Halloween Haunt 2011

[RingMaster]

So many things can be interpreted here on this lone tweet.

Sounds as if Planet Snoopy might finally be annexed to the Haunt, as I believe they refer the themed areas of the park as fear zones (Coney Maul - Coney Mall). Of course Rivertown doesn't technically have a name for its fear zone, so they might finally decide to give it the proper Ghost Town theme it deserves.

As for the two new mazes, I'd assume one of them is a relocated Trail of Terror with a minor retheme if DA! won't be used (which I'm assuming it will not). The other is up in the air, but the fan favorite attraction everyone wants to see is a Doll Factory maze. Whether or not KI decides to finally install one or instead build another gore-centric house (like one similar to the SAW franchise) is beyond me.

[CoasterFreak45]

I would like to see Kings Island add the lasers along the path that I see at Cedar Point in Frontier Town I believe.Those, along with fog can really mess with your mind.

[Tanna]

So many things can be interpreted here on this lone tweet.

Sounds as if Planet Snoopy might finally be annexed to the Haunt, as I believe they refer the themed areas of the park as fear zones (Coney Maul - Coney Mall). Of course Rivertown doesn't technically have a name for its fear zone, so they might finally decide to give it the proper Ghost Town theme it deserves.

As for the two new mazes, I'd assume one of them is a relocated Trail of Terror with a minor retheme if DA! won't be used (which I'm assuming it will not). The other is up in the air, but the fan favorite attraction everyone wants to see is a Doll Factory maze. Whether or not KI decides to finally install one or instead build another gore-centric house (like one similar to the SAW franchise) is beyond me.

Dolls are truly creepy. Not the raggedy style plush dolls, but those plastic ones with gaps between their sockets and eyes.

Trail of Terror gets me every time because I see the sweet, innocent, winsome Raggedy Ann sitting there, and then some ghoul jumps out at me.

[RingMaster]

Dolls are truly creepy. Not the raggedy style plush dolls, but those plastic ones with gaps between their sockets and eyes.

Trail of Terror gets me every time because I see the sweet, innocent, winsome Raggedy Ann sitting there, and then some ghoul jumps out at me.

So....something like this?

Also, something really irks me. Not long after I said this:

Whether or not KI decides to finally install one or instead build another gore-centric house (like one similar to the SAW franchise) is beyond me.

...I surf the web looking at haunted houses and find this:

http://www.halloween...nted_house.html

...a company offering a SAW 3D haunted house. Specifically with a warning label saying they only sell "on a first come first serve basis and are exclusive to each market." Given that SAW is still popular these days for whatever reason, and the rumor from last year that CarnEVIL had its last laughs in 2010, could this be its replacement? It would most certainly tie in with the "more blood, terror, and gore than ever before" mantra they've been shoving down our throats, not to mention even more bragging rights as they would have a house dedicated to an extremely popular horror film franchise (let alone a three-year deal to keep everyone else from having said attraction of their own).

[kjkjkj]

Slightly off topic, but last year for our Trick or Treaters, we set up an entire haunted trail in our front yard. It was very similar to Trail of Terror theme wise, but not in the same order. It started off in a cemetery, then you moved up into an area with a cannibalistic hillbilly ready to eat you, with human body parts roasting over a fake fire. Then there was a "blair witch" section. It had blair witch dolls hanging from the trees, and an animatronic witch stirring a cauldron saying incantations. Then there was the doll section. One of the best sections of the trail! There were dozens of mutulated creepy dolls hanging from the trees, and we had someone dressed up as a full life sized doll, and there was creepy doll music playing. Then after that section you moved into the circus tent area, an area filled with balloons,carnival flags, and a creepy clown ready to jump out and scare you! Then finally, you go through the corn section. The path was closely lined with 7 foot tall cornstalks, and I hid along the edge, completely still, with my arms straight out. I was dressed as a warped creepy scarecrow. I pretended to be just a fake prop, and then I jumped out and scared people. Then you exited out onto our driveway. After people got scared by me, many of them went tearing down our driveway! lol

Here is a short video from when we were creating the weird warped scary dolls

I'll post some pics here in a second

EDIT:

here they are

These are from when we were getting stuff set up, if I can find the ones that were from when everything is done, maybe I will start a new topic and post all of those, and maybe a video.

