Kings Island Halloween Haunt – 2016

Overall Score – 2.7/5

(all ratings scored out of 5)

Blackout

Curb Appeal – 1.3/5
Scare Factor – 2.7/5
Actor Enthusiasm – 1.7/5
Creativity – 2.3/5

Overall – 2/5

Donna –  Blackout was just your typical dark maze with only a couple of actors inside that did not actually interact with people but were more or less just there to direct traffic. This haunt could be a lot  better with additional actors to up the scare factor. I really wish they would bring back the old club blood at least that was fun and more interactive. If you have to skip a haunt at Kings Island this would probably be one to  skip.

Teresa – I think this one has potential. I liked that it exploits our fear of the dark. It was hard to see throughout, although they make it easier by having everyone in the group hold onto a rope. I’m glad the whole thing wasn’t just pitch black too. They did a good job of using lighting (strobes, or a brief flash) to suddenly illuminate a monster you didn’t know was 2 ft in front of you. This could have been really scary. Most of the time it was just a prop though. The few actors that were there were wearing night vision goggles, and you’d think they could really scare you, since you can’t see them. I don’t remember anyone in our group even jumping though. Good concept, needs to up the scare factor.

Todd – Those with a fear of the dark may find this one genuinely scary. Improved from last year, some sections with slow flashing lights have been added giving you a quick gimps of a prop that you didn’t know was there.

I hated this one last year. They were dumping people in there with no pacing strategy so you wound up getting stuck in a room full of sweaty bodies with absolutely no clue on where to go or how to get out. This year they got smart. Your party stays together by holding a length of rope and you’re told to keep one hand on the walls to help find your way out.

I maybe encountered 2 actors through the entire thing, but the darkness works for what they’re going for. My one complaint was towards the end, the maze went into areas of the building where natural light was still visible ruining the entire effect.

Board To Death

Curb Appeal – 1.7/5
Scare Factor – 1.7/5
Actor Enthusiasm – 2.3/5
Creativity – 3.3/5

Overall – 2.3/5

Donna –  Board to death was a fun haunt to walk through but not very scary. The evil twist on the different board games made it fun to try and guess which game you were walking through at any given time. The actors were good and did interact  with the people walking through the haunt which did add a bit more to this haunt than some of the other haunts at Kings Island.   One of my biggest criticism of this haunt, however, was the fact that many of the rooms were so dark you could not see the props at all in the room and really had to guess what it was supposed to be. The lighting could have been a lot better  but even with that this was still one of my favorite haunts at Kings Island.

Teresa – I like the theme here. There were some fun scenes. And some of the actors were pretty creepy. Having said that, it doesn’t really stand out. I’d like to see them be more creative and capitalize on the game theme by making patrons participate somehow.

Todd – The play on board games is about all this one has going for it. The actors were incredibly lethargic and I couldn’t spot one thing that was different from last year. The line greeter had some personality to him but the haunt itself had none. The sets are somewhat clever, but the whole thing comes off more as a fantasy than a horrific scenario.

Carnevil

Curb Appeal – 2/5
Scare Factor – 1.5/5
Actor Enthusiasm – 3/5
Creativity – 2/5

Overall – 2.1/5

Teresa – This is a typical creepy clown haunt. It had some good circus-type scenes, and  everyone’s favorite creepy clowns lurking about. I don’t remember anything too original or scary though. I feel like all of these haunts would benefit from having something creative that stands out in each one, and from better actor training. There should be at least a couple actors in each haunt that are engaging, good at improvising, and who do more than jump out and repeat the same lines all night.

Todd – The most generic of generic clown haunts. Sparse actors with little-to-no originality. The entire haunt is FLOODED with blacklights, so much so that there isn’t an ounce of darkness. The small section with a mirror maze is ok, but it certainly doesn’t save this haunt from being pretty dismal. The greeter for this one was decent in character, but it’s nothing but a let down from there. If you’re into a poor-man’s rave, you might dig it.

Field of Screams

Curb Appeal – 3.7/5
Scare Factor – 2.3/5
Actor Enthusiasm – 2.3/5
Creativity – 2/5

Overall – 2.6/5

Donna –  Field of screams was a typical corn maze haunt. It was located on the dinosaurs alive exhibit area which is a decent walk back from the  main park itself.  The front of the corn maze where you enter was done very well with an old farmhouse and a barn that you walked through to get to the corn maze. Once you entered the corn maze however it became very typical of a corn maze haunt and really with the exception of a few lasers  and strobe lights was just a walk through some corn. There were some actors hiding in the corn but they did nothing to try to scare passersby. There were a few other actors scattered in places that were chopping  and sawing things but did nothing when you walked by but scream at you to leave. Since this is the first year for this haunt I believe it has room for improvement but definitely needs some tweaking to get the scare factor up and perhaps add a little more creativity.

