Friday Seminars

• Precision CNC Fabrication for Modern Haunt Production

  Buck Burdick - Station 5 Productions

  Friday 10:15 am - 11:15 am

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  From 3D CAD models to terrifying realities—unlock faster builds, repeatable animatronics, and industrial-grade props without burning out your shop crew. In the modern haunted attraction industry, handsaws and manual foam carving simply can’t keep up with tight offseason deadlines and rising guest expectations. Whether you are building massive structural facade walls, precision-milled animatronic linkages, or hyper-detailed EPS foam creatures, CNC technology is the ultimate force multiplier for your shop. ​This seminar demystifies computer-controlled routing and machining specifically for haunt owners, prop builders, and scenic designers. All your questions about adding CNC capabilities to your attraction will be answered here. Buck will also discuss how to build in 3D. If you want to learn how to take a flat piece of building material and turn it into a 3D set piece, this is the seminar for you. Who Should Attend - Haunt owners, scenic artists, lead builders, prop fabricators, and technical directors looking to scale up production quality and automate tedious manual labor. Speaker Bio: Buck Burdick from Station 5 Productions and Fear Asylum Haunted House. Buck is a 17 year veteran of the attractions industry. He has built attractions all over the United States and overseas. Buck has been one of the "Go-To" experts when it comes to scenic design and CNC fabrication in the industry. Buck has presented numerous times at Transworld and is a trusted vendor of some of the Top Attractions in the Country.  ​

• Beyond the Haunted House: Creating New Experiences, New Audiences, and New Revenue

  Scott Simmons - Scarehouse

  Friday 10:15 am - 11:15 am

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  For decades, haunted attractions have proved that people will pay for unforgettable experiences in the fall. But what happens the other eleven months of the year? And what if your next successful attraction doesn't require a permanent building at all? In this idea-packed seminar, 25+ year industry veteran Scott Simmons explores the growing world of experience-driven entertainment beyond the traditional haunted attraction. Drawing from decades of work with the nationally recognized ScareHouse, along with recent projects produced independently for haunted attractions, museums, escape rooms, entertainment districts, and hospitality clients, Scott shares real-world examples of experiences that build brands, generate revenue, and keep audiences engaged throughout the year. Whether you're an entrepreneur looking to launch your first experience without investing in a permanent facility, or an established haunt owner searching for new ways to maximize an existing property, you'll discover practical ideas that can be adapted to nearly any market and budget. From immersive movie screenings and interactive character encounters to themed pop-up bars, mocktail experiences, vendor markets, seasonal festivals, tailgates, escape experiences, and other creative activations, this seminar examines what makes these events successful, how they can complement your existing business, and how they can introduce entirely new audiences to your brand.

• Engaging in the Queue & Owning the Midway: Front‑of‑House Scareacting

  Jonathan Glickman - Fright Nights at the South Florida Fairgrounds

  Friday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 132

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  This seminar is designed for actor trainers and performers looking to elevate their work in the queue line and midway—two of the most dynamic, high‑impact spaces in any haunted attraction. In the queue line, we’ll explore a character‑driven method of guest engagement, providing practical tools and techniques for building, inhabiting, and sustaining a character that connects quickly and meaningfully with guests. In the midway, the focus shifts to maximizing visibility, movement, and teamwork. Participants will learn how to utilize the space effectively, employ hit‑and‑run style interactions, and coordinate with fellow performers to maximize the impact of these characters that are often the guests’ initial encounter with your attraction.

• Projection Mapping Boot Camp: 10 Tangible Ways to Go from Static to Spectacular

  Ross Arroyo - Illumibot & Todd Fedyshyn - His and Hearse

  Friday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Stop settling for static. In this hands-on boot camp, Ross and Todd walk you through 10 tangible, real-world ways to add projection mapping to your event and make it instantly more memorable. This is not a lecture. It’s a guided tour of the cheats, tools, and methods we’ve actually used in the field. Bring a notebook — you’ll leave with tactics you can put to work right away. You do not have to be a super nerd. AI has changed the game, and we’re sharing the secret sauce that now lets almost anyone do this. Built for haunts, escape rooms, Christmas events, municipalities, zoos, and anyone who wants to turn ordinary surfaces into something people talk about. Roll up your sleeves. Get ready to become a mapper.

• How to Greatly Improve Your Attraction’s Marketing Without Increasing Your Budget (So You Sell More Tickets & Build a Following)

  Brad Weinstein - Newbridge

  Friday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Want to learn how to greatly improve your attraction's marketing so you can sell more tickets (and grow your fan base) in 2027? 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 take your marketing to the next level (that don't involve spending more money). 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: How to be more strategic with your current marketing budget (and tips to avoid wasting it). Why your marketing is probably not as effective as it should be (and how to fix it). Critical factors to keep in mind when developing & shaping your attraction's brand (to increase long-term success). Expensive marketing mistakes you should avoid this year. How to increase the chance your marketing attracts the right customers (who are more likely to leave positive reviews & spread good word of mouth). Learn strategic tweaks you can make to your ads and messaging to increase success (small tweaks can make a big difference). Insights on how to create the right brand personality & ads for your specific audience and market (to sell more tickets). And more! You will leave this seminar empowered with clear & actionable takeaways you can implement this season to greatly improve your attraction's marketing in 2027 and beyond! Speaker Bio: Brad’s experience includes The Walt Disney Company, Elitch Gardens Theme Park, Google, professional haunted attractions, and world class advertising agencies in NYC.

• Killer Foam Tombstones & Monster Mud Statues

  Cheryl Callendar

  Friday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 132

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  In-depth, hands-on look at creating terrifyingly realistic foam tombstones for your home haunt, yard display, or professional attraction. This seminar will cover everything from selecting and carving foam to adding realistic aging, cracks, epitaphs, stone textures, and eerie paint finishes that make lightweight foam look like centuries-old granite. You’ll also learn the secrets behind using Monster Mud to add durability, texture, and that unmistakable weathered cemetery look that takes your props to the next level. Whether you’re building your very first graveyard or looking to elevate your haunt artistry, this session is packed with professional techniques, creative inspiration, and practical tips. Come learn how to create tombstones so realistic… your guests may start checking the dates.

• 31 Scares in 60 minutes

  Ben Armstrong - Netherworld Haunted House & Allen Hopps - Dark Hour Haunted House / Stiltbeast Studios

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  The best scares we ever designed or implemented. With over 70 years of haunted attractions under these two amazingly creative Haunters, they are looking through time and sharing the ideas, room designs, plans, and products that brought them the best scares over the years- great scares that work for small haunts and the ones that allow massive throughput to work seamlessly. Every haunter at any level will get value from this class. Fast-paced and packed with high-value tips- be prepared to take notes!

• The Future Is Already Here: Winning the Next Generation of Haunt Fans

  Scott Simmons - ScareHouse

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  The next generation of haunt fans is changing the industry and rewriting the rules entirely. Following last year's vital session, this updated seminar returns with the very latest consumer research and emerging trends that every haunted attraction owner needs to understand RIGHT NOW. Built on years of research and the most current data available from nationally recognized leaders in tourism, attractions, and consumer behavior, this presentation focuses on the rapidly evolving habits of Generations Z and Alpha (the audiences that now drive the overwhelming majority of haunted attraction attendance.) Consumer behavior isn't static. The way your guests discover, research, evaluate, and choose entertainment experiences is changing faster than ever. Many attraction owners learned the hard way that marketing strategies and operational approaches that worked just a few years ago no longer deliver the same results. This seminar will show you how to avoid those costly mistakes before Fall 2027. You'll discover how these emerging generations use AI, social media, online reviews, and digital communities to make decisions; what kinds of advertising they trust (and instantly ignore); what they expect before they ever purchase a ticket; and how their engagement habits are fundamentally reshaping the haunted attraction industry. Most importantly, you'll leave with practical, research-backed strategies you can apply immediately to your marketing, guest experience, and long-term planning.

• Foundations of Fear 201: An ADVANCED conversation on Scaling, Sustaining, & Going Full-Time (Part 2 of 2)

  Spencer Terry - Fear Factory

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 132

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Opening a haunted house may actually be the easy part—building a sustainable, profitable empire that allows you to quit your day job is where the real work begins. How do you transform a seasonal passion project into a premier destination that guests and staff are dying to return to year after year? Join Spencer Terry—Equity Owner & GM of Fear Factory SLC and former President of the Haunted Attraction Association—for a transparent, no-nonsense masterclass in building a haunt that lasts. In this highly requested masterclass, Spencer will peel back the curtain on what it actually takes to scale and sustain a profitable attraction AFTER your first 5 to 10 years in business. Whether your annual attendance is 2,000 or 70,000+, Spencer has seen it all. He'll share the financial, operational, and marketing strategies that built one of the world's consistently top-rated attractions, Fear Factory SLC, unveiling the raw, unfiltered learning moments and high-level frameworks his team used to scale a 100,000 sq. ft. screampark safely and successfully. Take your attraction from a seasonal success, to a thriving long-term business.

• Beyond the Scare: Advanced Haunt Actor Training

  Carl Augustine - Witch Doctors

  Friday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Methods and techniques for deep character development, storytelling and creating the environment for your best actors to flourish beyond simply getting the scare.

