Ask the Haunt Expert: Leonard Pickel

Ask the Haunt Expert: Leonard Pickel

Author: Brian Foreman & Darryl Plunkie: Haunters, Scare Actors, Haunt Owners January 29, 2025 Duration: 1:38:44

Start, grow, and scale your Haunted Attraction at HauntersToolbox.com

In this episode, we discuss many things like Scare Actors, Safety, Timed Ticketing, Wall panels, Haunt Construction, Tent Haunts, Outdoor Trails, International Haunts, and more!

Leonard Pickel has over 50 years of themed attraction design and operations experience in year-round and seasonal installations, museums, and dark rides. Creating more than 300 original and innovative dark-themed attractions for major venues worldwide.

 A few of Leonard's accomplishments:

-1987: created the industry's first turn-key Haunted House "˜kits" and the first adaptation of the "Field Theory" for Haunted Attractions (The Triangular Grid System)

-1993 to 2000: Applied his October seasonal experience toward a summer seasonal haunted house with Mayhem Manor® in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

-1994 to 2009: Co-founded Haunted Attraction Magazine, the premier publication for the dark amusement industry.

-1997: Formed the Haunted Industry's first trade association, the International Association of Haunted Attractions (IAHA).

-2004 to 2017: Launched the first national convention devoted solely to the Haunted Attraction Industry. The Haunted Attraction National Tradeshow and Convention (HAuNTcon®)

-2009: Awarded a lifetime achievement award from the International Association of Haunted Attractions and was honored with a question using his name in the Millennium Edition of Trivial Pursuit.

-2009: Appeared as an industry expert in several television programs including the Travel Channel special about Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida and America's Best Haunted Houses.

-1976 to present: Constantly searching for new challenges and striving for new heights in his Haunting career, Leonard has 40-plus years of experience designing all types of commercial Attractions.

Contact Leonard Pickel at Hauntrepreneurs.com


Ever wondered how the chilling atmosphere of a professional haunted house is really built, or what it takes to make a scare actor’s performance truly unforgettable? HaunTopic Radio: Haunted Attractions | Haunted Houses | Halloween | Haunters pulls back the heavy black curtain on the world of professional scares. Hosts Brian Foreman and Darryl Plunkie aren’t just commentators; they’re working haunters, scare actors, and haunt owners who live this passion year-round. In each episode, they sit down with the artists, builders, and visionaries who create the terrifying events we love, capturing their personal stories and hard-won expertise. This podcast is built on practical, real-world advice, focusing on how you can design effective scares and build compelling attractions without relying on a massive budget. It’s a deep, conversational dive into the craft, from makeup techniques and set design to the psychology of fear and the business of Halloween. You’ll hear the triumphs, the creative problem-solving, and the dedicated community that brings the haunting season to life. Tune in for an authentic look behind the screams, where passion for the art form is always the main topic.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

HaunTopic Radio: Haunted Attractions | Haunted Houses | Halloween | Haunters
Podcast Episodes
Introduction to Animatronics with Ed Gannon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:44:14
Let's talk about things that move in your haunted attraction. Yes, animatronics can be complex and scary to attempt by yourself. But what if animatronics weren't as scary as you thought? Join co-host & haunt veteran Ed G…
Scare Tactics: How To Scare the Crap Out Of Your Customers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:37
Inside a Haunted Attraction, it's all about the SCARE! But how do you pull it off when your audience gets braver every year? Learn the proper techniques to create that perfect scare that can be effective over and over ag…
Wicker Manor: The Journey from Home Haunter to Pro [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Sean Herman takes us through the Wicker Manor and tells us how he will transition from a haunt in his two-car garage into a permanent location. Wicker Manor was featured on ABC's Great Halloween Fright Fight and also won…
Terror in the Corn: Mazes, Marketing, Management & Monsters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:50:36
Join the haunt community at HauntersToolbox.com and start your own haunted attraction or grow your current haunt business. Get instant access to haunt master classes, the haunt library, haunt vendor discounts, and haunt…
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Duration: 1:35:41
What can you do before next season to improve your brand, your marketing, and your attraction? Are you focused on the right things? Philip Hernandez, from the Haunted Attraction Network, lets us in on a few things he not…
Take Your Haunt From Good to Great with The Scare Factor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:00
What makes a Haunt a GREAT one? The Scare Factor reveals their secret list of what they look for as they review haunted attractions. What to do and what not to do. We all can improve our attractions, here's your list. Be…
Haunted Hollows & Warehouse of Nightmares [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:23
Come with us as we tour a couple of haunted attractions in and around Hannibal, Missouri. Haunted Hollows Haunted Trail Warehouse of Nightmares Don't forget your ScareIt Badges for your Haunt parties and to reward your h…
WickedFest: Halloween/Horror Con in Hannibal,MO [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:06
Hannibal's inaugural Halloween & Horror Con! October 7th 2023 ~ 1:00PM until 9:00PM Celebrity Guests, Vendors and Costume Contest. Kids 10 and under are free. Price of admission: $20.00 Guaranteed to be frighteningly fun…