Knott's Scary Farm 2016 Announcement Event

Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, CA

Do you feel that, kids? That's the feeling of Halloween season being just a month away, and yesterday, Knott's Scary Farm held their now-annual preview event revealing everything that will be found at this year's Halloween Haunt. A lot of the content repeated announcements that had been made at Midsummer Scream and Scare L.A., as well as on Knott's own social media. But we also had some brand new news, so without further ado, lets dive right into what was covered!

As with any Scary Farm event, before the actual presentation, they had monsters roaming the Charles M. Schulz Theater, preying upon the unsuspecting or inattentive. This was a great way to provide entertainment and get the crowd pumped for what was to come. After all, what says Halloween more than the terrified shrieks of innocent guests?

La Llorona normally stalks Fiesta de los Muertos, but on this night, her victims were in the theater.

No one was safe.

My, what bountiful hair you have!

Sequel, Haunt's resident mummy, prowls for scares.

There's one.

She was not having any of it.

Of course, her fear was merely everyone's enjoyment.

Calamity was also on hand for unsuspecting victims.

Trouble always follows her.

More Fiesta representation.

Oh, don't think he didn't see you...

The sequel to my earlier Sequel shots.

What's in that box...?

Hammertime.

She's always watching...

Shortly after 8pm, the show got underway, with emcee and Knott's Entertainment Supervisor Jeff Tucker once again hosting the festivities. Things began with the focus on the same box that unleashed the Deadly Seven. Naturally, everyone wondered WHAT'S IN THE BOX??? Well, it turned out to be Jeff himself, and his grand appearance got things going right away.

Oh, it's a Jeff In A Box!

(A Jeff In a Box...!!)

This is the most dapper I've ever seen Jeff.

As usual, he handled his role with flair and pizzazz.

Shows

Like last year and the year before, Knott's Scary Farm will have two new shows--one featuring Elvira in the Charles Schulz Theater, and the annual Hanging show at Calico Square. Elvira's show promises to be all new (read: different storyline, same corny jokes and general assortment of variety acts). The Hanging features a pretty damn strong title. As Knott's has proven over the years, when The Hanging lampoons Disney, good things happen.

Elvira will be back with another dance and acrobatics variety show.
(Image courtesy of Knott's Scary Farm)

But wait, a new challenger approaches!

It's The Lawman... looking strangely younger and more revitalized!

I think he's read for a hanging...

He asks if the audience is ready for a hanging!!

...and then The Lawman was promptly arrested for having an unregistered firearm in the State of California. He'll be back come Haunt. ;)

The tagline? Marvelous.
(Image courtesy of Knott's Scary Farm)

Scare Zones

The big news was actually unveiled at the very end of the preview event. Camp Snoopy would once again return as a scare zone, this time under the new monicker "The Hollow." This scare zone takes on the legend of The Headless Horseman:

"From within the fog, the legendary Headless Horseman and his army of the undead are ready to unleash a reign of terror in the new scare zone, The Hollow. Guests entering the frightful 6-acre area will be terrorized by the souls of fallen soldiers and local farmers that have escaped their shallow graves."

(Image courtesy of Knott's Scary Farm)

With Camp Snoopy taking on the Headless Horseman theme, I guess that entrance prop of dozens of hanging jack-o-lanterns will be a cool and fitting piece now.

Of course, Ghost Town, Carnevil, and Fiesta de Los Muertos are back and promise to be fantastic as always.

(Image courtesy of Knott's Scary Farm)

Mazes

There are three new mazes this year: Black Ops Infected, Shadowlands, and The Red Barn.

The first is a relocation of the interactive experience that has taken over Camp Snoopy the past two years. It has effectively been converted to a maze, with the ticketing system now eliminated (just get in line now). But with plenty of backstage territory, there's a lot of room for a whole new re-imagining of the set and scenery.

Shadowlands takes on a new theme I've not really seen tackled in haunted attractions, drawing inspiration from a variety of Japanese culture and folklore as it follows the story of a disgraced samurai who ventures into death to find honor and redemption. Of course, along the way, plenty of sinister creatures pose chilling and unnerving obstacles.

Finally, The Red Barn takes on a Texas Chainsaw Massacre type theme, sending guests into a rural territory full of sadistic, murderous, cannibalistic hillbillies creatures. This maze promises lots of gore, horrific beasts, and chainsaws!

Mazes back for another year include Trick or Treat, Voodoo, Paranormal Inc., The Tooth Fairy, The Gunslinger's Grave, and The Dead of Winter.

Designers Jon Cooke, Daniel Miller, and Gus Krueger (left to right) on stage to discuss their work.

Black Ops Infected
(Image courtesy of Knott's Scary Farm)

Last year brought a new weapons system (which, as Cooke explained at Midsummer Scream, was brought on to replace the Frankensteined version Knott's kind of self-designed together from parts the year before).

This year, they wanted to free the Infected course from the confines of an existing land. So moving it backstage (by the Mystery Lodge area) provides the freedom to construct an environment purely of Cooke's imagination.

Black Ops Infected will be more intimate than its predecessors, with hand-to-hand range combat, which is sure to heighten intensity and heart rate. This maze takes the place of previous year's Nevermore.

