Should KI and Cedar Fair Discontinue Halloween Haunt?

[Erosarrow05]

It took me reading the replies to the original post to realize "RaptorGuy" was actually being serious and I feel slightly bad for chuckling through it. ( Can you imagine the audacity of Cedar Fair condoning plastic skeletons in public view during October? At last check every person on this earth is going to die, so you'll end up in a box or a coffee can - if seeing said box is too traumatizing for you perhaps you should relocate to candyland - and as someone who has stage 3 cancer, Im not offended by it in the slightest) Remember, this event is so poorly orchestrated it was ranked 5th in its category by Amusement Today.

Also, countless people spend countless hours to conceptualize this event and make it come to life every night, which is no easy task and while I don't particularly care for Halloween events, as I am a card carrying registered member of the sissy-club, I still respect what they have done, and how successful they have made it. You've made some very negative and sweeping generalizations about the clientele of Halloween Haunt that are essentially nothing more than rubbish validated only by your preconceived dislike for what you think the event stands for and no fact. Im sorry, if that comes off as rude but I feel it's the truth and I have always had a hard time with people who try to evaluate an event, a product ect. and can only harp on what they consider negative aspects without being able to offer a fair, biased opinion offering the positive and the negative. Truth be told anytime throws 'holy' into an debate, I have to tune it out - at last check the official religion of Kings Island was Kinzelism not Christianity, Judaism or even Islam (even though people flock to KI like its mecca)... Separation of Church and Park is a beautiful thing...

RaptorGuy, you are entitled to your own opinion, and though I vehemently disagree with it, I respect it... my only questions to you are...

1.What did the Guest Relations representative say to you when you commented on your displeasure in the event and presented your catalogued list of offensive components with recommendations for their rectification and creators termination?

2. Do you feel the same way towards individuals who decorate their homes in a 'frightening motif', private organizations or companies who run haunted attractions, companies who sell 'scary' merchandise, the film industry (generalization - scary movies) as you do about Kings Islands Halloween Haunt? I guess the question is - do you feel that Halloween world wide should be celebrated with "some nice fall decorations, like pumpkins, corn stalks with orange and purple ribbons, some things like that." ?

Again, if I came off as rude - I apologize - but I don't think most of your comments and generalizations are fair and i don't subscribe to that school of thought... But I am eager to your responses.

[RingMaster]

I have one thing to say and I'll shut up on this particular matter.

RaptorGuy, you really should go to Dead Acres up in Columbus. There are things far, far, FAR WORSE at that haunt that make our Haunt look like Coney Island's Fall-O-Ween Festival.

But I agree with you on toning it down a bit, at least on the blood and gore aspect of the event. Not every house has to have buckets of blood splattered all over the walls or mangled corpses strewn about the place (technically, CarnEVIL is the only haunt that has no blood/gore). If anything, do a more suspenseful and creepy house and prey upon more primal fears like spiders or dolls, or even do a haunted house based on the the holiday itself (like Universal did a few years back with The Hallow at Halloween Horror Nights). I also think they too should cut the number of mazes down a bit, as they have too few actors for too many houses. Just go back down to 6 or 8 houses and spread them throughout the whole park. That way, they can be adequately staffed, and they can be better-themed than before now that there are fewer mazes. It doesn't make any sense to add one new maze in a new location each year while letting everything else rot (no pun intended).

[beastfan11]

Speaking of the Haunt not being Satanic.....

There was a scareactor outside of Urgent Scare on Friday that told a group of people that they were "Not in control because their God was dead." Not cool. I don't get offened by much but this was really REALLY pushing the limits in an area where limits do not need to be pushed. And do not tell me that if I am upset that I just shouldn't go because I have always loved The Haunt and this is the first time anything has really bothered me. Religion is obviously a touchy subject and I don't want to start a "God" debate, but I (as a Christian) do consider this satantic. Kings Island is supposed to entertain guests, not challenge their beliefs.

