There is the age old question for haunted houses… “when do you start working on the haunt?” The answer, we never stop! The Dent Schoolhouse creative crew in Cincinnati, OH is a great example of that!
2023 is shaping up to be one of the largest inside construction years for the schoolhouse. Planning for new sets and gags actually starts during the previous haunt season. While the show is running (2022) the creative staff are analyzing and planning their haunt strategy for the new year. Materials, design work, and the actual construction and install of certain scares can take over a year to get ready.
What determines what scenes and scares are switched out for the year? Sometimes a scene has just run its course, while for others, new technologies and storylines can also pave the wave for new areas in the haunt. The Dent Schoolhouse crew wants to keep the attraction fresh while giving the audience what they want! “We listen to our audience,” says Bud Stross, co-owner of The Dent Schoolhouse. “We read their reviews, monitor their comments, and will upgrade the attraction per their requests.”
The process of creating a new scene for The Dent Schoolhouse follows a simple process. The creative team meets to decide which areas of the attraction are to be renovated. Concepts and ideas are then agreed upon. Concept drawings are next along with architecture layouts. Once approved, the construction team begins the process of building a new nightmare. Scenic painting is follows and then the new area is set dressed and ready for spooky season.
For the past 2 years, the crews of Dent were busy installing a new themed queue line at the start of the attraction and a large Monster Midway that guests ended their tour with. But this year, crews have renovated 4 massive chunks of the haunt. ½ of the original basement of the schoolhouse has been gutted and rebuilt! This newly renovated section brings their main icon, Charlie the Janitor, back into the picture, as you see just how evil this custodian really is!
Crews then moved their way into the existing catacomb scene. Originally filled with around 4,000 human skulls made by the Dent team, they have reworked this scene from the ground up to wind guests through a massive maze of human bones. Over 2000 skulls were added to the existing bone count making it a true site to see. Ceilings have been lengthened allowing for a character to jump from a 16ft tall, harnessed scare rig at guests!
The school’s Detention Hall is finally getting an inside debut located in the back part of the attraction. Domed ceilings, new architecture, and scares from all directions make this a unique and fresh edition to the attraction. Along with the eye candy, this section is adding even more length to the walking path for guests.
And finally, the creative monsters at Dent brought in a massive crane to remove 2 full size school buses that had been at the end of the attraction for years. This large chuck of space allows the build team to create a maze-like pathway that is infested with killer… we can’t spoilt all the surprises right? You’ll just have to come to the show this year to see what is at the end of The Dent Schoolhouse.
Relive the horror movie that is The Dent Schoolhouse this Fall. Opening night is September 15th. Tickets and details at www.dentschoolhouse.com
