The spooky hour is upon us, unleashing terrifying creatures into every corner of Six Flags Magic Mountain for another year of Fright Fest. Signs of refinement are creeping into the event, scaling back from trying to be “SoCal’s biggest haunt” into a worthwhile set of mazes, shows, and scare zones. Two mazes join the lineup— Wolves’ Blood and Final Destination: Death’s Playground— along with a new show, Nytewalkerz. Running select nights from September 18th to November 1st, this year’s Fright Fest hopes to fright and delight you with more developed entertainment. In addition to the nighttime frights, the daytime expansion of Tricks and Treats adds more for the younger crowd to enjoy.
Below, find your guide to the frights, sights, and slider delights…
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New Mazes and Shows for Fright Fest 2026
Two new mazes and a new show join the lineup for Fright Fest’s 2026 season. Throughout the article, we’ve labeled our favorite three mazes, and (spoiler alert) our favorite is a new maze. What makes it so special may be a pleasant surprise…
★ MiceChat Favorite · #1
NEW MAZE — Wolves’ Blood
Journey through a remote town overrun by werewolves on your way to see the first-ever live performance of the hottest new underground band, Wolves’ Blood.
Let’s just get it out of the way: this is easily the best maze I’ve experienced at Magic Mountain. This is a whole package slam-dunk win for Fright Fest, and something that they can use as a standard to work off for future mazes.
The set design is beautifully layered. This is an urban setting, but it feels more lived-in than anything I’ve seen at the park before. Every sign, piece of art, sticker, shelf, TV, and corpse is expertly designed and placed. Hopefully I’ve captured this with the photos; I tried to convey the nuances through the composition choices. Look at the environmental storytelling. Even many of the graphics, signage, and props were designed as little gags that, while many are likely to miss, are little gems if you happen to notice them.
Lighting is thoughtful, colorful, and again creates layers and contrast for the desired cinematic look. For example, green light spills into the truck stop as if lit by fluorescent lights. Mind you, fluorescent lights look green on color film, not to the human eye, but using green makes it look more like a classic horror movie.
Scares are handled the way I prefer: a mix of the “jack in the box” jump scares, often with a predetermined curtain for the actor to jump out of, and an actor performing somewhere in the scene to set the tone. The former is often too heavily relied upon by all the various haunt events, but thankfully Wolves’ Blood is going for a mixture of atmosphere and frights.
I could go on about the use of driving rock music, great audio effects, and the many clever gags, but it’s obvious that Wolves’ Blood is a win. It strikes a great balance of camp and horror, clearly inspired by classic ’80s B movies, that fits the Magic Mountain atmosphere well.
This level of expertise is no mistake. Wolves’ Blood comes from the mind of Gus Krueger, one of Knott’s Scary Farm’s legendary designers behind many classic mazes, including one of my very favorites, Eight Fingers Nine: The Boogeyman. Therefore, this is a very important maze, as it marks the first time Six Flags is cross-utilizing their entertainment talent like this.
I can see a future where directors on their off-years from a Knott’s Scary Farm maze are given the opportunity to pitch something different for Fright Fest. Wolves’ Blood is an example of something that would’ve been well received at Scary Farm, but may otherwise better appeal to the Magic Mountain demographic. And it’s not just Gus; for the local Valencia team, the experience building a winner like this may serve as a case study for even more beautiful mazes of this caliber in the future. Regardless, this is a rockin’ good time. If you’re picking up the Haunted Attractions Pass, Wolves’ Blood should be a priority.
Unfortunately, navigating here is a bit confusing. The maze location is not new, but the path to get there is. Instead of following the road across from Vault: 666, you walk out through Looney Tunes Land and through an unmarked gate on the edge of the Bunny Bowl Amphitheater.
The only thing signaling the entrance to the maze was a short sign with an inoperable light and one poor park employee beckoning people over.