Teresa – I like that this one is way down a path in the woods. It adds to the creep factor. And they actually have a couple of creepy facades with good haunt lighting to look at while you wait. The maze portion is made of corn stalks and I liked some of the actors in there. My criticisms would be that the maze is a bit short, the scares a bit sparse, and the line way too long. Still, I have to admit I love when the park is all decorated for Halloween, and there are wandering haunt actors everywhere, and lots of fog. Not the worst place to spend the evening with friends.

Todd – Biggest let down of the night. This is KI’s new haunt attraction this year. Constructed off the Dinosaurs Alive path, I really had some hopes up that the park put some real effort into this one.

The line was incredibly long when we went. The ambiance along the line itself was fantastic….it’s dark, you’re in the woods, some dinosaurs are recessed among the trees. I was actually getting a little excited. The entrance is a decent mock up of a farm shack with with a house facade to the side.

Then you go in and it’s all downhill from there. Simply put, take Cornstalkers from years past (previously by the Eiffel Tower) and put it in the middle of the field and this is what you get. It’s longer than Cornstalkers was, but not much better. I can only recall two types of scares – people hiding in the corn, jumping out as you walk by or creepy hill-folk who stare at you awkwardly.

For the wait and the anticipation that grows while waiting in line, this haunt was a huge let down.

Sorority House

Curb Appeal – 3/5
Scare Factor – 2/5
Actor Enthusiasm – 3.3/5
Creativity – 3.3/5

Overall – 2.9/5

Donna – The sorority house was one of my favorite haunts at Kings Island until this year. The haunt was shorter with not as many actors in it and many of the rooms that I had seen  in the past were missing. It’s seem like you walked in the front door and the next thing you knew you were walking out the back. It is a shame that they shortened it because they took out a lot of the scare factor and a lot of the fun that the haunt had in the past.

Teresa – This one has a not-too-scary pink sorority house facade. However, there were some good actors inside who played their roles well. And they did a decent job at carrying the theme throughout. I enjoyed the interactive Fright Lane room at the beginning, where they made us put on blind folds.

Todd – Nothing has changed with this one either. It’s not scary, but if you want to go through to see some cute girls (and some random guy), then go for it. Once again, actors felt sparse and lacking motivation. There was absolutely no story at all so I have no idea why these girls were hyped up. Were they victims? Killers? Who knows. The special VIP room is fun – you get hazed while one member in your party mysteriously disappears.

Go for the eye candy, expect little in the way of a haunt.

Killmart

Curb Appeal – 3.3/5
Scare Factor – 2.7/5
Actor Enthusiasm – 2.3/5
Creativity – 3/5

Overall – 2.8/5

Donna –  Kill Mart was pretty much the same as last year as a matter of fact even the skeleton key room was exactly the same. It is a fun theme of walking through an old deserted Department store  but it needed more actors and needs to change from year-to-year. I knew exactly what to expect the minute I entered so that scare factor was very low for me.   I did however see lots of other people who were screaming and visibly scared so it must have been there first time to go through it.

Teresa –  Who doesn’t like a creepy department store? I liked all the carts out front, and the shelves and giant bins inside of random creepy department store clothes, stuffed animals, scary actors, etc. This one is mostly jump scares, but still fun, overall.

Todd – This is one of the better themed haunts in the park. Inside, it authentically looks like a KMart. Old, ratty clothes hang on racks…merchandise is strewn about…it’s dark, dingy and gross. Yep…very much like your every day, functioning KMart.

The zombies inside act like they’re tranquilized. There’s no sense of fear present. Some of the actors are (poorly) hidden and their reveal is slow and lackluster.

The environment and props are the only saving grace here.

Madame Fatale’s Cavern of Terror

Curb Appeal – 4/5
Scare Factor – 3/5
Actor Enthusiasm – 3.5/5
Creativity – 4/5

Overall – 3.6/5

Teresa – I like the cavern theme. There were some really cool scenes inside. I think the dark ambiance added to the creep factor. I also enjoyed seeing some larger props. I thought some of the actors were interesting, too. One of the better King’s Island haunts this year, in my opinion.

Todd – I REALLY wish KI would quit taking a step backwards with this one. The wax museum theme has so much potential, it could actually be a full sized haunt. Instead, year after year we find it to be shorter and shorter. WHY?????

First off, the utilization of the original Tomb Raider / The Crypt entrance is great. Although it doesn’t fit the theme entirely, it does have a nice creepy feel to it. The environment is top-notch with great props; quality I would expect among all of KI’s haunts.

This one is actually fun to go through. While not overly scary, there’s a lot to look at. This one definitely needs to be made longer.

Slaughter House

Curb Appeal – 2.5/5
Scare Factor – 3.5/5
Actor Enthusiasm – 4.5/5
Creativity – 3.5/5

Overall – 3.5/5

Teresa – The slaughter house is a pretty common theme, and the facade wasn’t particularly creepy, although I enjoyed the music. The Fright Lane room was fun  and interactive, and definitely made this one memorable. The slaughter actors did a good job. The rest of the haunt wasn’t too original though. Still one of my favorites at King’s Island for this year.

