HUMBUGS, THRILLS AT THEME PARKS

Magic Mountain is taking an unusual approach to this merry season. From the balcony of a 14-foot facade at the park entrance, a hand puppet named Ebenezer Scrooge will hurl insults at the guests and shoot them with a water pistol.

“He hates Christmas and wants to ruin it for everyone coming,” said a park spokesman.

Well, obviously the park hopes that it won’t ruin anything for the paying patrons.

The puppet, described as a “curmudgeon the size of a desk plant,” is one of several attempts to entice visitors to Southland attractions (and get publicity).

Following are some other holiday promotions planned by Southland theme parks.

DISNEYLAND

Until Jan. 4, Disneyland will have daily performances of its annual Christmas Parade, led by Santa Claus and Mickey Mouse. According to the promotion people, the show includes “dancing snow people, giant gingerbread men, marching toy soldiers and scores of Disney characters in Yuletide scenes.” Santa and live reindeer will be at one of the park’s newest areas, Big Thunder Ranch, a “working ranch with a petting area.”

Also playing is the “Country Bear Christmas Special,” a musical revue starring the “audio-animatronics” cast of comic country bears. Videopolis, Disneyland’s teen dance club with 70 music-video-playing TVs, will host the “Magic of Christmas,” a stage musical.

Jan. 9 Disneyland opens its “Stars Wars”-based attraction, “Star Tours,” which has been in development for the last two years by George Lucas and Disneyland. Described as a ride based on the type of simulators used to train fighter pilots, the attraction uses hydraulic technology to tilt and twist its riders on a rocky trip to Endor, home of the Ewoks. An inexperienced droid named RX24 navigates passengers through asteroid fields and a space battle between X-wings and TIE fighters.

Admission: adults, $19; senior citizens, $15.25; children 3-12, $10.95; children under 3, free.

KNOTTS BERRY FARM

It will look like Christmastime circa 1880--replete with chestnuts roasting on an open fire and park employees dressed in 19th-Century-styled clothing. “A Christmas Carol” will show daily at Knotts Bird Cage Theater. Knott’s will also have daily shows of “Snoopy’s Christmas Fantasy.” Snoopy is actually Korean national skating champion Jean Yun.

There will be daily musical performances from local talent like the Rio Hondo Preparatory school choir of Arcadia and the Children’s Choir of Burbank.

Visitors will hear real carolers “rather than listen to piped-in music,” say Knott’s promotion people. They feel that real music and Christmas gifts made by area artisans are things “you can’t get at the mall. They are treasures.”

The day after Christmas, Knott’s will create a bunny hill as the centerpiece of its “Winter Wonderland,” hailed “as the only place in Southern California where people can come for snow.” This simulation of the white stuff will last until Jan. 4.

Admission: adults, $14.95; children 3-11, $10.95; children under 3, free.

MAGIC MOUNTAIN

On Saturday and Sunday it offers free admission to guests delivering toys costing $5 or more. Also, on Sunday KNBC reporter Max Stollman, will assist KIIS-AM and FM personalities “Big Ron” O’brian and Paul Freeman in the annual tradition of handing out toys to needy tots.

At the park’s Spilliken Corner, Santa Claus will be accepting gift wishes from kids who’ve been good.

Admission: adults, $15.95; senior citizens, $8.50; children, $7.95; children 4 feet tall and under, free.

SEA WORLD

From Dec. 26 until Jan. 4, San Diego’s Sea World will present its “Holiday Nights.” Among the events planned is the “Day After Christmas,” a holiday twist on its nightly “City Streets” show--a celebration of urban life. To fit the season, the stage--a miniature city of brownstone dwellings, fashioned after an imaginary East Coast town--has been transformed into an urban Christmas scene.

“We’ve even given the cast a couple of dollars and said, ‘Here, display this window as if it were your own home,’ ” said a park publicist.

Since “Disneyland has its Main Street USA,” said the publicist, “we said ‘Why don’t we celebrate an urban environment?’ ” For the rest of their Holiday Nights celebration, Sea World will have adagio roller skating (similar to ice-skating).

Sea World will also have a parade of neon-lit boats, nightly fireworks shows and an adaptation of “A Christmas Carol,” with humans dressed as Shamu, Captain Kidd and other Sea World characters.

Admission prices: adults, $14.95; children 3-11, $10.95; children under 3, free.

QUEEN MARY- SPRUCE GOOSE

At the Queen Mary, guests may expect an “old English-style holiday that would make even Scrooge merry.” Two 11-foot toy soldiers, giant stuffed polar bears and penguins and a horse-drawn carriage for 25 people will greet guests as they enter the park. Madrigal singers in Old English-style dress will carol and stroll the deck.

In the Spruce Goose dome, an arctic region will be re-created, with giant icebergs underneath the flying boat’s wings. Scrooge will be in London Towne; “Although I shouldn’t say this,” said the publicist, fearing that he would destroy some illusions, “Santa Claus will be in two locations--the London Towne Village and Piccadilly Circus.”

In the attraction’s shopping village, near London Towne, Father Christmas will listen to children’s wishes and pose for pictures, and Santa Claus will be at Piccadilly Circus.

The horse-drawn carriage is available on weekends until Christmas Eve.

Admission: adults, $13.95; youngsters 12-17, $11.95; children 5-11, $9.95.

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

The Los Angeles Children’s Museum celebrates the ethnic diversity of California by observing the holiday festivities of black, Latino, Asian and Jewish people. The Los Posadas observance, highlighted by the breaking of the pinata, is marked Wednesday and Thursday and again Saturday through Dec. 23. Dec. 27 is Oshogatsu Preparation Day, the time for children to observe an Asian tradition of tying a message to a wish tree. Dec. 27 and 28, Suzanne Sherman will give a personal account of her Hanukkah memories. Dec. 27-31, Kwanzaa, “the modern African-American celebration focusing on positive self-image and personal and community growth,” will be highlighted by thoughts for the day and Kwanzaa activity.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., from next Saturday until Jan. 4. On Dec. 24 and 25 the museum is closed, and Dec. 31 it closes early.

Admission: adults and children, $3; children under 2, free.

MARINELAND

Marineland offers the annual migration of the California gray whales to Mexico. Last year cetacean census takers spotted 4,000 whales.

Marineland is also in the midst of the Holiday Spirit, a program offering 6,500 free tickets. More than 60 needy groups already have received groups of 50 free tickets each. They range from the San Fernando Valley Interfaith Council nutrition program, which serves senior citizens with poverty-level incomes, to the Recovering Agoraphobia Support Group of Reseda, a self-help group that treats people who have a fear of open spaces.

(Organizations may apply through the Holiday Spirit Program, Marineland, 6610 Palos Verdes Drive S., Rancho Palos Verdes, 90274.)

Admission: adults, $11.95; adults 60 and older and children 3-11, $8.95; children under 3, free.