This year Kings Island has changed FearFest to Halloween Haunt. The changes could be noticed right away when we parked the car. An actor dressed as a morning welcoming us to the funeral as she put a flag that said Stuart on the car. We stepped outside of the car. Walked towards the entrance and entered the media line before entering into the media area.
Click here to read about the Halloween Haunt Media Event.
After we were finished eating all kings of great food in the media area we were off to visit some haunts. The park was full of fog and more actors roamed the park then ever before. A variety of scenes decorated lawns while creepy lighting lit up the large lake. Was Halloween Haunt an improvement from last year’s FearFest. Lets find out.
Insane lunatics and bloody thirsty lunatics have escaped death row. Try to find your way out of the dark and confusing corridors of this creepy prison. This is Death Row and you’re dead man walking.
Length-7: Depending on how good you are at finding your way out of dark and confusing mazes, it can take anywhere from 10-20 minutes to escape Death Row.
Design-7: This is a well designed maze from beginning to end. The majority of this haunt consists of bright reflecting mirrors and strobe lights from every angle you turn. Many of the rooms lack detail, but make up for that with its confusing layout. While it may just be me, Death Row seemed less confusing this year and props seemed to be implemented into the rooms to make up for a lack of design.
Props/Animatronics-7: Death Row is basically a dark maze with bright strobes. Any props you may encounter are there to makeup for a lack of creativity in many of its rooms. There’s a classic electric chair, buzz saw animatronic and a couple of props here and there that go well with the prison theme. But overall you won’t be impressed by the lack of eye candy.
Acting-8: When it comes to acting Death Row has some of the best actors you’ll see at any of the haunts at Halloween Haunt. They perfectly hide in the darkest of places and emerge when you least expect them. A standout character is the helpless victim who has only half of his body as he dangles mid air crying for help. Most of the actors at Death row play deranged inmates or crazed lunatics and for the most part, they are pretty convincing.
Scare Effect-8: There is something about being in dark confining maze that seems to scare many people. Maybe it’s the fear of not knowing what lurks behind the next corner or maybe it’s the fear of being lost in the darkness. Either way this is an effective dark maze taken to the extreme.
Fright Value: Even though there isn’t much to this haunt besides being a dark and twisted maze, it’s still mildly entertaining and worth your time and effort.
Final Stab-7.4: The classic mirror maze returns for another year of fear with a new name and the same old attitude. If it’s your first time, you’ll have a good time navigating around the confusing maze. But for the most part it’s the same old haunt you’ve known for years.
A foggy mysterious trail is home to evil beyond your comprehension. The Trail of Terror summons you to walk its dark path. Kings Island’s only haunted trail returns with a new name and with a few new things added into the mix.
Length-7: It will take you around 10 minutes to walk the Trail of Terror. If you’re not lost in the thick fog it may take you less.
Design-6: Trail of Terror is your typical haunted trail thrown together at the last minute. Nothing has changed much from last year when it was originally Psycho Path and nothing really stands out to catch your attention. The majority of this haunted trail consists of hill billy shacks and body parts filling many of the various scenes. Some scenes include a hill billy out house, sewer tunnel, hanging body parts room and your typical haunted trail stuff. A new addition this year is a graveyard which is inhabited by Freddy Krueger himself.
Props/Animatronics-5: There is a true lack of stand out props at Trail of Terror. While body parts add a sense of realism to the haunt, they won’t catch your attention. You would expect more from Kings Island considering their monstrous budget. If a couple of animatronics were used here and there this could be a pretty decent little haunted trail.
Acting-7: The actors at Halloween Haunt are the highlight of the haunted theme park and Trail of Terror is no exception. The actors are enthusiastic and pop up when you least expect them. I’m still confused though as to why Freddy Krueger was added to this haunted trail. It seems as if he was added at the last minute to please Nightmare on Elm Street Fans. The characters you’ll come across are back woods hill billies and they are pretty convincing in their roles.
Scare Effect-7: Trail of Terror plays on your senses. The immense amount of fog and the great use of sound effects will catch a lot of people off guard. But if you’re a big haunt enthusiast you won’t be impressed because you’ve seen and heard it all before.
Fright Value: Year after year this haunted trail returns with a new name and with barely anything changed. If you have time make sure to visit Trail of Terror. It’ a decent haunt that will strike fear into those who have a fear of the dark.
Final Stab-6.4: Some people prefer haunted houses while others prefer haunted trails. If you’re in the mood for a spooky haunted trail then Trail of Terror is right up your alley.
A large bus pulls up as fog can be seeing moving off in the distance. People flock to see what terror might lies beyond the tracks and sit down for a ride to hell. Was Tombstone Terror-Tory worth the wait in line or were we just waiting for a ticket back home?
Length-7: If you add the time you are riding on the bus to the actual haunted trail portion of the haunt, it may take up to 20 minutes to walk through this haunt.
