Rate the Haunts

[Snowman]

My wife and I made our first visit to KI Haunt last night and WOW!!! What an incredible night!

The Moon was full and like it was planned, the weather started to cool down. We rode all the coasters after dark which was a completely different experience and the lines were pleasantly short. Adventure Express in the dark, surprisingly fun.

So many great experiences but I'll stop blathering and get to my topic idea.

We wondered today if there is anywhere on KIC that has the haunts rated by level of intensity.

It's a given that they are all going to be well done. but what are the different levels of intensity?

The only haunt we went through was Cutthroat Cove. Very well done and entertaining but not terrifying. So I'd say a 5 out of 10 on an intensometer

Lets not give any surprises away, but maybe we can tease readers who haven't gone yet, Like: Didn't you all love that new thing they added on The Beast!!!!

Here's the Haunts as they're listed on the map not my personal preference, Whats your vote:

1 Wolf Pack

2 Corn Stalkers

3 Club Blood

4 Massacre Manor

5 Death Row

6 Trail of Terror

7 Urgent Scare

8 Cutthroat Cove

9 Slaughterhouse

10 Cemetary Drive

11 Tombstone Terror-tory

12 Carnevil

Have at it...... Boo!

[alluna]

Here is my full review, I brought along a few friends for immediate reactions after each haunt:

2010 Kings Island Halloween Haunt Review

1. Wolfpack - only if you are scared of shirtless guys. mildly intense.

2. Cornstalkers - low on scare actors Friday. Not scary.

3. Club Blood - medium intensity and entertaining.

4. Massacre Manor - less consistent theme than last year. Med/high intensity.

5. Death Row. Too intense due to sirens and strobes. Not scary...just annoying.

6. Trail of Terror - great scares here. High intensity.

7. Urgent Scare - high intensity, good scares.

8. Cutthroat Cove - not intense. Piratey and funny, really.

9. Slaughterhouse - high intensity. Scary.

10. Cemetary Drive - not intense, quietly creepy.

11. Tombstone Terrortory - intense, but obvious scares.

12. Carnevil - intense on your senses, lots of surprises.

[KIMonster14]

1 Wolf Pack- Not really that scary at all

2 Corn Stalkers- A quick little minute path, don't wait too long for this

3 Club Blood- Really fun and scary, loved it!

4 Massacre Manor- A Scary One! Also really fun!

5 Death Row- Fun, LOTS of strobelights, gives you a headache easily

6 Trail of Terror- Lots of pop-outs! Intense!

7 Urgent Scare- high intensity, really fun

8 Cutthroat Cove- Not really scary

9 Slaughterhouse- It's a fun, big scary one!

10 Cemetary Drive- Another mild quick one

11 Tombstone Terrortory- lots of scareactors! Line goes by so fast! Love It!

12 Carnevil- A Really fun, intense pop outs! One of my favorites!

[TombRaiderFTW]

From favorite to least favorite, as of this year:

1. Slaughterhouse

So intense! The scareactors make frighteningly skillful use of their environments and their co-actors to deliver scares literally around every corner, not to mention that the decorations are plentiful and very realistic. The designers of and actors in this thing really know what they're doing. Super gory- as to be expected from something themed to a cannibal's meat shop- but personally distractingly scary enough to keep it from being overly morbid. I have a tendency to look everywhere at all times to avoid getting unexpectedly scared, and that did not help me in Slaughterhouse. The scares are good, and the scareactors even better. The ending's a real blast, too.

2. Massacre Manor, Trail of Terror

Both equally intense in their own rights. Neither are Slaughterhouse, but they'll have you freaking out if you slack on your guard. Not a whole lot of interaction with the environments, but there was quite a bit of double-teaming the scares, with great results. They give you some room to cautiously breathe at points, where Slaughterhouse is just scare after scare after scare after scare. These two were also the haunts last night where the actors... well... get to know you personally. Quoth "Momma": "Mmm, Alex! You gon' be first in mah stew!" Be jealous, because that's going to be one darn tasty stew.

