All things Knotts Berry Farm

[Phroobar]

It's interesting you can still buy tickets at the last minute. Last year I just happen to be in the park and forgot it was the first day of Haunt. I bought a ticket about an hour before the event. I left and came back in and did all the mazes by myself. I was done by 11.

 

[AJFireman]

The preshows are usually really good, but they slow the lines down so much that by year two they just get rid of them. Mesmer (the Houdini maze) had a really good one, as did Shadowlands in that space before that, but both of them cut their opening room after the first year. i think I remember Voodoo having a really good pre-show as well that got dropped when they shifted the storyline. I'm half-expecting Grimoire to do the same thing this year, especially because it was already struggling a ton last year.

Grimoire was doing its preshow at last nights rehearsal event. The line seemed to be moving . They posted a 60 minute wait time but it was actually only 20 minutes. It seemed to be that way at several mazes so maybe they just dont have the wait times figured out yet

 

[Phroobar]

Did someone say Bloodlines isn't using the guns this year? Are they still doing little shows in certain rooms?

 

[Nirya]

If Bloodlines isn't using the guns then that has the potential to be a really good maze.

(Maybe they finally did the right thing and made Dark Entities the shooter)

 

[Phroobar]

The best shooter maze at Knotts was the first year where they let us run all over camp snoopy in the dark hunting zombies. No efficient but a hell of a lot of fun.

 

[Nirya]

Agreed, that version was so fun and you immediately realized when you were finished that there was no way it was coming back in that form.

 

[PiratesMansion]

I'm fine with no guns in any mazes. I only experienced it with the Mystery Lodge-adjacent Special Ops-it was fun the first time, but it's easy for it to start to feel more like lazer tag than a haunt maze.

 

[AJFireman]

Bloodlines has no guns this year. Just walked through. I like the something different but all the action takes away from admiring the set design. It was different having sunlight inside. Skylights are uncovered.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Looking at the showtimes in the app from afar. It appears there's a second show in the Walter Knott Theater in addition to the 50th musical (which only shows twice a night).

Seems a little odd to me that Dr. Cleaver is only 15 minutes long. What's even the point of going into a theater to see a show for only 15 minutes?

 

[AJFireman]

Looking at the showtimes in the app from afar. It appears there's a second show in the Walter Knott Theater in addition to the 50th musical (which only shows twice a night).

Are you refering to to the Jazz Band?? They play on the terrace for the street atmosphere below.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Omg

 

[Phroobar]

Sad thing is the dragon was better looking than the Florida version!

 

[Phroobar]

Jack Sparrow, Marty McFly and Batman showed up.

So did Barbie and Ken.

I am happy to report that The Hanging is back in all of it's offensive glory.
Great quote during the Hanging. The Knotts security guy says, "no fighting! but your gun is ok. This is Buena Park."

 

[Phroobar]

Great evening last night. I did everything. This is the last year for Dark Entities and The Depths. I'll be sorry to see them go but the new stuff is sooo much better. Bloodlines does not have guns or area stops anymore. The line flows much better now. Grimmore does have it's open preshow but they still get you through quickly even with Fastlane slowing the regular line down. I didn't hit a line that was more than half hour even though they looked long.

The shows. Doctor Cleavers is in the birdcage theater. It is a comedy magic show. They do the girl in the box trick where swords are inserted into the box. The show has a lot of adult humor and was a blast. The monsters show in the theater looked back at past Haunt hosts including Seymore, Wolfman Jack, Doctor Cleaver and Elvira with musical numbers between each one. It is also very adult. The dance numbers were fantastic.

Spoiler: spoilers from the show

Finally the Hanging was in the back to it's original crude, rude, offensive nature. It was in the wagon camp area so get there early. The theater was packed. There were a lot of jabs at both Disneyland and Universal Studios.

