Halloweekends question

[harmony29]

I've never been to the park during this time, we have Fast Lane plus for the rides but are the haunted attractions a separate fast pass? We are going to Cedar Point first, on the park due to our bad experience this past weekend and then plan on hitting Kings Island on the way back. I don't dare ask this on the Cedar Point forums as when I posted about my experiencei got some pretty rude responses. Any tips would be appreciated.

[jdf21972]

Yes. A separate Fright Lane is required to purchase to bypass the regular queue line for entrance into mazes. Traditionally the past two years and haven't heard yet officially from the park but it also includes special Skeleton Key rooms to be used. The Fright Lane can only be used once per maze attraction unlike Fast Lane which can be used multiple times during the day. Pricing does vary for Friday and Saturday and park should have ticket specials for admission / Fright Lane online soon to view. I would check the website closer to the 2nd week of September as Haunt starts Sept. 23. And beware the park is closed for a private company event Sept. 24 until 7pm when opens to the general public for Haunt event that night.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[harmony29]

Thanks for the reply, we are going the last weekend in October, right before Halloween. I'm hoping the fright lane passes are a bit cheaper, Cedar Point is giving us passes for two days, early admission, Fast Lane plus for obe day, and all day dining for two days, so we weren't going to pass that up, with them giving us all that I would think we could afford fright lane as we are just having to rent a car and got a cheap hotel. I figured there would be more info after the summer but I'm just trying to plan ahead money wise.

[TombRaiderFTW]

Wait a sec--I think jdf21972 misread your post. His/her information is valid for Halloween Haunt at Kings Island. For Halloweekends at Cedar Point, the info is still mostly correct, but Halloweekends starts September 16. Cedar Point will be open at 10am on September 17 (unless I'm forgetting something or misread something on their website.)

 

EDIT: Also, I recommend going to the park on Friday and seeing what the lines are like BEFORE purchasing Fright Lane or Fast Lane. Halloweekends Friday nights are notoriously dead, although I've never visited that close to Halloween. Halloweekends Saturdays are notoriously busy, so it's pretty safe to assume you'll need both if you want to do everything (although I'm still the type of person to see what lines are actually like before purchasing front-of-the-line passes for anything, so I can't not recommend that for Saturday, too.)

[harmony29]

I'm sorry to have been confusing, we are going to Cedar Point Fri and Sat and Kings Island Sunday. We weren't even planning on going at all so this is a big deal to us. I will make sure and not buy fright lane til I get there.

[harmony29]

The Fast Lane we plan on using on Saturday, they are free, as the park screwed up this past weekend and are making it up by giving us park tickets, fastlane, early admission and all day dining

[Beast Gal]

Is there haunted house on Sunday at ki,

[Gabe]

No. Haunt only runs on Fri-Sat nights.  In years past, Sunday has had some stuff for the kids in Soak City, but on Fall Sundays, KI closes at 7 or 8.

[harmony29]

Oh darn good to know, but if they are open we can get our last rides of the season. I don't want to waste what Cedar Point have me, it's a lot. Unless we do Kings Island Fri and do Cedar Point Sat and Sun

[robintodd]

Nothing better than Cedar Point on the final weekend.  My wife and I go up every year and stay at the Breakers (same room every year, we have a revolving reservation).  Anyway,  I can speak from experience the BEST time to ride is Friday.  They don't open until 6 (I believe hotel guests get in an hour early) and not many people are there from 6 till close.  Nice time to ride, ride, ride.  I have found myself on Raptor for a solid half hour (never getting off) on many a Friday night the last weekend.  If you're staying at the Breakers, I would suggest buying or taking a cheap coffee maker, there are none in the rooms (Sandcastle does have coffee makers in the rooms).  My wife and I also make sure we pack coffee cups with lids and have a bottle of  cream for the coffee (Irish Crème, that is ).  Always a great way to start the morning when it's a little brisk outside (or to continue throughout the day for that matter!).

