Busch Gardens does away with severed head display

[ki95]

 

A few notable examples of recent events or public outcry changing a theme park's Halloween event:

 

• In 2001, Kings Island's new The Morgue haunted house was renamed Maze of Madness following sensitivity concerns.
• Also in 2001, following 9/11, Universal Orlando axed most guts and gore, as well as replaced all blood with green slime. The original mascot of the event, a demented chainsaw-wielding maniac, was also quietly replaced.
• In 2002, the same event planned to have a creepy girl, Cindy, as its mascot. This was changed following a series of child abductions in the Orlando area.
• In 2009, Kings Island did away with a display that featured late celebrities posed in the manner of their death, including murdered football star Steve McNair. There was immense public outcry, including a tweet from Billy Mays' son, that led to the display's removal.
• In 2011, a year after the National Alliance of Mental Illness approached Cedar Point about renaming two of their haunted attractions that showed insensitivity towards people with mental illnesses (Dr. D. Mented's Asylum for the Criminally Insane and The Edge of Madness: Still Crazy), the park renamed both attractions (to Eternity Infirmary and The Edge of Madness: Six Feet Under, respectively)
• In 2013, Kings Dominion discontinued its Miner's Revenge after members of the public found it distasteful to those killed in mining accidents
• Also in 2013, Universal Studios Hollywood cancelled its Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure midway through the event after a Vice article criticized the show's portrayal of homosexuals. The show will not return this season, although it continues to run at Universal Studios Florida.

 

 

Here's a new one to possibly add:

• In 2014, Universal Orlando removed the "Human Sacrifice" show from its Bayou of Blood scare zone. Official reason was to use the actors to fill the scare zone better, unofficial reason is that there were a multitude of guest complaints about the content of the show.

Here's a video. As it's a human sacrifice, it may not exactly be safe for work (duh). You've been warned.

 

 

I must say, Universal did go a little overboard with this "show".  Honestly this is way more intense than the "kills" in the Icons of HHN scare zone this year (and obviously the years the icons originally appeared). Yeah it's Halloween and all, I get it, but this, this is crazy. To be honest, most if not all of HHN 24 was stepping over the line. For example this scare zone and the Roanoke Cannibal Colony  house. Who finds those things amusing? Crazy I tell ya, crazy!

[bkroz]

Many people find those things amusing. It's entertainment. Watching the "human sacrifice" act portrayed above is unlikely to spur any homocidal thoughts in Halloween Horror Nights guests. Perhaps it's akin to Saw or something... I personally don't go to "boo fests" at parks. But I'm not at all surprised or disturbed or offended that people enjoy the intense atmosphere of Halloween Horror Nights.

 

Yadda yadda desensitized population. You get it.

 

Are some of Universal's / Knott's creations sure to offend? Of course. But does that alone mean they deserve to be removed?

 

The real disappointing precedent here, though, is that even one complaint and - historically - these parks bend. To me, that reveals just how paper thin their "extreme" entertainment is. It's tissue paper. Those who ramble on about how our society is too obsessed with political correctness should have a lot to say about Halloween Horror Nights. Bill & Ted still haven't returned to Halloween Horror Nights after years and years of being a staple show. All because of jokes they made about homosexuality. Are we so rigid at this point that we can't laugh at ourselves? And then, is Universal so rigid that all it takes is one hurt person to ruin it for all?

[Gabe]

It's clear the 09 Haunt depiction of then-recent dead celebs like Michael Jackson, McNair, etc. was clearly a publicity stunt..the park was fully prepared to change the displays once the garnered media attention was achieved..mission accomplished.

[themuska11]

People who are offended by these things should never step foot in Dead Acres located in Pataskala, Ohio. Although i do believe their target audience is people who wouldn't be offended by it, plus i don't think they would even change it due to complaints. They live up to their motto of being the "most extreme".