“Universal has the things that scare you on TV. Knott’s has the things that scare you under your bed in the middle of the night.”
But the events differ in some fundamental ways. Universal’s houses are undeniably more polished and have higher production value, and they have the benefit of using beloved horror IP like “Halloween” and “The Purge.”
But Knott’s houses have some practical effects that I was surprised to see. There were giant inflated balloons that filled a whole corridor, and you had to push your way through them while not being able to see what was waiting on the other side. And there were so, so many dead bodies hanging from above. You had to either artfully dodge them as they swung back and forth or push them out of the way to get through.
This year’s haunted house themes include Wax Works, wherein a demented plastic surgeon creates his own wax museum out of real humans ; Pumpkin Eater, in which you descend farther and farther into a rotting demonic pumpkin patch; and Mesmer: Sideshow of the Mind, which had some really excellent carnival horrors.Courtesy of Knott's Berry FarmCourtesy of Knott's Berry Farm
What I especially like about how Knott’s plans its event is that it brings back some houses for a few years in a row, tweaking the overall show in each one, and retires them after five or so years. That means that the ones you really love, you can revisit again and again . I enjoyed all the houses, but there were standouts to me. I really enjoyed Dark Ride: Castle of Chaos, which is a broken-down theme park ride that has been overrun with monsters. The big marquee scene of the house is so good, and there’s so much to see that they have you go through in the middle and at the end. Bloodline 1842 is an interactive house, where you are handed a laser gun and your job is to shoot the vampires before they get you.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Halloween Horror Nights 2022: See which celebrities have braved the mazes at Universal StudiosThe theme park’s seasonal scare-a-thon is open select evenings through Oct. 31.
Read more »
Hocking Hills State Park Lodge opens to guests (photo gallery)The brand new Hocking Hills State Park Lodge is now open to guests.
Read more »
Why Oat Milk Is Too White—And How One Brand Is Determined to Change ThatA new crowd-funded brand called Ghost Town Oats wants to make plant-based milk like oat milk more inclusive and better-tasting.
Read more »
Why Oat Milk Is Too White—And How One Brand Is Determined to Change ThatA new crowd-funded brand called Ghost Town Oats wants to make plant-based milk like oat milk more inclusive and better-tasting.
Read more »
Planning Commission Approves Final Plans For D.C.'s First Elevated Public ParkFinal site development plans for the park project, which has been in the works since 2014, have been approved, the National Capital Planning Commission announced Friday.
Read more »
Texas-OU Weekend Brings Big Money to Dallas EconomyOut-of-town visitors for the annual Red River Showdown at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas Fair Park were checking into Dallas hotels and paying bills at bars and restaurants Friday.
Read more »