 

Saturday will be BUSY.  That's the day my wife and I usually watch shows (catch the one at the Red Garder Saloon, it's always fantastic), and go to haunts at night.  The indoor haunts open earlier than the outdoor haunts.  The second best time to ride is Sunday (not many people pay full price for part of the day, just like Friday).  However looks like you will be going to Kings Island for Sunday.  Be warned I believe NONE of the haunts will be open on Sunday at KI since they close at 7pm. 

 

Make sure to prepare for the CP weather, I've had it snow on us the last weekend in October before (it sleeted the second weekend this year!).  Take a hoodie and jeans just in case.  The weather on the peninsula is usually about 5 degrees colder than forecast for Sandusky.  Also that late in October keep an eye on the winds.  Some rides don't run in the wind so plan accordingly. 

 

Finally if you're lucky you'll have bad weather one night.  Yes, I said BAD weather.  The reason I say this is because one year my wife and I went up and Friday was cold and windy with a slight drizzle.  All the outdoor scare zones (which are walk-thru and awesome) were closed however, since there was a new indoor maze (hexed) I talked my wife into going through it.  We were the ONLY ones in line (walk-on) and every employee that was scheduled to work the outdoor haunts were working the indoor houses (twice as many scareactors in every house).  It was AWESOME.  My wife and I were literally the only guests in the house and it made it very enjoyable considering they got to 'set up' the next room for us.  The employees were pretty bored and willing to jump out and put in an extra effort for those that braved the weather.  Needless to say my wife and I decided to go through EVERY indoor haunt that night and it was well worth it.  Sometimes bad weather can be a great thing.

 

Sales will be EVERYWHERE.  Candy is a pretty good deal in the Frontier town shops that weekend and you can usually find a good deal on 2016 shirts as well. 

 

Hope you have a fantastic time, as I stated in the beginning it is the absolute best place to celebrate the end of season.  Cedar Point really pours it on for Halloween and I've always found their customer service to be second to none.

 

Have a great time and RIDE ON!!!!

[harmony29]

Thank you SO MUCH for this valuable information. After reading your post I think we will just head up to Cedar Point on Friday and go to the park Saturday, do the rides during the day since we will have fast passes, do the haunts at night and go back Sunday. This way if there is bad weather we have three days to play around with. I am used to the cold weather, I grew up in Detroit and moved to Kentucky two years ago. I would so much rather put layers of clothes on then be sweating in the heat, guess it's probably because of where I grew up. I wish we could stay at breakers but it's out of our price range, last year I stayed at the Motel 6 Huron and it was clean and nice, am able to get it that weekend for $69 a night. We are hoping next year to stay at either breakers or lighthouse point. Since this is a non planned trip we have to do it as cheap as we can. Are you going this year? Would like to say hi if you are. My husband and I were pretty disappointed this past weekend as I had a friend fly in from Florida and we thought we were going to have an amazing time but she was awful to travel with. I had no idea she had put on so much h weight since I last saw her, but she wasn't able to fit on a lot of the rides and blamed it on the park, saying that Disney and universal don't do that, they have extensions on their seatbelts blah blah blah. It was so miserable, I think if it would have just been my husband and I we could have dealt with the water main break but with her we couldn't and she demanded that we leave. We are really looking forward to having a more enjoyable time in October.

[harmony29]

Also just want to say thank you to everyone on here that has been so nice and informative, I don't post a lot but when I did on the CP forum I was jumped all over.

[King Ding Dong]

If you don't mind I want to hijack this thread for just a moment.

Are the night Haunts better at CP or KI?

What about the day stuff for kids. CP or KI? And what kinds of stuff do they do daytime?

Not sure how my kids 11 & 14 will do with the night stuff as we have never done it before as sept/oct get really busy with Scouts.

Was planning on a day trip sat or sun the last weekend to KI becuase my mom will be in town and I know she would enjoy the tower as she is a big Paris nut.

