction’s brand stronger, more effective, and better positioned to sell more tickets. *Learn key differences between very successful and unsuccessful attraction marketing. And more! You will leave this seminar empowered with clear, actionable takeaways you can implement to increase the success of your attraction’s marketing in 2026 and beyond! BIO: Brad's experience includes The Walt Disney Company, Elitch Gardens Theme Park, Google, professional haunted attractions, and world class advertising agencies in NYC.

• Larger Than Life: How to Elevate Your Hayride Event

  Ben Bates & Randy Bates, The Bates Motel & Haunted Hayride

  Friday 11:30am-12:30pm

  127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Hayrides offer the chance to create massive, unforgettable moments—but too often they don’t fully deliver. This seminar explores how to elevate a hayride into a larger-than-life experience through bold visuals, strong pacing, and purposeful performance. Learn how to scale sets, props, characters, and scares so they read clearly from a moving audience, along with storytelling techniques designed specifically for outdoor environments. Whether you’re building a new hayride or upgrading an existing one, you’ll walk away with practical strategies to increase spectacle, immersion, and guest impact.

• Spooky Spectacles: Crafting Halloween Projection Mapping Content with AI

  Ross Arroyo, illumibot

  Friday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Light up the night and bring your haunt to life with the magic of projection mapping! In this one-hour seminar, you’ll explore how cutting-edge AI tools and creative projection techniques can transform ordinary spaces into immersive, bone-chilling experiences. Learn how to choose the right projector for your haunt, master contrast and throw ratios for maximum impact, and discover smart mounting and alignment strategies that eliminate shadows and distractions. We’ll also dive into Halloween-specific effects—like fog integration, motion-triggered scares, and color theory for eerie atmospheres—and how to blend them seamlessly with your projection setup. Whether you’re running a haunted attraction, decorating your home, or creating a larger-scale spectacle, you’ll walk away ready to thrill your audience with unforgettable visuals. Who Should Attend: Haunted attraction operators, home haunters, decorators, event designers, farms, zoos, and Halloween enthusiasts eager to integrate projection mapping and AI into their creative process. What You’ll Learn: • How projection mapping works and how to plan a successful setup • The key tools for creating, animating, and managing projection content • How to integrate projections with lighting, fog, and practical effects • Strategies for scaling from small yard haunts to full attractions • How to harness AI to supercharge creativity and streamline your workflow

• How to Implement Food & Drink to Maximize Impact on Customer Experience and Profit

  Patrick Konopelski, Shocktoberfest

  Friday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Food and beverage offerings can be far more than an afterthought—they are a powerful tool for enhancing the guest experience and increasing per-capita spending. This session explores proven food and beverage strategies designed specifically for haunted attractions, showing how the right concepts, placement, and operations can boost profits, and elevate your event from entry to exit. Patrick has been in the catering and food service industry for over 40 years, as well as the haunt business for 35 years. He will share his expertise regarding Food Trucks, Concession Stands, Catering, and the pros and cons of Alcohol sales. BIO: Patrick Konopelski was born and raised in Reading, Pennsylvania located about an hour west of Philadelphia. After graduating from Kutztown University, Patrick started a food service company that specializes in large catered events. In 1991 he created Shocktoberfest a 27 acre scream park located in the same town. He is a past president of the Haunted Attraction Association and continues to work with the association. Over the years, Patrick has consulted for haunted attraction’s, zoo’s, and amusement parks in the areas of Haunt, Christmas, and food service.

• Visual Impact: Scenic Finish Tools and Techniques That Sell the Scene

  Teddy Summers - Outerworlds

  Friday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Learn how professional scenic finishing transforms ordinary sets into visually striking environments that captivate guests and elevate the overall attraction experience. This seminar explores essential tools, materials, and techniques used to create depth, texture, realism, and aging effects that make scenes read clearly in low light and high-traffic conditions. Attendees will gain practical, cost-effective methods to enhance durability, speed up production, and create finishes that support storytelling, sell the illusion, and help their attraction stand out from the competition. BIO: Teddy Summers is an event and production manager with over 20 years of experience in haunted attractions, escape rooms, and immersive environments. He specializes in scenic detailing, technical integration, and high‑volume operations, with a background in multi‑site management and control systems. Teddy also provides ongoing design and technical services for major parks and independent venues, with a focus on reliable infrastructure and efficient guest flow

• Supersized Scares: Turning Giant Props into Powerful Marketing Tools

  Bob Nordquist, Pure Terror; Paul Kotran, Reapers Revenge

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Large props do more than decorate your attraction, they stop traffic, spark curiosity, and create instant marketing moments. When designed and deployed strategically, oversized props can become powerful visual anchors that draw guests in long before they ever enter the queue or board a ride.This seminar explores how to use large-scale props as effective marketing tools for haunted attractions, hayrides, and seasonal events. Attendees will learn where and how to place oversized elements for maximum visibility—along roadways, loading zones, and ride paths—how to design props that read clearly from a distance and at night, and how to integrate them seamlessly into walk-through experiences and moving attractions like hayrides. The session will also cover how to turn these massive visuals into must-share photo opportunities that organically promote your event on social media and extend your marketing reach well beyond the property. BIOS: Bob Nordquist is best known as the owner and creator of Pure Terror Scream Park, a large haunted attraction located in Monroe, New York. Pure Terror Scream Park is notable within the industry for its scale, immersive design, and intensity—featuring multiple distinct haunted house attractions at a single site. The attraction has earned a reputation as one of the region’s most extreme Halloween experiences and is recognized for holding the Guinness World Record for the world’s longest walk-through haunted attraction. Pure Terror Scream Park Nordquist’s approach to attraction design emphasizes high-impact scares, detailed environments, and continuous innovation, often refreshing major elements year-to-year to maintain excitement and replay value among attendees. Under his leadership, Pure Terror has expanded its offerings and developed a dedicated following among Halloween and horror enthusiasts. In addition to his work running Pure Terror, Nordquist has authored content for the attraction’s website, offering guides and articles related to haunted houses and Halloween attractions—suggesting a role not only as an operator but also as a voice within the broader haunt community. Paul Kotran is the owner and creative force behind Reaper’s Revenge, one of the most well-known haunted attractions in the Northeastern United States. Located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Reaper’s Revenge has earned a national reputation for its massive scale, intense scares, and continual evolution, drawing guests from across the region year after year. Paul's decades of experience in the haunted attraction industry, Paul has overseen the design, construction, and operation of large-scale haunted houses, hayrides, and immersive outdoor experiences. His approach combines high-impact visuals, aggressive pacing, and strategic guest flow to create attractions that are both terrifying and operationally efficient.Paul is also recognized within the industry for his hands-on leadership style, innovative marketing tactics, and willingness to push creative boundaries while maintaining strong business fundamentals. His insights into attraction design, crowd management, and seasonal operations make him a respected voice among haunt owners and operators nationwide.

• Rush To Terror

  Nathan Harris, Halloween Maze

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Learn fast and efficient methods, tips, and tricks on how to set up and tear down your seasonal haunted house with a tight timeline. Helpful tips for blueprints, assets, scene setups, and prop recommendations for quick setup and tear down. This is a must for those with a setup and teardown haunted house event. Learn the fear-ins and outs from a team of haunters located in one of the hardest markets.

• Unlock the Future of Fear: What Gen Z & Gen A Really Want From Your Haunted Attraction

  Scott Simmons, ScareHouse

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  The next generation of haunt fans isn’t just changing the industry—they’re rewriting the rules entirely. In this revealing, fast-paced seminar, you’ll gain access to years of deeply researched consumer data sourced from nationally recognized leaders in tourism, attractions, and entertainment. If your target audience is Generation Z or the rapidly emerging Generation Alpha, this is the information you cannot afford to overlook. Today’s younger audiences make decisions differently. They investigate, compare, and analyze before committing to any major purchase—especially an entertainment experience. They expect authenticity, personalization, interactivity, and tech-forward marketing that speaks their language. Their relationship with AI, social platforms, and digital community spaces has fundamentally reshaped how—and why—they choose the attractions they visit. This session breaks down those shifts with clarity and actionability. You’ll learn: *How Gen Z and Gen A actually use AI and social media to evaluate experiences *What kinds of advertising they trust (and which they immediately dismiss) *What they expect from an event before showing up—and what keeps them coming back *How their engagement habits differ from Millennials and previous generations *The surprising data on pre-purchase research and how it impacts your funnel *Practical strategies to adapt your marketing, storytelling, and operations to meet their expectations Understanding this data is no longer optional. The haunts that thrive in the next 5–10 years will be those that evolve now. Discover how to attract, engage, and retain the new generation of thrill-seekers—before your competition does. Bio: Scott Simmons is the Marketing Director of ScareHouse (featured on Good Morning America, The Daily Show, CBS News, Late Night with Seth Meyers and many other national media outlets) and an experienced writer/producer who has previously created content and/or marketing services for NBC, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carnegie Museums, and Travel Channel. Scott continues to produce cinematic and highly engaging video content for social media platforms (generating over eight million views on YouTube) as well as national broadcasts on broadcast and cable networks. In addition to his ScareHouse collaborations with Universal Studios, Legendary Pictures and Weta Workshop he continues to provide multimedia content and/or marketing services to top themed attractions across the country such as Factory of Terror, Field of Screams, Cutting Edge Haunted House, and the Ohio Christmas Factory.

• Queue Line Mayhem: Taming the Monster Crowd

  Anthony J. Barbosa - Nightmare Acres Haunted Attraction

  Friday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  How to manage, control, and entertain massive crowds like a seasoned pro. From restless guests to overexcited superfans, queue lines can make or break the guest experience — and your safety record. This high-energy session teaches proven strategies to manage long lines, maintain flow, prevent conflicts, and even turn waiting into entertainment. Whether you’re dealing with 50 or 5,000 people, you’ll leave ready to handle chaos like a pro.

  C.H.A.O.S. (this seminar goes towards your C.H.A.O.S. Safety Certification)

• Refreshing Your Scenes: How to Keep the Haunt Experience New Every Season

  Aaron Smith & Pete Karlowicz, Niles Scream Park

  Friday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  In an industry where repeat customers are your greatest fans (and your toughest critics) standing still is the fastest way to fade away. This seminar explores the philosophy of never-ending change and why the most successful haunts believe that if you build it, they will come… back again and again. Learn how to continually refresh scenes, evolve storylines, and reimagine spaces without rebuilding your entire attraction each year. We’ll discuss creative strategies, practical updates and mindset shifts that keep your haunt feeling new, unexpected and worth revisiting every season. Whether it’s subtle tweaks or bold transformations, this session will inspire you to treat change not as a challenge, but as the engine that drives long-term excitement and growth.

• Master Class - More Screams, More Time, More Tickets: Audience Strategies That Drive Long-Term Growth

  TJ Mannarino, Universal Studios

  Friday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Growing attendance isn’t about chasing trends—it’s about truly understanding your audience and designing an experience that keeps them coming back year after year. In this seminar, we’ll break down how successful, established haunted attractions continue to expand their audience in an increasingly competitive market. Learn how to identify who your guests really are, what motivates them to attend, and how to design experiences that keep them on-site longer, spending more, and talking about your attraction long after they leave. This session dives into real-world strategies used by top haunts to maintain excitement, avoid stagnation, and grow sustainably, without losing their core identity. BIO: TJ Mannarino is the Vice President of Entertainment Art & Design for Universal Destinations & Experiences, and has been an active creative force in the entertainment industry for more than 40 years. In his current role, TJ oversees the development and production of all live entertainment attractions across Universal’s four world-class theme parks, eleven award-winning Loews Hotel resorts, and the CityWalk entertainment complex. He leads the divisions responsible for entertainment design, scenic, costuming, and makeup, guiding teams that bring Universal’s most iconic experiences to life. During his 30-year tenure at Universal Orlando, TJ has led multidisciplinary teams of artists and designers in creating some of the industry’s most innovative and acclaimed live entertainment offerings. Among these are the award-winning Bourne Stuntacular, the Universal’s Great Movie Escape experience, the Jurassic Park Raptor Encounter, and the grand opening of Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon, featuring appearances by the casts of The Today Show and The Tonight Show. His leadership has also shaped guest-favorite seasonal and immersive experiences including The Wizarding World of Harry Potter entertainment programs, Grinchmas, Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s, and Mardi Gras. TJ and his team are especially recognized for the groundbreaking creative design of Universal Orlando’s award-winning Halloween Horror Nights. Now in its 35th year, this two-month-long event features newly developed haunted houses inspired by iconic films, hit television shows, and original stories, accompanied by immersive scare zones, hundreds of “scareactors,” and live shows. TJ’s expertise has been featured in the Travel Channel’s The Art of the Scare and highlighted in major publications including Haunted Attraction Magazine, Fangoria, and Entertainment Design. Before joining Universal Destinations & Experiences, TJ built a diverse and successful career in film and television and studied at the University of Florida.

• The AI Advantage

  Key Note Speaker: Rider Harris, GoBananasAI, Founder

  Saturday 8:30am-10:00am

  Room 120

  $90/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $110/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Rider Harris will take you inside the AI tools that are quietly transforming how attraction owners operate their businesses. You'll get a complete walkthrough of platforms like ChatGPT and Claude, covering every feature, the art of getting exactly what you need from these tools, and real-world applications built specifically for the attractions industry. You'll learn how operators are using AI right now to write marketing copy that actually converts, social media content calendars that grow your socials, design puzzle concepts and storylines, train staff faster, streamline booking communications, and handle the hundred small tasks that eat up your off-season. We'll also look at what's coming next and how to position your business ahead of the curve. Whether you run a Haunted House, Escape room, seasonal attraction, or family entertainment center, you'll leave this session with immediately usable skills and a clear understanding of how AI fits into your operation. BIO Rider Harris is a professional artificial intelligence strategist, consultant, and keynote speaker, best known as the founder of GoBananas.ai, an AI training and implementation company focused on helping organizations transform business operations with practical AI solutions. Rider helps companies implement AI strategies that deliver measurable ROI and long-term adoption. He has led AI workshops, keynotes, and consulting engagements for over 100 organizations, training thousands of professionals in practical applications of tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and enterprise AI platforms. Known for his business-first approach, Harris focuses on turning AI into real operational impact, not abstract theory. He is based in Las Vegas and works with teams nationwide.

