Halloween Events

With the summer basically ending and the Fall season beginning. Most Amusement Parks and Theme Parks are getting ready for there next big crowd drawing events... There Halloween Events. I've been to Kennywood's Phantom Fright Nights since it debut and loved it. I've been to Six Flags Great Adventure's Fright Fest but I didn't stay long enough to see how the park transform at night. I know I'm a bit late, but I recently discovered that Universal Studios has their own set of Halloween events. I planned to go out there soon just for wondering if anyone could share their thoughts on it in terms of Attractions,theming, pricing, etc. ?

I worked Halloween Horror Nights at USF in 2000. It's is very elaborate and well themed. The haunts are known to be extreme and very scary.

It is priced around the same as an all day park ticket, something like $50 or more.

Go to their web site.

I work at Dorney Park and we are starting Halloweekends starting Sept. 30. Dorney does a great job at it and it bring lots of people. *** Edited 9/6/2005 4:52:12 PM UTC by Dorneyman***

Kennywood's Phantom Fright Nights IV kicks off on the 24th. I have special Buy-One/Get-One FREE passes good only on the 24th if anyone plans on going and would like to save some money. Basicly the same as last year only the Creepers Crypt is now Villa of the Vampire and the Racer is not open because of some rehab to the station and the way you enter/exit and ride. Not sure if the Swing Around will be open this year due to them removing it for 2006.

Is Swing Around being 'removed' or just 'moved'? If so, glad I got my ride this year.

From what I have been told it will be completely removed from the park. The Garden Stage that it sits on is in some need of repairs and some higher ups at the park no longer want a ride to sit on-top of that stage.

Too bad. Well, I know that Brett mentioned in my KW TR that I better be glad I got a ride on it on top of the building, but he kinda alluded to it moving. I hope it does, those things are fun!

Yes it will be moving, but to another KEC property. More likely Idewild than Lake Compounce.

Kansas City is known for it's HUGE haunted houses downtown in the warehouse district. The funny thing is, they are worried because of how high WOF is setting the bar with the mazes there at the park. Cheaper and more scares at WOF than going to the big 4 downtown.

Clementon Park is not haveing hallowscreams this year. We are open this weekend for private partys and the ace event then we close for the season.

I think Halloween brings out the best in every park. I'm not even someone that likes Halloween, never have (hate gore, hate being scared, don't like candy ... Halloween's useless to me). But, the last couple of years I've found that I would much rather hit a couple of parks in the opening weekends, then nothing all summer, then really hit them all at Halloween.

Hersheypark does a great event that's not very scary, but it's fun in that the park admission is free, and you pay-per-ride. Lots of fall-ish things around too.

Cedar Point's event is probably much like Dorney's and really packs in the people on Saturdays ... hit it the weekend of a big Michigan or Ohio State game (or better yet, the BIG game!) and it's really cool (if you're a NCAA fan).

Other parks I hear are really great - I've been to Geauga, Dorney, and BGT at Halloween time, but never had a chance to stay until dark, so the potential there is good, but I can't confirm!

Tekno - yea, you got the hint =) Swing Around was one of my favorite flats at Kennywood, I'm really disappointed to see it go. What's next, the Kangaroo? I think it would have been worth the cost of building a new elevated setting for it, but apparently management feels otherwise =( Heck put it overtop of the new ride ... it's an S&S, not like it'll be operating very much anyway ...

Don't cry for Swing Around yet. While rumors were floating around that the park was removing the ride (much as they did when Bayern Kurve left), the most credible news suggests that the park is taking the ride into rehab, with plans to bring it back in 2007 or so. The Bayern Kurve will be returning to a new location for next season. From what I understand, the Garden Stage rebuild has been put on hold for the time being, though plans *always* are subject to change at any time.

Well the full rebuild has, but they're still going to do a little sprucing up. It's going to need some work after the ride's taken off anyway, there'll be a big hole in the middle!

Yea, Bayern will be back next year, but I doubt Swing Around will. Unless they find someplace elevated to place it, it's not coming back to Kennywood and last I heard, there's really no place suitable for it to be without new construction of some sort of platform.

The one thing I didn't like about Dorney last year was that because they have a haunted something or other along the walkway between Thunderhawk and Steel Force, they would shut down T-hawk and the Scrambler when it got dark. It will be interesting to see how they do up Hydra for Halloweekends.

I like Hershey's event a lot too. The park itself is pay as you go or wristband. The scary stuff is held out in one of the catering areas for a separate charge. They also offer a combo admission for the park and the haunted maze.

I don't know how it compares to other states, but PA seems to have its share of non-park Halloween events too. Reading has "Shocktoberfest" and the Lancaster area has "Jason's Woods." Something about running around those Amish cornfields gives it an extra chill.

Knott's is generally considered to be the oldest (and this year has 7 houses plus several scare areas) and I've personally gone to Universal Orlando's HHN event (truly worth the price of admission to me), and Fright Fest at SFNE (very good stuff and fairly cheap) and GAdv (pathetic the past few years after they lost the Brutal Planet house).

HHN is the same price for a night as the day without the scare areas ($56 or so without discounts) but if you can go on the off-peak nights, the Frequent Fear Pass is the same price and you can go 2 or three times during a week.

Fright Fests are the same price as a normal day at the Six Flags parks. GAdv has great rides, but the scare zones and Hayride have been sad. The shows haven't changed much either, but are good if you haven't seen them before. SFNE has a few haunted houses and most of the same shows as GAdv but much cheaper.

Lake Compounce is supposed to be good, but I haven't tried it there yet either.

Im going to be hitting BGW Columbus Day Weekend, are their haunted houses worth spending time away from their standard attractions?

Idlewild's having 'Hallowboo' Saturday afternoons (and 2 Sundays) in October. Basically just for families, nothing scary. All rides open except Mister Rogers', SoakZone, and Raccoon Lagoon kiddie area.

They're offering trick-or-treating through Story Book Forest, haybale maze, and customed characters. Should be fun. :)

Aparently the Garden Stage roof at Kennywood has had some leaking problems recently. The Swing Around ride WILL BE removed. I've heard that the Kurve is to be placed behind the Flying Carpet across from the cashiers office.