I love Kings Island and I hate to see things like this. It's just down right wrong. Let's get back to the fun nights of Fearfest and Winterfest! Let's have some fun Kings Island!

- Collin.

[screamingnight]

As Kings Island said Nothing is off limits. As I said haunts are supposed to make you feel uncomfortable. Kings Island wants to get under your skin.

[beastfan11]

Nothing is off limits? Michael Jackson? Billy Mays? Michael Vick? Things are and should be off limits. One's faith has nothing to do with going to a haunted house to get scared. There is no reason for this.

[screamingnight]

Jesus H Christ. What is with such politically correct people on here? The dead celeb ideas were just a stupid idea for KI. I found it to be really shocking and offensive but sometimes I like to be offended by movies and stuff like that. It was stupid of them because it would direct crowds away from KI. Dead Acres has a demon birth and a zombie suicide. Halloween Haunt is kiddie land compared to Dead Acres. Stop taking things so seriously. Don't be like an MPAA member. There are far more important things to be offended by than an actor saying God is dead or a huge Satan at KI. Ya know God understands it's all just for fun. I don't think he minds.

[lopan]

If all this bugs you, then leave before 7 plain and simple,or go there before October. The rest of us clearly enjoy it,i went saturday and it was the busiest day ive ever seen, and i go there at least weekly for the past several years so that's saying something, so clearly many,many people enjoy it. And coffins,fake blood,guys running up and scaring you,fog,skeletons- dude that describes EVERY halloween place in the usa.maybe what your really wanting is to have halloween banned everywhere

[CedarPointer]

Uh, if you don't like Haunt, go on a Sunday.

[Creed Bratton]

Anything said by an scarecreator should be taken with a grain of salt. Half of the time they're saying something that just pops into their heads that second. In regards to that, Halloween Haunt is just an event. It's not church. There are going to be things that aren't "god like"

at last check the official religion of Kings Island was Kinzelism not Christianity, Judaism or even Islam (even though people flock to KI like its mecca)... Separation of Church and Park is a beautiful thing...

/- Erosarrow05

[THE_BEASTmaster]

Some of you that are saying I shouldn't go, well, as I said, I want to go ride my rides, like Diamondback. I DON'T go on Saturday nights. It's

a nightmare of many proportions on those nights. Friday nights, it is just out of control. I am NOT there to take part in the haunts, and I should

not have to be accosted by scare actors when I have no interest in them. They DON'T scare me, they annoy me to no end. Like I have said,

it should be toned down, and haunt should be in appointed places, and if you want to go do that crap, you can, but if you choose to not participate,

it should NOT be thrown in your face!

Well then go during the day on Saturday and leave at 7pm. It's not that hard. SHEESH!

[CedarPointer]

Wow, what a sense of self-entitlement. "Just because I don't enjoy something, then the tens of thousands of people who DO like Haunt can't enjoy it!"

[windshawne]

Haunt is not my bag-I don't like the fog, it aggravates my lungs and its a pain with all the shenanigans. There are a lot of things I don't agree with; however, after last night and the crowds that were there, I don't think they should stop it. Myself, I just don't plan to go during that time, plain and simple.

[Dieseltech20]

No they shouldn't cancel it. If you can't handle it, go home after 7 or only visit on Sunday.

Safe to say you don't watch horror films.

[windshawne]

No they shouldn't cancel it. If you can't handle it, go home after 7 or only visit on Sunday.

Safe to say you don't watch horror films.

I used to watch a lot of them-the old ones like Halloween and Carrie and such. I'm just not into the theatrical stuff that has come out in the last 10 years or so.

[HTCO]

Seems like every Halloween we get someone on these boards who really hates HH, and wants it to be toned down because they don't like it. Sigh...

[beastfan11]

You guys are completely misunderstanding what I'm trying to say. I loooooooooove the Haunt. I do not think they should discontinue it, but just because there are "no limits" doesn't mean it's right. I saw a midget get closelined at the park that has recieved multiple awards for having the greatest kid's area. Haha. I mean, it's rediculous what's going on here.