• Cast Director- The Most Important Job That No One Wants

  Allen Hopps, Dark Hour Haunted House - Sponsored by Brush Fire

  Saturday 10:15am-11:15am

  123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Every great haunted house depends on one thing above all else: a strong, well-directed cast. Yet many attractions overlook one of the most important leadership roles in the business, the Cast Director. In this session, industry veteran Allen Hopps draws on 25 years of training actors and shows leadership across the country to explore what separates an average team from an unforgettable one. You’ll learn why every haunt needs a dedicated casting leader, what skills and personality traits make that person succeed, and how to build the support systems that keep your performers motivated and consistent all season long. Allen will share the proven tools and techniques used at Dark Hour Haunted House to keep casting organized, energy high, and performances exceptional. If you want to elevate your actors and your overall show quality, this class will help you build the leadership structure your haunt deserves.

• Backstage Survival Guide- Makeup Artist Edition

  Jade Carlson, Christian Cedillos

  Saturday 10:15am-11:15am

  120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Learn how to conquer common obstacles like airbrush clogging, uncooperative actors, and time crunches, all while delivering jaw-dropping, terrifying looks that will have customers trembling in fear. Discover pro tips, troubleshooting techniques, and speed-building strategies that will elevate your artistry even in the most high-pressure environments. Perfect for artists looking to sharpen their skills, boost efficiency, and create horror-ready transformations on demand.

• What’s Scarier Than the Ghosts in a Haunted House? A Fire—with No Way Out

  Holly Burgess & Val Ziavras, National Fire Protection Association

  Saturday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  The NFPA classifies haunted houses as special amusement buildings due to their dark, maze-like layouts, limited visibility, and frequent use of combustible materials—conditions that present unique and serious life safety challenges. This session will examine the fire protection and life safety systems required to safeguard guests and staff, and how those requirements can vary based on the specific design and operation of each attraction. Shaped by past tragedies such as the 1984 Six Flags Haunted Castle fire, these standards serve as a powerful reminder that while fear may be part of the experience, safety can never be an illusion.

  C.H.A.O.S. (this seminar goes towards your C.H.A.O.S. Safety Certification)

• From Good to Unforgettable: Why Your Haunted Attraction Needs Finishing Touches to Succeed

  Dave Carry-Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, Brian Demski-Demski Creations, Blain Quam-13th Gate Haunted House, moderated by Dwayne Sanburn, 13th Gate Haunted House

  Saturday 11:30am-12:30pm

  127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Great haunted attractions aren’t defined solely by big props, impressive sets, or elaborate scenes; they are remembered because of the details. The finishing touches are what transform a haunt from something guests walk through into something they believe. Take advantage of this rare opportunity to bring your questions directly to experienced professionals and some of the most creative minds in the haunted attraction industry. This is not a traditional seminar; this highly interactive question-and-answer session is built around open discussion, real-world problem solving, and expert insight. Attendees are encouraged to ask specific questions, share challenges, and receive practical guidance they can immediately apply to their own haunted attractions.

• The Art of Creativity for Haunted Attractions: How to Make Your Attraction Different from the Rest!

  Ryan Settlemyre, Lake Hickory Haunts

  Saturday 11:30am-12:30pm

  120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Learn how to Grow Your haunt into a Beacon of Fear that stands out in its own unique and special way! In this seminar, Ryan Settlemyre, Owner of Lake Hickory Haunts, will share applicable and practical tips, tricks, and strategies to assist you in bringing your attraction to the next level, while using your location's unique strengths to your advantage. In addition, you will learn how to grow and expand your business’s operations, marketing, and sales, all while operating on a limited budget. BIO: Ryan Settlemyre is the Owner, Director of Operations, and Show Director of Lake Hickory Haunts and Lake Hickory Escape in Hickory, NC. Since 2012 at the age of 17, Ryan has dedicated himself to his craft and grown Lake Hickory Haunts from the ground up, beginning with no budget and few resources. Now, in its 15th year of business, Lake Hickory Haunts has transformed into a large-scale Haunted Attraction and Entertainment Venue, visited by many from around the globe each year. Whether he’s acting alongside his actors, building alongside his build crew, or lighting in scenes; Ryan has always been a hands-on leader, with experience in Acting/Actor Training, Construction, Set Design, Special FX & Lighting, Management, Marketing, Business Operations, and much more. Ryan is proof that with enough dedication, passion, creativity, and faith; anyone can open, operate, and grow a haunted attraction.

• Luminating Fear: Lighting Solutions for Any Haunt - sponsored by iLuminateFX

  Alexx Argen and Justin Abundo

  Saturday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Explore lighting solutions across the full spectrum-from pin spots and budget-friendly Amazon fixtures to high-end floods, practicals, and full DMX-controlled systems. This session covers lighting options and sourcing strategies for every budget, with guidance on how to scale your setup as your attraction grows. Attendees will experience a live lighting demonstration and leave with a sample pack of iLuminateFX light fixtures. Learn essential do’s and don’ts, proven tips and tricks, and insider techniques that allow you to light your attraction effectively-often at half the expected cost. Discover how industry professionals control, expand, and optimize attraction lighting using today’s ever-evolving tools and technologies. BIOS: Alexx Argen is a themed entertainment professional specializing in theatrical lighting and immersive scenic experiences. Known for blending practical creativity with strong visual storytelling, Alexx uses lighting and atmosphere to bring spaces to bring spaces to life. Some of the most legendary attractions across the country have had Alexx come and put his unique touch on their shows. Justin Abundo is a lighting designer and installer specializing in immersive haunted attractions and escape rooms, with a focus on practical, story-driven lighting that supports timing, atmosphere, and reliable operation. His experience includes officially licensed projects such as the SAW Escape Room, Escape Blair Witch, and Escape IT Ch. 1&2. In season, Alexx is the Technical Director at Pennhurst Asylum. Justin builds custom technical and mechanical effects for attractions across the country. Most recently, they have both worked on the latest additions to The Darkness Haunted House in St. Louis, Missouri; Saw Legacy Haunted Attractions at multiple Six Flags parks; as well as the new The Strangers: No Escape Haunted Attraction at Six Flags Over Texas.

• Designing the Ultimate Haunt: Building an Effective Layout for Maximum Impact

  Mike Henrie & Jake Mabey, Nightmare on 13th

  Saturday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  The layout of your haunted house can make or break the guest experience. In this seminar, discover how to design a seamless, immersive flow that maximizes scares, builds suspense, and keeps visitors engaged from start to finish. We’ll explore key principles of haunted house layout, including pacing, sightline control, and strategic use of space. Learn how to balance tight, claustrophobic areas with open scenes, plan safe yet thrilling pathways, and incorporate staging zones for actors and effects. Whether you’re designing a new haunt or improving an existing one, this session provides practical tips and creative strategies to craft a layout that enhances storytelling, optimizes guest flow, and leaves a lasting impression. BIOS: Mike Henrie founded Nightmare on 13th Haunted Attraction in 1990 in Salt Lake City, building it into one of the region’s most recognized seasonal entertainment experiences. For more than 36 years, he has led the attraction with a relentless focus on innovation, immersive design, and operational excellence. Mike is known for his expertise in maximizing layout flow and atmospheric storytelling to create unforgettable guest immersion. Each season, he challenges himself and his team to elevate the experience—continually increasing perceived value by developing new, more sophisticated ways to surprise, thrill, and scare audiences. Jake Mabey is a haunt industry professional with over 15 years of experience in immersive entertainment. As General Manager of Nightmare on 13th, one of the nation’s top haunted attractions, his background spans nearly every aspect of the industry. Everything from scare acting, costuming, security, management, and construction to the design of the creative and technical parts of the attractions. He has spent years with his team building and designing haunted attractions and escape rooms, combining operational leadership with immersive storytelling. His unique perspective, rooted equally in creative development and operational leadership, gives him a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to run large-scale immersive entertainment safely, efficiently, and profitably. He currently oversees the two successful haunted attractions at Nightmare on 13th, collaborating with his team to redesign and evolve the experiences year after year to keep them innovative, impactful, and unforgettable.

• Jack O' Lanterns to Jingle Bells: Design Strategies for a Seasonal Show Switchover

  Emily O’Hara, Detroit Zoo

  Saturday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Join us for an engaging session designed to help you strategize your seasonal show design. This seminar will provide practical techniques for laying out holiday displays that can be easily transitioned between events, saving time and resources while maintaining visual impact. We’ll start by guiding attendees through an assessment of their current seasonal assets to identify key elements that define their guest experience. From there, we’ll explore how to leverage existing infrastructure to maximize flexibility and efficiency. Participants will learn how to plan layouts that allow for smooth changeovers, incorporate accessibility considerations, and uncover gaps and opportunities within their current show plans. Finally, we’ll discuss strategies to ensure your displays remain adaptable and impactful year after year. Whether you’re managing spooky Halloween scenes or festive winter holiday décor, this seminar will equip you with the tools to create dynamic, guest-friendly displays that transition across seasons.

• Maximizing Guest Flow and Queue Management: Turning Lines Into an Experience

  Brett Bertolino, Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group

  Saturday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  High-demand attractions inevitably create lines. The difference between frustration and loyalty lies in how those lines are designed. This seminar delivers a practical, operations-driven framework for calculating true throughput, managing peak surges, reducing perceived wait times, and integrating immersive storytelling into queue environments. Attendees will gain actionable strategies for structuring queue layouts, deploying live activation efficiently, integrating VIP and Express lanes without damaging guest sentiment, and unlocking revenue opportunities within dwell time. BIO: Brett Bertolino is the Director of Special Projects for Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group. In this role, Brett helps oversee the company’s new and innovative projects to ensure they are completed on time, budget and to the high level of quality that Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group is known for. He has more than 25 years of experience producing large scale live events and festivals from coast to coast including award winning events like the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor, Shaqtoberfest, Halloween Nights and Terror Behind the Walls. His current project is Festival Fright Nights at the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA. Prior to joining Thirteenth Floor, Brett was the Vice President and Director of Operations for Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site in Philadelphia, PA where he oversaw all operations for this nationally recognized museum and attraction.

• A Practical Look at AI for Haunted Attractions

  Brian Collins, Atomic Productions Inc

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  A Practical Look at AI for Haunted Attractions cuts through the hype to show how artificial intelligence can be used right now to improve marketing, guest experience, and production value for haunts of all sizes. Drawing on over four decades in television, advertising, and hands-on haunt experience at Atrox Factory, Brian Collins presents a grounded, real-world approach to AI as a creative multiplier—not a replacement for talent or tradition. Through clear fundamentals, relatable examples, and real case studies, attendees will see how accessible AI tools can lower costs, speed up turnaround, and help attractions stand out in an increasingly noisy entertainment landscape. From recruitment videos and guest rules to theatrical celebrity intros, this session focuses on practical wins, honest limitations, and smart ways to gain a small but meaningful edge—without losing what makes haunted attractions feel real. Bio: Brian Collins is the owner of Atomic Pictures, a Birmingham, Alabama-based production company he founded in 1999. With more than 40 years of experience in cable television, post-production, advertising, branding and documentary filmmaking, Brian brings a deep, hands-on understanding of visual storytelling across formats and platforms. Brian has worked with a wide range of local, regional, and national clients, including seasonal attractions, delivering strategic creative solutions from concept through final delivery. He has provided advertising and asset creation for Atrox Factory for over 25 years.

• 30 Terrifying Character Archetypes, Actor Scares and Wild Costumes Your Haunted Attraction Needs!

  Allen Hopps, Dark Hour Haunted House, Ben Armstrong, NETHERWORLD Haunted House

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Tired of boring clowns and annoying chainsaws? Dive deep into the process of character creation with Allen Hopps of Dark Hour and Ben Armstrong of NETHERWORLD as they dig into the rich history of their haunts and other epic attractions around the country to explore some innovative and unique acts sure to entertain, amuse and disgust your guests. Strange props, unusual dialogue, wild costumes, odd body movement and wicked scares are just the beginning in this fast-paced seminar sure to inspire owners, actor trainers and performers alike!

• First-Class Customer Service: How to Build a Top-Notch Front-of-House Team from the Ground Up!

  Amy Hollaman, Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Where does the guest experience really begin? Long before the first scare—with your website, your social presence, and word of mouth. But the show truly starts in the parking lot the moment guests arrive, and it doesn’t end until they leave your property. This seminar breaks down how to build a confident, polished, and guest-focused front-of-house team that delivers a theme-park-level experience at attractions of any size. Learn how to recruit the right people, inspire buy-in, train for consistency, and manage real-world challenges with professionalism and confidence. We’ll cover signage strategy, de-escalation techniques, real-life case studies, and elevated customer-service standards that turn first-time guests into lifelong fans. BIO: Amy Hollaman currently serves as Senior Regional Manager for Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, focusing on bringing authentic venues and historical sites to life in inventive and innovative ways. Amy currently oversees interactive attractions and Halloween events in Colorado, California and recently launched Otherworld Philadelphia. In 2024, Amy took on the role of Creative Lead for The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor in Long Beach, CA. Prior to her work with Thirteenth Floor, she also served as the Creative Director of Terror Behind the Walls at Eastern State Penitentiary and the Director of Guest Experience at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami.

