FDU: Playmobil Haunted House

Another page from the Final Destination Unknown files...

Just when I thought the slogan "You can find it on ebay" had evaporated like the fluids in a rotting corpse I stumbled upon this lovely:

A custom Playmobil Victorian mansion complete with wallpaper, furnishings, rugs, paintings and an assortment of skellies.

Ahhh, and it has it's own little cemetery.

Not a detail was overlooked as it even comes with lights and sounds:

Even the description features a creative text layout:

All of this and more can be yours for the low, low price of $599 plus $50 shipping.

Before you run out and buy your own be sure to check out all of the amenities that this fine piece of real estate has to offer here.

Haunt on!

Het Spookslot

Why yes, I am speaking a different language today but there's good reason for it. Some time ago in my many web wanderings I came across Erikde Vries photo album with the most spectacular haunt pics. Why did I wait so long to share it? I'm selfish. [hangs head in shame]

Het Spookslot is the main show of the Haunted Castle ride in the Dutch theme park Efteling. From what I can gather it is a ten minute show in an indoor graveyard setting housed in the largest theme park in the Netherlands. In other words it's the Dutch equivilant of Disney's Haunted Mansion.



The park opened in 1952 and the haunted walk through attraction has been running since 1978. Reveiws are mixed on the scares and animatronics but the setting and music (Danse Macabre) appear to make up for it.



I don't care about reviews. One look at this place and I'm hooked! The setting is awesome with excellent architecture and I just love the lighting. Someone definitely knows what they're doing here.



So now, how to go about convincing the hubby we need to head to the Netherlands???

Haunting Necessities

Creating the proper haunted atmosphere requires a few haunting neccessities. Don't panic! It doesn't need to be expensive, in fact, you can use things you already have or can get for just a few bucks. Here's the run-down:

Candles -

Nothing sets the haunt mood better than flickering lights. You probably have at least a few lying around but if not hit the local dollar store. Creep them out with drips down the sides by burning them down or adding your own drips with hot glue.

If you're on a tight budget don't bother with candle sticks. You can gather several pillar candles on a large heat safe plate.

Remember you have to keep an eye on open flames or your haunt could end up a pile of ash. If you prefer a more carefree approach try Christmas candlesticks or the new battery operated flicker candles. (Hint: the seasonal versions of these go on clearance after the holidays.)

Webbing -

Your house just isn't haunted without webs and they are a basic staple of most Halloween themes from the haunted mansion, to the dungeon to the laboratory.

Bag-o-webs (as we like to call them) are really inexpensive, especially if you pick them up on clearance. They're a bit of a mess to work with but they are the quick and cheap in the world of webs. (Watch for our upcoming tutorial on how to use these in your haunt.)

Hot glue is another option for webbing. Simply build webs or make strings of glue hang down from overhead to give the illusion of webbing. A bit more time consuming and costly than our previous option but it works.

More haunters are opting for beef netting (shown above) which creates a unique and truly creepy display. Easy to use (simply hang, cut and pull) but the most pricy of our options.

No matter which you choose spiders are optional. Afterall, it's obvious there are spiders in the area since you have all those webs!

Music/Sound -

Most would agree that this is a very important component to your haunted display and there are no shortage of options. The obvious solutions includes one of the many CDs available (some of our faves include Nox Arcana, Midnight Syndicate and Virgil Franklin) or you can download your own compilation of tunes and sounds to your MP3 player.

If you're short on time or cash use someone else's Halloween playlist and pipe it through your computer. Here's a few we found on PlayList.com.

Also consider spooky sounds CDs or pop in a horror flick you grabbed from the bargain bin or RedBox.

Other considertions -

Turn off your overhead lights and put black light bulbs in your lamps and exterior lights.
Throw some glow sticks or Christmas string lights in a cauldron or urn to cast an eerie glow.
Drap a semi sheer, light weight cloth over your lamps (use a low watt bulb for safety).
Be lazy. Let the dust gather, the grass grow and the leaves pile up for a deserted look.
Buy moss in the bag from your local craft store and drape it in your trees.
Add a wind chime for a haunting sound. (Grab it at the end of the season on clearance.)

This will get you started but you don't have to stop here! Consider this your base and build on it to your wicked heart's content.

The Beast

This past Halloween season the Ghoulie Girls took a quick trip to Kansas City, MO to take in a few haunted houses: The Beast, The Edge of Hell, The Chambers of Edgar Allen Poe and Macabre Cinema. All four are owned and operated by Full Moon Charities Inc and benefit the Variety Children's Charity.

While we enjoyed each haunt (and we'll likely end up reviewing them all) by and far we preferred The Beast. Opened in 1991, it holds the title as "The Largest Haunted House" in America. 45 minutes (give or take) of heart pounding action. It took us at least 45 minutes (and I know this because Tracy had to pee 5 minutes after we entered the building).




We screamed a lot and we're not especially easy to scare but it was just too much fun. This is an open floor format which means you aren't just herded through a maze but rather left to wander each area. In some areas it's hard to find exactly where you're supposed go and if you're like us some haunt actor will mess with your mind and send you to a dead end.

Dark as hell in some places and stairs everywhere (I have no idea how they pass code), uneven floors and live actors that get up close and personal. The creme de la creme is when you near the end and they hand you a butt size piece of wax paper and send you hurdling down a 4 story slide back to the bottom. Tracy lost a shoe on the way down [insert hysterical laughter here].

The best thing is that all four haunted houses are within walking distance of each other but, if you prefer, a tractor pulled hay rack ride is available. Lines for The Edge of Hell and The Beast can get rather long so we highly recommend buying your tickets online in advance. This also allows you to get in the VIP line which gets you in pretty fast. If you plan on visiting more than one haunt, the combo tickets are the best deal. Parking is crazy but there are parking attendants who are very helpful in giving you directions and other necessary information. Another tip: If you're planning to stay overnight check for package deals. This past season The Sheraton and the Hyatt Regency included haunt tickets with your room.

We'll definitely go back.