Rivertown funnel cake stand razed

[upstop]

Lots of activity going on around the old funnel cake spot. Looks like split rail fencing is going up near the lockers.

[westcoaster]

Maybe finally lots of activity in River Town , making it great, they have a sit down restaurant, maybe a RMC, hidden in the back woods, the longest tallest RMC ever?

Some flats, would work, a little Knotts Berry Farm treatment, for rivertown would rock. 

 

We shall see. 

[MrBestDayEver]

Hopefully by "creative" he isn't referring simply to their ability to find new places in the park to build permanent Haunt structures...

If they build another one of those gray buildings for a haunt in River town I'll flip a switch. I mean really KI buy a tent and put it back stage. If it's good enough for Halloween Horror Nights it's good enough for Halloween Haunt. Plus Haunt has way to many mazes as is.

 

Once again... Matt I know this great manufacturer and it rhymes with Hockey Fountain Destruction.  

[CoastersRZ]

The reason KI has so many haunts is that they need them for capacity.  Crowds on Saturday nights can be pretty busy with long lines.  Also, they have tend to use permanent buildings for several reasons.  One, it saves on labor, as they do not have to tear down all the props every season, and setup the tent and take it down.  Remember, they used to do CarnEvil (back when it was Circus of Horrors 3D) in the Festhaus before it mades its now permanent move to the old Enchanted Theater location.

[upstop]

I wouldn't mind the structures so much if they blended in a bit better. For the most part they are hidden from view.

[calakapepe]

Yes. It's only a little sore when they retire buildings for haunt only things.. that are right on the midway.

I dont mind Slaughterhouse or Wolf Pack being vacant all year. You dont really see it.. and Beast.. you dont ride it to see a grass lawn next to the station. Your ride is over by then.

[MrBestDayEver]

The reason KI has so many haunts is that they need them for capacity.  Crowds on Saturday nights can be pretty busy with long lines.  

 

Well look at Halloween Horror Nights in Hollywood. They have a WAY higher attendance than Halloween Haunt and they only do 6 houses and they have less rides open as well. I mean even HHN in Orlando, the biggest most attended Halloween event in the world, only does 9 houses. If an event with practically unlimited resources only dares to do 9 houses, KI has no business doing 11. The problem is the quality of the event has dropped because they are trying to spread resources way to thin. I'd much rather wait in an hour and a half line for a good house than 45 minutes for a lame one. Like I always say I'll take quality over quantity any day. Plus if they were to go down to 5 or 6 houses they wouldn't have to add anymore permanent structures. And it would keep the rotation of houses fresher because each house couldn't last more than 4 or 5 years.   

[Creed Bratton]

It's not just KI that is doing permanent structures. Parks across the chain are. Look at Cedar Point, in the past few years they've added Hexed, Slaughter House and Eden Musee to their houses already in permanent structures. 

Halloween Horror Nights and KI are in completely different markets. They cater to more regional folks coming for more and more scares than people coming from all over looking for just a few good scares. 

Could you point to how the resources are spread too thin? Quality is kind of a relative term.....what you may see as quality I may not see as quality and vise versa. 

I do have to agree with you there needs to be a rotation of houses. I'm quite tired of Urgent Scare and the clown one (I don't even care to properly name it as I can't stand it).

[MrBestDayEver]

Well to me the biggest problem KI has with haunt is the fact that each house isn't well enough staffed for people to take breaks. Minors obviously have to take breaks but Majors, I've been told, usually don't. And when it comes to Haunted Houses breaks are key. They keep your actors energetic all evening. The problem they have now is that by the end of the night the actors are usually not very scary because they are tired. This could easily be fixed by better staffing one house so you can rotate people out. It'll keep things fresher and more lively.  

 

But it also goes beyond staffing. When you're supplying a budget for a Halloween event you also have to worry about maintenance and upkeep. Parts and props break and have to be replaced. In the off season you should update areas of your haunt that didn't work well to make them better and when you spread the budget to 11 houses you forfeit a lot of opportunities. 

 

To be honest I shouldn't have compared KI's haunt to HHN. Considering KI's budget is probably a couple hundred thousand and HHN 25 had a budget in the tens of millions. But I stand by my argument that I would rather see KI focus its energy and resources into less houses and make them stronger. Because as of right now I (as well as many others) find them very weak. And I also understand that KI will never be able to do something to the size and scope of HHN. 

 

Also not to be mean, but to say that HHN is more of a regional event than Halloween Haunt is just wrong. While the local audience does make up a big part of the HHN attendance, I have yet to see to anyone flying in from Europe and Asia or even the west coast just to experience Halloween Haunt. 