• Interactive Lighting: Simplified

  Marcus Ledet, Light-O-Rama

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 263

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  This seminar introduces practical software and hardware workflows that make interactive lighting approachable, repeatable, and scalable. Operators will learn what it truly means to “sequence” lights and how that foundational skill translates into synchronized lighting, audio, and guest-triggered interactions without complex programming or steep learning curves. The session focuses on real-world holiday applications including drive-thru displays, walk-thru shows, and interactive experiences. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how to build engaging lighting experiences that are reliable, efficient to operate, and easy to expand season after season. Attendees will learn how to: Understand light sequencing fundamentals and apply them to various entertainment environments Build synchronized lighting and audio moments without advanced coding or complex systems Create interactive holiday scenes that are reliable, repeatable, and easy for staff to operate Design scalable seasonal lighting experiences that can grow year after year without rework

• Sculpting the Spook: Professional Foam Carving for Halloween & Attractions Design

  Mitch Mitton, Mitton Theme Design

  Saturday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  In this demonstration-based seminar, attendees will be guided through the creative and technical fundamentals of foam carving specifically for haunted houses, theme parks, and seasonal attractions. Through live demonstrations and expert explanation, the presenter will cover how to select the right types of foam—such as XPS, EPS, and high-density urethane based on durability, cost, and application. The session will showcase essential tools of the trade, including hot wire cutters, rotary tools, hand knives, and sanding and finishing equipment, along with proven techniques for carving textures, reliefs, skeletal forms, tombstones, façade elements, and other scenic shapes. Attendees will also learn best practices for reinforcement, sealing, and protective coatings to guard against weather, abrasion, and UV exposure. Painting, texturing, and aging methods used to achieve a convincingly haunted, time-worn appearance will be demonstrated, along with important safety considerations, ergonomics, and efficient workflow practices. The seminar concludes with a full live demo in which a sample prop is carved from start to finish, followed by a Q&A session. BIO: Mitch Mitton is a professional sculptor that believes in sharing the skills that he has discovered. This journey began before graduating from La Tech with a BFA. Back in 1969. There were many doors that would slam in your face if you wanted to buy professional material or ask questions. But there were some that understood. Simply explaining that you were making art generally would work. For that reason, he wrote a textbook answering the same questions that were repeated over and over. He has worked as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator. Then as a team member at Walt Disney World in a department that sculpted the Main Street windows. All in all, he has 50 plus years of professional experience. Credits include working on some 50 Movies producing props and sculptures. One special project was theming the 3 pianos For The Piano Lesson. Mixed in there he has taught on the college level in Florida and several classes at SCAD. As the founder and administrator of Foam Carving Methods on Facebook he has built a following of members that look forward to his Work in Progress posts.

• Screams, Silence, and Soundscapes: Using Audio to Amplify Fear in Your Haunt

  Marco D’Andrea, Fear Columbus Haunted House

  Saturday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Sound is one of the most underutilized -yet it is one of the most powerful tools in any haunted attraction. The right audio can build suspense, misdirect guests, heighten scares, and immerse visitors in your world before they even see a single prop. In this seminar, we’ll dive deep into the psychology of sound and how to use it effectively in your haunt. Learn how to create layered soundscapes, place speakers for maximum impact, use silence strategically, and avoid common sound design mistakes. Whether you're working with a shoestring budget or a pro-level setup, this session will show you how to make your haunt sound as terrifying as it looks.

• Year-Round Fear: Making a Living in Horror Beyond October

  Tim Dunne and the Fright Kingdom Team

  Saturday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 127

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Why let the excitement end on November 1st? In this dynamic session, you’ll explore innovative ways to transform your haunted attraction into a year-round revenue generator and entertainment destination. Discover how to reimagine your space for multiple seasons, turning frights into festive winter wonderlands, eerie spring experiences, summer scream nights, and more. We’ll dive into proven strategies for programming, theming, and event development that keep guests coming back long after Halloween has passed. You’ll also learn effective marketing tactics for reaching new audiences each season, as well as practical operational insights to help you manage staffing, transitions, and logistics with ease. Whether you're looking to increase profits, strengthen customer loyalty, or build a versatile attraction that thrives in every season, this seminar will equip you with the ideas and tools to make year-round fear not only possible, but profitable.

Seminars Sponsored By

CHRISTMAS SEMINARS

• Mastering Modern Holiday Lighting: Plug-and-Play Training Systems to Scale Your Crew Fast

  Michael Carey, The Christmas Light Academy

  Thursday 9:00am-10:00am

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Running a holiday lighting business gets chaotic fast — especially when you’re juggling new hires, safety standards, custom designs, and the demand for both seasonal and permanent installations. In this session, Mike from The Christmas Light Academy reveals how to streamline your operations with a proven, plug-and-play training system built specifically for lighting pros.

• Make Six Figures in Six Weeks

  Heather Lundervold, Christmas Design Institute

  Thursday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Ever wondered how Christmas installers and haunt pros are pulling in six figures in a six-week season? This session breaks down the real pathways into the holiday design and installation world—and how YOU can capitalize on one of the most profitable seasonal niches in the industry. Whether you're looking to expand your haunt business, add a new revenue stream, or completely pivot careers, this class gives you the inside track, including: How holiday installers structure their season for rapid revenue. What the “holiday designer lifestyle” actually looks like. How to get started with minimal equipment. Where the money really is in residential and commercial installs. Answers to every burning question you’ve had about getting into the industry. If you want Christmas cash, a career upgrade, or a new lane that pays big in a short window, this session is your roadmap. Come ready to take notes—this could be the most profitable hour of your year. BIO: Heather Lundervold is the Founder and Lead Instructor of Christmas Design Institute, where she mentors and certifies the next generation of professional holiday designers. She is also the owner of Elves to the Rescue ~ Professional Holiday Design & Installation—a premier luxury holiday decorating and installation firm and the sister company to the Institute. She serves as the President of The Professional Association of Holiday Designers With more than 25 years in the luxury design industry, Heather has built a reputation for delivering high-touch, white-glove service, impeccably trained teams, and breathtaking seasonal transformations. Her installation company is a seven-figure enterprise serving over 100 clients each season. Heather’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2000 when she purchased and successfully operated a floral business for over a decade, ultimately selling the seven-figure company to focus exclusively on luxury holiday design and education. Recognizing a significant gap in professional training within the holiday design industry, she founded Christmas Design Institute to provide structured education in both creative mastery and business strategy. Today, CDI equips students with the skills to elevate their personal decorating, launch profitable holiday businesses, or expand existing design services with seasonal offerings. Heather holds certification from the American Institute of Floral Designers and earned her marketing degree from Arizona State University. Her work has been featured in national and regional publications including USA Today, ELLE Decor, Taste of Home, and Arizona Foothills Magazine, along with numerous television and media appearances. Heather travels nationally to teach workshops, speak at conferences, and design for high-profile clientele. Her portfolio includes luxury residences, commercial properties, resorts, retail spaces, and notable brands such as FOX Broadcasting Company, PayPal, Wigwam Resort, Discount Tire, and the Phoenix Suns. She primarily serves clients in Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona, as well as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Bend, Oregon. Above all, Heather is passionate about elevating the holiday design industry and her expertise has established her as a trusted design professional. Whether you are a hobbyist refining your craft, an entrepreneur launching a business, or an established designer expanding into seasonal services, her mission is to equip you with the creative excellence and business mastery required to succeed. Through structured curriculum, principles of design, hands-on training, and mentorship, she empowers students worldwide to grow in confidence, skill, and profitability.

• Luxury Christmas Experiences: Designing for Resorts & Destinations

  Stephanie Dardenne, Holiday Joy By & Stacey Jordan, Red Sleigh Workshop

  Thursday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 263

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Resorts and destination venues require design approaches that elevate the guest experience far beyond traditional displays. This seminar explores the expectations of high-value clientele and the operational polish needed for these environments. You’ll learn how to design & pitch installations that feel refined, intentional, and seamlessly integrated into high-end properties. From custom architecture to immersive storytelling, we’ll outline how these premium offerings generate substantial revenue and long-term partnerships. This class arms operators with a blueprint for securing upscale clients and producing work that commands top-tier pricing. *Deliver premium-level design that meets the expectations of high-value resort and travel clientele. *Integrate décor and storytelling seamlessly into luxury environments without operational strain. *Command higher budgets by offering polished, upscale experiences that elevate the host venue. *Build long-term relationships with properties that rely on you season after season.

• Commercial Light Show Essentials (Drive-Thrus & Walk-Thrus) — Updated for 2026

  Tom BetGeorge, Magical Light Shows

  Thursday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 262

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Commercial light shows have evolved dramatically, and this updated course provides the essential knowledge needed to stay ahead. You’ll learn how to structure flows, build scenes, manage audio delivery, reduce bottlenecks, and create emotional beats that guests remember. This seminar focuses heavily on operational efficiency: staffing demands, equipment maintenance, nightly checks, and troubleshooting protocols built for scale. The result is a practical toolkit that helps you deliver a high-quality experience while maximizing throughput and revenue. *Build modern light shows with the pacing, beats, and structure today’s guests expect. *Solve throughput issues proactively through operational design and smarter layouts. *Maintain your equipment with routines that prevent downtime and preserve show quality. *Deliver consistent, repeatable experiences that maximize nightly capacity and income.

• Where to Skimp: Insights on Where Money CAN and CANNOT Be Saved

  Kelly Eutsler, Silver Dollar City

  Thursday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 263

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Not all savings are equal. This seminar provides a clear roadmap of which components of a Christmas attraction can absorb budget reductions and which must remain fully funded. Through examples from seasoned operators, you’ll understand how to make financially responsible decisions without degrading guest experience, safety, or operational efficiency. This session helps owners avoid the common traps that lead to expensive rebuilds, staff burnout, or customer dissatisfaction. *Learn which production elements can safely take budget cuts without harming quality. *Avoid underfunding critical systems that lead to expensive problems later. *Make strategic financial decisions based on real operational outcomes. *Prevent burnout, breakdowns, and guest dissatisfaction caused by cutting corners in the wrong places.

• Christmas Scenic Design & Build Techniques

  BMorrow Productions

  Thursday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 262

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  This seminar covers carpentry shortcuts, foam shaping, scenic painting, architectural dressing, and material selection tailored for Christmas attractions. You’ll learn how to achieve high-end looks using cost-effective methods and how to design modular scenic elements that install and strike quickly. The session emphasizes durability, speed, and smart decision-making so operators save time and money while improving visual quality. *Build stunning holiday environments faster with cost-effective scenic practices. *Use modular design to simplify install, strike, and storage. *Choose materials and techniques that maximize durability and visual impact. *Achieve premium-quality looks without premium-level budgets.

• Attracting & Managing Massive Crowds at Your Attraction

  Tucker Lougee, Thanksgiving Point

  Thursday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 263

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Huge crowds should mean huge profits—unless your operations bottleneck, your staff breaks under the pressure, or guests grow frustrated. This seminar breaks down the crowd management tactics used by the industry’s most efficient attractions, from intelligent navigation planning to dynamic staffing and live-flow oversight. You’ll see how small operational tweaks can create massive gains in throughput and guest satisfaction. By the end, you’ll have a clear strategy for eliminating congestion, keeping your team aligned during critical peak times, and turning a crush of visitors into the smoothest, most profitable nights of your season. *Learn how to scale your operations for larger crowds & higher nightly revenue. *Apply traffic-flow strategies that eliminate bottlenecks and keep guests moving smoothly. *Use proven staffing and oversight systems to maintain quality under pressure. *Turn peak nights from stressful chaos into your most profitable, controlled operating hours

• Year-Round Profits for Christmas Light Installers - How and Why to add Party Rentals to Your Business

  Tariq, Event Hawk

  Thursday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Event Planning/Party Rentals

• Designing VIP Experiences — Upsell Attractions Within Your Attraction

  Jimmy Langa, Mr. Kringle & Co

  Thursday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 262

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  VIP experiences can dramatically increase your margins when designed with purpose and operational clarity. This class reveals how to craft upgrades that feel exclusive while remaining simple to run, from priority access and enhanced environments to guided encounters and premium hospitality. Learn how to balance perceived value with real cost, streamline on-site VIP logistics, and maintain staff alignment when operating multiple tiers of guest experience. You’ll walk away ready to build profitable VIP layers that elevate your brand and boost your nightly revenue without straining your team. *Increase per-guest revenue through upgrades that feel exclusive and effortless to run. *Create VIP pathways and perks that improve flow rather than complicate it. *Balance perceived value with tight operational control to protect margins. *Streamline your team’s approach so VIP guests receive impeccable service without added stress.

• Team Management: Design — Setting the North Star

  Casey Robertson, Silver Dollar City

  Thursday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 263

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Creative teams thrive when given clear goals. This session outlines how to define a creative North Star, communicate expectations, and structure the decision-making process so your team stays focused. You’ll understand how to avoid creative drift, manage revisions, and keep projects advancing efficiently. These systems reduce friction and produce more polished results with less time wasted. *Set a clear creative North Star that keeps your team aligned. *Prevent revision overload with structured decision-making. *Communicate direction effectively to reduce confusion and wasted work. *Produce higher-quality creative output with less friction.

• How to Win More Customers for FREE using AI

  Zeke Domowski & Megan Mazlin, Creatively Innovative

  Thursday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Intelligence to dramatically improve your online visibility and attract a steady stream of high-quality customers—all for free. Zeke will dive into the strategic world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and demonstrate how AI is the ultimate tool for a local service business, especially for Christmas light installers. You'll learn practical, immediately applicable techniques, including: Writing & Optimizing High-Converting Content: See a demonstration of how to use AI tools to quickly draft essential website pages, including your service descriptions, FAQs, and local service area pages (e.g., "Christmas Light installation in St. Louis"). AI will help structure this content for maximum readability and SEO ranking. Turning Web Traffic into Sales: We'll move beyond just writing and focus on optimization. Learn to use AI to analyze your existing content and inject the necessary elements like proper call to action buttons to help your website traffic contact you to get a quote. Walk away with a clear, step-by-step plan for implementing an AI-driven SEO strategy that reduces your advertising spend and maximizes your organic lead generation, securing more bookings for the upcoming holiday season!

• Insane AI Tools (Creative Development) — Updated for 2026

  Joey Towbin, Light Hunt

  Thursday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 262

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  AI has become an essential creative partner for modern attractions. This class showcases tools and workflows that help operators, creative leads and installation teams accelerate the development of scenes, characters, storylines and presentation materials. You’ll see how AI can rapidly prototype designs, generate show treatments and build stakeholder ready presentations used to align teams, vendors and partners. The focus is clear: saving time, reducing revision cycles and empowering operators to produce higher quality creative work without expanding their teams or adding complexity. This session demonstrates how to blend human creativity with AI speed. Turning AI from inspiration into leverage for real world attraction development. Attendees will learn how to: *Use AI to accelerate the creation of concepts, scripts, characters, and scenes *Reduce revision cycles and move from idea to execution faster *Generate high quality visualizations and audio that improve communication across teams and vendors *Free creative and operations staff to focus on innovation instead of administrative work

• Communication Breakdowns between Designer, Fabricators, and Clients

  Moderator: Jeffrey Holmes

  Thursday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 263

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  This panel brings together a designer, a fabricator, and an operator/client to break down where communication succeeds…and where it falls apart. Each shares what they need early, what causes avoidable headaches, and how simple clarity can speed up an entire build. You’ll learn how to align scope, budget, and timelines across all three roles so projects move from concept to fabrication to install with fewer surprises and smoother results. *Communicate expectations clearly to prevent expensive misunderstandings. *Align timelines and budgets early to keep projects on track. *Reduce friction by speaking the language of builders and designers. *Produce cleaner, faster builds through strong documentation and aligned goals.

