In terms of individual haunts, the experiences can be a bit uneven. CarnEvil was terrific this year. 3-D glasses, kooky clowns and uniquely camouflaged characters make it a lot of fun. The carnie host, Big Daddy, is a gruff, hilarious standout. The Trail of Terror seemed milder than it should have been and (as is too often the case with KI’s outdoor mazes) you can see the ghouls jumping out at the group in front of you, which fizzles your own experience. Urgent Scare and Club Blood were delightfully creepy. Wolf Pack, the new werewolf haunt, was also a great fright.
The Haunt will satisfy the curious occasional hauntgoer but won’t slake a veteran horror freak’s thirst for chills.
THE WAIT: Lines can be very long
during the thick of the evening (we waited an hour to get into one
haunt), so go early and plan to stay late: You won’t make it through
all of the attractions in one night. Individual attractions take 10-20
minutes to explore.
DETAILS: The park is open noon-1
a.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 30 with the Haunt running 7
p.m.-1 a.m. Kings Island, Exit 24 off I-71, Mason, 513-754-5700, haunt.visitkingsisland.com
THE DAMAGE: Free admission to KI
season pass holders. Saturdays are $49.99 at the gate or $27.99 online
in advance; Fridays are $34.99 at the gate, $21.99 online in advance or
at the gate with a college ID.
CITYBEAT RATING: PG-13
