News: Theme parks cashing in on Halloween

Posted at 11:17 PM EDT (0317 GMT)

Sep. 29th, 2006 -- Since that first year in 1973, when Sinister Seymour served as Knott's inaugural "Ghost Host," the Knott's Scary Farm Halloween Haunt has become the park's most successful promotion and has evolved into the biggest Halloween park event in the world. It has spawned countless imitators and driven dozens of theme parks to follow suit.

"Those nights represent 15% of Knott's year-round attendance, a total that has risen each year. With numbers like that, very few amusement parks pass on the opportunities presented because of Halloween," said Leonard Pickel, editor of Haunted Attraction magazine.

"October is usually a dead, low-attendance season," Pickel said. "This gives them an opportunity to drive people to the events. It's something that can make or break their season."

For the first time in its 51-year history, Disneyland has decided to dress up the entire park for Halloween, tapping into the holiday's growing "mainstream appeal and lucrative potential.

"Halloween is no longer a day," said Joey Michaels, senior producer for entertainment at Disneyland Resort. "It's a big season."

In America, Halloween is a $3.3 billion dollar business that continues to grow each year.

Visit the Los Angeles Times for the complete and original article.