Halloween Haunt 2018 at California's Great America

I have been going to Halloween Haunt since its inception 11 years ago--along with most other Halloween events in the area. This year, they did an amazing job and overall the event is perhaps the best it has ever been! I attended the media preview day, which was also open to the public, and sampled all of the mazes and rides firsthand.

One initial general comment, the decorations are far more impressive than previous years.

Food

All of the restaurants inside the park are open during the event. There are some special Halloween treats like the Black Widow Churro Sundae pictured below. Before the park opens, there is an all-you-can-eat "Boofet" with bloody mary grilled chicken, peppercorn tri tip, and spaghetti primavera. My favorite item were these adorable pumpkin breads stuffed with cream cheese. The "Boofet" costs $17 per person and also gets you early entry into the park.

Mazes

This year there are 8 mazes to choose from scattered throughout the park. To avoid backtracking, I would recommend going counter-clockwise starting with Chaos House then the Wax Museum and so on.

There is one brand new maze this year called Tooth Fairy, and I found it to be the scariest maze that Great America has ever done. Production values were excellent and the actors were on point. This was easily my favorite for the 2018 season.

Madame Marie's Blackout was my second favorite. While the maze itself is similar to last year, you run through it in the dark with nothing but a dinky flashlight to guide you through.

Backwoods, CornStalkers, Roadkill Roadhouse, the Wax Museum Chamber of Horrors, Zombie High, and Chaos House are all back, some with minor changes. The only one I would skip is Chaos House with a nonstop annoying strobe light and skimpy decorations. It's a shame since the 3D Clown maze that preceded it was exceptional. Backwoods was my 3rd favorite, which features an open marshy atmosphere and thoughtful design and acting.

In addition to the mazes, there are three scare zones in the park where actors will scare you as you are walking around. The new one for 2018 is themed around Jack-the-ripper.

Rides

Almost every ride in the park is open for Halloween Haunt. If you haven't been to the park in a while, I would recommend their newest rides such as RailBlazer (fastest coaster in the park with a 90 degree drop and many inversions, photo below), Gold Striker, and Mass Effect: New Earth. Old favorites like Flight Deck (I will always call it Top Gun in my head), The Grizzly, Psycho Mouse, Drop Zone, and the Demon are also running.

Shows

They have five shows this year. An opening ceremony, Ed Alonzo, Nytewalkers, Blood Drums, and the Sideshow. Ed Alonzo is absolutely worth seeing, especially since he has quite a bit of new material this year. It's a nice blend of magic tricks, comedy, and musical performances.

Nytewalkers features amazing acrobatics and stunts in the middle of the park (photo below). Blood Drums is percussion-based musical performance and Sideshow is a series of freakish acts that will give you nightmares.

In summary, Halloween Haunt has something for everyone--except kids, you really shouldn't bring them if they are under 12. The event runs on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights until the end of October. The hours are 7pm to 1am on Fridays and Saturday and 7pm to 12am on Sundays, which are also the least busy days. You can learn more and buy tickets over here.

San Jose Halloween Attraction Guide 2014

Wondering which events and haunts to go to this Halloween season? The San Jose Blog has got you covered:

Dead Time Dreams - San Jose

Back for their third year next to a pumpkin patch near Eastridge Mall. They have 2 haunts, which were quite well done despite having fewer actors than some of the places below. There is also a neat midway that connects all of the attractions and features a Halloween store.

World's Largest Haunted House - San Jose

They are known for a very long maze with seemingly never-ending black corridors that break up the scares. For me personally, this is the single scariest maze in the Bay Area.

Halloween Haunt @ California's Great America - Santa Clara

Still the largest Halloween event in Northern California. Now in its seventh year, the word has gotten out on Halloween Haunt and the park is packed even on day 1. There are now 9 haunted mazes, a single haunted ride, 3 scare zones, and various shows (3 of the mazes are new this year). Most rides worth going on are still open--including the new Goldrush--and the roller coasters are being run with all the lights turned off. I would also recommend the Academy of Villains show, which was 100 times more impressive than what we were expecting. This year there is a new option to get a front of the line pass with a skeleton key that unlocks bonus scares in 5 of the haunts. If you go for the key, do not drink the blood in Roadkill Roadhouse... spoiler alert, it tastes like blood and will make you gag.

Pirates of Emerson - Pleasanton

The preeminent Bay Area Halloween event for almost 2 decades always provides a stellar experience. There are 5 haunted mazes this year, a Halloween Carnival, and several micro-attractions. This is MUCH MORE intense than Great America, so don't bring your young children. You'll get scares from every angle, including above and below you. The haunts are extraordinarily well done, and they only let in small groups. 

