The Haunted House industry small business owners, who had a passion for Halloween promoted this industry to new age groups, which led to sky rocking retail industry, which also led to many other levels of business owners to enter the attraction industry.  Amusement Parks came a bit late to the party but none the less they came to the party with massive over the top Halloween event of their own utilizing their amusement rides mixed with haunted houses, shows and attractions.  Some amusement parks go way over the top while others offers more family oriented events.  Amusement Parks offers such a wide variety of Halloween Attractions and different levels of how far they will go to scare guests you just never know what you are in for!  Some amusement parks have embraced the concept of what haunted houses owners around the country do… make people scream.  Most amusement parks have some advantages over small haunt owners in that they have rides, built in audiences which to draw people to their parks.  However most amusement park haunts are temporary shows with little detail, FX or monsters who know how to make you SCREAM!  We would go on the record to say most amusement park Halloween attractions are mediocre at best and on no level stack up to what the small business haunt owners are doing in YOUR towns, cities, and communities.  However there are a few here and there that embrace every level of making their guests scream and producing a high end Halloween event.  Here is our list for 2013 of Amusement Park Halloween haunts!

1. Universal Studios in Orlando, FL - www.UniversalStudios.com:  Simply the KING of ALL Halloween Theme Parks! Detail is amazing, actors are incredible, every single level top to bottom is done on the highest level.

2. Universal Studios in Hollywood, CA - www.UniversalStudios.com:  Hollywood follows in their big brothers shoes, they are not as strong as Orlando but not far behind.

3. Tampa Busch Gardens in Tampa, FL - www.buschgardens.com:  Tampa Busch Gardens goes ALL OUT 110% because they have to compete against Universal Orlando just 90 miles away.  When they are competing with the biggest and baddest event on the planet you know they know they have to bring it and they do!

4. Knotts Scary Farm in Buena, CA - www.knotts.com:  Knott’s Scary Farm started the amusement park to Halloween craze and many would think by default they should own the crown.  Although their event is huge, with the highest number of different attractions and one of the coolest shows in the industry, their haunts are only slightly detailed, and the actors seem the same in every attraction.  We would like to see Knotts cut down some of the number of haunts and make better overall quality throughout the park.  They are no longer on Universal Studios level however they are still the 4th best Amusement Park event in the country.

5. Ocean Park in Aberdeen, Hong Kong - www.oceanpark.com.hk:  Ocean Park is located in Hong Kong and they go all out on Halloween bringing in the best designers from America to help them.  This is the best event outside of America.

6. Chimelong Paradise in Guangzhou, China - www.chimelong.com/enpark:  Another major theme park located in China they have World Class haunted houses built by Halloween Productions, a major amusement park and 1000 of monsters roaming the park.

7. Nightfall Old Tucson Studios in Tucson AZ - www.oldtucson.com:  An entire haunted western town home to 200 plus movie shoots so you know the places backdrop is as realistic as it can be.

8. Kennywood in Pittsburgh, PA - www.Kennywood.com:  Kennywood is the biggest Halloween even in Pittsburgh with several haunted houses, live shows and one of the best haunted house Dark Rides on the planet “Ghostwood Estates’.

9. Cedar Point Halloweekends in Sandusky, OH - www.cedarpoint.com:  The haunted houses are okay, their event is more based on the sheer number of attractions, and their coasters.  This is the coaster capital of America.  We feel the coasters are still the main attraction, Cedar Point should work on making the haunts the main attraction and we’d rank them higher.   

10. Six Flags Fright Fest - www.SixFlags.com: These events are by far the best family friendly haunted events.  The haunts are not so scary, as they focus more on season passes entering the park for a great family Halloween event.  They do have haunted houses but its not produced on the same level of Universal however some of the Six Flags parks have put more into their haunts than other parks.