Brandon already confirmed that there will be another extreme haunt (permanent building) built for 2009.  He did that at Coaster Christmas, as well as confirming that one haunt would be "reVAMPed" as he put it.

I see a reoccurring theme amongst the Cedar Fair Haunt industry (excluding Knotts). I could go on a huge rant about my home park Valleyfair's (Valleyscare rather. . . ) Halloween Haunt, but I'll just sum it up into a few sentences. I've noticed in the past three years (how long the event has been put on) that it's either hit & miss with the actors. Most of them (in my opinion) do it for the money, while some of the characters really do their best to make you as scared as possible. It really kills me when I'm walking through one of our best haunts (either Asylum or Chateau Du Damne) and I walk around the corner and see a monster texting or talking with another one, or the ones where you walk past and they don't even do anything. For the job description it says:

"ValleySCARE hauntmasters are seeking motivated, energetic and creative individuals to terrify and shock unsuspecting guests at the third annual Halloween Haunt.  Numerous positions are available, including costumed characters for seven haunted attractions, costuming assistants and make-up artists."

I'm not blaming this all on the monsters either, for some people, haunting is their thing, whereas others just need the money and want to try to scare people. I worked at a haunted house for the 1st time this fall, and on Multiple nights I got the "Monster of the night" award. I put effort into where I worked, and I told this to my parents, as well as other people. I love working at this haunted house, and if they payed me 10 dollars for all the nights I worked, I wouldn't care because I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I'm not saying this to be self absorbent, but if there were more haunters that felt the way I do about working in a haunted event, then I think each Cedar Fair Halloween Event would be up there with Knotts, Universal, Etc.

Now what could they do to improve this? Haunt school. I know they do dress rehearsal night at most parks to get people used to their job, but what some of the parks really need to do is literally practice scaring people. Basically get the monsters together divided up by their houses/zones, and tell them what they have to do, and have them practice what they're going to do. I learned right away, there's an insane amount of improvisation with the job, and really, if you can't improv well, well then that's not a good thing. There's a lot of shy people that are too scared to actually scare people, and they need to break out of their shell and learn what they can do to scare the crap out of every person that walks through the entrance of their house. That's what I think Cedar Fair's Haunt Industry should do.

[/rant]

I can't wait for next year. ^.^

I heard a rumour that they'll be adding a "Malice in Wonderland" type attraction. Not sure how I feel about it yet, I'll just have to hear more. Also heard they'll add another zone... or something. Somebody told me they're removing Dominion, but I haven't heard anything else about that, so I don't know.

As for Vamp... I can say with 99% assurance that they're changing it. From what I've heard, they're leaving the upstairs portion the same (or the same basic theme, anyway), and changing the bottom level to Club Blood.

I think 5 motivated and effective screamsters by themselves is considerably better than 7 motivated and effective screamsters along with 10 bad screamsters.

Meaning the bad ones take away far more than the good ones can add. 

If I were running a haunt, I would run it with an Iron Fist on this issue and if I only ended up with 6 good screamsters for the whole house so be it.  I would probably just try and pay them double for there awesome good work they do, from the money I would have saved by firing the lousy ones.

Where can I sign up?

You have no idea how many times I tripped over something or someone entering the bottom level. D: Coming in from a bright outside when opening to a dark tunnel makes for a clumsy disaster. I can only imagine the torture I'd have to endure if they changed it to Club Blood. xD

Given that I go back to Vamp. I might stick with Doll, because I was good at it. I got compliments from... well, all the management. >.> I was one of the best. I'm not really sure if that's saying much, though, considering how bad many of the girls were last year.

BUT YEAH.

I can't wait for next year's haunt. ;_; I miss it. The commute is going to be a bitch, though. >:[

After completing the upper level of the attraction guests exit the building and walk approximately 50 feet outside.  They then walk down wooden stairs into a large, underground, fog-filled and dark tunnel.

You already know about Club Blood but there is a lil something else...

Not sure if I'm looking forward to a Cornstalkers theme. Then again, that's my bias. Dominion was my first Haunt. I'll really miss it if it leaves.

rcjkochs - HAIII. *hugs* I laughed when I saw you on here. Mah fellow Panther/Jayhawk/Vampire mixbreed.

