Haunt - Tricks & Treats Reviews 2023

[BeeastFarmer]

Why are British accents a thing for scareactors this year?  From clowns to international street...but not in Rivertown, thank goodness.

[Joshua]

My wife and I went to Haunt a total of four times this year. While we had fun, I found myself missing the old Haunt more and more with every visit. It is not that Haunt is bad this year and I hesitate to say mediocre, but it feels like "less." 

There are less shows, less mazes, less atmosphere, less to do. 

I miss the heavy fog. I miss The Undertaker taunting us on mic near the front gate. I miss the hordes of scare actors that roamed the whole park rather than being confined to "scare zones." I miss when the whole park was a scare zone. And the music.. Look, I'm a metal guy but I don't want to hear generic hard rock at Haunt, I want Halloween, I want horror.  And when all these elements came together -- being on the midway while navigating the thick fog and hearing Freddy's theme, not being able to tell if the person in front of you was a park guest or a scare actor until it was too late -- it was something special. 

[BeeastFarmer]

Trip Report for Kings Island - Last Sunday 

 

We arrived at Kings Island on Sunday around 6 pm after getting off work late. The atmosphere on International Street was a bit lacking in terms of monsters, but the fog added a nice touch to the ambiance. We checked out "Cornered," although it didn't quite live up to the previous year's experience. "Alien Abyss" left something to be desired, as it didn't deliver the scares we were hoping for. 

 

Our stay at Hotel Saint MicHELLe was a highlight, providing a great experience. "Slaughterhouse" was enjoyable, although there weren't many scareactors around. While the scareactors we did encounter were well-done, the British accents in Coney Mall left something to be desired. 

 

The situation with "Pumpkin Eater" was a bit puzzling. It seemed like they placed the old Pumpkin Eater in Vortex promenade without the iconic chant, and there was another version in Action Zone with a muted chant.

 

The music on International Street didn't quite fit the spooky vibe, as it was high-energy and too loud. In Rivertown, the atmosphere sounds were good, but it was challenging to hear them.

 

On the bright side, many of the rides were running exceptionally well. "Orion," "The Beast," "Diamondback," "Mystic Timbers," "The Racer," and "Adventure Express" all provided excellent experiences, with "Adventure Express" feeling particularly fresh.

 

We managed to fit in all these activities, grab some food, and catch a couple of shows by 11 pm. The weather, cool and cloudy, added to the overall experience. It turned out to be a great night at Kings Island.

[Snowball]

Might as well change the thread title to “arguing about the prestige pass again” at this point. I’m sick of every single thread turning into this.

[disco2000]

35 minutes ago, Snowball said:

Might as well change the thread title to “arguing about the prestige pass again” at this point. I’m sick of every single thread turning into this.

At least Haunt isn't being trashed anymore 

[IndyGuy4KI]

1 hour ago, Snowball said:

Might as well change the thread title to “arguing about the prestige pass again” at this point. I’m sick of every single thread turning into this.

 

38 minutes ago, disco2000 said:

At least Haunt isn't being trashed anymore 

The Prestige pass posts have been moved to its respective thread. Let's please stay on topic.

[disco2000]

3 hours ago, BeeastFarmer said:

Trip Report for Kings Island - Last Sunday 

 

We arrived at Kings Island on Sunday around 6 pm after getting off work late. The atmosphere on International Street was a bit lacking in terms of monsters, but the fog added a nice touch to the ambiance. We checked out "Cornered," although it didn't quite live up to the previous year's experience. "Alien Abyss" left something to be desired, as it didn't deliver the scares we were hoping for. 

 

Our stay at Hotel Saint MicHELLe was a highlight, providing a great experience. "Slaughterhouse" was enjoyable, although there weren't many scareactors around. While the scareactors we did encounter were well-done, the British accents in Coney Mall left something to be desired. 

 

The situation with "Pumpkin Eater" was a bit puzzling. It seemed like they placed the old Pumpkin Eater in Vortex promenade without the iconic chant, and there was another version in Action Zone with a muted chant.

 

The music on International Street didn't quite fit the spooky vibe, as it was high-energy and too loud. In Rivertown, the atmosphere sounds were good, but it was challenging to hear them.

 

On the bright side, many of the rides were running exceptionally well. "Orion," "The Beast," "Diamondback," "Mystic Timbers," "The Racer," and "Adventure Express" all provided excellent experiences, with "Adventure Express" feeling particularly fresh.

 

We managed to fit in all these activities, grab some food, and catch a couple of shows by 11 pm. The weather, cool and cloudy, added to the overall experience. It turned out to be a great night at Kings Island.

Glad to hear you had a great time!

[BeeastFarmer]

41 minutes ago, disco2000 said:

Glad to hear you had a great time!

Thanks!  The budget cuts were really noticeable with very reduced numbers of scareactors, but the the ones who were in action were excellent.

Park looked busier than it actually was. Didn't wait more than 10 minutes for a house or ride. I just wish Effie had been open. 

[SHMAN1]

Anyone know any more details about the report in this video? Comment thread says he possibly blew his knee out and broke a femur. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l77JVGDbnzI

I would imagine with the rain the last few weekends, the probably have cancelled a lot of the Nytewalker shows anyways, but what did they do for a replacement for the pogo sections?

 

[Timchat2]

A replacement pogo performer was brought in by All Wheel Sports.