FEASTERVILLE, Pa., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Before the Halloween season developed into the mammoth retail and entertainment spending season that it has become, Haunted Hayrides of Delaware Valley, Inc. took the Delaware Valley area by storm in October, 1990, as the area's first large production, regionally marketed, outdoor, Halloween Season event.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091020/PH95472 )

"To get started, we actually purchased a franchise license from Haunted Hayrides, Inc. in Syracuse, New York," reports local founder, Tom Yaegel. He adds, " We made a land use arrangement with Stepping Stone Farm in Wycombe, Bucks County, hired 40 people, bought 8 wagons, rented 8 tractors, purchased about $7500 in props, rubber masks and costumes, invested $20,000 in advertising and we were on our way." The nightly event drew over 20,000 people in its first operating season in 1990.

The seasonal event, for which the late famed actor, Vincent Price, once served as spokesman, has evolved tremendously over the years. Mr. Price died just before Halloween, in October, 1993. The following year, the franchise system, which at one time had over 20 locations nationwide, went defunct and the local franchise was then on its own.

"We relocated to the Phoenix Sports Club in Feasterville in 1996. The Club, which is situated on over 35 acres of wooded, rolling land was in need of an annual fundraiser. They had previously tried operating their own haunted event and realized it was more complicated than they had envisioned. They invited us in and we have partnered with them ever since", reports Yaegel.

"A number of now prominent local operators, including Horror Fest at Bucks County's Shadybrook Farm and Bates Motel in Gradyville, Pa. saw our appeal and emulated our haunted hayride plus they added additional attractions such as haunted houses and haunted corn mazes. We needed room to enhance our operation and the current Phoenix Club location filled the bill for that", states Yaegel's son, Tom G. Yaegel, who helps with business planning and running the operation on weekends.

In 2003, the name was changed to the Valley Of Fear and Original Haunted Hayride when the unique Valley Of Fear Haunted Forest Maze (it's like a huge haunted house but you are walking through a dark woods) was added.

"Today, we offer more Halloween entertainment than ever before," states Yaegel's daughter, Terri McKendry, who serves as administrative and staff manager.

Both Tom, now 31, and Terri, 36, started with the family business, as haunters, with some of their high school friends during the first years of the event in the 1990's.

"We now have not only the area's best Haunted Hayride, and, not one, but two, haunted houses, plus the Valley Of Fear haunted forest maze. Before and after the haunted attractions, guests can enjoy live bands, radio personality appearances and other entertainment plus great food in Pumpkinhead's Picnic Grove. With all that, a family or group can enjoy an entire night out during the October Halloween season," adds McKendry.

According to the event's creative director, Robert Dovan, the show has evolved to add the latest in Halloween haunting and scare equipment and tactics.

"When I started with Haunted Hayrides in 1992, my first creative assignment was to improve the graveyard scene. The next year, I was given a small budget to enhance half of the trail. At that time, we added a couple of basic sound systems, strobe lights and fog and the improvements were well received as our guests had never experienced these types of entertainment basics on a night time hayride," states Dovan.

"While a few pre-made masks are still in use, today, we employ four make up artists who apply professional quality make up, nightly, to over 70 actors, plus we utilize sophisticated animatronic scares, fog, sight, sound and lighting systems. On the acting side, we now have haunted fire breathers and stilt walkers," adds Dovan.

On the business side, the event requires a significantly larger investment each season, than ever before. "While we got the whole thing going each year in the early 1990's for about $10,000 to $20,000 each year, today, we have over $200,000 invested, or committed, before the gates open each season, " states Yaegel.

In addition to his creative duties with the event, Dovan, a multi-talented individual, also designs and maintains the event's web site, http://www.valleyoffear.com and the on-line reservation and ticketing system as well as the company's new sophisticated POS (point of sale) ticketing system.

"The information technology revolution has indeed come to the haunted attractions business," states Tom G. Yaegel. "Whereas we had 4-5 people answering hundreds of daily phone calls and taking reservations all day and night in the 1990's, today we have just 1 person communicating with customers on the phone while 1000-2000 prospective guests obtain event information and purchase tickets through our web site each day during the season. That's the type of service people expect today and we strive to meet those expectations."

The event takes pride supporting a number of charities in a meaningful way. In addition to the Phoenix Sports Club youth sports teams, these include Bucks County Special Olympics and the Bucks County Hero Scholarship Fund. This year's Bucks County Hero Scholarship nights are dedicated to Middletown Township Police Officer Chris Jones who was killed in the line of duty earlier this year.

Yaegel further states, "We are proud of our history starting with our roots as the Delaware Valley's first large scale Halloween entertainment event and evolving it into what it has become today. Since we started in 1990, nearly every major theme and amusement park nationwide has developed a Halloween season night time entertainment program and there have been thousands of individual Halloween entertainment enterprises opened across the US since that time including over a dozen in the tri-state area. Now, we are even part of a regional haunted attractions marketing group, 13Haunts.com. The evolution and consumer appeal of the industry is just fascinating."

In conclusion, Yaegel adds, "Seasonal Halloween events are a tremendous Fall stimulus for the local economy. Thousands are employed by the local haunts and all neighboring and supporting convenience stores, restaurants and other businesses benefit from the traffic created to their locations. It's a win-win situation for the consumer, who gets to enjoy the events, as well as surrounding businesses."

The Valley Of Fear, now in its 20(th) spooktacular season, is located in the expansive woods of the Phoenix Sports Club, 301 W. Bristol Road, Feasterville, PA 19053 (If using GPS, list town as Lower Southampton). Nights of operation for the balance of the season are from Wednesday, October 21 through Sunday, October 25 and, then, every night from Tuesday, October 26 through Sunday, November 1. The box office is open for ticket purchases from 7-10pm each night. Or, tickets can be purchased on-line at http://www.valleyoffear.com

For complete information, driving directions and discount coupons, visit http://www.valleyoffear.com or call 215-942-9787 from 12 noon-8pm daily.

    CONTACT: Tom Yaegel
             215-681-3470
             tom@tyamarketing.com

SOURCE Haunted Hayrides of Delaware Valley, Inc.

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RELATED LINKS
http://www.valleyoffear.com