October 25, 2025 • 8 mins
As haunts across the country enter their busiest weekends, new stories and surprises are emerging from every corner of the industry. From Frightworld’s AI-inspired Mainframe Massacre to The Thirteenth Hour’s expanded finale, creativity remains at the forefront—even as major parks like Six Flags adjust their Halloween strategies mid-season. This week’s roundup captures the pulse of peak haunt season, with innovation, controversy, and celebration all colliding. This week: FrightWorld America's Screampark Debuts New Haunt - "Mainframe Massacre"; Thirteenth Hour Haunted Attraction Debuts New Finale; The 13th Gate Releases Statement on Séance Experience; Six Flags Removes Haunted Attractions Pass from 4 Parks; Six Flags Leadership Shake-Up: What’s Really Going On?; The Halloween & Costume Association's "Fang Favorite" Category Finalists Announced. Read more here
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
Coming up your weekly roundup of news from around the
haunt industry. Welcome to the show. I'm Philip on the
hn Show. We bring you the Haunt news, information, and
education you need to prepare for Halloween. On Tuesdays, we
bring you a roundup of news from haunts worldwide. Read
(00:28):
more about these stories and so much more in our
free weekly newsletter. Subscribe at the link in the show notes.
And as always for the news roundup, I'm passing it
off to Darryl.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Fright World. America's Scream Park in Buffalo, New York has
debuted its newest nightmare, the Mainframe Massacre, for the Haunts
twenty third season. Inside Mainframe Massacre, visitors step into the
abandoned halls of Framework Technologies. Once a proud leader in robotics. There,
engineers driven by obsession reactivated their machines in secret need
(01:00):
to unleash a consciousness that masted its intent until a
perfect moment to strike. The factory floor now swarms with
mechanical monstrosities, and the boundary between humans and machines has dissolved.
Mainstream massacres our most innovative and intense attraction yet, said
Fright World General manager, Trevor Fager. Artificial intelligence is everywhere
these days, but nobody really knows what is truly capable of.
(01:23):
That mystery and the fear that comes with it is
exactly why we created this Haunt. We wanted to take
that uneasiness people feel about AI and turn it into
something they can come face to face with. Mainframe Massacre
joins our other four attractions, Eerie State, Asylum, Grindhouse, Night Stalkers, Reloaded,
and Carnival Beyond. Take a tour of all of them
by following the links in our show notes. Fright World
(01:46):
Screen Park runs now through November eighth, with a Little
Frights with Lights event on October twenty fifth from eleven
am to three pm and Lights Out night November seventh
and eight. The tickets are on sale now, starting at
thirty nine dollars for general admits, fifty six for freight pass,
and seventy six for VIP. Learn more on the Haunts
official website. Thirteenth Hour Haunted Attraction debuts new finale, expanded scenes,
(02:10):
and updated scares. The Thirteenth Hour Haunted Attraction in Indianapolis,
Indiana is one of the largest and most detailed haunted
events in Indiana. Unlike traditional Haunted houses, the Thirteenth Hour
is a story driven experience where five immersive attractions unfold
as connected chapters in a single terrifying journey. Filled with
movie quality sets, special effects, elaborate makeup in costumes, and
(02:33):
high tech sound and lighting. Guests will experience a variety
of new and upgraded experiences. For twenty twenty five, The
Cathedral of Souls returns with new scenes, gothic set design,
elaborate costumes, and custom audio. The Sharp Family Orphanage has
doubled in size with new scenes and scares. Lastly, experience
all new finale with towering sets and immersive effects. In
(02:53):
Rift thirteen, a new time has been unlocked. The breach
is open, and something ancient has slipped through, bringing with
it horrors that defy explanation. Once you cross the threshold,
the fabric of reality begins to unravel. Join Philip of
the Haunted Attraction Network as he braves all five attractions
in our recent coverage of the Haunt by following the
links in our show notes. The Thirteenth Hour now runs
(03:15):
through November. First Tickets are on sale now starting at
twenty nine ninety nine for general admission thirty nine ninety
nine for fast Lane and fifty four ninety nine for
instant Access. Learn more on the Haunts official website. The
Thirteenth Gate releases a statement on Seance experience. In an
October fifteenth social media post, the thirteenth Gate in Baton Rouge,
(03:35):
Louisiana defended its new Seance experience against claims from religious
groups that the show involves real cult activity. Every scream, shadow,
and story we tell is designed by artists, carpenters, actors,
and technicians, not by spirits. A spokesperson for The Haunt wrote,
Seance is a scripted show separate from the Haunted House
and part of a long tradition of live theater that
(03:57):
blends illusion, sound and storytelling to enter retain our guests.