(Image courtesy of Knott's Scary Farm)

Shadowlands: Live by the Sword, Die by the Sword
(Image courtesy of Knott's Scary Farm)

This is another Jon Cooke-designed maze.

a.k.a. #SeppukuMaze (credit to my friend, Marni, for that nickname... which I absolutely love)

This maze replaces Black Magic in the Xcelerator area and takes guests through hordes of demon samurai, from a sacred shrine and Japanese temple into the cursed shadowlands where creatures of Japanese lore lurk.

Cooke has been doing fantastic, cutting edge, innovative stuff lately, so I can't wait to see what this new offering provides.

The Red Barn
(Image courtesy of Knott's Scary Farm)

Daniel Miller and Gus Krueger are tag-teaming The Red Barn, a slasher-themed maze full of demented and blood thirsty characters. Though the theme isn't that unique to haunted attractions in general, this looks well put together and VERY gory. Miller's twisted and bloody vision should especially help. This will replace Pinocchio Unstrung at the Wilderness Dance Hall.

The Tooth Fairy
(Image courtesy of Knott's Scary Farm)

Daniel Miller's sick and disturbing creation focused around dentalphobia (I just made that word up) is back for another year. No new tweaks were discussed.

Of course, the maze is bloody and sick enough already. It probably doesn't need much more work.

Gunslinger's Grave: A Blood Moon Rises
(Image courtesy of Knott's Scary Farm)

Gus Krueger's creation is back for another year over across from Silver Bullet. Last year brought a refresh to the maze, and this year looks to repeat 2015's offering.

Voodoo: Order of the Serpent
(Image courtesy of Knott's Scary Farm)

Originally a Brooke Walter creation, Voodoo was shifted to Daniel Miller last year. It sounds like there may be a few cosmetic enhancements, but this gorgeous maze also looks to remain mostly the same.

Trick or Treat
(Image courtesy of Knott's Scary Farm)

Last year, Trick or treat's back third was redesigned and extended, resulting in a fantastic improvement to this great maze focused on Knott's Scary Farm's icon--the Green Witch! Again, it looks like things will stay the same this year, but I don't really think any changes are needed.

Paranormal, Inc.
(Image courtesy of Knott's Scary Farm)

Guests will once again join the Paranormal, Inc. TV crew in conducting readings for supernatural manifestations at the Hayden Hill Sanitarium. Last year's incredible best maze needs no changes for this year.

The Dead of Winter: Wendigo's Revenge
(Image courtesy of Knott's Scary Farm)

The Ice Queen is dead, and the Wendigo (an insatiable, cannibalistic elk-like humanoid creature from Native American lore) has taken over. So has Daniel Miller, who is taking Gus Krueger's new 2015 maze and making it bloodier and, of course, more twisted. Because that's the Daniel Miller thing to do!

Also featured this year will be four sort of "mini-maze" experiences that are included as part of the Skeleton Key. In addition to the customary unlimited front-of-line access to the nine regular mazes, the Skeleton Key will provide one-time access to each of four "Skeleton Key Rooms," which will feature different interactive aspects utilizing new technology.

Rather than have them integrated as bonus parts of regular mazes, the Skeleton Key Rooms have been moved to their own standalone attractions, available only to Skeleton Key purchasers.
(Image courtesy of Knott's Scary Farm)

The first of the four being offered is Visions, which will take place in the former Haunt Museum in Ghost Town and use augmented reality technology to allow guests to find hidden clues, trigger effects, and find the truth to the Sarah Marshal witch trials--the ones that would ultimate result in the rise of the Green Witch.

Slasher puts guests into a Friday the 13th or Halloween slasher flick. In this attraction, guests must escape the "Angel Maker Killer." Besides that, not much other information was given, but it sounds fun!

Zozo is based on a fear of Ouija boards and invites guests to summon a demonic entity. It was based on a friend of Jon Cooke and her extreme fear of Ouija boards.

Finally Prey will feature a hay maze in total darkness--except for a lantern that is actually controlled by outside forces and can brighten or turn off randomly. That is sure to help or hurt you against the beasts that have been released into this hay maze...

Oh look, there's a child with a lantern now! Maybe he's trying to find his way out.

Um, kid, you might want to watch ou--

Oh, he dead.

That pretty much summarizes the Knott's Scary Farm preview event. The Halloween Haunt rises Thursday, September 22, and runs select nights (usually Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays) through Halloween night, October 31. Don't forget that you can also get unlimited visits to Knott's Scary Farm via the Scary Farm Season Pass, available for purchase for $75 plus fees for Knott's Berry Farm season passholders and $85 plus fees for non-passholders. This is a great deal, since it pays for itself after only two or three visits!

Jeff Tucker epic pose.

Yes, that's the look of a guy who did a great job hosting a media event!

Oh, and here are more monsters.

If there's a monster around, I will definitely try to take its photo.

Even if it's the #GTSDeath of me...

Knott's Scary Farm holds a special place in our hearts. The granddaddy of all haunts is what started the whole concept of the Halloween attraction, and the original storylines and production quality they've been doing the past few years has really stepped things up several levels. Haunt rocks. We'll see you in the fog...