[HTCO]

You guys are completely misunderstanding what I'm trying to say. I loooooooooove the Haunt. I do not think they should discontinue it, but just because there are "no limits" doesn't mean it's right. I saw a midget get closelined at the park that has recieved multiple awards for having the greatest kid's area. Haha. I mean, it's rediculous what's going on here.

My post wasn't towards you at all! I semi-agree with you, I think the midget wrestling was a little to far. My post was really to RaptorGuy.

[beastfan11]

You guys are completely misunderstanding what I'm trying to say. I loooooooooove the Haunt. I do not think they should discontinue it, but just because there are "no limits" doesn't mean it's right. I saw a midget get closelined at the park that has recieved multiple awards for having the greatest kid's area. Haha. I mean, it's rediculous what's going on here.

My post wasn't towards you at all! I semi-agree with you, I think the midget wrestling was a little to far. My post was really to RaptorGuy.

It's all good. I understand. It was just genereal post. I just don't like where the event is going.

[muppetfan1999]

After careful thinking this through for quite some time now, and after how things went last night, Friday October 8th, 2010, I feel it's time for Kings Island and even

the entire Cedar Fair Company to give consideration to canceling Halloween Haunt events after this year! Kings Island has proven time and time again that they

absolutely do NOT know how to put on such an event in a way that makes it enjoying and entertaining! It's now come to the point that it's extremely irritating

and even unsafe to attend the Haunt.

First off, it draw's a crowd of unsavory elements to the park. They show up either high on drugs or drunk on alchohol. They smoke in lines to much higher extents

than regular times, and they cut in line, and when you say something, they want to fight you, and when you yell for security or the ride hosts, they REFUSE to do

anything about it. They blow you off with some lame comment like, "We can only do so much!". WHAT???? Are you kidding me???? "We can only do so much????"

Where's the security when we need them? Also, gangs of teenagers show up and hang in large groups and are in the way, all over the place, and they become

unruly, and no one does anything about it. Last night, people were walking through the park smoking cigs, and security walked right past them and said NOTHING!

What are they there for, to pick their nose? SAY SOMETHING FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! DO YOUR JOB!

Second of all, the crap that happens at the front gate on Friday nights when the park first opens is utter chaos! That is VERY DANGEROUS and someone or

MANY are going to get hurt and hurt bad! The people playing monsters come running out there, as people are trying to get in, and get your face, and come up

behind you while you're trying to get through the security gates and get your wallet out to get your pass, and they get you side tracked. That is PURE NONSENSE!

Whoever came up with that act ought to be ashamed of themselves and FIRED! That needs to STOP THIS WEEKEND! All I want to do is get in and go ride my

coasters, like Diamondback! I don't need to be accosted by these scare actors wearing these godawful looking masks that I have NO interest in to begin with!

Then I get inside the front gate only to see SATAN himself on top of a scaffolding over the Royal Fountain. That in itself is WRONG on so many levels. What

is Kings Island doing, promoting HELL? Whats up with that?? Whoever came up with THAT act, also need to be FIRED. Terrible! Terrible! Terrible!

The event itself is VERY poorly done. It's so dark and the fake fog is so thick that you can't see half of where you're going! That is SO dangerous for people

who might be hard of seeing, wears prescription eye glasses, or just anyone in general. I don't have any problems with my eyes, but I have accidently run into

people, run into carts, and been run over by other people! THAT is DANGEROUS! Now, these things have happened several times in the last 3 years, some of them

did NOT happen on Friday night. There's NO reason on God's green earth why there should be so much fog, and have it be so dark.

The decorations throughout the park are really in poor taste. There's so many skeletons everywhere, it looks like BONEVILLE! The worst of it, is

all the coffins everywhere. That is extremely OFFENSIVE! What is so amusing about caskets where dead people get buried? That is hard for some of

us who have lost loved ones to deal with. Or some of us who have loved ones who may not be with us much longer. That is horrible for us! I don't need

that reminder everywhere I walk or every ride I get on! I don't like seeing them laying there.