• Injuries & Emergency Planning: Protecting Guests, Actors and Your Business. Understanding your duty of care and the hidden risks many attraction owners ignore until it is too late

  Billy Groeneveld - HauntShield Risk Advisors

  Friday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Protecting your guests, actors, and business is one of your most important responsibilities as a haunt owner. But do you understand what that responsibility means—and where your attraction may be vulnerable? This seminar breaks down Duty of Care, Standard of Care, and the potential limits of common defenses, including assumption of risk, independent contractor status, and operating in a leased building. Explore how negligence and vicarious liability can affect your business, and learn practical steps to strengthen safety procedures, prepare for incidents, and maintain thorough documentation and training records. Whether you oversee safety personally or rely on your team and legal counsel, understanding your role is essential. Walk away better prepared to manage risk, respond to the unexpected, and protect the people who make your attraction possible.

Seminars Sponsored By

Saturday Seminars

• Scenic Secrets: The Methods Behind World Class Attractions

  Bryce Alexander - BryceHhorrorFX & Brittany Patterson

  Saturday 10:15 am - 11:15 am

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Go behind the scenes with professional scenic artists whose work has helped shape some of the industry’s most recognized haunted attractions and themed entertainment experiences. This seminar explores the techniques, materials, and workflows used to create realistic aging, layering, texture, and shocking scenic finishes. Whether you’re building a haunted house, escape room, or theme park attraction, you’ll leave with practical methods and professional insights you can immediately apply to your next project. Transform your sets and scenes overnight with the techniques discussed in this seminar.

• Open Safely: A Fire and Life-Safety Checklist for Haunted Attractions

  Holly Burgess - National Fire Protection Association

  Saturday 10:15 am - 11:15 am

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  How to identify and correct common fire and life-safety hazards before opening night. This session will examine emergency exits and egress routes, overcrowding, combustible décor, electrical hazards, fog and special effects, fire extinguishers, employee training, and other issues that can delay an inspection—or place guests and employees at risk. Attendees will leave with a practical checklist they can use to evaluate their own attraction.

• The Psychology of Fear: Inspiring Terror in a Desensitized World

  Angelica Karns - Laurel’s House of Horrors

  Saturday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  The human mind is a powerful thing in many ways, but in other ways is endlessly fragile. It only takes a single moment of pure terror to tear a hole in it. Learn how to transfigure a stagnant scare pattern into a series of interactions that encroaches upon, infiltrates, and contaminates your unsuspecting guests minds and leaves a mental void in its wake that you can live in far beyond the time they leave your attraction. From biological reactions that trigger from each fear response, to what can break the mind's ability to process patterns, learn to utilize and wield the unknown to mentally overpower guests and heighten their experience to unforeseen levels.

• From Spectator to Participant: Designing Interactive and Engaging Experiences

  David Peace - Experience Lights

  Saturday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

• Monster-Making Master Class: Faster Makeup, Bigger Impact with Nix Herrera

  Nix Herrera - Nix Body Art

  Saturday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 132

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Create monsters your guests will never forget! Join special effects makeup artist Nix Herrera as he shares tips, tricks, and time-saving techniques he has learned over the past 30 years. Discover how to work more efficiently, keep your makeup line moving, and transform your actors into unforgettable characters. Explore how to add depth, detail, and personality with airbrush techniques, makeup, and prosthetics. Nix will demonstrate practical shortcuts, explain where to focus your time for the biggest visual impact, and share ways to avoid common mistakes and handle touch-ups throughout the night. From organizing your station to getting your cast ready for opening, learn how to streamline your process without sacrificing the details that bring your monsters to life!

• ITS ALIVE! Building Colossal Creatures from the Prop Graveyard

  Ryan Visingard - Woods of Terror

  Saturday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Lightning strikes, the thunder roars, and the spark of life is yours to command! Step into the realm of pure mad science and learn the forbidden art of reanimating forgotten graveyard scraps, shattered armatures, and discarded prop remains into towering, colossal abominations. Channel your inner Dr. Frankenstein as we dismantle the graveyard of broken gear, harness scavenged engineering, and stitch together gargantuan silhouettes that will shock and terrify all who gaze upon them. Dare to breach the boundaries of conventional creation—it’s time to unleash your greatest, most monstrous masterpiece upon the world!

• Making Haunt Content: Build the audience you want!

  Britain Bennett - Digital Creator / Dave Appel - Horrorprops / Jay Grenier - Wicked Makers

  Saturday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 132

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

• Dragons, Dinos & Demons, Oh My! — The Art of Creating Giant Foam Creatures

  Dan Faupel - Erebus Haunted House

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Creating a giant creature is one thing. Creating one that is lightweight, durable, believable, and actually buildable is another! In this seminar, veteran attraction designer and fabricator Dan Faupel will share more than 30 years of experience designing and building oversized creatures, characters, props, and scenic elements for haunted attractions and themed entertainment. Follow the process from the first sketch to the finished monster as Dan breaks down how large-scale foam creations are designed, engineered, carved, assembled, textured, coated, detailed, and finished. Learn how to: *Choose the right type of foam, create strong but lightweight structures, select the right tools and adhesives, hide seams, build convincing textures, and turn simple blocks of foam into massive dimensional creations. Dan will also take a behind-the-scenes look at several of his recent projects, explaining the challenges encountered during fabrication and the techniques used to solve them. Whether you're preparing to tackle your first large foam project or you've been carving for years, you'll leave with practical techniques, shortcuts, and tricks you can put to work on your next dragon, dinosaur, demon—or whatever giant creature you can dream up!

• Engineering Fear: Designing Haunted Attractions That Keep Guests Guessing and Engaged

  Dylan DeFatta - Haunted Hotel / Haunted Trail of Balboa Park - San Diego

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 132

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Great haunted houses don't happen by accident! Learn how attraction layout, pacing, sight-lines, bottlenecks, and scene transitions are critical for creating stronger scares, smoother operations, and unforgettable experiences from entry to exit.

• Mastering the Monster Business

  Ed Edmunds - Distortions Unlimited & Allen Hopps - Dark Hour Haunted House / Stiltbeast studios

  Saturday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Ed and Allen have built, lost, rebuilt, and reinvented businesses around one thing they know exceptionally well—making monsters. In this candid one-hour session, they’ll pull back the curtain on decades of experience, sharing favorite projects, difficult challenges, hard-earned successes, costly failures, near disasters, and the decisions that kept them moving forward. Why should you take this class? Because succeeding in the monster business takes more than creativity and a great product. It takes knowing when to take a risk, when to change direction, how to recover when something doesn’t work, and how to recognize the next opportunity before it passes you by. Ed and Allen have pivoted their careers multiple times and will share the signs that told them it was time to change lanes, rethink their approach, and pursue a different path to success. You’ll hear real-world lessons learned from decades of turning creativity into a business—and discover how those lessons can apply to your own attraction, product, or company. Whether you're building monsters, running an attraction, developing products, or growing a creative business, you'll leave with practical insight, inspiration, and a better understanding of how to adapt, survive, and build your own monster success story.

• Virtual Tour of The Prison of the Dead at Shocktoberfest including Scares, Behind the Scenes and Full Design

  Pat Konopelski - Schocktoberfest

  Saturday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Join 36 year haunt veteran and Shocktoberfest owner Patrick Konopelski, as he takes you on a Virtual Haunt Tour of the 50,000 ‘scare’ foot Prison of the Dead Mega Haunt located at Shocktoberfest in Reading, PA with behind the scenes and in-depth explanation of design and scares. You will learn how to build a haunted house from start to finish! For the first time ever at Transworld you will tour and see everything from design, floor plan, scare effects, animatronics, and actor hides. More than just a haunt tour, you will learn the psychology behind every scare and scene. You will tour POV in the comfort of the classroom setting. This video will be an actual experience as if you were at Shocktoberfest. It will include the tour of the attraction from the customer’s perspective using show lights and then house lights. Additionally, the seminar will show the overview of the design of the Prison and placement of the scares including lighting, sound, animatronics and actors. Patrick will then be available to answer questions after the tour.

Seminars Sponsored By

HALLOWEEN SEMINARS

• Scare Without Touching: No Touch Means Bigger Scares

  Allen Hopps - Dark Hour Haunted House / Stiltbeast Studios

  Thursday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  You don't have to touch people to scare them. Let's work on what is scarier than being touched in a haunted attraction: the psychological reasons why touching might not be the best choice for bigger scares. We will talk about promise breaking through touch, the drawbacks of touching in haunts, and the path to better psychological scares. You will learn practical techniques for building tension, invading personal space without making contact, and creating stronger psychological scares that are safer, more consistent, and easier to reinforce across your entire cast.

• Foundations of Fear 101: A BEGINNER’S tutorial and conversation on launching and sustaining a haunted attraction in the first 5 years (Part 1 of 2)

  Spencer Terry - Fear Factory

  Thursday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  The haunted attraction industry is evolving faster than ever. Shifting consumer expectations, changing spending habits, and new operational realities mean the old playbooks just don't cut it anymore. Whether you're starting a home haunt, expanding a seasonal corn maze, or running a massive, multi-building, 100,000 sq. ft. screampark like Fear Factory in Salt Lake City, Utah, launching in today’s market requires a battle-tested strategy and learning from others’ mistakes to get ahead—FAST. Join Spencer Terry—Equity Owner & GM of Fear Factory SLC and former President of the Haunted Attraction Association—for a transparent, no-nonsense roadmap to building a haunt that lasts. Spencer will peel back the curtain on what it actually takes to launch and sustain a profitable attraction, big or small, through your critical first five years. Whether your annual attendance is 2,000 or 70,000+, Spencer has seen it all and will share the proven lessons he’s learned along the way. Don't just build a haunt—build a business that thrives. Speaker Bio: Spencer Terry is the President Emeritus of the Haunted Attraction Association and the Equity Owner & General Manager of Fear Factory Screampark in Salt Lake City, Utah. Beyond the entertainment industry, Spencer is a serial entrepreneur, board member, and executive advisor—serving as CEO and founder of Mountain High Chai and principal at STCG, a specialized consulting group. His 20+ year career spans over a decade in hospitality, casino operations, retail, property management, large-scale event management, and non-profit leadership, with roles including C-level executive, Executive Director, elected City Councilman, and firefighter. Out of the spotlight, Spencer is an avid outdoor enthusiast, mountain explorer, gardener, devoted dad, life coach, and volunteer—usually found with a cup of chai in hand.