[Creed Bratton]

Also not to be mean, but to say that HHN is more of a regional event than Halloween Haunt is just wrong. While the local audience does make up a big part of the HHN attendance, I have yet to see to anyone flying in from Europe and Asia or even the west coast just to experience Halloween Haunt.

I meant the complete opposite. So if I wrote it that way, my apologies.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dare-to-fly]

I personally would like to see a ride put back into The Crypt's building, and I really don't like that they took out the arcade for a Haunt.  I liked being able to go into the arcade and play a few games, and without it, there's too much dead space in one of the most high -traveled midways.  The rest of the buildings don't really bother me much.  I do, however, agree that overall quality could be bumped up.

[aandjgoods]

I worked Haunt last season and I became a major three days before Haunt opened for the season. I can tell you that going from regularly scheduled shifts at my other job to preforming 7 straight hours some nights was quite physically and mentally exhausting. The most rewarding thing tho is even when you are absolutely worn out and you still manage to scare an entire group! I worked in Urgent Scare for reference. It may or may not be there next season. I do not know. I have heard compelling arguments for either side of the attractions future.

[Italian Job 2005]

Well I'd say that with all of this Rivertown construction, I've realized that one of three things probably will happen.  The Crypt building will either 1) be torn down and the land will be utilized for further construction, 2) be repurposed for a completely new indoor attraction, or 3) kept solely for Halloween Haunt.

 

Personally, I'd really like to avoid choice 3 if at all possible.  The construction happenings around Rivertown has made me thirst for some new attractions in that area.

[upstop]

Think out of the box.

There are a lot of strange things going on in that area. I don't have a picture but something large flat square and appears to be wooden is in the middle of the midway towards the new WWC entrance/exit. It kind of looks like a deck. But why there. Check it out tomorrow when the afternoon sun casts a shadow.

Over on the old funnel cake side. Lots of work around the lockers and dryer, and lots of mud leveled out.

[MrBestDayEver]

Dear God can we please have Tomb Raider back? I'll trade you for any ride in the park except for The Beast.

 

I miss that ride so much, loosing it was an absolute crime. It would have been an E-Ticket at Uni or Disney AND IT WAS IN MY BACKYARD!

 

Sigh...

[Creed Bratton]

In part, I hope that the old Crypt Building doesn't go away. I may be in the minority here, but I enjoy the haunt that is in there. I enjoy it mostly because that used to be one of my ride homes.....you can ask the No Chickens and  Magenta Lizard group....I pretty much was in tears walking through it, not because I was scared but because of all the memories that came flooding back. 

[RingMaster]

If the story-line of the Fair's Amusement Dark attractions is to continue (consisting of lost worlds being discovered beneath the parks they run) and the Island is next up on the list, then they would be foolish to not utilize a former crypt-themed attraction with a giant cave entrance.

[calakapepe]

I personally would like to see a ride put back into The Crypt's building, and I really don't like that they took out the arcade for a Haunt. I liked being able to go into the arcade and play a few games, and without it, there's too much dead space in one of the most high -traveled midways. The rest of the buildings don't really bother me much. I do, however, agree that overall quality could be bumped up.

I agree. Very empty feeling during the regular season. Zephyr, unused building, unused past ride queue and platform.. entrance to Dinosaurs Alive (which isnt exactly bumping with energy anymore), restrooms!I've been waiting for a nice flat to take Flight Commander's old location... waiting.

Concerning Haunt.. I too would like a bump in quality. However, if staffing concerns you.. it seems that a lot of the younger ones may not see the job all the way through when it's not as fun as they may have assumed before.. staying up late isnt as fun if you're stuck in a box. Brings me to my next point. I think Haunt could keep the actors AND the guests better entertained if they avoided haunt scare elements that depend on an actor to sit in one spot the whole time and APPEAR! Let them act, let them wander.. have mazes designed the way the best ones in the country are; scare spots are interconnected with several ones. Let them scare at spot A, sneak around, scare at spot B. Less people needed, more fun for the actor, less predictable for the people, slightly more scary.

Concerning TR:TR.. it was sad, so sad.. the two biggest failures of innovation at the park leaves nostalgic tastes in the.. mind. Utterly unlikely a TR:TR rehash would return under HUSS or even a HUSS imitater.. that's actually fine. What's done is done, time to move forward, and a new story would be preferred. Story.. we need a story, I think many people are dying for a new legacy worthy dark thrill.. something to write home ab-- something to talk about on Facebook.

If it encompasses some dark ride elements of recent CF rides.. awesome.. but hopefully not entirely.. hopefully something with more.. realism.

Calakapepe-

Not a fan of purely screen based effects, but of more practical effects that don't require glasses.. and please no more guns.. sigh haha

[MrBestDayEver]

I know we will never get TR: TR back... I just miss it a lot. As for the show building I really hope they keep it and transform it into a really fun dark ride. After seeing battle for metropolis I'm now fully convinced that regional parks can really create some impressive Dark Rides that will complement big coasters as the star attraction of a park.

