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.

• The Power of Projection: Designing Dynamic Halloween Experiences

  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)

• 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)

Seminars Sponsored By

Saturday Seminars

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 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)

• 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

  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 - The Bates Motel & Haunted Hayride

  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.

• The Power of Projection: Designing Dynamic Halloween Experiences

  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)

• 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)

Seminars Sponsored By

CHRISTMAS SEMINARS

Seminars Sponsored By

INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT SEMINARS

EVENT REGISTRATIONS

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

Seminars Sponsored By

Installer Intensive Training Programs

CLIPA CONFERENCE

SEMINAR PACKAGES

Free Early Bird Seminars

Free exhibitor seminars