Halloween Haunt at Kings Island

Last night, I had the opportunity to visit Kings Island for their Halloween Haunt! This is a special time of year when the ghosts and goblins make their way into Kings Island and take over the park.

Though I'm more into the cute pumpkins and adorable Halloween decorations - I have a lot of friends and family that enjoy the more spooky side of this holiday. So, I go along and do my best not to be too scared. However I was much more scared this year than any other year.

Please note that Halloween Haunt is not intended for small children. During that time, the kids rides are closed and that area is only partial used. The part of Planet Snoopy that is used - is solely for haunted mazes.

This year, the haunted mazes have an added and terrifying feature. A Skeleton Key!

Halloween Haunt features mazes, scare zones, live shows, and monsters around every dark corner. Enter if you dare, survive if you can. Plus, scream to the front of the line and unlock five exclusive rooms using your Fright Lane featuring the all-new Skeleton Key.

The all-new Skeleton Key allows you entry into five ultra exclusive rooms.  These five rooms are more terrifying than I could have imagined and they are a fun way to start your journey through the haunted maze. 

If you really enjoy haunted houses and want to experience all of the haunted mazes during Halloween Haunt, I do suggest purchased the Fright Lane pass.  Otherwise, you likely won't have time to get through all of the mazes. 

Though we did make it through every maze - I'm there for the rides!  I love riding Diamondback and Delirium in the dark.  I especially love taking a ride on the Beast in the pitch black darkness.  There are moments when you can see absolutely nothing while furiously traveling through the wooded area that surrounds the Beast.  Much more terrifying.

If you're wanting to enjoy a more family-friendly and relaxing environment, I suggest visiting during the early hours when kid's activities are available. 

During the day it's all fun. No fear.

Kings Island is filled with rides, a petting zoo, costume contest, trick-or-treat stops and more. During the day it's all fun. No fear. Saturdays and Sundays, September 21 to October 26. 

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Snoopy's Halloween Party

Kids, dress up in your favorite costume and get ready to trick-or-treat in this all-new, family-friendly Halloween event. There is so much to see and do! Snoopy's Halloween Party is located in Soak City and included FREE with park admission to Kings Island. It's the ultimate kids' Halloween Party.

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Region's Largest Petting Zoo

Our friends at Honey Hill Farm have provided us with more than 70 animals for children (and parents) to learn about and interact with including a Kanagroo, Camel, African Spur-thigh Tortoise, Alpacas, Hedgehog, Sheep, Goats, Miniature Horses, Ducks and Chickens.

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Planet Snoopy

Planet Snoopy, voted "Best Kids Area in the World" for 14 consecutive years (2001-2014) by Amusement Today, boasts an elaborate collection of PEANUTS-themed rides and attractions for every age, including more kids' roller coasters (four) than any other amusement park in the world.

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Meal Deals at Kings Island!

Amusement parks are a lot of fun and we enjoy visiting them often - especially Kings Island! Taking kids to an amusement park can include a lot of planning depending on their ages. The older they've become, the less that I need to take with us to the park.

However, food is always the biggest focus of my trip-planning. Where, what and when are we going to eat?

Since we live a bit of a distance from the park - I pack food to eat on the way there. Often, I also pack a cooler full of food for lunch and dinner. It's a bit of a trek to leave the park and make our way to the car for a quick meal - but I grew up doing that and am use to it. However, I very much enjoy just eating inside the park.  This year, I've finally looked into purchasing a meal deal or plan.  If you plan to spend a lot of time at the park - I think it is well worth the money.

We purchase season passes each year to Kings Island - and the All Season Dining Plan would absolutely be worth the time I would save by not preparing picnic meals ahead of time.  We visit Kings Island a lot and the price per person would more than pay for itself over the course of one season.

Interested in a Kings Island Meal Deal?  Check them out:

Single Meal Deal

The Single Meal Deal includes an entree, side and a regular size fountain drink at participating restaurants throughout the park.

This is available only online at $12.99 plus applicable fees and taxes.

All Day Dining Plan

Guests with All Day Dining will receive a wristband at any of the participating locations and enjoy an entree and side as often as every 90 minutes! Drinks are not included.

With the All Day Dining Plan, you'll never go hungry, but you'll save a bundle. Enjoy an entree and a side every time you choose to stop in at one of the participating restaurants inside the park. Best of all, there's only a 90-minute wait time between meals. Stay fueled for the fun with the All Day Dining Plan.

Dine All Day. One Great Price.

