Monstrous New Nightmares Emerge for the 47th Season of Knott’s Scary Farm
On August 28th, hundreds of rabid Knott’s Scary Farm fans converged upon Knott’s Berry Farm to get a glimpse into what awaits them for Knott’ Scary Farm 2019! Although there have been whispers regarding which mazes were leaving and which were staying, nobody actually had any definitive answers…until this night!
Each year, Knott’s does an incredible job putting together a show that can be compared to any of their current stage shows at the park. I think the coolest part of this opening number is when all the dancers went under a large white blanket and after a few seconds all the Scary Farm monsters emerged. It made for a phenomenal reveal moment! The crowd went absolutely nuts! We always say it, but Knott’s does shows and entertainment right! Each year we find ourselves asking how they can do better, yet they always raise the bar for themselves. So here is that same question, how are they going to top themselves next year? Guess we’ll just have to wait and see!
After the opening number ended, Jeff Tucker (writer at Knott’s Berry Farm) took the stage and immediately kicked off the night with an announcement (after a bit of house cleaning)! That announcement was for the ALL NEW MAZE: Wax Works. Just from the imagery, you can tell this is from the mind of Daniel Miller (Designer at Knott’s Berry Farm). The twisted and horrific images are reminiscent of Doll Factory and Tooth Fairy; which only excites me even more. Daniel has a special way of perverting every day things to make guests’s skin crawl and make everyone so uncomfortable in the best ways. You can read more about this maze at the end of this article with the rest of the press release.
This year, each new maze was accompanied by a dance number or stage moment. More so than years past. For Wax Works, we had a dance number showing the crazed Dr. Augustus Scratch turn his victims into monstrous versions of themselves.
The new show coming to the Charles M. Shultz theater will be Puppet Up! Uncensored. We got a little taste of what to expect from this type of entertainment and it had me laughing pretty hard. I actually think that having shows that are out of the ordinary at Scary Farm is a good thing. I love to see diversity in the entertainment offerings and I think this delivered on that concept. I honestly see this one show being divisive between fans of Scary Farm, only because it is so outside the box of what people have come to expect. Although I would argue that comedy isn’t new at Scary Farm in any sense of the word. The only difference is that it’s coming from the mouth of a puppet this time!
The last ALL NEW maze that was announced was Origins: The Curse of Calico. Which was a complete bait and switch by Knott’s Berry Farm and it made me smile from ear to ear. They know how crazy the fans can get, taking pictures through cracks and holes in walls. So Knott’s decided to have a bit of fun with them and put out some red herrings for people…AND THEY TOOK IT! Including myself for sure! Besides that, this got the biggest reaction from the crowd. Designed and Written by Plague Productions, it takes place during the curse Sarah Marshall placed upon the town of Calico.
Knott’s Scary Farm doesn’t have an IP in the traditional sense. But, I honestly would consider its rich history and its background for Scary Farm itself an IP. As a massive fan, I absolutely love seeing the creative team embracing the history and lore of Knott’s within its experiences. Origins being a perfect example of how to further the story while creating an imaginative and scary experience. This has shot to the top of our highly anticipated mazes of 2019!
After that, the night was over and guests were sent out into the cold night with monsters lurking in the shadows. Waiting for September 19th so they can finally terrorize the guests who attend Scary Farm once again. As part of Media, we were invited up stairs for an after party which included food, drinks and interview opportunities. We will have interviews with Ted Dougherty, Jon Cooke and Eric Nix on our next show where we discuss all the new announcements from the event. We have to say thank you to the whole entire Knott’s team. From the cooks, to the designers and to the entertainment team. From top to bottom this announcement event was the best yet and it got us drooling for KSF 19! We are always honored to be apart of this incredible experience and are so thankful for the opportunity to bring this type of spooky news to all the fans of the event. That’s also because we are just massive fans as well.
Enough gushing! Below is the official press release regarding all the scary information regarding Knott’s Scary Farm 2019! If you want to buy tickets, make sure to head on over to Knott’s.com and purchase early!
WHICH MAZE OR SHOW ARE YOU MOST EXCITED FOR THIS YEAR? LET US KNOW!
Starting September 19th – November 2nd
New nightmares and original thrills emerge as Knott’s Scary Farm returns for its 47th frightful year! With a completely transformed park that brings terrifying nightmares to life at Southern California’s largest immersive Halloween experience, this is not a year to be missed! There’s nowhere to hide as every inch of the park is eerily transformed with an abundance of blood-curdling beasts, spine-chilling scares, and unearthly surprises waiting around every corner. This year, guests will face their deepest fears with the park’s 14 haunted attractions, including 4 spine-tingling scare zones, 9 menacing mazes and a seasonal overlay to the Timber Mountain Log Ride. Knott’s Scary Farm returns for 26 frightful nights from September19 – November 2.