[robintodd]

Thank you SO MUCH for this valuable information. After reading your post I think we will just head up to Cedar Point on Friday and go to the park Saturday, do the rides during the day since we will have fast passes, do the haunts at night and go back Sunday. This way if there is bad weather we have three days to play around with. I am used to the cold weather, I grew up in Detroit and moved to Kentucky two years ago. I would so much rather put layers of clothes on then be sweating in the heat, guess it's probably because of where I grew up. I wish we could stay at breakers but it's out of our price range, last year I stayed at the Motel 6 Huron and it was clean and nice, am able to get it that weekend for $69 a night. We are hoping next year to stay at either breakers or lighthouse point. Since this is a non planned trip we have to do it as cheap as we can. Are you going this year? Would like to say hi if you are. My husband and I were pretty disappointed this past weekend as I had a friend fly in from Florida and we thought we were going to have an amazing time but she was awful to travel with. I had no idea she had put on so much h weight since I last saw her, but she wasn't able to fit on a lot of the rides and blamed it on the park, saying that Disney and universal don't do that, they have extensions on their seatbelts blah blah blah. It was so miserable, I think if it would have just been my husband and I we could have dealt with the water main break but with her we couldn't and she demanded that we leave. We are really looking forward to having a more enjoyable time in October.

 

Since you aren't staying at the hotel, here's a little tip: When you go to the park, get in the left lane (like you're going to the hotel/Soak City.  Drive around the island and park in the Soak City parking lot.  There is an entrance beneath hill of Magnum.  It will be a shorter walk and you will start a the back of the park while everyone else is starting at the front of the park.  Hit magnum to your left and then double back to Maverick and continue through frontier town to Rougaru and Millennium force.

 

As for next year the Breakers is cheaper early and late season and a far better option than Lighthouse Point IMO.

[harmony29]

Another great tip THANK YOU. I have a hip injury so any thing that will help with the walking I will take. Can you park there that late in the season when Soak City is closed? We will probably go in May, book it early next year, as they have the easy pay option. Only reason I was look at lighthouse point was the waterfront cottages but I will take your advice and do breakers.

Please hijack the thread, any info on either haunts I would love to hear!

[King Ding Dong]

Btw: I second using the SC entrance. The only exception would be if you need to stop at the front gate ticket window/guest services to receive any of your comp material they are giving you.

[harmony29]

Yes I do need to go to guest services the first day I go but definitely will do it the second day. I wonder if I get there early enough if I could go to guest services and then get back in the car and go park at Soak City.

[King Ding Dong]

I don't see any reason you can't. There is a smaller guest services in the museum in Frontier Town, but you might want to check if you can pick your stuff up there. It is then a short walk to Maverick. I usually stop there first to get our credentials for my special needs child and have never had to wait in a line although the front gate guest services operates very well. As opposed to SIX guest disservices.

[TombRaiderFTW]

If you don't mind I want to hijack this thread for just a moment.

Are the night Haunts better at CP or KI?

What about the day stuff for kids. CP or KI? And what kinds of stuff do they do daytime?

Not sure how my kids 11 & 14 will do with the night stuff as we have never done it before as sept/oct get really busy with Scouts.

Was planning on a day trip sat or sun the last weekend to KI becuase my mom will be in town and I know she would enjoy the tower as she is a big Paris nut.

 

It depends on your definition of "better," in my opinion.

 

The quality of the scenery at CP is significantly better. They're very intricately themed, for the most part. I honestly can't think of a specific house at KI that comes close. Maybe CarnEvil or Board 2 Death?

 

For comparison, here's a picture inside G.A. Boeckling's Eerie Estate, which is, in essence, CP's version of our former Massacre Manor:

 

Source: CP Guide

 

That's probably below average on the theming scale for CP, particularly inside that house. Generally, all of CP's houses are that quality. Coincidentally, most (if not all) of them are in buildings that are specifically devoted to the houses and aren't used for anything else throughout the year. Unlike Kings Island, the buildings used strictly for Halloweekends are located off the beaten path, in buildings that ordinarily wouldn't be noticed in the regular season. Ahem.

