INTERVIEW: Hauntoween LA is a Halloween experience for the whole family
Photo: Hauntoween LA offers a COVID-safe environment to enjoy the Halloween festivities. Photo courtesy of Hauntoween / Provided by press rep with permission.
This Halloween season, businesses around the United States are making lemonade out of the lemons they’ve been given because of the coronavirus. Or maybe it’s pumpkin pie out of the pumpkins they’ve been given.
Here’s one example: the first-ever Hauntoween LA recently kicked off in Woodland Hills, California, and the experience continues through Oct. 31. Ticket buyers can enjoy the COVID-safe attraction everyday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 6100 Topanga Canyon Blvd. As of press time, weekends were sold out, but tickets were available on weekdays for $70 per vehicle.
When arriving at the property, vehicles drive through a family-friend scarefest that includes everything from a jack-o-lantern tunnel to a blacklight tunnel sponsored by FX’s What We Do in the Shadows. There’s also an interactive pumpkin patch, and actors help attendees get their trick-or-treat on in a safe manner. The family-friendly band the BeatBuds will also be on hand on select dates for surprise sets, and Party City has jumped on as a sponsor. When the public purchases their tickets online, they can also add on a DIY vehicle makeover kit.
The idea for the vehicular maze comes from Experiential Supply Co., the producers of the event. Jasen Smith serves as chief experience officer for the company, and he recently exchanged emails with Hollywood Soapbox about Hauntoween LA. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What can fans expect at this drive-thru experience?
An elaborate and fun experience with multiple environments and interactivity! We wanted to create a nice activity for families and all ages to enjoy.
Is it geared toward adults or families?
Families for sure! We knew there would be a lot of adult horror experiences going on and wanted to make sure the families had something to do as well!
What’s the scare factor? G, PG, PG-13, R?
PG. Spooky fun. No blood or gore. We wanted this to be about the traditional Halloween vibe and lean heavily in to that.
How much time and energy have gone into planning for this haunted attraction?
A lot. Months of planning and making sure what we’re putting out will wow all our guests.
How much has the current pandemic shaped the logistics of this event?
A tremendous amount. We’re used to creating immersive walk-throughs, but this is our first time having the vantage point be from inside a vehicle, which has been different. It’s a lot easier to create an immersive environment in a smaller space for 5-10 people at a time. This is a different animal now, where everything has to be larger and more detailed.
Are you a fan of Halloween? What are some of your favorite scariest movies?
Halloween is big in this household. Our oldest daughter was born on Halloween and is turning 5 this year. The whole idea started with the thought of what the heck are we going to do this year for her? My favorite Halloween movies are definitely It 1 and It 2 from Warner Bros.
Has it been fun collaborating with Party City?
Party City has been incredible, and we’ve integrated them into the experience in a very rich manner. We’re going to curate dedicated vignettes only using specific Party City products, which will be a lot of fun!
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Hauntoween LA runs through Oct. 31 in Woodland Hills, California. Click here for more information, including directions and tickets.
