Making several homes into one cohesive haunt

[Pumpkin56]

So I've been giving this some thought for the last several weeks--every year I build a haunt in my parents front yard and yet I'm the only one in the neighborhood who does so. I had been doing a graveyard haunt, but last year I did a haunted pumpkin patch. Between those two themes, I have quite a bit of stuff. I'm considering getting one of the next door neighbors into the act-- like maybe I can continue the pumpkin patch and they can set up the cemetary in their yard. I think they would be game for it. Now I'm starting to think that it would be fun to get the other next door neighbor into the act as well. They're long time family friends (20+ years) and while they do pass out candy, they don't really decorate (I'm inclined to think it's because they don't care enough to do so). So my question to the Pumpkinheads is this: Assuming that both neighbors are down for the haunts in their yards and I provide the props, what would a good theme be for the third yard? The pumpkin patch would be in the middle, the graveyard would be on one side and Yard #3 is obviously on the other side. When I haunt, I don't do cute, I don't do blood and guts and I don't do people jumping out from behind things to scare the hell out of the TOTers. I like eerie and uneasy atmospheres. That said, does anyone have any ideas they would like to throw out? Thank you all in advance!

[NeverMore]

Too bad you said no gore. First thing that came to my mind was a murder house. The kids come up the sidewalk onto the porch and see a trail of blood going into the house, with trick-or-treat bags and candy scattered around the porch. Skeletons and body parts placed strategically around the yard, like you're trying to hide them. Plus one of those sound effect CDs blaring inside the house with screams and chainsaws and whatnot. You're almost guaranteed to keep all the candy you bought for yourself with that setup.

Another thing that comes to mind is that you dress up in a very unusual costume for answering the door. Then you run from house to house through the back doors, ahead of the ToTers and answer the door at each house. That ought to get them walking away from the third house scratching their heads.

In the same vein, maybe each door answerer dresses up along a common theme. The Scarecrow, Tinman & Cowardly Lion. Or Dr Frankenstein, Igor & The Monster. Something like that.

[witchy]

What about an abandon house look, creepy curtains out side the house, broken shudders, ect..... It's a thought.

[Murfreesboro]

There is a neighboring street around here where three homeowners have gone together on the haunt, but they do use gore & aliens & people jumping out at the kids.

What about a gypsy fortune-teller motif? One of these houses has a labyrinth and a tent, and when you pass through the tent you get candy from a gypsy/witch. You could use strobe lights and maybe props to suggest witchcraft. Dry ice from a cauldron, spooky music. Prop ravens and black cats.

Another house I know of does the "mad scientist" laboratory. They have a table set up with gruesome "specimens." They also have things like spiders hanging from the trees. The homeowners costume but remain outside with the table, where they also distribute the candy.

[Li H'Sen Chang]

I would encourage use a lot of blood and gore. If your neighbor is friend they will let you use their yard. Do you do action at your own home or just with your parents?

[ramaries69]

Sounds like a great idea! I like Witchy's suggestion because you can use lots of items, whether old, new, donated or just hanging around, without having to make a hole in your pocket.

[Pumpkin56]

I'm kinda thinking about a dark Hansel and Gretel theme (assuming I get the green light to take over the neighbors yard). I think I mentioned it in another thread to johnsoneliza52 and since then I keep coming back to it in my mind. The neighbors have a few large trees in the yard that would help with the forest atmosphere and I'm thinking I could probably make props pretty cheap. They have a large front porch and I think I may try and find a good animatronic witch to set up there. I also saw some fun bats on the Spirit website--they swing back and forth, their eyes light up and they make shrieking sounds.

Still thinking, still thinking...

[Murfreesboro]

Good luck!

[ramaries69]

That sounds cool p56!