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Sink the Jerk is also intriguing, and I wonder if they’re going to make people pay $2 to throw a ball to dunk him like they do at Canada’s Wonderland. Grouping these two together because I’m convinced that Haut Vol (the contractor that hires the Cirque performers) is in charge of these two shows.
$2? At Dorney Park last year it was $20. It was also staffed by general park employees, including the person on the tower (who did a very not-entertaining job of being a "jerk"). I wouldn't get your hopes up.

That said, Dorney Park's Skeleton Crew has been absolutely incredible the past few years, and included a lot more than the "people falling off a tower onto a trampoline" bit. I'm talking strong-people acts, aerialists, feats of strength, and fire dancers.

My thoughts on everything coming soon.
 
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$2? At Dorney Park last year it was $20. It was also staffed by general park employees, including the person on the tower (who did a very not-entertaining job of being a "jerk"). I wouldn't get your hopes up.

That said, Dorney Park's Skeleton Crew has been absolutely incredible the past few years, and included a lot more than the "people falling off a tower onto a trampoline" bit. I'm talking strong-people acts, aerialists, feats of strength, and fire dancers.

My thoughts on everything coming soon.
Well, they did lower the price to $15 for five throws half way through the season, so three dollars a ball.
 

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How did no one proof the website before shipping it live. You can not read more than a sentence or two before it cuts off. Here are the full descriptions I was able to pull.

CornStalkers: Blood Harvest​

In the heart of the rural countryside lies the Whitlock farm, a place shrouded in mystery and steeped in dark folklore. Generations ago, the Whitlock family made a blood pact with the land, offering human sacrifices to ensure bountiful harvests and protect their crops. Over time, this dark ritual twisted the farm and its inhabitants, turning them into sinister reapers who now haunt the cornfields. These reapers lure unsuspecting visitors into the maze of towering cornstalks, where the shadows hide their true intentions. Every year during the harvest moon, the ritual is renewed, and the farm demands new blood to sustain its dark magic. As the monsters of the cornfield, the reapers draw upon this chilling tale, embodying the farm’s cursed legacy and ensuring that every visitor feels the eerie presence of the Whitlock farm.

F.E.A.R. presented by SKITTLES​

In a forgotten, abandoned factory on the edge of town lies the Observers’ Domain, a place where reality is twisted and fear is studied like a science. The Observers, otherworldly entities who have transcended human form, inhabit this eerie space, watching and manipulating the fears of those who enter. They feed on terror, crafting illusions that bring each visitor’s deepest phobias to life. As guests navigate the maze-like corridors, they become subjects in the Observers’ grand experiment, testing the limits of human fear. The monsters, the Observers themselves, use this backstory to fully immerse visitors in a world where every shadow and whisper could be their own worst nightmare, ensuring that the memory of F.E.A.R. lingers long after the journey ends.

GrimmWoods presented by M&Ms​

In the depths of GrimmWoods, fairy tales are not just stories, but living, breathing realities with a dark twist. This enchanted forest is home to characters from classic tales who have been transformed by the magic of the woods, taking on eerie and sometimes sinister forms. Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, and Briar Rose all roam the forest, but their stories have taken a darker turn. The monsters of GrimmWoods, these twisted fairy tale beings, use their stories to draw guests deeper into the woods, blurring the line between fantasy and reality. Each corner of the forest holds a new, eerie encounter, inviting visitors to step into a world where happily ever after is not guaranteed, and the magic of the forest has a haunting edge.

Blood on the Bayou​

Deep in the Louisiana bayou lies a cursed swamp, haunted by the spirit of Séraphine Malveaux, a powerful Creole priestess wronged by the townsfolk centuries ago. In her quest for vengeance, Séraphine infused the bayou with dark magic, transforming the land and the creatures within it. Now, the bayou teems with eerie beings, from ghostly apparitions to cursed creatures of the swamp, all under Séraphine’s spell. As visitors wander through the bayou, they encounter these haunted denizens, each one a manifestation of Séraphine’s wrath and sorrow. The monsters draw upon this tragic tale to immerse guests in Séraphine’s world, making them feel the haunting allure and danger of the cursed swamp. Those who enter may never look at the bayou the same way again.

Trick or Treat presented by SNICKERS​

Welcome to Hemlock House, a place that exists between worlds, where the veil between the living and the dead is thin. Founded by Mary Bradbury, a survivor of the Salem witch trials, the house serves as a refuge for witches from throughout history. As All Hollows eve approaches, spirits of past victims and lost trick-or-treaters roam the halls, their whispers echoing alongside the witches who still practice their dark arts. Do not wrong our coven or you may just becoming part of the house forever.

