Halloween Haunt 2019

[Zachary]

Staffing is a huge problem tonight. Really concerning. Hopefully it's solved in the next couple weeks.

Also, this Masquerade thing is not a scarezone at all. Really disappointed. ?

We haven't hit Pumpkin Eater yet. I'll report back on that.

 

[buckler89]

Honestly, the reviews of opening weekend seem to be like every year's opening weekend reviews. Some mediocre houses / zones, a couple standouts, and a couple bad ones. Crowd is too large, and parts of the park seem understaffed. It always seems to take a couple weeks for the park to get into a groove, so I would expect the reviews to get a bit more positive as the event goes on.

 

[VACoasterFan]

This post is making the rounds on Facebook.

The original post had A posting time of Saturday evening between 9 and 10pm

I removed the Account Name for there privacy but this is a direct cut and paste off the persons page,

" Peace out Kings Dominion we will never be back ever. Have had season passes for years but tonight was the worst experience. Three fights causing riots people running for safety everywhere and people getting trampled on people having panic attacks and crying everywhere!!!! It was a disgrace how youth acts now a days. I could not imagine being a parent there with their little ones tonight from the fear that we all had!! It’s all about the money and nothing about safety. At first it was the fear of a mass shooting the way people were running for safety and the fear in the girls eyes that we stopped to check on was awful. If anyone is thinking of attending the haunt nights I suggest not doing it. Your safety is more important and from the looks of things tonight kings dominion has a very long way to go to control riots and fights like tonight. I’m still shaking. Parks should ban teenagers from parks without a parent on events like this!!!!! Just sad that a fun night for everyone has to be ruined by a bunch of youth idiots. "

Can anyone give these claims any credibility??

 

[jeffh]

This post is making the rounds on Facebook.

The original post had A posting time of Saturday evening between 9 and 10pm

Can anyone give these claims any credibility??

We were there last night (group of 9, 3 of which were ages 8-10) and walking along Cleaver Bros probably about 9:00-9:15 or so when a pack of 100+ teens went running past the Victoria Pizza (note that they were NOT in the Cleaver Bros scare zone, they were in the other walkway directly in front of Victoria Pizza) as if they were on the way to see some fight, and there were probably 5-6 cops running along with them. Then 5-10 minutes later another crowd of 100+ (could have been the exact same group, who knows) went running back the other way and again several cops also running along the same way. Whether the kids caused the cops to start running or saw the cops running and went to see a show, I have no idea. I didn't see any fights or any riots, but did see those groups run past a couple times and when a large group like that starts running you can knocked over easily.

My wife said it was really strange as it looked like it was something that was coordinated, so who knows maybe there is a facebook group where these idiots communicate when/where to start the running of the group, I really have no idea.

This is why we only went on Saturday because it was opening night, otherwise we go on Friday or Sunday nights where it's less crowded and the large groups of disruptive teens are less likely to be there.

 

[KDkid2]

This post is making the rounds on Facebook.

The original post had A posting time of Saturday evening between 9 and 10pm

I removed the Account Name for there privacy but this is a direct cut and paste off the persons page,

" Peace out Kings Dominion we will never be back ever. Have had season passes for years but tonight was the worst experience. Three fights causing riots people running for safety everywhere and people getting trampled on people having panic attacks and crying everywhere!!!! It was a disgrace how youth acts now a days. I could not imagine being a parent there with their little ones tonight from the fear that we all had!! It’s all about the money and nothing about safety. At first it was the fear of a mass shooting the way people were running for safety and the fear in the girls eyes that we stopped to check on was awful. If anyone is thinking of attending the haunt nights I suggest not doing it. Your safety is more important and from the looks of things tonight kings dominion has a very long way to go to control riots and fights like tonight. I’m still shaking. Parks should ban teenagers from parks without a parent on events like this!!!!! Just sad that a fun night for everyone has to be ruined by a bunch of youth idiots. "

Can anyone give these claims any credibility??