 

Talent-wise, Cedar Point's scareactors are okay, but seem to be generally more focused on the theme of the house than on actually, y'know, scaring you. If you're looking to have the pants scared off of you, I can't say I'd suggest Halloweekends as a rule. There ARE houses that tend to be focused on scares (Zombie High and Eden Musee have always been good for that) but other ones, like Hexed, aren't, in my experience. The scareactors in their Scare Zones actually have done a better job of surprising me in the past than most scareactors in the houses. You may have a different experience, though--I've always gone one of the first two weekends of the year, when the scareactors are all still settling into their roles.

 

Also--and this may be important information to know if you're wanting scares--Cedar Point does not have scareactors or fog machines outside of the Scare Zones. Creatures do not roam the park, and the pathways are clear as long as you're not in a Scare Zone. CP's Halloweekends is not KI's Halloween Haunt, for better or for worse. The only exception I've ever seen of this is a lone scareactor that was roaming the annual "dead" ride graveyard at the front of the park, and it was clear that she was directed not to scare anyone. In addition, Halloweekends Friday nights have limited ride lineups--typically the big stuff is open, but smaller rides like some of the flat rides will not be open.

 

If your kids aren't into big scares but want to try something, Halloweekends may be a good way to get them started. I recommend Hexed.

 

Now, for the good stuff: if you want to get lots of night rides without too much waiting, Halloweekends Fridays have always been great when I have experienced them. And all of the houses really are fun, as long as you aren't looking to be scared out of your pants in every one. A scareactor focusing on theme is still a better experience than no scareactors at all, and they do add a fun experience that you can't get elsewhere. Not to mention that Cedar Point has, since 2012, had a show called Skeleton Crew by Les Productions Haut-Vol, the same company that put together Cirque Imagine and Origins. It's been pretty great every time I've seen it. I've heard good about the rest of the Halloween-specific live E, but I've never seen it myself.

 

Spoiler-y stuff for the Skeleton Key rooms behind the tag:

The Skeleton Key rooms are much better quality than KI's, in my opinion. For instance, in Eerie Estate, you must find your way through a pitch-black room to find a key to get out... while a scareactor taunts and spooks you by saying things like, "Can't you see it? I can see you..." Very spooky. Especially when I had to do that one by myself. *shiver*

I haven't felt the need to buy Fright Lane with Skeleton Key at Kings Island since the first night it was ever offered. At CP, I'd be pretty okay with buying it again, especially if I was going with friends who hadn't been before. But again, it depends on what you want out of the houses. CP's are more my style than KI's.

 

In the daytime, they do have some kid-specific activities, but I don't know the fine details of it. I know there is at least one kid-oriented "haunted" house that I think might have trick-or-treating opportunities inside? As a non-kid, I haven't experienced much of it, so I don't know much.

 

Altogether, Halloweekends is pretty good. It really just depends on what you're after. For me, it's enough for me to want to head up that way and pay for a hotel once a year.

[King Ding Dong]

Wow, just wow. What an incredible write up. Thanks!

[harmony29]

Yes what a wonderful review, thanks for taking the time to write what you did, very helpful.

[PhantomTheater]

At Cedar Point, we are Screamsters not scareactors. Other wise good write-up.

[MaestroJr]

Kings Island on Sunday should be great as usually when I have gone the lines are almost empty, and you should be able to ride everything you want before the park closes at 7. Also, if it rained like it did on us last year, you'll almost certainly have no lines and it should be a ghosttown at the Island. It is kind of weird though with all the props hanging around with no people and no scareactors. I'd say get a few rides on Banshee, Bat, Delirium, or things in Action Zone to start the day. And later go to longer lines like Flight of Fear, and The Beast. By 4 almost everyone is gone and you can literally have a 2 minute walk-on wait for most any coaster. And don't worry if you get there a little after the park opens as for me lines were much shorter later in the day then in the morning. It was chilly however and if it is really windy, a few rides might not be operational. One year on a final Sunday trip I made, Vortex, Firehawk, Invertigo, Diamondback, and WindSeeker were all closed due to chilly gusty winds. Most anything else however like Beast, Banshee, Flight of Fear, Racer,  Bat, etc, should be operational. Most importantly even if its cold, have a great time, and get lots of rides in, Cheers! MaestroJr

[MaestroJr]

And also, parking should be great and you should be right up near the front, with not much distance to walk.

