Jason Thompson is from Central California where he began his haunt and SPFX path.
He got the haunt industry bug on his first visit to Buena Park’s Movieland Wax Museum. Seeing the wax figures and sets prepped him for what was to become his specialty in haunt installations and his business The Haunt Store. But what really solidified it for him was Movieland Wax Museum’s “The Black Box” where sets came to life and provided guest an everlasting and “haunting” experience.

While in the Central Valley he co-created multiple successful haunts with crowds that kept returning for more. Since then and moving to LA he got into the feature film business which gained him knowledge of set building and working with well known actors such as Kiefer Sutherland. In 2007 he joined up with the Rotten Apple 907 gang, where he helped with animatronics, set walls, themed audio, visuals and it also allowing him to “test” out some of The Haunt Store’s nightmare creations over the years. The Rotten Apple 907 gang has gained admiration from the fans, recognition from fellow haunters and has been awarded a Rotten Apple 907 day by the city of Burbank California.

In 2008 he formed “The Haunt Store”, and online store for home haunters with products that are budget friendly and products not found anywhere else. It was also a resource for him to create, design and build new innovative products for the Halloween Haunted Attraction Industry, Theme Parks, entertainment venues and private events. It provided him a canvas to create and test out elemental atmospheres, animatronic and prop design implementation. Jason ran all parts from creation to production of final products sold in The Haunt Store.

From when he was a little boy he loved magic and all of its whimsical illusions. While in Los Angels he had his sights on The Magic Castle and become connected with the establishment. In 2012 he got the opportunity to work with then President Neil Patrick Harris in conjunction with the events staff to create an upscale haunt week experience for members and their guest. Every year since, the Halloween events he has created for The Magic Castle’s haunt week is a must see experience. He innovated and integrated RFID technology into the 2014 event with interactive innovations in a very magical way.

In 2011 he became a partner in Old Town Haunt Pasadena with owner then owner Ron Rogge where he brought innovative designs and scares to pump up the crowds. He also used his Marketing and Promotion skills to boost social media to the business and increased revenue sales. He also revised the attraction route and enhanced animatronics along the way to help create a vast new amount of technical and freighting, never before seen animatronics and tactical scares in a single haunted house.

Today he works for the Mouse in various capacities, he is currently working with fellow WDI’ers to bring to life some amazing new illusions and attractions to venues. He is always looking for new and innovative ways to bring technology to the haunt business and always looking to help anyone out with their established haunt or if it’s a simple home yard haunt that needs a little TLC with some big scares on a simple budget.
In the words of our peers who have past on and to summarize myself on behalf of their words.
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do”, “Stay hungry, stay foolish” Steve Jobs
“You can design, create & build the most wonderful place in the world, but it takes people to make the dream a reality”, “The most important thing is family” Walt Disney