• Sensory Overload: Live FX, Lighting & Atmospheric Effects That Wow Every Guest

  Justin Abundo - iLuminateFX and Josh Letournea - Light Up The Night Productions

  Thursday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  A great set gets noticed. A great scare gets a reaction. But when lighting, atmosphere, live FX, sound, animations, and perfectly timed effects hit together that’s the moment guests remember. Led by two industry professionals with backgrounds in haunted attractions, escape rooms, theme park entertainment, and large scale events, Sensory Overload dives into the techniques behind creating high impact immersive experiences. We’ll explore dynamic lighting, fog and haze, environmental and live FX, sound integration, reveals, distractions, misdirection, and effects timing and how to layer them together for maximum impact. You don’t need an unlimited budget to create a massive reaction. You need the right effect, in the right place, at exactly the right moment. Learn how to make guests see it, hear it, feel it, and remember it.

• HR Matters: There is a Cost to Getting It Wrong - Strong HR practices build productive teams, protect company culture, and reduce legal and financial risk.

  Kelly Hookham - Dreadful Damsels

  Thursday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Every HR failure in a seasonal attraction shows up in one of three places: the hire, the season, or the exit. At the hire, it's illegal application and interview questions, missing documentation, and the person you hired in a hurry who is now costing you good staff. During the season, inconsistent leadership, unclear expectations, and undocumented decisions become wage claims and complaints; usually at your busiest moment, when they are easiest to mishandle. At the exit, it's final pay deadlines, rehire eligibility, and payroll taxes. This session follows the money with real examples: what each failure costs, why it compounds, and the small fixes that stop it. Built for seasonal attractions, not adapted from corporate HR.

• Every Guest Is Worth More: Strategies to Increase Revenue Without Raising Ticket Prices

  Kim Shapiro - Factory of Terror / The schoolhouse and Lab

  Thursday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Increasing revenue doesn’t have to mean increasing admission prices. This fast-paced session will explore practical, proven ways to generate more revenue from every guest—and even from visitors who may not be ready to enter your attraction. Topics include premium and VIP parking, ticket insurance, online upsells, bundled packages, midway-only experiences, food and beverage sales, vendor partnerships and revenue-sharing opportunities, premium add-ons, behind-the-scenes and lights-on tours, and off-season events. Attendees will leave with a variety of creative, actionable ideas they can adapt to their own attraction to increase guest spending, create new revenue streams, and generate income beyond the traditional haunt season.

• Scenic Design to Scare: Creating Environments That Bring Your Attraction to Life

  Alejo Casalotti - Laurel's House of Horrors & Marco D'Andrea - Fear Columbus

  Thursday 3:15pm - 4:15pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Turn ordinary spaces into unforgettable haunted environments! Discover how set design, lighting, textures, and props work together to pull guests into your story, build suspense, and set the stage for powerful scares. Whether you’re creating a new attraction or refreshing existing scenes, get inspired with creative ideas to make every room more believable, more exciting, and more memorable.

• Active Shooter - Improving Safety and Security in the Entertainment Industry

  Bill Cahill - Retired Law Enforcement Professional

  Thursday 3:15pm - 4:15pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Participants will learn practical strategies to strengthen security, develop effective emergency response plans, recognize potential warning signs, respond to an active-shooter incident, and navigate the recovery process. The seminar emphasizes proactive preparedness, coordination with law enforcement and emergency responders, and proven strategies to enhance safety and security for employees, guests, and patrons Speaker Bio: William “Bill” Cahill is a retiree with 35 years of law enforcement experience and currently serves as Security Manager for The Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. Bill spent four years assigned full-time to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a Federal Task Force Officer, a certified FBI Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Instructor, providing active-shooter response training to law enforcement personnel at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Throughout his career, Bill has developed extensive expertise in law enforcement, emergency response, active-shooter preparedness, and security operations, establishing him as a recognized authority in the safety and security community.

• Precision CNC Fabrication for Modern Haunt Production

  Buck Burdick - Station 5 Productions

  Friday 10:15 am - 11:15 am

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  From 3D CAD models to terrifying realities—unlock faster builds, repeatable animatronics, and industrial-grade props without burning out your shop crew. In the modern haunted attraction industry, handsaws and manual foam carving simply can’t keep up with tight offseason deadlines and rising guest expectations. Whether you are building massive structural facade walls, precision-milled animatronic linkages, or hyper-detailed EPS foam creatures, CNC technology is the ultimate force multiplier for your shop. ​This seminar demystifies computer-controlled routing and machining specifically for haunt owners, prop builders, and scenic designers. All your questions about adding CNC capabilities to your attraction will be answered here. Buck will also discuss how to build in 3D. If you want to learn how to take a flat piece of building material and turn it into a 3D set piece, this is the seminar for you. Who Should Attend - Haunt owners, scenic artists, lead builders, prop fabricators, and technical directors looking to scale up production quality and automate tedious manual labor. Speaker Bio: Buck Burdick from Station 5 Productions and Fear Asylum Haunted House. Buck is a 17 year veteran of the attractions industry. He has built attractions all over the United States and overseas. Buck has been one of the "Go-To" experts when it comes to scenic design and CNC fabrication in the industry. Buck has presented numerous times at Transworld and is a trusted vendor of some of the Top Attractions in the Country.  ​

• Beyond the Haunted House: Creating New Experiences, New Audiences, and New Revenue

  Scott Simmons - Scarehouse

  Friday 10:15 am - 11:15 am

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  For decades, haunted attractions have proved that people will pay for unforgettable experiences in the fall. But what happens the other eleven months of the year? And what if your next successful attraction doesn't require a permanent building at all? In this idea-packed seminar, 25+ year industry veteran Scott Simmons explores the growing world of experience-driven entertainment beyond the traditional haunted attraction. Drawing from decades of work with the nationally recognized ScareHouse, along with recent projects produced independently for haunted attractions, museums, escape rooms, entertainment districts, and hospitality clients, Scott shares real-world examples of experiences that build brands, generate revenue, and keep audiences engaged throughout the year. Whether you're an entrepreneur looking to launch your first experience without investing in a permanent facility, or an established haunt owner searching for new ways to maximize an existing property, you'll discover practical ideas that can be adapted to nearly any market and budget. From immersive movie screenings and interactive character encounters to themed pop-up bars, mocktail experiences, vendor markets, seasonal festivals, tailgates, escape experiences, and other creative activations, this seminar examines what makes these events successful, how they can complement your existing business, and how they can introduce entirely new audiences to your brand.

• Engaging in the Queue & Owning the Midway: Front‑of‑House Scareacting

  Jonathan Glickman - Fright Nights at the South Florida Fairgrounds

  Friday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 132

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  This seminar is designed for actor trainers and performers looking to elevate their work in the queue line and midway—two of the most dynamic, high‑impact spaces in any haunted attraction. In the queue line, we’ll explore a character‑driven method of guest engagement, providing practical tools and techniques for building, inhabiting, and sustaining a character that connects quickly and meaningfully with guests. In the midway, the focus shifts to maximizing visibility, movement, and teamwork. Participants will learn how to utilize the space effectively, employ hit‑and‑run style interactions, and coordinate with fellow performers to maximize the impact of these characters that are often the guests’ initial encounter with your attraction.

• Projection Mapping Boot Camp: 10 Tangible Ways to Go from Static to Spectacular

  Ross Arroyo - Illumibot & Todd Fedyshyn - His and Hearse

  Friday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Stop settling for static. In this hands-on boot camp, Ross and Todd walk you through 10 tangible, real-world ways to add projection mapping to your event and make it instantly more memorable. This is not a lecture. It’s a guided tour of the cheats, tools, and methods we’ve actually used in the field. Bring a notebook — you’ll leave with tactics you can put to work right away. You do not have to be a super nerd. AI has changed the game, and we’re sharing the secret sauce that now lets almost anyone do this. Built for haunts, escape rooms, Christmas events, municipalities, zoos, and anyone who wants to turn ordinary surfaces into something people talk about. Roll up your sleeves. Get ready to become a mapper.

• How to Greatly Improve Your Attraction’s Marketing Without Increasing Your Budget (So You Sell More Tickets & Build a Following)

  Brad Weinstein - Newbridge

  Friday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Want to learn how to greatly improve your attraction's marketing so you can sell more tickets (and grow your fan base) in 2027? 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 take your marketing to the next level (that don't involve spending more money). 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: How to be more strategic with your current marketing budget (and tips to avoid wasting it). Why your marketing is probably not as effective as it should be (and how to fix it). Critical factors to keep in mind when developing & shaping your attraction's brand (to increase long-term success). Expensive marketing mistakes you should avoid this year. How to increase the chance your marketing attracts the right customers (who are more likely to leave positive reviews & spread good word of mouth). Learn strategic tweaks you can make to your ads and messaging to increase success (small tweaks can make a big difference). Insights on how to create the right brand personality & ads for your specific audience and market (to sell more tickets). And more! You will leave this seminar empowered with clear & actionable takeaways you can implement this season to greatly improve your attraction's marketing in 2027 and beyond! Speaker Bio: Brad’s experience includes The Walt Disney Company, Elitch Gardens Theme Park, Google, professional haunted attractions, and world class advertising agencies in NYC.