4. Club Blood

I'm always iffy on this one. The scares are always top-notch, but the actors' behaviors for the second half usually are borderline offensive. All the scares from the start to leaving the "club" scene were expertly done- I even saw one guy wearing these really cool white contacts that glowed in the blacklights. TOO COOL! The second half, though... I don't want to give anything away, as per the OP, but it never fails to be a little too sexual for my tastes year after year.

5. Cemetary Drive

Surprisingly good! I can't really describe this one since its thrill lies in its actors, but this is a really, really good haunt this year. If you want to dip a friend's or your toe into a good taste of the Haunt experience, this is where I would start. Intense and suspenseful, but not too overwhelmingly so.

6. Corn Stalkers

Gah, Cornstalkers. Hands-down either my top or second-favorite haunt in '08 and '09; hands-down uninspired this year. I don't like to tear down Haunts without some constructive criticism added in, but I really don't know what would have helped this one. You knew what was real and what wasn't, even though the actors really were doing their jobs well. My biggest joy with Cornstalkers this year was just watching the group of 12 year-old girls in front of us obliviously wander through, getting scared out of their wits. Maybe I'm just growing up and getting used to scares, but something just wasn't the same this time.

7. Cutthroat Cove

On one hand, Cutthroat Cove was a lot better than it was last year. On the other hand, Cutthroat Cove is still... Cutthroat Cove. You can see the actors, most of which just scream shrilly at you and then meander back to where they came from. Ho hum. Awkward "booty" jokes, ahoy!

8. Wolf Pack

I don't really deserve to give this one a fair review since I can't, but you can read my feelings on it here. WARNING: There will be spoilers!

9. Tombstone Terror-tory

I was sorely let down by TTt, frankly. What was one of my favorite haunts last year was nothing more than a cool set-up to a bunch of below-average scares. You could see the actors coming a mile away, and they would only either shriek or growl mildly. What a bummer.

Haven't gotten to Urgent Scare or Carnevil yet, and with any luck, I won't have to go through Death Row ever again.

[weberc3]

i just came back (saturday 9/25). I only went through 5 (Slaughter House, Massacre Manor, Trail of Terror, Urgent Scare, and Cornstalkers). Here's my rating...5 the worst, 1 the best:

5: Urgent Scare - I don't want my picture taken, don't make us stand in line for it....duh

4. Cornstalkers - Too bright...i'll blame this on the wind because the fog was blowing

3. Massacre Manor - This was decent...just warm...fun times

2. Trail of Terror - I just liked being outside...i'm gonna dock points for getting wet

1. Slaughter House - the big air bags freaked me out, that can cause some mental damage

it was a good time tonight, i was disappointed that there didn't seem to be many "creatures" walking around the main park, or I just didn't run into them

[Snowman]

Toyota bought the park yesterday and KI let them stay through the Haunt last night, so ther was no Wall of Monsters. An employee said he's NEVER seen it as crowded as it was last night.

We got to go through Carnevil, by far my favorite haunt. The colors, decorations and scareactors were fantastic, and the effect at the end was mind blowing for a non-permanent haunt. 10 out of 10 Well done KI!!!

Also did Tombstone Terror-tory 8 out of 10. Really enjoyed it for first timers. We couldn't stop laughing at "Lost your Head? listen for it, classic!

Two notes that I didn't think needed to be written to first timers, but here it goes:

It's not a good idea to bring 2 yes 2 four year olds on the Tombstone Train. Also it's not a good idea to bring a BABY on the Tombstone Train! Believe it or not this happened and it WAS THE SAME GROUP!!!!! Instead of putting away for a college fund, these "Parents" (I use the term loosely) should start putting money away for therapy.

Lastly, the train ride is NOT the same train ride that runs during the day! There was an elderly couple in front of us that when we got off to start the haunt, had no idea it was a Haunt. The Scareactors seemed to realize this and was very gentle with them.

Well Done KI workers, You all are fantastic at your jobs!

[HTCO]

Friday, September 24th.

