Now that TransWorld Halloween 2023 is in the books, I though it would be fun to go back and rank the top ten Halloween animatronics from the super trade show in St. Louis. We saw a lot of cool stuff from our favorite prop manufactures like Distortions Unlimited, Beastcraft, Scarefactory and Poison Props. So let’s count them down shall we? Keep in mind, when I rank these props I factor in several different things. The presentation, the anticipation online leading up to the show and how many people were standing around watching the prop in action.
Coming in at number ten is the The Mutant from Distortions Unlimited. The Mutant is such a great prop. To tell you the truth, had I not seen him before a few times already, I would’ve ranked him higher on the list. But when the lights start going off and you see the fog, you know something bad is about to happen. Then when he starts violently shaking and spraying his mist everywhere, oh man, he really puts on a show.
The ninth best prop at TransWorld is the Giant Reaper Beasttcraft. The Giant Reaper is very well done. I saw a lot of people walk out of their way to go over to him and take a video or picture. I had seen the Giant Reaper online before the trade show and I was excited to see him in person. He didn’t disappoint.
Number 8 is the Feeding Vulture from Beastcraft. I almost didn’t see the vulture animatronic as I was fixed on some of their other props, but when this little guy caught my eye, I was really impressed at how well he was done. My motto is bigger is better when comes to Halloween props, but occasionally something as simple as a vulture feeding on a carcass really grabs your attention. The feeding vulture is a really good idea for a Halloween animatronic.
Coming in at number seven is the Mangey Rat prop. This guy is a lot of fun and I saw a lot of women get freaked out when he came to life.
Coming in at number six is the Carnival Barker from Morris Costumes. We first saw him at the Halloween Party Expo in Las Vegas earlier this year. But I have to tell you, everyone in St. Louis was stopping dead in their tracks they saw the Carnival Bakrker. I mentioned it in an earlier video, but when I first saw the prop last month from a distance, I though it was a real person. As I was checking out all the cool stuff in th Morris Costumes booth, I overheard someone say that the Carnival Barker was like something you would see at Disneyland. I think that about says it all.
The fifth best prop from Transworld is the Scarecrow Rocker from Beastcraft. Man, there is just something about an angry scarecrow holding a sickle that will freak you out. I knew this thing was a Halloween prop, but he still looked super creepy. I can only imagine how awesome he would be in the dark with some strobe lights. The Scarecrow Rocker was definitely one of the standout props from the show.
Crazy Kristen from Distortions Unlimited is the fourth best prop from Transworld. I know she’s not exactly a new animatronic, but the way people reacted to Kristen as she tried to get out of her restraints was hilarious. I heard someone walk by and ask, Is that really a girl? That’s when you know they did it right. Distortions Unlimited always brings their A-game to Transworld.
And speaking of A-game. Let’s go ahead and give Distortions Unlimited a spot in the top three with their Ancient Mystic. As I was walking across the trade show floor I saw the Ancient Mystic in the Distortions Booth. I have to admit, I thought it was a guy in a costume that was hired to draw attention to the booth. It wasn’t until I was fifteen feet away that I started to realize it was an actual prop. The Ancient Mystic is so life like, it even fooled me! I can only imagine how cool he would look in the dark in October.
The number 2 at Transworld in 2023 is the Vampire Bat from Beastcraft. Honestly, it’s not that the oversized bat is scary, it is more creepy than scary, but it’s just so well done. I saw so many people walking by stop dead in the tracks to get a closer look at the supersized bat starting them in the face. The craftsmanship is second to none. If you have a chance to see the Vampire Bat in person, please go check it out. It is so well dowe.
The Number 1 prop this year is the Crypt Greeter from Poison Props. The dark room is always a lot of fun, but to me, it’s sensory overload. When you cram a hundred props into a small dimly lit space, they really all kind of blend in together. But to the Crypt Greeter. As soon as I walked in my eyes were drawn to the new prop from Poison Props. If you are a fan of Tales from the Crypt, you will get a kick out of this guy. I imagine that the Crypt Greeter will be a fan favorite this year.
Now I know I said this was the top ten, but I have to give an honorable mention to the Scarewolf from Distortions Unlimited. I saw a lot of people walk by him, but when he was activated, everyone stopped to see what this guy was doing. A great job here by Distortions Unlimited.
So there it is, what’s your favorite prop from Transworld. Be sure to subscribe to our Youtube channel and please like and share the video! Lots more cool stuff is on the way!