• Killer Foam Tombstones & Monster Mud Statues

  Cheryl Callendar

  Friday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 132

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  In-depth, hands-on look at creating terrifyingly realistic foam tombstones for your home haunt, yard display, or professional attraction. This seminar will cover everything from selecting and carving foam to adding realistic aging, cracks, epitaphs, stone textures, and eerie paint finishes that make lightweight foam look like centuries-old granite. You’ll also learn the secrets behind using Monster Mud to add durability, texture, and that unmistakable weathered cemetery look that takes your props to the next level. Whether you’re building your very first graveyard or looking to elevate your haunt artistry, this session is packed with professional techniques, creative inspiration, and practical tips. Come learn how to create tombstones so realistic… your guests may start checking the dates.

• 31 Scares in 60 minutes

  Ben Armstrong - Netherworld Haunted House & Allen Hopps - Dark Hour Haunted House / Stiltbeast Studios

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  The best scares we ever designed or implemented. With over 70 years of haunted attractions under these two amazingly creative Haunters, they are looking through time and sharing the ideas, room designs, plans, and products that brought them the best scares over the years- great scares that work for small haunts and the ones that allow massive throughput to work seamlessly. Every haunter at any level will get value from this class. Fast-paced and packed with high-value tips- be prepared to take notes!

• The Future Is Already Here: Winning the Next Generation of Haunt Fans

  Scott Simmons - ScareHouse

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  The next generation of haunt fans is changing the industry and rewriting the rules entirely. Following last year's vital session, this updated seminar returns with the very latest consumer research and emerging trends that every haunted attraction owner needs to understand RIGHT NOW. Built on years of research and the most current data available from nationally recognized leaders in tourism, attractions, and consumer behavior, this presentation focuses on the rapidly evolving habits of Generations Z and Alpha (the audiences that now drive the overwhelming majority of haunted attraction attendance.) Consumer behavior isn't static. The way your guests discover, research, evaluate, and choose entertainment experiences is changing faster than ever. Many attraction owners learned the hard way that marketing strategies and operational approaches that worked just a few years ago no longer deliver the same results. This seminar will show you how to avoid those costly mistakes before Fall 2027. You'll discover how these emerging generations use AI, social media, online reviews, and digital communities to make decisions; what kinds of advertising they trust (and instantly ignore); what they expect before they ever purchase a ticket; and how their engagement habits are fundamentally reshaping the haunted attraction industry. Most importantly, you'll leave with practical, research-backed strategies you can apply immediately to your marketing, guest experience, and long-term planning.

• Foundations of Fear 201: An ADVANCED conversation on Scaling, Sustaining, & Going Full-Time (Part 2 of 2)

  Spencer Terry - Fear Factory

  Friday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 132

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Opening a haunted house may actually be the easy part—building a sustainable, profitable empire that allows you to quit your day job is where the real work begins. How do you transform a seasonal passion project into a premier destination that guests and staff are dying to return to year after year? Join Spencer Terry—Equity Owner & GM of Fear Factory SLC and former President of the Haunted Attraction Association—for a transparent, no-nonsense masterclass in building a haunt that lasts. In this highly requested masterclass, Spencer will peel back the curtain on what it actually takes to scale and sustain a profitable attraction AFTER your first 5 to 10 years in business. Whether your annual attendance is 2,000 or 70,000+, Spencer has seen it all. He'll share the financial, operational, and marketing strategies that built one of the world's consistently top-rated attractions, Fear Factory SLC, unveiling the raw, unfiltered learning moments and high-level frameworks his team used to scale a 100,000 sq. ft. screampark safely and successfully. Take your attraction from a seasonal success, to a thriving long-term business.

• Beyond the Scare: Advanced Haunt Actor Training

  Carl Augustine - Witch Doctors

  Friday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Methods and techniques for deep character development, storytelling and creating the environment for your best actors to flourish beyond simply getting the scare.

• Injuries & Emergency Planning: Protecting Guests, Actors and Your Business. Understanding your duty of care and the hidden risks many attraction owners ignore until it is too late

  Billy Groeneveld - HauntShield Risk Advisors

  Friday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Protecting your guests, actors, and business is one of your most important responsibilities as a haunt owner. But do you understand what that responsibility means—and where your attraction may be vulnerable? This seminar breaks down Duty of Care, Standard of Care, and the potential limits of common defenses, including assumption of risk, independent contractor status, and operating in a leased building. Explore how negligence and vicarious liability can affect your business, and learn practical steps to strengthen safety procedures, prepare for incidents, and maintain thorough documentation and training records. Whether you oversee safety personally or rely on your team and legal counsel, understanding your role is essential. Walk away better prepared to manage risk, respond to the unexpected, and protect the people who make your attraction possible.

• Scenic Secrets: The Methods Behind World Class Attractions

  Bryce Alexander - BryceHhorrorFX & Brittany Patterson

  Saturday 10:15 am - 11:15 am

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Go behind the scenes with professional scenic artists whose work has helped shape some of the industry’s most recognized haunted attractions and themed entertainment experiences. This seminar explores the techniques, materials, and workflows used to create realistic aging, layering, texture, and shocking scenic finishes. Whether you’re building a haunted house, escape room, or theme park attraction, you’ll leave with practical methods and professional insights you can immediately apply to your next project. Transform your sets and scenes overnight with the techniques discussed in this seminar.

• Open Safely: A Fire and Life-Safety Checklist for Haunted Attractions

  Holly Burgess - National Fire Protection Association

  Saturday 10:15 am - 11:15 am

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  How to identify and correct common fire and life-safety hazards before opening night. This session will examine emergency exits and egress routes, overcrowding, combustible décor, electrical hazards, fog and special effects, fire extinguishers, employee training, and other issues that can delay an inspection—or place guests and employees at risk. Attendees will leave with a practical checklist they can use to evaluate their own attraction.

• The Psychology of Fear: Inspiring Terror in a Desensitized World

  Angelica Karns - Laurel’s House of Horrors

  Saturday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  The human mind is a powerful thing in many ways, but in other ways is endlessly fragile. It only takes a single moment of pure terror to tear a hole in it. Learn how to transfigure a stagnant scare pattern into a series of interactions that encroaches upon, infiltrates, and contaminates your unsuspecting guests minds and leaves a mental void in its wake that you can live in far beyond the time they leave your attraction. From biological reactions that trigger from each fear response, to what can break the mind's ability to process patterns, learn to utilize and wield the unknown to mentally overpower guests and heighten their experience to unforeseen levels.

• From Spectator to Participant: Designing Interactive and Engaging Experiences

  David Peace - Experience Lights

  Saturday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

• Monster-Making Master Class: Faster Makeup, Bigger Impact with Nix Herrera

  Nix Herrera - Nix Body Art

  Saturday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 132

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Create monsters your guests will never forget! Join special effects makeup artist Nix Herrera as he shares tips, tricks, and time-saving techniques he has learned over the past 30 years. Discover how to work more efficiently, keep your makeup line moving, and transform your actors into unforgettable characters. Explore how to add depth, detail, and personality with airbrush techniques, makeup, and prosthetics. Nix will demonstrate practical shortcuts, explain where to focus your time for the biggest visual impact, and share ways to avoid common mistakes and handle touch-ups throughout the night. From organizing your station to getting your cast ready for opening, learn how to streamline your process without sacrificing the details that bring your monsters to life!

• ITS ALIVE! Building Colossal Creatures from the Prop Graveyard

  Ryan Visingard - Woods of Terror

  Saturday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Lightning strikes, the thunder roars, and the spark of life is yours to command! Step into the realm of pure mad science and learn the forbidden art of reanimating forgotten graveyard scraps, shattered armatures, and discarded prop remains into towering, colossal abominations. Channel your inner Dr. Frankenstein as we dismantle the graveyard of broken gear, harness scavenged engineering, and stitch together gargantuan silhouettes that will shock and terrify all who gaze upon them. Dare to breach the boundaries of conventional creation—it’s time to unleash your greatest, most monstrous masterpiece upon the world!

• Making Haunt Content: Build the audience you want!

  Britain Bennett - Digital Creator / Dave Appel - Horrorprops / Jay Grenier - Wicked Makers

  Saturday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 132

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

• Dragons, Dinos & Demons, Oh My! — The Art of Creating Giant Foam Creatures

  Dan Faupel - Erebus Haunted House

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Creating a giant creature is one thing. Creating one that is lightweight, durable, believable, and actually buildable is another! In this seminar, veteran attraction designer and fabricator Dan Faupel will share more than 30 years of experience designing and building oversized creatures, characters, props, and scenic elements for haunted attractions and themed entertainment. Follow the process from the first sketch to the finished monster as Dan breaks down how large-scale foam creations are designed, engineered, carved, assembled, textured, coated, detailed, and finished. Learn how to: *Choose the right type of foam, create strong but lightweight structures, select the right tools and adhesives, hide seams, build convincing textures, and turn simple blocks of foam into massive dimensional creations. Dan will also take a behind-the-scenes look at several of his recent projects, explaining the challenges encountered during fabrication and the techniques used to solve them. Whether you're preparing to tackle your first large foam project or you've been carving for years, you'll leave with practical techniques, shortcuts, and tricks you can put to work on your next dragon, dinosaur, demon—or whatever giant creature you can dream up!