• Mastering Projection Mapping Installations: Logistics, Setup, and Success

  Ross Arroyo, illumibot

  Friday 8:00am-10:00am

  Room 260

  $110/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $130/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Ready to bring projection mapping to life? This 2-hour seminar dives into the nuts and bolts of installing projection mapping systems for any environment residential, commercial, or public. Learn expert strategies for site placement, projector selection, power management, and enclosure options. Discover how to tackle challenges like weather, heat, and surface compatibility while ensuring safety, security, and compliance with permits and regulations. Whether you’re a Christmas light installer, theme park operator, or municipal planner, this session equips you with the tools to execute flawless installations that captivate audiences. Join us to transform your technical know-how into stunning visual experiences! Who Should Attend: Christmas light installers, theme park operators, municipalities, farms, zoos, and anyone handling projection mapping logistics.

• How I Hit $250K My First Season and the Exact System You Can Copy Today

  Tim Crouch, Gutter Growth

  Friday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Tim Crouch breaks down exactly how he hit $250K in his very first Christmas lighting season—and the proven system you can copy today. In this session, he’ll walk you step-by-step through the marketing strategy that filled his pipeline, the pricing model that protected profit, the quoting process that closed fast, and the operational workflow that kept installs efficient and customers raving. If you’re ready to skip the guesswork, scale with confidence, and plug a six-figure-ready system straight into your business, this is the playbook you’ve been waiting for.

• Converting from Drive-Thru to Walk-Thru (or Walk-Thru to Drive Thru)

  John Haustein, NoogaLights

  Friday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 263

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Conversions require a ground-up reconsideration of guest flow, infrastructure, and staffing. This class walks operators through the logistics of transforming a drive-thru into a pedestrian experience or vice versa. You’ll learn how to adapt show pacing, sound delivery, queue systems, and safety practices. Real-world case studies show the financial upside and potential pitfalls. By the end, you’ll have a plan that reduces risk and positions your attraction to reach new audiences and revenue streams. *Understand the full operational impact of switching between these formats. *Redesign guest flow, pacing, and staffing to suit your new experience model. *Avoid common pitfalls that make conversions costly or chaotic. *Unlock new revenue potential by reaching audiences better suited to each style.

• Beyond the Lights — More Ways to Differentiate Using Scenic and Performance

  Nicole Iannazzo, Cole Finney Creative Design

  Friday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 262

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  This class teaches operators how to weave atmosphere, scenic design, and performer integration into cohesive experiences that feel richer and more immersive. You’ll understand how subtle scenic layers, small performance beats, and clever transitions extend guest engagement without major cost increases. These techniques help operators differentiate from competitors and keep guests on-site longer, leading directly to higher revenue. Enhance your attraction with scenic layers and live performance beats that enrich storytelling. Increase guest engagement without increasing your materials budget. Differentiate your attraction from competitors through atmosphere, not expense. Keep guests onsite longer with environments that encourage exploration

• What People Buy (Merchandising & Food/Beverage)

  Jimmy Langa, Mr. Kringle & Co

  Friday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 262

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Understanding guest purchasing behavior is essential for maximizing retail and F&B revenue. This session dives into product psychology, pricing strategies, impulse triggers, and layout approaches that boost transaction size. You’ll learn how to identify winners, cut underperformers, and engineer merchandise zones that drive engagement. By combining data with real-world sales patterns, you’ll walk away with a clear method for designing a product mix that delivers stronger profits with less waste. *Identify the products and food items guests consistently reach for first. *Use placement and design strategies that increase impulse purchases. *Cut low performers to reduce waste and protect your margins. *Build a product mix that turns browsing into buying.

• Designing for Dollars — Storytelling Techniques That Increase Profit

  Emma Oliver, Emma Oliver Creative

  Friday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 263

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools operators have, and it doesn’t require expensive new builds. This class reveals how narrative structure guides guest emotion, increases perceived value, and encourages longer stays. You’ll learn how to layer story elements onto your existing infrastructure to create new pathways, features, and upsells. The focus remains on financial return—designing experiences that generate repeat visitation and encourage higher spending. *Use story structure to increase perceived value without expensive upgrades. *Transform existing assets into richer, more profitable experiences. *Encourage guests to stay longer and spend more through emotional engagement. *Build loyalty and repeat visits through compelling narrative design. BIO: Emma Marie Oliver is blooloop Top 50 Theme Park Influencer and an award-winning narrative director for seasonal and immersive attractions. With a decade's experience creating guest-centered entertainment for clients including Disney and Universal, she's scripted multi-million-dollar rides, spectaculars, live shows, 4D and VR experiences, design narratives, and themed overlays. Around the globe, projects like Universal Studios Japan's Wonder Christmas and Six Flags Fright Fest have won theme park design awards, supported TEA award-winning lands, and brought in some of the highest guest ratings in their categories. She looks forward to sharing how a well-designed experience can increase profits and stay with audiences long after they've lived your stories.

• Go Viral: Creating Christmas Content That Pops, Performs, and Gets Reposted

  Ashley Bissing, One Love Social

  Friday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 263

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Your show won’t go viral by accident. This session teaches you exactly what Christmas content you should be capturing, how to shoot it so it actually looks good on social media, and when and how often to post it for the best results. We’ll break down the visual moments, reactions, angles, and micro-scenes that consistently outperform on short-form platforms. You’ll learn simple on-site capture workflows your team can execute every night, plus quick editing and posting strategies designed to keep your attraction in the algorithm. By the end, you’ll have a repeatable system for producing strong content that drives real attendance—not just likes. *Capture the specific shots, reactions, and moments that consistently perform online. *Shoot better content with simple framing, lighting, and timing techniques. *Use efficient, nightly capture workflows your staff can repeat without guesswork. *Know exactly when and how to post for maximum reach and engagement. *Keep your attraction in the algorithm with minimal effort and maximum impact.

• 10 Money-Saving / Time-Saving Techniques (from America's #1 Christmas Event)

  Kelly Eutsler, Silver Dollar City

  Friday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 262

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  This seminar shares field-tested methods operators use to cut unnecessary labor, reduce materials waste, and accelerate install and strike. You’ll learn how to simplify setups, standardize equipment, and optimize workflows so your team can accomplish more with less effort. These techniques create immediate efficiencies that pay off season after season. *Implement efficiencies that cut labor hours during install and strike. *Standardize materials and processes to reduce waste and confusion. *Use smarter layouts and workflows to accelerate production. *Reap savings immediately and compounding benefits each season.

• Maximizing Your Superpowers: Systems for Success from Lead to Raving Fan

  Angela Chanowsky & JC Chanowsky

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Unique genius workbook - maximizing your superpowers to scale BIOS: JC and Angela Chanowsky are entrepreneurs, speakers, and business strategists who help founders stop being the bottleneck and start building companies that actually scale. Together, they blend vision and execution in a way that is both practical and transformative. Their work centers around one powerful idea: when business owners focus on their unique strengths and build the right structure around them, growth becomes sustainable, profitable, and freeing. Through their company, Unique Genius, they help high level entrepreneurs reclaim their time, elevate their leadership, and design businesses that support the life they want to live. Angela Chanowsky is a transformational business strategist, leadership expert, and the visionary behind Unique Genius. With over two decades of experience in entrepreneurship, business development, and leadership coaching, she has helped countless business owners and high achievers step into their strengths, focus on what truly matters, and build thriving businesses aligned with their mission and vision. As Founder and CEO of Unique Genius, Angela empowers entrepreneurs to eliminate distractions, automate low impact tasks, and focus on their highest value contributions. She has guided leaders across diverse industries to scale their businesses, create greater impact, and experience more joy and fulfillment in their work. Angela is a dynamic keynote speaker, podcast host, bestselling author, and trusted advisor to top performing companies nationwide. JC Chanowsky is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, and operator who has built and scaled multiple seven figure service based businesses, including Patriot Illumination and Cape Fear Pro Wash. Known for his direct, high energy style, JC specializes in helping business owners identify where they are the bottleneck and build the systems, teams, and structure required for real scalability. His experience in sales, marketing, and operational efficiency has helped companies move from chaos to clarity, turning demanding jobs into asset building enterprises. On stage and online, JC challenges entrepreneurs to think bigger, build smarter, and lead at a higher level. Together, JC and Angela teach business owners how to combine vision with structure, ambition with alignment, and growth with freedom. Their mission is simple: help leaders buy back their time, build stronger companies, and create a life they are proud to live.

• Projection Mapping Roundtable

  Moderator: Bob Wudeck - BenQ, Guests: Jeffrey Holmes, Jorden Nash - Nash Creative, LLC, Ross Arroyo - illumibot

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 263

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  This session lets operators hear real-world experiences from experts managing mapping projects of all scales. Learn about equipment reliability, content choices, environmental challenges, and the future of projection in themed entertainment. Participants can ask questions directly and gain perspective on how to avoid the most common and costly mistakes in the field. *Learn directly from experts managing mapping projects in diverse environments. *Hear candid insights about reliability, content choices, and new innovations. *Ask questions about your own challenges and get real-world solutions. *Understand how professionals avoid the industry’s most expensive mapping mistakes.

• Waiting for Santa: What Can I Do in Queue?

  Scott Swenson, Scott Swenson Creative Development

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 262

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  It’s hard enough for children to wait for Christmas Eve, asking them to wait in a boring line to meet Santa is just too much. This session will share both practical suggestions and successful case studies to help participants find ways to make the queues FUN! Suggestions range from from live queue entertainment to simple games that don’t require extra staff. This class will help owners and operators reduce the number of cranky guests. This means fewer guest complaints and less children ending up on the Naughty List.

• Permanent Lighting-Helping Contractors Grow Nationwide

  Chris Rios, Permanentchristmaslights.com

  Friday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Chris Rios from PermanentChristmasLights.com pulls back the curtain on scaling a permanent lighting division that prints revenue year-round. In this session, he’ll break down the products, pricing, sales process, and installation systems that separate the pros from the hobbyists—and how you can add permanent lighting as a high-margin, steady-season offering inside your business. From the customer education script to the operational workflow to the upsell strategy that boosts every ticket, Chris gives you the blueprint. If you’re ready to unlock recurring revenue, stabilize your crews, and build a division that grows even when Christmas is over, this is the roadmap.

• Brilliant, Budget-Friendly Santa Experiences: How to beat the Mall!

  Scott Swenson, Scott Swenson Creative Development

  Friday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  262

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  The best Santa experiences aren’t the most expensive—they’re the most thoughtful. This session breaks down how to create emotionally rich, visually appealing Santa environments while keeping costs tightly controlled. You’ll see how to design backdrops, flow patterns, and photo lighting that deliver professional-quality results. The class also covers staff training models that support Santa, manage families, and eliminate the stress points that slow down operations. The outcome is a better guest experience, higher photo revenue, and fewer staffing headaches. *Create high-value Santa encounters without expensive build-outs. *Improve family flow and reduce wait stress with smart layout planning. *Train staff to manage interactions that increase photo sales and repeat smiles. *Deliver a polished, memorable experience that outperforms mall setups at a fraction of the cost.

• 10 Mistakes Event Operators Make

  John Haustein, NoogaLights

  Friday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 263

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Through candid insights and real-world stories, this seminar exposes the errors that consistently undermine attractions: operational blind spots, staffing misjudgments, design misalignments, and financial miscalculations. Operators gain a clear understanding of how successful attractions structure their decisions to minimize risk and maximize clarity. You’ll leave with practical strategies that protect your revenue and improve your daily operations. *Avoid the costly pitfalls that consistently derail seasonal attractions. *Recognize operational blind spots before they become revenue problems. *Strengthen your decision-making framework to minimize risk. *Build systems that improve staff performance, guest flow, and financial outcomes.

• How to grow your installation business to a million dollars

  Scott Young, Certified Lights

  Saturday 9:00am-10:00am

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Ready to level up from “seasonal hustle” to a scalable, million-dollar installation company? In this power-packed session, industry leader Scott Young breaks down the exact systems, pricing strategies, and operational frameworks used by top-performing installation companies to hit seven figures—without burning out or blowing up your profit margins. Scott will walk you through the proven roadmap for growth, including: Designing repeatable systems that turn chaos into consistency Pricing and packaging offerings for real profitability Building teams that execute at a high level Leveraging marketing channels that actually convert Eliminating the bottlenecks that keep most installers stuck at $250K–$600K Whether you're an owner-operator looking to finally scale or an established company aiming to dominate your market, this session delivers actionable strategies you can implement immediately. Expect clarity, real numbers, and the kind of strategic direction that cuts years off your learning curve. If your goal is to scale confidently, profitably, and sustainably, this is the room you want to be in.

• The Art of Animation: The Art of Mastering Dynamic RGB/RGBWW

  Erik Terkelson, Holidynamics

  Saturday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Are you tired of installing the same static lights year over year? Has the price of color changing options scared most of your customers away? Are you leery of using apps that need to be updated on a regular basis? We have the answer! Dynamic RGB/RGBWW from Holidynamics, Inc. In 2020, Holidynamics, Inc. introduced Dynamic RGB to the holiday lighting industry. It was designed to be simple, affordable, and interactive. Everything is controlled (colors and functions) using a simple, radio frequency remote. No app! No hassle! During this seminar, you will learn how to create amazing residential and commercial displays that are sure to wow all of your customers. One remote controls it ALL! From Dynamic RGB wreaths and garlands to tower trees and C9 bulbs, Holidynamics, Inc. has you covered. We are excited to announce that we have added RGBWW and RGBPW to our Dynamic line of RGB that will also be covered during this seminar.

