Halloween Review - Knott's Scary Farm VS Halloween Horror Nights

Knott's Scary Farm at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park   

VS   

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood

This last weekend me and my daughters had the opportunity to enjoy both of these events and I want to share my perspective with you in the following review as well as provide some side by side Statistics to help you decide which event best suits you and your family.                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Review of Price Comparison

Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights costed us $229 each for the After 2PM Day/Night Combo Front of Line ticket.

Cons

• Can not use the front of the line pass until 7PM, meaning from 2PM to 7PM you are waiting in line for rides.
• The pass does not include parking, which will cost another $25-50 depending on the lot you park in. We paid $35 for preferred parking.
• The pass does not include food of any kind. Eat first or pay to eat in the park.
• You can only cut the line once per attraction. This is a major negative for me as we wanted to do some of the houses again and ride more rides at the end and this meant waiting in lines.
• Total cost after parking and admission for 3 persons $779 and this did not include food costs.

See the Price Breakdown of R.I.P. Tour at Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood for the next step up which is another $100 per person.

Knott's Scary Farm costed us $153.99 each for the Scary Farm All Inclusive Ticket.

Pros

• They let you into the park at 6PM and you are able to use the front of the line pass imediatly.
• Includes free parking, a value of $18.
• The pass includes a free Boo-fet dinner, a $28.99 value where you eat from a pretty decent spread with monsters for entertainment.
• The pass is unlimited front of the line, cut the line to ride rides and enter the houses over and over as often as you please.
• Total cost for 3 persons after parking, food and admission, $461.97.

Review of Attractions, Haunted Houses and Scare Zones

Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights has 7 Haunted Houses (8 if you count the year round Walking Dead Attraction), 3 Scare Zones and a Terror Tram. All in all 12 Halloween attractions and 4 rides remain open (Transformers, Jurassic Park, Simpsons and the Mummy).

Overall I was disappointed and liked 2016 Halloween Horror Nights more, Krampus was my favorite from the last 2 years. It seems like they are so focused on finding a movie theme and did not put proper effort into the costumes and mazes. You could see the necks of those scare actors with masks and with the number of people moving through at the same time, they could not get back in place to jump out.  For being a movie studio, overall it was pretty amateurish.

• American Horror Story: Roanoke - This was average overall. 3/5
• Stanley Kubrick's The Shining - This was average as well, but perhaps my hopes had been to high. 3/5
• SAW: The Games of Jigsaw - This was the best and had the pass allowed reentry at the front of the line, I would have gone again. An immersive scene which included a stunning scent helped raise it to the top. 5/5
• Ash vs Evil Dead - This was a total waste. Repetitive and lacked any creativity. More comedy than scare and that is a reference to the costumes and makeup. 1/5
• Insidious: Beyond the Further - This was also just average. 3/5
• Titans of Terror better - This one was one of the better ones, even though it was fairly repetitive. This was also the Theme of the Terror Tram. 4/5
• The Horrors of Blumhouse - This one was also average and probably rated a little higher than I normally would have, but since it went through more than one movie (Purge, Sinister and Happy Death Day) it made it a little more interesting. Had it been based on any one of the movies alone it would have likely been a 2. 3/5
• Terror Tram - Other than giving your feet a break, the photo op with Norman Bates at the Bates home is the major plus. The Friday the 13th area was probably the most creative section. 3/5

Knott's Scary farm surprised me, far more bang for the buck. 9 Haunted houses (10 if you count the Timber mountain Log Ride conversion to Halloween Hootenanny), 4 scare zones. 14 Halloween attractions and 10 rides remain open.

There were a lot of teenagers here, so the unlimited ride pass really saved time when riding rides. The scare actors had hidden tunnels and were able to pop out in multiple places when compensating for the large number of people moving through. This allowed them to get more than 1 person to jump. After visiting this, I may skip Halloween Horror nights all together in the future. Just appeared more thought and effort went into the themes and layout and it is nearly 40% cheaper.

• Dark Ride - Interesting theme and props. Survive a broken down amusement park ride. 5/5
• Paranormal Inc. - Now this one, the beginning is the best part. No Spoilers here, but it is a repeat house from previous years. 5/5
• Pumpkin Eater - This one had a surprise waiting that made some people stop moving through the maze. Definitely a top of the list maze. 5/5
• Shadow Lands - Had a hard time finding the entrance, was a little hidden and not as highly marked as the others. I liked the beginning of this one as well. 5/5
• Special Ops: Infected - This was interactive. You "laser tag" by shooting zombies and try to make it out alive. The gun records kills and damage you take. This one was worth doing twice. 5/5
• The Red Barn - Was not sure if the rushing us through was part of the theme, but there was a kid that refused to enter so some scare going on there. 4/5
• The Tooth Fairy - This was an interesting theme, though some parts were a little demented. 4/5
• Trick or Treat: Lights Out - This was interactive. You were given a flashlight that slowly dies as you make your way through the Haunted House. 5/5
• Voodoo - I have to admit, there was one spot in this one that made me jump. Only 1 out of the 17 mazes between the two parks so it has to get a 5 as well.

In the end Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights was just average and more expensive than it should have been in comparison to Knott's Scary Farm.