Beginner's Guide to Villages: The Carnival 

My (many) years of collecting Halloween villages have taught me that, if you love a piece, BUY IT. I am lucky enough to own the Octosqueeze and Chuckles.

Well, now I am on the hunt for The Scream.

I love the old fashioned devil image. The film Abbott and Costello "Keep Em Flying" has great carnival scenes in it with old timey dungeon with devils, blinking eyes smoke and fire.

Boy I wish I had the room for a carnival display. I have to move furniture out just to get the regular village up....LOL!!!! Thanks for the video Doug. One day closer to Halloween!!!!!!

OMG!!! I LOVE THE CARNIVAL!!!! So glad you narrowed it down to a handful of favorites because Lemax has so many AMAZING carnival pieces and accessories. That's one of my favorite themes I display every year....and every year it gets something new❤. Octosqueeze was amazing but had too many issues especially with the paint and the plastic octopus...I opted for the octoswinh that had less issues and still runs great! I've recently (2020) have opted out of a full all together display and am now doing districts/themes on smaller areas around the house. There is the Carnival- sometimes paired with the carni trailer park in the background/side, Pumpkin Hollow, Downtown district, Haunted Mansions/graveyard (Inspired by Disney'sHaunted Mansion), western, pirate, Trick or treat lane, Witche's Grotto, Gothic/vampire. Don't own anything g zombie 🤢 but am very tempted to get the Last Ditch- I need a gas station for my town😅. Keep up the GREAT work!!! xoxo from 305 👻🎃👻🎃

Liked your video. The Dept 56 The Scream was on sale on E-BAY for $800.00. Also Mr. Christmas World Fair made a functioning roller coaster that lit up and had music.

Love these theming videos. Great for beginners. 100% yes to the roller coaster. I found Lemax long after D56 so I missed a lot of the cool older pieces. Octosqueeze is just amazing. Would like to find the stand up ride that’s ghost themed.

Love the Tilt-N-Hurl design, but both of the ones I had quit working within a month. The first one just stopped moving entirely. The second one had problems with the carts derailing.

When I was around 12 or 13 years of age, my parents used to go to my Dad's company picnic at a place called Como Park in St. Paul, MN. There was a small amusement park there with a Tilt a whirl. I once rode on it about 5 times in a row and promptly got sick. Tilt n hurl is right!

Awesome video! The addition of a rollercoaster is a great idea. For space limitation I may go with CDX's Flyer or Little Dipper with some custom paint.

I love my carnival! I agree with the Ferris Wheel and the Tilt n Hurl. Both great pieces. I can't wait to get The Bat Bonanza this year. It'll be the most expensive piece in my village, but I think it'll be totally worth it :D

Another great video Doug, thank you! I'm not as much into the "monster" themes and am slowly selling off my old, retired pieces. The carnEVIL is my biggest baby, taking up probably 60% of my 90 ft. long village. It's my absolute favorite!!! I could kick myself for passing on a few of the Dept 56 pieces. I could only afford a few here and there but I wish that I had invested in more than I had. ❤️👻🎃

So excited that you made a carnival theme video! I watched it once and went ahead and ordered the CDX coaster with the motor, and now I’m back to say thank you! I have been looking for years to get one for my village and only came across the Knex coaster. Not sure how I never heard of the CDX coaster considering that it’s been available for a while now, so again thanks for the info and your great videos. I can’t wait to add it this year!

Great video and yes to the rollercoaster! 🎢🎡🎃

Just wanted to chime in about "The Scream" It was produced in 2015, one year only and currently it is going for just under $900.00USD. It scarcely comes up anymore. Shooting Gallery from D56 is also pricey these days.

Doug, I love your theme presentations. It's something that hasn't been much discussed in detail, you are doing quite a public service I think. In fact, I'd love to know if there is some guide of all the Lemax & D56 items...sorted by theme. I have a few different themes I do every year, and am sometimes surprised by an older item that would fit right in but I didn't know about it. And the Cyclone is awesome!

Yes! My two Lemax faves... Wheel of Terror and Tilt'n'Hurl... the latter especially for its soundtrack. Actually that Lego roller coaster is a great idea. People could, perhaps, paint it to give it that wooden look, and make it "Halloweenish" as you suggested. Now I'm all nostalgic for Crystal Beach amusement park... my younger self was too terrified to ride on that huge Comet rollercoaster.