A bit overblown... Yes there was fights & allot of line cutting but my no means was their a riot or anything close to that.. it was young people running away from..Just like many run through a scare zone.. There where more police there then I have ever seen there.. Maybe starting to limit the amount of people in a certain scare zone or attraction at real heavy times could help and probably would help the actors .. But you also need to keep the flow of people moving at the same time..

 

[Nicole]

We were there last night, and didn't see any rioting or huge fights. Of course, I can't say definitively if something happened, when we were in other parts of the park. Regardless, a few thoughts:

1. There were security officers and police officers everywhere.
2. It was probably a bad idea to have the Geico corporate event the same night as Haunt's Saturday opening.
3. We did see the tower flood lights go on from a distance at one point.
4. The argument that it is a bad environment for children seems like red herring, as it is an adult event. ("I could not imagine being a parent there with their little ones tonight from the fear that we all had!!")

 

[RKRCC]

At some point for both Haunt and HOS, PARENTS need to be the responsible ones and not take their young children if they get scared and can’t handle the event. I’ve seen 8 year olds that love the event, which is great. I’ve seen 13 year olds that are scared to death and parents make them go. That is crap in my opinion. I saw one young boy getting lectured by his dad Friday night at HOS because he said he was scared. Pretty sad.... at some points parents have to be parents and look out for the well being of their children

 

[jeffh]

OK here is the opening show from this evening - I was there on opening night but it was so crowded I had a terrible vantage point. Tonight it was still crowded for the opening show but nothing like last night.

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[KDkid2]

Sound seems to be allot better then last night... I think they had way to much bass last night... Hopefully they fix the Blood Drums sound as well even tho the location is a joke that they put them where they are now... really ruins the whole act IMO

 

[Mushroom]

Sound seems to be allot better then last night... I think they had way to much bass last night... Hopefully they fix the Blood Drums sound as well even tho the location is a joke that they put them where they are now... really ruins the whole act IMO

And it ruins the Cleaver Brothers atmosphere. For those who don’t know, Blood Drums has moved to a tiny new stage shoehorned into an existing games booth across from The Mac Bowl, smack in the middle of Cleaver.

I have no idea why they didn’t just put Blood Drums on the existing (and vacant) Candy Apple Grove stage next to Twist & Shop. There’s more room for the performers AND audience members, complete with seating, and it fits the vibe of the area way better.

Now the western side of Cleaver is completely ruined atmospherically for half the evening, and the park has inexplicably confined the show to a tiny booth while a superior stage sits dormant. I don’t get it.

 

[KDkid2]

I agree..Why they refuse to use the main theater or any of the other venues for any of the preformaces is mind boggling..I dont get why they dont either.. Really they are all under used all season IMO

 

[Mushroom]

Not using the Kings Dominion Theater makes sense to me. People don’t go to Haunt for the shows, so smaller-scale performances out on the paths seem like much wiser investments. I remember the last time they did a full production in the KD Theater, 2014’s Eternal Jamnation, the theater was half empty even on the busiest nights.

I’d go so far as to argue that a show the scale of Heads Will Roll is still far too elaborate for an event focused on scares and a spooky atmosphere. Haunt did right by cutting the Grave Walkers this year, Skeleton Crew last year, and Unstrung the year before (meaning the event, thankfully, is down 3 shows from 3 years ago), but I’d still rather see more of the entertainment budget poured into what makes Haunt... Haunt.

 

[KDkid2]

Not using the Kings Dominion Theater makes sense to me. People don’t go to Haunt for the shows, so smaller-scale performances out on the paths seem like much wiser investments. I remember the last time they did a full production in the KD Theater, 2014’s Eternal Jamnation, the theater was half empty even on the busiest nights.

I’d go so far as to argue that a show the scale of Heads Will Roll is still far too elaborate for an event focused on scares and a spooky atmosphere. Haunt did right by cutting the Grave Walkers this year, Skeleton Crew last year, and Unstrung the year before (meaning the event, thankfully, is down 3 shows from 3 years ago), but I’d still rather see more of the entertainment budget poured into what makes Haunt... Haunt.