Wicked Woods - Los Gatos

This was the biggest surprise of last year and is extraordinarily well done. The groups are limited to only 2 people, there is quite a bit of acting and storytelling, you have interactive elements like hidden doors, and there are lots of surprises. 

ScareCo - Oakland

This is a brand new event for 2014. It wins the award for best ambiance hands down give it is hosted in a 102-year-old abandoned train station. Inside are 3 different haunts, all of which are very different. Contact takes place entirely in a single room, Kaiju has a prop that will blow you away, and Platform 13 was my pick for the single best haunt for this year. It is a bit of a trek to get here from San Jose, but is completely worth it.

San Jose Halloween Attraction Guide 2013

Wondering which events to go to this Halloween season? The San Jose Blog has got you covered:

Dead Time Dreams - San Jose

Back for their second year next to a pumpkin patch near Eastridge Mall. This time they have 3 full-blown haunts, up from 2 last year. These were very well done despite having fewer actors than some of the other places below. There is also a neat midway that connects all of the attractions and features a Halloween store.

World's Largest Haunted House - San Jose

They are known for a very long maze with seemingly never-ending black corridors that break up the scares. Admission is $20.

Halloween Haunt @ California's Great America - Santa Clara

Still the largest Halloween event in Northern California. Now in its sixth year, the word has gotten out on Halloween Haunt and the park is packed even on day 1. Sundays are probably your best bet if you want to hit all of the haunts. There are now 8 haunted mazes, a single haunted ride, 3 scare zones, and various shows (2 of the mazes are new this year, as well as the ride). Most rides worth going on are still open--including the new Goldrush--and the roller coasters are being run with all the lights turned off. 

Pirates of Emerson - Pleasanton

The preeminent Bay Area Halloween event for almost 2 decades is returning this year with an another great event. There are 5 haunted mazes this year, a Halloween Carnival, and several micro-attractions. This is MUCH MORE intense than Great America, so don't bring your young children. You'll get scares from every angle, including above and below you. The haunts are extraordinarily well done, and they only let in small groups. 

Shadow Hills - Los Gatos

This was the biggest surprise of last year and one of the best haunts I have ever done. The groups are limited to only 2 people, there is quite a bit of acting and storytelling, you have interactive elements like hidden doors, and finally there is one scare prop (think chain saws and air guns) that will blow you away.

Swank Farms - Hollister

I didn't do this one this year, but I heard it was great. Instead of doing 2 haunts they have one very large maze. The haunt should take 15+ min and incorporates part of their cornfield maze.  

Scotts Valley Haunted House - Scotts Valley

A high school production may seem out of place on this list, but I assure you that this one is 100% worthwhile. As opposed to your typical maze where you have people randomly popping out at you, each year there is a unique story with hundreds of actors, making you truly feel like you're immersed in the script. You can also forget the saying "don't touch the actors and they won't touch you." Past events have included surprises like receiving fake shots, being completely separated from your party, and even wet hands touching the back of your neck while you are in pitch darkness. Insanely scary and much more interactive than any of the other events. Plus the money connected is donated to charity. One caveat, due to how awesome this haunt is there may be a 2-3 hour wait. At least you'll have the high school dance team dressed up as zombies entertaining you (and performing Thriller in its entirety every 15min). The cost is $8 per person. Oct 24-26 only, starting at 7pm. 555 Glenwood Dr., Scotts Valley.

Winchester Mystery House Fright Nights  - San Jose

This was the single most impressive haunt attraction in the Bay Area last year, but unfortunately it has been put on hold this year and replaced with a hay maze. I'm really hoping that this one comes back in 2014.

San Jose Halloween Attraction Guide 2012

Wondering which events to go to this Halloween season? The San Jose Blog has got you covered. This year we have more local haunt attractions then ever before, and the quality has also been taken to a new level. The full list is below, but I would like to highlight the Winchester Mystery House Fright Nights, Shadow Hills, and Pirates of Emerson for really being exceptional this year.

Winchester Mystery House Fright Nights  - San Jose
The single most impressive haunt attraction in the Bay Area, and it happens to take place in and around what may actually be a real haunted house. There are two components of this event, a self-guided flashlight tour of the mansion itself and an epic 40 minute haunt with props and design elements straight out of a Hollywood movie. If you just plan on doing just a single event this year, you can stop reading and buy your tickets for this one.

Dead Time Dreams - San Jose
New for 2012. Last year they were a part of the World's Largest Haunted House below, but this year they have created their own event just down the street from their former partners (next to a giant pumpkin patch). There are two really well done mazes here along with a midway containing props, a tarot card reader, some scare actors, and Halloween items for sale.