Even though I really would LOVE to see Halloween Haunt completely canceled and go back to how it was in the 1990's, I would be willing to offer that they

tone the event WAY down. Just do maybe 3 or 4 haunted attractions, like Massacre Manor, Trail of Terror, Tombstone Junction, and bring back Elvira and

Fun House Express. That would be so much better. Get rid of all that garbage at the beginning. Stop doing those evil Satanic shows like whatever that

horrid thing is in the International Showplace with the bomb that goes off and scares everyone to death riding Diamondback or walking by. That should ALL

be canceled! Just put up some nice fall decorations, like pumpkins, corn stalks with orange and purple ribbons, some things like that. That would be just

fine for me. Still continue to do the thing for the little kids in the picnic area. That is innocent enough. That is what Halloween really is. Its NOT a holiday

that should celebrate Satan, Hell, and Death, the way Kings Island is portraying it with this Haunt crap! I just want to go to Kings Island and ride my

coasters and rides, and not have to deal with the haunted stuff. If they want to do it, like I said, do those ones, keep them where they are not in your face

and if you choose to not take part, you don't even have to know they're there!

Since I don't post hardly on here, and this my first real major one, I want to say that this is NOT a personal attack on anyone or even Kings Island

themselves. I am sure everyone has their opinions, and I respect them. I am just voicing mine on how I feel about Kings Island and ANY of the parks

really doing these kinds of evil Satanic Haunt events. I feel they are evil, unholy, and promote all that is wrong with our society right now. These parks

ARE Promoting evil by having events like this, and it needs to be STOPPED! Especially, when they do such a poor job at managing the crowds of

misenthropes that it draws!

I would love to see Halloween Haunt canceled and bring back Winterfest. Winterfest is a much nicer event. It's a happy event, and brings out

the best in people, NOT the worst like Haunt does. Its a much better money maker. Just ask Dolly Parton. Dollywood does NOT do any kind of

Halloween event, but they do a Christmas event, and do it well. They make a lot of money and people go there. There's no reason to think that

Kings Island would NOT have the same kind of return. So, hopefully, someone at Cedar Fair will get the message! CANCEL HAUNT!

Wow..... just wow. Who in the world would want to cancel Haunt?

1.I have never seen anybody that seems drunk or high in the 4 times I've been there this year.

2. have you seen the amount of security this year at Haunt? Theirs twice as much as last year! You're acting like there's a big sign that says "Welcome to Halloween Haunt! We have no security here that can stop you so you can get high and drunk as much as you want! Feel free to destroy the park!"

3. as for the Security/ Cigarette problem...... well you're pretty much right on that factor. But it's also a problem during the rest of the year, so don't freak out if it's during haunt.

4. As for the run of the monsters at the very beginning, yes, they do scare people up front but that's all part of the fun! Half of halloween is about being scared! It's not like they run people over!

5. I don't think that's the Devi up there. And saying that King's Island is promoting Hell is really harsh.

6. Yes they have a lot of fog. I agree with that. But it makes the event all the more creepier. Cause you're walking in the fog and you don't know what's going to happen next. It's like a good movie.

7. The skeletons are humorous because they can dress them up as anything.

8. Coffins are a part of Halloween. They're in zombie movies and I don't see you complaining about that.

9. Can you imagine the horrible feedback they'd get if they canceled haunt? At least 10,000 people would be extremely mad at them!

10. Did you just call Hot Blooded satanic? Yes it's a little suggestive but it's not like it's a strip club where they kill a park guest!

11. Again, half of Halloween is about being scared. It's part of halloween. You can't change that.

12. As other people have posted, If you don't want to partake in the Haunt, then don't go during that time! If you wanted to go at night than you should've gone the other 83 (estimated) days it was open during the summer! And there's 7 hours before haunt starts on Saturday. Just go during that time, ride the rides, and leave!

