Knott's Scary Farm 2018: Opening Night! Trip Report

We recently got invited to attend Knott’s Scary Farm 46th Season Opening Night and it was AMAZING! There were so much to see and do that we had to come back again to see the two shows we missed “Hecks!” & “Conjurers” on opening night. We had a Spooktacular fun time at this event.

Knott’s Scary Farm is one of the most affordable haunt events in Southern California that offers 14 haunted attractions including 2 new mazes and scare zones. There are also 3 new shows this season. What’s even more amazing is that there are 13 rides that are open during Scary Farm, there more rides than Universal Studios Hollywood Horror Nights ( 3 rides).

This year, the event returns September 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, 30 October 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31. Knott’s Scary Farm is open 7:00 pm – 1:00 am on select Thursdays, Sundays, Monday and Halloween Night. 7:00 pm – 2:00 am Fridays and Saturdays. You guys can also purchase your ticket on Knott’s website by clicking HERE for as LOW as $42 Online or better yet, buy the $99 pass that allows you unlimited visits to Scary Farm with no blackout dates. 22 visits for just $99.

Here’s our maze rankings for this year’s Knott’s Scary Farm:

1. The Depths

2. Trick or Treat: Light Out

3. Dark Ride

4. Dark Entites

5. Paranormal Inc

6. Special Ops Infected

7. Shadow Lands

8. Pumpkin Eater

9. The Red Barn

We arrived at 6PM.

All checked in!

As a media, we got early access to some of the mazes.

Our first maze of the night! Dark Entities. A Brand new maze this year.

The story behind Dark Entities, “Teleport beyond earth and 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!” – Knott’s website

Dark Entities entrance.

The New Dark Entities Maze is so much fun! It’s a pretty long maze too. Definitely better than Tooth Fairy. We give it 8 out of 10.

Here’s a Full walk-through of Dark Entities

Next up: The Depths Maze

The Depths is one of two new mazes this season

The Best Maze of the night goes to The Depths. Wow! This new maze is Insanely good! There’s a Giant octopus & shark. You also walk through a ship that actually rocks back and fourth. Incredible sets. We give it a 10 out of 10. A+

The story behind 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 Night watch 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 and follow the crew’s path into The Depths, discover if the superstition revolving around the cave is true or not. But be warned! All who have entered have never resurfaced.” – Knott’s website

Giant Octopus!

In this scene inside the ship, you actually rocks back and fourth. Incredible!

is that Davy Jones?

Scary Shark!

After checking out two new amazing mazes, we headed to the front of Ghost Town to check out the 7PM rope drop.

We actually got chills seeing all these monsters emerged from the fog.

Next up: Treat or Treat: Light Out. It’s still freaking good. Love the interactive flashlight. We give it a 9 out of 10.

Trick or Treat: Light Out. “Armed with only a faulty flashlight, explore the creepy house at the end of the street, in the upgraded Trick-or-Treat: Lights Out maze. Face the terrors of the house in complete darkness as your interactive flashlight reveals the horrors hiding in the shadows. Featuring new state-of-the-art effects, unexpected scares and other eerie surprises, Trick-or-Treat: Lights Out will terrorize you like never before.” – Knott’s website

Media reception. Awesome Ice Sculpture for shrimp cocktail.

Yummy!

Roast beef

Dinner time! The food was delicious! Really enjoyed the roast turkey and Boysenberry meatballs.

Pumpkin Chili. Not bad. Thanks so much for dinner, Knott’s. The food was scrumptious.

Here are some of the delicious food offerings you guys can get during Knott’s Scary Farm.

Such as the Black Funnel Cake!

After getting re-energized from the food, It was time for Paranormal Inc. Wow! the NEW ending is crazy and unexpected. We give this a 10 out of 10.

Paranormal Inc. – “features high flying aerial stunts and scares as guests help 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.” – Knott’s website

The ending is totally unexpected.

So good! The ending kinda feel like we are in one of the mazes at Universal Studios Hollywood Horror Nights.

Pretty! New Halloween lighting package for Knott’s new coaster HangTime.

Orange and Green like a Pumpkin

Christmas lights remind us of Stranger Things

Pumpkins Fountain looks sweet!

Love the lighting on the Calico Saloon.

Spooky!

Love this view. The Timber Mountain Log Ride with Supreme Scream in the background.

The Timber Mountain Log Ride “Halloween Hootenanny” overlay is pretty cute! It also Looks like there are no live scare actors this year.

Special Ops: Infected is still incredibly FUN!

Special Ops: Infected – “Enlist to fight the zombie apocalypse in an all-out war against the undead in the interactive experience, Black Ops: Infected, which has been unleased in the city.” – Knott’s

Love this show! Very funny and the stunts are incredible.

The Hanging Show. “The Citizens of Calico face their toughest foes yet, the censors; in this 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!” – Knott’s

Battle of the new summer coasters. Disney’s Incredicoaster versus Knott’s HangTime. The winner is… of course Knott’s Hangtime

Elastigirl

Shhhhh! The QUIET

Ready Player One, Thanos, and Pennywise

Venom.

Tide pod challenge

Deadpool

Harvey Weinstein

Harvey Weinstein and Cardi B

Shadow Lands is still a fantastic maze. We give this 8 out of 10.

The Conductor

Forsaken Lake is a new scare zone located by Silver Bullet. Plenty of scares.

Forsaken Lake “For the first time, the lake underneath Silver Bullet reveals the horrors and creatures it’s kept hidden, until now. Forsaken Lake will unleash Gothic creatures, which have been ravaged by the dark and murky waters, as they wander their crypts preying on unsuspecting visitors, looking for victims to drag back to their watery graves.” -Knott’s

Awesome photo op

Back for Round 2.

New photo ops promoting two new mazes: Dark Entities and The Depths in front of the park entrance.

Picked up our 2018 Knott’s Scary Farm passes. We highly recommend getting the $99 pass online. 22 visits for just $99. No blackout dates. Very good deal. It cheaper than going to Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland which cost $115 just for one night of fun.

“Conjurers” is a brand new magic/comedy show at the Bird Cage Theater. Very funny show. Lots of audience participation.

“It’s a BIRD”

Hacks! Cutting Room Floor is another brand new Improv show at Knott’s. The show replaced Elvira.

This show very is very similar to the TV show “Whose Line Is It Anyways?”

Video of Red Barn is from last year.

Red Barn is not that great in our opinion. We give it 4 out of 10.

Pumpkin Eater is a new maze from last year. We thought it was okay. Love the dripping water effects and the vibrating floor. We give this 6 out of 10.