Great America makes major changes to its Halloween event

I traveled to the family-friendly park not to check out its mind-bending single-rail steel coaster — although that was awesome — but to experience its brand-new Halloween event. The annual Halloween Haunt, a scary, adult-tailored event, has been retired to make way for the family-friendly Tricks and Treats. 

The move is not entirely surprising, considering these haunted house-style events can alienate regular visitors. Halloween events like Knott’s Scary Farm at Knott’s Berry Farm (another Cedar Fair-owned park) and Universal Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights can be intense, and too scary for people who don’t like horror. Even Oogie Boogie Bash, the family-friendly Halloween party at Disneyland, closes the park to regular ticketed guests early at 6 p.m.

Great America’s pivot for Halloween is part of a larger new direction that Cedar Fair has taken the park, leaning into the “fun and festive” atmosphere of holiday events rather than scarier Halloween events of years past, as Clayton Lawrence, Cedar Fair corporate creative producer, told SFGATE.

“With the launch of our WinterFest holiday event, we invested heavily in the product and received acclaim from our guests and families because it allowed them to enjoy a new tradition together,” he added.

I visited Tricks and Treats on opening night — and was immediately impressed. The event splits the park into four distinct lands: Ickyville, Spooky Spires, Sweet Tooth Acres and Everfall. They collectively tell the story of Halloween through immersive "streetmosphere," decor, entertainment and food. 

I first stumbled into the 1920s vibes of the Spooky Spires, where I was entranced by a ghostly vocal trio, the Spectral Sisters. With captivating melodies and funny bits, they performed New Orleans jazz twists on popular hits. The sisters were so entertaining that I ended up returning for another show later that night.

Everfall depicted the dreaminess of autumn, complete with overflowing pumpkin patches and craft beers. The Willy Wonka-esque Sweet Tooth Acres was whimsical and colorful, with a singing quartet, roaming brass band and candy-inspired characters that interacted with guests.

Sweet Tooth Acres was also home to the trick-or-treat trail, a street of eight well-themed miniature houses where guests would knock on the front door for candy, just like they would in real life. 

Scare zones are a cornerstone of most theme park Halloween events — but are typically scream-inducing. At Tricks and Treats, they used the concept of self-contained zones but gave them a kid-friendly twist. Here, kooky characters, like the slime-filled clean-up crew of Ickyville, didn’t jump out at you but instead leaned into improv comedy to interact with guests. 

The talent level was high throughout the event, from a slime-themed game show, "The Gross Out Gauntlet," to a high-energy full band performance by The Snots, an all-zombie band. It was like being inside a large-scale live production. Guests danced the night away at a silent disco with a ghoulish DJ and dance crew, and a costume council gathered nightly for a costume contest that was inspired by "RuPaul's Drag Race."

Lawrence said it took a full year to create this new event, utilizing everyone from improv and show directors, choreographers and scenic, costume, makeup and technical designers.

“Every character, show, and attraction is a puzzle piece that is written to correspond to each other, creating a truly immersive experience,” he said. “The park was also used to become a backdrop for the story, so the scenic and decoration design is all carefully tied together so that you feel like you are in the four distinct lands of Tricks and Treats.”

A highlight anytime I’m visiting theme park events is the specialty food and beverage. At Tricks and Treats, it was evident that food was not an afterthought. With treats themed to each land, food further fueled the story. 

The first stop on my wickedly delicious journey brought me to the playfully named Blood Bank Bar, where I imbibed a blood bag cocktail. My night continued with a Bride of Frank’s ice cream that left my lips and mouth black for a solid 30 minutes — and I secretly loved it. Most surprising? A well-executed birria dish with house-made tortillas that tapped into the park’s California roots. 

Did I, a theme park-loving, childless adult, have an absolute blast at an event tailored to the family clientele? Yes — and it was a welcomed relief from screaming. 

The entire event was surprisingly high caliber: It had that special sort of charm you don’t find at the bigger theme parks. Great America itself is beautiful and clean — a statement not often associated with regional theme parks. 

Cedar Fair took a risk when it left behind its popular haunt event, but it paid off. The park flexed its creative muscles and ran with it all the way to the oversized candy corn farm. It may not have the dazzle and polish of Universal or Disney, but it’s an impressive feat I haven’t yet experienced at a regional theme park. 

Tricks and Treats run through Oct. 30 at California’s Great America. Admission is included with regular park tickets.