NEW for IAAPA Expo 2024: The Haunting Grounds

As we wrap up the IAAPA Expo 2024, I wanted to share with you one of the most interesting new developments this year: The Haunting Grounds. A fully themed area for exhibitors focused on haunted attractions, this is an impressive addition that allows exhibitors in the haunt and spooky space to shine, teach, and display their amazing creations.

New for 2024: IAAPA Haunting Grounds

IAAPA has been a highlight of my year since 2019, and I’m always thrilled to see what innovations are on display, and this year there were some exciting changes. Brand new for 2024, the IAAPA Expo introduced The Haunted Grounds. Located on the second floor, in a separate and fully themed area, the Haunted Grounds features a full walk though with several different rooms showcasing different types of theming, technology, decorations and design for haunted attractions.

Below, I will share the full trip report and walk through, details about what you’ll find in the first ever IAAPA Haunting Grounds. But first, I was able to chat with Dan Carro, who helped bring this vision to life, and he shared some insight about how this came to be. Dan is an icon in the attraction industry and an incredibly kind and creative person, I thank him for his time!

“Essentially IAAPA knew it wanted to create pavilions for some of its popular offerings. They had already begun working on the IAAPA Street Market for food vendors. I was brought in to help showcase Halloween. Enter the Haunting Grounds! Our hope was to help attractions who were new to Halloween to get to experience great products in a haunt setting. And why not? If the Street Market was going to let you sample food and drinks, shouldn’t the Haunting Grounds let you sample some fun and fright?

I got to work with some of the vendors to create a fun walk through experience that felt like a haunted attraction. Like all good attractions ot emptied in the gift shop, or rather the sales floor.

Over all, I was really proud of what we did. The attendees seemed to have a great time and it was very rewarding to see attendees getting to be in a room full of Halloween experts who were happy to share knowledge and make connections.

Hopefully, just like an 80’s horror movie slasher, the Haunting Grounds will return!”

– Dan Carro

And as you’ll see, what Dan created was an incredible, vibrant new addition to the IAAPA Expo 2024! Now let’s get into it…

Entering IAAPA Haunting Grounds

Located on level two, the first thing you see is a spooky castle facade with a large sign in glowing red that reads “Haunting Grounds,” in a very classic scary movie font. It draws you in and you enter through a black curtain. Let’s go through what you’ll find inside room by room, and if you want to see a video walk through (which I recommend you do), you can find that on my YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/PY-K2axKy3Q

Distortions Unlimited

When you enter through the black curtain, it’s like walking into a full on haunted house, with sounds, lights, sights and moving monsters reaching out to scare, startle and amaze you! This first room features larger than life, incredible audio animatronic figures by Distortions Unlimited. All of the animatronics have large, fluid movements, startles and scares, audio and of course the entire room is lit to bring you into the experience. You’ll encounter Scare Wolf, who lunges out at you and then has a great jump scare just when you think it’s over, a 7-foot tall Frankensteins Experiment, complete with lighting and fog effects, an over 6-foot tall Nosferatu prop display, among others.

Dogwood Entertainment

The second room focuses on scenic design and features creations by Dogwood Entertainment. Intricately carved pumpkin displays of The Headless Horseman, haunted houses, massive art pieces featuring Frankenstein’s Monster and Creature from the Black Lagoon, both stunningly lit by blacklight, pumpkins carved into a pinup witch flying on a broomstick and more.

Nethercraft Panels

As you make your way into the next area, there is a display by Nethercraft Panels, who specialize in scenic display walls and panels. They will be featured throughout the experience, so this will be the first, but not last piece by them in The Haunted Grounds. This first scene is Mummy themed, with Egyptian hieroglyphs and sarcophagi, lit beautifully. Later, at the end, you pass through a long hallway of skull walls, and that is Nethercraft’s as well. There is also a gorgeous, spooky castle facade.

Gatorland Orlando

Next up, one of my favorites is featured, Gatorland Orlando! A historic and beloved Orlando area attraction that holds a Halloween event called, Gators, Ghosts and Goblins. This fun part of the exhibit features a walk through a spooky swamp, using lasers, with alligators and vibes as you make your way through to the next area.

When Hinges Creek

As we move into the next chamber, we find a scary laboratory wall, covered in broken tiles, machinery, lights, and a filthy looking patina, with a table full of creepy instruments. This is made my When Hinges Creek, who call themselves a “Haunted Hardware Store” (which I love). They make resin cast set decor pieces for haunted houses, theme parks and spooky attractions, and supply Polytek Resins and Monster Makers sculpting supplies.

As you exit, you pass through this room to exit, you encounter a hallway lined with skulls, and this is the work of Nethercraft Panels again!

“Exit Through the Gift Shop”

Outside of the walk-through, more exhibitors are featured, with knowledgeable industry professionals available to chat and display their creations.

In this area, Distortions Unlimited has a larger display that features more animatronics, including the Banshee animatronic, who soars into the air, returns to the ground, and hisses out fog!

There are also several other exhibitors, including The Best Halloween Store Ever and Cyclone Signs, showing off impressive displays! The entire walk through and more details are shared in my vlog.

The Experience

IAAPA Haunting Grounds represents a significant step forward for the haunted attractions industry, now being represented in a large, dedicated space at the leading industry Expo. By bringing together top vendors in a dedicated space, IAAPA has created a valuable resource for haunt professionals and enthusiasts alike. The quality of the displays and the innovative technology on show were truly impressive, and I believe Haunting Grounds will become a must-see destination for anyone involved in the creation of immersive experiences. I hope that this continues and grows even more, as the haunted and spooky attraction industry also continues to grow. Not only do they exist in their own sphere, but they are integrated into many of the major theme parks, amusement parks, and attractions worldwide.

Links:

My video showing a full day at IAAPA Expo 2024, including a full walkthrough of The Haunting Grounds: https://youtu.be/PY-K2axKy3Q

Exhibitors featured in this blog post:

Distortions Unlimited: https://distortionsunlimited.com

When Hinges Creak: https://whenhingescreak.com

Nethercraft Panels: https://www.ncvcreative.com

Gatorland Orlando: https://www.gatorland.com

Dogwood Entertainment: https://www.dogwoodentertainment.com

Cyclone Signs: https://www.cyclonesigns.com

The Best Halloween Store Ever: https://www.besthalloweenstoreever.com

The official listing for the IAAPA Haunting Grounds 2024: https://www.iaapa.org/expos/iaapa-expo-2024/exhibitors/iaapa-haunting-grounds

What is the IAAPA Expo?

IAAPA stands for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, they hold Expos in various countries at various times of the year, and I look forward to attending the Orlando Expo each year. IAAPA Expo is the largest trade show for the attractions industry. General managers, owners, and CEOs of theme parks, amusement parks, zoos, aquariums, and water parks travel to the show to buy rides, connect with attractions industry experts, and more.

For More…

Thanks for reading! You can find my full IAAPA Expo 2024 experience in my video here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PY-K2axKy3Q

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