Friday, September 30, 2016

Knott's has a Berry Scary Farm this year!


44 years and counting, Knott's Scary Farm continues with thrills and chills. I've been attending since 1988 and I have seen this park go from a pretty homegrown Halloween haunt to the mammoth party it is today. Heck, I even worked as a monster for 2 seasons.


One of the newest mazes, "The Red Barn" was full of down-home gore. It was amazing that this was the first time a barn theme was actually used in the Wilderness Hall barn. There were hay bales everywhere and some of the best talent I saw all night.


Lots of severed animals and humans in The Red Barn.


Another new maze experience is Shadow Lands. One word, samurai ghosts! This maze was like nothing I've experienced before at Knott's. It is one that requires multiple visits because there is so much to take in and so much story to understand. You are led on a quest through a sacred shrine, an ancient Japanese temple and into the midst of the shadow lands. 


You never know what lies around the corner!


Elvira’s Danse Macabre, features insane dance and comedy performances. The one of a kind performance from the Queen of Halloween transports guests to a masquerade ball full of music, dance and humor. Plus the show has some fantastic aerialists. Knott’s Scary Farm will be the exclusive home of Elvira this Halloween season.


Some returning mazes included Trick or Treat, which really has all the features of a classic haunted house. Also back were Voodoo, Tooth Fairy, Dead of Winter and Gunslingers Grave - which are listed intentionally here by order of favorites.

 

Knott’s Scary Farm Pass & Admission
-       The Knott’s Scary Farm Pass returns in 2016 and offers unlimited visits to all 24 event nights. Current 2016 Knott’s Berry Farm Season Passholders can purchase the pass at the limited time price of $75, now through Sept. 18 (while supplies last, plus applicable fees); the general public can purchase the pass for $85, now through Sept. 18 (while supplies last, plus fees). All Season Long Parking is valid for Knott’s Scary Farm nights.

-       Single night tickets are $40 - $52 depending on the event night when purchased online (plus applicable fees).  Knott’s Season Passholders receive discounts on single night tickets when purchasing online. Tickets purchased at least 24 hours in advance at the theme park ticket booths are $49 for all nights, and day-of-event tickets purchased at the ticket booths are $72. 

-       Fright Lane with Skeleton Key offers unlimited priority access to all mazes and unlocks ONE time access to all four standalone Skeleton Key Rooms filled with unnerving terrors, interactive secrets and exclusive scenes. Guests will also receive a commemorative lanyard and collectible keychain. Fright Lane with Skeleton Key passes start at $75. (Separate theme park admission required, and not included)                                            
                                                                                       
-       Combo Tickets, offering admission and Fright Lane with Skeleton Key are an especially great value offering savings of up to $37, versus purchasing each item separately at the ticket booths.

-       Fast Lane offers unlimited priority access to many of Knott’s world-class coasters starting at $70 per person. Fast Lane is valid during regular Knott’s Berry Farm operation and for Knott’s Scary Farm operation on the date of intended use. (separate theme park admission required, and not included)

-       Boo-fet dinner at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant and Spurs Chophouse invites guests to feed the beast before Knott’s Scary Farm opens each night.  Meals include a collectible 2016 souvenir cup, which includes unlimited complimentary refills on the event night and $0.99 refills for the rest of the 2016 season. After dinner, enjoy early entry into Knott's Scary Farm a few minutes before it opens to other mortals.  Boo-fet dinner is $27.99 +tax when purchased online and $32.99 +tax when purchased at the door. (Separate theme park admission required, and not included)

-       Knott’s Scary Farm parking is $20 per vehicle and can be purchased online (plus applicable taxes and fees) or at the parking booth upon arrival. All Season Long Parking is valid for Knott’s Scary Farm nights.
Knott’s Scary Farm has welcomed millions of visitors over the past 43 years and has become an institution in the Southern California theme park landscape.  This year, the event returns September 22, 23, 24, 29, 30 October 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31.  Knott’s Scary Farm is open 7:00pm – 1:00am select Thursdays, Sundays, and Halloween Night and 7:00pm – 2:00am Fridays and Saturdays.  With more than 1,000 monsters roaming the park and lurking in the fog – whatever you’re imagining, it’s here…
For more information on Knott’s Scary Farm, including admission, park hours and events, visit knottsscaryfarm.com or download the Knott’s Berry Farm app for your smart phone. Join the scary conversation by using #ScaryFarm on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.

Knott's invited me to media night. Opinions are my own.

Friday, September 16, 2016

Universal's Halloween Horror Nights Begins Tonight!

One of the most exciting new mazes to hit this year is the all new American Horror Story maze. It now joins an already stacked 2016 maze lineup which includes “Halloween,” “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “The Exorcist” and “The Walking Dead,” among many others.


 A description from Universal breaks down the maze and what fans are in for when they dare to enter this “AHS”-flavored world. “Twisted scenes from ‘Murder House’ will unleash the evil spirits that possess the Harmon estate, spiraling guests through decades of the tortured dead who previously resided there,” it reads. “In ‘Freak Show,’ guests will join a troupe of biological misfits in a sinister sideshow where they’ll be stalked by the murderous and deformed Twisty the Clown. Finally, guests will succumb to the warped desires of The Countess after checking in to the haunted Hotel Cortez, conceived from the beginning as a torture chamber for its customers.”

Sounds like a fun time, right? More information can be found here.

Haunted Mansion Holiday 2016 Addition


Jack Skellington brings a unique spark to the season as Haunted Mansion Holiday returns to Disneyland park to celebrate the collision between Halloween and Christmas through Jan. 8, 2017. New this year to this seasonal offering inspired by Walt Disney Pictures classic Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” is Jack’s friend Sally who joins him in the Mansion graveyard. (photo: Scott Brinegar/Disneyland)