54 HOURS : They Only Come Out at Night

Attending Knott’s Berry Farm’s Halloween Haunt is like popping up smack in the middle of a “Dawn of the Dead” movie. After dark, the family theme park is no place for a family, as wandering creatures, looking freshly exhumed, take over. But die-hard thrill seekers will find the place full of cobwebs and creepiness, enough to scare the fungus out of them. No wonder it’s been a hit for 23 years.

The key, of course, is to keep moving, and between the rides, entertainment and special attractions for Halloween time, there’s a lot to do. One dead-on attraction is the Hangin’ ‘95, at which the public gets to give a thumbs up or thumbs down for some famous faces of 1995 in a show that’s part stunts, part special effects. And don’t miss the Ghost Town Dead and Breakfast, or the Santa Claws ride.

This year, the celebrity entertainment is provided by the Cryptkeeper of “Tales From the Crypt” fame. The stage show, “Knott’s Gory Tales,” takes place nightly in the Ghoul Time Theater.

Knott’s Berry Farm makes its annual transformation into Knott’s Scary Farm for 13 nights (weekends and Oct. 26-31) beginning Friday. The park, at 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, closes at 6 p.m. and reopens with the Halloween theme from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. $29 advance; $32 day of event. It’s best to get tickets early, many nights sell out (the closer to Halloween, the busier it gets). For kids 12 and younger, Camp Spooky opens Oct. 20. Ticketmaster (213) 480-3232, (714) 740-2000.