Halloween in California? Tips /travel advice?

[anonymouscactus]

So I'm planning a trip at the end of September with my fiancee to take advantage of our season passes and our love of Halloween. I picked a time when I know all the parks have started Halloween stuff but avoiding opening weekends.

 

I pretty much priced it all out but had some questions and concerns.

 

Here is my crazy spreadsheet:

 

First off, I'm a cheap ass and picked the hotels I did because they are all CHOICE hotels (I earn points, they usually do stay 2 nights get 1 free promos, and I get a AAA discount without prepaying) and I generally won't spend more than ~$100 on a room. That being said I check reviews on various sites and look for the best value.

 

1) So my first question, has anyone used SIXT rental cars? They are by far the cheapest, and normally I wouldn't go cheapest, but for one way rentals they are the only ones that aren't outrageously priced (I'm picking up at LAX and dropping off at San Jose or San Francisco). Any tips or advice? Anything I need to watch out for?

 

2) I've had annual passes to Universal Orlando so there isn't too much new at Hollywood for us. I've never been. I want to do the 2pm combo (provided they offer it this year) so I can do the tram tour (fast/furious, Kong), hit up mummy, maybe see waterworld, and do the other unique things. This also gives us early access to the houses as I'd like to avoid the FOL pass. It looks like they go to 2am even on Thursday's so I don't think we will have trouble doing everything based on reviews and trip reports I've read. Any personal experiences cramming in all of the haunts on a Thursday night? Advice?

 

3) I'm not too worried about Knott's. We will have the entire day, plan on the boofet, and I'm hoping we can get the haunts in without Skeleton key provided I follow the advice of what order to do everything in from reports I've read. Worst case I'll get a skeleton key.

 

4) Magic Mountain is going to be an all day affair. This is going to be a Saturday during fright fest so I'm budgeting a GOLD flash pass. Depending on how lines are for the Haunts I might get the express option too and to also get a head start on some sleep for a long drive the next day. Still not too worried about this just wish the one reservation rule wasn't in effect for some rides.

 

Now where things get dicey due to timing, traffic, and other potential unknowns as I have never been to these parks before...

 

5) Heading up to Discovery Kingdom (not doing fright fest) and they open at NOON. I've never been to the park and don't know much about it other than the website. Getting their at noon with lack of sleep might be tough. I want to get everything done by 5 so we can head to CGA. I do want to see the animal exhibits. I do want to ride joker multiple times. V2 is unique. The clones I can skip. No water park. Is 3-5 hours enough to do this? Do they have any animal shows or is it just exhibits? I am not budgeting a flash pass for this park. Any other must-dos?

 

6) CGA is going to be the toughest. Even though Sunday night shouldn't be crowded, I have to fit in both rides AND haunts as I've never been before. I'm thinking fright lane will be a waste because lines won't be too bad. I've done a million Skeleton key rooms at other parks so that's not a loss, but even with short lines and even if we did get the key, I'm thinking 5 hours isn't enough to do everything and each coaster once. Any advice for this? How are ride lines during haunt? Should I do rides first then haunts, or would it be more effective to do the reverse? Or mix them up depending on where I'm walking? I don't know ANYTHING about this park.

 

Anyone see any other potential issues with my itinerary other then the fact I'm going to be exhausted as all hell?

 

Oh, and what are tolls like in that area? Do I need cash to avoid paying the rental car fees for a transponder? I don't recall any tolls around LA 9 years ago...

 

Thanks!

[Jew]

I would definitely give yourself more commute time for the so cal parks. Those distances are only if traffic is non-existent, which is rare.

 

I would still also highly recommend the FOL pass for HHN---even with early access to the mazes, queue lines fill up FAST. Last year all three of the houses on the Metro sets were 45 min+ within the first hour.

[coasterbill]

Damn, you're gonna die.

 

I believe Scary Farm usually closes at 1 or 2 AM, and since you'll be on EST since it's your first full day it'll feel like 5 AM at park close followed by a 30 minute drive before you need to hurry up and sleep so you can drive 45 minutes to Magic Mountain the next day. Don't get me wrong... I'd probably do that crazy sh*t too, but it's still crazy.

[anonymouscactus]

Crazy? Yeah. Probably. lol

 

I guess we'll see how it all plays out. And yes the commute times listed I know were best case scenarios and I'll budget differently when the time comes.

 

Another question:

Does anyone know if dining plans are good during haunt and scary farm? Might be worth it to try and get a dining plan this year (only $108 USD for platinum dining from Canada's Wonderland!) along with funpix along with all season drink (hooray no souvenir bottle!!)... damn Cedar Fair, take all my money -- gotta love how they charge the same amount in Canadian currency for all the platinum stuff and add-ons. I'll be visiting Cedar Point (I know their food sucks) and Kings Island and Wonderland multiple times so I should probably give it a try... at least on one of our two passes so we can still eat worthwhile stuff not good on the plan. (Already planned on going to CP's brew & bbq this year!)

 

The only other thing is the possibility that HHN will NOT be on that Thursday (last year Hollywood it was, year before it wasn't, Orlando does not have that Thursday this year) in that case I will have to swap Knott's and Universal Thursday and Friday... in which case I know I will need a FOL pass for HHN for sure if I have to go on a Friday.

 

I guess we shall see!

[SoCalJasonland]

Does anyone know if dining plans are good during haunt and scary farm? Might be worth it to try and get a dining plan this year (only $108 USD for platinum dining from Canada's Wonderland!) along with funpix along with all season drink (hooray no souvenir bottle!!)... damn Cedar Fair, take all my money -- gotta love how they charge the same amount in Canadian currency for all the platinum stuff and add-ons. I'll be visiting Cedar Point (I know their food sucks) and Kings Island and Wonderland multiple times so I should probably give it a try... at least on one of our two passes so we can still eat worthwhile stuff not good on the plan. (Already planned on going to CP's brew & bbq this year!)

 

Dining is not valid during the haunt so you would have to get your meals in during the day before the park closes. I don't know if the all season drinks will be good for anything at Knott's. We haven't received any word that it will be introduced at our park yet.