• Christmas Projection Mapping

  Ross Arroyo, illumibot

  Saturday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 263

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Christmas projection content relies on warmth, color harmony, and atmosphere. This seminar teaches operators how to craft festive scenes, animated transitions, and narrative rhythms that resonate emotionally with families. You’ll understand how to optimize content for your specific architecture and how to keep your visuals fresh season after season. From concept to delivery, the focus remains on efficient production and memorable guest impact. *Build warm, festive projection content that strengthens emotional connection. *Customize visuals to your site’s architecture for maximum impact. *Keep yearly updates simple while maintaining a fresh guest experience. *Use narrative-driven content to elevate value without increasing build costs.

• How to Drive Profit and Purpose in a World That Never Stands Still

  Jon Majak, Mr Pipeline

  Saturday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 262

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  In this talk, Jon Majak will dive into how business owners can thrive by blending mental toughness, personal branding, and powerful experiential marketing. He’ll share how to create a business that not only makes more money but also leaves a meaningful impact on customers in an ever-changing world. Expect insights on how to harness resilience, build a standout brand that truly resonates, and deliver immersive experiences that turn clients into raving fans. By the end, you’ll have a blueprint for staying profitable and purposeful no matter how fast the world moves around you.

• Absolute Basics of Animated Light Shows (2 hour Make & Take and Workshop)

  Jorden Nash, Nash Creative, LLC & David Peace, Experience Lights Sponsored by Your Pixel Store and Experience Lights

  Saturday 11:30am-1:30pm

  Room 262

  $140/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $160/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Join us for a special 2-hour Make & Take Workshop covering everything you need to know to get a first-year light show up and running! In this class we will cover the basics of hardware, networking, controllers, pixel lights, and getting started in xLights. We will also chat about some popular places to source all of the parts needed! Attendees will also leave with their own controller and lights ready to run in xLights! Please bring a laptop with xLights installed. This is the ultimate all-in-one jump start to get your show started. We hope to cover all of the bases and light the spark to keep growing your animated light show! *Build your own controller, hook up lights, and get them working inside xLights *Learn the basics of xLights, layouts, and sequencing *Intro to the workings of controllers, pixels, and electronics *Basic networking and show design Limited to the 1st 25 people to register!

• Team Management: Install — Team Grouping Best Practices & Tools to Reduce Install Time

  Ashley Garber from Certified Lights

  Saturday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 263

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Successful installs rely on preparation, structure, and clear division of labor. This seminar explores proven grouping strategies, mobile tool kits, cart-based workflows, and efficient sequencing models that minimize downtime. You’ll learn how to prepare teams for each phase of install, maintain momentum throughout the day, and ensure consistency across crews. These techniques dramatically reduce labor costs and stress. Organize crews into efficient groups that maintain momentum. Use mobile tool kits and cart workflows to eliminate wasted trips. Sequence tasks for maximum speed and minimal downtime. Complete installs faster while reducing labor cost and stress.

• Solar-Powered Christmas Décor: Does It Really Work for Commercial Installations?

  Kurt Stange, Easy Treezy

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Solar is one of the hottest topics in the industry right now—but is it actually viable for commercial holiday décor? In this eye-opening session, Kurt Johnson of Miami Christmas Lights breaks down the truth about solar-powered decorations and whether they can meet the demands of large-scale, high-visibility installations. This session explores: Where solar shines and where it still falls short The performance differences between consumer-grade and commercial-grade solar décor Real-world case studies from Miami and beyond How to evaluate solar options for parks, plazas, walkways, rooftops, and remote locations Cost, durability, brightness, and “hours of glow” you can realistically expect Whether solar is ready to replace traditional power—or better used as a hybrid strategy If you’ve been curious about solar, skeptical about solar, or wondering how it fits into the future of commercial holiday lighting, this class gives you the clarity (and the data) you need. Walk out knowing when solar is a smart solution… and when it’s just not worth the gamble.

• xLights Training - Level 1

  Clyde Lindsey, Pixel Pro Displays

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 262

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  This entry-level class teaches operators how to install, configure, and program xLights effectively. You’ll learn the fundamentals of sequencing, channel management, and layout planning. The goal is clarity—helping new users avoid early mistakes and establish workflows that scale as their show grows. *Networking Configuration *Model Creation *Intro to Sequencing *“Gotchas” to watch out for

• Be the Face of Your Business (or Lose to Someone Who Is)

  One Love Social

  Saturday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  The local businesses winning in 2026 aren’t using stock videos or generic content. They’re putting real people at the front of their brand.In this session, Ashley Bissing explains why faceless marketing no longer converts and how business owners can use themselves and their teams to build trust, stand out locally, and close better leads without becoming influencers. This interactive, workshop-style talk shows exactly what type of content works for local service businesses and how one simple video can support social media, ads, Google visibility, and sales.

• xLights Training - Level 2

  Clyde Lindsey, Pixel Pro Displays

  Saturday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 262

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  This advanced session covers complex sequencing, effect layering, performance optimization, and show-time troubleshooting. Operators learn how to push the software further while maintaining stability. By understanding advanced tools and workflows, you can create more impressive displays with greater efficiency. *Master advanced sequencing techniques that unlock complex, dynamic effects. *Troubleshoot high-level issues quickly and confidently. *Produce more professional displays with less trial and error.

• On-Site Troubleshooting Best Practices

  Jorden Nash, Nash Creative, LLC

  Saturday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 263

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  This class gives operators practical frameworks for diagnosing and fixing problems quickly. You’ll explore nightly inspection routines, communication protocols, and escalation paths that prevent small issues from becoming catastrophic failures. The seminar also addresses documentation practices that reduce downtime and ensure consistent staffing responses. These techniques help teams stay confident and aligned in the face of technical challenges, preserving both guest satisfaction and nightly revenue. *Develop fast-response systems that keep your show running during unexpected issues. *Use nightly routines that catch problems before guests ever see them. *Strengthen communication protocols that direct staff clearly during crises. *Reduce downtime and revenue loss by solving issues efficiently the first time.

Seminars Sponsored By

INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT SEMINARS

• 60 Secrets in 60 Minutes: Real World Wins for Interactive Entertainment

  Deanna Fleming of Mystery Mansion, Intrigue Little Rock and Escape Unknown | Benito Suppa of Durham Escape Room | Jessica Souza of Extreme Escape - Redding and Timberlords

  Thursday 10:15am-11:15 am

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  This high energy seminar is exactly what it sounds like. Sixty practical, real world insights delivered in sixty minutes with zero fluff and maximum value! Covering operations, design, guest experience, staffing, marketing and revenue, this session pulls together hard earned lessons from across the interactive entertainment industry. These are the small details, smart adjustments and overlooked opportunities that make a real difference day to day. Each insight is designed to be quick, actionable and immediately applicable whether you run an escape room, axe throwing, game show, immersive experience or themed venue! If you are looking for fast ideas, fresh perspective and practical takeaways you can implement the moment you get home, this seminar will leave you inspired, energized and ready to level up your business one smart move at a time!

• Built to Last: Practical Prop & Scenic Design for High-Wear Experiences

  Robert Wilson & Zach Dahm of Widget Cave

  Thursday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Creating props and scenic environments that look great is only half the job; designing them to hold up under constant player interaction is the real challenge. This seminar explores how to build interactive props that not only sell realism on opening day, but continue to look better over time as natural wear and tear becomes part of the story. Drawing from real-world experience designing escape rooms and themed attractions, this session covers smart material choices, efficient construction methods, and durable finishing techniques that extend the lifespan of props and reduce the need for frequent repairs or replacement. Attendees will learn painting and aging strategies that enhance realism while allowing props to gracefully absorb heavy use. The seminar also includes practical guidance on 3D printing and modeling for interactive props, including design considerations, filament selection, and optimal printer settings for different use cases. From small hand-held elements to larger scenic pieces, this session is packed with shop-tested techniques attendees can immediately apply to their own immersive builds BIOS: Robert Wilson is the owner of Widget Cave LLC with over three decades of experience spanning film production, set design, and immersive entertainment. He worked at the legendary Stan Winston Studio on projects including Lost World: Jurassic Park and Terminator 2 3D before transitioning into themed environments and escape room design. Robert is a skilled set designer, woodworker, prop maker, and custom painter, known for creating cinematic, story-driven experiences that captivate audiences. Zach Dahm is the Creative Director of Widget Cave LLC and a lifelong storyteller with a background in acting, improv, and filmmaking. He has worked in escape rooms across California and Oregon, contributing to puzzle design, video content, and 3D-printed props for immersive experiences. With expertise in 3D modeling, 3D printing, and interactive storytelling, Zach brings a creative, player-focused approach to every project.

• Projection Mapping for Interactive & Immersive Experiences

  Ross Arroyo, illumibot

  Thursday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Elevate your escape room or interactive attraction with cutting-edge projection mapping! This 1-hour seminar explores how to design dynamic content and integrate triggers for immersive storytelling. Learn to use projections for puzzles, clues, and atmosphere while mastering two-way triggering to sync animations with player actions or external devices. Discover techniques for multi-room setups, shadow-free projections, and haptic feedback to enhance immersion. Perfect for theme park operators, haunted attraction creators, and escape room designers looking to captivate players with next-level visuals. Who Should Attend: Theme park operators, haunted attraction creators, escape room designers, and interactive experience developers.

• REMIX: Marketing

  Brittney Coleman of Hour to Exit | Amy Philp of Escape Games PDX and Fire House Axes | Benito Suppa of Durham Escape Room

  Thursday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Marketing in interactive entertainment is louder and more crowded than ever. This Remix session is designed to cut through the noise and focus on what actually moves the needle right now. REMIX: Marketing brings together experienced operators and marketing pros for fast paced, table driven conversations around visibility, connection and conversion. Each table dives into a different marketing lane, giving you multiple perspectives in a short amount of time. Table Topics Include: Social Media Grass Roots and Influencers Traditional Marketing At each table, you will explore what is working, what has changed and where operators are seeing real results. Expect practical advice, honest conversation and ideas you can implement immediately without needing a massive budget or team. With timed rotations and focused discussion, REMIX is built to maximize insight, spark new ideas and help you rethink how all parts of your marketing work together. If you are ready to sharpen your message, expand your reach and market your experience with more intention, REMIX: Marketing will leave you energized and ready to take action.

• Low Voltage Wiring Like a Pro: Clean Builds That Elevate Your Experience

  Michael Goff of Mystery Mansion, Intrigue Little Rock and Escape Unknown

  Thursday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Have you ever walked into an escape room where every wire is exposed or hidden in plastic channels that pull you right out of the experience? This seminar is designed to help you take your builds to the next level by learning how to run low voltage wiring cleanly, safely and intentionally. We will cover the tools, tips and tricks that make wiring easier to plan, hide and maintain. Learn what tools work best for different scenarios, how to tackle tough builds and how to make wiring disappear into your environment instead of becoming a distraction. This session will include hands-on demonstrations so you can see techniques in action and understand how to apply them in your own rooms. Whether you are building from scratch or upgrading existing spaces, these skills will immediately improve the look, function and longevity of your experience. If you plan to attend and have specific questions you want answered, please submit them ahead of time to mgoff1968@gmail.com and we will work them into the seminar.

• The Rise of Game Shows in Live Interactive Entertainment - Beyond the Buzzer: Designing Game Show Experiences That Work

  Josh Brickey of The Game Show Challenge

  Friday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Game shows were supposed to stay on TV… and then they escaped! Today, they are increasingly showing up as live experiences, entertainment venues, corporate events, and group attractions. In this session, Josh Brickey - founder of The Game Show Challenge and former escape room owner who successfully exited the business - takes a practical and entertaining look at what separates game show experiences people rave about from the ones that quietly convince guests they should have gone bowling instead. Drawing from over a decade of creating and operating live interactive experiences, this seminar explores the psychology behind great game show design, including how pacing shapes energy, why the host is often the most important “technology” in the room, how group dynamics can either elevate or derail an experience, and why some formats naturally bring people back while others wear out their welcome after one visit. Attendees will leave with a clear framework of game show concepts, spotting common design and execution pitfalls, and understanding where this format realistically fits within the broader interactive entertainment landscape. Whether you run an escape room, an FEC, a competitive social venue, or just enjoy seeing how live experiences succeed (or fail) in the wild, this session offers a grounded, behind-the-curtain look at the modern game show experience - no buzzer required.

• DARE to ENTER: Revolutionizing Interactive Attractions Across Entertainment

  John Denley, Boneyard Productions International/Interactive Entertainment International

  Friday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Expectations have changed and audiences want more than passive experiences. Today’s guests crave cause and effect, choice and the feeling that they are part of the show. Drawing from more than 40 years of building attractions around the world, this seminar explores how interactive techniques and evolving technologies are transforming haunted attractions, museums, escape rooms and theme parks. This session focuses on practical ways to elevate engagement while working smarter behind the scenes. Learn how to add interactive attractions to existing shows, uncover cutting edge methods for increasing participation and discover new innovations that are redefining how guests experience entertainment. These techniques are already here and ready to be used. This seminar shows you how to apply them with intention and impact. We will dive into creating more engaging venues that drive repeat visits, increase throughput and reduce operational strain. The goal is simple. Better guest experiences, stronger engagement and smarter use of staffing and resources. If you are ready to evolve your attraction, increase revenue and design experiences that meet modern guest expectations, this seminar will show you how to do it with confidence and clarity. BIO: John Denley, known professionally as Professor Nightmare, is the founder and president of Boneyard Productions International, Interactive Entertainment International, and Escape Room International. He distinguished himself as the first haunt consultant to exhibit at the Transworld Halloween & Attractions Show and is also the founder of Fright Times Magazine. With a wealth of experience, Professor Nightmare has haunted the largest casino in America and was the pioneer behind the first scream park in Hong Kong. His expertise extends to designing, building, and consulting for numerous major theme parks globally. He is the creator of the best-selling “How-To” DVD series within the haunt and escape room industries. John Denley’s work has garnered significant media attention, featuring appearances on the Today Show, CNN, and Fox, as well as in publications such as Psychology Today, Boston Business Journal, and Scholastic Magazine. As a highly sought-after consultant, he has collaborated with a diverse range of clients, including AMC, Disney Resorts, the U.S. Army, and Norton Utilities, renowned for his ability to create intricate, immersive, and interactive attractions.