Todd – This is the only indoor haunt that had a structure built specifically for it. There’s potential here. It’s themed well, and is without question the most gory haunt in the park.

I wish this haunt had more in it. In many areas, it feels too open and spread out. With all of the nastiness around, forcing patrons to be right up against it would be better. It’s also a little on the bright side – the lighting could be dimmer.

Urgent Scare

Curb Appeal – 2.7/5
Scare Factor – 3.7/5
Actor Enthusiasm – 3.7/5
Creativity – 3.3/5

Overall – 3.3/5

Donna –  As far as scares go urgent scare is probably your best bang for the buck. The actors at urgent scare seemed to be of a higher caliber than most of the actors in the other haunts at Kings Island.  The theme of a scary hospital where a virus has leaked and contaminated the doctors and nurses can be terrifying if it is played up in the right fashion and urgent scare does just that.   It is long enough to keep you interested but not too long to where it is redundant in the different scenes. The lighting is just right and there is a lot of creativity going on with the different  scenarios.   I did also notice some changes from last year making this haunt a little less on the blood and guts gore side and a little more on the actor victim interactive side. The coffin ride at the beginning was lots of fun as well.

Teresa – For this one, I felt like I was entering an abandoned strip mall medical center after some horrible apocalypse. The Fright Lane room was rather entertaining. We were all scanned to see if we were carrying a virus, and we didn’t know what was going to happen. The actor did a great job and made me laugh. The rest was a pretty typical zombie-type emergency, and felt too short, but this one was also one of my favorites at King’s Island this year.

Todd – This isn’t a bad haunt but it’s getting stale. Like many others, it felt shorter too. The VIP room is well worth it as one of you will get a quick coffin ride! It’s not as good as the Poo-man of 2014, but it adds to the story.

The environment’s good; dark, lot of props that fit the theme. The actors in this one are decent for what they do (mostly just yelling for help). It just needs to be re-imagined. It hasn’t really changed in years and has become very predictable.

Wolf Pack

Curb Appeal – 1.3/5
Scare Factor – 1.3/5
Actor Enthusiasm – 1.3/5
Creativity – 1.7/5

Overall – 1.4/5

Donna –  This was my very least favorite haunt of all at Kings Island. They need to remove this haunt and put something else in its place. The actor working outside the haunt actually insulted our group before we went in and it went downhill from there.  The haunt  mainly consists of a lot of actors wearing rubber wolf masks who are barely hidden behind fake trees and bushes and jump out and grunt as you walk by. That describes the entire haunt. It was a waste of time and it is a waste of space at Kings Island.

Teresa – I love werewolves, but this one wasn’t very scary. Part of the problem is that it is in a building with lots of light, so when we went before dark, it wasn’t creepy at all. You can see how cheap the scenes and props are, and the costumes weren’t too great, either. Also, none of the actors were really able to engage you. If you’re planning to go to this one, wait until after dark. And I hope they allow the actors to do more than just jump scares. I want to feel threatened. Maybe have a “pack” of werewolves surround people and pretend to rip prey to pieces. Just my thoughts…

Todd – This one is just laughable. WHY WHY WHY does KI keep it? To be fair, this is one of the first ones we went to so it was still light outside. Since this haunt lives on the old Son of Beast platform, the daylight reveals all.

I can only imagine how this goes down. Kids come in after school, are handed werewolf masks and told to hide around a corner and yell “”arrgghgh”” whenever someone passes by.

I just literally told you everything you need to know about this one. Skip it.

Final Thoughts

Donna –  While I appreciate the fact that Kings Island is first and foremost an amusement park I feel that they do need some creativity and actor  enthusiasm  in their haunts.   I think that this year for the most part the haunts were shortened and also a lot of the Gore factor was taken away to appeal more to families with younger children.   It is still a fun place to spend a Friday or Saturday evening and considering you get in free with a seasons pass it is a good deal but if you are looking for truly scary haunts Kings Island is not the place to look.

Teresa – These aren’t the most creative or memorable haunts. However, I love being in the amusement park at night, with all the Halloween decorations, and wandering ghosts, ghouls, monsters, and fiends coming through the fog. There are lots of things to do, including 10 walk-through haunts, rides that are open, places to eat and shop, and even an escape room, called The Viewing. I would have liked to have had time to try that. This place is still all kinds of Halloween fun and a great place for teens to go with their friends.

Todd – Kings Island continues to take a step backwards in their haunts each year. I realize that our viewpoint is skewed after seeing some of the best haunts in the country and it’s perhaps unfair to hold Kings Island such high expectations.

My real issue is that I can only imagine they have a decent budget for these haunts and I can’t tell where ANY of it goes. Many of the haunts seem to get shorter by the year. The props generally remain the same and the actors feel inadequately trained.

These haunts need to be revamped and updated. They feel as if they are managed by people with no haunt experience whatsoever. The golden rule of haunts is to ALWAYS change something. There is no fear in the predictable.

Despite my gripes, attendance seems to be in full force every fall so I suppose while they are still making money, King’s Island sees no reason to further invest in these haunts.