A small group of protesters picketed outside the Haunt on
Friday evening, telling news reporters that the show is sacrilegious
against the Christian faith. Owner Dwayne Sandburn maintained that the
show is not meant to offend. Some people are going
to find it's not their cup of tea, and that's
okay because we have a lot of people who love
(04:17):
The thirteenth Gate it's a baton rouge tradition. Sandburn said
to local reporters, Brave guests can experience Seans themselves now
through November eighth. The show is a separately ticketed experience
from the main Haunt, costing twenty dollars per person. Learn
more and buy your tickets on the events official website.
Six Flags remove their Haunted Attraction Pass from four parks.
(04:37):
The Haunted mazes will be included in park admission for
the rest of the Halloween season at four six Flags
theme parks, Dorney Park and Allentown, Pennsylvania, King's Dominion in Dowswell, Virginia,
Valley Fair and Shaco p Minnesota, and World of Fun
in Kansas City, Missouri. In August, these and other six
Flagged park announced that park goers, including season pass holders,
(04:59):
would have to p purchase a separate Haunted Attractions Pass
costing between ten to thirty dollars depending on the night,
to experience the mazes during the Halloween season. The change
do criticism from passholders and longtime fans, despite the park's
claims the new pass would allow them to better manage
guest blow and enhance the maze experience. In mid October,
the four parks announced the removal of the Haunted Attraction
(05:20):
Pass for the remainder of the season on their respective websites.
A Six Flags spokesperson addressed the reversal, stating, we regularly
review and revise policies and programs to provide the best
possible experience for our guests. Due to demand and the
typical wait times of our Haunted mazes, we are able
to increase volume at select parks, while other parks will
maintain the premium experience for our guests. The Haunted Attractions
(05:43):
Pass will continue at other Six Flags parks that introduce
the passes. This year, six Flags leadership shake up What's
really going on? Six Flags is losing more of its
board Executive Chairman Selim Bassoul and lead independent director Daniel
Hanrahan will leave the board at year's end following CEO
Richard Zimmerman's exit announcement. Bessuel, who also lined up a
(06:04):
new role outside the industry, will remain as a consultant
through the launch of six Flags Kadaia City in Saudi Arabia.
The company stumbled when its first press release listed Kadaia
City opening in twenty twenty six, only to issue an
immediate correction, claiming twenty twenty five, adding to investor confusion.
In this week's episode of the Green Tag Podcast, Philip
and Scott unpack what the back to back departures mean
(06:27):
for a company still struggling to execute its Great Reset strategy,
and whether the Kadia slip hints at deeper internal misalignment.
They also discuss iappa's Q three Global Outlook, highlighting how weather,
tariff and economic uncertainty continue to shape operators planning worldwide.
The Halloween in Costume Association's Fang Favorite Category finalists are announced.
(06:48):
The Halloween in Costume Association has unveiled the twenty twenty
five Spooky Awards BANG Favorite Category finalists. From October two
to fifteenth, Helloween Lovers, cause players, and everyday ghuls from
around the country cast their ballot on their favorite new
products across ten categories. Each Fang Favorite honoree celebrates the
creativity and craftsmanship that define the Halloween industry. Finalists include
(07:11):
Accessories Goulish, Black Skull Bag Costume, Adult By Ghoulish, Crampin Costume,
Child Jazzwars, Marvel The Thing, Official Youth Inflatable Costume, Licensed Jazzwears,
Star Wars adult Chebacca costume, most Unique Ruby's adult Fisher
Price rock a Stack inflatable costume, non character Imposta costumes,
(07:34):
the Cooked Turkey decor by Goulish, the Vecna floating prop,
makeup by Gulish, Pumpkin face scarification masks by Gulish, Frankenstein Green,
and the most innovative Bones and Friends bones Is back
book and toy set. The product that ultimately received the
most overall votes will be crowned the Fang Favorite at
(07:55):
the Halloween and Party Expo in Las Vegas January twelfth
through fourteen of twenty twenty six. Upcoming events from October
to December twenty five include Ayappa in Orlando, Florida, November
seventeenth through twentieth and creep It Real Fest of November
twenty first to twenty third in Santa Ana, California.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
And that's all for the news this week. Today's episode
was produced by me Philip Bernandez, with reporting by Daryl
Plunky post production by David Swope. This Hant News Update
is a production of the Haunted Attraction Network, and you
can sign up to our weekly newsletter at Hantattractionnetwork dot com.
