Creative Writing for Seasonal Attractions and Experiences - Halloween [Level 2]

This is an intensive (6) week, professional development course and will require between 3-5 additional hours of homework, reading, and research time outside of the weekly live Zoom sessions. Limited capacity- this session will only seat a small number of students!

  • Course Fee: $415 reg. price / (6) Week Online Course

  • Course Runs: May 7th - June 11th, 2024

  • Live Sessions: Held on Tuesday evenings from 5:00pm - 7:00pm PT *Live sessions are recorded

  • Level 1 is a REQUIRED prerequisite! Students must have successfully completed Level 1 in order to register for this class.

  • Taught by industry professional: Ted Dougherty

  • Upon completion of Course, you receive your Essential Art Department Certificate

Creative Writing for Seasonal Attractions and Experiences - Halloween [Level 2]

A (6) week intensive course with Instructor-led Live Sessions. Order early and get prepared to go in deep to all things Horror and Writing!

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Creative Writing for Seasonal Attractions and Experiences - Halloween [Level 2]

Want to know how to write "killer" treatments or just want to brush up on creative writing knowledge and skillsets?


We can help guide you through one of the most industry demanding collaborative departments, the Creative Writing Department. Entertainment creation, inspiration and resources at your fingertips, taught by industry professionals passionate about their work. 

We want you to keep your skillsets ready to go for themed creative writing project! Only $415 for an intensive (6) weeks of instruction and interaction. 

Picking up right where Level One leaves off, students will delve deeper into discovering the writing process presented for large scale theme park Halloween  events. Attraction treatments will be drafted to allow the realization of complete  narratives. An emphasis will be placed on professional presentation, and of course,  scream-inducing scares. It’s time to throw the switch and bring the screams to life!  *Level One is a mandatory prerequisite for this course. 

Students will obtain a further understanding of how large-scale  Halloween theme park attractions are written in the form of treatments, scripts, and synopses. Through the course, enrollees will learn advanced Halloween theme  park attraction writing/presentation techniques in drafting complete standard  attractions (maze/haunted house), while further developing theme park  expectations in terms of quality, presentation, and professionalism. As with Level  1, Level 2 is an academic presentation geared solely toward large scale theme  park Halloween events and attractions. 


Complete this course and receive your Creative Writing for Seasonal Attractions & Experiences: Halloween [Level 2] certificate!  


Each course will have a (6) week schedule that will be available to you week by week. At the beginning of each week, you will have access to the entire course content for that week, and you will be able to navigate it at your own pace each week. 

We know life gets in the way sometimes. Our hybrid structure allows students to navigate through weekly lessons on their own schedule & pace. Then, once a week, students meet with their instructor over Zoom for a 2-hour live session with the whole class. 

The content from this course stays available to you for a full year,  so you will always have the opportunity to go back to prior weeks to review information or download handouts as needed. 

It is our hope that the course content will inspire you to dive into this crazy industry, and become an Essential part of any department. We expect you to have fun while taking the course, because even though it is packed with information and resources, you should still be enjoying every moment of it! 


Taught by industry professionals you will be given rare insight into the inner workings of some of the most famous Entertainment projects around town. And you will get to hear some amazing, funny, sad and true stories from behind the scenes as well!


All students will have until one week before course start to cancel their registration and receive a full refund (Minus applicable fees & taxes). Cancellations requested within one week of class started will not be refunded. Please see our Terms & Conditions for any questions. 


Check out a preview of the course curriculum below and check back often for the next session to begin.



Creative Writing for Seasonal Attractions and Experiences Sample Curriculum

This is a great sampling of the subject matter that you will experience within all of our Ambassador Course offerings.Your course may not have all the chapters shown below, or may be comprised of more chapters.

    1. How to Navigate Your Student Course Site

    1. Welcome to CWFSA Level 2 - Please introduce yourself!

    1. Introduction to the Course and Overview

    2. Creative Writing for Seasonal Attractions and Experiences [Level 2] / Full Course Syllabus

    3. Overview / Q&A Section

    1. Live Session: CWSFA-Level 2 / Summer 2024 / Week 1

    2. Attraction Synopsis Summary

    3. Week 1 / Q & A

    4. Combining Synopsis with Beat Sheet

    5. Lab Viewing Assignments

    6. Recorded Lecture / Week 1

    1. Live Session: CWSFA-Level 2 / Summer 2024 / Week 2

    2. Defining Queue Components Summary

    3. Week 2 / Q & A

    4. Lab Assignment

    5. Lab Viewing Assignments

    6. (OPTIONAL) Lab Viewing Assignments

    7. Recorded Lecture / Week 2

    1. Live Session: CWSFA-Level 2 / Summer 2024 / Week 3

    2. Opening the Tomb - Interior Scene Theory/Structure Summary

    3. Week 3 / Q & A

    4. Lab Assignment

    5. Lab Viewing Assignments

    6. Recorded Lecture / Week 3

About this course

  • $415.00
  • 44 lessons
  • Access course content until January 2025
  • Build your professional network

Meet Your Instructor

Ted Dougherty

Ambassador Instructor

Ted Dougherty is a writer, producer, and director having worked in key creative capacities with Knott’s Scary Farm, Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights, Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor, Los Angeles Haunted Hayride, Cedar Fair LLC, Cedar Point, FX Networks, and several others. Through the years, Ted has not only worked closely on the creative for some of the largest Halloween attractions in the theme park industry, but he has also written and directed innovative theatrically driven horror escape rooms, live action 4D virtual reality horror experiences and cutting-edge experiential marketing events. Prior to authoring the award-winning book, Knott’s Halloween Haunt: A Picture History, the first comprehensive history of Knott’s Scary Farm, Ted scared thousands as a “slider” monster in Knott’s famous Ghost Town Scare Zone. A crazed aficionado of the macabre, Ted uncovers innovative ways to terrorize through themed entertainment.

Creative Writing for Seasonal Attractions and Experiences - Halloween [Level 2]

Session starts May 7th, 2024! $415 / (6) Weeks - Limited capacity.