The Knott's Berry Farm (KBF) Discussion Thread

[DevilSaint]

So the Cedar Fair trashcan jokes could come to an end?

I guess so.

I'm going to be at Haunt tonight so I hope to be able to see a reduction in trash cans.

 

 

Isn't it funny all the parks around the country are talking about new coasters or new major attractions next year, and we are talking about how many trashcans they are removing.

 

I'll be there tonight too and I'm sure now I'll get the crap scared out of me by a monster while I'm paying attention to the number of trash cans in the area.

[Zeppelinfreak]

So the Cedar Fair trashcan jokes could come to an end?

I guess so.

I'm going to be at Haunt tonight so I hope to be able to see a reduction in trash cans.

 

 

Isn't it funny all the parks around the country are talking about new coasters or new major attractions next year, and we are talking about how many trashcans they are removing.

 

I'll be there tonight too and I'm sure now I'll get the crap scared out of me by a monster while I'm paying attention to the number of trash cans in the area.

I know right. You can always tell the monster "Don't bother me, I'm looking at the Trashcans"

[asimowalk]

Alot of stuff has been done this past week, As said before park services had to take out every other trash can in the park.

I find that kind of weird, unless there's no trash can at Knott's that ever gets full. The trash can count increased when Raffi was at Wonderland... but that was probably make it obvious that it was now a CF park.

[Mechanic]

The family and I went to Haunt last night. Overall, it was a good time, but the crowd level was insane. Thankfully, the maze lines moved pretty fast. We didn't ride any coasters. We got in line for Excelerator, but it broke down when we were about 5 minutes from boarding. Silver Bullet had single train operation with a queue that was filling the switchbacks and Ghostrider's queue looked like it was at least an hour or more. With all the mazes they have, the coasters just didn't seem worth the wait. We did ride Invasion Beneath (Calico Mine Ride) and Sleepy Hollow Mountain (TMLR). I honestly felt that the scares on those 2 beat out any of the walk-through mazes, and the strobe effects on Sleepy Hollow were just freaking awesome. As for the walk-throughs, we all pretty much agreed that we got the best scares in Doll Factory. The hanging was super funny. Everyone really seemed to enjoy it a lot. We'll do it again next year, but I'll make sure we hit it on a weeknight.

 

Oh, I almost forgot, thanks to Club TPR for a nice discount when ordering our Haunt tickets online!

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

I've heard that this years hanging is particularly funnier than years past. I have to find some time to check it out...

[DevilSaint]

We went last night and the park was completely empty. We hit every maze, rode Calico & Sleepy Hallow, saw Ed Alonzo & the Hanging, rode Ghost Rider, Pony Express (my first time) & Xcelerator (also my first time) all by 11:30. There was no line for any maze, and most of them we walked through by ourselves (which made for a pretty great experience). The longest wait for anything was probably 10 minutes for Ghost Rider. It had been a few years since we had gone, because we had a pretty bad experience on a peak night but a Sunday night early in the month seems like the way to go.

[Zeppelinfreak]

I went to haunt last night and I thought I would post my review of things.

Let's get started.

Note: I do not get scared in the houses, so Scare factor rating is just based on my observations of people around me.

Warning: This may contain spoilers, if you do not wish to be spoiled. Stop reading.

Here we go. I will be reviewing all the new/updated mazes.

 

Invasion Beneath: This was our first maze of the night. I had heard some bad things, so I was somewhat skeptical on the entire thing. But from the minute I saw the first scare, I was sold. The mine ride this year actually had some atmosphere this year. The animatronics here were outstandingly placed, and the effects that the talent triggered worked really well. Highlights of this maze were all the animations and props they used, as well as the Glory Hole area and the last room that was filled with fog.

Scare Factor: 8 Set Design: 9 Story: 7 Atmosfear: 8 Immersion: 8

 

Dia De Los Muertos: This maze I had been through quite a lot in the past, but the reworking they did really helped. The jungle scene is just about the right length this year instead of in years past where it was long boring, with little or no talent. The Graveyard this year worked even better than before.

Scare Factor: 7 Set Design: 10 Story: 5(No real story) Atmosfear: 9 Immersion: 8

 

Uncle Bobo's Big Top of the Bizzare: Wow! The changes they made here made it feel completely new, new facade, new path, new rooms, new scares, new animatronics, and even Uncle Bobo on the outside. The changes in this maze made this my favorite clown maze I have ever been through.

Scare Factor: 8 Set Design: 9 Story: 7 Atmosfear: 7 Immersion: 9

 

Doll Factory: Yikes! I for one am glad this is the last year for this maze. It is really showing its age. The talent also seemed pretty bored in there, and half of the scare spots weren't even used.

Scare Factor: 3 (Nobody was in there) Set Design: 9 Story: 8 Atmosfear: 6 Immersion: 6

 

Terror of London: Another maze where it is time to go. Don't get me wrong, the sets are fantastic, but there are too many long stretches where nothing is going on. I give this maze one more year, if that. I loved it last year though.

Scare Factor: 6 Set Design: 10 Story: 10 Atmosfear: 9 Immersion: 8

 

Endgames: This maze had it all. I was a bit worried the maze would be too short because of the location, but it felt like it would never end, that was great. The talent in there was very enthusiastic and the energy was up to 11! All around, one of the best mazes at haunt ever.

