Halloween Special: Trends, Tropes, and Takeaways

From Hollywood to Florida and New York to Oregon, this year’s Halloween season proved that the industry is evolving—just not abandoning its roots. Sliders continue to grow as choreographed street theater, chainsaws remain the undeniable American haunt anthem, and creative teams nationwide are finding new ways to give guests something active to do between scares. From selfie moments and staged photo ops to queue-line performers and mini-interactions, the focus is shifting from watching horror to participating in it. Philip and Scott break down what these trends say about guest expectations, why smaller haunts are thriving by leaning into intimacy and story, and how even major parks are rethinking Halloween as a festival of constant engagement rather than a night of passive walkthroughs. Listen to weekly BONUS episodes on our Patreon.