Knott's Scary Farm

Knott's Scary Farm, or otherwise known under its original name, Knott's Halloween Haunt, is a seasonal Halloween event held at the Knott's Berry Farm theme park in Buena Park, California. The event has been running at the park ever since it started in 1973.

History[]

Originally a three night event, running from October 26-28, 1973, the event turned into an annual six week long event and became the largest event of any theme park. The concept was introduced to the park's operations committee in a meeting in September of 1973 by George Condos and Martha Boyd of the marketing department, and Bill Hollingshead and Gary Salisbury of the entertainment office. Bud Hurlbut, who built and operated (as a concessionaire) the Mine Ride, Log Ride and other rides, decided that having static props wasn't enough, so he put on a gorilla suit and scared guests as they rode on the Mine Ride. Halloween Haunt was an instant hit, and by the next year, the event sold out nightly. Knott's Berry Farm was originally modeled after Calico, California, a ghost town that was a result of the California silver rush. Already having a dedicated Ghost Town section in the theme park, this area would become the designed area for the original Halloween Haunt, eventually expanding to the entire park. The 1980s would continue to be a success for the theme park, and popular culture icons were employed to represent the event. In 1981, actor and parodist "Weird Al" Yankovic joined the cast, as did Cassandra "Elvira" Peterson in the following year. Elvira was prominently featured in many Halloween Haunt events until 2001. According to postings on her Myspace page, Cassandra was released from her contract by the park's new owners due to their wanting a more family friendly appeal. The 1990s would show a different approach to Halloween. Humor was added to many facets in the theme park and Knott's turned from the explicit horror to black comedy. This continuing balance of horror and humor has been a key to the continuing success of Knott's Halloween Haunt.

Attraction history[]

Mazes[]

1973[]

The Monster Maze
Satan's Saw Mill
The Ghostway Express

1974[]

The Haunted Shack
The Devil's Log Ride
Calico Phantom's Mine Ride
Transylvania Railroad
Stagecoach Ride through Wolfman Country

1975[]

Terror Mountain
Knott's Scary Tales
Trail of the Tortured
Haunted Mine
Transylvania Railroad
Trail of the Headless Horseman

1976[]

Trail of the Tortured
Terror Mountain
Haunted Mine
Trail of the Headless Horseman
Knott's Scary Tales
Transylvania Express
Gasoline Alley (Thru Sleepy Hollow)

1977[]

Ten Chilling Chambers (first standalone walk-through maze)
Terror Mountain
Haunted Mine
Gasoline Alley (Thru Sleepy Hollow)
Transylvania Express
The Ghost Coach
Witch's Twist
Bump the Ghoul
Knott's Scary Tales

1978[]

The Trail of Terror
Terror Mountain
Haunted Mine
Knott's Scary Tales

1979[]

Chilling Chambers of Horrors
Black Bart's Trail of Terror
Terror Mountain
Haunted Mine
Knott's Scary Tales

1980[]

The Tomb of Terror
Dr. Alucard's Chamber of Horrors
Terror Mountain
Haunted Mine
Knott's Scary Tales

1981[]

The Trail of Terror
Terror Mountain
Haunted Mine
Knott's Scary Tales

1982[]

The Terrifying Trail of Jack the Ripper
The Mysterious Corridors
Terror Mountain
Haunted Mine
Knott's Scary Tales

1983[]

The Realm of Darkness
Corridors of Mystery
Terror Mountain
Haunted Mine
Transylvania Taxi

1984[]

Caverns of Doom
The House of Red Death
Terror Mountain
Haunted Mine

1985[]

The Terrifying House of Doom
Creep House
Trail of the Doomed
Terror Mountain
Trails of Terror
Dragon's Caverns
Sorcerer's Lair

1986[]

Mystical Maze of Madness
The Best Little Horror House
Conviks Haven
The Last Train to Terror
Nightmare Mountain
The Dark Forest of the Sorcerer

1987[]

Curse of the Sphinx
Kingdom of the Dinosaurs
Metro Madness
Realm of the Sorcerer
The Slaughterhouse
The Enemy Within
The Fourth Dimension
The Return of Zulu

1988[]

Bait's Motel
Camp Hatchet Head
Revenge of the Dead
The Dark
Threshold of Doom
Toxic Terror
Uncle Ernie's Madhouse

1989[]

Bait's Motel
Camp Hatchet Head
Revenge of the Dead
Terror Mountain
The Dark
Threshold of Doom
Uncle Ernie's Madhouse
Which Maze

1990[]

