Getting into their costumes

THE horror has begun.

No, we’re not referring to the political campaigns that are in full swing, but to the Halloween events that have taken up their annual residences in our theme parks and landmarks.

If you’re willing to endure huge crowds, unseen stringy things brushing along your neck and copious amounts of fog, you too can share in the fun of the seasonal haunts. Be prepared to scream, to laugh and to run, because you will be terrified, taunted and occasionally chased down darkened streets by the creatures of the night.

This year the competition is stiff as Knott’s Scary Farm, Six Flags Fright Fest, Queen Mary’s Shipwreck, Universal’s Horror Nights and even family-friendly Disney’s HalloweenTime compete for your holiday business.

What separates the good from the bad, the scary from the not so? Ask any Halloween aficionado and they’ll tell you: eerie environments, quality makeup effects and monster costume creations, and, most important, well-designed mazes with performers committed to the scare. Add in good signage (most of the attractions are in the dark), reasonable lines and knowledgeable staff, and you’re in Halloween heaven, er, hell. But that’s a plus for the spooky season.

Knott’s Scary Farm

Knott’s still holds the title of the premier Halloween event in Southern California, even if a few of its 12 mazes are in need of updating. Knott’s is unmatched for maze quality, haunt zones (four) and sheer number of costumed employees (an advertised 1,000 monsters) who scare the wits out of paying customers.

Its success comes in a double-edged sword approach -- true scares and edgy comedy. Of the first, just take a stroll through the fog-laden streets of Ghost Town. You might spot the first three or four ghouls coming your way, but the fifth one will shock you from behind. If it’s laughs you want, the new maze “Lost Vegas in 3-D” delivers. Where else can you find roaming and very dead lounge lizards and a giant slot machine that chews up money? Well, in Vegas, of course, but this is closer.

The big publicity this year surrounds “The Grudge 2” maze, a tie-in to the new Columbia horror film. The re-creation of the Tokyo house of horrors impresses, but the biggest effect comes from the sound -- especially the bone-crunching audio effect that stays with you throughout. Performance-wise, the clever use of a recurring demon elevates the fear factor.

Of course, the downside to Knott’s success is that mega-crowds can overload the mazes with too many people.

Among Knott’s six shows is the annual classic “The Hanging.” This year’s entry, subtitled “The Other Dead Man’s Chest,” features a wry, dead-on Johnny Depp-aping actor as America’s favorite pirate, who utters the night’s funniest line when he emerges onstage: “Cripes, I’m in the wrong theme park.”

Know this: A few of the live shows are truly for mature audiences, so be aware of that if you intend to send your kids out there for the night.

Despite the pluses, not everything is a winner. Take the waste-of-space outdoor maze called “Dark Realm.” It’s not only boring, but it also costs $5 to rent a laser gun to shoot the rare creature that might approach. Save the money and buy a hot dog.

Overall, though, Knott’s is the scariest of the lot we’ve seen.

Six Flags Fright Fest

In the past, Six Flags could barely hold a dripping candle to the competition. What a difference a couple of years makes. Fright Fest has quickly become a top-notch event offering some of the best visual effects, character-committed actors and themed mazes around.

There are six mazes, five shows and four scare zones, but here it’s all about the faces. No rubber masks -- only Hollywood-level makeup on the monstrous maze performers and street ghouls. The living gargoyles are possibly the best individual makeup jobs in all of the parks.

Of the mazes, the highlight belongs to the clever, scary, well-developed story line in the “Terror at Carnage E. Hall” maze. In a dilapidated theater, guests are sent on a backstage tour through makeup, wardrobe and finally to Robin, a New Yawk real estate agent, who is trying desperately to sell the place for a song.

Outside the mazes, there’s plenty to do, but a must-see is the Ghoul Patrol that haunts Gotham City and other locales. You’ll know you’re in their scare zones when the fog rolls in. Also, check out the haunted percussion band Bang as well as the hilarious “Roadkill Kitchen.”

Check it out, that is, if you can find it. The Fright Fest is scarily short on signage, which leads to confusion. But here’s a bonus -- you get to ride those roller coasters in the dark.

