Knott's 40th Halloween Haunt: Part 2 - Ghost Town

Next up in this multi-part Knott's Scary Farm series, we will be visiting the Ghost Town section of the park.

Pumpkin-headed goblins adorn the posts just inside the main entrance of the park.

Once inside the entrance, guests are greeted by these four characters.

The sun hasn't quite set yet, but fog is already being pumped into the streets and the monsters have started roaming around.

This guy is angry because he was stuck on Windseeker for three hours!

This one is just waiting to pounce on some unsuspecting guest.

Awwwww.....he found a friend!

This bride had a red glowing "beating" heart that was visible through her dress.....just like Disneyland's Haunted Mansion bride used to have! Unfortunately, the heart is not showing up in this photo.

Here are some random Ghost Town "monsters."

The Scarecrow:

The Little Old Lady:

Jack Nicholson:

I haven't come up with a name for this guy yet.

This group was hiding in the fog in front of Goldie's Place.

Last year, I did a Haunt post showing some of the various skeletons that were posed throughout Ghost Town. Here's one that is hanging out near Judge Roy Bean's place this year.

And this one was sitting on the Butterfield Stagecoach overpass.

This guy was actually hanging out UNDERNEATH the overpass and surprising guests that were passing by.

One of the Ghost Town walk-through mazes is "Terror Of London." The park map gives this description of the maze, "Encounter Jack the Ripper in the dense London Fog."

Here are a couple of Knott's publicity pics of the interior of the maze......minus the monsters!

Another Ghost Town Maze is, "Pinocchio Unstrung" which is set up inside the old Jeffries Barn/Wilderness Dance Hall structure.

The description in the park map states, "Denied his one wish, Pinocchio unleashes his revenge."

This scary Pinocchio marionette hangs over the entrance to the maze. A similar marionette is currently on display in the new 40th Halloween Haunt Museum.

Pinocchio himself can be found hanging around outside the entrance, terrorizing guests with a sharp pointy object!

Here are a few Knott's publicity pics showing the interior of the maze.

The Calico Log Ride has been converted into, "The Evil Dead." A remake of the 1981 movie is due to be released in 2013 by Sony Pictures Entertainment. The park map gives this description of the attraction, "Discover a book of the dead and summon dormant demons living in the Log Ride."

And here is that book of the dead.

This guy is possessed! Billy Campbell, is that you?

Later in the evening, we had a chance encounter with him as he left his post in the Log Ride.

These next two figures can be found hanging around outside the Calico Mine Train.

The Mine Train has not been given a special name this year for the Haunt. A prerecorded soundtrack has been added though, as well as some minimal decor. The Green Witch has taken up residence inside the mine.....

....along with some other inhabitants.

For their 40th Halloween Haunt, Knott's has brought back the traditional "witch hanging" show ("The Witching Hour"). The gallows can be seen here on the far right side of the Calico Square stage.

Also performed on that stage is "The Hanging Games," which is this year's traditional lampooning of pop culture. The victims include Snooki and her baby, Obama and Romney, Facebook's Timeline, and the Mayan calendar (and a whole lot more). Ultimately, Kristen Stewart is designated as the top "celebrity offender" of the year for being "a horrible actress and for cheating on Robert Pattinson." She is hanged by the neck while wearing a Snow White dress.....the "Disney" version of the Snow White dress!

I will leave you for now with this image of the Green Witch. In addition to being found in the Calico Mine Ride, she can be seen roaming the park AND she also appears in her very own maze this year. We will take a look at that maze in my next post!

Knott's 40th Halloween Haunt: Part 1 - Park Map & Merchandise

Well, it's that time of year again......time for Knott's Berry Farm to be converted into Knott's Scary Farm! This also happens to be the 40th year of this special event. We will start this multi-part series with the gate brochure/park map.

"Trick or Treat" and "Pinocchio Unstrung" are both walk-thru mazes that are making their debuts this year.

Also new this year is "Trapped," an interactive maze that is not included in the price of Haunt admission.

Limited edition merchandise has been created specially for the 40th Haunt. For $10, guests may purchase a commemorative trick or treat bag that contains one of the masks seen below. They can then take the bag to three different locations near the "Trick or Treat" maze and receive a commemorative shot glass, a key chain, and a deck of cards. The black trick or treat bags can be seen below along with four of the masks.

This display case outside of Virginia's Gift Shop shows "trick or treaters" or "tricksters" wearing the masks.

Live versions of the "tricksters" can also be found roaming through the park. Here is the Vampiress.....

.....and the Skeleton.