Wolfpack: I can't really review this since I went through it right at 7:00 while it was still light outside. But I thought it was VERY short... but what do you expect for it being in the station. 2/10

Slaughterhouse: This haunt scared me almost every time. It was very dark and foggy, and I love the red abstract lighting everywhere we went. All the actors were great. They actually had dialogue, instead of just saying "boo". Great attraction. One of the best! 10/10

Trail of Terror: It was alright. Some good scares here and there. And there were a few god awful actors... 6/10.(I miss the chain saw people at the end that chase you out)

[chaddie]

Maybe I am biased, but I believe Urgent Scare is the best!

[HTCO]

I have yet to go through Urgent Scare this year. Will definitely check it out next week.

[TombRaiderFTW]

I have yet to go through Urgent Scare this year. Will defiantly check it out next week.

"Hello, everyone. I am here to be scared, so JUST TRY TO SCARE ME, DAG NABBIT! I DARE YOU!"

[Outdoor Man]

got to say my favorite haunt was actually none of them and the fact that the majority of the lines were in those attractions. Kings Island really does this service for those of us with little ones that never get to get our of Planet Snoopy because of said children. spend the evening at home, put 'em to bed, call the baby sitter arrive at the park around 9:30 and WALLLLAH!- 3 and a half ours to play in the "big kid" area. My wife hates scary things (when we parked she actually asked the attendant if it was possible to not be anywhere near the scary things- she's 33 mind you). driving away I had to ask "how old are you again????"

If you want to go and not be in the Haunt piece- about the closest we saw any of them was two "Cast Members" came to one of the restrooms to get water.

I do have to say we saw plenty of "zombies" in the lines. Scores of teenagers there with friends- NOT TALKING TO EACH OTHER- but had their heads dumped in their cell phones texting. I think the real Zombies were in the lines not the paid ones.

[HTCO]

I have yet to go through Urgent Scare this year. Will defiantly check it out next week.

"Hello, everyone. I am here to be scared, so JUST TRY TO SCARE ME, DAG NABBIT! I DARE YOU!"

Clever Thanks! Change made.

[TylerRider]

Toyota bought the park yesterday and KI let them stay through the Haunt last night, so ther was no Wall of Monsters. An employee said he's NEVER seen it as crowded as it was last night.

We got to go through Carnevil, by far my favorite haunt. The colors, decorations and scareactors were fantastic, and the effect at the end was mind blowing for a non-permanent haunt. 10 out of 10 Well done KI!!!

Also did Tombstone Terror-tory 8 out of 10. Really enjoyed it for first timers. We couldn't stop laughing at "Lost your Head? listen for it, classic!

Two notes that I didn't think needed to be written to first timers, but here it goes:

It's not a good idea to bring 2 yes 2 four year olds on the Tombstone Train. Also it's not a good idea to bring a BABY on the Tombstone Train! Believe it or not this happened and it WAS THE SAME GROUP!!!!! Instead of putting away for a college fund, these "Parents" (I use the term loosely) should start putting money away for therapy.

Lastly, the train ride is NOT the same train ride that runs during the day! There was an elderly couple in front of us that when we got off to start the haunt, had no idea it was a Haunt. The Scareactors seemed to realize this and was very gentle with them.

Well Done KI workers, You all are fantastic at your jobs!

Diamondback's line was in the second bank of turnstiles, before 7.

[RingMaster]

Trail of Terror: It was alright. Some good scares here and there. And there were a few god awful actors... 6/10.(I miss the chain saw people at the end that chase you out)

Please do not tell me they got rid of the chainsaw finale at the end of Trail of Terror.

[TombRaiderFTW]

^ It was there for me on Friday...

[HTCO]

It's there. I probably should have worded that differently. They do, but they are not allowed to chase you out anymore and there was supervisors making sure it didn't happen.

[RingMaster]

Ah, okay. Come to think of it, as many times as I've gone through it, they've never actually chased people out to where the monsters are actually out of the maze. Or maybe it's because the groups I'm in always bolt out on their own accord and I just stand there shaking my head in disbelief.

[alluna]

Ah, okay. Come to think of it, as many times as I've gone through it, they've never actually chased people out to where the monsters are actually out of the maze. Or maybe it's because the groups I'm in always bolt out on their own accord and I just stand there shaking my head in disbelief.