• Engineering Fear: Designing Haunted Attractions That Keep Guests Guessing and Engaged

  Dylan DeFatta - Haunted Hotel / Haunted Trail of Balboa Park - San Diego

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 132

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Great haunted houses don't happen by accident! Learn how attraction layout, pacing, sight-lines, bottlenecks, and scene transitions are critical for creating stronger scares, smoother operations, and unforgettable experiences from entry to exit.

• Mastering the Monster Business

  Ed Edmunds - Distortions Unlimited & Allen Hopps - Dark Hour Haunted House / Stiltbeast studios

  Saturday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 123

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Ed and Allen have built, lost, rebuilt, and reinvented businesses around one thing they know exceptionally well—making monsters. In this candid one-hour session, they’ll pull back the curtain on decades of experience, sharing favorite projects, difficult challenges, hard-earned successes, costly failures, near disasters, and the decisions that kept them moving forward. Why should you take this class? Because succeeding in the monster business takes more than creativity and a great product. It takes knowing when to take a risk, when to change direction, how to recover when something doesn’t work, and how to recognize the next opportunity before it passes you by. Ed and Allen have pivoted their careers multiple times and will share the signs that told them it was time to change lanes, rethink their approach, and pursue a different path to success. You’ll hear real-world lessons learned from decades of turning creativity into a business—and discover how those lessons can apply to your own attraction, product, or company. Whether you're building monsters, running an attraction, developing products, or growing a creative business, you'll leave with practical insight, inspiration, and a better understanding of how to adapt, survive, and build your own monster success story.

• Virtual Tour of The Prison of the Dead at Shocktoberfest including Scares, Behind the Scenes and Full Design

  Pat Konopelski - Schocktoberfest

  Saturday 3:15pm-4:15pm

  Room 120

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Join 36 year haunt veteran and Shocktoberfest owner Patrick Konopelski, as he takes you on a Virtual Haunt Tour of the 50,000 ‘scare’ foot Prison of the Dead Mega Haunt located at Shocktoberfest in Reading, PA with behind the scenes and in-depth explanation of design and scares. You will learn how to build a haunted house from start to finish! For the first time ever at Transworld you will tour and see everything from design, floor plan, scare effects, animatronics, and actor hides. More than just a haunt tour, you will learn the psychology behind every scare and scene. You will tour POV in the comfort of the classroom setting. This video will be an actual experience as if you were at Shocktoberfest. It will include the tour of the attraction from the customer’s perspective using show lights and then house lights. Additionally, the seminar will show the overview of the design of the Prison and placement of the scares including lighting, sound, animatronics and actors. Patrick will then be available to answer questions after the tour.

Seminars Sponsored By

CHRISTMAS SEMINARS

• Interior Holiday Design Workshop - Day 1

  Presented by the Christmas Design Institute BIO: Heather Lundervold is the Founder and owner of Christmas Design Institute, where she mentors, consults and certifies the next generation of professional holiday designers. She is also the founder of Elves to the Rescue ~ Professional Holiday Design & Installation – a premier luxury holiday decorating and installation firm, ICHD – The International Conference of Holiday design – (HolliCon) and PAHD – The Professional Association of Holiday Designers – A professional organization uniting and elevating designers. The organization provides premier education, collaborative community, exclusive industry partnerships, career opportunity, credibility and professional growth. With more than 26 years in the luxury design industry, Heather has built a reputation for delivering high-level, white-glove service, impeccably trained teams, and breathtaking seasonal transformations. Her installation company is a seven-figure enterprise serving over 100 clients each season. Her work has been featured in national and regional publications including USA Today, ELLE Decor, Phoenix Home & Gardens, Channel 3, 12, 5, 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 and Las Vegas. 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.

  Thursday 9:00AM - 5:00PM

  $175/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $195/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Whether you want to transform your home like a holiday pro, scale your existing business, or become a professional holiday designer this workshop is for you. The Holiday Design Masterclass Workshop Series covers interior holiday design, decorating fundamentals and business principles. Enroll in day 1, 2 or both – You will receive a certificate of completion for each day. Certification is available through Christmas Design Institute. Who should attend: Anyone interested in starting and scaling a holiday design business Anyone interested in transforming their home like a holiday pro Anyone looking to become a professionally trained designer Established holiday lighting installers who wish to expand their business or network with other installers to share ideas and gain knowledge Anyone seeking an off-season business opportunity Thursday, February 25th | Day 1, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm The Business of Christmas: Make 6 Figures in 6 Weeks – Your Business Blueprint *Start and Scale Your Business This workshop will teach you how to properly launch and scale your business to 6-7 figures and beyond. You will learn how to build a thriving holiday interior design business using our proven strategies that combine creative skill with smart business systems. With our proven framework you will learn how to confidently attract all types of clients, price your services correctly, and deliver high-end installations with confidence. *Add Interior Holiday Design to Your Existing Business Don’t leave money on the table! Add interior design to your existing business and increase your bottom line. We will teach you everything you need to know including how to hire quality designers and where to find them. *How to Make Money with Interior Holiday Design Understand all the ways you can utilize this industry, leverage your creativity, design skills and position yourself as a skilled Christmas decorator. By offering a wide range of services, and market creatively, you can build a profitable year round holiday business and a successful career as a professional holiday designer. *Professional Installation Proper installation techniques mean a professional finish and happy clients. We’ll give you the know-how that will set your work apart. *Take Down & Storage What goes up must come down… and then be packed away. Learn how to properly take down clients’ decor, pack and storage solutions. *Business Management Simple software solutions – Set the foundation for long term growth. Learn about the done for you designer toolkit and the plug and play system we have designed specifically for interior holiday design businesses. *Marketing & How to Book Luxury Clients You could be the best designer around, but if no one knows about you, the phone won’t be ringing. Understand how to promote your business, book luxury clientele and what you need to do to make sure your installation calendar stays full. *How to Bid, and Write a Design Proposal Learn the steps to properly write a design proposal and make sure you stay profitable. *Hands on Practice Practice writing proposals *Resorts, Hotels and Commercial Installs Learn how to get booked, plan, design, and execute large-scale holiday décor for hotels, resorts, and luxury venues. *Hiring and Managing Team Members, Creating Strategic Partnerships Learn where to find designers, how to hire and work with subcontractors to scale your company *Going To Market Where and How to Purchase Decor – Knowing where and how to source your décor is the difference between an ordinary holiday installation and a professional, luxury design that wows clients. Learn how to navigate design markets, retail and online resources to source high-quality luxury holiday décor. *How to Set Yourself Apart from Your Competition Setting yourself apart isn’t just about being “good at decorating”; it’s about creating a recognizable brand, offering a unique value, and delivering an elevated client experience. You will learn tips to set yourself apart and stand out. *How to Make It a Year Round Business Holiday Design is extremely lucrative for a few months out of the year, but what do you do the rest of the time? We’ll discuss options and ideas to diversify your business to stay busy all year long. *6 Figure Interior Holiday Design Blueprint Scale and increase your revenue by adding a 6-7 figure holiday division to your business. Make six figures in six weeks. 9:00 am – 1:00 pm *Start and Scale Your Business *Add Interior Holiday Design to Your Existing Business *How to Make Money with Interior Holiday Design *Professional Installation *Take Down & Storage *Business Management – Simple Software solutions *Marketing & How to Book Luxury Clients *How to Bid, and Write a Design Proposal 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Lunch (on your own) 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm *Hands on Practice – Practice Writing Proposals *Resorts, Hotels and Commercial Installs *Hiring and Managing Team Members, Creating Strategic Partnerships *Going To Market – Where and How to Purchase Decor *How to Set Yourself Apart from Your Competition *How to Make It a Year Round Business *6 Figure Interior Holiday Design Blueprint

• Interior Holiday Design Workshop - Day 1 & Day 2 Both Days (Includes General Admission to Trade Show)

  Presented by the Christmas Design Institute BIO: Heather Lundervold is the Founder and owner of Christmas Design Institute, where she mentors, consults and certifies the next generation of professional holiday designers. She is also the founder of Elves to the Rescue ~ Professional Holiday Design & Installation – a premier luxury holiday decorating and installation firm, ICHD – The International Conference of Holiday design – (HolliCon) and PAHD – The Professional Association of Holiday Designers – A professional organization uniting and elevating designers. The organization provides premier education, collaborative community, exclusive industry partnerships, career opportunity, credibility and professional growth. With more than 26 years in the luxury design industry, Heather has built a reputation for delivering high-level, white-glove service, impeccably trained teams, and breathtaking seasonal transformations. Her installation company is a seven-figure enterprise serving over 100 clients each season. Her work has been featured in national and regional publications including USA Today, ELLE Decor, Phoenix Home & Gardens, Channel 3, 12, 5, 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 and Las Vegas. 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.