Hate to say it but some people including myself do go for the shows & the haunt.. I think it makes it different that they have both.. let's be real the new theme enables them to expand the family atmosphere more.. People need to remember they make more money having a family atmosphere not just targeting a certain age group/theme.. I think they cut the skeleton crew simply because it had run its course b/c show was the same pretty much every year . I wouldnt mind a new show or act at all but I do agree they need to expand into making certain areas more spooky also.. Maybe putting more $ time into teaching the actors/staff/security more also could also help. They also need to find ways to have big groups run through the area all at once .. This also ruins the experience.. A big scare zone through the former dinosaur alive could really be neat /scary if done correctly but it definitely would need allot more staff in all of above areas..

 

[horsesboy]

Fights break out at Kings Dominion’s Halloween Haunt; deputies, park security respond

Parents took to social media to express their concerns about fights at King’s Dominion’s Halloween Haunt Saturday night.

wtvr.com

Opening night made the news. Sounds like it was a normal opening Haunt weekend. Side note guess the producer of the segment never been to the psrk.

 

[Mushroom]

Poor KD. That's really bad PR.

 

[Mushroom]

Hate to say it but some people including myself do go for the shows & the haunt.. I think it makes it different that they have both.. let's be real the new theme enables them to expand the family atmosphere more.. People need to remember they make more money having a family atmosphere not just targeting a certain age group/theme.. I think they cut the skeleton crew simply because it had run its course b/c show was the same pretty much every year . I wouldnt mind a new show or act at all but I do agree they need to expand into making certain areas more spooky also.. Maybe putting more $ time into teaching the actors/staff/security more also could also help. They also need to find ways to have big groups run through the area all at once .. This also ruins the experience.. A big scare zone through the former dinosaur alive could really be neat /scary if done correctly but it definitely would need allot more staff in all of above areas..

I totally disagree with you here. In fact, I think "expanding the family atmosphere" is exactly what's caused Howl-O-Scream to have degraded in quality so much in recent years. You can't mix "scary" and "family" because those two atmospheres are inherently contradictory. There's a reason the park advertises that Haunt isn't appropriate for children, and there's a reason each and every kiddie ride at the park closes at 5pm. Haunt needs to remain the homogeneously dark, spooky environment it (mostly) is now. Otherwise the clashing attempts of putting "family" and "scary" vibes together only degrades both, and that's exactly what we're seeing at HOS right now.

 

[Nicole]

In my opinion KD used to handle their Halloween events the right way. They had a children's event during the day and an explicitly adult event at night. Trying to mix them waters both down, I believe. Regardless, frightened children and, possibly more worryingly, babies in strollers, make things much more difficult for the scare actors. They are faced with either terrifying kids who shouldn’t be there, or ruining the event for paying adults.

 

[Mushroom]

I’m KD’s defense, I didn’t see anything on Saturday (No Boo notwithstanding) that indicated any real shift towards a family friendly atmosphere at Haunt. I was just arguing against a hypothetical. In fact, with the decreased emphasis on shows and generally darker paths, I’d contend that Haunt is more adult-oriented now than it used to be.

 

[Jonesta6]

Question, since I haven't been in a few years but have passes this year:

Are they still trying to sell a bunch of those annoying light-up shot and drink glasses around the park? Additionally, do they have more, less, it about the same emphasis on alcoholic drinks purchases?

Thanks!

 

[BGWnut]

In my opinion KD used to handle their Halloween events the right way. They had a children's event during the day and an explicitly adult event at night. Trying to mix them waters both down, I believe. Regardless, frightened children and, possibly more worryingly, babies in strollers, make things much more difficult for the scare actors. They are faced with either terrifying kids who shouldn’t be there, or ruining the event for paying adults.

This seems similar to what Busch is attempting to do with the spooktacular sesame events. They occur during the day and end at 5 pm. It didn't seem to make a big change last year but hopefully after a few years we will start to see the effects.