There’s a point during a fall night at Kings Island when the park you know during the summer seems to disappear.

The lights dim. Fog rolls across the midways. Screams replace the familiar sounds of families rushing between rides. And lurking somewhere in the darkness are characters whose job is to make sure you’re never quite comfortable walking around the next corner.

That transformation is what makes Halloween Haunt one of the most distinctive times of year to visit Kings Island, and the Mason, Ohio, amusement park is promising its most ambitious version yet when the after-dark event returns select nights Sept. 25 through Oct. 31.

Jason Voorhees Comes to Kings Island

The biggest addition for 2026 is JASON: Blood Reign, a new haunted maze built around one of horror’s most recognizable characters.

The experience takes guests into the dark woods surrounding the legendary summer camp associated with Jason Voorhees, where the peaceful retreat has become anything but peaceful. For horror fans, the attraction brings a major piece of pop culture to an event that mixes original haunted concepts with familiar horror franchises.

And Jason isn’t the only famous name waiting in the darkness.

The Conjuring: Beyond Fear returns as an interactive premium experience inspired by The Conjuring Universe. Rather than simply walking through another haunted maze, guests become paranormal investigators, encountering sinister entities and attempting to secure cursed artifacts along the way.

Seven Mazes Are Only Part of the Night

It would be easy to build an entire evening around the haunted attractions, but Halloween Haunt stretches across much of Kings Island.

This year’s event features seven haunted mazes, four immersive scare zones and four live shows, with returning attractions including Alien Abyss, Killmart, Order of the Dragon and Slaughterhouse.

The scare zones are particularly important to the atmosphere because the scares don’t necessarily end when you exit a maze. Roaming characters and themed environments make getting from one attraction to another part of the experience.

Live entertainment provides a change of pace, with Nytewalkers, Dr. Nightmare’s Game Show and Ghouls Gone Wild among the returning productions.

Roller Coasters Feel Different After Dark

One advantage Halloween Haunt has over a traditional haunted attraction is that there’s more to do than get scared.

Kings Island’s rides remain part of the experience, giving visitors the opportunity to mix haunted attractions with some of the park’s signature rides. Roller coasters take on a different personality at night, making them worth working into the itinerary between mazes and shows.

That variety allows visitors to create their own kind of evening. You can concentrate on haunted attractions, spend more time riding, catch the live entertainment or combine a little of everything. Seasonal food also gives visitors another reason to slow down rather than race from attraction to attraction.

Know Before You Go

A little advance planning is important this year, particularly when budgeting for the night.

General admission includes Kings Island’s rides, live shows, scare zones and street entertainment, but access to the haunted mazes requires a separate Haunted Attraction Pass.

The Conjuring: Beyond Fear is handled separately from that pass and requires its own additional purchase and reservation.

Visitors primarily interested in the rides and Halloween atmosphere can still experience much of the event with regular admission. Those coming specifically for the haunted attractions should factor the additional costs into their plans before arriving.

Is Halloween Haunt Worth the Trip?

For travelers looking for more than a traditional haunted house, Halloween Haunt can easily fill an entire evening.

That’s ultimately its biggest appeal. Instead of driving somewhere for a haunted attraction that might take only a portion of the night to experience, Kings Island combines horror, roller coasters, live entertainment and seasonal food in one destination.

The arrival of JASON: Blood Reign gives returning visitors something entirely new to experience in 2026, while The Conjuring: Beyond Fear brings back another recognizable horror franchise.

For Halloween fans planning a fall trip to Kings Island, there should be plenty waiting after dark.

The hardest decision might be where to begin.

Would you head into the woods for JASON: Blood Reign first, or investigate the paranormal inside The Conjuring: Beyond Fear?

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