Animatronic Smoldering Zombie (Video)

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6' Smoldering ZombieHow does a six-foot animatronic smoldering zombie sound? Smiling? I thought so. Made popular by AMC’s The Walking Dead, smoldering zombies are the latest addition to the seemingly unending variety of undead creatures to fear.

I found one on Spirit Halloween that immediately caught my interest, so of course I had to check it out and see if it was worth the hype.

Let me walk you through what I’ve found so you can make your own decision. I’ll even provide a link to a demonstration video of the thing in action so you see exactly what I’m talking about.

Ready? Here we go…

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Life Size Halloween Coffin

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If you’re looking for a life-size Halloween coffin for your party this October, there are many options available but sadly, many are either overpriced or of very poor quality. The one I used to have was made of cardboard and barely lasted a year.

Fortunately, I recently found a much better alternative, which appears to be more durable and is priced very reasonably.

Naturally, I thought I’d check it out and see if it was worth getting, or if it was just another over-hyped prop we should all do without.

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Best Low-Lying Fog Machines: Review

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1byonemister koolThe best low-lying fog machines are the American DJ Mister Kool Low-Lying Fogger and the 1byone Low-Lying Fog Machine, based on my experience and research. Check out my head-to-head comparison of these two top contenders to learn why, and find out which one I ultimately recommend.

Low-lying fog machines range in price from about $60-250 or more, but I’ve narrowed down the options to these two models because they’re ideally suited for a Halloween party.

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Halloween Window Cling Decorations: Finding the Best

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Halloween window cling decorations come in numerous types like vinyl decals, gel clings, stickers, and posters, but not all are created equal and frankly, not all are worth your money. There are some things you should know before you rush out and buy that really cool looking Halloween window cling.

I’ve learned what makes a good – and a terrible – window cling over the years by trial and error. To me, it comes down to three primary considerations: Stain-resistance, durability, and transparency. Since window clings aren’t typically very expensive, I’m going to leave cost out as a major deciding factor.

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Keep Tombstones From Falling Over: Securing Tips

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Are your Styrofoam or plastic Halloween tombstones falling over no matter how well you try to secure them? Does the wind keep blowing them away every year, causing you to chase after them down the street before you lose them or even worse, before they cause a car accident? If so, I know the feeling, believe me – and I can help.

The truth is that unless you live in a wind-free part of the world (I’ve yet to hear of one), the cheap plastic supports and small metal spikes included with the tombstones simply don’t work. Over the years I’ve tried numerous techniques to secure my decorative tombstones to my lawn, including adding wooden dowels along the back for support, using longer metal spikes for a deeper fit, and placing heavy bricks to the front and back for added resistance, all to no avail. The tombstones would simply tear off and fly away. At one point I became so disillusioned that I even gave up on the outdoor graveyard idea altogether.

The tombstones sat in my garage, daring me to find a way though — and because they just looked so good, I had to try again. Finally, after years of trial and error, I found success!

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Sodial Flameless Candles: Halloween Flickering Lights

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flicker lightsLooking for flameless candles to use as your Halloween flickering lights? I don’t blame you!

If you’ve ever struggled to light a candle inside a jack-o-lantern or burned your finger while depositing a lit teal light inside a pumpkin, you know the hassles people go through for the classic beauty of a flickering flame.

I personally switched from real tea lights to LED battery-operated flickering lights because they’re safer and last longer. I’ve tried different ones over the years, but found that I prefer the smaller teal light models because they’re not as bulky as larger flameless candles and pumpkin lights. The ones I currently use are made by a company called Sodial so I thought I’d put together a review of them for those of you who may not have tried them before.

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GloMania Luminous Paint: Invisible Glow in the Dark Paint

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paintOne of my favourite tricks is to apply invisible glow-in-the-dark paint — that is, luminous paint that glows in the dark after having been exposed to natural sunlight long enough — to my Halloween props and decor. The question is, where you can find the best one?

Initially I tried some cheap ones that didn’t really glow much if at all because the pigment wasn’t sufficient. Others work fine but only come in a couple of colours, usually in the blue-green spectrum. That said, I’ve now been using the ones by GloMania for years and I’d definitely recommend them.

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Gemmy Dropping Black Widow Spider: Review

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gemmy spiderThis is my review of the Gemmy Dropping Black Widow Spider. I bought this at Canadian Tire last year. According to the packaging, it was supposed to drop down to surprise unsuspecting visitors, but to my dismay, it didn’t work at all. It didn’t drop. The string just hung there, and the eyes didn’t even light up. Nothing.

I replaced the batteries with brand new ones, to no avail. Then I thought I probably just had a lemon, so I exchanged it for a new one – only to have the exact same problem. The only thing it was good for was a static prop. In short, I’m not a fan of the Gemmy Dropping Black Widow Spider.

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Best Halloween Animatronics: What You Should Know

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TWD

Animatronic zombie girl from The Walking Dead

To find the best Halloween animatronics — that is, animated props that move — there are some things you need to know. There are tons of Halloween animatronics for sale, including inexpensive ones (think Gemmy animatronics) and high-end ones.

You can sometimes find Halloween animatronics on clearance or buy used  animatronics, and if you know exactly what you’re looking for, this a great way to go as it will save you money on what you’ve already decided to purchase.

On the other hand, if you aren’t sure what kind you want or which brands are worth your money, perhaps I can help you navigate through the various options.

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