The charming Castle Dark is back for 2023 for a healthy dose of family-friendly Halloween fun. Located Just about 45 miles east of Los Angeles, the regional Castle Park transforms into Castle Dark on select nights through October 29. The event features two walkthrough mazes, three scare zones, a dark ride, and the new Haunted Highway. At just about $34.99 on peak nights, the event offers a very budget-conscious way to enjoy some Halloween fun.
Shipwreck Cove
As visitors make their way to the Cinema of Fear maze they will pass the Shipwreck Cove scare zone. Utilizing the dormant Buccaneer Cove water playground, we see frightful pirates and spooky sirens attempting to lure visitors to a watery doom. The area features an all-female cast.
Slider Alley
Situated near the Saw Mill Flume Log Ride and Tilt-o-Whirl is Slider Alley. Cowboys galore revive from the dead to slide in for a slash at Castle Dark.
Camino de los Muertos
The festive Camino de los Muertos pays tribute to the dead with vibrant lights and some wonderful costumes. The area invites brave patrons for a sinister walk down the UV-lit streets of Camino de los Muertos as the walking dead lurk within the shadows.
Haunted Highway
The classic attraction, Antique Car Ride, has been rethemed for Halloween to deliver Haunted Highway. Spooky trees leer as you pass by and glowing pumpkins light the path on this beguiling retheme. Just look out though. There may be a few surprises waiting for you in the dark.
The Cinema of Fear
Located in Buccaneer Cove, just past the Shipwreck Cove scare zone, is The Cinema of Fear. Guests are invited to the movies for a frightful journey into horror movies themselves.
This was a large walkthrough that offered plenty of jump scares. While the sets were understandably sparse, the fog effects were in full effect to keep visibility at a minimum. On our visit the talent was doing a fine job. It did seem, however, that our trip through the maze was cut short due to a minor emergency in the last scene. No matter, we got a good idea of what this maze had to offer.
Night Shift
The all-new Night Shift maze is a spooky walk through an old toy factory with one single flashlight to guide you. We arrive at the front office and are told by the boss that we need to roam the halls looking for any suspicious activity. We are handed a small UV flashlight that barely gives off any light, and we are sent to our patrol assignment. Of course, things go terribly wrong and we discover that the toys in this factory have a mind of their own
I do have to give this maze recognition for its good use of space. This is also a tension-filled journey as we slowly navigate the dark halls, anticipating a scare around every corner. Again, talent was wonderful in this maze on our visit. Best of all, this has one of the best final scares in any maze that Castle Dark has had.
Ghost Blasters
It’s not a trip to Castle Dark without a ride on Ghost Blasters. Hop aboard this slow-moving dark ride just inside the castle and prepare to be delighted. We hop aboard our vehicle and grab our trusty ghost-zapping guns.
On our ride, only about half of the targets in this classic Sally Darkride were actually working. Sound was good though and despite technical issues, this was still a fun little attraction.
Castle Dark is once again one of those haunts that is perfect for new haunt fans. This is a small haunt with plenty to see and do and the price is more than affordable. What’s more, you can even spend some time on one of the 4 world-class miniature golf courses to take a break from the shrieks and boos.