• From Idea to Installation: Turning Sculptural Concepts into Immersive Reality

  Elana Schwartz of Meow Wolf

  Friday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  This seminar pulls back the curtain on how sculptural ideas move from abstract concepts to fully realized installations inside Meow Wolf’s immersive environments. Drawing from real world, hands-on experience, it explores how creative ideas are translated into buildable forms that can withstand constant guest interaction. The session includes practical insight into sculpting processes, construction workflows, and material choices. It focuses on how to design, build, reinforce, and finish work meant to be touched, climbed on, and lived inside. If you design or build themed entertainment, haunted attractions, or immersive art spaces, this seminar offers tools to design smarter, build stronger, and create work that lasts. BIO: Elana Schwartz is a sculptor, fabricator, and multimedia artist with over 15 years of experience, including seven years with Meow Wolf, where she has created large-scale sculptural elements for permanent, high-traffic immersive exhibitions across the United States. Working across a wide range of materials, from puppetry to taxidermy,she builds whimsical, emotive forms rooted in physical storytelling, durability, and real-world production constraints. Her work is designed to withstand constant public interaction while maintaining narrative clarity, safety, and long-term maintainability.

• REMIX: The Art of Design

  Jono Naito-Tetro of Intrigue X and DVC Games | Deanna Fleming Mystery Mansion, Intrigue Little Rock and Escape Unknown | Scott Lynd of Froggy’s Fog - moderated by Marty Parker

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Great experiences do not happen by accident. They are shaped by intentional design choices that guide how guests move, think and feel from the moment they enter to the final reveal. REMIX: Game Design brings together creators and operators for fast paced, table driven conversations focused on the building blocks of immersive experiences. Through three focused roundtables, attendees will explore how design elements work together to create flow, clarity and impact. Table Topics Include: Game Design Experience Design Atmosphere Design Each table dives into a different layer of the experience, from puzzle structure and decision making to spatial layout, storytelling and sensory detail. Discussions will cover practical design decisions, creative shortcuts and how to balance aesthetics, function and player psychology without overcomplicating the build. With quick rotations and high energy discussion, REMIX is designed to spark new ideas, challenge assumptions and help you see your experiences from fresh perspectives. If you are designing interactive environments that need to engage guests on every level, REMIX: Game Design will give you insight you can apply immediately to build smarter, more immersive experiences. More About the Remix Series Each Remix session features: One focused theme Three topic-driven sections Three Remix Guides Remix Guides anchor each table, leading focused discussions and sharing real-world experience while attendees rotate through all three conversations. This format keeps energy high and ensures every participant leaves with valuable insight and new connections. BIO: Jono Naito-Tetro is an award-winning game and puzzle designer from Syracuse, New York. Drawing from experience in chemistry labs, school classrooms, and writing workshops, Jono has spent over a decade reinventing and iterating on the systems and standards of different game industries. Jono co-founded the Intrigue brand and style of open-world escape rooms and designed puzzles for companies like Red Door Escape Rooms, The Escape Game, and the new interactive company MysteryWorks. Jono is currently a co-founder of up-and-coming board game publisher DVC Games, which has games available in over a dozen countries, and the lead game designer for Intrigue Manor.

• Panel: The Great Debate: Story vs. Gameplay…What Really Matters Most?

  Duwayne Sanburn of 13th Gate and 13th Gate Escape | Brittany Coleman or Hour to Exit | Emma Oliver of Emma Oliver Creative

  Friday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Every creator has faced it. Limited time, limited budget and one big question. Do you invest in cinematic storytelling or focus everything on puzzle flow and gameplay? In this lively panel discussion, industry veterans square off (in good fun) to debate where resources are best spent and why. Expect strong opinions, real world examples and honest insight into how top creators actually make these decisions inside their own experiences. Panelists will share how they strike the balance between narrative and mechanics, what they prioritize when budgets are tight and how guest expectations play into those choices. This is not theory. It is a candid look at what works, what doesn’t and how different approaches can lead to wildly successful experiences. If you have ever argued story over gameplay or vice versa, this session will challenge your thinking, spark new ideas and help you better align your creative vision with how guests truly experience your work. BIOS: Emma Marie Oliver is blooloop Top 50 Theme Park Influencer and an award-winning narrative director for seasonal and immersive attractions. With a decade's experience creating guest-centered entertainment for clients including Disney and Universal, she's scripted multi-million-dollar rides, spectaculars, live shows, 4D and VR experiences, design narratives, and themed overlays. Around the globe, projects like Universal Studios Japan's Wonder Christmas and Six Flags Fright Fest have won theme park design awards, supported TEA award-winning lands, and brought in some of the highest guest ratings in their categories. She looks forward to sharing how a well-designed experience can increase profits and stay with audiences long after they've lived your stories.

• Advanced Game Design: The Puzzle Formula - Top Ten Tricks

  Jono Naito-Tetro of Intrigue X and DVC Games

  Saturday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  What makes a good puzzle? A great puzzle? Even a FUN puzzle? Join one of the industry masters in discussing the strategies, pitfalls, and discoveries from the past ten years of design and development to find out what your guests will truly remember. Is it mastery? Flow? Ease of use? The journey or the eureka moment? Familiarity or ingenuity? Presentation or experimentation? Let’s take a dive into both the best practices as well as the biggest mistakes. BIO: Jono Naito-Tetro is an award-winning game and puzzle designer from Syracuse, New York. Drawing from experience in chemistry labs, school classrooms, and writing workshops, Jono has spent over a decade reinventing and iterating on the systems and standards of different game industries. Jono co-founded the Intrigue brand and style of open-world escape rooms and designed puzzles for companies like Red Door Escape Rooms, The Escape Game, and the new interactive company MysteryWorks. Jono is currently a co-founder of up-and-coming board game publisher DVC Games, which has games available in over a dozen countries, and the lead game designer for Intrigue Manor.

• Leveling Up Reality: What Live Gaming Can Learn from Video Games

  Bill Mooney of Mystery Works, Chip Strogna of Mystery Works & Matt Ames of Arcade Arena

  Saturday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  This forward-looking seminar explores how decades of hard-won lessons from the video game industry can be directly applied to escape rooms and location-based entertainment. From onboarding and difficulty curves to feedback loops, progression, and replayability, we’ll break down how games keep players engaged - and how those same principles can dramatically elevate live, physical experiences. As extended reality (XR) technologies become more accessible, escape rooms and immersive venues are entering a pivotal moment. This talk highlights the concrete opportunities XR creates for operators: blending physical sets with digital systems, layering narrative and mechanics, and expanding what an “escape room” can be without losing the tactile magic that makes the format special. Drawing on experience from blockbuster video games and cutting-edge location-based entertainment, this session will examine best practices at the intersection of games and escape rooms. We’ll discuss what translates cleanly from digital to physical, what doesn’t, and how to avoid common pitfalls when borrowing game design ideas for real-world play. Presented by Bill Mooney (FarmVille, Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes), Chip Sbrogna (Metroid Prime 2, God of War, Counter-Strike), and Matt Ames (Arcade Arena), this talk brings together perspectives from AAA games, social games, competitive play, and live interactive venues. If you’re an escape room owner, designer, or operator looking to future-proof your business, deepen player engagement, and understand how XR can be used intentionally rather than as a gimmick, this session will give you practical frameworks, shared vocabulary, and inspiration you can apply immediately - no controller required. BIOS: Bill Mooney, JD, Co-Founder- Bill is a former litigator who has worked in games and technology since 2000. He was a Studio Vice-President at Zynga, CPO at ROBLOX, Studio VP at Electronic Arts and CPO at Skillz and has made games such as FarmVille, Zynga Poker and Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes. He has been involved in the escape room industry since 2024 and has been working closely with Arcade Arena and IntrigueX folks on a new form of digital/physical entertainment. Matt Ames - Matt Ames is a seasoned entrepreneur and visionary in the immersive entertainment industry, with over 20 years of experience building and scaling high-growth brands. As the Founder of Arcade Arena, Matt is at the forefront of the next generation of out-of-home entertainment, leading the development of a tech-enabled social gaming platform. Under his leadership, Arcade Arena has pioneered the creation of futuristic "smart rooms" and a library of over 10 Unity-based titles, bridging the gap between digital video games and physical, high-energy group experiences. His work spans the entire product lifecycle, from hardware engineering and global supply chain management to UX/UI design and go-to-market strategy. Prior to founding Arcade Arena, Matt was the Co-Founder and CEO of Escape Inc., where he scaled the company into the third-largest escape room brand in the United States. Operating eight locations across five states, he served as the Creative Director, designing repeatable, high-margin attractions that combined complex storytelling with physical play to drive deep player engagement. A graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Babson College and the SBA Emerging Leaders initiative, Matt brings a unique "operator-turned-innovator" perspective to the Transworld stage, offering actionable insights into growth hacking, team leadership, and the future of immersive play.

• Guest Psychology: The Science of Surprise & Satisfaction

  T.J. Mannarino of Universal Studios

  Saturday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  What makes a moment memorable? Why do certain reveals land perfectly while others fall flat? And how can you intentionally design experiences that leave guests feeling thrilled, satisfied and eager to come back? In this seminar, T.J. Mannarino explores the psychology behind guest experience and the science that drives emotional response. Drawing from years of experience leading large scale immersive design, this session breaks down how anticipation, surprise, pacing and payoff influence how guests perceive and remember an experience. Learn how small design decisions impact guest behavior, emotional engagement and overall satisfaction. We will dive into how expectations are set, how surprises are timed and how experiences can be structured to maximize impact without overcomplicating the build. Attendees will walk away with a deeper understanding of how guests think, feel and react inside interactive environments and how to apply these principles across haunted attractions, themed entertainment, immersive experiences and beyond. If you want to design moments that truly land and create experiences guests talk about long after they leave, this seminar will give you the tools to do it with intention and confidence. BIO: TJ Mannarino is the Vice President of Entertainment Art & Design for Universal Destinations & Experiences, and has been an active creative force in the entertainment industry for more than 40 years. In his current role, TJ oversees the development and production of all live entertainment attractions across Universal’s four world-class theme parks, eleven award-winning Loews Hotel resorts, and the CityWalk entertainment complex. He leads the divisions responsible for entertainment design, scenic, costuming, and makeup, guiding teams that bring Universal’s most iconic experiences to life. During his 30-year tenure at Universal Orlando, TJ has led multidisciplinary teams of artists and designers in creating some of the industry’s most innovative and acclaimed live entertainment offerings. Among these are the award-winning Bourne Stuntacular, the Universal’s Great Movie Escape experience, the Jurassic Park Raptor Encounter, and the grand opening of Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon, featuring appearances by the casts of The Today Show and The Tonight Show. His leadership has also shaped guest-favorite seasonal and immersive experiences including The Wizarding World of Harry Potter entertainment programs, Grinchmas, Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s, and Mardi Gras. TJ and his team are especially recognized for the groundbreaking creative design of Universal Orlando’s award-winning Halloween Horror Nights. Now in its 35th year, this two-month-long event features newly developed haunted houses inspired by iconic films, hit television shows, and original stories, accompanied by immersive scare zones, hundreds of “scareactors,” and live shows. TJ’s expertise has been featured in the Travel Channel’s The Art of the Scare and highlighted in major publications including Haunted Attraction Magazine, Fangoria, and Entertainment Design. Before joining Universal Destinations & Experiences, TJ built a diverse and successful career in film and television and studied at the University of Florida.

• REMIX: Control & Tech

  Regan Norton of Panic Wizard | Alex Hylands-White of COGGS | Travis Cook of Frightideas - moderated by Marty Parker

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Automation is at the core of modern interactive entertainment, but choosing the right tools and systems can feel overwhelming. This Remix session is designed to break it down and make automation approachable, practical and usable. REMIX: Automation focuses on the technology that powers interactive experiences and how to select and apply the right solutions for your space. Through three guided roundtable conversations, attendees will explore controller platforms, system design and real world implementation from multiple perspectives. Table Topics Include: Controllers Systems Real World Application One table will dive into controller platforms and hardware options from FrightProps and FrightIdeas, helping operators better understand capabilities, use cases and how to plan scalable systems. Another table will highlight innovative products and approaches from COGGS, with a focus on creative problem solving and modern interactive design. The third table will provide practical, real-world guidance on wiring concepts, logic planning and building reliable systems, led by an experienced technical educator with a background in both art and technology. This session is designed to demystify control systems, empower operators to ask better questions and help creators feel more confident when designing, building or upgrading automated experiences. More About the Remix Series Each Remix session features: One focused theme Three topic-driven sections Three Remix Guides Remix Guides anchor each table, leading focused discussions and sharing real-world experience while attendees rotate through all three conversations. This format keeps energy high and ensures every participant leaves with valuable insight and new connections.

• 3D, Laser & CNC Printing: Turning Digital Files into Real World Builds

  Bradley Bays of Plague Productions

  Saturday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $6/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Join Bradley as he breaks down how modern fabrication tools like 3D printing, laser cutting and CNC routing are changing the way immersive environments are designed and built. From rapid prototyping to full scale scenic elements, these tools allow creators to move faster, test smarter and bring complex ideas to life with precision and consistency. Learn how each fabrication method works, what it is best suited for and how to choose the right tool for the job. We will explore materials, finishes, tolerances and common mistakes that can cost you time and money if not planned correctly. Attendees will gain practical insight into designing files that are actually buildable, creating pieces that hold up under constant guest interaction and integrating fabricated elements seamlessly into themed environments. These techniques translate directly to haunted attractions, escape rooms, immersive art spaces and interactive entertainment venues. If you are ready to bridge the gap between digital design and physical reality, this seminar will give you the knowledge and confidence to fabricate smarter, scale faster and build experiences that last.