Support for this episode comes from Gantum Lighting and controls.
(08:36):
Until next time, Haunters stay scary. This is a Haunted
Attraction Network production.
Coming up your weekly roundup of news from around the
haunt industry. Welcome to the show. I'm Philip on the
hn Show. We bring you the Haunt news, information, and
education you need to prepare for Halloween. On Tuesdays, we
bring you a roundup of news from haunts worldwide. Read
(00:28):
more about these stories and so much more in our
free weekly newsletter. Subscribe at the link in the show notes.
And as always for the news roundup, I'm passing it
off to Darryl.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Fright World. America's Scream Park in Buffalo, New York has
debuted its newest nightmare, the Mainframe Massacre, for the Haunts
twenty third season. Inside Mainframe Massacre, visitors step into the
abandoned halls of Framework Technologies. Once a proud leader in robotics. There,
engineers driven by obsession reactivated their machines in secret need
(01:00):
to unleash a consciousness that masted its intent until a
perfect moment to strike. The factory floor now swarms with
mechanical monstrosities, and the boundary between humans and machines has dissolved.
Mainstream massacres our most innovative and intense attraction yet, said
Fright World General manager, Trevor Fager. Artificial intelligence is everywhere
these days, but nobody really knows what is truly capable of.
(01:23):
That mystery and the fear that comes with it is
exactly why we created this Haunt. We wanted to take
that uneasiness people feel about AI and turn it into
something they can come face to face with. Mainframe Massacre
joins our other four attractions, Eerie State, Asylum, Grindhouse, Night Stalkers, Reloaded,
and Carnival Beyond. Take a tour of all of them
by following the links in our show notes. Fright World
(01:46):
Screen Park runs now through November eighth, with a Little
Frights with Lights event on October twenty fifth from eleven
am to three pm and Lights Out night November seventh
and eight. The tickets are on sale now, starting at
thirty nine dollars for general admits, fifty six for freight pass,
and seventy six for VIP. Learn more on the Haunts
official website. Thirteenth Hour Haunted Attraction debuts new finale, expanded scenes,
(02:10):
and updated scares. The Thirteenth Hour Haunted Attraction in Indianapolis,
Indiana is one of the largest and most detailed haunted
events in Indiana. Unlike traditional Haunted houses, the Thirteenth Hour
is a story driven experience where five immersive attractions unfold
as connected chapters in a single terrifying journey. Filled with
movie quality sets, special effects, elaborate makeup in costumes, and
(02:33):
high tech sound and lighting. Guests will experience a variety
of new and upgraded experiences. For twenty twenty five, The
Cathedral of Souls returns with new scenes, gothic set design,
elaborate costumes, and custom audio. The Sharp Family Orphanage has
doubled in size with new scenes and scares. Lastly, experience
all new finale with towering sets and immersive effects. In
(02:53):
Rift thirteen, a new time has been unlocked. The breach
is open, and something ancient has slipped through, bringing with
it horrors that defy explanation. Once you cross the threshold,
the fabric of reality begins to unravel. Join Philip of
the Haunted Attraction Network as he braves all five attractions
in our recent coverage of the Haunt by following the
links in our show notes. The Thirteenth Hour now runs
(03:15):
through November. First Tickets are on sale now starting at
twenty nine ninety nine for general admission thirty nine ninety
nine for fast Lane and fifty four ninety nine for
instant Access. Learn more on the Haunts official website. The
Thirteenth Gate releases a statement on Seance experience. In an
October fifteenth social media post, the thirteenth Gate in Baton Rouge,
(03:35):
Louisiana defended its new Seance experience against claims from religious
groups that the show involves real cult activity. Every scream, shadow,
and story we tell is designed by artists, carpenters, actors,
and technicians, not by spirits. A spokesperson for The Haunt wrote,
Seance is a scripted show separate from the Haunted House
and part of a long tradition of live theater that
(03:57):
blends illusion, sound and storytelling to enter retain our guests.