Bait's Motel
Encounters of Darkness
The Fear
Threshold of Doom
Terror Mountain
Revenge of the Dead
Uncle Ernie's Madhouse
Timothy L. Eerie Time Machine

1991[]

Bait's Motel
Encounters of Darkness
Revenge of the Dead
Terror Mountain
The Body
The Fear
Threshold of Doom
Uncle Ernie's Madhouse

1992[]

Kingdom of the Lounge Lizards
Lair of the Vampyre
Mother Noose's Scary Tales
Revenge of the Dead
Temple of Sacrifice
Terror Mountain
Toxichem
Uncle Ernie's Madhouse

1993[]

House of Maniacs
Jaws of Death
Lair of the Vampyre
Mother Noose's Scary Tales
Nightmares
Santa Claws Mountain
Temple of Sacrifice
Toxichem

1994[]

Carnival of Death
Cavern of Carnage
House of Maniacs
Industrial Evil
Lair of the Vampyre
Mother Noose's Scary Tales
Nightmares
Santa Claws Mountain
Slasher of the Dark
Toxichem

1995[]

Carnival of Death
Cavern of Carnage
Curse of the Werewolf
Dominion of the Dead
Ghost Town Dead and Breakfast
House of Maniacs
Industrial Evil
Nightmares
Santa Claws Mountain
Slasher of the Dark

1996[]

Camp Gonnagetcha
Carnival of Death
Curse of the Werewolf
Cavern of Carnage
Dominion of the Dead
Ghost Town Dead and Breakfast
House of Maniacs
Kingdom of the Lounge Lizards
Nightmares
The Underground
Toon Terrortory

1997[]

Bigfoot's Revenge
Camp Gonnagetcha
Curse of the Werewolf
Dominion of the Dead
Ghost Town Dead and Breakfast
Nightmares
The Inquisition
The Underground
The Underworld Unearthed
Toon Terrortory
XXV (25) Years of Fears

1998[]

Alien Attack
Bigfoot's Revenge
Camp Gonnagetcha
Deadman's Wharf
Dominion of the Dead
Horrorwood Hotel
Nightmares: The Awakening
The Inquisition
The Underground
The Underworld Unearthed

1999[]

Alien Attack
Bigfoot's Revenge
Camp Gonnagetcha
Deadman's Wharf
Dominion of the Dead
Elvira's Nightmare
Horrorwood Hotel
Tales from the Inquisition
The Underground
The Underworld Unearthed

2000[]

Alien Attack
Army of the Underworld
Camp Gonnagetcha
Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns
Deadman's Wharf
Elvira's Nightmares
Gothic Graveyard
Horrorwood Hotel
The Crypt Keeper's Tales from the Inquisition
The Underground
Voodoo Witch Project

2001[]

Alien Attack
Army of the Underworld
Blood Bayou
Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns
Curse of the Spiderwoods
Elvira's Red Moon Massacre
Lore of the Vampire
Malice in Wunderland
The Cyrptkeeper's Horrorwood Fright FestEvil
The Underground

2002[]

Alien Attack
Army of the Underworld
Blood Bayou
Curse of the Spider
Fright Festival
Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns
Malice in Wunderland
The Underground
The Inquisition
Lore of the Vampire
Red Moon Massacre

2003[]

Army of the Underworld
Asylum
Blood Bayou
Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns
Curse of the Spider
Hatchet High
Lore of the Vampire
Malice in Wunderland
Red Moon Massacre
Temple of Sacrifice
The Inquisition
Underground

2004[]

Army of the Underworld
Asylum
Blood Bayou
Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns
Curse of the Spider
Hatchet High
Lore of the Vampire
Malice in Wunderland
Red Beard's Revenge
Red Moon Massacre
Temple of Sacrifice
Terror Vision

2005[]

13 Axe Murder Manor
Asylum
Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns
Cavern of Lost Souls
Curse of the Spider
Feary Tales
Hatchet High
Lore of the Vampire
Red Beard's Revenge
Red Moon Massacre
Temple of Sacrifice
Terror Vision in 3-D

2006[]

13 Axe Murder Manor
Asylum
Cavern of Lost Souls
Dark Realm with Lazer Rage
Feary Tales in 3-D
Hatchet High
Lore of the Vampire
Lost Vegas in 3-D
Red Beard's Revenge
Red Moon Massacre
Terror Vision in 3-D
The Grudge 2

2007[]

13 Axe Murder Manor
Beowulf: Labyrinth into Darkness
Black Widow's Cavern
Dark Realm Lazer Tag
Feary Tales
Killer Clown Kollege
Lore of the Vampire
Lost Vegas
Pyromaniax
Red Beard's Revenge
The Asylum
The Doll Factory
The Grudge 2