World's Largest Haunted House - San Jose
This one is another really long maze with seemingly never-ending black corridors that break up the scares. This year they also added a short haunt right before you get to the line of the maze, a pretty neat idea.

Shadow Hills - Los Gatos
This was the biggest surprise of the year and one of the best haunts I have ever done. The groups are limited to only 2 people, there is quite a bit of acting and storytelling, you have interactive elements like hidden doors, and finally there is one scare prop (think chain saws and air guns) that will blow you away.

Pirates of Emerson - Pleasanton
The preeminent Bay Area Halloween event for almost 2 decades is returning this year with an another great event. There are 5 haunted mazes this year, a Halloween Carnival, and several micro-attractions. This is MUCH MORE intense than Great America, so don't bring your young children to this one. You'll get scares from every angle, including above and below you. The haunts are extraordinarily well done, and they only let in small groups. 

Halloween Haunt @ California's Great America - Santa Clara
Still the largest Halloween event in Northern California. Now in its fifth year, the word has gotten out on Halloween Haunt and the park is packed even on day 1. There are now 7 haunted mazes, a single haunted ride, 3 scare zones, and various shows. Most rides worth going on are still open for this event and the roller coasters are being run with all the lights turned off. Only one of the mazes was new this year, Madam Marie's Massacre Manor, and it also happened to be the best one. The quality of the actors did not seem as good as in previous years with the exception of this new maze where they really excelled. I would say overall this is now the least scary of all the events and I'm hoping they can pick things up next year with a few new mazes. 

Swank Farms - Hollister
I didn't do this one this year, but I heard it was great. Instead of doing 2 haunts they have one very large maze. The haunt should take 15+ min and incorporates part of their cornfield maze.  

Scotts Valley Haunted House - Scotts Valley
A high school production may seem out of place on this list, but I assure you that this one is 100% worthwhile. As opposed to your typical maze where you have people randomly popping out at you, each year there is a unique story with hundreds of actors, making you truly feel like you're immersed in the script. You can also forget the saying "don't touch the actors and they won't touch you." Past events have included surprises like receiving fake shots, being completely separated from your party, and even wet hands touching the back of your neck while you are in pitch darkness. Insanely scary and much more interactive than any of the other events. Plus the money connected is donated to charity. One caveat, due to how awesome this haunt is there may be a 2-3 hour wait. At least you'll have the high school dance team dressed up as zombies entertaining you (and performing Thriller in its entirety every 15min). The cost is $8 per person. Oct 25-27 only, starting at 7pm. 555 Glenwood Dr., Scotts Valley.

Winchester Mystery House Fright Nights are Returning!

My favorite Halloween event by far from last year is not only returning, it's expanding. Fright Nights at the Winchester Mystery House is adding over 100 characters and new surprises in it's 40-min maze entitled "Curse of Sarah Winchester: The Resurrection." I'm hoping most of the Hollywood-caliber props from last year will return as well.

They are also adding a brand new kind of mansion flashlight tour, one without a tour guide. It sounds like there may even be actors in parts of the mansion this time around. Each Fright Night ticket includes access to both attractions. I can't wait! Full details below:

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SAN JOSE, CA, August 12, 2012 -- The award-winning Winchester Mystery House attraction "Fright Nights" returns for a second year kicking off on Friday, September 28, 2012. The world-famous mysterious, rambling and reportedly haunted home of Sarah Winchester has more thrills and exciting additions to last year’s award-winning Maze and House tour.

Throughout September and October (see complete schedule below), the grounds of the Winchester Estate will be transformed into the world’s most terrifying Halloween experience. Filled with haunted walk-through attractions, roaming scare performers, and nightmare inducing tales, “Fright Nights” will once again be an open house visitors won’t want to miss.

“We are excited to bring 'Fright Nights' back to life for a second year at the Winchester Mystery House," said Brett Tomberlin, President, Imagination Design Works, the production team behind the special event. "To give visitors even more, we are stepping up the 40-minute maze by adding over 100 spine-chilling characters and surprises around every corner. The ‘Flashlight Tour’ is also ramped up in a way that will shock and awe visitors."

CURSE OF SARAH WINCHESTER: THE RESURRECTION
Maze Length: 40 Minutes
Guests at “Fright Nights” will have the exclusive opportunity to experience the all-new “Curse of Sarah Winchester Maze” – an interactive, multi-sensory gateway between Heaven and Hell which will be opened exclusively for visitors of “Fright Nights.” For a lifetime, Sarah Winchester built and rebuilt her house to avoid a treacherous curse and to escape her husband’s legacy of damnation. Those who perished by the Winchester rifle are seeking revenge, and are now ready to sacrifice souls before midnight strikes.