FANTASTIC VIDEO DOUG !!!!! This is my favorite theme, even ahead of Fall/Pumpkin and hauted house/Cemetary !!!! Here are my thoughts: The best DEPT 56 Carnival piece IMO ------- Clown House of Terror !!!!! Epic, old-school design. You can't mention a Carnival and then not talk about the Holy Grail of Theme Park pieces ------- Chuckles Funhouse !!!!! My most under-rated piece --------- Shooting Range !!!! LOVE the lighting and animation! Nothing else like it. A Spooky Town Roller Coaster MUST be made. If Lego can make and sell them for $400 -500, so can Lemax. Yes it will be expensive, but Lemax needs that Halo piece that could get non-collectors into collecting. Plus it just makes sence. Pieces I'd avoid: Zombie Plane Ride. Eeerie-Go-Round. Bump in the Night. Ghost Around (just cause of the horrible quality). Please make a part 2 !!!!!

Really enjoying these theming videos! I would love to see a video for a zombie themed village if you continue the series. I picked up the Gloom Room this year, and I'll probably get last year's Zombie Records to pair with it. Would be cool to hear suggestions for older zombie pieces, too.

Thank you for these awesome videos. I just found out about spooky village/Lenox today and am looking forward to starting a collection!

the "frankie" bumper cars ride that he was talking about was bump in the night, I think he was talking about that at least, they look similar.

Another awesome video!👏 👏 👏 Just got back from Cedar Point and I TOTALLY AGREE with the need for a rollercoaster piece!! I don't have a carnival theme but I'd buy that as a stand alone for my sofa table! Would love to see your "spookifying" process with the CDX!! 🤓

Great vid. I am a huge fan of the carnival pieces myself, I am only missing the Witch’s Hat and Chuckle’s Fun House, which are hard to find at a good price. As far as a coaster goes, I would recommend The Scorpion by Coaster Dynamix. It has just been re-released for $250 pre-order. I am looking forward to your vids of your carnival setup once you have a moment to set it up and film it. 🎃

I am so glad on got Wild Pumpkin Ride when it came out! I have learned from your channel that I definitely like the pumpkin theme. I have always bought pieces that appealed to me, never really considered theme but I feel my displays make sense. I will certainly try harder to better group pieces together. Thank you for your videos! 🎃💀

New to your channel. Saw your Cracker Barrel video, funny we were just there looking at their Halloween display. I think the roller coaster would look awesome!

Thank you for all of these tips! I’m a newbie for the spooky villages and I cannot tell you how helpful these videos have been!

Lemax also makes usually one or more witch pieces per year

That roller coaster looks cool. I really hope they do one very soon i know it would be the most expensive spooky town piece but i would defitanely be all over it.

8:34 I thought about making a video like that also since I own a few that require you to turn it out via the switch.

Great video as always Doug! The Carnival of Carnage by Lemax is a great affordable option- about $50-70!

For a cheaper option the carnival of carnage is a great choice! It's huge, nicely lit but relatively inexpensive

I have the D56 Scaredy Cat Ferris Wheel and love it! The carnival theme is one of my favorites. I would love to see you get the coaster and do a review on it. :)

I agree that the Web of Terror Ferris Wheel has the best lighting and is visually stunning. I dislike the audio though. If you end up doing part 2, you should pick a carousel.

Would love to see the coaster build/review! 👻🎃💀

I would like to see that roller coaster 🎃👍

These choices seem to have more of a specific Halloween theme whereas you could do a second video that is more for general carnival theming with less "creepiness."

Talk about going down the rabbit hole. Lmao. Yes I would grab the coaster but just like Lego. CDX sell the power pack.! it don't come with the kits. Just for my Lego coaster on top of the $400 it cost me $60 for battery pack and $45 for the motor. CDX was around $40 but it a plug in cord . Lego just release a Loopster coaster for about $500 but its tall ..if you watch the video you"ll see. I'm grateful.I was able to get the coaster I have. But.i will say this their big and eat up ra lot of real estate in your displays. !!! so you have to plan around them.and if you dont have a big space for your display.i wouldn't get it to them ! If you or any one has any question on them ask away I"d be glad to help .

I found a rest in pieces mausoleum on mercari for $179