The new mazes were terrific. I enjoyed Cinema Slasher. It let you walk into each movie screen to be chased by the killer. Chilling Chambers brough back scenes from classic mazes including Doll House. Finally Room 13 is behind the Johnny Rockets. To get to it, you walk along the railroad tracks to the back door of a speakeasy from there you learn of the destruction brought about by the devil's elixir.

 

[CaptinEO]

Does anyone know what they do with the maze spaces during the rest of the year?

Are these old abandoned buildings or are they temporary buildings only installed for the event?

 

[Emmanuel]

Does anyone know what they do with the maze spaces during the rest of the year?

Are these old abandoned buildings or are they temporary buildings only installed for the event?

The Wilderness Dance Hall where Origins is usually is used throughout the year. Its where you meet Santa during Christmas and where you can sample some stuff during the Boysenberry Festival

The Boardwalk Ballroom where Cinema Slasher is located is used for special events or groups or entertainment (bands mainly)

I think the warehouses where Mesmer, Depths, Dark Entitites, Bloodline and Wax Works are at are used for backstage purposes (someone can correct me about these buildings if im wrong) unless they just leave the mazes intact which is whats been with Mesmer by Xcelerator ever since it was installed 2 years ago.

 

[CaptinEO]

The Wilderness Dance Hall where Origins is usually is used throughout the year. Its where you meet Santa during Christmas and where you can sample some stuff during the Boysenberry Festival

The Boardwalk Ballroom where Cinema Slasher is located is used for special events or groups or entertainment (bands mainly)

I think the warehouses where Mesmer, Depths, Dark Entitites, Bloodline and Wax Works are at are used for backstage purposes (someone can correct me about these buildings if im wrong) unless they just leave the mazes intact which is whats been with Mesmer by Xcelerator ever since it was installed 2 years ago.

Thank you! Not being as familiar with Knotts I had no idea where they found room for these mazes.

 

[Phroobar]

Thank you! Not being as familiar with Knotts I had no idea where they found room for these mazes.

Most of the mazes (Depths, Dark Entitites, Bloodline and Wax Works) are backstage in permanent barns. There is actually some theming back there. Mesmer is up all year under Xcellerator. Chilling Chambers is built under the stage coach bridge in Camp Snoopy and is up all year long. Room 13 is in the VR portion of the arcade and I bet will be up all year long. Origins is temporary in the Red Barn that is used for other events. Cinema Slasher is in Good Times theater and is temporary and used for other events.

For the most part they only take down two mazes and the scare zone stuff. They probably store it in one of the backstage mazes.

 

[Ryan120420]

The Wilderness Dance Hall where Origins is usually is used throughout the year. Its where you meet Santa during Christmas and where you can sample some stuff during the Boysenberry Festival

The Boardwalk Ballroom where Cinema Slasher is located is used for special events or groups or entertainment (bands mainly)

I think the warehouses where Mesmer, Depths, Dark Entitites, Bloodline and Wax Works are at are used for backstage purposes (someone can correct me about these buildings if im wrong) unless they just leave the mazes intact which is whats been with Mesmer by Xcelerator ever since it was installed 2 years ago.

All those mazes use warehouses that are exclusively built for Scary Farm mazes. Outside Scary Farm, they serve no other purpose other than to store stuff for Scary Farm inside any void spaces.

Does anyone know what they do with the maze spaces during the rest of the year?

Are these old abandoned buildings or are they temporary buildings only installed for the event?

For mazes that do not have a purpose built building for Scary Farm mazes, such as : Room 13, Grimoire , Origins, Chilling Chambers, and Cinema Slasher these mazes are dismantled and stored in warehouses on Knotts property.

 

[Professortango1]

The Hanging was....really bad. It felt like the past few years where the jokes were just lazier and more dated than in the glory days. There were also quite a bit of line flubs and underrehearsed elements.

The new stage doesn't allow them to fall off the front of the stage anymore, so many characters get hurt only to then turn around and run offstage. Can Knotts get some actual writers to write a good send-up show?