As the Halloween season officially begins, our favorite theme parks take on new and sinister personalities. Perhaps the most famous and consistently awesome, is Knotts Scary Farm Halloween haunt. For 40 plus years, the park has continued to thrive by raising the bar and creating the best in original haunt attractions. This year is no exception and Knotts has introduced something new and even more interactive to the experience. They call it Special Ops Infected.
The new laser tag style maze has you joining a special ops team on a mission to clear a base of zombies. Armed with a machine gun, you are led by a squad leader through rooms and corridors while attempting to complete tasks and stay alive in the zombie apocalypse. Guests are asked to cover each other and their squad leader all while fighting off hordes of zombies from all directions. Its an adrenaline rush for sure and ads another great dimension to an already great park.
The other major highlight this year is a new show starring Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. This show, entitled Elviras Big Top, is far more elaborate than last years show. This 30-minute show begins with a dance number that leads into Elviras burlesque-style entrance and from the second she takes the stage, you see the ultimate Elvira/circus mash-up. She does two shows a night, so if you get out to the park, make it one of your stops.
Also back this year are some of the south land’s best mazes. These attractions are all top notch, but if you purchase a Skeleton Key pass, you get something extra that is well worth it. The Skeleton Key rooms are a more specialized experience that give you a bit of extra interactivity and scares. This, along with front of the line access makes it the way to go.
Voodoo, is a New Orleans style trip into the dark religion that just might send a chill up your spine. This maze contains a skeleton key extra room that, though I wont spoil for you, does have some hints of Wes Cravens The Serpent and the Rainbow. After that, you descend deep into a world of true horror that has such a great authenticity to it that I almost wanted to stay there.
Trick or Treat is a nasty piece of work that also contains a Skeleton Key room. This was quite scary and though it had undertones of Hansel and Gretel, it was unlike any version I have ever heard. Yes. Thats a good thing. In this maze you come face to face with Knotts haunt mascot, “The Green Witch” Marshall. The maze has a dark fairy tale feel to it that cant easily be shaken.
The last Skeleton Key room I want to talk about is Pinocchio Unstrung. This room has a twisted and unnerving set up and I am not afraid to admit that I was thinking about it long into the night. The maze itself is like a Disney nightmare. Pinocchio is going to become a real boy no matter how he has to accomplish it. People die and are skinned. Let your mind wonder for a while on that one.
There is one more maze I want to touch on and though it is NOT a Skeleton Key maze, it is by far, the crowning achievement of the park. That maze is Forevermore. A trip into the hunt for a serial killer who is patterning himself after Poes the Raven. The imagery is haunting and grotesque. I would dare to say that it is a combination of David Lynch and Rob Zombie. Always the first and last maze that I do!
These along with Gunslingers Grave, The Tooth Fairy, Dominion of the Damned, The Witches Keep, Trapped and Black Magic will keep you jumping long after you’ve left the park.
So, definitely get out to Knotts for the Halloween season this year. They bring the scares like no other park and continue to evolve into the ultimate party for the season. For more info on any of the mazes or attractions, or for tickets, please visit the official site: KnottsScaryFarm