Visitors find themselves trapped inside a mansion empowered by the undead, traveling through the Corn Fields of Winchester Mystery House, into the haunted ruins of the family Graveyard and ultimately, a showdown with Sarah herself in the middle of one of her infamous séances.

“WALK WITH THE SPIRITS” FLASHLIGHT TOUR
Tour Length: 35 Minutes
Tour the mansion as you never have before - on your own. Since her death, millions of people have visited Sarah’s home and many have reported sighting ghosts. Do the phantoms she communed with or perhaps Sarah herself still lurk nightly in the maze-like corridors of the Winchester Mystery House?

You'll tour the rambling, mysterious mansion with only the moonlight, a souvenir flashlight, and your imagination to provide illumination through the bewildering labyrinth of rooms and stairways. Guests experience bone-chilling creatures and blood-curdling moments as they find themselves trapped inside the mansion empowered by the undead.

EVENT DATES, TIMES, LOCATION AND ADMISSION:

WHERE:
Fright Nights at Winchester Mystery House
525 S. Winchester Blvd, San Jose, CA 95128
Phone: 408.247.2101

TICKET INFO:
"Slasher Savings" Pre-sale tickets from Aug. 12 – Sept. 9: $35 or $50 VIP

Two-pack tickets available at any Northern CA Costco from Sept. 10 – Oct. 31: $54.99

From Sept. 28 – Oct. 14: $40 or $55 VIP From Oct. 15 – Nov. 3: $45 or $60 VIP

Tickets available for purchase starting August 12th by visiting WinchesterMysteryHouse.com/tickets

*VIP tickets include front of line access
*Regular and VIP tickets include access to the Curse of Sarah Winchester Maze and Walk with the Spirits Flashlight Tour

FRIGHT NIGHTS DATES AND TIMES:
September 28-29
6:30pm – 12:00am

September 30
6:30pm – 11:00pm

October 7, 29, 30
6:30Pm – 11:00pm

October 14, 18, 21, 25, 28
6:30pm – 11:30pm

October 5, 6, 31
6:30pm – 12:00am

October 12, 13, 19, 20
6:30pm – 12:30am

October 26, 27
6:30pm – 1:00am

November 2, 3
6:30pm – 12:00am

Featured event partners and key sponsors include: Ghirardelli Chocolate, Dead Dog’s Hot Dogs, Psycho Donuts, Monster Energy Drink, Crystal Head Vodka, San Jose State University, Santana Row, Costco and Togo’s. Media partner includes: 94.9 The Wild.

ABOUT THE WINCHESTER MYSTERY HOUSE:
The Winchester Mystery House is a California State Historical Landmark (#868) and was designed and built by Winchester rifle heiress, Sarah Winchester. The attraction is one of the top tourist attractions in the world and has recently been honored with the following accolades: World's Most Haunted Places #2, Travel Channel; The Scariest Locations In America #3, HauntWorld Magazine; 10 Great Places To Get Spooked #5 USA Today.

ABOUT IMAGINATION DESIGN WORKS (IDW):
IDW Productions is an independent entertainment Production Company formed for the purpose of creating feature length motion pictures, television programming and live entertainment productions. The company is owned and run by Brett Tomberlin and is the creative entity behind this year’s Fright Nights. IDW has also announced a major feature film about the House slated to premiere in 2013. Fans are invited to follow the Winchester Mystery House and Brett Tomberlin on Twitter at: twitter.com/WinchesterHouse or via Facebook at: facebook.com/winchestermysteryhouse (Official).

San Jose Halloween Attractions 2011

Wondering what to do Halloween weekend? This year we are fortunate to have more Halloween attractions than ever before in the area. Below is a summary of all your major options (click the names to go to the website):

Winchester Mystery House: Curse of Sarah Winchester - San Jose

Easily the most impressive haunted attraction that I have every been to in the Bay Area. It is the only haunt in a location that is creepy in and of itself. Not only does the maze wrap around the world famous Winchester Mystery House, but it incorporates a real pet cemetery as well as various authentic buildings on the property. The props seem like they are straight out of a Hollywood movie and the scares are impressive and unpredictable. The finale in the seance room will blow you away! It may be worth getting the VIP pass because you'll want to do this one more than once. The cost is $20 per person ($30 per person for VIP with multiple entries).

World's Largest Haunted House - San Jose

A massive haunted maze that is actually 2 haunts back to back. The first one is a little bit tame but has great ambiance. The second seems to go on forever and is downright terrifying. Everything is pitch black in the second maze, which gives the staged scenes a lot of extra pop. The cost is $20 per person for both mazes.