13. In what way are they promoting evil? You're acting like instead of the glow things they're selling they're selling knives and guns.

14. As much as I would like to see Winterfest come back, they really can't because It'd take way to long to take down haunt and then set up Winterfest. But I would like to see it come back.

And now I shall step off my Soapbox O' Ranting.

[Hendrick]

I went to KI on a Saturday (first full Saturday, last week I believe) with my girlfriend. Neither of us were interested in the Haunts, as that's just not really our thing. We rode a few flats, and a few coasters, and we had a blast. I didn't mind the scare actors, one of them even got me to jump. But he's just doing his job, and doing it very well. I loved the look of the Fog machines, I just think they should be positioned in a way that they aren't pumping directly into the midway. Walking by one, I decided it'd be best to hold my breathe.

If you don't like it, simply don't go. If attendance drops, that's the only way things will change. There's signs everywhere warning people about the haunts, as well as a few that even say this might be offensive. Me personally? It was my favorite trip to Kings Island ever.

[KIfan73]

Hopefully, people let Kings Island directly know how they feel about Halloween Haunt (or anything else related to the park), good or bad.

[Outdoor Man]

i could be wrong- but I believe that if they were to pin down a specific age that they were targeting it would be the 18-24 crowd- but in that they get an overwhelming quantity of HS students and a fair percentage of 25+. A lot of this thread has been a significant amount of bashing of one person's thoughts (did you know that your thoughts would spawn a 6-page thread Raptor????). If I were a betting person I would say that most (not all) but most of the bashing has come from the 22 and mostly younger crowd. I expect that, you're the age group they're targeting. When I was that age I regularly saw every slasher movie out. Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, etc... I loved being scared stiff about those movies, and to be honest when I'm walking up the basement steps of my house now and you can see the rest of the dark room under your steps.... I always tend to quicken my steps because 20 years later I can STILL see that stupid hockey mask in my head. Anyway- as I got older, some of these movies and now attractions come across to me as grotesque and really something that looking back on I should have never been a part of. Not for religious reasons, but because it is........ gross and disrespectful to the human race how they degrade life to bring in a few dollars at the gate. I've said on numerous occasions (and I've even shared this with Guest Relations (and even got a call back, which surprised me) that I can't believe that grown, salaried people sat at a table coming up with some of this stuff and felt some of these were good ideas.

I don't particularly have a specific issue with Haunt. To be honest I've never participated (My gripe above was that some of these were VERY present for my (then) three year old at the "family-friendly" times. I can't comment on something I've never visited. My guess is that the park is stacked full of their target audience on the weekends and plastered with HS students, whose parents have no idea what their 13-year olds eyes are taking in. unfortunately some do. I'm 15-20 years past my "blood and gore" infatuation days- it hasn't warped my mind. But just because it hasn't scarred me doesn't mean that it was a "good" thing.

[Creed Bratton]

My biggest issue with RaptorGuy's post is that he has called for people to be fired without reasonable cause. He's called for them to be fired because they came up with an idea he disagrees with. If this were how the world works, man we'd have even more unemployed people.

[pcc]

If I know something will offend me, I will not go to wherever or whatever it may be. I take personal responsibility. That being said, I'm a highly religious person ( I won't go into details, but those from here who have met me know just by looking at me...) ANYWAYS, Haunt is one of my FAVORITE times of year. The park transforms into something straight out of the movies. You do not know what lurks around each corner. The fog sets the tone perfectly. I enjoy a good scare, and I have found nothing 'satanic' about the park. I know many people who object to celebrating Halloween and I know people who will not decorate. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on the matter. That's what makes this country great. We have freedoms and choices. Those people know that Haunt would not be enjoyable for them, so they avoid it. To each their own.

But, to call for the entire event to be cancelled because you do not agree with the theme is ludacris. It's sort of like walking in to a XXX theater and being shocked that pornography is showing. How dare they?