This deal is available online at $29.99 plus applicable taxes and fees

All Season Dining Plan

When you purchase the All Season Dining Plan, it will be uploaded to your season pass at any participating location. Simply present your pass at any participating location. You'll enjoy 2 meals per day with a minimum of 2 hours between each meal. Drinks are not included.

As low as $72.00 plus applicable taxes and fees.  This is available for purchase at the park.

Remember to visit Kings Island online to keep up with any changes made to the meal options.

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Halloween Haunt at Kings Island!

It is finally that time of year again! Time to pull out the cute and spooky Fall decorations! I love Fall and the many events that take place during this time of year. One of them being Halloween Haunt at Kings Island!

Darkness falls. Evil rises. Each weekend night, Kings Island transforms into a horror-filled nightmare. From mazes with terrifying creatures around every corner to thrill rides that'll haunt your dreams, it's everything you fear and can't wait to experience. Not for anyone under 13.
Credit: www.visitkingsisland.com/haunt

When I was younger, my brother always enjoyed visiting Kings Island during this time of year. Though the event had a different name "back in the day".  He always made sure to visit and always enjoyed it. I never understood his excitement. I'm more into the cute pumpkin decorations as opposed to spiders, skeletons and tombstones. So, unfortunately, I never went with him and experienced it.

Last year, I went to Halloween Haunt for the first time! I attended the RIP Party and then spent hours enjoying coasters and a few of their haunted mazes and scare zones. Though I am still not a big fan of ghouls, ghosts and goblins - I do have a lot of fun. The spooky characters wonder through the park - at moments speaking to you. I could do without visiting the mazes and scare zones. I'm just there for the rides! I love riding the coasters at night, especially the Beast!

I'm usually with a group that wants to go through the mazes - so we do venture through them. Note that the mazes and scare zones are not intended for children. All the spooky imagery and characters that come with Halloween Haunt are again - not my thing. However, the costumes and makeup are fascinating! I can't imagine how much time it takes to get that many ghouls and ghosts ready.

Image courtesy of Kings Island

Image courtesy of Kings Island

A few of the mazes:

:: Carnevil

:: Board to Death

:: Club Blood

:: Cornstalkers

:: Delta Delta Die


If you're like me and really enjoy the park over the themed attractions of Halloween Haunt - don't worry! There are plenty of rides and food to enjoy! The major thrill rides are usually operating and the lines aren't incredibly long. I've not yet ridden Diamondback at night but I imagine it is as amazing as the Beast is.



Check out Halloween Haunt hours and ticket information here.



*I was provided with media passes to Kings Island's Halloween Haunt. All opinions are my own.

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Kings Island announces Banshee!

As you know, I am an amusement park enthusiast!  I try to visit all the parks that I can and ride as many of their rides as possible.  Luckily, my kids also love amusement parks and rides.  The nearest amusement park is Kings Island - so we usually try to purchase season passes and visit often.

Today I am thrilled because Kings Island has announced plans for a screaming new world record-breaking inverted roller coaster coaster to open in 2014!  Banshee!




Also, I want whatever program they used to create this virtual Kings Island! I have Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 - and can't create anything as amazing as the park in this birds-eye view.





So, who wants to ride this terrifyingly awesome looking coaster with me?

KINGS ISLAND, Ohio – The longest inverted steel roller coaster in the world, “Banshee,” will make its debut at Kings Island in April of 2014.

The first female-inspired thrill ride at a Cedar Fair Entertainment Company amusement park, Banshee will send riders screaming through 4,124.1 feet of track and seven mind-bending inversions at speeds up to 68 miles per hour during the 2-minute, 40-second ride.

Built over hilly terrain and incorporating the most exciting features of the very best inverted roller coasters in the world, Banshee will feature several unique elements that distinguish the ride from others.

The ride begins with a lift taking riders up to the maximum height of 167 feet. After plunging down 150 feet, riders will go through a dive loop, followed by a vertical loop, zero gravity roller, two batwing inversions, a second vertical loop and a 170-foot long heartline finale.

Two of the most unique features about Banshee are the massive size of every loop, and unlike other roller coasters, the top speed isn’t reached until halfway through the ride’s course.

Since Banshee’s lift hill is on a higher elevation of terrain than the other side of the ride that goes down into a valley, the total elevation change is 208 feet from the highest point at the top of the lift hill to the lowest point, which is the bottom of the batwing between loops four and five.