  Thursday 9:00am-5:00pm

  $325/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $345/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Whether you want to transform your home like a holiday pro, scale your existing business, or become a professional holiday designer this workshop is for you. The Holiday Design Masterclass Workshop Series covers interior holiday design, decorating fundamentals and business principles. Enroll in day 1, 2 or both – You will receive a certificate of completion for each day. Certification is available through Christmas Design Institute. Who should attend: Anyone interested in starting and scaling a holiday design business Anyone interested in transforming their home like a holiday pro Anyone looking to become a professionally trained designer Established holiday lighting installers who wish to expand their business or network with other installers to share ideas and gain knowledge Anyone seeking an off-season business opportunity Thursday, February 25th | Day 1, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm The Business of Christmas: Make 6 Figures in 6 Weeks – Your Business Blueprint *Start and Scale Your Business This workshop will teach you how to properly launch and scale your business to 6-7 figures and beyond. You will learn how to build a thriving holiday interior design business using our proven strategies that combine creative skill with smart business systems. With our proven framework you will learn how to confidently attract all types of clients, price your services correctly, and deliver high-end installations with confidence. *Add Interior Holiday Design to Your Existing Business Don’t leave money on the table! Add interior design to your existing business and increase your bottom line. We will teach you everything you need to know including how to hire quality designers and where to find them. *How to Make Money with Interior Holiday Design Understand all the ways you can utilize this industry, leverage your creativity, design skills and position yourself as a skilled Christmas decorator. By offering a wide range of services, and market creatively, you can build a profitable year round holiday business and a successful career as a professional holiday designer. *Professional Installation Proper installation techniques mean a professional finish and happy clients. We’ll give you the know-how that will set your work apart. *Take Down & Storage What goes up must come down… and then be packed away. Learn how to properly take down clients’ decor, pack and storage solutions. *Business Management Simple software solutions – Set the foundation for long term growth. Learn about the done for you designer toolkit and the plug and play system we have designed specifically for interior holiday design businesses. *Marketing & How to Book Luxury Clients You could be the best designer around, but if no one knows about you, the phone won’t be ringing. Understand how to promote your business, book luxury clientele and what you need to do to make sure your installation calendar stays full. *How to Bid, and Write a Design Proposal Learn the steps to properly write a design proposal and make sure you stay profitable. *Hands on Practice Practice writing proposals *Resorts, Hotels and Commercial Installs Learn how to get booked, plan, design, and execute large-scale holiday décor for hotels, resorts, and luxury venues. *Hiring and Managing Team Members, Creating Strategic Partnerships Learn where to find designers, how to hire and work with subcontractors to scale your company *Going To Market Where and How to Purchase Decor – Knowing where and how to source your décor is the difference between an ordinary holiday installation and a professional, luxury design that wows clients. Learn how to navigate design markets, retail and online resources to source high-quality luxury holiday décor. *How to Set Yourself Apart from Your Competition Setting yourself apart isn’t just about being “good at decorating”; it’s about creating a recognizable brand, offering a unique value, and delivering an elevated client experience. You will learn tips to set yourself apart and stand out. *How to Make It a Year Round Business Holiday Design is extremely lucrative for a few months out of the year, but what do you do the rest of the time? We’ll discuss options and ideas to diversify your business to stay busy all year long. *6 Figure Interior Holiday Design Blueprint Scale and increase your revenue by adding a 6-7 figure holiday division to your business. Make six figures in six weeks. 9:00 am – 1:00 pm *Start and Scale Your Business *Add Interior Holiday Design to Your Existing Business *How to Make Money with Interior Holiday Design *Professional Installation *Take Down & Storage *Business Management – Simple Software solutions *Marketing & How to Book Luxury Clients *How to Bid, and Write a Design Proposal 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Lunch (on your own) 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm *Hands on Practice – Practice Writing Proposals *Resorts, Hotels and Commercial Installs *Hiring and Managing Team Members, Creating Strategic Partnerships *Going To Market – Where and How to Purchase Decor *How to Set Yourself Apart from Your Competition *How to Make It a Year Round Business *6 Figure Interior Holiday Design Blueprint Friday, February 26th | Day 2, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Decorate Like a Holiday Pro & Professional Luxury Tree Styling Learn the Principles of Design and Become a Holiday Decorating Pro *Principles of Holiday Design Go from Hobby Lobby to Luxury – This is how professional holiday designers actually think. Because beautiful holiday design isn’t about buying more decorations, it’s about understanding scale, layering, and how to create a space that feels cohesive and elevated. Once you understand these principles, you can design anything at a high level. *Beautiful Bows & Ribbon Techniques Hands on Practice Learn the art of creating luxury-quality bows and professional ribbon techniques used in high-end Christmas installations. Ribbon is one of the biggest differentiators between holiday decor that looks decorated or professionally designed. Move beyond basic bows into structured, designer-level techniques that add movement, dimension, elegance and a true luxury finish to trees, wreaths, and garlands. Even if you are an exterior installer, bow making is a service you can provide or add on as an upcharge. *Holiday Tablescapes Learn how to create elegant, professionally styled holiday tablescapes that transform everyday dining spaces into memorable, high-end experiences for gatherings and celebrations. Learn a designer approach to layering, composition, and storytelling, resulting in tables that feel cohesive, elevated, and visually stunning. This class is NOT “How to set a table” It IS: How to create an experience through intentional, high-end design. *Gorgeous Garlands and Wreaths Learn how to create lush, professionally styled garlands and wreaths that elevate any space during the holiday season. *Holiday Themes and Recipes Rather than randomly selecting décor, you will be guided through a repeatable design system for choosing colors, materials, and decor elements. You will learn how to choose cohesive holiday themes so your designs look intentional, cohesive and elevated. *Decorate Your Tree Like a Holiday Pro If you’ve ever decorated a tree and felt like something was missing, there is a reason for that. Professional holiday designers don’t just decorate, they build a tree using structure, layering, and intentional placement. Learn how to transform a standard Christmas tree into a professionally styled, luxury focal point using the same techniques trusted by high-end holiday designers. Rather than guessing what professional designers do, you will be guided through a proven, step-by-step decorating system that creates depth, balance, and visual impact resulting in a tree that looks full, cohesive, and expertly designed. This class is NOT about: “How to decorate a tree” It IS about: Learning a professional design system that creates a luxury result. We will cover lighting and trouble shooting, ribbon techniques, toppers, decor placement, choosing the correct tree Tradeshow Tour and Introductions Get a personalized tour of the tradeshow floor. Receive personalized introductions to the vendors that you will want to know and develop relationships with. Get special discount codes exclusive to Christmas Design Institute and Transworld 9:00 pm – 12:00 pm *Principles of Design *Beautiful Bows & Ribbon Techniques – Hands on Practice *Holiday Tablescapes *Gorgeous Garlands and Wreaths *Holiday Themes and Recipes 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Lunch (On your own) 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm *Decorate Your Tree Like a Holiday Pro 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm *Tradeshow Tour and Introductions

• Interior Holiday Design Workshop - Day 2

  Presented by the Christmas Design Institute BIO: Heather Lundervold is the Founder and owner of Christmas Design Institute, where she mentors, consults and certifies the next generation of professional holiday designers. She is also the founder of Elves to the Rescue ~ Professional Holiday Design & Installation – a premier luxury holiday decorating and installation firm, ICHD – The International Conference of Holiday design – (HolliCon) and PAHD – The Professional Association of Holiday Designers – A professional organization uniting and elevating designers. The organization provides premier education, collaborative community, exclusive industry partnerships, career opportunity, credibility and professional growth. With more than 26 years in the luxury design industry, Heather has built a reputation for delivering high-level, white-glove service, impeccably trained teams, and breathtaking seasonal transformations. Her installation company is a seven-figure enterprise serving over 100 clients each season. Her work has been featured in national and regional publications including USA Today, ELLE Decor, Phoenix Home & Gardens, Channel 3, 12, 5, 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 and Las Vegas. 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.

