Today we catch up on one of our favorite Southern California parks. Knott’s Berry Farm opened three family attractions and the refurbished Timber Mountain Log Ride at the beginning of the season and has enjoyed an amazingly busy season.  But, the big news is that they park is gearing up for an even busier time of year, Halloween Haunt.

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HAUNT 2013

Back in mid-July Knott’s went all out with a sort of Haunt pep rally, to announce the mazes and scare zones planned for the 41st year of Halloween fun.  Much of the construction is already happening backstage.  But, as the event gets closer, we begin to see more and more appear out in the open.

UNCLE WILLIE’S SLAUGHTERHOUSE

The oldest returning maze, Slaughterhouse, is quickly coming together.

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BLACK MAGIC

One of the more anticipated mazes for this year is from Haunt veteran Daniel Miller, (Delirium, Fallout Shelter, Lockdown). Black Magic delves into the world of Houdini.  The talk that we have been hearing indicates that this will be a beautiful maze, on par with last year’s hit maze, Trick or Treat.  Let’s hope they get the money they need to produce it properly.

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 HAUNT MUSEUM

The Haunt Museum in Ghost Town was open this week and featured a few new items on display.

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New costumes were installed on the center stand.
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And the timeline poster on the far end of the room has been updated to include last year’s haunt.
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These weird bracelets were displayed below the counter.

 

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Also, as readers will know from previous articles, Dia De Los Muertos is not returning, nor is the Wheeler Dealer space going to be used for a maze this year.

We invite all of you to join MiceChat at the Haunt on Saturday September 28th.  Last year was an amazing event and this year promises to be even better.

knotts berry farm, Knotts Berry Farm Building Fun and Scares

NIGHTS OF HORROR MEETS 2013 – Knott’s Scary Farm

Mark your calendars for a spooky good time at Knott’s Scary Farm on Saturday, September 28th!  Let us know if you will be joining us by signing up for our Halloween Haunt list below. We’ll send you an email when more information and tickets are available.

Subscribe to the MiceChat Halloween Haunt mailing list for details when tickets become available:

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HOLLYWOOD HITS SIGN

This old sign, which has endured many, many variations, has been repainted.  It’s nice to see it looking so good.

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ARCADE

Another massive arcade game has been placed out on the stoop of the arcade building.  However, the thing is so huge that it blocks the sign above the entry.

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Speaking of signs, the Lazer Zone game got new signage.

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BOARDWALK SHADE

Knott’s has taken mercy on the masses and has built shade canopies above the queues for Pacific Scrambler, Surfside Glider and Coast Rider.

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TIMBER MOUNTAIN LOG RIDE

The newly refurbished Timber Mountain Log Ride is keeping up the pace alongside the other, newer attractions in the park and commanding a healthy 40 to 60 minute wait on average per day.

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One of our favorite water gags is still not working.
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The exterior animatronics are still working just as they did on opening day.

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It’s wonderful to see this treasured attraction looking so good.  They are seeing a nice return on their investment here and we simply could not be happier.

NEW SIGNAGE

Some new signage has been installed at the front of the two queues for Sky Cabin and Wipeout.  Unfortunately, the two lines so close together still cause confusion for riders.

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WAVE SWINGER

In another refurbishment job that would make the crew on Silly Symphony Swings green with envy, the Wave Swinger has returned.  Sparkling and new, the ride looks wonderful again.

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WINDSEEKER

Oh poor Windseeker.  What happened?  After stranding riders high above the ground for 3 hours last September the Mondial-built attraction was closed pending modifications that would make it easier to rescue riders.  Then, while the 301ft tall elephant loomed over Knott’s, it’s cousin at Carowinds had a similar  issue recently.

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Will this ride ever return?  Signs are increasingly pointing that it may not.  It’s a shame too, as the ride was actually quite enjoyable and offered a wonderful view of the park and beyond.

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We will return soon with more news from Knott’s Berry Farm.

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Norman Gidney
Norman Gidney, also known as Fishbulb, has produced and edited many of the articles on MiceChat over the years.