Knott’s Berry Farm has recently become the center of controversy after reportedly denying entry to several paying guests during its annual Knott’s Scary Farm: Nightmares Revealed event. The hard-ticketed yearly event offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Halloween Haunt festivities coming to America’s first theme park.
On August 19, 2025, dozens of guests who had purchased tickets for Knott’s Scary Farm: Nightmares Revealed were denied entry after arriving late to the sold-out event. The event, which costs around $35 per guest, is designed to give Halloween Haunt fans an early look at the seasonal mazes, costumes, and other frightful offerings before the official Knott’s Scary Farm experience opens later in the season.
Instagram user @realmousemedia shared a video documenting the experience, expressing frustration after being turned away at the gates:
MONSTERS REVEALED!!! We would love to let it be known that knotts has beyond horrible customer service! They do NOT care about the guest! They can state “no late arrivals” but don’t clam what time the gates close. They had many people outside extremely disappointed and the managers were a total joke and did not come out to help until 8pm to give refunds. It’s not about the refunds it’s the fact that people come excited for the event! They could have used a wand or kept the gates open the fact that we were not even 30 minutes late! They let us in late before but this year they want to change it up. You lost not only business but guest who loved this Halloween event. People traveled far just to be turned away! I would not support the event this year if I were you. The other theme parks are doing so much better! Refusing to let people in to a THREE HOUR EVENT THAT THEY PAID FOR TOTAL JOKE! @knottsberryfarm @knottsscaryfarm #knottsberryfarm #knottsscaryfarm #halloweenhaunt
The video shows dozens of guests waiting over an hour to speak with a Knott’s Berry Farm manager about receiving a refund. The guests involved in the incident claim they were turned away because they arrived after the event’s 7:00 p.m. start time, and it’s unclear whether any guests received their requested refunds.
“Just so everybody knows, this is the line to get a refund because they refused to let us in, telling us that the line closed at 7:00, when the event started,” the Southern California theme park guest said in the video.
The special event page on Knott’s Berry Farm’s website states that “Late arrivals will not be accommodated” due to the presentation schedule and the event’s three-hour duration. Several social media users commented on the Instagram post, supporting the theme park’s stance and saying the policy was clear.
“If the ticket states no late entries and it states the start time, that’s the time you’re supposed to be at or before…not after…,” said @4foot11wonder.
“The event starts at 7? They should close the doors!” @sondra.thomas.90260 replied. “It’s a distraction when you get there late. Good for them.”
However, the theme park guest argued that Knott’s Berry Farm didn’t communicate the event policies effectively.
“It says *may not be accommodated and it did not give a time…,” the Instagram user argued. “It states ‘Ticket not valid before 5. Event starts at 7pm.’”
Should Knott’s Berry Farm have refunded these guests? Share your opinion with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
