“Oh goodness! You’re all in for quite some trouble…” squeaked a blood-splattered nurse in an unnaturally high voice. She stood over six-feet-tall and glared her cat eyes at a small huddle of teens with their hoods on. She then whipped around and hastened in the opposite direction. This monstress’ cryptic foretelling accurately described the nature of Knott’s Halloween Haunt.
With 13 mazes, three scare zones and seven shows, the original — and still largest Halloween theme park attraction in Southern California — brought thousands of guests of all ages.
The park opens at 7 p.m. until 2 a.m. on weekends, attracting enough nervous patrons to fill the outside plaza at Knott’s.
Entering through the main gates, fog partially conceals monsters that stomp the ground, hide behind trashcans and heckled visitors to kickoff the night with a menacing welcome.
“Ghost Town,” just left of the park entry, poured even more fog out of the narrow passageways in between the rotting wooden buildings. Through a seemingly never-ending path lies “Lockdown: The Asylum.” This corrupt jailhouse has been turned into a human torture institution that invites park guests to tour the forsaken facility, finding strapped, dismembered bodies on hospital beds as well as roaming inmates who scream with maniacal laughter as they slam metal bolt-studded gloves into hollow walls, forcing everyone to jump instinctively and whimper.
Anyone wanting a break after escaping the Asylum is out of luck, as the exit leads directly into “Club Blood”, a nightspot gone wrong — for the unsuspecting guests, that is. Inside, heavy bass tunes pulse through the air as the winding pathway turns from an up-beat dance atmosphere into a death factory with gruesome zombies stalking and chasing horrified “club goers” through the halls. The path is marked with one death scene after another as guests come face to face with pole-dancing stripper zombies who entice maze-walkers like sirens, only grabbing their attention long enough to leave them unaware that looming murderers stand behind, ready to whack something with their fists to keep guests on their feet.
The thrills at Halloween Haunt extend beyond the walls of the 13 mazes. Walking from one attraction to another is in all respects a risk. Guests can expect to see a disfigured beast every few seconds or so in the streets and paths of Knott‘s. Most of them won’t miss an opportunity to accost guests. Showing fear will only feed the ghouls’ craving for terror. The more that guests display uneasiness, the more the fiends will prey, commonly following speed-walking teen girls for minutes at a time.
The theme in the park is consistent and creative. Fog machines leave very few areas uncloaked, giving the monsters a chance to run through crowds or skid on kneepads to create sparks at guests’ feet. Speakers complete the setting by blasting chainsaw sound effects, dentist drill noises, whimpering adults and children eerily singing long notes and crying.
Apart from the chaotic environment, Knott’s made every attempt to cater to guests’ every need. Vendors were located throughout the entire park as well as in the middle of long maze lines, selling drinks, chips, candy, light-up jewelry and Knott’s famous pickles to make wait times more tolerable. The restrooms were scrupulously clean because of attendants who constantly wipe down sinks, refill bathroom tissue and pick up paper towels off the floor after each guest.
Halloween Haunt runs Wednesday through Sunday from now until Halloween. More information can be found at Knotts.com
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