Pirates of Emerson - Pleasanton 

The preeminent Bay Area Halloween event for almost 2 decades is returning this year with an another great event. There are 5 haunted mazes this year, a Halloween Carnival (perfect idea for Halloween in the Park), and several other attractions such as a mini-maze and a substantial cornfield maze. This is MUCH MORE intense than Great America, so don't bring your young children to this one. You'll get scares from every angle, including above and below you. The haunts are extraordinarily well done, and they only let in small groups... you'll get what you pay for. The cost is $20 per person, but they are also selling "Monions" which let you access the carnival games and some of the special attractions. Expect to drop $30-35 for a full experience. If anyone from Pirates is reading this, please have a look at the SJ Convention Center or one of the many empty parking lots in Downtown San Jose next year ;)

Halloween Haunt @ California's Great America - Santa Clara

The largest Halloween event in Northern California by a mile. This is the fourth annual Halloween Haunt and maybe the last given the sale of the theme park. There are 6 haunted mazes (only one is new) a single haunted ride, 3 scare zones (one less than last year), and various shows. Most rides worth going on are still open and the roller coasters are being run with all the lights turned off. I hate to say it but this was a huge disappointment this year. Even on opening weekend it was completely packed, they were not spacing out entrances properly so none of the attractions were able to provide good scares, and they really didn't even try to make it bigger or better than last year. The cost is between $25-40 per person.

Swank Farms - Hollister

I didn't do this one this year, but I heard it was great. Instead of doing 2 haunts they have one very large maze (seems to be becoming a trend). The haunt should take 15+ min and incorporates part of their cornfield maze.  The cost is $25 per person.

The Scotts Valley High Haunted House - Scotts Valley

A high school production may seem out of place on this list, but I assure you that this one is 100% worthwhile. As opposed to your typical maze where you have people randomly popping out at you, each year there is a unique story with hundreds of actors, making you truly feel like you're immersed in a horror movie. You can also forget the saying "don't touch the actors and they won't touch you." Past events have included surprises like receiving fake shots, being completely separated from your party, and even wet hands touching the back of your neck while you are in pitch darkness. Insanely scary and much more interactive than any of the major venues. Plus the money connected is donated to charity. One caveat, due to how awesome this haunt is there may be a 2-3 hour wait. At least you'll have the high school dance team dressed up as zombies entertaining you while you wait (and performing Thriller in its entirety every 15min).  The cost is ~$10 per person. Oct 27-29 only, starting at 7pm. 555 Glenwood Dr., Scotts Valley.

Winchester Mystery House Fright Nights are Live!

Winchester Mystery House Fright Nights Launches Today!

I would go so far as to call this the most anticipated Halloween attraction anywhere in the Bay Area this year. One of the most mysterious and haunted places in the world is finally getting a maze attraction for Halloween! For some behind the scenes information, check out their newsletter below:

Secrets of the New "Curse of Sarah Winchester Maze" We asked Fright Nights' Production Designer Jeff Schiefelbein to share some insight, EXCLUSIVELY for our 13th Hour Newsletter subscribers, on Winchester Mystery House's newest event! How did you get started in the Haunted Attraction business? While I was growing up, my parents always hosted elaborate Halloween parties for their friends. As a child I was mesmerized by the decorations and costumes and when I was 15 years old I put together my first haunt in the yard of my parents' Orange County home.  The rest is history. What was the planning process like for the "Curse of Sarah Winchester Maze?" When people hear that the Winchester Mystery House will be unveiling an all new Haunted Maze this year the typical response is, “Finally!” So in one sense it has been in the making for many years. In actuality, for this year's event we began planning with a site visit in March 2011. This has been a unique process because usually we get to work with an empty warehouse and have free creative rein on what goes in it. With Fright Nights we had to build it around existing buildings and a specific theme. You can't just throw vampires and zombies into the mix! We saw it as a challenge and opportunity and I am proud to say that we took full advantage of what the Winchester Estate had to offer. Plants come to life in the green house, the 15 foot rack of the fruit drying shed becomes a perfect butcher shop, and the tool shed, already full of scrap metal and tools from Mrs. Winchester's day, was easily transformed into a blood-curdling, twisted machine shop. Anything we should keep our eye out for in the maze? We incorporated the number 13 everywhere! Thirteen candles here, 13 pumpkins there, pumpkins carved in the number 13, 13 slash-marks on the wall, etc. Also, the seance room has some of the most advanced special effects used in any maze I've worked on.  We took a topographical map of the room and have a 360 degree projector that makes the entire room come to life. We hired on a very talented sculptor, he's worked with Disneyland on the Indiana Jones Ride and Pirates of the Caribbean among other things, who has created a life-size replica of Mrs. Winchester's tombstone and a fully functional fountain as if those killed by the Winchester Rifle took over Mrs. Winchester's Egret Fountain themselves. For more information on Jeff and the others in the Fright Nights production team visit, http://winchestermysteryhouse.com/frightnightscredit.cfm. Fright Nights take place on consecutive weekends and selected weekday nights beginning Friday, September 30 through Halloween, Monday, October 31, 2011. Additional event dates are: September 30; October 1, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. Fright Nights begin at 6:30p.m.; closing hours vary throughout the event. Ticket sales began June 1, 2011 at WinchesterMysteryHouse.com/tickets with a new "Slasher Savings" option providing discounts of up to $20 for selected dates. To buy tickets to our Fright Nights event visithttp://winchestermysteryhouse.com/frightnights.cfm.