Cleaver Brothers Carnival

In the shadowy realm where the Cleaver Brothers Carnivale first emerged, the carnival was once a place of wonder. But after striking a dark pact with an ancient entity, the Cleaver brothers and their troupe were transformed into undead beings, bound eternally to the carnival. Now, they travel from town to town, appearing and vanishing without a trace, luring unsuspecting visitors into their eerie domain. The carnies themselves are the true threat, feeding on the fear and souls of those who dare to enter. Those who manage to leave are forever marked, feeling an unexplainable pull to return whenever the Carnivale is near. Within this twisted world, every monster is part of the eternal cycle of horror, keeping the legend of the Cleaver Brothers Carnivale alive.

Masquerade

Welcome to Masquerade, a decadent nightmare where elegance hides evil. Once a royal celebration, this masked ball has rotted into something sinister. Dancers drift through the haze in glittering masks, whispering secrets and circling guests like predators. Music swells, lights flicker, and twisted nobles waltz into your path—then vanish without warning. Beneath the beauty lies chaos, and no one is who they seem. In Queen Majesty’s court, every step deeper into the party brings you closer to madness.

Pumpkin Eater

In the last years of the Revolution, Peter Armstrong was a pumpkin farmer living off a winding road in the quaint woods of Virginia. It was in these very woods that an evil spirit possessed him forcing him to murder his family. He hid their bodies inside some of his largest pumpkins, leaving them there to rot. His rage not subsided, Peter went on to murder other victims, burying them all in the patch. His victims now haunt these once tranquil woods with their jack-o-lantern faces some still covered in rotting pieces of pumpkin.

Site X

Erased from all records, Site X was never meant to exist. When the Whey Foundation scientist first discovered the ruins of this ancient temple they assumed it was just another relic from the past. What they uncovered was something they couldn’t have imagined. The first mistake was ignoring the carvings surrounding the ruins. They had been left as a warning but their meanings were lost to time. The excavation of the site uncovered a sealed portal that was meant to keep us out. The team opened the crypt and released a virus unlike anything known before. Everyone was infected within minutes – a psychotic rage and blood thirst overtook the camp. The site was sealed and those that were left behind are still roaming the jungle spreading the infection turning men into monsters.

The Catacombs

Beneath the Eiffel Tower lies a hidden entrance to the Paris Catacombs, leading to the legendary underground vampire nightclub, Le Sang Rouge. This club is both a myth and a terrifying reality. Guests, drawn by whispers and urban legends, find themselves in an opulent, crimson-lit party, surrounded by impossibly elegant hosts. When the clan is ready to feast, the illusion shatters - the vampires reveal their true nature, and the dance floor becomes a hunting ground. While most guests become victims, a few are allowed to leave, forever marked and destined to spread the legend of The Catacombs.

Wake the Dead​

NEW in 2026! Someone murdered Franklin Earl Anderson Rochester — who do you think it was? Wake the Dead is a music-and-dance murder mystery where an ensemble of singers and schemers perform to convince you of their innocence. The fate of the family is in your hands at this Halloween show!

Heads Will Roll​

NEW in 2026! The Royal Court sings and schemes in a fog-soaked musical spectacular. Watch the ensemble of powerhouse performers and dancers bring glamorous Halloween drama to life. Will this be a night to remember, or will you be next up on the menu?

Sink the Jerk​

NEW in 2026! He's loud, he's up high, and he's absolutely asking for it. Step right up to this carnival-style dunk tank, where our mouthy performer has all the time in the world to hurl insults at the crowd below. Somebody really needs to shut him up — how's your arm?

Skeleton Crew​

NEW in 2026! Death-defying stunts are easier when you’re already dead. Skeleton Crew is a high-energy Halloween stunt show packed with outrageous falls, jaw-dropping acrobatics, and bone-chilling feats. The louder you scream, the bolder they get — and these guys have nothing to lose!

Blood Reign​

Each night during Halloween Haunt, Blood Reign marks the official start of the terror. Queen Majesty rises to power and summons her loyal monsters to take over the park. As the monsters are unleashed, guests are warned—once her reign begins, there’s no safety in sight. Blood Reign, at the Grand Bandstand, sets the tone for the horrors to come and signals the moment the fear is done waiting for you.
 
I am really sad that they got rid of MonsterCon, which was clever and had so much potential, and kept aging and (honestly) boring houses. CornStalkers needed to be plowed under years ago and Trick or Treat was an understaffed museum back when it was still new.

I support making the houses an upcharge, but not if they aren't offering a fresh, new product.

Just ugh.
 