Passengers will be seated in cars four across. A total of three trains, each containing eight cars, will enable Banshee to accommodate approximately 1,650 riders per hour.

“Banshee reflects our commitment to providing the best in world-class thrills and value for our guests and is an investment in the Ohio tourism industry,” Kings Island’s vice-president and general manager Greg Scheid said. “People from around the world will plan a visit to Ohio next summer specifically to experience this ride."

Banshee will be the 15th roller coaster at Kings Island, which is home to some of the top-ranked roller coasters in annual industry and enthusiast polls including The Beast and Diamondback, and represents the biggest new product investment in the park’s 41-year history at $24 million.

Banshee was designed by Bolliger and Mabillard of Monthey, Switzerland, one of the premier leaders in roller coaster development. Since 1990, B&M have designed a number of ground-breaking and critically acclaimed roller coasters. In fact, B&M features 14 of the top 25 roller coasters on the Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards Top Steel Roller Coasters list for 2012, five of which are listed in the top 10. They have more top-ranked steel roller coasters than any other ride manufacturer on the list.

B&M roller coasters are renowned for their smooth ride, comfortable seats and restraints, reliability, low maintenance, impeccable safety record and ride capacity.

As of 2013, B&M has more than 85 roller coasters operating worldwide, including Diamondback at Kings Island and this year’s sensation, GateKeeper at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.

The construction of Banshee is currently underway in the Action Zone area of Kings Island. Park visitors can see the ride being built from the ground up with great aerial views and photo opportunities available from the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower on International Street. Those who cannot wait until 2014 may take a virtual ride on Banshee at visitkingsisland.com/banshee.

Visitors to visitkingsisland.com/banshee may also access exclusive Banshee updates, virtual videos and renderings, ride statistics and more.

Kings Island is owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, a publicly traded partnership that is listed for trading on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FUN.” In addition to Kings Island, Cedar Fair owns and operates ten other amusement parks, four water parks, an indoor water park, and five hotels. Cedar Fair also operates the Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in Gilroy, Calif. under a management contract.

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Kings Island Ticket Giveaway!

Growing up, I was lucky enough to live near a fantastic amusement park.  Kings Island!  We would make at least one trip to Cincinnati, Ohio each Summer to enjoy a day at the park.  Some years, we had season passes and could visit more often.  I always looked forward to spending time with my family at Kings Island.

Now, I get to take my own children to this fun place!  They love riding coasters and other thrill rides as much as I do!  My long love for Kings Island makes this announcement even more exciting!

Bloggy Moms is giving away Kings Island tickets!!! 

Bloggy Moms is giving away two (2) sets of four (4) Kings Island tickets!

This giveaway ends at 12:00am on Tuesday  June 25, 2013 - so enter today!


How to enter:

Entering for a chance to win is simple!  Use the form below to enter your name, email address and link for a chance to win! 

Note: If you do not have a blog, you can enter your Facebook or Twitter URL. You must enter an email address.  Giveaway ends June 25, 2013 at 12:00am

Let your friends know that you've entered for a chance to win with a quick tweet! 

WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

No purchase necessary to enter. Giveaway begins at 11:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 and ends at 12:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, June 25, 2013. The winner will be drawn randomly and announced on this page.  All entries received after the Giveaway closing date and time will not be considered. Entries that do not follow all of the entry requirements will not be considered. The Winner will be notified via Twitter during the above mentioned Twitter party. Winner will have 24 hours to confirm their email address. If the winner does not reply within 24 hours, another winner will be selected. Open to participants in the U.S. who are 18 years and older. Void where prohibited. Taxes on Giveaways are solely the responsibility of the winner. Winner agrees to permit Bloggy Moms and the Giveaway Sponsor to use her or his name, voice, photo, or likeness for reasonable promotional and marketing purposes. Bloggy Moms and the Giveaway Sponsor(s)are not liable for late or misdirected entries, entry errors, or transmission problems. Bloggy Moms reserves the right to terminate the Giveaway in the event of technical problems, or to correct typographical or technical errors, or to amend these rules. By entering, participants agree to release and hold harmless Bloggy Moms and Giveaway Sponsor(s) and their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, and agents from any and all liability or any injuries, loss, or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with the Giveaway. Bloggy Moms will provide the name of the winner for any Giveaway, upon request, for 30 days after that Giveaway’s entry period ends. Unless otherwise provided by the Sponsor(s), no substitution, transfer, or assignment of prizes is permitted. Non-winning entries from one Giveaway are not carried forward to future Giveaways.

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