Who's Responsible for Raiding the Victorian Gardens? This poor soul was simply trying to park his car for Fright Nights in the VIP parking lot when he fell victim to the spirits of those killed by the Winchester Rifle. It looks pretty real doesn't it? The Winchester Mystery House has partnered with the best in the business to bring you the ultimate spine-tingling experience this Halloween. Imagination Design Works Productions is an independent entertainment Production Company formed for the purpose of creating feature length motion pictures, television programming and live entertainment productions. The company is owned and run by Brett Tomberlin and is the creative entity behind this year’s Fright Nights. The name Sinister Pointe may not seem too familiar to you, but if you are a haunt enthusiast in the Southern Californian area you have probably been to at least one of their haunts. They have been devloping haunted attractions throughout Southern California for over 14 years including Queen Mary's Dark Harbor, Irvine's Realm of Darkness, and the themed "Saw" and "Silent Hill" mazes (Universal Studios Florida transported the "Saw" maze to their park!). Jeff Schiefelbein, quoted above, is the creator and mastermind behind this gruesome company. While the above two companies hail from Southern California, the "Curse of Sarah Winchester Maze" couldn't have been completed without the help of some local Bay Area companies! For instance, our "VIP Parking Lot" was a true collaboration provided by J.A.Y.S Towing and Transportation, Delta Chargers (they provided a full-size yellow school bus), and Pick n Pull, "We sell parts, we sell cars, we buy cars!" What are you waiting for, grab your tickets now to experience the all new "Curse of Sarah Winchester Maze" yourself! To buy tickets online go to http://winchestermysteryhouse.com/shop/department/tickets. Supernatural Fans Get the Chance to Win a Trip to Winchester Mystery House's Fright Nights! Could it be? Are the Winchester Brothers on their way to the famed Winchester Mystery House? No, not really... but their fans are! If you are in the following ten areas across the country - Boston, Washington DC, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Hartford, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, Austin, and Jacksonville - then be sure to tune into your local CW affiliate station for instructions on how you can win a trip for two to San Jose, California, to experience Fright Nights at the Winchester Mystery House! Did Supernatural creator Eric Kripke really get the idea for the Winchester surname from Mrs. Winchester's famed home? He reveals all in an article on www.starpulse.com: Interviewer: Why did you pick the name Winchester? Does it have any supernatural significance in relation to the Winchester House? Eric Kripke: "The Winchester House is, indeed, one of the reasons I chose the name... I was a few days away from production and had to come up with a new name in a hurry. 'Winchester' just popped in my head, in part because of the Western connotations (and I wanted 'Supernatural' to have the vibe of a modern-day Western), and in part because of the Winchester Mystery House." Rentmaster, Angie and Noelle Talmon. "A 'Supernatural' Spin-Off? Death by Bad Taco? Series Creator Eric Kripke Explains." Starpulse.com. 14 Feb 2008. <http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2008/02/14/a_supernatural_spin_off_death_by_bad_tac.>

Winchester Mystery House Fright Nights!!!

It might be a little bit early to start promoting Halloween events, but I think this one is extraordinary and worth booking as soon as possible before tickets sell out. Each October I usually go to every haunted attraction within 50 miles of Silicon Valley, and I can tell you that I have never been more excited about a Halloween event than when I found out about this one.

The Winchester Mystery House is San Jose's top tourist attraction and is regarded as one of the spookiest places in the world. For a while now they have been turning off the lights and doing flashlight tours of the mansion during the weekends in October, but this year they are taking it up a substantial notch. For the first time ever, they are adding a full blown 15min interactive haunted maze called the Curse of Sarah Winchester!

I'm excited not only because I think it is the best location anywhere in the Bay Area for a haunted maze, but also because of the people working on the project. The producer is Brett Tomberlin, who has worked on various movie and TV productions, as well as on multiple Disneyland attractions (and is also producing a feature film based on the Winchester Mystery House). The show director has performed roles at both Disney and Universal Studios. The production designer has 15 years of experience of building well-reviewed haunted attractions. This his is going to be very professionally done with a seasoned team and I can't wait to see the results.

