Southern California’s sweltering late summer is usually prime time for water parks, but Knott’s Soak City will be sitting out two Thursdays this month. The Buena Park water park, which sits right next to Knott’s Berry Farm, has alerted passholders that it will not open on August 22 and August 29.
The announcement trims down Soak City’s calendar just as its summer season nears the finish line. Closures like these aren’t uncommon at regional parks when attendance dips midweek, but they also signal that Knott’s is beginning the yearly handoff from sunny pool days to fog-filled nights.
A Summer Staple: Knott’s Soak City
Spread across 15 acres, Knott’s Soak City is Orange County’s largest water park. The destination boasts more than 20 slides, a massive wave pool, a lazy river, and kid-friendly splash areas. For thrill seekers, the “Shore Break” drop slides and “Pipeline” tube rides deliver the adrenaline, while families often opt for the calmer waters of the lazy river or wave lagoon.
Operating seasonally from late spring through early September, Soak City has been the water companion to Knott’s Berry Farm’s year-round thrills like GhostRider, Silver Bullet, and HangTime. Its temporary closures this August don’t spell the end of the season entirely, but they do shorten the run-up to Labor Day, the park’s traditional swan song for summer.
Knott’s Berry Farm: From Berries to Thrills
What started as a roadside berry stand in the 1920s has evolved into one of the region’s cornerstone theme parks. Knott’s Berry Farm blends roller coasters with Americana nostalgia, culinary icons like the boysenberry, and a year-round lineup of live shows and events. It is also known for its seasonal overlays—none bigger than the transformation that arrives every September.
Knott’s Scary Farm: 2025 Brings Farewells and Teasers
On September 18, 2025, Knott’s Scary Farm returns, and this year will mark the final chapters for two standout haunted mazes: The Grimoire and Mesmer: Sideshow of the Mind.
The Grimoire
This haunted maze almost never saw the light of day. The attraction was relocated mid-design, and COVID-era restrictions forced its creative team to reimagine sections to accommodate social distancing. The result was a Goonies-inspired storyline centered around a cursed book, complete with hidden Easter eggs and unique characters. Now, in its last season, fans will have one more chance to step into its eerie pages.
Mesmer: Sideshow of the Mind
Like The Grimoire, Mesmer was a product of pandemic-era innovation. One early idea involved guests wearing headphones to hear hypnotic commands during their walkthrough. While that feature was scrapped for sanitation reasons, the circus-meets-psychological-horror theme delivered plenty of frights and quickly became a fan favorite. Its 2025 run will be its last.
What’s Next in the Fog
Knott’s didn’t stop at goodbyes. The park teased a new haunted maze set in a Victorian setting, with a brief glimpse of someone scrubbing blood out of a carpet. Full details weren’t revealed at Midsummer Scream, however; instead, Knott’s passed the baton to a separate event.
That reveal will come at “Nightmares Revealed,” hosted by the Boulet Brothers. The show sold out in advance, though some Midsummer Scream attendees were able to snag extra tickets. There, the park is expected to unveil the complete 2025 Scary Farm lineup.
From Pools to Panic
The late August closures at Soak City might frustrate water park fans, but they also highlight how quickly the park shifts gears between seasons. Within weeks, Knott’s will trade swimsuits for scare actors, lazy rivers for haunted mazes, and the sounds of splashing water for shrieks in the fog.
For passholders, the message is clear: get your last laps around Soak City’s wave pool in soon. By mid-September, Knott’s Berry Farm will once again prove why it holds one of the most enduring titles in the haunt world.
