Just returned from Hayride. And while it isn't a top tier event, I didn't think it was bad. There were a few minor opening night hiccups (some confusions with waivers, catching some scareactors off guard), but overall I had a good time.
I think Monae Mansion is the stand out for me. There's a lot of her in there (though not as much in the end). And the maze is decent length, and has a good amount of actors. Hellbilly Halloween was also pretty decent, and good length. Hayride was fine... the new bench seating is much nicer (though there are still halebays for overflow seating, so it's not a guarantee). Lots of dead stretches in between scenes, but enjoyable for what it is. I did want Trick or Treat to be more... I was hoping for more interaction, and it also felt the shortest. Maybe more will happen as the event progresses, but as it stands now, it seemed to be the weak link to me.
Saw the new Madame Aurora's Seance. There's some good bones here, and fun effects. It goes on a bit long, but the biggest problem to me is it seems to build to a big pay off, but that pay off never really arrives, leaving the ending muddled. It doesn't really end as much as it just stops. In fact, nearly our entire group was unsure if the show was actually finished or not, especially when no employee even directed us to an exit when it seemed to be done. Not a great sign. But even with those flaws, I think there's enough here to warrant a visit to it. It sort of felt like an expanded version of one of those Skeleton Key rooms that Knott's tried many years ago.
The good: the live band rocks... I forgot how nice it is to have live music at an event--something other haunt events could learn from. Lines weren't too bad (however, note we went right at opening and were leaving by 9), and I do like how they pulse in groups, so there are no conga lines here. And most mazes had a decent amount of scareactors, some of whom really interact with you, which is fun. There is also a good food truck selection, and it was nice to ride the skeleton horse carousel.
The bad/so-so: not that many scareactors in the opening zone. Lots of uneven ground make it tough to walk around, even in the houses themselves. Axe throwing and alleged mini-escape rooms (which we didn't even see--not sure if it was ready yet, or we just missed it) are a $5 upcharge (which isn't all that much, actually). Parking is a bit of a pain, but that's always been the case. And while it's commendable they have 4 mazes (including the hayride itself) of mostly decent length, plus a show, it still doesn't quite feel like a full night. Though I supposed if you stayed for food and drinks, that may help. But still feels maybe $5-10 overpriced.
I do have a season pass, so I'll be visiting again... I'll be interested to see if things change and/or improves as the event progresses.