Hopefully more (lit) signage will be placed to help direct guests, because while this was clearly the best maze at Fright Fest this year, it was completely deserted when we visited. We walked through completely alone, which was nice for us, but unfortunate for anyone who might’ve missed the maze entirely. Which was the complete opposite experience of the next new maze…
★ MiceChat Favorite · #3
NEW MAZE — Final Destination: Death’s Playground
Moments before disaster, a sudden premonition reveals a chain of catastrophic events. In other words, whatever can go wrong will; Death itself will make sure of it.
Final Destination is an interesting choice for a maze adaptation. It’s a franchise built on gory spectacle. Plane crashes, catastrophic roller coaster failures, and poorly stored logging trucks come to mind.
In the context of a claustrophobic maze where you clock into work, this maze feels like those silly over-the-top corporate safety videos where they show you what happens if you put your hand in the band saw. I’m not sure if the designers intended Death’s Playground to be funny, but it came across that way. Which, for us, made it fun, and why we’ve put it in the top 3.
The big sticking point for us was the structure. This was a sort of walking tour, where the actors would keep you in a room to watch someone have an accident, then rush you to the next one. This meant that each group sees the scene in its entirety, but not only is being stuck in a room confusing for most guests, it absolutely tanks capacity.
We had the Express Haunted Attractions Pass and waited over 30 minutes. We asked the people up next in the standby queue how long they had waited— two hours. No other maze had a line nearly that long, and the ones with long lines had pre-shows. Pre-shows slow down lines and lower capacity. Except Death’s Playground is that format in every room. Hopefully Six Flags can tweak the scenes to increase the throughput as the season goes on.
NEW SHOW — Nytewalkerz
Right at the front of the park is a new zombified extreme sports show with undead dancers, skaters, bikers, and trampoline artists.
Nytewalkerz is a classic extreme sports stunt show, albeit with a light storyline of a couple being chased by zombies. It’s a fairly long show, about 30 minutes, with a solid variety of acts focused on the various stunts and dance routines.
Returning SFMM Fright Fest Mazes
The Conjuring Universe
Strap in for a tour of the Warrens’ most hair-raising and gruesome cases, including those that inspired The Conjuring, Annabelle, and The Nun. In each investigation, encounters with cursed artifacts make you the target of the possession.
While not a new maze, there are tweaks to the layout and scenes this year. The Conjuring Universe maze stands out for its striking special effects and claustrophobic set design. The clever use of space and simple yet intense scenes keep this maze a favorite. While some houses rely heavily on darkness for scares, The Conjuring Universe creates a palpable atmosphere that delivers chilling moments at every turn.
Trick ‘r Treat
Step into a dark, twisted candy trail, lit by jack-o’-lanterns, where supernatural encounters tap into your deepest fears. Guided by Sam, the infamous Spirit of Halloween, you’ll learn the rules of the spooky season before entering a world where tricks overpower treats.
Much like The Conjuring, Trick ‘r Treat features fully immersive rooms, exceptional set design, and quaint special effects.
Sam, the vengeful spirit of Halloween, makes a return. We love to see a fantastically campy maze return with his eerie presence. He’s almost adorable—until he’s dragging his razor-sharp lollipop across your throat!
Make sure to check your candy and never blow out your jack-o’-lantern before midnight, or you may just receive a visit from this unforgiving spirit!
★ MiceChat Favorite · #2
Willoughby’s: Resurrected
Evil spirits roam the once-affluent Willoughby family mansion that now echoes with whispers and footsteps of these restless spirits, creating an atmosphere of perpetual dread.
Willoughby’s has been a staple of Fright Fest for as long as the event has existed. Even when I visited nearly a decade ago, it felt like a relic, with the original Willoughby’s Haunted Mansion dating all the way back to the first Fright Fest in 1993. Yet, its impeccably detailed sets and fully immersive atmosphere continue to make it a must-see maze. The scare actors also seem to have the most fun here— definitely a plus.