I'm not trying to personally attack you, but you need to step back and re-evaluate some of the things you have said. NO one should be fired for doing their job. If you are at Haunt, you are fair game. They assume that if you have paid to get in, you are there for that event and wish to participate. There are warnings all over, even on the website. If you do not like that atmosphere, then by all means, wait until spring when the park returns to normal. The ONLY reason the park is even open in October is to host Haunt.

I knew the very first time I attended Haunt what was going to take place. I knew the park would be decorated for Halloween, and that I would get scared/startled during my time in the park. Meh.

That's all I'm saying on the matter. Perhaps I fed a troll. Perhaps this is real. Either way, I think the initial post was a bit harsh. Knowledge is power. Inform yourself before you go somewhere.

[The Interpreter]

I'd say that Halloween Haunt is as apt to be canceled as the park is to go to a free parking/free admission and free beverages model. It is possible, but bloody unlikely...

[BoddaH1994]

Then I get inside the front gate only to see SATAN himself on top of a scaffolding over the Royal Fountain. That in itself is WRONG on so many levels. What

is Kings Island doing, promoting HELL? Whats up with that??

That wasn't the real Satan. It was a guy in a costume. The real Satan is very busy this time of year.

[BavarianBeatle]

Then I get inside the front gate only to see SATAN himself on top of a scaffolding over the Royal Fountain. That in itself is WRONG on so many levels. What

is Kings Island doing, promoting HELL? Whats up with that??

That wasn't the real Satan. It was a guy in a costume. The real Satan is very busy this time of year.

Yes, he has an election to try to influence in less than a month!

[KIfan1980]

I'm not suggesting that Haunt should be canceled or people should be fired - I think the original poster is over the top.

I do, however, think that there are some things that could be done to make the event friendlier to more guests. I am not a big haunt person myself (went through my first maze this year - laughed at most of it), but do enjoy going for late night, cool weather, rides - and have been on multiple Friday nights this year. In fact, I think the slightly different atmosphere of haunt and the fog machines add an element to some of the rides.

My opinion, however, is that the event could be improved with the following changes:

• Reduce the fog in certain areas (maybe have a "fog-free" side of International Street for example)
• Better covering of some displays during non-haunt hours (when taking my 4-year old to Shake, Rattle, & Roll I had to explain the display in front of BLSC)
• More variety in the types of scares and displays (everything seems to be be blood and guts, skeletons, coffins, and tombstones)

1.I have never seen anybody that seems drunk or high in the 4 times I've been there this year.

2. have you seen the amount of security this year at Haunt? Theirs twice as much as last year! You're acting like there's a big sign that says "Welcome to Halloween Haunt! We have no security here that can stop you so you can get high and drunk as much as you want! Feel free to destroy the park!"

Two thoughts on these comments

1. Someone is either naive, not looking, or defending everything. I've seen many of both, but

2. I think security has been very visible and active this year. I haven't seen a problem (Haunt related - I'll exclude smoking and line jumping as they aren't dealt with during the regular season either) that hasn't been dealt with well

[RingMaster]

Then I get inside the front gate only to see SATAN himself on top of a scaffolding over the Royal Fountain. That in itself is WRONG on so many levels. What

is Kings Island doing, promoting HELL? Whats up with that??

That wasn't the real Satan. It was a guy in a costume. The real Satan is very busy this time of year.

Yeah, hopefully he'll off the Kardashians, Justin Bieber, and Ke$ha like I asked for in my Wish List I sent to him a week ago. So far, though, my lists have gone unanswered, and I think he screwed up my order and 86'ed Michael Jackson, Billy Mays, and Patrick Swayze, when I specifically asked for Lil' Wayne, Jason Friedburg & Adam Seltzer, and Heidi Montag (more notably, the entire cast of The Hills).

[Browntggrr]

This has got to be one of the stupidest topics started in quite sometime.

If anyone thinks that KI is actually promoting Satan when it comes to HH really needs to get their head examined.

This whole thread needs a different angle: