Knotts Berry Farm

As we slip into October, I decided to assemble my first-ever Fantasy Halloween League of the Top 13 haunted mazes at theme parks around the world. Think of the Top 13 list as a nightmare fantastic park with the most demented, disturbing and disgusting collection of haunted attractions ever gathered in one virtual place. Or my definition of a dream vacation if I had a bottomless budget and unlimited vacation time to jet around the world to the best and most bizarre haunts.

The increasing popularity of Halloween theme park events has spawned a new generation of exclusive reservation-only haunted mazes that promise a more intense and intimate experience for those willing to pay a premium. Photos: 10 extreme haunted mazes and attractions The new Trapped maze at Knott's Halloween Haunt is the latest entry in an emerging trend toward up-charge attractions that cater to individuals and small parties prepared to bleed green for exclusive VIP treatment.

Knott's Berry Farm celebrates the 40th anniversary of Halloween Haunt with a crosstown rival threatening to tear the middle-aged monster limb from limb. But rather than cower and hide, Knott's Scary Farm has fought back against the resurgent Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood, refusing to go quietly into the fog-filled night. > Photos: Halloween Haunt 2012 at Knott's Berry Farm Change takes time, though. The granddaddy of theme park events has grown to 13 mazes, nine shows and four scare zones with 1,000 monsters during its four decade reign of terror.

The parent company of Knott's Berry Farm has temporarily closed all the WindSeeker tower swings in the amusement park chain after the thrill rides stranded visitors hundreds of feet in the air for hours at a time this summer. Cedar Fair, which operates a dozen amusement parks in North America, will conduct an internal review to determine why the safety systems have activated on the $5-million Windseeker rides at parks in California, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina and Canada. "Safety is our No. 1 priority, and the company will not open a WindSeeker ride until an internal review has been completed," Cedar Fair announced in a statement.

A brake malfunction caused Knott's Berry Farm's WindSeeker ride to shut down suddenly Wednesday, leaving riders dangling midair for hours. "When the brake froze, the ride safety mechanism did what it was supposed to do; it stopped the ride," said Erika Monterroza of the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health. The abrupt stop left 20 passengers suspended 300 feet in the air. It took maintenance crews 31/2 hours to lower all of the passengers. The lengthy delay getting passengers to the ground was blamed on a brake that work crews had difficulty releasing to lower the ride to the ground.

You can make reservations for an exclusive restaurant. And come this Halloween season you'll be able to make reservations for an exclusive scare. Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park — the theme park that 40 years ago introduced visitors to the now hugely popular Halloween mazes teeming with ghouls and monsters — will offer a premium maze for small groups apart from the crowds. Access to the exclusive maze, starting Sept. 21, will come with an extra charge. It will cost $60 for a group of up to six people, on top of admission to the park, which runs from $36 to $60 per person.

Knott's Berry Farm will add five new mazes for Halloween Haunt 2012, including an up-charge VIP maze that promises to substantially increase the scare-quotient from years past. Photos: Halloween Haunt 2012 at Knott's Berry Farm The 40th annual Knott's Scary Farm will start on Sept. 21 and run on select nights through Oct. 31. The granddaddy of Halloween events will feature 13 mazes and four scare zones scattered throughout the Buena Park theme park. As part of the 40th anniversary celebration, Knott's entertainment supervisor Jeff Tucker promises higher quality mazes with more scares and better set decorations.

Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., the owner of Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, reported a boost in revenue from visitors spending more at its parks through the Fourth of July holiday period. Cedar Fair, one of the nation's largest regional theme-park operators, took in $456 million, a 5% increase over the same period last year, the company reported Tuesday. The period through the Fourth of July holiday traditionally represents about one-third of the company's full-year revenue.

The new "Insane Coaster Wars" coming to the Travel Channel this summer lets viewers take a virtual ride on many of the best roller coasters in the United States right from the comfort of their living room couch. PHOTOS: 24 rides competing in "Insane Coaster Wars" Premiering at 9 p.m. on July 8, each themed half-hour episode will let viewers vote online for their favorite coasters in six categories: speed, height, G-forces, inversions, wooden coasters and suspended coasters.