2008[]

13 Axe Murder Manor
Alien Annihilation
Black Widow's Cavern
Club Blood
Corn Stalkers
Killer Clown Kollege
Labyrinth
Lost Vegas
Pyromaniax
Quarantine
The Asylum
The Doll Factory
The Slaughterhouse

2009[]

Alien Annihilation
Black Widow's Cavern
Cornstalkers
Club Blood
Dia De Los Muertos
Labyrinth
Lockdown: The Asylum
Pyromaniax
Quarantine
Terror of London
The Doll Factory
The Slaughterhouse
Uncle Bobo's Big Top of the Bizarre

2010[]

Black Widow's Cavern
Club Blood
Cornstalkers
Dia De Los Muertos
Fallout Shelter
Labyrinth
Lockdown: The Asylum
Sleepy Hollow Mountain
Terror of London
The Doll Factory
The Slaughterhouse
Uncle Bobo's Big Top of the Bizarre
Virus Z

2011[]

Cornstalkers
Delirium
Dia De Los Muertos
Endgames: Warriors of the Apocalypse
Fallout Shelter
Invasion Beneath
Lockdown: The Asylum
Sleepy Hollow Mountain
Terror of London
The Doll Factory
The Slaughterhouse
Uncle Bobo's Big Top of the Bizarre
Virus Z

2012[]

Delirium
Dia De Los Muertos
Dominion of the Dead
Endgames: Warriors of the Apocalypse
Fallout Shelter
Pinocchio Unstrung
Slaughterhouse
Terror of London
The Evil Dead
Trapped
Trick or Treat
Uncle Bobo's Big Top of the Bizarre
Virus Z

2013[]

Delirium
Black Magic
Dominion of the Damned
Endgames: Warriors of the Apocalypse
Forevermore
Mirror Mirror
Pinocchio Unstrung
The Gunslinger's Grave
Trick or Treat
Uncle Willy's Slaughterhouse
The Witch's Keep
Trapped: The New Experiment

2014[]

Voodoo
The Tooth Fairy
Dominion of the Damned
Black Magic
Forevermore
Pinocchio Unstrung
The Gunslinger's Grave
Trick or Treat
The Witch's Keep
Trapped: Lock and Key
Special Ops: Infected

2015[]

Voodoo: Order of the Serpent
The Tooth Fairy
Paranormal Inc.
Black Magic
Forevermore
Pinocchio Unstrung
The Gunslinger's Grave: A Blood Moon Rises
Trick or Treat
My Bloody Clementine
The Dead of Winter
Special Ops: Infected - Patient Zero

2016[]

Voodoo: Order of the Serpent
The Tooth Fairy
Paranormal Inc.
The Gunslinger's Grave: A Blood Moon Rises
Trick or Treat
The Dead of Winter: Revenge of the Wendigo
The Red Barn
Shadow Lands
Black Ops: Infected
Skeleton Key Rooms: Prey, Slasher, Visions, Zozo

2017[]

Voodoo: Order of the Serpent
The Tooth Fairy
Paranormal Inc.
Dark Ride
Pumpkin Eater
Trick or Treat: Lights Out
The Red Barn
Shadow Lands
Special Ops: Infected
Halloween Hootenanny (Log Ride)

2018[]

Special Ops: Infected
Shadow Lands
Paranormal Inc.
Trick or Treat: Lights Out
Pumpkin Eater
The Red Barn
Dark Ride
The Depths
Dark Entities
Halloween Hootenanny

2019[]

Dark Entities
Dark Ride
Halloween Hootenanny (Log Ride)
Origins: The Curse of Calico
Paranormal Inc.
Pumpkin Eater
Shadow Lands
Special Ops: Infected
The Depths
Wax Works

2020

No Event

2021

Dark Entities
Dark Ride
Halloween Hootenanny (Log Ride)
Origins: The Curse of Calico
Paranormal Inc.
Pumpkin Eater
Mesmer
The Depths
Wax Works

2022

Dark Entities
Dark Ride
Halloween Hootenanny (Log Ride)
Origins: The Curse of Calico
Bloodline 1842
Pumpkin Eater
Mesmer
The Grimoire
The Depths
Wax Works

2023

Cinema Slasher
Room 13
The Chilling Chambers
Dark Entities
Origins : The Curse of Calico
Bloodline 1842
Mesmer
The Grimoire
The Depths
Wax Works

Scare Zones[]