Knott's Scary Farm Scare School 2014

[ILoveRides]

Each year before Knott's Berry Farm turns into Knott's Scary Farm, Knott's hosts "Scare School" to introduce the monsters-in-training to their mazes and to teach them the terrifying tricks of the trade. Yesterday, media were given a peek behind the scenes to check out Scare School and learn about what it takes to turn Knott's into the nightmare factory it becomes each Halloween season. Check out our full report below!

Gertrude is at Scare School to learn how to haunt innocent guests!

The demented minds of Brooke Walters and Daniel Miller are on hand to teach the Dominion of the Damned monsters-in-training.

First up, the monsters get in character and meet each other.

I wish you could always just meet people by grunting at them!

Next, the monsters master their evil walking.

Even without makeup and costumes they are pretty scary.

The monsters spent some time training in the maze, and now it’s our turn to see what they’ve learned!

Ahhh!

Very creepy!

Did you go to the Knott’s day of West Coast Bash this year? If so, you probably recognize this as the staircase that they were letting TPR members take pictures on!

I’m jealous of her fan with the current heat wave in Southern California!

It’s easier to spot the monsters hiding when they aren’t in costume, but once Scary Farm rolls around these monsters will startle even the most astute guests.

This is the first time the monsters have been in the maze, but already their unique personalities shine through.

Lets take a moment to admire some coffins...

Ahh! Ok, no more admiring! Moving along!

Very creepy!

West Coast Bash attendees will remember this scare!

A peek at the finale of the maze.

Next lets check out the new Knott’s Berry Farm food truck. This truck will attend special events in the community, and when it isn’t out in the community it will be at Knott’s or Soak City.

Here’s the current menu. The menu changes depending on the event and location. When at the park, it will take on a seafood theme that compliments the existing park offerings. When out in the community it will likely serve chicken to promote Knotts’ famous chicken.

The food looked and smelled delicious!

There is even boysenberry soft serve ice cream made from real boysenberries.

Next is the wardrobe and makeup department tour. No one under 18 is allowed in the warehouse, so Gertrude has to stay outside. (How old is Gertrude anyways? I have no idea.)

Tim Barham tells us all about the Scary Farm costumes.

The costumes take 3 months to design and 4 months to sew. Many are reinforced in the back and knees to help them survive the abuse they’re put through in the mazes.

That costume is covered in Catawampus blood.

Next Bill Meier tells us about the makeup department.

Over 300 monsters get their makeup done every night. Many have prosthetic masks like these put on.

Here are some of the painted prosthetics.

This mask will be used in the new Voodoo maze this year.

This "dentist" will stalk you in the new Tooth Fairy maze. Parts from a leather purse and metal pieces found on the farm were incorporated into the design. Some mazes use more than 1 of the same mask to make you feel like the same person is following you through the maze. They hinted that this may happen in Tooth Fairy!

Ipkiss!

Next we head over to Ghost Town which is literally a ghost town now that the park is closed.

Scary Farm decorations are starting to go up all over.

This is Gertrude’s worst nightmare.

A real-life black cat shows up to oversee the spooky festivities. He approves of the spookiness level.

It’s time for a Scary Farm historical tour by Ted Dougherty, author of, “Knott’s Halloween Haunt: A Picture History.”

Scary Farm has sure come a long way from the themed peek-ins in Ghost Town that it started with.

The Barn housed the most gruesome thing to have ever been at haunt. In 1980’s “Tomb of Terror” maze there was a real human mummified corpse!

As media gather around The Wilderness Dance Hall to experience Pinocchio Unstrung, Ted explains to us that The Wilderness Dance Hall is the most significant maze location in Knott’s history. In 1977, the “Ten Chilling Chambers” maze, which wrapped around the dance hall, was the first maze ever built for Scary Farm. Every maze at every amusement park worldwide can trace its roots back to that maze!

The Pinocchio Unstrung monsters have just gone through Scare School and are ready to terrorize guests. Here we go!

This may be their first time in the maze, but they’re already pros at creeping you out...

Staring you down...

And running back and forth, lurking in the shadows!

I spy a monster in a monster!

There’s something about the monsters being in normal clothes that’s almost creepier than when they’re in costume. You don’t expect normal looking people to behave this way!

It’s fun seeing the monsters as they’re just learning their maze, experiencing it with them for the first time.

Of course Pinocchio still makes a sick and twisted appearance.

Ahhh!!! Scare School is a success! Gertrude is terrifying!

Now that the monsters have graduated from Scare School, they’re ready to bring your nightmares to life! Knott’s Scary Farm opens September 25th... we can’t wait! Thanks to Knott’s for giving us this behind the scenes peek at Scary Farm, and thank you for checking out our report!

Edited September 18, 2014 by ILoveRides

[laqueefa]

 

Cant wait for the 27th!

[Jew]

I would have loved to have heard Ted talk about the history of Haunt. He's a great guy who is very passionate about Haunt!

[cfc]

Are they taught how to properly say "boogie, boogie, boogie"?

 

I agree with Joey, and would love to hear more about the history of Knott's Scary Farm. It really was a game-changing event for the entire theme-park industry.

[SharkTums]

Very cool! I think it's brilliant for Knott's to invite the media out to see how the scare actors are put through the paces and they get to try some stuff out.

[Jew]

^I totally agree that it's awesome they have started to invite the media to get a more behind the scenes look.

 

The funny thing about that is that (at least back in my time), Scare School was thought of as a joke amongst the veterans. One year for dress rehearsals, I just held up a sign that said "I went through scare school and all I got was this piece of paper" and another year I made one that said "Scare School Dropout" with a shaker can in my other hand.

[ILoveRides]

I would have loved to have heard Ted talk about the history of Haunt. He's a great guy who is very passionate about Haunt!

 

I agree with Joey, and would love to hear more about the history of Knott's Scary Farm. It really was a game-changing event for the entire theme-park industry.

 

It was a great talk! Rick West from Theme Park Adventure took video of the whole event, including the talk. I'll post a link to his video when that gets put up so you can hear everything that was said.