By Warren Gordon and
Justin Watts
Staff Writers
As Halloween approaches, both Universal Studios and Knott’s Berry Farm have begun their annual tradition of converting their popular amusement parks into massive haunted houses. While both parks are thoroughly terrifying, Universal proves to be undoubtably superior, with creative exhibits that deliver far better scares than anything Knott’s has to offer.
Universal Studios is a Hollywood-based amusement park that, despite generally having few rides throughout the year, has gained popularity for an emphasis on movie-based attractions since its opening in 1964, such as a tour of studio backlots. In contrast, Knott’s is a far more traditional amusement park, boasting a wide variety of roller-coasters and other rides.
Beginning in late September, both parks receive major makeovers, transitioning from traditional amusement parks to focusing on all-things-scary. Both open seasonal haunted houses and cover the entirety of the parks with actors in costumes, ranging from zombies to clowns.
The mazes at Universal are impressive with their thoughtful design. Like the park during most of the year, many of the mazes are based on a film or television show, such as “The Walking Dead” and “From Dusk Till Dawn.” The sheer amount of fan-fare throughout the park creates the sensation of there always being something intriguing to find around each and every corner.
Even more impactful is the sense of mystery in the mazes. Each one is heavily decorated with props, lighting and fog effects, constantly drawing the attention of the park-goer. As a result, the actors have the element of surprise, making each scare all the more shocking.
The most notable attraction at Universal is the Terror Tram. This adaptation of the standard backlot tour takes park-goers into the rural area surrounding the park. From there the tour forces the group to navigate its ways back through a hoard of actors dressed like zombies. The sense of desolation created by being separated from the crowd of the park gives the Terror Tram an unnerving atmosphere that is unmatched by anything seen at Knott’s.
Unfortunately, Knott’s fails to match the quality horror seen at Universal. The actors and opportunities for jump scares throughout the park do offer a sizable amount of scares, but the mazes lack the detail to keep park-goers from easily spotting hidden actors, hindering the appeal of the mazes. Furthermore, all the mazes do not expand beyond straightforward themes, like zombies or clowns, resulting in a disappointing lack of creativity when compared to Universal.
The one advantage Knott’s does have is there always being something to do at the park. With a limited number of events and rides, lines at Universal can take up to an hour. Knott’s, however, has lines that generally take 15 minutes, and a majority of the park’s traditional rides are still open, presenting an opportunity for diversity not present at Universal.
The key difference between the parks comes down to the question of quantity versus quality. Knott’s definitely has more to experience, but Universal’s creativity and relevant themes make the park much more engaging. Since these parks only open up once a year, it is hard to favor Knott’s abundance of rides over Universal’s genuine thrills, especially for those specifically looking for a good Halloween scare.
Knott’s Scary Farm and Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights both opened on Sept. 26 and end Oct. 31. Tickets for Knott’s start at $75, while Universal starts at $62.
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