2012 California Theme Park Halloween Events

Virtually every major (and many of the minor) theme parks and amusement parks now offer Halloween-themed events. But the concept began in California when Knott's Berry Farm morphed into Knott's Scary Farm in 1972. That park is celebrating its 40th anniversary hosting its annual Haunt. Find out what's happening at Knott's as well as other California parks for the 2012 Halloween season.

Knott's Scary Farm Halloween Haunt and Snoopy's Costume Party

• Knott's Berry Farm
• 2012 dates: September 21, 22, and 27 to 30. October 4 to 7, 11 to 14, 18 to 21, 25 to 28, 30, and 31.
• More info: Knott's Scary Farm 2012 Overview

Halloween Horror Nights

• Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal City, CA
• 2012 dates: Sept. 21, 22, 28, 29. Oct. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31.
• More info: Halloween Horror Nights 2012 Overview

Disney's Halloween Time and Mickey's Trick-or-Treat Party

Disneyland Resort

• Halloween Time
• 2012 dates: September 14 to October 31
• Cost: Included in admission to both parks.
• Disneyland's Halloween Time official page.

Disneyland and Disney California Adventure add some jack-o-lanterns and cobwebs to the parks and offer their own Halloween events -- albeit considerably tamer ones than the gross-out freak-fests at Knott's, Universal Studios, and other parks. Disneyland park will once again transform its classic Haunted Mansion attraction with a Halloween-meets-Christmas theme into Haunted Mansion Holiday. By overlaying the characters from "Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas," the attraction is able to maintain its haunted aura while introducing some off-kilter Yuletide cheer. It's a unique way to celebrate and bridge two holiday seasons. Disneyland will also reprise Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, a re-themed ride on the classic coaster that includes ghostly apparitions among the projected cosmos.

Throughout the two California parks, Mickey and the gang will be decked out in their Halloween finest. Also, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, which terrorizes guests year-round at Disney California Adventure, is accessorized for Halloween and all the spookier. Disneyland's second park will also present an exhibit about Frankenweenie, the new Tim Burton film that will debut later this year.

Mickey's Halloween Party

• Disneyland Park, Anaheim, CA
• 2012 dates: September 28, October 2, 5, 9, 12, 15, 19, 23, 26, 29, and 31.
• Cost: $64 ($69 on Oct. 29 and 31). Requires a separate ticket and is not included with daily admission to Disneyland. Discounted advance tickets are available online for certain dates.
• Mickey's Halloween Party official page.

In addition to the seasonal fun Disney will be conjuring during the day, it will stage an extra-charge nighttime Halloween event, Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland, that will include live music, trick-or-treat stations, craft-making, activities, and other mildly spooky fun for tykes (of all ages), as well as selected rides and attractions, and a Halloween Screams fireworks show featuring Jack Skellington from "Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas."

Fright Fest

• Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia (near Los Angeles), CA
• 2012 dates: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in October: Oct. 5 to 7, 12 to 14, 19 to 21, 26 to 28.
• 2012 tickets: Included in Six Flags admission. (Additional fee required for haunted mazes.)
• More info: Six Flags Fright Fests

Fright Fest

• Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo (near San Francisco), CA
• 2012 dates: Sept. 29, 30, Oct. 6, 7, 13, 14, 19 to 21, 26 to 28.
• 2012 tickets: Included in Six Flags admission. (Additional fee required for haunted mazes.)
• More info: Six Flags Fright Fests

Brick-or-Treat Trail and Brick-or-Treat Party Nights

• Legoland California, Carlsbad (near San Diego), CA
• 2012 dates for Brick-or-Treat Trail: Oct. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28.
  2012 dates for Brick-or-Treat Party Nights: Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27.
• 2012 tickets: Daytime Brick-or-Treat Trail events and Brick-or-Treat Party Nights are included in Legoland admission. Save time and money. Purchase discount Legoland tickets online. Buy direct from Kijubi.
• Legoland Halloween official info.

Legoland will be presenting some Halloween with its regular attractions and shows. Features will include in-park trick-or-treating. Sea Life aquarium will have a goodie giveaway station as well. There will also be live music, a magician, stilt walkers, and other entertainment. The Party Nights event will add a costume contest and fireworks.

Halloween Haunt and Snoopy's Costume Party

• California's Great America, Santa Clara, CA
• 2012 Halloween Haunt dates: Sept. 28 to 30, Oct. 5 to 7, 12 to 14, 19 to 21, 26 to 28
  2012 Snoopy's Costume Party dates: Oct. 6, 7, 14, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28.
• Snoopy's Costume Party cost: Included in admission to the park.
  2012 Halloween Haunt tickets: Halloween Haunt is a separate admission, nighttime event. Advance discount tickets available online from California's Great America.
• Halloween Haunt official page.

Details are not available for the 2012 event. The following info is about the 2011 event, which should be similar: California's Great America brings on the gore with its separate nighttime Halloween Haunt. Haunted mazes will include Werewolf Canyon (awooo!) and Club Blood, while scare zones such as Dead Man's Cove and Underworld Alley will keep guests screaming outside the mazes. Special Halloween shows will include the Shocking Sideshow of Freaks and Haunted Hypnotics. The Logger's Run log flume gets retrofitted with spooky stuff and will be renamed Black Widow's Cavern.

During the day, Planet Snoopy becomes Planet Spooky during the Halloween season and features family-friendly fun. Kids 12 and under can trick-or-treat in costume for goodies along with the Peanuts gang.

Halloween Spooktacular

• SeaWorld San Diego, San Diego, CA
• 2012 dates: Sep. 29, 30, Oct. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28.
• Cost: Included in SeaWorld admission
• Halloween Spooktacular official page.

SeaWorld will present special shows, treats, and family fun at its G-rated event. Kids can come in costume (or not). Among the highlights will be the walk-through maze, The Search for Captain Lucky’s Treasure, and what the park is calling an "underwater Halloween Fantasea."