I'm fairly certain you guys will end up with a corn/farm themed scare zone. Most every park has one (in the CF chain at least). The whole malice/feary theme sounds grand, and I'd love to see that, although it sorta just seems like clowns/dolls together. As far as Club Blood, I'd hope you guys will get to see a re*Vamped* vampire house. Too bad though since you all are one of the last parks in the chain to have an actual vampire themed haunt. I believe Valleyscare is the only one with a vampire theme, and not a club blood. I could be wrong though . . .

As far as themes for the future, I'd like to see some kind of decrepit hotel. Creepy bellhops, dead customers/guests, and a whole lot of crime scenes. Sound fun?

Yeah its definitely looking like Dominion is gone and it looks like Cornstalkers...not too thrilled cause it only reminds me of Kansas way too much.  Corn and wheat...all the time.  Malice is gonna be great.  Mad Hatter gone even more crazier and deadlier!!  The new haunt building is heading towards the Orient section past the Club Blood attraction or the heading out past Grand Prix.  It all depends on what we hear the first day of lead/sup training.

one of those metal buildings out by the gocarts would look really bad...they done a good job of hiding the other ones...

Dominion has always been my favorite haunt. It's not gory, it's not disgusting, it's not risque like a few other haunts in the park. *cough*Doll/Shed*cough*
It's just good old fashioned fun! And I like it a lot.

D: Hey. Leave Doll alone. ;_;

Yeah its definitely looking like Dominion is gone and it looks like Cornstalkers...not too thrilled cause it only reminds me of Kansas way too much.  Corn and wheat...all the time.  Malice is gonna be great.  Mad Hatter gone even more crazier and deadlier!!  The new haunt building is heading towards the Orient section past the Club Blood attraction or the heading out past Grand Prix.  It all depends on what we hear the first day of lead/sup training.

XD Then don't live in Kansas.


Anyway, I'm still a bit mixed on a Club Blood. On the one hand, it does have great potential. The bottom half of Lore needs help anyway, or maybe I only say that because I worked it. On the other hand, it could completely flop. A rave gone vamp? Meh. It COULD work, but it could also end up like the coven house in Queen of the Damned, which was kind of . But we'll see.

Still undecided on working it again.


EDIT:

Okay so, I've started watching some videos of Club Blood at other parks. I'm a bit more enthusiastic about the idea of a CB, but then I remember that the top level might not change. This worries me. If they're going to go with a Club Blood on the bottom, then whoever is the sup for Vamp next year needs to make sure he or she keeps the TRADITIONAL Lore vampires AWAY from the bottom half. The way things have been, it's almost impossible to notice who is supposed to be upstairs, and who is supposed to be downstairs. Everybody has costumes that are themed for the entire house.

But if they change to Club Blood, then some vampires will be traditional, while others will be more risque and look like they're supposed to be part of CB. Maybe it won't be that big of a deal, but maybe not. People from the top half, dressed in long dresses and suits aren't going to fit in on the bottom, but they're still going to go down to the bottom level. People in haunts do that. After a while, they get tired of where they are. They WANT change, so they move somewhere else. It's going to happen.

Also, watching these videos, I'm finding it hard to believe they won't change level one. Since all rumours point at not changing it, the chances are higher that they'll leave it alone. But still. With everything inside these Club Bloods, one tiny bottom half isn't going to be able to completely capture the theme.

Overall, I'm not a huge fan of the Club Blood concept, but then again I haven't seen it in action. I'm normally not a fan of the kitschy houses, because they're based off of a strict theme or fear, instead of a widespread theme with a storyline.

While I haven't visited any in the CF chain, the one at BGT was awesome.  There was definitely a story and it added to the effect, not detracted from it.  Now, the one at USF that same year was total carp.  The screamsters make all the difference.

I haven't heard anything about Dominion. Well, aside from that one rumour, but I haven't heard anything more about it. We'll see. It has been around a while, though. It might be time for a change. Plus last year, the vampires and the Dominion zombies looked waaaay too much alike. Something HAS to change.

I haven't been following this all that closely so I'm left wondering where the Dominion is leaving thing started.

I think that zztop brings up a good point about Fright Zone being in Prowler territory.  If one of the zones was going to go I would think that it would be Fright Zone.