[jdawg1998]

If we get a Saw themed maze, there is no way you're getting me in there. The first time I saw that movie I had nightmares. D:

[Tanna]

Dolls are truly creepy. Not the raggedy style plush dolls, but those plastic ones with gaps between their sockets and eyes.

Trail of Terror gets me every time because I see the sweet, innocent, winsome Raggedy Ann sitting there, and then some ghoul jumps out at me.

So....something like this?

Also, something really irks me. Not long after I said this:

Whether or not KI decides to finally install one or instead build another gore-centric house (like one similar to the SAW franchise) is beyond me.

Exactly that. How anyone can engineer the manufacture of these insidious looking things and okay the mass production is beyond me. There is nothing endearing about that. it's like the souls of bitter old ladies, lint covered candies in their pockets and all, are trapped in plastic.

[keiko_coaster]

I know that Carowinds had a new one last year called Defex.. It was all about different dolls or stuffed animals.. It was the worse maze I went in the entire time. But the makeup making the girls look like dolls was pretty cool.

[TopThrill]

They'll be charging admission for each haunted house.

[RingMaster]

They'll be charging admission for each haunted house.

Why does that not surprise me the least if that were true?

[kjkjkj]

I would be really mad if they ended up doing that. I know tons of season pass holders would be pretty angry!

[RingMaster]

The only way I'd pay for a house at KI is if it were of the "extreme house" variety (meaning the monsters can touch/grab you and are generally left by yourself or with one other person), and even then that's a barrier I don't see the park stepping over anytime soon.

Although this sounds more like Haunt may finally be an upcharge event like they've been wanting to do for the past several years. At least it would finally weed out some of the idiotic parents who have the audacity to complain to Guest Services that their kid got scared.

[bkroz]

The only way I'd pay for a house at KI is if it were of the "extreme house" variety (meaning the monsters can touch/grab you and are generally left by yourself or with one other person), and even then that's a barrier I don't see the park stepping over anytime soon.

Although this sounds more like Haunt may finally be an upcharge event like they've been wanting to do for the past several years. At least it would finally weed out some of the idiotic parents who have the audacity to complain to Guest Services that their kid got scared.

What do you mean? No one and nothing is off limits at Kings Island's Haunt, after all. Be they dead, alive, or somewhere in between! All's fair game.

And I highly, highly doubt Kings Island's Haunt will be an up-charge this year. If it is, it will be free for season pass holders. How do I know? Because season pass holders were told that was a perk of their passes, and if the park tries to change it now, it won't last long before the paying customer forces them to come to their senses. Remember last year when they decided that everyone needed to vacate the park for an hour, then return for Haunt starting at 7 PM? Many of us here were struck by how unlikely that was to actually happen, and lo and behold, it did not happen.

[RingMaster]

It's actually happened twice before when they've shut the park down for an hour, although it was when a private event was at the park during the day (I believe it was Toyota). The first Saturday of Haunt is also the first day the park is back open to the public after Labor Day Weekend.

[ki4evr]

The only way I'd pay for a house at KI is if it were of the "extreme house" variety (meaning the monsters can touch/grab you and are generally left by yourself or with one other person), and even then that's a barrier I don't see the park stepping over anytime soon.

That would only be fair if we could touch back, there were a few dancers in Club Blood I wanted to touch

[kjkjkj]

The only way I'd pay for a house at KI is if it were of the "extreme house" variety (meaning the monsters can touch/grab you and are generally left by yourself or with one other person), and even then that's a barrier I don't see the park stepping over anytime soon.