They sort of chased us, but not really. Kind of followed behind until our friend got worked up enough to run out on her own!

[XGatorHead 8904]

Sam the Butcher is very pleased with all the positive reviews of Slaughter House.

[alluna]

Sam the Butcher is very pleased with all the positive reviews of Slaughter House.

Which one was Sam the Butcher?

[XGatorHead 8904]

^Most of the time he's in the room after the freezer, popping out to see if you would like a taste of their freshly chopped meat. Sometimes he's the host, informing future victims that choose to tour the facility that nothing will touch them except for the saws, knives and cleavers, but they only hurt for a little bit. Last year he was even known to inhabit the kitchen a time or two. You just never know where you might run into him. So if you see a bearded man with a black & white doorag on his head, wearing a nametag that has a cow's head on it and the words "Sam Butcher", make sure to say "hi". He likes to see a friendly face... as long as that face shows some fear as well!

[kiruler102]

On a scale of one to ten.

(1-TERRIBLE 10- AWESOME) I have not been through Urgent Scare, Tombstone Terror-TORY, Carn Evil, or Cemetary.

CornStalkers- 3/10 You could easily see them, not foggy, and scare element was very low. One of the scareactors sounded like a turkey while trying to scare me! REALLY!

Death Row- 4/10 Annoying sounds, strobes, not confusing pathway, and all the girls didnt even scare, they just had an evil grin on there face.

Red Beards Revenge- 5/10 Better than last year, but not dark, nor scary. but semi entertaining. I had a few startles, but nothing very good.

Club Blood- 6/10 Better than last year, not enough dancers, not much dialog just alot of startles, but a semi good mirror maze but too short.

Trail Of Terror- 6/10 This was the last haunt we did so the scareactors may of been tired, but some good hiding spots, some startles, and whats up with all the water! uncalled for.

Massacre Manor- 7/10 Worse than last year due to the removal of Uncle Fester. He made that maze awesome. (guy at the end in the electric chair) he is replaced with a scrawny guy. Some of the decor is in bad shape and the moving bed has lost its effect. but it is still one of the better haunts at HAUNT.

Wolf Pack- 8/10. Good design, some good spots, but its WAY too short. If it was longer it would be better. This one has potential but its lacking the amount of werewolves.

Slaughterhouse-9/10. BEST ONE! alot better than last year, longer, dark, more scareactors, and just makes me feel like i am buying a pound of human meat from my local butcher. (SAM)

These are my opinions, you can disagree. but nothing will change MY opinions.

Thanks

[TH13TEEN]

^ Red what?

[Snowman]

Must be talking about Cutthroat Cove. Just a guess.

[kiruler102]

Yes i was talking about Cut throat cove, i was looking at a haunt map from 2008 while typing this.

[count_of_tuscany]

Although we only did two haunts last night, I must say that the sprinklers in the Trail of Terror was very inappropriate,considering the low temperatures. We actually had to go into the family dryer afterwards to try to dry off. Other than that, it was great! The only other haunt that we did was Urgent Scare. The photo line at the end was kind of lame - at the time we went in there was no wait to get into the haunt, but there was a wait to leave! We'll be back today, so perhaps we will see some of you (at least in passing, since we are relatively new here)!

[RingMaster]

I'll have a much longer review posted later on, and I didn't get through any of the outdoor haunts, so here's my quickie score for the seven indoor attractions. For those of you who read my SCREAMPARK trip report should know my rating scale, but for those of you who don't, the basic 1-5 rank applies here, but with new names (Axe, Knife, Startle, Shriek, and Scream from 1-5):

