Two question-and-answer sessions will be held at 8 and 9:30 p.m. Friday at the park’s Showplace Theatre, which has room for about 1,000 people, Helbig said. Visitors can attend with park admission and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, Helbig said.
“When you look at Halloween Haunt and you have the assorted monsters… zombies are a big part of it, so it’s a perfect tie-in,” he said.
Kings Island’s parent company, which also operates sister attraction Cedar Point, is on track for another record year in terms of sales. Sandusky-based Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. reported Sept. 10 that preliminary net revenues through Labor Day increased 7 percent to a record $1.02 billion before expenses.
Results remain in tune with company expectations that 2015 will be the sixth consecutive year of record net revenues for the Ohio amusement park company. Growth drivers as of the most recent update include a 5 percent, or 1 million-visit increase in attendance to 20.3 million visits at Cedar Fair’s various parks including Mason’s Kings Island and Cedar Point; a 2 percent increase in average guest spending inside parks; and a 10 percent increase in out-of-park revenues such as resort accommodations.
Annual events like Halloween Haunt as well as special activities like Holden’s visit keep giving customers a reason to come back, Helbig added.
This year, Kings Island also held inaugural food truck and Banshee Brew festivals.
While numbers about the individual park’s foot traffic can’t be divulged, Helbig said fall has become an important time of year for the park. Halloween Haunt attracts new ticket holders that don’t visit during summer, he said. Also, he said the added thrill of roller coasters sets Kings Island apart from other haunted attractions.
“We’re always trying to find things that are unique and add value,” he said.
Planning for next year’s events have started and construction is now underway on the new seven-story, six-slide water ride Tropical Plunge, which will open next year at Soak City waterpark.
Daily operation for Kings Island’s 2015 season has already ended. Hours for this season’s final weekend and Halloween Haunt are: 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
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