  Friday 9:00AM - 5:00PM

  $175/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $195/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Whether you want to transform your home like a holiday pro, scale your existing business, or become a professional holiday designer this workshop is for you. The Holiday Design Masterclass Workshop Series covers interior holiday design, decorating fundamentals and business principles. Enroll in day 1, 2 or both – You will receive a certificate of completion for each day. Certification is available through Christmas Design Institute. Who should attend: *Anyone interested in starting and scaling a holiday design business *Anyone interested in transforming their home like a holiday pro *Anyone looking to become a professionally trained designer *Established holiday lighting installers who wish to expand their business or network with other installers to share ideas and gain knowledge *Anyone seeking an off-season business opportunity Decorate Like a Holiday Pro & Professional Luxury Tree Styling Learn the Principles of Design and Become a Holiday Decorating Pro *Principles of Holiday Design Go from Hobby Lobby to Luxury – This is how professional holiday designers actually think. Because beautiful holiday design isn’t about buying more decorations, it’s about understanding scale, layering, and how to create a space that feels cohesive and elevated. Once you understand these principles, you can design anything at a high level. *Beautiful Bows & Ribbon Techniques Hands on Practice Learn the art of creating luxury-quality bows and professional ribbon techniques used in high-end Christmas installations. Ribbon is one of the biggest differentiators between holiday decor that looks decorated or professionally designed. Move beyond basic bows into structured, designer-level techniques that add movement, dimension, elegance and a true luxury finish to trees, wreaths, and garlands. Even if you are an exterior installer, bow making is a service you can provide or add on as an upcharge. *Holiday Tablescapes Learn how to create elegant, professionally styled holiday tablescapes that transform everyday dining spaces into memorable, high-end experiences for gatherings and celebrations. Learn a designer approach to layering, composition, and storytelling, resulting in tables that feel cohesive, elevated, and visually stunning. This class is NOT “How to set a table” It IS: How to create an experience through intentional, high-end design. *Gorgeous Garlands and Wreaths Learn how to create lush, professionally styled garlands and wreaths that elevate any space during the holiday season. *Holiday Themes and Recipes Rather than randomly selecting décor, you will be guided through a repeatable design system for choosing colors, materials, and decor elements. You will learn how to choose cohesive holiday themes so your designs look intentional, cohesive and elevated. *Decorate Your Tree Like a Holiday Pro If you’ve ever decorated a tree and felt like something was missing, there is a reason for that. Professional holiday designers don’t just decorate, they build a tree using structure, layering, and intentional placement. Learn how to transform a standard Christmas tree into a professionally styled, luxury focal point using the same techniques trusted by high-end holiday designers. Rather than guessing what professional designers do, you will be guided through a proven, step-by-step decorating system that creates depth, balance, and visual impact resulting in a tree that looks full, cohesive, and expertly designed. This class is NOT about: “How to decorate a tree” It IS about: Learning a professional design system that creates a luxury result. We will cover lighting and trouble shooting, ribbon techniques, toppers, decor placement, choosing the correct tree Tradeshow Tour and Introductions Get a personalized tour of the tradeshow floor. Receive personalized introductions to the vendors that you will want to know and develop relationships with. Get special discount codes exclusive to Christmas Design Institute and Transworld 9:00 pm – 12:00 pm *Principles of Design *Beautiful Bows & Ribbon Techniques – Hands on Practice *Holiday Tablescapes *Gorgeous Garlands and Wreaths *Holiday Themes and Recipes 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Lunch (on your own) 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm *Decorate Your Tree Like a Holiday Pro 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm *Tradeshow Tour and Introductions

Seminars Sponsored By

INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT SEMINARS

• Built to Believe: Creating Scenic Environments That Sell the Illusion

  Bryce Alexander - St. Louis Escape Rooms and The Darkness Haunted House

  Thursday 12:45pm-1:45pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Guests know when a space feels real, and they definitely know when it does not. Creating believable environments is about more than adding props to a room. Every texture, finish, object, sightline and scenic choice works together to convince guests that they have stepped somewhere completely different. In this seminar, Bryce Alexander explores the design decisions that turn ordinary spaces into immersive worlds. Learn how to build visual layers, establish a sense of place, use aging and finishing techniques effectively and identify the small details that make environments feel lived-in instead of decorated. This session will also look at where to focus your time and budget for the greatest impact and how to avoid scenic choices that accidentally break the illusion you worked so hard to create. If you want guests to stop seeing walls, props and sets and start believing in the world around them, this seminar will give you practical techniques for creating environments that look stronger, feel richer and sell the story from every angle.

• Reviews to Revenue: Turning Guest Feedback Into Your Competitive Advantage

  Zack Oates - Ovation

  Thursday 10:15 am - 11:15 am

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Your reviews are telling you exactly what guests love, what frustrates them and why they choose one attraction over another. The question is whether you are actually listening. In this seminar, Zack Oates explores how guest feedback can become one of the most powerful tools for improving your attraction and growing your business. Learn how to look beyond the star rating and uncover patterns that reveal what guests value most, where experiences are falling short and which improvements can have the greatest impact. This session will dive into strategies for generating more quality reviews, responding effectively to both positive and negative feedback and using guest sentiment to improve operations, marketing and the overall customer experience. You will also learn how reviews influence future customers long before they ever visit and how the right feedback strategy can strengthen trust, increase conversions and help your attraction stand out in a competitive market. If you are ready to stop treating reviews as something that happens after the experience and start using them as a tool to build a better business, this seminar will show you how to turn guest feedback into action and action into revenue.

• Trade Secrets: Real-World Hacks for Better Interactive Experiences!

  Deanna Fleming - Mystery Mansion, Intrigue Little Rock and Escape Unknown | Amy Philip - Escape Games PDX and Fire House Axes | Jessica Souza - Extreme Escape - Redding and Timberlords

  Thursday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Sometimes the biggest improvements do not come from massive renovations, expensive technology or complete overhauls. They come from the smart little things experienced operators learn after years of running attractions every single day. This fast-paced seminar brings together three seasoned interactive entertainment operators to share the tricks, shortcuts, fixes and hard-earned lessons that make experiences run better. From operations and staffing to guest flow, game design, customer service, marketing and revenue, this session focuses on the practical details that can make an immediate difference in your business. Expect real examples, clever solutions and plenty of ideas you can take home and put to work without a massive budget or months of planning. If you are looking for fresh ideas from operators who have already tested, adjusted and learned the hard way, Trade Secrets will leave you with a notebook full of ways to work smarter, improve your experience and make your business better one smart move at a time.

• Designed for Fun: Building Experiences That Engage Every Guest

  Jono Naito-Tetro - Intigue X Inc and DVC Games

  Thursday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Fun sounds simple until you have to design it. Different guests arrive with different personalities, abilities, expectations and experience levels. The challenge is creating something that allows all of them to participate, contribute and walk away feeling like the experience was built for them. In this seminar, Jono Naito-Tetro explores what makes interactive experiences genuinely fun and how thoughtful design can keep more guests engaged from beginning to end. Learn how pacing, feedback, challenge, choice, collaboration and moments of success influence the way guests experience your attraction. This session will look beyond individual puzzles or activities and focus on the entire player journey including how guests are introduced to an experience, how confidence is built, where frustration develops and what designers can do to keep momentum moving forward. If you want to create experiences that connect with more people, generate stronger reactions and leave guests saying “we have to do that again,” this seminar will help you design with one of the most important goals in entertainment front and center: FUN.

• Powering the Experience: Tech Trends, Tools & Systems Shaping Interactive Attractions

  Regan Norton - Panic Wizard

  Thursday 3:15pm - 4:15pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Technology is moving fast and interactive entertainment is moving with it. New controllers, sensors, software, automation tools and connected systems are giving attraction designers more ways than ever to create responsive environments. But more technology does not automatically mean a better experience. The real opportunity is knowing which tools can actually make your attraction smarter, more reliable and more engaging. In this seminar, Regan Norton explores the technologies shaping the next generation of interactive attractions and how operators can begin using them with purpose. Learn what is changing, which tools deserve your attention and how modern systems can improve everything from effects and guest interaction to show control and behind-the-scenes operations. This session is designed to make emerging technology approachable whether you are a technical builder or an operator trying to better understand what is possible. If you want to future-proof your attraction, ask better questions and make smarter technology decisions, this seminar will help you understand what is coming next and how to start putting it to work today.

• The Growth Blueprint: Building a Business That Can Scale

  Tamara Breland - NW Escape Experience

  Friday 10:15 am-11:15 am

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Growing a business is exciting. Growing one without the right systems can quickly become overwhelming. What works when you have one attraction, a small team and an owner involved in every decision often stops working as the business expands. Sustainable growth requires structure, leadership and systems that allow the company to move forward without everything depending on one person. In this seminar, Tamara Breland explores the foundations operators need to build before growth starts creating more problems than opportunities. Learn how to identify bottlenecks, build stronger teams, delegate effectively, document processes and create systems capable of supporting the next stage of your business. This session is designed for owners who want to move from constantly working inside their business to intentionally building one that can operate, grow and succeed beyond them. If you are ready to add locations, expand your offerings, grow your team or simply create a business that does not require you to solve every problem personally, The Growth Blueprint will help you build the foundation to scale with greater clarity and confidence.

• Winning Attention: Marketing Interactive Entertainment in a Crowded World

  Nicole Ginsburg - Intrigue X Inc and Frightmare Farms Haunted Scream Park

  Friday 11:30am-12:30pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Marketing has changed fast, and the way people discover, evaluate and choose experiences has changed with it! Guests are being marketed to constantly. Their attention is fragmented, algorithms keep shifting and every business is competing for the same limited time, money and interest. Simply posting more is no longer enough. The brands winning today are the ones that know how to earn attention, create momentum and give people a compelling reason to care. This seminar breaks down what is actually working right now for interactive entertainment businesses and how to put those strategies to work without chasing every trend or becoming a full-time content creator. Learn how to create stronger hooks, sharpen your message, tell better stories and build campaigns around experiences instead of endless discounts. Discover how to turn the moments already happening inside your attraction into content people want to watch, share and act on while using social media, email, video, community marketing and real-world promotion together as one connected strategy. The goal is not simply to reach more people. It is to reach the right people with a message strong enough to make them stop, care and choose your experience over everything else competing for their attention. You will leave with practical strategies, a clearer marketing plan and tools from Nicole’s personal playbook that you can begin implementing immediately to build stronger connections, create momentum and turn attention into action.

• THE ART OF THE HUNT: Sourcing, Set Dressing & Building Million-Dollar Worlds on a Real-World Budget

  Ryan Visingard - Woods of Terror

  Friday 12:45pm - 1:45pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Some of the most incredible environments are not built from expensive custom pieces. They are discovered one object at a time. Great set dressing is part design, part storytelling and part treasure hunt. Knowing what to look for, where to find it, and how to transform ordinary objects into extraordinary details can completely change the way an environment feels without completely destroying your budget. Step into the shadows of world-building with artist and designer Ryan Visingard as he pulls back the curtain on the art of the hunt. From hidden thrift store corners and architectural salvage yards to flea markets and unexpected clearings, learn to uncover forgotten relics and transform them into unforgettable, immersive environments. ​Discover how to spot hidden potential, layer texture, and alter cheap finds using visual storytelling to forge million-dollar worlds on a real-world budget. If you’ve ever stared at a legendary set and wondered “Where did they find all of this?”—this is your key to the vault.