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From my visits at park BGW/KD/scarowinds monstercon was the most fun I ever has in mazes. It was god damn chaos in there with it staffed. They followed you, there was alot to bang on, the fake horror maniquans, it was dark/tight paths. Such a shame
 
According to a pretty reliable source, the director behind many of the MoonMaxx productions of Haunt and WinterFest’s past is slated to return to the park to direct Wake The Dead.

I’m even more excited for this show now than I was yesterday! If you’re not sure what shows they have produced, think the original Tinker’s Toy Factory and Heads Will Roll. There are likely more that I can’t think of right now.
 
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I'm suuuuuuper late with this, but this is such an interesting survey, thanks for sharing! Part of me wonders if the properties listed on this survey were aspirational or to gauge what sort of themes attendees would like, rather than a clear path to what they were hoping to get. Some of these properties have a longstanding history with Universal, and I can't imagine a world where Nintendo, for example, risks damaging that, especially since they are expanding Super Nintendo World at Universal parks. I also think properties like Resident Evil may be difficult for Six Flags to snag since Universal just opened a summer RE experience at their Vegas Horror Unleashed and is also having RE merchandise at Horror Nights this year.
 
Because it's, unironically, all a big, bullshit scam. USA Today doesn't give a shit about park haunt events, they just care about harvesting ad revenue from clicks and boosting themselves in search rankings.

Yearly reminder not to talk about these polls, link these polls, vote in these polls, etc. They're a true cancer on the industry. They've been subsiding a bit in the last few years. Lets do all we can to keep it that way.
 
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Interestingly, on this site below, Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s Halloween event has a 47% rating, whereas Kings Dominion only has a 25% rating.

 
Interestingly, on this site below, Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s Halloween event has a 47% rating, whereas Kings Dominion only has a 25% rating.

I never believe these ratings. Haunt is 5x better than Busch. Ever single time I go for the last 10 years I have never left there thinking id rathe rbe at Busch. Paying or not ill take Haunt any given day of the week. The scare actors just seem like they enjoy doing it where as BG they feel like theyre just there for a job
 
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If half of KD's mazes weren't 10+ years old, I'd have less of an issue with the event.

Hate on BGW and their cheap mazes all you want. They at least have the decency to update them every couple years. I don't care if they reuse themes.

I love Trick or Treat and Blood on the Bayou just as much as the next person but those are slowly becoming more and more stale every year. Cornstalkers needs to be removed too. That one has been going on since before my first visit to haunt almost 13 years ago.

Scare zones need a major overhaul too. I'm kinda tired of seeing the same thing over and over again. Yeah BGW has Ripper Row and that's tired too, but at least they've changed or added scare zones in the rest of the park. How many more years do we need to see Cleaver Bros again?

Neither park is great for scares TBH, I'd take Red Vein or Hunt Club over both theme park haunts in the scare department any day of the week.
 
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If half of KD's mazes weren't 10+ years old, I'd have less of an issue with the event.

Hate on BGW and their cheap mazes all you want. They at least have the decency to update them every couple years. I don't care if they reuse themes.

I love Trick or Treat and Blood on the Bayou just as much as the next person but those are slowly becoming more and more stale every year. Cornstalkers needs to be removed too. That one has been going on since before my first visit to haunt almost 13 years ago.

Scare zones need a major overhaul too. I'm kinda tired of seeing the same thing over and over again. Yeah BGW has Ripper Row and that's tired too, but at least they've changed or added scare zones in the rest of the park. How many more years do we need to see Cleaver Bros again?

Neither park is great for scares TBH, I'd take Red Vein or Hunt Club over both theme park haunts in the scare department any day of the week.
Don't care whats old. Ill take any 1 maze at haunt over any 2 at BG. Actually except FEAR. That maze is actual trash. Still better than whatever wolves is attempting to be. Cornstalkers is old but when its staffed.. boy it's good. Cleaver bros is fine, it's an extremely high energy zone and just fun to hang around in.
 
I feel KD would be a much better event if they updated their mazes and kept things fresh.

After a while it gets old seeing the same stuff over and over again and every year the actors seem to have less and less energy than the previous year. And if they're considering charging money for haunts, they might as well give a reason to justify the upcharge than just giving us the same thing over and over again for years on end. Its amazing this is the same company that runs Knott's haunt, which is well regarded and isn't afraid to take a few chances on new mazes because they're the original haunt.

I don't really care for Cleaver Bros much just like I don't care for Ripper Row. Both zones used to be really great, but I don't think either has aged all that well 10+ years later. KD can go a few years without a clown scare zone and I'd be fine with that.
 
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