Although this sounds more like Haunt may finally be an upcharge event like they've been wanting to do for the past several years. At least it would finally weed out some of the idiotic parents who have the audacity to complain to Guest Services that their kid got scared.

What do you mean? No one and nothing is off limits at Kings Island's Haunt, after all. Be they dead, alive, or somewhere in between! All's fair game.

And I highly, highly doubt Kings Island's Haunt will be an up-charge this year. If it is, it will be free for season pass holders. How do I know? Because season pass holders were told that was a perk of their passes, and if the park tries to change it now, it won't last long before the paying customer forces them to come to their senses. Remember last year when they decided that everyone needed to vacate the park for an hour, then return for Haunt starting at 7 PM? Many of us here were struck by how unlikely that was to actually happen, and lo and behold, it did not happen.

I can see a loophole though. Kings Island technically promised free admission into the Halloween Haunt event, not free admission into each house... If they stooped that low though, it would be pretty stupid of them.

[TopThrill]

The only way I'd pay for a house at KI is if it were of the "extreme house" variety (meaning the monsters can touch/grab you and are generally left by yourself or with one other person), and even then that's a barrier I don't see the park stepping over anytime soon.

Although this sounds more like Haunt may finally be an upcharge event like they've been wanting to do for the past several years. At least it would finally weed out some of the idiotic parents who have the audacity to complain to Guest Services that their kid got scared.

What do you mean? No one and nothing is off limits at Kings Island's Haunt, after all. Be they dead, alive, or somewhere in between! All's fair game.

And I highly, highly doubt Kings Island's Haunt will be an up-charge this year. If it is, it will be free for season pass holders. How do I know? Because season pass holders were told that was a perk of their passes, and if the park tries to change it now, it won't last long before the paying customer forces them to come to their senses. Remember last year when they decided that everyone needed to vacate the park for an hour, then return for Haunt starting at 7 PM? Many of us here were struck by how unlikely that was to actually happen, and lo and behold, it did not happen.

I can see a loophole though. Kings Island technically promised free admission into the Halloween Haunt event, not free admission into each house... If they stooped that low though, it would be pretty stupid of them.

That does sound like a loophole to me, they have upped the price for parking, they charge for that Dinosaurs Alive along with that 3D movie?, the fast line thing. Only thing that left is Halloween Haunt, and the water park.

[Tanna]

There's going to be some performance competition then, if it's pay per house.

[bkroz]

That does sound like a loophole to me, they have upped the price for parking, they charge for that Dinosaurs Alive along with that 3D movie?, the fast line thing. Only thing that left is Halloween Haunt, and the water park.

Right after Cedar Fair purchased Paramount Parks, didn't we hear that they planned to make Kings Island into a resort destination like Cedar Point and make Boomerang Bay a separate gate? It's never too late, you know!

[LongliveKingsCobra]

if they charge per house maybe St. Ritas can get some actual lines again!!

[upstop]

After having been to Halloween Horror Nights and Hallowscreams at Busch Gardens, Kings Islands haunt appears to be third rate. KI's event is unimaginative and dull. Let's hope it gets a total overhaul.

[The Interpreter]

Old Terpy's about to defend Haunt. Please do not faint.

Familiarity breeds contempt. Of course things in Virginia seldom visited wll seem superior to local alternatives. The grass is always greener, etc

[CoastersRZ]

Yep. Very true statement. Things that are new experiences to people will seem new and better. Having experienced certain attractions over and over, they can loose some of their initial appeal, which makes the new experiences seem much better.

At this point, I think Haunt is a big tool to help Kings Island sell additional season passes. Not to mention that including Haunt with park admission keep people inside the park for a longer amount of time, which is a good thing. Why? It keeps them in the gates where they can buy food, beer and merchandise (especially with the no re-entry after 7pm on Haunt nights, which is NOT done to increase in park spending, that is just a side effect). After all, admission prices are just one source of revenue for amusement parks. In park spending makes up a large portion of their revenue. And just look at the size of the crowds that Haunt brings in and how many people buy food and play the games.