• CarnEVIL - Startle - They FINALLY got rid of the annoying soundtrack that's been there since 2001. Also, the actors here are much more into their roles than previous years. Still, same exact layout and nothing is new here, although them not charging for the 3D glasses is a shock to me considering Boo Blasters is right next door and charges for them (and Knott's Berry Farm charges for their 3D haunts.
• Urgent Scare - Startle - Still beautiful as ever and as scary as ever. The one major problem here is the photo op. Last year it was at the front of the maze in the receptionist office; this year it is at the very end of the maze. No air cannon or anything. Just a simple photo op in front of a green screen that you HAVE to do. Unlike Wolf Pack where it's in the queue line and it's optional, here it's at the very end of the maze and it's mandatory. This one caveat almost made me give the maze a Knife, but thankfully the rest of the attraction more than makes up for it. Still, Kings Island, stop doing this. Give the people a CHOICE on the photo op and don't FORCE them to do it. Also, pull a Wolf Pack and have it in the QUEUE LINE, NOT IN THE MAZE ITSELF.
• Death Row - Axe - Horrendous. Simply horrendous. To have girls from Club Blood in a maze such as Death Row is one of the worst decisions ever made. They can't or won't scare people and just stand there, or worse, hide from everyone. Also a joke, and kind of a bit racist in some regards, is the inclusion of black girls in the maze, of which they make up a primarily large portion of the maze inhabitants. I don't know which is worse, the fact that they too don't or can't scare, or the fact that they were thrown in there as some sort of racism joke. Those of you who know me personally should know this is the biggest shock if something like THIS can offend me.
• Massacre Manor - Startle - A decidedly average attraction. Nothing here too terribly exciting about it, except that the talent here are very much on fire here, and very acrobatic as well. Still don't understand why there is a room covered in blood smack dab in the middle of the maze, unless it's meant to parody The Shining with the flashes to a bloody room to indicate a trek into madness. Also, they need to better tell the story of Emily's descent into madness rather than just have pictures up on the wall.
• Slaughterhouse - Startle - Still a cobbled-together mess of blood and disjointed rooms. At least the opening room is much, much brighter than last year. The talent is just as awesome as they were last year, sometimes better than before. The second half still needs a major overhaul as it still makes no sense. Also, the car effect needs a reworking as well; it's still set on its own timer and is always too late or too early. Oh, and its horn goes on for FAR TOO LONG.
• Club Blood - Knife - I believe the sex appeal is starting to wear out for me, because I've now grown tired of this maze. The talent is similar to Death Row as they simply just stand there and look pretty (maybe because several women from the Club were thrown on Death Row), but compared to its hairier brethren next door, they simply lack in the scaring department. Also, a majority of the wall panels are beginning to crack and show wear and tear. Perhaps the money that went to Half-Pint Brawlers should've gone towards upkeep for the rest of the attractions at the Haunt. At least they got a new sign out front...
• Wolf Pack - Startle - Similar to Club Blood as a majority of the monsters just stand there and aren't particularly scary. Maybe it's also due to the fact that half of the so-called "werewolves" are simply shirtless dalmatians and look so out of place with the maze. Which looks absolutely GORGEOUS. Trust me when I say that at times you won't believe you are in a regular building and are in the middle of a real forest. Thanks Knott's Berry Farm for providing the scenics (and the amazing logo out front) for Kings Island to use for this haunt! Still, the only actual werewolves that are actors are the two at both the beginning and end of the haunt (DON MCCLOUD'S BACK!!!!1!!11), and the last monster actually resembles more of the Wolfman from the recent remake.

[pcc]

We only hit up 3 Haunts...here's my reviews (void of many details to keep from spoiling):

Slaughter House:

This was my first time going through this maze. I wish we had waited until it was dark, but it opened at 6pm and I wanted to take advantage of the small line. While waiting, my husband and I were very entertained by the "pre-show". This guy was hilarious

"Did I give you permission to take my picture? I SAID, DID I GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO TAKE MY PICTURE?!" I couldn't help but laugh as he posed for me. No one was off limits and some of the things he came up with were hilarious.