Design-6: Tombstone Terror-Tory lacks the concept of what a well designed haunted trail really is. You can’t just throw in a couple of barrels and wooden crates and call it a western themed haunt, you have to model the entire haunt as if it took place in the wild west. This is a big reason why this haunted trail suffers in trying to get its story across and in the end it isn’t effective.
Props/Animatronics-5: What has become of Kings Island? When will they invest some money into these haunts that return year after year. There are so many props on the market that are western themed that would greatly improve this haunted trail, but of course they have to borrow from the Sleepy Hollow haunted trail that is almost an exact replica of this year’s Tombstone Terror-Tory.
Acting-7: The acting is pretty decent for this haunt, but the majority of the costumes and characters are borrowed from last year’s haunt. If it’s your first time going through Tombstone Terror-Tory you may enjoy it, but it’s the same haunt as last year with a few things changed a bit. Many of the actors are convincing due to their colonial clothing, but many are still using lines from when it was Sleepy Hollow. Even the same sound effects are being incorporated into the haunt. Tombstone Terror-Tory needs a major facelift before it ever becomes a classic like a few of the well known haunts at Kings Island.
Scare Effect-5: The scariest part of this haunt is the lack of security. A few people in front of us were drunk and out of control and not one security guard showed up to help out with the situation. The train ride that takes you to the haunted trail is unique, but doesn’t make up for an ill conceived haunted trail.
Final Stab-6.0: Kings Island needs to seriously renovate this haunt before people start complaining. You can’t use the same exact scenes year after year and just change the name without people noticing it’s the same old haunt from last year. I wouldn’t suggest that you visit Tombstone Terror-Tory. Save time for the rest of the haunts at the park or take in a show.
Off in the distance a bright neon sign that reads Club Blood. Are you brave enough to enter this night club full of bloody thirsty ghouls and creatures from beyond? We’ll see!
Length-7: It will take between 7-12 minutes to escape the vampire infested night club. There is always something to catch your attention while on your tour.
Design-7: The entire haunt is modeled after a night club from Hell. You’ll venture into a dark alley where a crack addict looks for her crack pipe or even enter a gory pregnancy room. This haunt is for a more mature audience and you’ll notice right away from the different themed rooms you enter. Some rooms include a go go dance floor, bloody bathroom and much more.
Props/Animatronics-6: Club Blood mostly focuses on actors over high end animatronics or sets. You’ll come across a few props, but there nothing to brag about. Considering this is Kings Island you would expect more over the top animatronics that would impress you beyond belief, but the majority of Club Blood and the rest of the haunts at Halloween Haunt fall short in this category.
Acting-8: Club Blood’s actors are very interactive and up close and personal. You’ll come across go go dancing vampires and ghouls high on drugs. Yes you heard me right. Kings Island has gone in a new direction with this haunt and I think it will pay off for them. Hookers roam the halls of Club Blood while the evil DJ spins some records.
Scare Effect-7: Club Blood is more intense than scary. There are far and few moments where an actor will make you jump while enter a room. But many of the characters you’ll encounter are intimidating and the overall theme of being in a night club taken over by drug depraved vampires may get to some people.
Fright Value: This is one of the most unique haunts at Halloween Haunt and one that should be at the top of your list while visiting the park. Make sure to save time for Club Blood and maybe you’ll survive.
Final Stab-7.0: Club Blood is a haunt that is much different from anything else you’ll find at Kings Island. It takes a different approach trying to shock instead of scare. While the theme was unique and different I can’t see Club Blood being anything more than a novelty haunt that people will visit just for the more mature scenes.
Welcome to the big top circus at Kings Island. The clowns are waiting to frighten you while the bright neon colors and flashing lights will blind you. Circus of Horrors 3D returns with a new name and that’s pretty much about it.
Length-7: It will take around 10 minutes to exit Carnevil depending on how long it takes you to navigate around the mirror maze
Design-8: I am not a big fan of clown themed haunts, but every year Kings Island brings back this crowd favorite and it always seems to amaze me with its 3D design that incorporates the clown theme. Some rooms you’ll enter are a mirror maze, cotton candy cave, clown prison and more of the same you’ve come to love from this little haunt. As always the walls are splattered with bright fluorescent paint and poke a dots that really brings out the 3D effects once you put the glasses on.
Props/Animatronics-8: Every prop in Carnevil centers around the clown theme and is pulled off perfectly. The props aren’t jaw dropping, but suit this haunt well Favorites return like the dizzying vortex tunnel or the mechanical clowns who come at you from the wall.
Acting-7: There’s not much I can say as far as acting goes. Every actor in Carnevil plays an evil and twisted clown. While there aren’t stand out performances, they all do well in the roles they play.
Scare Effect-7: If you have a severe fear of clowns, Carnevil will test you at ever corner you turn. But for most people this is more of a fun haunt than anything frightening.
Fright Value: The fan favorite returns with a new name. Even though this haunt is pretty much identical to last year’s Circus of Horrors 3D, it’s still one of the best at the park. Save time for Carnevil and you’ll be dying with laughter.