EVENT REGISTRATIONS

• The Talon Falls Haunted House and Christmas tour

  Driving: $160, Bus: $215

  ● Bus option: $215 (price increase to $235 after March 19, 2026 at 11:59 PM CDT). The bus will depart from the St. Louis Convention Center and return there at the end of the night ● Self-drive option: $160 (price increase to $180 after March 19, 2026 at 11:59 PM CDT). Enter a devious world where nightmares reign true: three horrifying venues await in one twisted location - the all-new Blood Creek Haunted Hayride, the ruthless Dead End Haunted House, and the monstrous Talon Falls ScreamPark. Face your fears in 10 nightmarish mazes: Crypt of the Vampires, Trashy Tammy's, Voodoo Lagoon, Dead Man's Factory in 3D, Poison Ivy's Greenhouse, Wasteland, Dead End Chainsaw Massacre, The Asylum, and more. Then dare to go behind the screams with an exclusive production tour of our makeup & wardrobe department! The terror doesn't stop there—venture into the Midway of Madness at Talon Falls, where eerie drinks and ghoulish gifts await. But wait… there's more! Begin your journey by climbing aboard a festive train ride-through a million dazzling Christmas lights and displays. Venture into Santaville and the Grinch's cave with mischievous elves as your wicked tour guides! Visit The Christmas Barn, A Winter Wonderland: drop by Santa's Workshop, wander a petting barn, slide down the Penguin Plunge, stroll Hallmark Street and explore the kid-sized playhouse, plus even more surprises behind every twinkling light. Two worlds collide—haunt and holiday—in one unforgettable event.

• Experience STL: Interactive Entertainment Pre-Show Tour

  Prices increase $20 after March 19, 2026 at 11:59 pm CDT

  Wednesday 9:00am - 4:00pm

  Driving: $160, Bus: $190

  Experience STL is a curated, full-day pre-show tour designed to get you out playing and connecting before the show even begins! This experience is all about jumping in, trying things firsthand, and spending the day with fellow industry professionals who truly understand interactive entertainment. This tour is intentionally designed to balance variety, energy, and flow, giving you exposure to multiple experience types without feeling rushed or overpacked. If you’re looking to jump-start your week, spark new ideas, and make meaningful connections outside the show floor, Experience STL is the perfect way to kick things off. Preliminary Experience Flow: Morning: Kickoff with an immersive escape-style experience at St. Louis Escape Midday: Lunch with networking plus rotations through tactical and competitive interactive activities (2–3 experiences) at 18 North Central Afternoon: Final stop with a choice between immersive gameplay or competing as a contestant in a live game show experience at The Escape Game/Great Big Game Show Please note: activity placement is subject to capacity and timing. Every effort will be made to accommodate preferences while ensuring a smooth, high-quality experience for all participants.

• Experience STL & Talon Falls: Interactive Entertainment & Haunt Pre-Show Tour | Self-Driving

  Self-Drive Option

  Wednesday Depart at 9:00am

  $320/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $340/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Experience It All is designed for those who want to maximize their day by combining interactive entertainment in St. Louis with the official Talon Falls Haunt Tour later that evening. This option allows you to join the first half of Experience STL, then head out early to Talon Falls on your own schedule. You’ll kick off the day alongside fellow industry professionals with immersive, hands-on experiences focused on play, connection, and variety. After lunch and interactive rotations, self-drive participants will depart to make the extended drive to Talon Falls for the evening haunt tour. This option is ideal for those who want flexibility while still being part of the Experience STL energy earlier in the day. Experience Flow (Self-Drive): Morning: Kickoff with an immersive escape-style experience at St. Louis Escape Midday: Lunch with networking plus rotations through tactical and competitive interactive activities (2–3 experiences) at 18 North Central Afternoon: Self-drive departure to Talon Falls Scream Park for the official 2026 Pre-Show Haunt Tour Please note: this option includes participation in the first two stops only. Activity placement is subject to capacity and timing, and every effort will be made to accommodate preferences while keeping the day running smoothly.

• Christmas Installers at Flamingo Bowl (Included if you purchased the L.I.T.E package)

  Thursday 5:00pm-7:00pm

  1117 Washington Ave, just up the street from America’s Center

  $75/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $90/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Join us for a night packed with socializing, networking, bowling, and even karaoke. It’s the perfect way to unwind and meet new people. Grab some bar food, grab a drink, and settle in for a great time. Enjoy pizza, chicken tenders, meatballs, veggie spring rolls, and salad, plus a full hour of open bar featuring soda, well drinks, house wines, domestic and canned beer, and draft options.

• City Museum Party

  $65/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $75/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  The always-popular City Museum party is back and is completely private! Join us for an evening of fun with friends and fellow attendees as we enjoy the entire City Museum to ourselves. Your ticket, which is valid for purchases made on or before March 19th, includes your choice of a delicious ¼-pound hotdog, a large hot pretzel, large popcorn, nachos, or a slice of pizza. You can redeem the pretzel and hot dog at Vault and Tenders on the 2nd floor, popcorn at Baby Elephant on the 3rd floor, nachos at Beatnik Bob’s on the 3rd floor, and pizza at Lizard Lounge on the mezzanine level. Additionally, we will provide complimentary soda for all guests. Don't miss out on this exclusive event!

• Santa’s Beach Bash (Christmas Party)

  Friday 8:30pm-12:00am

  Magnolia St. Louis - Ballroom

  $60/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $75/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Santa’s Beach Bash is bringing holiday heat to the winter chill! Swap snow boots for flip-flops and join us for a tropical twist on Christmas. Expect festive beach décor, island-style bites, cool cocktails, and summer games with a splash of sunshine. Whether you’re building sandmen instead of snowmen or sipping piña coladas under twinkling lights, this is one holiday party you won’t want to miss. A Slider Station offering grilled hamburgers and chicken sliders with an array of accompaniments, complemented by French Fries and Tater Tots served with assorted toppings. Attire: Hawaiian shirts, beachwear, Santa hats encouraged!

• Bloodlines & Blackmail; A Night of Intrigue

  Friday 8:00pm -10:00pm

  Hotel St. Louis Ballroom

  $65/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $75/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  A powerful figure is dead and the future of the Whitmore Estate is suddenly on the line. Beneath polished manners and inherited wealth, every member of this elite family has something to hide! Step into a Knives Out style interactive mystery where alliances shift, secrets surface and information is the most valuable currency in the room. Your mission is to solve a murder, uncover additional crimes and use blackmail wisely as you fight for pieces of the inheritance. Nothing is what it seems! The family is ruthless, the lies run deep and trust is a dangerous game. Expect puzzles, investigation, social manipulation and layered reveals as the story unfolds around you. Full details remain secret until game time. Come ready to: play, question everyone and survive the chaos. Costumes encouraged (Dress like you belong to this wealthy family – Knives Out inspired attire: Polished, upscale, “East Costal” and intentional). Build your own Nacho Station: Tortilla chips, seasoned beef, queso, salsa, tomato, sour cream, jalapenos, onion, shaved lettuce, cookies, brownies and a Cash Bar. Game run time is approximately 90 minutes.

• TransWorld's Heaven & Hell Costume Ball

  Saturday 8 PM - 12:00 AM

  America Center Ballroom

  $50/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $60/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Get ready to rise or descend at TransWorld’s most legendary night of the year, the Heaven & Hell Costume Ball! Step into a stunning split-world experience where angelic elegance collides with deliciously wicked chaos. The moment you walk through the doors, you’ll be transported into two realms battling for your allegiance: soft clouds, shimmering lights, and celestial beauty on one side… and swirling shadows, fiery accents, and devilish mischief on the other. Whether you arrive glowing in white with your halo polished to perfection or make your entrance with horns sharpened and ready for trouble, this is the one party where every costume—sweet, sinister, or somewhere in between. Expect an unforgettable night packed with music, dancing, jaw-dropping outfits, and the kind of wild, anything-can-happen atmosphere that has made this event a can't-miss tradition year after year. Cash bars will be open, and we’ll have plenty of tasty appetizers and desserts for everyone to enjoy. Between the drinks, the treats, and the over-the-top photo ops, you’ll have endless chances to mingle, celebrate, and show off your most heavenly,or hellish-look. So spread your wings or unleash your inner demon… the choice is yours. Just be ready for a night you won’t forget!

L.I.T.E. LIGHTING INSTITUTE TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION

• Mastering Modern Holiday Lighting: Plug-and-Play Training Systems to Scale Your Crew Fast

  Michael Carey, The Christmas Light Academy

  Thursday 9:00am-10:00am

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Running a holiday lighting business gets chaotic fast — especially when you’re juggling new hires, safety standards, custom designs, and the demand for both seasonal and permanent installations. In this session, Mike from The Christmas Light Academy reveals how to streamline your operations with a proven, plug-and-play training system built specifically for lighting pros.

• Make Six Figures in Six Weeks

  Heather Lundervold, Christmas Design Institute

  Thursday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Ever wondered how Christmas installers and haunt pros are pulling in six figures in a six-week season? This session breaks down the real pathways into the holiday design and installation world—and how YOU can capitalize on one of the most profitable seasonal niches in the industry. Whether you're looking to expand your haunt business, add a new revenue stream, or completely pivot careers, this class gives you the inside track, including: How holiday installers structure their season for rapid revenue. What the “holiday designer lifestyle” actually looks like. How to get started with minimal equipment. Where the money really is in residential and commercial installs. Answers to every burning question you’ve had about getting into the industry. If you want Christmas cash, a career upgrade, or a new lane that pays big in a short window, this session is your roadmap. Come ready to take notes—this could be the most profitable hour of your year. BIO: Heather Lundervold is the Founder and Lead Instructor of Christmas Design Institute, where she mentors and certifies the next generation of professional holiday designers. She is also the owner of Elves to the Rescue ~ Professional Holiday Design & Installation—a premier luxury holiday decorating and installation firm and the sister company to the Institute. She serves as the President of The Professional Association of Holiday Designers With more than 25 years in the luxury design industry, Heather has built a reputation for delivering high-touch, white-glove service, impeccably trained teams, and breathtaking seasonal transformations. Her installation company is a seven-figure enterprise serving over 100 clients each season. Heather’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2000 when she purchased and successfully operated a floral business for over a decade, ultimately selling the seven-figure company to focus exclusively on luxury holiday design and education. Recognizing a significant gap in professional training within the holiday design industry, she founded Christmas Design Institute to provide structured education in both creative mastery and business strategy. Today, CDI equips students with the skills to elevate their personal decorating, launch profitable holiday businesses, or expand existing design services with seasonal offerings. Heather holds certification from the American Institute of Floral Designers and earned her marketing degree from Arizona State University. Her work has been featured in national and regional publications including USA Today, ELLE Decor, Taste of Home, and Arizona Foothills Magazine, along with numerous television and media appearances. Heather travels nationally to teach workshops, speak at conferences, and design for high-profile clientele. Her portfolio includes luxury residences, commercial properties, resorts, retail spaces, and notable brands such as FOX Broadcasting Company, PayPal, Wigwam Resort, Discount Tire, and the Phoenix Suns. She primarily serves clients in Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona, as well as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Bend, Oregon. Above all, Heather is passionate about elevating the holiday design industry and her expertise has established her as a trusted design professional. Whether you are a hobbyist refining your craft, an entrepreneur launching a business, or an established designer expanding into seasonal services, her mission is to equip you with the creative excellence and business mastery required to succeed. Through structured curriculum, principles of design, hands-on training, and mentorship, she empowers students worldwide to grow in confidence, skill, and profitability.

• Year-Round Profits for Christmas Light Installers - How and Why to add Party Rentals to Your Business

  Tariq, Event Hawk

  Thursday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Event Planning/Party Rentals

• How to Win More Customers for FREE using AI

  Zeke Domowski & Megan Mazlin, Creatively Innovative

  Thursday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Intelligence to dramatically improve your online visibility and attract a steady stream of high-quality customers—all for free. Zeke will dive into the strategic world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and demonstrate how AI is the ultimate tool for a local service business, especially for Christmas light installers. You'll learn practical, immediately applicable techniques, including: Writing & Optimizing High-Converting Content: See a demonstration of how to use AI tools to quickly draft essential website pages, including your service descriptions, FAQs, and local service area pages (e.g., "Christmas Light installation in St. Louis"). AI will help structure this content for maximum readability and SEO ranking. Turning Web Traffic into Sales: We'll move beyond just writing and focus on optimization. Learn to use AI to analyze your existing content and inject the necessary elements like proper call to action buttons to help your website traffic contact you to get a quote. Walk away with a clear, step-by-step plan for implementing an AI-driven SEO strategy that reduces your advertising spend and maximizes your organic lead generation, securing more bookings for the upcoming holiday season!

• Mastering Projection Mapping Installations: Logistics, Setup, and Success

  Ross Arroyo, illumibot

  Friday 8:00am-10:00am

  Room 260

  $110/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $130/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Ready to bring projection mapping to life? This 2-hour seminar dives into the nuts and bolts of installing projection mapping systems for any environment residential, commercial, or public. Learn expert strategies for site placement, projector selection, power management, and enclosure options. Discover how to tackle challenges like weather, heat, and surface compatibility while ensuring safety, security, and compliance with permits and regulations. Whether you’re a Christmas light installer, theme park operator, or municipal planner, this session equips you with the tools to execute flawless installations that captivate audiences. Join us to transform your technical know-how into stunning visual experiences! Who Should Attend: Christmas light installers, theme park operators, municipalities, farms, zoos, and anyone handling projection mapping logistics.

• How I Hit $250K My First Season and the Exact System You Can Copy Today

  Tim Crouch, Gutter Growth

  Friday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Tim Crouch breaks down exactly how he hit $250K in his very first Christmas lighting season—and the proven system you can copy today. In this session, he’ll walk you step-by-step through the marketing strategy that filled his pipeline, the pricing model that protected profit, the quoting process that closed fast, and the operational workflow that kept installs efficient and customers raving. If you’re ready to skip the guesswork, scale with confidence, and plug a six-figure-ready system straight into your business, this is the playbook you’ve been waiting for.