And it is a house. There are no empty dark rooms to separate scenes, just a self-guided tour through a sprawling haunted mansion filled with a variety of kooky ghouls. Willoughby’s Resurrected has a bit of that old-time charm, and we love that it’s still around.
Vault: 666 Unlocked
Demonic relics are locked in a dark and sinister antique shop, waiting to be unleashed upon anyone foolish enough to disturb their rest. Haunting and inexplicable occurrences plague those who dare to enter, for the relics do not forgive or forget.
The premise of Vault: 666 is perfect for delivering a diverse array of scares. Like many other Fright Fest mazes, it’s packed with stunning set design, creating an eerie and immersive environment that elevates every fright.
Carnage
Starring Fright Fest’s original villain, Carnage takes you deep into a dark, twisted urban carnival.
This maze unfortunately feels like a leftover from an era of very basic Fright Fest offerings. It’s your standard jack-in-the-box scary clowns in an industrial environment that you can find just about anywhere. The clowns just outside in City Under Siege are often scarier.
Returning SFMM Fright Fest Entertainment
Sliders of the Night: Streets of Mayhem
Emerging from their shadowy haunts, the notorious sliders descend upon City Under Siege for a jaw-dropping display of speed and skill. Sliders of the Night is a fully choreographed stunt show, where these spark-shooting monsters showcase their agility in a series of daring feats.
Prepare to be thrilled as the sliders leap over one another, execute perfectly synchronized slides, and push the boundaries of danger with each new stunt.
This heart-pounding show may be one of the best of Fright Fest—and it’s included with admission! Don’t miss it!
Unleashed
Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest scaremony opens the event every night on the Nytewalkerz stage. Carnage and his disciples bring together all the different scare zones for one big moment before…unleashing them on the crowd and into the park.
Margo Rita’s Monster Ball
It’s time to choose a new Queen of the Monsters in this high-energy musical revue, hosted by Fright Fest’s mother monster herself, Margo Rita. Who will win the crown?
Returning SFMM Fright Fest Scare Zones
Underworlds of Oz
Journey through the dark side of Emerald City and the mystical realms of Oz, where twisted enchantments and ominous shadows consume the golden path, and the line between fantasy and nightmare blurs into a chilling adventure unlike any other.
Plaza de la Muerte
Step into the spectral celebration of Día de los Muertos, where vibrant colors blend with eerie shadows in an immersive dance of spirits and traditions.
City Under Siege
The clowns are back and spreading havoc in every inconceivable manner. As their twisted grins and sinister laughter fill the air, no place is safe from their deranged antics.
Devil’s Triangle
Succumb to the deepest, darkest depths of the ocean, haunted by the many souls lost to the Devil’s Triangle that prey on guests drifting by.
Exile Hill
Unimaginable sinister souls appear without warning and send chills down the spines of guests who dare to journey through this dark and ominous passage.
Nightmares: Reign of Blood
Alice’s Wonderland is twisted by the sinister Queen of Hearts, who now hunts for new souls to possess.
Thunderbolt Alley
A rockabilly band anchors a 1950s-themed monster mashup, rocking and rolling to the beat of their afterlives.
Fright Fest 2026 Food and Merchandise
Magic Mountain has a handful of seasonal food items for Halloween. It’s mostly spooky variations of standard theme park food like hamburgers, pizza, wings, mac and cheese, and fries. Although if you’re looking for something exotic, try the Last Leap Frog Legs— if you dare.
There’s also a set of seasonal merchandise, including some popular brands. Spirit Jersey has a classic black and orange jack-o’-lantern design, and the clear Knott’s Scary Farm Loungefly has been brought over with a new Fright Fest version.
The Knott’s interactive lanterns are also a carry-over, quite literally. The ones sold here have a different logo on the back, but are otherwise the exact same lantern sold at Knott’s Berry Farm— Danny brought the one he bought at Scary Farm, and it also works here at Magic Mountain.