Fore more information and tickets, click here!

Halloween in San Jose 2010! (UPDATED

Here is a revised list of places to visit this weekend for Halloween:

World's Largest Haunted House - San Jose

A massive haunted maze that is easily the longest single Halloween "scare" attraction in the Bay Area this year. This is a haunt that actually started in San Jose (at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, same place where they are today) and has spent the last few years in Gilroy and Morgan Hill. Hopefully they're back for good as this is the scariest Halloween attraction in the Bay Area. The cost is $18 per person ($16 if you get the coupon off their website here).

Halloween Haunt @ California's Great America - Santa Clara

The largest Halloween event in Northern California by a mile. Knott's Berry Farm was the first amusement park to throw special events for Halloween, and now that Great America is owned by the same parent company (Cedar Fair Parks) we get to share in the action. The third annual Halloween Haunt is on par with last year. They claim to have the exact same 6 haunted mazes from last year, but Carnevil (the clown one) is 90% new and vastly improved. The also have a haunted ride called Black Widow's Cavern (Logger's Run) which is completely new this year (it used to be Camp Gonnagetcha).  There are also 4 Halloween shows, 3 are unchanged from last year but unfortunately the musical "Fangs" replaces a very entertaining Ed Alonzo Show (his magic show got moved to Knott's Berry Farm). I hate to say it, but Fangs is definitely worth skipping to focus on the other attractions. An added bonus is that all rides worth going on are still open and the roller coasters are being run with all the lights turned off. The cost is between $25-40 per person, but it's a lot of bang for your buck. Also for 2010, Halloween Haunt has been expanded to be open on Sundays in addition to Fridays and Saturdays.

Pirates of Emerson - Pleasanton 

The preeminent Bay Area Halloween event for almost 2 decades is returning this year with an expanded event. There are 5 haunted mazes this year, a Halloween Carnival (perfect idea for Halloween in the Park), and several other attractions such as a 3 story mobile home from Burning Man. This is MUCH MORE intense than Great America, so don't bring your young children to this one. You'll get scares from every angle, including above and below you. The haunts are extraordinarily well done, and they only let in small groups... so you'll get what you pay for. The cost is $20 per person, but this year they are also selling "Monions" while let you access the carnival games and some of the special attractions. Expect to drop $25-30 for a full experience. If anyone from Pirates is reading this, please have a look at the SJ Convention Center or one of the many empty parking lots in Downtown San Jose next year ;)

Swank Farms - Hollister

This actually features 2 different main attractions. The first is a massive cornfield maze + treasure hunt, that could easily be a multiple hour excursion. The second is a very long haunted maze that is supposed to be quite good this year. Last year they actually had 2 different mazes, but they've been combined into one mega attraction for 2010.

The cost is $25 per person.

The Scotts Valley High Haunted House - Scotts Valley

A high school production may seem out of place on this list, but I assure you that this one is 100% worthwhile. I've attended this the past two years and each year it has been my single favorite haunt. As opposed to your typical maze where you have people randomly popping out at you, each year there is a unique story with hundreds of actors, making you truly feel like you're immersed in a horror movie. You can also forget the saying "don't touch the actors and they won't touch you." Last year's hospital theme included surprises like receiving fake shots and other miscellaneous medical experiences. There was also a part where they separated EACH person in your party and sat you in a small dark room by yourself. Insanely scary and much more interactive than any of the major venues. Plus the money connected is donated to charity. One caveat, due to how awesome this haunt is there may be a 2-3 hour wait. At least you'll have the high school dance team dressed up as zombies entertaining you while you wait (and performing Thriller in its entirety every 15min).

The cost is ~$10 per person. Oct 21-23 only, starting at 7pm. 555 Glenwood Dr., Scotts Valley.

ON HIATUS FOR 2010:

Gyro's 4D Fear Factory - San Jose

World's Largest Haunted House

Well, I was fairly confident that there were no Halloween Haunts in San Jose proper this year thanks to Gyro's "hiatus," but it looks like there is one at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds billed as the World's Largest. Click here for more information and click here for a $2 per person coupon. I'll try to check this out soon and let you know if it's worthwhile!



UPDATE: Made it there yesterday, and it's worthwhile. It's the scariest one that I've been to in the Bay Area this year and is 2-3 times longer than your typical maze.

