I have always found history fascinating, so it should come as no surprise that I have spent the last 25-odd years researching Worlds of Fun history. In all that time, since I first saw the old 1970's maps hanging on the wall in the administration building I have had a rapt love of park maps. I believe they tell a unique and detailed story of park history and that is why I wrote a blog specifically on souvenir maps about two years ago, and am writing this one today. So without further ado, onto the maps.
2004
2004 was the technically the second year of Haunt, or as it was known at this point, Halloweekends, but was the first year with its own map. New in 2004 was Camp Gonnagitcha Wichahatchet, Lore of the Vampire and Meat Cleaver High! The last two are still with us and are celebrating 15 years this year!
2005
2005 was really an expansion year for Haunt/Halloweekends, it saw the introduction of Dominion of Doom on Forum Road, and was also the first year I was a Screamster myself (in Dominion of Doom no less). Slash, an adult illusionist show premiered at the Tivoli Music Hall as well.
2006
2006 was a massive year for Haunt/Halloweekends, at least from a historical vantage point. 2006 saw the introduction of a new haunt, Asylum Island, which was the first Haunt to pull multi-hour lines. I was a Screamster at Asylum Island in 2006 and 2007 and regularly remember park staff letting us know about the three-hour line waiting for us outside.
2007
2007 was even more massive year for Haunt from a historical vantage point. First, it introduced the park's 7th haunt, Bloodshed. Second, it was the first year make-up was NOT done at the individual haunts but instead at a central location near the Administration building. This created the necessity of a "parade" to move monsters to their respective haunts. Third, Worlds of Fun decided for this one year only to keep the park open the entire week up to Halloween (which was a Wednesday in 2007), which caused the change from Halloweekends to Halloween Haunt. Fascinatingly enough this was also the first year that the park changed from the Partridge font on the logo to the current Impact font still in use today.
2008
2008 introduced two new haunts bringing the total to 9 Extreme Haunts for the park. New in 2008 was Outlaw's Revenge, which is still in existence in its original Americana location, and Master McCarthy's Doll Factory, which would be replaced by Chamber of Horrors in 2013. Also of note, Camp Gonnagitcha would move in 2008 from its original location, where Prowler is now, to the Fury of the Nile queue line area.
2009
2009 was another year of monumental changes. 2009 introduced the Overlord's Awakening, creating the opening show as we know it, for the most part, today. With the addition of Overlord's one major change occurred with Haunt too and that was that Lore of the Vampire would no longer be open on Sundays as it previously had.
2010
In comparison to the previous five years, 2010 would have relatively minor changes. The most major change was the removal of Camp Gonnagitcha and the addition of Cornstalkers in its place. Another major change involved changing the event from a six-weekend event to a seven-weekend event, causing the event to start more in mid-September than late September as in previous years.
2011
2011 saw two major changes over 2010. First, London Terror, the first variation on the "Steampunk/Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde" theme replaced Dominion of Doom on Forum Road. Second, 2011 saw the introduction of the Fright Lane or Skip the Line pay-extra pass. This season also saw the short run of the "Half Pint Brawlers" or midget wrestling at Country Junction. 2011 would also be the last year for two of the old Boo Blast favorites, Witch Doctor's Revenge and Digger's Used Coffin Lot.
2012
2012 would be another expansion year, with the addition of an entirely new haunt, Zombie High. Blood Drums, a show featuring percussion on ordinary objects, would be located at Country Junction this year too. 2012 would be the last year for the Tivoli Spooktacular show, known this season as Captain Hook's Pandemonium.
2013
2013 would be an interesting year for Haunt. It would see the introduction of Chamber of Horrors, replacing Master McCarthy's Dollhouse in Africa. Inferno, a street atmosphere show would premier in Scandinavia as well. Also in 2013, the park would introduce the first Skeleton Key Rooms and Fright Lane Plus pass which would include them as part of the Haunt experience.
2014
The major addition for 2014 was Ed Alonzo's Psycho Circus show that would run at Tivoli Music Hall during Haunt for a total of three, very successful seasons. Also, added in 2014 was Boneyard, a new fright zone replacing the old, original 2004 Fright Zone.
2015
New in 2015 was probably my favorite haunt currently in operation, Blood on the Bayou. Hexed, or the addition of the Witch of the East and West to Overlord's Awakening was added in 2015 as well.
2016
2016 would introduce a new haunt, or more correctly a re-vamped one with the move of London Terror to Bicentennial Square and be re-named London Terror Square. 2016 would probably be more memorable for the re-naming of 10-year-old Asylum Island to Urgent Scare. It would also be the last year for the Ed Alonzo Psycho Circus show.
2017
2017 would see the re-naming and theming of London Terror again, this time to Ripper Alley, but still located at Bicentennial Square. Entirely new for 2017 would be the Skeleton Crew show at the new International Plaza stage. 2017 would also be the last year for the Skeleton Key rooms as well as the last year for Urgent Scare/Asylum Island.
2018
2018 would bring two re-themed haunts, Chamber of Horrors would become Chamber of Horrors Condemned, while Urgent Scare would be completely re-themed to Khaos Unleashed.
The 2019 Haunt Season is upon us and its truly amazing to see how far Halloweekends and Haunt have developed over the past 16 years. No one would have believed it would have become the highlight of the season way back in 2004 when we stood in line and marveled at the 30-minute line for Camp Gonna Gitcha. We will be back in Kansas City to cover Haunt Oct 5th and 6th and October 12th and 13th, watch for updates soon!
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