Test your nerves at Knott's, Universal Studios mazes and more

I spent the evening at Knott’s Berry Farm recently, braving dark corners in mazes and keeping an eye out for actors in period dress hidden by fog as I went from attraction to attraction.

A favorite of mine was Mary: The Haunting of Worth Home, which took you through a house in major disarray, to put it politely, and into its creepy backyard and beyond. There, a dog named “Cujo” lives, presumably a nod to Stephen King’s infamous fictional tale of the murderous Saint Bernard.

Nearby is “Widows,” an arachnophobe's worst nightmare. Meanwhile, you can hear screams from those riding the amusement park’s iconic GhostRider—impressive, considering wait times jumped to 90 minutes soon after the park opened.

Southern Californians are spoiled when it comes to Halloween, especially thanks to area amusement parks. As the month nears its end, here’s just a taste of all the spooks and scares that await at these parks — if you dare to go.

Disneyland and California Adventure

While you won’t get the gore and gruesomeness other parks boast, the overall Halloween-time atmosphere that the Disneyland Resort offers visitors in and of itself makes it worth a visit.

One classic is the Haunted Mansion’s seasonal transition into its “The Nightmare Before Christmas” inspired experience.

Over at California Adventure, the Guardians of the Galaxy ride transforms into Guardians of the Galaxy - Monsters After Dark, where Rocket races to rescue Groot in a Halloween adventure, according to California Adventure.

Let’s not forget that part of Disneyland Resort’s fun is all their indulgent treats. On the menu this season are pumpkin “blooderscotch” cannolis, ube cheesecake churros, caramel apple martinis and spicy pickle popcorn (say that five times fast).

Knott’s Berry Farm

OK, back to Knott’s Scary Farm.

New this year are Inked, which takes visitors into the world of a washed-up 1930s cartoonist’s sinister creations, and Unearthed, which follows a search-and-rescue team who awakened an ancient evil hidden beneath an abandoned summit base, a Knott’s Berry Farm spokesperson said in an email. I got a chance to do Unearthed, and let me just say that I got a kick out of the news reports and storytelling they were building while in line.

Six Flags Magic Mountain Fright Fest

The new Wolves’ Blood is “one of the standout original mazes” this year, where visitors find themselves in a remote town overtaken by werewolves before arriving at a secret underground concert, a spokesperson for Six Flags Magic Mountain said. Footage of the maze shows one jump scare that happens overhead

Returning this year is the maze based on “The Conjuring Universe,” forcing visitors brush up against Annabelle and The Nun. For more demonic-themed fun, Vault: 666 Unlocked invites you to enter into a museum where demonic relics and malevolent spirits await.

Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights

Fans of the Oscar-winning “Sinners” can step into its very own maze at Universal Studios Hollywood and get a taste (no pun intended) of what it might’ve felt like living through Ryan Coogler’s fictional and harrowing survival flick.

Naturally, more movies come to life at the Southern California amusement park.

“Evil Dead Burn” brings you into some rather bloody scenes, and the ghoulish-looking Cenobites come to life in the “Hellraiser” maze. On theme with grotesque monsters is Dead, Deader, Deadest show off grotesque monsters as you step into a family funeral home whose last director reportedly tried to parent a new drug that could restore “life-like features to the deceased,” according to a blog post from John Murphy, the creative director and executive producer of Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Oh, and when you need a break, don’t expect to get any rest on the Terror Tram. This year, Art the Clown takes over one of Universal Studios’ signature attractions.

Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].