A small group of protesters picketed outside the Haunt on
Friday evening, telling news reporters that the show is sacrilegious
against the Christian faith. Owner Dwayne Sandburn maintained that the
show is not meant to offend. Some people are going
to find it's not their cup of tea, and that's
okay because we have a lot of people who love
(04:17):
The thirteenth Gate it's a baton rouge tradition. Sandburn said
to local reporters, Brave guests can experience Seans themselves now
through November eighth. The show is a separately ticketed experience
from the main Haunt, costing twenty dollars per person. Learn
more and buy your tickets on the events official website.
Six Flags remove their Haunted Attraction Pass from four parks.
(04:37):
The Haunted mazes will be included in park admission for
the rest of the Halloween season at four six Flags
theme parks, Dorney Park and Allentown, Pennsylvania, King's Dominion in Dowswell, Virginia,
Valley Fair and Shaco p Minnesota, and World of Fun
in Kansas City, Missouri. In August, these and other six
Flagged park announced that park goers, including season pass holders,
(04:59):
would have to p purchase a separate Haunted Attractions Pass
costing between ten to thirty dollars depending on the night,
to experience the mazes during the Halloween season. The change
do criticism from passholders and longtime fans, despite the park's
claims the new pass would allow them to better manage
guest blow and enhance the maze experience. In mid October,
the four parks announced the removal of the Haunted Attraction
(05:20):
Pass for the remainder of the season on their respective websites.
A Six Flags spokesperson addressed the reversal, stating, we regularly
review and revise policies and programs to provide the best
possible experience for our guests. Due to demand and the
typical wait times of our Haunted mazes, we are able
to increase volume at select parks, while other parks will
maintain the premium experience for our guests. The Haunted Attractions
(05:43):
Pass will continue at other Six Flags parks that introduce
the passes. This year, six Flags leadership shake up What's
really going on? Six Flags is losing more of its
board Executive Chairman Selim Bassoul and lead independent director Daniel
Hanrahan will leave the board at year's end following CEO
Richard Zimmerman's exit announcement. Bessuel, who also lined up a
(06:04):
new role outside the industry, will remain as a consultant
through the launch of six Flags Kadaia City in Saudi Arabia.
The company stumbled when its first press release listed Kadaia
City opening in twenty twenty six, only to issue an
immediate correction, claiming twenty twenty five, adding to investor confusion.
In this week's episode of the Green Tag Podcast, Philip
and Scott unpack what the back to back departures mean
(06:27):
for a company still struggling to execute its Great Reset strategy,
and whether the Kadia slip hints at deeper internal misalignment.
They also discuss iappa's Q three Global Outlook, highlighting how weather,
tariff and economic uncertainty continue to shape operators planning worldwide.
The Halloween in Costume Association's Fang Favorite Category finalists are announced.
(06:48):
The Halloween in Costume Association has unveiled the twenty twenty
five Spooky Awards BANG Favorite Category finalists. From October two
to fifteenth, Helloween Lovers, cause players, and everyday ghuls from
around the country cast their ballot on their favorite new
products across ten categories. Each Fang Favorite honoree celebrates the
creativity and craftsmanship that define the Halloween industry. Finalists include
(07:11):
Accessories Goulish, Black Skull Bag Costume, Adult By Ghoulish, Crampin Costume,
Child Jazzwars, Marvel The Thing, Official Youth Inflatable Costume, Licensed Jazzwears,
Star Wars adult Chebacca costume, most Unique Ruby's adult Fisher
Price rock a Stack inflatable costume, non character Imposta costumes,
(07:34):
the Cooked Turkey decor by Goulish, the Vecna floating prop,
makeup by Gulish, Pumpkin face scarification masks by Gulish, Frankenstein Green,
and the most innovative Bones and Friends bones Is back
book and toy set. The product that ultimately received the
most overall votes will be crowned the Fang Favorite at
(07:55):
the Halloween and Party Expo in Las Vegas January twelfth
through fourteen of twenty twenty six. Upcoming events from October
to December twenty five include Ayappa in Orlando, Florida, November
seventeenth through twentieth and creep It Real Fest of November
twenty first to twenty third in Santa Ana, California.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
And that's all for the news this week. Today's episode
was produced by me Philip Bernandez, with reporting by Daryl
Plunky post production by David Swope. This Hant News Update
is a production of the Haunted Attraction Network, and you
can sign up to our weekly newsletter at Hantattractionnetwork dot com.
Support for this episode comes from Gantum Lighting and controls.
(08:36):
Until next time, Haunters stay scary. This is a Haunted
Attraction Network production.
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