Queen Mary’s Shipwreck

It’s almost unfair when you think about it. The setting for this haunt is aboard an actual ocean liner, and it’s the Queen Mary -- supposedly haunted every day of the year. Theme parks could spend millions and never build the sets that this landmark boasts. The ship that never really retired is back for its 12th haunt and offers a mixed bag of surprises: seven mazes, two nightly dance parties, and live bands in Purgatory Park.

The highlight of Shipwreck comes in the last maze on the map -- “Decks of the Doomed.” By the time you’ve reached this one, toward the bow of the ship, you’ll already have walked though three off-ship haunts and three onboard ones. They save by far the best for last. A handful of outrageous performers here make sure you’ll leave with a bang, as you run through spider webs, fog and seemingly endless passageways. Customers who take this stuff seriously want performers to stay in character. You’ll find that here.

But allow us to quibble: It’s unfathomable that the Queen Mary isn’t populating even one maze with real performers portraying the crew of a ship. And though it advertises 400 performers, more of them and fewer dummies, skeletons and fixture creatures would go a long way to upping the scare factor.

Disney’s HalloweenTime

Well, it’s certainly not a haunt, but at Disneyland you wouldn’t exactly expect blood-and-guts special effects. The kids in the strollers would lose it. Here we have tamer adventures for the little ones, such as Woody’s Halloween Roundup, where they’ll find tall tales being told, arts and crafts, and cookie making.

OK, now for the bigger kids: You can make your own spooky experience if you plan properly.

Start by visiting the ride that goes faster than gravity and offers a horror theme as well. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, in Disney’s California Adventure, promises and delivers chills and thrills in the span of a gnat’s life.

You’ll find yourself riding an elevator up, up, up and then down, down, down, but before the perilous drop you’ll be treated to a nice holographic, albeit abridged, haunted trip into the hotel’s inner sanctum.

Once you’re off the elevator, zip across to Disneyland, where there are two main attractions to keep you in the haunted mood. After you admire the giant pumpkin and Halloween decorations along Main Street, make your first stop at the Haunted Mansion Holiday. The classic mansion has been married with director Tim Burton’s film “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and morphed into a clever, funny and easy-scare adventure.

Then it’s time to swashbuckle your way to the recently designed Pirates of the Caribbean, where a pirate with an uncanny resemblance to Johnny Depp now has the mother lode of gold sitting in his lap. Enhanced effects add to the fun, especially for those who have been on the ride many times in the past.

Universal Studios Hollywood Horror Nights

Universal is back in the scene with its much-anticipated haunt, which debuts this weekend.

There will be several scare zones and shows around the park, but what’s getting the Halloween enthusiasts jazzed is one particular locale: the back lot.

Yep, they’ve finally done it. This is the first time visitors will be allowed to walk the lots where filmmakers have created classic movies. Don’t celebrate too soon, for there’s one problem. A crazed director who was recently fired by Universal for his disturbing approach to the art of cinema is loose, and he’s looking for stars for his current opus. This living horror film, in a location where many cinema classics have been made, could be memorable.

Also on the bill: the Mutaytor Dance Party. If its music, pyrotechnics, stunts, tribal dancing and multimedia elements don’t get your heart pumping, perhaps that madman director made you one of his victims after all.

How will it play out? Halloween Horror Nights will be reviewed in next Thursday’s Calendar Weekend.

weekend@latimes.com

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Finding the frights

Knott’s Scary Farm

When: 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. weekdays, 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays; today through Sunday, Oct. 18-22, Oct. 25-31

Where: 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park

Price: $49, or $44 pre-sale

Info: (714) 220-5000, www.halloweenhaunt.com

Six Flags Fright Fest

When: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, Oct. 20-22, Oct. 27-31

Where: 26101 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia

Price: $39.99 online or $59.99 in person

Info: (661) 255-4111, www.sixflags.com

Queen Mary’s Shipwreck

When: 7 p.m. to midnight (later on some nights); Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-22, Oct. 27-31

Where: 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach

Price: $30

Info: www.queenmaryshipwreck

.com

Disney’s HalloweenTime

When: Hours vary. Daily through Oct. 31.

Where: 1313 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim

Price: $68-$78, one-day park-hopper pass (for Southern California residents)

Info: (714) 781-4400, www.disneyland.com

Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights

When: 7 p.m. to midnight; Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-21, Oct. 27-28, Oct. 31

Where: 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City

Price: $49 at the box office or $34-$39 online

Info: www.halloweenhorrornights

.com/Hollywood