• Cracking the Code: Navigating Fire & Life Safety in Interactive Entertainment

  Holly Burgess - National Fire Protection Assoc.

  Friday 2:00pm - 3:00pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  You can design an incredible experience, but if it cannot pass inspection, it cannot open. Fire and life safety requirements can feel especially complicated in interactive entertainment where locked doors, hidden passages, theatrical effects, unusual layouts and guest interaction do not always fit neatly into traditional building categories. In this seminar, Holly Burgess helps operators and designers better understand the fire and life safety considerations that can impact interactive attractions from the earliest design decisions through final inspection. Learn how to think about emergency egress, occupancy, doors, pathways, alarms, materials and other common areas of concern while also understanding how to communicate more effectively with inspectors and Authorities Having Jurisdiction. The goal is not to turn attraction owners into code officials. It is to help you recognize potential problems sooner, ask better questions and make smarter decisions before an issue becomes an expensive redesign. Whether you are opening a new attraction, expanding an existing location or planning your next build, this seminar will help you approach safety and compliance with greater knowledge, preparation and confidence.

• Built to Run: Stop Firefighting and Build an Attraction That Runs Without You

  Benito Suppa - Durham Escape Room

  Friday 3:15pm - 4:15pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  A great guest experience can only carry you so far if everything behind the scenes depends on you. If you are answering the same questions every day, fixing the same mistakes, chasing down maintenance issues or constantly reminding people how things are supposed to be done, the problem may not be your staff. The problem may be the systems. In this seminar, Benito Suppa breaks down the practical systems that help an interactive entertainment business run more consistently without the owner having to be involved in every decision. We will cover how to create SOPs your team will actually use, build simple checklists and maintenance routines, set clearer expectations and identify the parts of your operation that truly need to be documented. The goal is not to create more paperwork. It is to make the day-to-day operation easier for everyone. You will also learn how better systems can improve training, reduce preventable mistakes, give employees more confidence and create a more consistent guest experience. If you are tired of being the person everyone comes to for every answer, this seminar will help you start building an operation that can run smoothly, solve problems and deliver a great experience even when you

• Mapping the Experience: Using Projection to Transform Physical Spaces

  Ross Arroyo - illumibot | Todd Fedyshyn - His and Hearse

  Saturday 10:15am - 11:15am

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Projection is no longer just a special effect. Used intentionally, it can completely transform how guests see, explore and interact with a physical environment. This seminar explores how projection mapping can be used to turn ordinary walls, props and scenic elements into dynamic pieces of an interactive experience. Learn how projection can support storytelling, reveal hidden information, create environmental changes and respond to guest actions without requiring every effect to be physically built into the space. Ross Arroyo and Todd Fedyshyn will break down the creative and technical considerations behind successful projection, including placement, content, triggers, sightlines and designing around the real-world challenges of an active attraction. Whether you are looking to enhance an existing room or design an experience around projection from the beginning, this seminar will help you see your physical space differently and give you new tools for creating moments guests never see coming.

• From First Click to Final Goodbye: Improving Your Attraction's Customer Experience

  Tommy Honton - The Stash House and Parallax Immersive

  Saturday 11:30am - 12:30pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Your attraction does not begin when the game starts and it does not end when the door opens. The guest experience begins with the first Google search, social post or website visit and continues through booking, arrival, check-in, gameplay, staff interactions, photos, follow-up and everything in between. In this seminar, Tommy Honton takes a look at the complete customer journey and the countless moments that shape how guests ultimately feel about your business. Learn how to identify friction points, improve communication, create stronger transitions and make intentional choices at every stage of the experience. We will explore the details operators often overlook and how small improvements before and after the attraction itself can dramatically impact reviews, referrals, repeat visits and overall guest satisfaction. If you want to stop thinking only about the experience inside the room and start improving the entire relationship guests have with your brand, this seminar will help you build a customer journey that feels intentional from first click to final goodbye.

• BUILT TO BE PLAYED: Designing Interactive Props That Look Incredible, Work Reliably & Survive Your Guests

  Dark Hollow Productions

  Saturday 12:45pm - 1:45pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  Interactive props have one of the hardest jobs in themed entertainment. They need to look incredible, communicate clearly, function reliably and somehow survive hundreds or thousands of guests pushing, pulling, twisting, slamming and interacting with them in ways you never imagined. In this seminar, Dark Hollow Productions explores how to design and build props specifically for real-world interactive use. Learn how material choices, mechanical design, electronics, access points and construction methods can dramatically impact reliability, maintenance and the lifespan of a prop. This session will look at the balance between appearance and function including how to hide technology inside themed objects, anticipate guest behavior, design for maintenance and build components that can be repaired without dismantling half of your attraction. The best interactive prop is not simply the one that looks amazing on opening day. It is the one that still looks amazing and still works after your ten-thousandth guest. If you build escape rooms, interactive attractions, game experiences or immersive environments, this seminar will give you practical strategies to create props that are not just built to be seen. They are BUILT TO BE PLAYED.

• Beyond the Basics: Using AI to Transform Sales, Marketing & Follow-Ups

  Matt Ames - Arcade Arena

  Saturday 2:00pm-3:00pm

  Room 131

  $55/attendee (Early Bird through Feb 19th) $65/attendee (After Feb 19th)

  AI can write a social media caption. That is the easy part. The real opportunity begins when AI starts doing the repetitive work behind your business. In this seminar, Matt Ames moves beyond basic prompts and content generation to explore how AI and automation can transform the way interactive entertainment businesses handle sales, marketing, customer communication and follow-up. See how tools can automatically transcribe incoming phone calls, capture customer information, add leads to a CRM and trigger customized follow-up without someone manually entering every piece of information. Explore how AI can help build dashboards, analyze marketing performance and give operators greater visibility into what is actually driving results. This session will also look at how businesses can use these tools to bring more of their Google, Meta and digital marketing strategy in-house while making faster, more informed decisions with their own data. If your experience with AI has mostly been asking ChatGPT to write an email or create a post, this seminar is designed to show you what comes next. You will leave with a clearer understanding of how AI can connect the pieces of your business, automate repetitive tasks and give your team more time to focus on the work that actually requires a human.

EVENT REGISTRATIONS

• Talon Falls Screampark Haunt Tour

  The evil community of Talon Falls Tour: 3 Haunted Attractions in 1 location!

  Wednesday 1:45pm - 12:00am

  Driving: $160, Bus: $215

  Dare to experience 10 terrifying 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 ALL NEW Blood Creek Haunted Hayride! Go behind the SCREAMS! Take an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of our makeup and wardrobe production area! Explore the Talon Falls Midway of Madness! Enjoy spooky drinks and browse Miss Shell’s Ghoulish Gifts! Itinerary All times are subject to slight changes 1:45 PM Buses will load 2:00 PM Buses will depart the convention center 4:45 PM Arrive at Talon Falls Adventure Park General Store. 5:00 PM Dinner will be served at Talon Falls Adventure Park General Store. 6:00 PM Christmas in the Country at Talon Falls Enjoy enchanting train rides through dazzling lights and festive displays on your way to the North Pole, where you’ll discover Santaville and the Grinch Cave. Explore the Christmas Barn, browse the Gift Shop, and stroll down Hallmark Street to see all the activities we have to offer. 6:45 PM Evening Excursion to the Talon Falls Midway Hop aboard for a short 5-minute train ride to the Talon Falls Midway, where you can enjoy beer, drinks, and lively midway entertainment. If you do not wish to see the Christmas show, We’ll take a quick shuttle over to Talon’s Midway to enjoy some drinks. 7:00 pm Experience an action-packed evening at Talon Falls featuring 10 terrifying mazes plus the all-new Blood Creek Haunted Hayride. 9:00 pm Buses leave to go back to convention center 12:00 am Buses arrive back at convention center

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

Seminars Sponsored By

Installer Intensive Training Programs

CLIPA CONFERENCE

SEMINAR PACKAGES

Free Early Bird Seminars

• Taking the Scare Out of Marketing: Strategies for Budgets from $0 to $100k

  David Baker - Denton Halloween

  Thursday 9:00am-10:00am

  Room 123

  In this session, David will share the marketing playbook behind one of the country's largest Halloween celebrations, which reached over one million visitors in two years. He'll begin with the free tactics that drove most of his growth, then move through the pros and cons of different paid strategies so you can make informed decisions on where to stretch your marketing dollars. David will show you how he uses AI to do the work of a team he doesn't have and share the secret tactics he has developed over a decade in event marketing. Whether your budget is $100,000 or nothing at all, this session will provide valuable information you can implement on your own before your doors open this season.

• From Big Idea to Big Business: The Story Behind Game Show Battle Rooms

  Tyler Donges - Game Show Battle Rooms

  Friday 9:00am-10:00am

  Room 123

  How do you turn a creative idea into an entertainment experience people will pay for and a business built to grow? Join Tyler Donges Director of Operations of Game Show Battle Rooms as they share their journey from the initial concept to a successful business model. Hear about the challenges, unexpected setbacks, and key decisions that shaped their success. Explore their approach to engaging guests, hiring entertaining hosts, attracting group bookings, and delivering a consistent experience

Free exhibitor seminars