We've been coming to this campground for the Halloween weekend for 15+ years and I think a lot of the reviews I'm seeing online are blaming "new ownership" for things that have literally always been the case.
Our beloved Jellystone (now just plain O'Connell's) has always had brown stinky water - it's well water! They've always asked us to clean up our cabins before checking out, and the paper thin mattresses have always been just one step above sleeping on the ground, let's be real - it's a camping experience, not a 5-star hotel.
The staff is mostly all the same friendly faces, too, so I don't understand people claiming that the staff is different and difficult to work with now. I didn't have that experience at all. Everyone is helpful and a pleasure to work with.
Since the switch, the check in process has improved significantly! We used to have to stand in line in the front office for like an hour to get our cabin keys, but now you can check in early online and I just drove right up to the gate to get my welcome packet. I was also able to check out and reserve my cabin for next year via text, which eliminated another hour-long wait in line upon leaving.
We have small kids in our group and we didn't notice any of the activities missing. We played candy bar bingo, painted pumpkins, trick or treated, did tie dye, karaoke, a late night dance party with a DJ, a costume contest, free crafts - nothing was cut, from what I could tell.
Ultimately, after hearing it was no longer an official Jellystone park, we were going to let this year be a trial run to see if we wanted to rebook, and we did! People use branding and ownership changes as an excuse to pile on complaints, but to us, it was the same old wonderful Jellystone weekend as always (minus the Yogi characters).
Thanks, O'Connell's! See you next year!