Once inside, we were greeted by a woman (I could not get names of characters since the teenage girls in there with us were screaming like crazy). My husband was impressed with the guy with in the first room with weird eyes, white face and messed up head. (again we couldn't really interact with the characters since the girls were going nuts). A few of the actors caught me off guard and scared me. One of which was the pig looking guy. The ending would have been FANTASTIC in the dark. I will not give it away, but if you haven't been, this is a must-see attraction. Next year, if this attraction returns, I'll be there to go through it again. I rate it 8/10 (would have been 10/10 had it been dark)

Club Blood:

I went through Club Blood last year and LOVED it. My husband sat that one out last year and wanted to see it this year. I built it up. Maybe too much. We waited in line for 90 minutes. I have to say, it was nothing like last year and I was disappointed. Seems as though some scenes have been removed. One room was so foggy, we couldn't see any actors and nothing was going on there. No scares, just fog. I missed the guys jumping out of the corners last year with the bungie things. Actually, I can say we only saw around 5 actors in there. The guy with the mic was fantastic and everyone inside did a great job, but the end was meh. My husband and the people with us all said "That's it?!?" We felt like we wasted our time going through. I don't actually recall seeing any vampires. Maybe some were on break? Anyways, 5/10

Massacre Manor:

We went through this attraction around midnight. The line was very short, so we were afraid it wouldn't be good. I knew nothing about this attraction, so we had no idea what to expect. The guy at the door was great..Once inside we were given an intro in the front room. I was about 3 people from the front at this point. Once we stepped further in, I was chosen to be leader. From that point on, it was a bizarre, disorienting trip through the house. I had no idea where to go (which makes this FANTASTIC!) I love not having sense of direction and wondering what is around each corner. I was startled SEVERAL times throughout the attraction. One room in particular was very disorienting which added to the suspense of what was going on. At the end, we ran into the group in front of us. What happened next was nothing short of hilarious. We were getting ready to go in the final room. My shirt was glowing white from the blacklights....the girls in front of us were screaming their heads off. I push away the plastic leading to the next room and they see me. One woman pointed at me and screamed bloody murder, then her entire group followed. While laughing at them, they ran into the final scene and screamed, running back into us. We had to step back into the other room because they were knocking things over and one almost knocked me down. I was laughing so hard at them.

I rate this 10/10. I rarely get startled, but this attraction did the job. My husband and I were both very surprised with the talent in there. I'll hit this up again next year as well!

That's all we had time for, we spent the rest of the night riding and people watching. All in all, fantastic!

[XGatorHead 8904]

Slaughterhouse - Startle - Still a cobbled-together mess of blood and disjointed rooms. At least the opening room is much, much brighter than last year. The talent is just as awesome as they were last year, sometimes better than before. The second half still needs a major overhaul as it still makes no sense. Also, the car effect needs a reworking as well; it's still set on its own timer and is always too late or too early. Oh, and its horn goes on for FAR TOO LONG.

I know this has never been your favorite haunt thematically, but I appreciate you honoring the talent. It's a very good crew in there, in some ways I think better than last year (although a few people from last year are missed... they know who they are. And if they don't, then they should know).

Slaughter House:

This was my first time going through this maze. I wish we had waited until it was dark, but it opened at 6pm and I wanted to take advantage of the small line. While waiting, my husband and I were very entertained by the "pre-show". This guy was hilarious

"Did I give you permission to take my picture? I SAID, DID I GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO TAKE MY PICTURE?!" I couldn't help but laugh as he posed for me. No one was off limits and some of the things he came up with were hilarious.

Once inside, we were greeted by a woman (I could not get names of characters since the teenage girls in there with us were screaming like crazy). My husband was impressed with the guy with in the first room with weird eyes, white face and messed up head. (again we couldn't really interact with the characters since the girls were going nuts). A few of the actors caught me off guard and scared me. One of which was the pig looking guy. The ending would have been FANTASTIC in the dark. I will not give it away, but if you haven't been, this is a must-see attraction. Next year, if this attraction returns, I'll be there to go through it again. I rate it 8/10 (would have been 10/10 had it been dark)

The guy outside is Bubba. He's good at what he does, and I agree he is very entertaining. The woman greeting inside is Mama. She likes to make sure that her boys and all the guests play nice together. The guy in the first room with the messed up head... I don't know that he has a name (I'll have to get Sam to ask him this weekend since they both work in that same room), but a lot of people seem to be scared of him for some reason. Glad you liked it!