• Maximizing Your Superpowers: Systems for Success from Lead to Raving Fan

  Angela Chanowsky & JC Chanowsky

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Unique genius workbook - maximizing your superpowers to scale BIOS: JC and Angela Chanowsky are entrepreneurs, speakers, and business strategists who help founders stop being the bottleneck and start building companies that actually scale. Together, they blend vision and execution in a way that is both practical and transformative. Their work centers around one powerful idea: when business owners focus on their unique strengths and build the right structure around them, growth becomes sustainable, profitable, and freeing. Through their company, Unique Genius, they help high level entrepreneurs reclaim their time, elevate their leadership, and design businesses that support the life they want to live. Angela Chanowsky is a transformational business strategist, leadership expert, and the visionary behind Unique Genius. With over two decades of experience in entrepreneurship, business development, and leadership coaching, she has helped countless business owners and high achievers step into their strengths, focus on what truly matters, and build thriving businesses aligned with their mission and vision. As Founder and CEO of Unique Genius, Angela empowers entrepreneurs to eliminate distractions, automate low impact tasks, and focus on their highest value contributions. She has guided leaders across diverse industries to scale their businesses, create greater impact, and experience more joy and fulfillment in their work. Angela is a dynamic keynote speaker, podcast host, bestselling author, and trusted advisor to top performing companies nationwide. JC Chanowsky is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, and operator who has built and scaled multiple seven figure service based businesses, including Patriot Illumination and Cape Fear Pro Wash. Known for his direct, high energy style, JC specializes in helping business owners identify where they are the bottleneck and build the systems, teams, and structure required for real scalability. His experience in sales, marketing, and operational efficiency has helped companies move from chaos to clarity, turning demanding jobs into asset building enterprises. On stage and online, JC challenges entrepreneurs to think bigger, build smarter, and lead at a higher level. Together, JC and Angela teach business owners how to combine vision with structure, ambition with alignment, and growth with freedom. Their mission is simple: help leaders buy back their time, build stronger companies, and create a life they are proud to live.

• Permanent Lighting-Helping Contractors Grow Nationwide

  Chris Rios, Permanentchristmaslights.com

  Friday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Chris Rios from PermanentChristmasLights.com pulls back the curtain on scaling a permanent lighting division that prints revenue year-round. In this session, he’ll break down the products, pricing, sales process, and installation systems that separate the pros from the hobbyists—and how you can add permanent lighting as a high-margin, steady-season offering inside your business. From the customer education script to the operational workflow to the upsell strategy that boosts every ticket, Chris gives you the blueprint. If you’re ready to unlock recurring revenue, stabilize your crews, and build a division that grows even when Christmas is over, this is the roadmap.

• How to grow your installation business to a million dollars

  Scott Young, Certified Lights

  Saturday 9:00am-10:00am

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Ready to level up from “seasonal hustle” to a scalable, million-dollar installation company? In this power-packed session, industry leader Scott Young breaks down the exact systems, pricing strategies, and operational frameworks used by top-performing installation companies to hit seven figures—without burning out or blowing up your profit margins. Scott will walk you through the proven roadmap for growth, including: Designing repeatable systems that turn chaos into consistency Pricing and packaging offerings for real profitability Building teams that execute at a high level Leveraging marketing channels that actually convert Eliminating the bottlenecks that keep most installers stuck at $250K–$600K Whether you're an owner-operator looking to finally scale or an established company aiming to dominate your market, this session delivers actionable strategies you can implement immediately. Expect clarity, real numbers, and the kind of strategic direction that cuts years off your learning curve. If your goal is to scale confidently, profitably, and sustainably, this is the room you want to be in.

• The Art of Animation: The Art of Mastering Dynamic RGB/RGBWW

  Erik Terkelson, Holidynamics

  Saturday 10:15am-11:15am

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Are you tired of installing the same static lights year over year? Has the price of color changing options scared most of your customers away? Are you leery of using apps that need to be updated on a regular basis? We have the answer! Dynamic RGB/RGBWW from Holidynamics, Inc. In 2020, Holidynamics, Inc. introduced Dynamic RGB to the holiday lighting industry. It was designed to be simple, affordable, and interactive. Everything is controlled (colors and functions) using a simple, radio frequency remote. No app! No hassle! During this seminar, you will learn how to create amazing residential and commercial displays that are sure to wow all of your customers. One remote controls it ALL! From Dynamic RGB wreaths and garlands to tower trees and C9 bulbs, Holidynamics, Inc. has you covered. We are excited to announce that we have added RGBWW and RGBPW to our Dynamic line of RGB that will also be covered during this seminar.

• Solar-Powered Christmas Décor: Does It Really Work for Commercial Installations?

  Kurt Stange, Easy Treezy

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  Solar is one of the hottest topics in the industry right now—but is it actually viable for commercial holiday décor? In this eye-opening session, Kurt Johnson of Miami Christmas Lights breaks down the truth about solar-powered decorations and whether they can meet the demands of large-scale, high-visibility installations. This session explores: Where solar shines and where it still falls short The performance differences between consumer-grade and commercial-grade solar décor Real-world case studies from Miami and beyond How to evaluate solar options for parks, plazas, walkways, rooftops, and remote locations Cost, durability, brightness, and “hours of glow” you can realistically expect Whether solar is ready to replace traditional power—or better used as a hybrid strategy If you’ve been curious about solar, skeptical about solar, or wondering how it fits into the future of commercial holiday lighting, this class gives you the clarity (and the data) you need. Walk out knowing when solar is a smart solution… and when it’s just not worth the gamble.

• Be the Face of Your Business (or Lose to Someone Who Is)

  One Love Social

  Saturday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 260

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Mar 20th) $65/attendee (After Mar 20th)

  The local businesses winning in 2026 aren’t using stock videos or generic content. They’re putting real people at the front of their brand.In this session, Ashley Bissing explains why faceless marketing no longer converts and how business owners can use themselves and their teams to build trust, stand out locally, and close better leads without becoming influencers. This interactive, workshop-style talk shows exactly what type of content works for local service businesses and how one simple video can support social media, ads, Google visibility, and sales.

Seminars Sponsored By

Installer Intensive Training Programs

• Red Sleigh Installer Workshop - Training Only - For installers Who Already Have a TransWorld ticket.

  Red Sleigh

  Wednesday 10:00am - 5:30pm

  Room 262

  $300/attendee

  STOP LEAVING $100K+ ON THE TABLE. Ready to add Commercial Accounts to your Christmas Lighting business? For over two decades, Stacey Jordan has helped shape and scale Commercial Christmas programs across municipalities, retail centers, and high-visibility public spaces. This one-day pre-show intensive is built for installers ready to stop guessing, stop underpricing, and start competing confidently for five- and six-figure commercial Christmas contracts in 2026. Because Commercial Christmas success isn’t accidental. It’s engineered. Includes: • Full-day commercial pricing & margin training • Bid structure for $50K–$250K projects • Commercial contract & proposal strategy • Implementation worksheets • Vendor Cheat Sheet • Access to raffle & prize drawings Sign up here https://transworld.ticketspice.com/christmas-sleigh-workshop Bringing the Whole Crew? Want to bring the whole crew? Red Sleigh Workshop offers group pricing for 3+ attendees. Email info@redsleighworkshop.com for bulk pricing details. Train your team. Align your pricing. Scale together. One properly structured commercial project could add $50,000–$150,000 to your season. This isn’t for everyone. It’s for installers ready to stop underpricing, step into commercial strategy with confidence, and build a bigger ceiling for 2026. The question isn’t whether you can afford this training. It’s whether you can afford to keep leaving money on the table. Seats are limited. Secure yours now.

• Red Sleigh Commercial Christmas Workshop + TransWorld Show Ticket + LITE Series

  Red Sleigh

  Wednesday 10:00am - 5:30pm

  Room 262

  $625/attendee

  STOP LEAVING $100K+ ON THE TABLE. Ready to add Commercial Accounts to your Christmas Lighting business? For over two decades, Stacey Jordan has helped shape and scale Commercial Christmas programs across municipalities, retail centers, and high-visibility public spaces. This one-day pre-show intensive is built for installers ready to stop guessing, stop underpricing, and start competing confidently for five- and six-figure commercial Christmas contracts in 2026. Because Commercial Christmas success isn’t accidental. It’s engineered. Includes: • TransWorld show registration • Full-day commercial training • Commercial pricing & margin training • Bid structure for $50K–$250K projects • Commercial contract & proposal strategy • Implementation worksheets • Vendor Cheat Sheet • Access to raffle & prize drawings• Installer LITE Series (March 26–28) • 12 curated classes specifically designed for professional installers This is the complete Commercial Education Track for the week. Sign up here https://transworld.ticketspice.com/christmas-sleigh-workshop Bringing the Whole Crew? Want to bring the whole crew? Red Sleigh Workshop offers group pricing for 3+ attendees. Email info@redsleighworkshop.com for bulk pricing details. Train your team. Align your pricing. Scale together. One properly structured commercial project could add $50,000–$150,000 to your season. This isn’t for everyone. It’s for installers ready to stop underpricing, step into commercial strategy with confidence, and build a bigger ceiling for 2026. The question isn’t whether you can afford this training. It’s whether you can afford to keep leaving money on the table. Seats are limited. Secure yours now.

CLIPA CONFERENCE

SEMINAR PACKAGES

• Seminar Super Pass

  Thursday to Saturday

  $550/attendee

  Seminar Super Pass includes all* Seminars from Thursday through Saturday. The cost is $550 per attendee. Package is limited to the first 200 people. You do not need to preselect your seminars. The package is non-transferable; only 1 person can use this pass and it cannot be shared. Limited to one seminar per hour. You can NOT move from one seminar to another while the seminar is in session, doing this would disturb other attendees in the class. Photo ID required. *Excluded from this package: Thursday morning CHAOS safety seminar and ALL WORKSHOPS. They are sold separately.

Free Early Bird Seminars

• Insurance Horror Stories: The Claims That’ll Haunt You.

  Thursday 9:00am - 10:00am

  Room 123

  A candid roundtable on real haunted attraction claims — and how to make sure they never happen to you. Pull back the curtain with this no-holds-barred insurance roundtable. Learn from actual claims that sent chills through the industry and hear how smart operators turned disasters into valuable lessons. We’ll break down what went wrong, what could’ve been prevented, and how to bulletproof your haunt from becoming the next cautionary tale.

  C.H.A.O.S. (this seminar goes towards your C.H.A.O.S. Safety Certification)

• Legal & Safe Scares: HR Basics Every Haunt Needs

  Kelly Hookham, Society of Human Resources Management

  Friday 9:00am-10:00am

  Room 120

  Seasonal attractions face unique HR challenges: rapid hiring, short-term staff, high turnover, young workers, and intense peak seasons—all while staying compliant and operational. This session breaks down the core HR fundamentals every attraction needs with a packet of resources to utilize. Designed for owners, operators, and managers across Halloween, Christmas, and interactive entertainment, this seminar focuses on practical, repeatable HR practices that protect your business, support your team, and scale with your season. Attendees will learn how to: Identify the essential HR and payroll practices required for seasonal attractions Build a compliant hiring and onboarding process that works at scale Understand labor laws for minors, seasonal, and hourly workforces Handle employee relations issues quickly and appropriately during peak season Create simple, repeatable HR processes managers can actually follow Understand when to DIY HR tasks and when to seek outside support Bio: Kelly Hookham, Society of Human Resources Management - Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), is an HR and workforce operations expert specializing in seasonal, high-volume, and experience-driven attractions. With a career spanning manufacturing, entertainment, events, and seasonal operations, Kelly brings a practical, no-nonsense approach to HR fundamentals that work in the real world—especially when your workforce scales fast, turns over quickly, and must stay compliant under pressure. Kelly has led and supported HR, payroll, and total rewards operations for organizations ranging from 100 to 25,000+ employees, with deep hands-on experience in employee relations, investigations, payroll compliance, onboarding, and workforce systems. She is known for helping operators translate complex HR requirements into clear, repeatable processes that supervisors and managers can actually use during peak seasons. At TransWorld, Kelly focuses on HR fundamentals for seasonal attractions—what you actually need to do, what you can simplify, and how to protect your business and your people while delivering unforgettable guest experiences. Kelly holds the SHRM-SCP certification, multiple HR specialty credentials, and is a trusted advisor to attraction owners, operators, and leadership teams nationwide.

• State of the Industry

  HAA President Jim Werner of Pennhurst Asylum, and the Haunted Attraction Association (HAA) Board of Directors

  Friday 9:00am-10:00am

  Room 231

  Join President Jim Werner of Pennhurst Asylum, and the Haunted Attraction Association (HAA) Board of Directors, as they host their membership annual meeting. Then, they'll transition the seminar to host a Q&A of insights with audience members as they look to the future of our industry. This is a must attend seminar – from small to large attractions, indoor haunts to farms/trails, vendor/supply logistics and more, hear what others are doing across the U.S. and abroad, from marketing to safety to operational tips. It’s always packed with content, information, and people, so get in line early and do some networking. Whether you’re new to haunting, or a veteran, DO NOT miss this seminar to plan for your future. This seminar qualifies for one credit toward C.H.A.O.S. certification.

  C.H.A.O.S. (this seminar goes towards your C.H.A.O.S. Safety Certification)

• Safety Supercharge: Boosting Protection Without Busting the Budget

  Saturday 9:00am-10:00am

  123

  Practical, creative, and affordable ways to make your haunt safer today. You don’t need million-dollar systems to have world-class safety. This course dives into real-world, affordable strategies that haunted attractions across the country use to strengthen their safety practices. Learn how to upgrade your safety standards using simple tools, creative thinking, and smart partnerships — all without draining your budget.

  C.H.A.O.S. (this seminar goes towards your C.H.A.O.S. Safety Certification)

• Bloody Mary's "Virus of the Dead" Workshop

  Bobbie Weiner, Bloody Mary Make-up

  Saturday 9:00am-10:00am

  Room 130

  Follow Mary as she creates this Ghoulish dead Creature. Bring a friend to work on. Each pair will receive a Bloody Mary F/X Makeup Kit. Mary will show you how it's done fast and easy to prepare your model for the Haunt and how to keep your actors' makeup last for many extra hours into the night. Lots of great prizes for the best creation at the end of the Workshop. There will be a Bloody Mary Raffle drawing to win "Bloody Mary Stuff". Get there early to get a seat. Everyone will be using the same makeup so don't bring anything from home. Best character creation will appear in an upcoming "Tales of Bloody Mary" Comic Book Poster.

Free exhibitor seminars