Final Stab-7.4: Clown themed haunts are a dime in a dozen. The majority are just typical haunts that paint their walls with bright colors while throwing clowns into the mix. Carnevil is different. It’s a unique haunt that resembles an old fashioned fun house that many people will remember from their childhood. Don’t miss out on the frightening fun.
Ho, Ho, Ho, a pirate’s life for me. An old wooden building waits for you arrival. Are you ready to walk the plank at Red Beard’ Revenge?
Length-7: It will take around 7 minutes to tour Red Beard’s Revenge. While there are many scenes with actors popping out every which way you go, it’s pretty uneventful.
Design-6: Once again Kings Island uses the same haunt from last year, but uses a different theme which this year is pirates. Some rooms you’ll venture into are a pirate ship, pirate deck, wrench room and many more. Noting really stood out in my mind and this haunt has a lot of potential due to the outside facade and the theme it’s using. Haunts like Pirates of Emerson in California can pull of the pirate theme, but unfortunately Red Bear’s Revenge is one that fails in doing so.
Props/Animatronics-5: Nothing really stood out and I was expecting more eye candy this year due to the new name change and direction Kings Island was going in. Added props using the pirate theme would greatly improve this haunt overall.
Acting-6: You would expect many of the actors at a pirate themed haunt to wear pirate makeup or prosthetics or, but you would be wrong. Many of the characters you’ll come across wear cartoonish pirate masks that look like they are straight out of an old pirate cartoon. More focus needs to be used on makeup to have the characters be more convincing.
Scare Affect-6: Red Beard’s Revenge isn’t a scary haunt, plain and simple. It’s more comical than scary with many of the actors saying “arrrr” as you pass them. A lot could be done with this haunt, but unfortunately it will be using a different theme next year. I guarantee it.
Fright Value: This is one of the worst haunts at Kings Island and please make sure to visit it last along with Tombstone Terror-Tory.
Final Stab-6.0: Kings Island is all over the place in terms of theme this year. You’ve got a circus themed haunt, a western themed haunt and now even a pirate themed haunt. It just doesn’t make sense and the majority of people aren’t frightened by pirates.
A creepy building lies off in the distance. Are we ready to enter the haunted estate of Massacre Manor and experience the deadly creatures who live within?
Length-7: It will take around 10 minutes to tour Massacre Manor and survive all the frightening sites that await you.
Design-8: This haunt was built to resemble a haunted manor. From the stained walls, to the actual wall paper Massacre Manor really immerses you with fright. Some of the rooms you’ll enter are a bloody kitchen, Exorcist levitation room, haunted gallery and much more. This is a realistic feeling haunt from beginning to end.
Props/Animatronics-7: The majority of props suit this haunt well, but there aren’t enough standouts to make a big impact. The highlight of your tour is a levitating bed that you would swear was straight out of “The Exorcist. The majority of props include haunted portraits, bloody body parts and the typical eye candy you’ve come to expect.
Acting-8: Halloween Haunt has some of the best actors in Cincinnati, but you will miss a lot of the action if you are grouped together with another group of people. The characters at Massacre Manor are intense and relentless.
Scare Effect-7: This is a chilling haunt while it lasts, but you will end up wanting much more fright at the end of your tour. The actors are diverse in the roles they play and the lines they have.
Fright Value: Massacre Manor is one of the better haunts at Halloween Haunt and has become an instant favorite among many people visiting Kings Island. Even though little has changed from last year, this little haunt is as good as ever.
Final Stab-7.4: Massacre Manor is one of the few haunts that returns without a new theme and name. While the actors are intense and in your face, something needs to be done with this haunt to make it fresher and new.
The Cemetery
You’ll walk through a dark and foggy graveyard inhabited by rotting zombies. Massive tombstones decorate the paths while skeletons and other creepy things reach out to touch you.
The WorkSite
A dangerous worksite has been taken over by ghouls and creatures that await your arrival. Flashing lights, nuclear waste spills and more decorate the paths of this fear zone.
CornStalkers
The Fear Zone from last year returns with a few improvements. Watch out for the evil scarecrows or creatures that are hidden within the corn.
Dead Awakening
Make sure to visit this live theatrical show with amazing music and performers. But be warned, this is for a mature audience since it as suggestive themes and mature materials. The actors in the live stage performance are amazing and diverse in their skills. There’s singing, dancing, an amazing light show and it only lasts 30 minutes. It will truly take your breath away.
The Torture Chamber
Watch the amazing Baldini as he does escape tricks, lays on a bed of nails and even walks on swords. It’s somewhat funny, amusing and a great finish to a night of great fright and fun at Kings Island’s Halloween Haunt.
Elvira’s Superstition
Elvira’s Superstition is similar to other interactive movie rides like Days of The Thunder. The only exception is that it’s Halloween themed and Elvira is your spooky host for the night. Hold on tight as your twist and turn around a roller coaster from Hell. It’s a classic ride that gets better with age.