While Scary Farm’s lantern activations focus on lighting effects in mazes and shows, Magic Mountain has a focus on interactivity. They primarily work in scare zones with two options: a special effect or a scare actor with a special device. Each scare zone has both. Some of the effects are surprisingly cool. In Underworlds of Oz, the Wizard of Oz appears and monologues as a creepy floating head.
Devil’s Triangle has a fireable cannon.
Exile Hill has a creepy vampire coffin that opens up, chants, and performs a specialized lighting sequence on the Sky Tower.
Some of the activations are a bit more hidden, like the one that causes the central fountains to play a synchronized light and music show.
Attending Fright Fest
Fright Fest Extreme stands out from other Southern California haunted attractions by keeping the entire park open to the general public during the event. Unlike events that require a separate ticket for admission, Fright Fest allows all park-goers to enjoy the festive atmosphere and shows. However, access to the haunted mazes requires a separate Haunted Attractions Pass. This pass can be purchased bundled with regular park admission:
- Fright Fest Extreme Admission (park admission + haunted attractions) – Starting at $74
- Fright Fest Extreme Admission + Express Pass (park admission + Express access to haunted attractions) – Starting at $144
Alternatively, if you’ve already purchased admission (e.g. season pass), the haunted attractions pass can be purchased separately:
- Haunted Attractions Pass – Starting at $25
- Express Haunted Attractions Pass – Starting at $95
This approach is intriguing because it allows regular guests who aren’t interested in the haunted mazes to still enjoy the park with an added touch of spookiness. It also offers great value for those who want to experience both a full day at Magic Mountain and Fright Fest with the same admission ticket.
For passholders, things have been streamlined a bit. Magic Mountain passholders automatically get admission to the event, but both Magic Mountain and Knott’s Berry Farm Gold and Prestige passes can now be used for park admission at either park. While Knott’s Scary Farm is a separate ticketed event, the appropriate Knott’s pass will get you into Magic Mountain to experience the Fright Fest scare zones and shows. Although, everyone still needs a Haunted Attractions Pass to access the mazes. In addition to the one-day pass, there are now all-season add-ons:
- Fright Fest All Season Haunted Attractions Pass Add-on – $69
- Fright Fest All Season Haunted Attractions Express Pass Add-on – $249
A V.I.SCREAM Tour is offered for those who want a private guided tour featuring unlimited priority express access to all seven haunted houses, priority express access to select rides and attractions, VIP parking, Fright Fest Extreme exclusive food and beverages, and more.
Magic Mountain Tricks and Treats
From noon to 5pm on select days, celebrate a family-friendly daytime Halloween event with Tricks and Treats. Specially made for younger kids, there’s candy, arts and crafts, and shows.
Trick or Treat Trail
Grab a bag and take a trip through Taz’s garden.
After you’ve collected enough candy, stop by the arts and crafts booth at the start of the trail to make your very own masterpiece.
Patch’s Pumpkin Patch
Get creative and make your own spooky pumpkin. We don’t think this one was quite ready yet, as the crafting tables for kids to draw on the pumpkins weren’t set up.
Looney Tunes Dance Party
Join the cast of Looney Tunes, decked out in their best Halloween costumes, for a dance party in the Bunny Bowl Amphitheater. We’re told the characters actually have a variety of costumes, so you’ll never know what they’ll be dressed up as.
What’s in a Brain
This show in the Bunny Bowl Amphitheater wasn’t ready for us the first weekend, but we were informed that it should be ready for future weekends.
Tricksters
A set of tricksters perform small carnival acts throughout Looney Tunes Land.
Spellbound Harvest Trail
A small, not scary maze for the littlest kids.
Drivin’ Mama Crazy
A live band cracking jokes and playing classic family-friendly Halloween songs!
Let’s Hear From You
What do you think of Fright Fest’s glow-up? Are you planning on attending? Do you have a haunted house you’re interested in? Let us know in the comments below.
I am so glad to hear that Magic Mountain is stepping things up. The new maze looks great!