Zillow Crowns the Winchester Mystery House as the #1 Haunted Home in the US

From "Top 10 Haunted Homes in the U.S.":

(Flickr photo: harshlight)

1. Winchester House (above)
Location: San Jose, CA
Notable ghost: Sarah Winchester

As one of two homes in California sanctioned by the U.S. Commerce Department as being haunted (the other is the Whaley House, below), the magnificent Winchester Housestands alone as perhaps the most bizarre haunted home in the U.S. It was inspired and designed by Sarah Winchester (photo), widow of William Winchester, founder of Winchester rifles. Legend goes that Sarah was deeply affected by the deaths of her daughter, Annie, in 1866 and then her husband, William, in 1881. Sarah consulted a medium who instructed her to build a house to ward off evil spirits. Construction on the Winchester House started in 1884 and continued for 38 years — until Sarah’s death in 1922.

Sarah reportedly held nightly seances to gain guidance from spirits and her dead husband for the home’s design. What resulted was a maze-like residence full of twisting and turning hallways, dead-ends, secret panels, a window built into a floor, staircases leading to nowhere, doors that open to walls, upside-down columns, and rooms built, then intentionally closed off  — all to ward off and confuse evil spirits. Read more about Sarah and the fascinating Winchester House. (Photo of Sarah Winchester: freewebs.com)
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Halloween in San Jose 2010!

I'm a huge Halloween fan--as you can probably gather from my Halloween in the Park initiative--and have been going to most of the local Halloween events for the past several years. I thought I would share some of my top picks of places to visit. So far I have only visited Halloween Haunt and Pirates of Emerson. I also hear the Swank Farms Cornfield Maze is really good this year.

Halloween Haunt @ California's Great America - Santa Clara
The largest Halloween event in Northern California by a mile. Knott's Berry Farm was the first amusement park to throw special events for Halloween, and now that Great America is owned by the same parent company (Cedar Fair Parks) we get to share in the action. The third annual Halloween Haunt is on par with last year. They claim to have the exact same 6 haunted mazes from last year, but Carnevil (the clown one) is 90% new and vastly improved. The also have a haunted ride called Black Widow's Cavern (Logger's Run) which is completely new this year (it used to be Camp Gonnagetcha).  There are also 4 Halloween shows, 3 are unchanged from last year but unfortunately the musical "Fangs" replaces a very entertaining Ed Alonzo Show (his magic show got moved to Knott's Berry Farm). I hate to say it, but Fangs is definitely worth skipping to focus on the other attractions. An added bonus is that all rides worth going on are still open and the roller coasters are being run with all the lights turned off. The cost is between $25-40 per person, but it's a lot of bang for your buck. Also for 2010, Halloween Haunt has been expanded to be open on Sundays in addition to Fridays and Saturdays.

Pirates of Emerson - Pleasanton 
The preeminent Bay Area Halloween event for almost 2 decades is returning this year with an expanded event. There are 5 haunted mazes this year, a Halloween Carnival (perfect idea for Halloween in the Park), and several other attractions such as a 3 story mobile home from Burning Man. This is MUCH MORE intense than Great America, so don't bring your young children to this one. You'll get scares from every angle, including above and below you. The haunts are extraordinarily well done, and they only let in small groups... so you'll get what you pay for. The cost is $20 per person, but this year they are also selling "Monions" while let you access the carnival games and some of the special attractions. Expect to drop $25-30 for a full experience. If anyone from Pirates is reading this, please have a look at the SJ Convention Center or one of the many empty parking lots in Downtown San Jose next year ;)

Swank Farms - Hollister
This actually features 2 different main attractions. The first is a massive cornfield maze + treasure hunt, that could easily be a multiple hour excursion. The second is a very long haunted maze that is supposed to be quite good this year. Last year they actually had 2 different mazes, but they've been combined into one mega attraction for 2010.

The cost is $25 per person.

The Scotts Valley High Haunted House - Scotts Valley
A high school production may seem out of place on this list, but I assure you that this one is 100% worthwhile. I've attended this the past two years and each year it has been my single favorite haunt. As opposed to your typical maze where you have people randomly popping out at you, each year there is a unique story with hundreds of actors, making you truly feel like you're immersed in a horror movie. You can also forget the saying "don't touch the actors and they won't touch you." Last year's hospital theme included surprises like receiving fake shots and other miscellaneous medical experiences. There was also a part where they separated EACH person in your party and sat you in a small dark room by yourself. Insanely scary and much more interactive than any of the major venues. Plus the money connected is donated to charity. One caveat, due to how awesome this haunt is there may be a 2-3 hour wait. At least you'll have the high school dance team dressed up as zombies entertaining you while you wait (and performing Thriller in its entirety every 15min).

The cost is ~$10 per person. Oct 21-23 only, starting at 7pm. 555 Glenwood Dr., Scotts Valley.

ON HIATUS FOR 2010:

Gyro's 4D Fear Factory - San Jose