Additional 40th Haunt merchandise can be found for sale throughout the park.

This Elvira shirt was being sold in the new Halloween Haunt Museum. Elvira actually made a rare Knott's Scary Farm appearance just last week. She was at the Haunt Museum signing autographs and posing for pictures. She also served as hostess that night for one of the "Hanging" shows in Calico Square.

Also appearing at the Haunt Museum on select dates this month is Ted Dougherty, author of the new book, "Knott's Scary Farm Halloween Haunt: A Picture History."

Here's Ted signing copies of his book while one of the Ghost Town "monsters" watches over him.

A special series of "40th Halloween Haunt" trading cards has been created and are being handed out individually at various locations throughout the park. This first card was only available on September 21st and 22nd, the first two nights of the Haunt.

This will be a multi-part series, so please stay tuned for more of Knott's 40th Halloween Haunt!

Knott's Berry Farm - The Halloween Haunt Museum Opens!

In honor of their 40th Halloween Haunt, Knott's Berry Farm has opened a special Haunt Museum. The museum is located in Ghost Town in a building that was originally the City of Downey's very first post office. Since being moved to Knott's in 1952, it has contained many different stores including the Bonnet Shop, but it was also the original location of the "Mrs. Murphy's Boarding House" peek-in.

The dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the museum was held today. The "ribbon" was actually a chain and can be seen here stretched across the front steps. (Note the address on the building is 1973, the year of the very first Halloween Haunt.)

Here's a close up.

Jeff Shadic, the head of Park Decor is seen here cutting the ribbon. Standing next to him is Jeff Tucker, the Entertainment Director at Knott's. Standing on either side of them are Haunt Designers, Daniel Miller, Brooke Walters (left side of porch), Todd Faux, and Lara Hanneman (out of the photo on far right.)

First to enter the museum were original Haunt designers, Gary Salisbury, Jim Mayfield and John Waite.

The museum contains props and costumes used in past Haunts.....

.....including Elvira's dress and couch from her stage shows at the Good Time/Ghoul Time Theater.

This ghost was recently discovered hidden away in the Calico Log Ride. John Waite posed for a moment next to his original creation.

The ghost was one of many that were used in earlier Halloween Haunts. This photo shows them hanging in the Calico Mine Ride in the 1970's.

Here's a photo of John Waite "making finishing touches" to the Calico Mine Ride in 1977.

Along the wall of the museum are timelines showing how the Halloween Haunts evolved over the years. The timelines begin with the very first Haunt in 1973.....

....and go all the way up to 2011.

Here's a photo of Wolfman Jack posing in Boot Hill in 1975, the year that he replaced the Haunt's original host, Seymour.

Also on display, is the prosthetic nose worn by the Haunt's original witch in 1973 and 1974.

This is a doll that was used in the Doll Factory maze in 2007.

Here's the concept art for a banshee that would scare guests riding the Calico Mine Ride in 1994.

More props and concept art......

.....as well as tickets and press materials from past Haunts.

This display case contains a Crypt Keeper mask used in 2000 for "The Hanging" show, as well as a miniature Crypt Keeper puppet.

There is also brand new artwork on display including this concept for a 2012 Haunt facade.....

.....and this marionette from the upcoming 2012 Haunt maze, "Pinocchio Unstrung."

Haunt fans can also purchase merchandise in the museum.

This commemorative set of reproduced Haunt tickets is limited to an edition of forty, and will be available in the museum beginning September 12th.

I hope everyone enjoyed this visit to Knott's Halloween Haunt museum. The next time you are at Knott's, be sure to stop by and take a look. It is a wonderful and welcome addition to the Farm!

Happy Birthday, Disneyland!

In honor of Disneyland's 57th birthday today, I'm posting a few buttons from my personal collection. These first two were available for park guests to purchase on July 17th, 1985 and 1986 for Disneyland's 30th and 31st birthdays. I remember the button from the 30th birthday quickly selling out that day and I also remember being approached later in the evening by a park guest offering to buy mine for $20!

This next button was available only to cast members for Disneyland's 53rd birthday in 2008.

And this is the button that cast members were given just last year for Disneyland's 56th birthday.

It seems that the cast members are now given a special button to wear every year on July 17th, but there have been very few years that buttons have been available to park guests. The only July 17th-specific birthday buttons that I am aware of are the first two posted above from 1985 and 1986, and the one below from 1980 that was given to those attending a special 25 hour party for Disneyland's 25th birthday. To read more about that 25 hour party from 1980, click HERE.

Happy 57th Birthday, Disneyland!!!