Halloween is just around the corner, yet there are plenty of ways to get into the spirit if you live in Southern California. I was invited to experience Knott’s Berry Farm’s family friendly Halloween celebration, known as “Knott’s Spooky Farm” as a blogger guest during their opening weekend, accompanied by my 4-year-old niece.
Not to be confused with its much scarier counterpart Knott’s Scary Farm, the Spooky Farm is open only on weekends in October (as well as Halloween Day, which falls on a Monday), and features spook-tacular festivities for the whole family to enjoy!
Costumes are encouraged for little ones and Knott’s Spooky Farm is age appropriate for children aged 4-11. There are park-wide festivities available for families that want to have some Halloween fun without any of the fright and we chose some of the recommended activities that my niece would enjoy. Here are some highlights that you shouldn’t miss when you visit!
Meet & Greet with the Peanuts Gang!
Whether you’re a fan of Charlie, Lucy, Sally, Linus, or Snoopy, there are plenty of opportunities to snap a photo with the Peanuts gang, who are decked out in their Halloween best!
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- Frankenstein Charlie Brown
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- Zorro Snoopy
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- Phantom of the Opera Schroeder
It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!
New for 2016, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the animated classic It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!, Knott’s Spooky Farm is hosting “Linus’ Great Pumpkin Patch” at the Craft Barn in Ghost Town. The little ones can watch the film, do a bean bag toss with a giant pumpkin head, complete some coloring pages, or – for a nominal fee – decorate their own pumpkin.
Ghost Town Treat Stops
Upon entrance into Knott’s, each child was handed an orange trick-or-treat bag and we were given a flyer that indicated what activities were part of Knott’s Spooky Farm. As we made our way through Ghost Town, friendly ghosts stopped to chat and welcome us through the town. Kids used the orange bags to participate in some trick-or-treating. There are 6 trick-or-treat stations, each paired with tiny doors with doorbells that the kids can ring and hear spooky sounds.
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- Ghostly Sheriff
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- Spooky doorbell
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- Friendly Treat Stops
Spooky Hallow Maze
In Camp Snoopy, we traveled over to the Spooky Hallow maze. This hay bale maze actually features many different jack-o-lanterns in a spooky forest – but don’t worry, my 4-year-old niece didn’t find it too scary! We caught a glimpse of the elusive headless horseman and at the end of the maze, kids could decorate plastic pumpkins a la Mr. Potato Head (but would have to hand those back after they are finished). There are many photo ops available in this area.
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- Spooky Hallow entrance
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- The headless horseman!
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- My niece’s pumpkin creation
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- A friendly crow in the maze
Monsters Are Coming Charlie Brown
We caught the 1 o’clock showing of “Monsters Are Coming Charlie Brown!”. This is a dance party show in the Camp Snoopy Theatre where the Peanuts gang and their friend JT sang and danced to their favorite Halloween tunes. I highly suggest getting to the Camp Snoopy Theatre early to claim a good seat for the show because it will be popular – we seated ourselves about 25 minutes before the show began. It was a fun song-and-dance performance, including revamped versions of the “Ghostbusters” theme song, “Time Warp,” and even “Thriller!” Watch our Instagram video of one of the performances!
All Day Dining Plan
Chicken tenders + fries & chicken tenders a la carte
For those families that find themselves eating quite frequently during their visit to Knott’s, you can purchase an “All Day Dining Plan” for $31.99 (plus tax). For each dining plan, you will receive a wristband, where you can redeem one entree and one side at seven different participating locations – every 90 minutes! With many of the combo meals being offered at more than $10/each, this can be a really affordable option for families.
Drinks are not included, but Knott’s does offer a souvenir cup for as low as $10.99 (if you purchase online – in park, they are $14.99) and can be redeemed for free refills on your day of purchase, and $1 refills when you bring the souvenir cup back throughout the season!
We had plenty of food for two adults and one child, and we could have kept redeeming for different food items such as cheeseburgers, pizza, chicken tenders, sandwiches, and even Caesar salads.
The Details
When is Knott’s Spooky Farm happening? These family fun weekends are happening in October, plus Halloween Day, from 10am – 4:00pm. Only admission to Knott’s Berry Farm is required (ticket prices vary) – no separate event ticket is necessary. This is a limited time event, so don’t miss out – only a few weekends left!
Overall, my niece had a really fun time trick-or-treating, feeling the Halloween spirit throughout Ghost Town, and exploring the mazes and pumpkins. Families can really enjoy the different aspects of Halloween time through performances, educational walk-throughs, and lots of interactive activities.We only missed out on the Dia De Los Muertos presentation in Fiesta Village and the Ghastly Gallery in the Boardwalk Ballroom, so there is plenty to fill up your day between 10 am-4 pm.
Disclosure: Knott’s Berry Farm provided admission tickets, meal vouchers, and a parking ticket. I was not compensated for this write-up.
