Event Report: Knott’s Scary Farm 2014
This past Thursday, Dread Central hit Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, CA for ‘Media Night’ and the opening of their 43rd annual Knott’s Scary Farm Halloween Haunt. Read on for a run-down of some of their returning (and new) attractions.
Simply put, in this writer’s estimation, when it comes to park attractions turned ‘haunt’ in SoCal, there’s no bigger bang for your buck than Knott’s; world class coasters, Elvira’s show (this year titled ‘Elvira’s Big Top’ (get it?), engagingly scary mazes, that sense of sweet nostalgia for Los Angeles residents given the attraction’s four decade plus run and oh, let me not forget one of the park’s best aspects – short lines, all conspire to make for an entirely enjoyable experience.
So what did we think?
Highlights include Knott’s new interactive experience ‘Special Ops Infected,’ a laser tag inspired attraction which allows park goers to battle the undead with infra red rifles. Led by a squad leader through various rooms, over bridges and through obstacles and explosions (and with a view tasks to complete along the way), it’s a sure-fire adrenaline hit for attendees who are fans of the ‘The Walking Dead,’ and who are wishing for a zombie apocalypse.
Also a kick this year is the Skeleton Key Pass, a ticket upgrade which allows park goers access to special rooms in five of the park’s mazes. Each of the rooms in the selected mazes offer up a more in-depth (and at times pretty scary) experience. It’s enriching to be sure, and well worth the cost (it’s only $65.00 for Fright Lane front of the line passes with the Skeleton Key upgrade).
Additionally new for 2014 is the maze ‘Voodoo.’ It’s creepy, it’s cool, and in terms of pure art direction, it’s something entirely beautiful to experience. A trip into the cursed swamps of Louisiana, there’s plenty of scares for those looking for them, and for those just wanting to immerse themselves in pure atmosphere, it delivers in spades.
‘The Tooth Fairy’ maze also debuts for 2014. A macabre take on the fairy tale, you’ll find instead of money some malevolent creatures under your bed pillow, and a cool animatronic monster finale. In keeping with the majority of the mazes at Knott’s, it’s a blend of an old-school ‘spook house’ traveling carnival vibe with a few slick inserts (and this for me makes them the most enjoyable in SoCal; call it nostalgia, but it’s the equivalent of comfort food on a cold winter day).
As for ‘Elvira’s Big Top’ we unfortunately missed the show due to multiple rides on the vertigo-inducing coaster ‘The Silver Bullet,’ but were informed by fellow journalists that it was an improvement on Elvira’s 2013 show, itself an entirely entertaining hour, so we’ll be back to check that out soon.
Returning mazes this year include ‘The Gunslinger’s Grave,’ ‘Black Magic’ (a twisted take on Houdini, and one of my personal faves), ‘Dominion of the Damned’ (an attraction that’ll satisfy fans of Anne Rice), ‘Forevermore’ (for me this maze seemed convoluted in narrative, though my cohorts for the evening seemed to relish it), ‘Pinocchio Unstrung,’ ‘Trick-or-Treat’ (loved this one, and the witch finale still thrills) and ‘Witch’s Keep.’ Also returning is the attraction ‘Trapped: Lock and Key,’ in which select groups (additional fees and reservations are required) work together in a darkened maze to facilitate their escape via a series of challenges.
Add to that the themed scare zones ‘Ghost Town,’ ‘CarnEVIL’, ‘Fiesta De Los Muertos’ (it’s a macabre dance party), ‘Headless Horseman’ (exactly what is sounds like, and it’s amazing), the live stage show ‘The Hanging’ and plenty of coasters, you’ll probably need to hit the park twice to experience everything. And that wouldn’t be a bad thing.
Knott’s Scary Farm runs from September 25th through November 1st. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit Knott’s Scary Farm Online.
Writer’s note: My personal thanks to Leidy Arevalo for organizing our visit, and to Knott’s for undeniable five star catering, perhaps the best of any media night in the history of SoCal haunted park attractions.
Categorized:News