Scare Factor: 10 Set Design: 10 Story: 10 Atmosfear: 10 Immersion: 10

 

Delirium: This maze was the most trippy maze Knott's has ever done, and it worked. From entering the stomach of the Devourer to a voodoo swamp area, and even recreating birth, it was all here. This is by far one of my favorite mazes ever at haunt. Tied with Endgames and the original asylum. The first half had literally zero talent, but we might have just had bad timing. But by the time we got to the bedroom, there were monsters around every turn. I noticed many new scare tactics and designs in this and other new/updated mazes which really made the mazes more interesting and not get boring. If you can only do one maze, do this one.

Scare Factor: 10 Set Design: 10 Story: 10 Atmosfear: 10 Immersion: 10

 

The returning mazes from last year all still kicked a** which were, Virus Z, Sleepy Hallow Mountain, and Fallout Shelter. Cornstalkers which was also re-done last year still was great.

 

I had an amazing evening last night and hope to be there again soon, this year both Horror Nights and Haunt were amazing which is odd considering that. 2009 Horror Nights was the better of the two and 2010 Knott's was better. But this year the both were extremely well done and I hope everyone gets a chance to do both this year.

Thank you for reading my review.

[DevilSaint]

The first half had literally zero talent, but we might have just had bad timing. But by the time we got to the bedroom, there were monsters around every turn.

 

It was the same for us in there. Almost no monsters until the bedroom and then they were everywhere. That was the one area that actually "got us" as there was a new monster surprising us every time we turned away from another one for about 10 straight corners. Our favorite maze of the night.

[Zeppelinfreak]

The first half had literally zero talent, but we might have just had bad timing. But by the time we got to the bedroom, there were monsters around every turn.

 

It was the same for us in there. Almost no monsters until the bedroom and then they were everywhere. That was the one area that actually "got us" as there was a new monster surprising us every time we turned away from another one for about 10 straight corners. Our favorite maze of the night.

It really is a great maze. The more I think about it I wonder if it was designed to half the first half be little to no scares to build up the intensity and have the creepiness factor the first half of the maze.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

^That, or there could have been donuts behind the scenes near the end of the maze and all the talant were hovering around the Krispy Kremes...

[Zeppelinfreak]

^That, or there could have been donuts behind the scenes near the end of the maze and all the talant were hovering around the Krispy Kremes...

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, Donuts. Alhlhjhhllhhlkkkkkkk/Simpsons reference

[ABW]

^That, or there could have been donuts behind the scenes near the end of the maze and all the talant were hovering around the Krispy Kremes...

No wonder CGA has such good Haunt talent.

[Jew]

^That, or there could have been donuts behind the scenes near the end of the maze and all the talant were hovering around the Krispy Kremes...

 

That's far too expensive for a Haunt potluck.

[laqueefa]

Sorry they are so late, but here are a couple of pictures taken with my iPhone while on the back stage tour. Let me start off by saying, THIS EVENT RULED! and hard, very, very HARD! Many thanks to TPR, MiceChat, & Knotts for putting on a first rate VIP Event.

 

Andi and I, waiting to get our VIP on!

 

first stop on the tour, Delirium walk through with its creator

 

Q&A time!

 

someone call the Orkin man!

 

dude, Willie Nelson needs to cut back on the herb...

 

pardon me, do you have some Binaca?

 

Robb, your dates here!

 

mmm Gyro!

 

Shabbat Shalom, this prop is circumcised!

 

Delirium gives plenty of head

 

this dude ruled, "FIRST, LARGEST, BEST"

 

make up and fx getting it done!

 

what are YOU looking at?!

 

saw this mask out in the park later in the night

 

And thats all she wrote. I really wish I took more pictures, but I was having WAY too much fun! I cannot wait for next years event!!!!

 

[robbalvey]

We have posted our Knott's Haunt update! Check it out:

 

http://www.themeparkreview.com/parks/photo.php?pageid=345&linkid=11120

 

[cal1br3tto]

Wow, those are some truly hideous monsters...looks like fun!

[robbalvey]

Wow, those are some truly hideous monsters...looks like fun!

And when you say "hideous monsters" I assume you are referring to this photo?

 

[cal1br3tto]

^The very idea!

[the ghost]

I would just like to say again how AWESOME that night was! It was a totally kick ass experience in every way, and I loved the GIANT micechat/tpr group! Fun times were had and I will 10000% be back next year! Thank you! Now... only 6 months(give or take) until West Coast Bash!

[PAL]

More scares for your money. $30 Knott's Haunt tickets made TravelZoo's weekly Top 20 discounts today. They claim this new price will only be available through Oct 7. The discount is good Wednesday, Sunday and Monday. Booking is via Knott's own site: tickets.knotts.com/shop/the-haunt-gruesome.cfm

[Guy T. Koepp]

^Awesome Dude! I just got my tickets for the 23rd. Woo Hoo!

[Meteornotes]

Loved this update. One of my goals in life is still to be a chainsaw guy at one of these events for an evening. Though I suppose I could just roam around my neighborhood with a chainsaw, though I doubt it would be the same. And likely involve a lot more paperwork...

 

dt

[MayTheGForceBeWithYou]

^ I got to do the chainsaw at a preview night at my haunt last week. Sure it's fun, but MAN is it brutal! It takes a lot of work to lug that thing around, and even more to run around like a maniac swinging it at people.

[SuperShawn]

Loved this update. One of my goals in life is still to be a chainsaw guy at one of these events for an evening. Though I suppose I could just roam around my neighborhood with a chainsaw, though I doubt it would be the same. And likely involve a lot more paperwork...

 

dt

 

If that ever happens, I'm so there as a spectator! But will probably be made into a victim.

 

Great update to a great event as well Robb! Thanks again to Knotts, TPR and Miceage for putting an extremely fun night together, and making my first ever haunt event so memorable.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

I see nipples....and not sexy ones, either...