 

And I know that a lot of people quit haunt mid season. Personally I think that is a side effect of being worked as much as they do. I know working a haunted house is exhausting work and doing it 6 or 7 hours a night with only one break or even none is brutal. I really hope KI will take a serious look at their Haunt model and change some things. I'm a firm believer in quality over quantity. And it seems to me that haunts tragic flaw is that they see things the other way around. 

[Creed Bratton]

As for the show building I really hope they keep it and transform it into a really fun dark ride. After seeing battle for metropolis I'm now fully convinced that regional parks can really create some impressive Dark Rides that will complement big coasters as the star attraction of a park.

 

 

 

YES! I can say after riding Battle for Metropolis last year at SF:STL, I want that dark ride system, obviously the storlyline would be different, but having animatronics, special effects, etc. 

Very enjoyable ride. 

[The Interpreter]

Perhaps Mr. Ouimet needs to work a night as a scareactor incognito. He should not be treated any differently than any other major.

I bet things would change pronto.

[calakapepe]

I think that'd be kinda hard to do incognito though. He's not exactly a faceless name amongst the seasoned employees at Kings Island... definitely not amongst us coaster enthusiasts.

[freaks76]

Perhaps Mr. Ouimet needs to work a night as a scareactor incognito. He should not be treated any differently than any other major.

I bet things would change pronto.

You think the "I wouldn't ask you to do anything I wouldn't do"  theory applies to Haunt?

 

[stashua123]

Perhaps Mr. Ouimet needs to work a night as a scareactor incognito. He should not be treated any differently than any other major.

I bet things would change pronto.

Undercover Boss: Cedar Fair edition? 

[Tr0y]

I think that'd be kinda hard to do incognito though. He's not exactly a faceless name amongst the seasoned employees at Kings Island... definitely not amongst us coaster enthusiasts.

ever watch undercover boss? With the right makeup artist, he could easily be unreconizable as a scareactor.

[The Interpreter]

Dick Kinzel should have done this. Certainly, he could be a VERY scary man.

[malem]

My biggest concern with Haunt acting is the vocal stress of screaming for hours on end. This sort of thing can cause long term (or even permanent) damage.

 

Hopefully, actors are trained to avoid overdoing it (and to rest their voice when needed).

[calakapepe]

I think that'd be kinda hard to do incognito though. He's not exactly a faceless name amongst the seasoned employees at Kings Island... definitely not amongst us coaster enthusiasts.

ever watch undercover boss? With the right makeup artist, he could easily be unreconizable as a scareactor.

*face palm* idk why this didnt cross my mind. Duh. Hehe I must redact my previous statement

My biggest concern with Haunt acting is the vocal stress of screaming for hours on end. This sort of thing can cause long term (or even permanent) damage.

Hopefully, actors are trained to avoid overdoing it (and to rest their voice when needed).

A huge concern for me as a singer. For me, my strain never came from when I was being a monster, but when I was giving those spiels about the house rules over, and over, in the near freezing temps.. cough drops were my friends.. however, they can dry your throat out.

I can assure you that the actors are not trained how to save their voice. Many of them push their scream as loud as they can. Some lose their voice. Im sure some of the longer term actors have nodes to some degree.

[rhyano]

 

Perhaps Mr. Ouimet needs to work a night as a scareactor incognito. He should not be treated any differently than any other major.

I bet things would change pronto.

Undercover Boss: Cedar Fair edition? 

 

yes please! 

[BeeastFarmer]

I'm not a Haunt type person, but I want to share an experience from 2015 that stands out.

 

I work weekends.  I was able to swap a shift and get off work for closing day 2015.  So after working a 12 hour shift, I drove to the area, checked into The Shaker Inn (can't remember the name of the town) and went to the park with the intent of riding The Beast as many times as I could in 2.5 hours.

 

It was raining, so the crowds were leaving as I entered the park at 10:30.  With thinning crowds, almost everything I saw was a walk on.  After riding The Beast, I decided to try out Slaughterhouse.  No one was in the que.  While the haunt itself was campy, the scareactors were great.  I then decided to try out Urgent Scare (as an RN, I just HAD to!).  Every scareactor was awesome.

 

On a night that was not at all crowded, miserably rainy, and the last night of the season, the scareactors were excellent.  The ride ops and (gasp) food service folks were great, too.

 

Overall, I was able to eat at Street Pizza, do Urgent Scare and Slaughterhouse, ride Diamondback twice and The Beast 7 times AND had 100% positive interaction with incredible KI associates.  Positive outweighs the negative.