[King Ding Dong]

At Cedar Point, we are Screamsters not scareactors. Other wise good write-up.

That made me laugh becuase the first thought that came into my mind when I read that was Hipster Screamsters.

[Gabe]

If you don't mind I want to hijack this thread for just a moment.

Are the night Haunts better at CP or KI?

What about the day stuff for kids. CP or KI? And what kinds of stuff do they do daytime?

Not sure how my kids 11 & 14 will do with the night stuff as we have never done it before as sept/oct get really busy with Scouts.

Was planning on a day trip sat or sun the last weekend to KI becuase my mom will be in town and I know she would enjoy the tower as she is a big Paris nut.

In years past, the Sunday Funday stuff for the kids was usually a kids maze or 2 over at Soak City, character meet and greet, pumpkin patch, a petting zoo (tho now that it's been over in Planet Snoopy, prob not) a couple of Halloween crafts and of course candy.  Costumes (no masks) were allowed and a local radio station usually supplied music and did live remotes,. Once the Haunt info goes up, there will be info for the kids posted.

[TombRaiderFTW]

Spoiler-y stuff for the Skeleton Key rooms behind the tag:

The Skeleton Key rooms are much better quality than KI's, in my opinion. For instance, in Eerie Estate, you must find your way through a pitch-black room to find a key to get out... while a scareactor taunts and spooks you by saying things like, "Can't you see it? I can see you..." Very spooky. Especially when I had to do that one by myself. *shiver*

I haven't felt the need to buy Fright Lane with Skeleton Key at Kings Island since the first night it was ever offered. At CP, I'd be pretty okay with buying it again, especially if I was going with friends who hadn't been before. But again, it depends on what you want out of the houses. CP's are more my style than KI's.

 

Right, so about this.

 

Cedar Point has officially released the details for Halloweekends 2016. As with last year, "Halloweekends" is offically the overarching name of all Halloween events at Cedar Point. Technically, the adult stuff is Haunt (not Halloween Haunt--just Haunt, from what I've seen) and the kid stuff is The Great Pumpkin Fest. I realized I didn't mention that in my original post. They started doing that with the names last year. Just wanted to clarify that in case it might come up for some reason--like, for instance, if you were to visit cedarpoint.com/halloweekends. You have to choose which "experience" you want to see the details of. So, there's that.

 

There are no new houses or scare zones this year. None of them were removed, either. I don't think that's unheard of at CP. As someone who's been going to Halloweekends for the last couple years, I think the quality of CP's houses makes up for its lower quantity (compared to KI's Halloween Haunt.) I don't mind that there isn't anything new, because what they've got is pretty good. I wouldn't mind if KI's Haunt went closer to this model (as long as they start using buildings that are inconspicuous during the regular season, anyway. I'm still a little grumpy over the placement of KillMart. I liked that arcade, and that end of Coney Mall is already kinda awkward with the Flight Commander queue and weird recessed Icee stand. Grumble grumble. I'll stop for now.)

 

However, per Tony Clark, the Skeleton Key rooms have all been removed from the houses. They're now individual experiences located along the Frontier Trail, which is the walkway you would take if you were to walk from Millennium Force to Maverick or Skyhawk. (During Halloweekends--err, "Haunt"--that walkway is home to Screamworks, which is a steampunk-y scare zone that mainly features lots of fog, a handful of steampunk-y looking props, and screamsters in various steampunk outfits.) That, I imagine, means that any spoilers I put in that spoiler tag are no longer applicable. That move seems a little odd to me, but maybe the Skeleton Key rooms were a problem on a busy nights. Or maybe people missed them and complained that they didn't get to experience them. (You had to find the Skeleton Key room door yourself, as the entrance was frequently located somewhere in the middle of the house. They weren't at the beginning, like at Kings Island. I missed the one in Zombie High.)

 

Just thought I'd share here since I had hyped up the Skeleton Key rooms, and now what I said might not be true anymore. So now you know!

[Haunt_Mouse]

-unzips lips.- Whose to say Kings Island isn't stepping up their game this year? -zips lips-