[Tanna]

if they charge per house maybe St. Ritas can get some actual lines again!!

I'd like to know if they are, so I can get ready for it. We planned to go to the Haunt earlier than usual this year, because by the time our anniversary rolls around, the monsters are pooped and burnt out. I don't know why I'm thinking of a book of "E" tickets at the door, but it would make it easier for the monsters to just tear a ticket.

Yeh. We go to KI for our anniversary. We're romantic that way.

[Tanna]

As an added thought, it was recently pointed out to me the employment requirements for making monsters on the Haunt. It doesn't require any real prosthetic knowledge, and hardly any art experience.

Has anyone worked as a make up artist during the Haunt to clue me into the methods, time constraints, rules of doing that many monsters? Is one allowed to use previous SFX knowledge, or must there be a rote method? I have SFX knowledge with making an applying latex molds, and have Monster making experience, but I don't know if any of that would be an asset if it's an assembly line, timed production. One person, no matter the talent or skill, slowing down the line might not be what's best for the company.

I'm curious about it.

[kjkjkj]

As a former Haunt monster, here is how we got makup applied to us. We waited in a big line until an artist opened up. We go, sit in that artist's chair, and they do all our makeup, then once you are done, you are done. The monsters in the haunts makup takes like 5 minutes to do, but I think the roamers' makeup takes longer.

[The Interpreter]

And time IS a factor. This is not the time or place for the best of Hollywood, now playing.

[teenageninja]

There are definitely some changes coming to the Haunt this year, that is for sure.

As far as the Waterpark, you don't think they really built a separate entrance just for the use of pass holders do you? I see the waterpark going upcharge a lot sooner than some people would expect.

[The Interpreter]

And just who was the they who built the separate entrance? Also, please, tten, explain the season pass entrance to the dry park that was built, used briefly, then quietly virtually abandoned.

[KI_Entertainment_Alumni]

As a new member of KI Central, and a 4 year employee of KI's entertainment department and Halloween Haunt, I have my own few words to add in to the speculation.

A. As many others have said, Dinosaurs Alive has taken over the space where Trail of Terror once lived. However, KI is not scarce on woodland areas. They don't throw away anything, and if they want to keep Trail of Terror, they can EASILY move it to another area (there's actually been talk of this in the past due to the unlevel terrain and mud issues when rainy).

B. Massacre Manor is left up all year around, as are many of the other indoor mazes. If you stand around the exit and watch as the game attendants enter to retrieve prizes and restock, you can still see the setup and props inside. Nobody will know for sure if it is going to return, but in my opinion, it's a fan favorite, and I don't see it going anytime soon, especially since they just invested in a lot of new wardrobe pieces for it last year.

C. If I had to guess for one maze to be leaving, it would be CornStalkers. As an alumni of the maze a few years ago, I hate to see it go, but it's failing year after year to satisfy, and the location simply isn't helping anything. They haven't invested money into new props or costumes in a few years now, and Stephanie has simply seemed to lose patience with constantly having to replace everyone year after year (including the managers who don't even like it).

D. If I had to guess as to what the new attraction(s) will be, I'd say that KI isn't due or an all-new maze this year. Cedar Fair's general consistency is to give each park a new maze, then a tested maze, every other year. Wolf Pack was a large investment for the park last year, and KI is always watching for peoples opinions and ideas, so I think after the huge demand for a "toy/doll factory" last year, KI will be receiving Happy Jack's Toy Factory this year. Obviously they've already announced more than one new maze/scare zone, but other than Happy Jack's, I don't know what, or where, they're planning.

I've had the opportunity to work tech and set up the past couple years as well, so I was always fortunate enough to know what was going on, but I could not return this year, so I'm just as stoked as everyone else to see what they're doing!