Witching season at KeyLime Cove
Gurnee resort works Halloween magic
GURNEE -- Spring break and the winter holiday season remain the harvest seasons for KeyLime Cove, but the 18-month-old indoor waterpark resort has also found opportunities to lure families during a seemingly off month like October.
On Friday, for example, spokeswoman Jennifer Evans reported that reservations were up due to a day off -- staff development day -- for Chicago Public Schools students. Earlier in the month, there was the three-day Columbus Day weekend, which some Lake County school districts stretch out to four days with their training dates.
(Michael Schmidt/News-Sun)
Even without the hidden lulls in the school calendar, October always has the marketing hook of Halloween, and KeyLime has latched onto both the season and the annual events across Grand Avenue.
"It's like Fright Fest, but more family oriented," Evans said of Halloween Happenings, a roster of activities scheduled for weekends through October. Established last year during the resort's first Halloween season, the program's staples include craft activities in the Leapin' Lizards play area and trick-or-treating on the "Duval Street" corridor that links the hotel's two wings.
New for 2009 is a guest package starting at $280 that includes overnight accommodations in a room with two queen beds and a sofa bed, and four tickets to the aforementioned Fright Fest at Six Flags Great America.
Evans pointed out that KeyLime runs a free shuttle for its guests to Great America's front gate, adding that "(Six Flags) season pass holders wouldn't need the four free passes, but they can still use the shuttle if they get a different room package."
Ongoing activities on October weekends include tea parties, monster movies and Guitar Hero competitions. Specific dates on the calendar include a dance party and costume contest on Oct. 30 and a Hanna Montana look-alike contest and tribute show on Oct. 31.