Innovative and immersive scares await guests around every corner with the debut of two new terror-filled mazes. These new attractions will bring the mind’s most twisted delusions to life as guests are forced to confront frightening new life-like nightmares designed by Knott’s Scary Farm’s evil masterminds.
NEW FOR 2019
Wax Works (New for 2019) – Mysterious lights and strange noises have begun to emanate from the eerie abandoned wax museum. The once prominent plastic surgeon, Dr. Augustus Scratch, has been seen tinkering at night and is now ready to show off his beautiful yet terrifying life-like masterpieces of hot molten wax and bloody flesh. It’s rumored that blood-curdling screams can be heard echoing through the halls of Wax Works as victims are horrifyingly submerged into a scorching hot cauldron of bubbling wax. Take a closer look at his gruesome works of art and try to escape his deadly grip or become the newest masterpiece in his collection.
Origins: The Curse of Calico (New for 2019) – Pierce the veil of time to discover the secret of the evil fog that hangs over Knott’s Scary Farm’s Ghost Town streets in the new maze Origins: The Curse of Calico. Unearth the sinister paranormal activity that plagues the town as Sarah Marshall is put on trial for her suspected crimes of witchcraft. All will be unveiled when the Green Witch rises up and curses the townsfolk, transforming all who have accused her into a wicked horde of malicious creatures with an eternal quench for the living.
Exclusively performing nightly at Knott’s Scary Farm for the 2019 season, Puppet Up! Uncensored is an outrageous, off –the-cuff live show featuring a combination of improvisational comedy and the magic of puppetry performed by a cast of world-class comedian puppeteers from The Jim Henson Company. Created by legendary puppeteer and award-winning director Brian Henson and directed by Patrick Bristow (Ellen, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Whose Line Is It Anyway?), Puppet Up! – Uncensored is no ordinary puppet show. In true uncensored form, the content is driven by audience suggestions and participation, topped with the zany antics and bawdy shenanigans of the colorful and brazen puppet cast. Puppet Up! – Uncensored will be performed three times each night at Knott’s Scary Farm and is intended for mature audiences.
Returning Mazes and Entertainment for 2019
Special Ops: Infected – Enlist to fight the zombie apocalypse in an all-out war against the undead in the interactive experience, Special Ops: Infected. Armed with specially designed laser guns, brave groups of guests embark on a mission of navigating through the city in a quest to find the infection cure. Take your last shot at saving mankind as this heart-stopping attraction is going out with a bang of new surprises, including two brand-new show scenes and characters for its final year at Knott’s Scary Farm.
Shadow Lands – A fulfilling life ensures a souls safe passage into eternity but what happens to the souls of soldiers slain in battle? Enter the hair-raising Shadow Lands maze for its final year at Knott’s Scary Farm and fight off demon samurais whose souls are cursed to rot within the depths of purgatory. Guests will embark on a quest through a sacred shrine, an ancient Japanese temple and into the midst of the shadow lands.
PARANORMAL, INC. – The Haunting of Hayden Hill: Paranormal Inc. maze once again reopens its doors to those brave enough to uncover an eerie and supernatural adventure. Guests investigate a haunted hospital where the patients were tortured for decades by deranged doctors and nurses. Demonic spirits of the murdered victims have been detected throughout the mysterious halls, while evil medical staff prowl for new patients to torture.
Pumpkin Eater – Survive the wrath of the murderous 7-foot tall creature that haunts the old woods surrounding The Hollow in the Pumpkin Eater maze. The notorious creature is on the prowl hidden within the dark confines of the haunted town he once terrorized. To escape the sinister Pumpkin Eater’s wrath, all who enter must go on a quest through the silent town of victims, face a cave of crawling insects and solve the labyrinth of thorns that blocks the way out.
Dark Ride – Journey through an abandoned carnival ride where cruel carnie folk still linger in the shadows in Dark Ride: Castle of Chaos. The carnival has become a refuge for freaks and carnies. Now those shunned performers have created a dark world of terror which they plan to unleash on those who enter. Dark Ride will lead brave visitors through a treacherous path and into the bowels of a long-neglected attraction, as sinister shadows and horrifying scenes cast the gloom over the once pleasant ride. It’s everyone’s worst nightmare, being helplessly trapped inside an abandoned carnival ride without a way out. New for 2019, Dark Ride will be debuting a brand-new ending show scene where guests can walk through the rides attached Gift Shop and come face to face with Smiley Sam and Baby Fool.
The Depths – A heavy fog drapes over an abandoned port village where ancient creatures lurk inside the pitch-black underground caves hidden below the seaside shores. The Nightwatch Mining Crew has mysteriously disappeared and village rumors point to the eerie tunnels the town sits upon. Myths of the terrifying horrors that lurk within the cave have often been whispered but never confirmed. Did the crew meet their demise at the hand of vicious creatures that live within the cave? Journey into the ominous caverns to discover if the superstitions revolving around the cave is true or not. But be warned all who have entered have never resurfaced.
Dark Entities – Teleport beyond earth into a realm where the darkness is absolute. In the depths of space, a lone station faces terror beyond all imagination. An extraterrestrial mutation has invaded the station, and it’s on the prowl for new hosts. The unearthly inhabitants’ force increases as it feeds on its unwilling victims. Escape the dark entities before its deathly force eliminates all living form aboard the station. There’s nowhere to escape when time is running out!
Halloween Hootenanny – The residents of the Timber Mountain Log Ride celebrate the Halloween Hootenanny which adds a seasonal twist to a park favorite. Mysterious creatures of Timber Mountain that live out in the woods and caverns join the citizens as they honor the season at the Halloween Hootenanny. The ride’s interior features unexpected surprises as guests venture past the Calico Coffin Creeper band, the town’s green witch and splash down Skull Mountain through a labyrinth of jack-o-lanterns.
The Hanging – It’s Knott’s Scary Farm’s annual live stage show that looks back at the year’s pop culture with some killer comedy. Notorious for its special effects and high-flying stunts, The Hanging is a no holds barred assault on pop culture’s most infamous moments of the past year. A must see parody!
CONJURERS– Magic and Mirth in the Birdcage Theatre – The Bird Cage Theatre will once again become the home of comedy and magic. Join award-winning magicians and CW’s Masters of Illusion regulars as they take the stage to amaze and amuse. Witness magician Chipper Lowell and Dana Daniels front and center as they perform on select nights.
AWAKEN THE DEAD – A non-stop DJ dance party has taken over Fiesta Village, where guests can jam with candy skull go-go dancers and dance to music so popular it’s sure to Awaken the Dead.
Returning Scarezones for 2019
Knott’s Scary Farm is far more than a collection of haunted attractions. Every night monsters spill out onto the streets and turn theme park midways into murderous scare zones. From the world famous Ghost Town Streets to the Boardwalk area filled with evil clowns, there’s nowhere to hide in Knott’s Scary Farm. Ghost Town Streets is the original and largest, most terrifying scare zone that started it all. Bands of half-human, half-animal monsters prowl the streets and inhabit the fog, and beware the notoriously startling sliders, who lunge from fog-filled corners of the land. On the Boardwalk, deviant clowns crave your undying attention in the CARNEVIL scare zone. The Hollow scare zone will terrorize guests as the Witches of the Hollow along with their armies of creatures have risen once again to battle with the Witch Hunter. The Lake underneath Silver Bullet recedes to reveal the Forsaken Lake scare zone, where gothic creatures ravaged by the dark and murky waters wander from their crypts preying on unsuspecting visitors, looking for victims to drag back to their watery graves.
Knott’s Scary Farm Ticket, Parking, and Pass Information
– The Knott’s Scary Farm Pass returns for the 2019 season and offers unlimited visits to all 26 event nights. Current 2019 Knott’s Berry Farm Season Passholders can purchase the pass at the limited time price of $90 and non-passholders can purchase the Scary Farm Pass for just $100. Prices are valid through Sept. 15 or while supplies last. Plus applicable taxes and fees.
– Single night tickets – Buy tickets at KnottsScaryFarm.com and save up to $41 off the regular main gate price of $84. Knott’s Season Passholders receive a discount on single night tickets. Applicable taxes and fees apply to online orders.
– Fright & Fast Lane – Ride and scream all night long with unlimited priority access to all mazes plus priority boarding on all Fast Lane rides. Fright & Fast Lane starts at $90 and varies by night. Separate Scary Farm park admission required, and not included.
– Combo Tickets offering admission plus Fright & Fast Lane are an especially great value starting as low as $125 plus applicable taxes and fees. This combo is only available online. Save up to $49 with this admission plus Fright & Fast Lane Combo and Knott’s Season Passholders save up to an additional $5.
– Knott’s Scary Farm Boo-Fet – Offered at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant and Spurs Chophouse, munch with monsters before Knott’s Scary Farm opens each night. Meals include a 2019 souvenir bottle, which gives unlimited complimentary refills on the event night and $1.00 refills for the rest of the 2019 season. After dinner, enjoy early entry into select areas of Knott’s Scary Farm a few minutes before it opens to other mortals. Boo-fet early entry will be to Paranormal Inc., Dark Entities, The Depths and the brand-new maze Wax Works as well as allow for exclusive photo opportunities with the monsters. The Knott’s Scary Farm Boo-fet dinner is $34.99 + applicable taxes and fees when purchased online. Separate theme park admission required, and not included.
– Knott’s Scary Farm general parking is $22 per vehicle and can be purchased online or at the parking booth upon arrival. Applicable taxes and fees apply to online orders. All Season Long Parking is valid for Knott’s Scary Farm nights.
Theme Park Duo 