Oh, the monsters outside are frightful, but The Swamp - it's so delightful!  And since they've no place to go... Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

The Swamp.  God, where do we even begin?  First of all, Theme Park Adventure gives our utmost respect and major props to the men and women of this zone, as it was nothing more than a few feet of terror, thanks to the construction of Knott's Berry Farm's newest coaster, Silver Bullet.

It was actually more than a few feet - but not by much!  "Driveway of Doom" and "50 Feet of Terror" were some of the nicknames passed around this past year.  In fact, due to the construction of the new coaster, it wasn't known until very late in the game if there would even be a Swamp for Halloween Haunt 2004.

Word on the street was that The Swamp would be swallowed up by The Gauntlet, taking over some of its area - an idea that honestly, neither side liked.  After all, the themes of the two areas are vastly different - The Gauntlet being dark and Medieval and The Swamp being a weird, mad scientist-animal-wolf-bayou... thing.  Come to think of it, what the hell is the theme of The Swamp?

Regardless, it's always spooky and it always kicks ass.  In fact, in recent years, The Swamp has become a major hot spot for incredible talent and out-of-control madness.  More on the madness in a moment...

Some of the best talent on the Farm is in The Swamp, whether you're talking sliding or just pure scariness.  And one of Halloween Haunt's more memorable monsters in recent years - Freak - dwells in The Swamp, always just out of sight and always truly stunning when he reveals himself to Scary Farm guests.

Just as Haunt 2004 was about to begin, TPA received word from several folks that work this area; it was not looking good and folks were really bummed, wondering how they were going to pull it off, due to the area's almost insulting size (probably a quarter - if not less - than Ghost Town or The Gauntlet).

However, darkness and a few fog machines do wonders.  Add the Impaler creature that Knott's added to the zone a few years ago and you have yourself a party.  And party these people did!  Foot for foot, The Swamp was the most happening place at Halloween Haunt in 2004.  Everywhere you turned there were monsters.  Everywhere you turned, some poor fools were being chased through the fog into other groups of waiting monsters.  Everywhere you turned, people were screaming and laughing.

Everywhere you turned, it was the true spirit of Knott's Scary Farm in its most raw and beautiful form.  Not only did the Swamp team rise to the occasion - they came forth and knocked the ball out of the park night after night after night.  And everyone knows it.

In recent years, The Swamp has earned its honors by being so dark and desolate, with monsters lurking in the fog, hiding behind trees and makeshift structures.  In their new home for 2004, the monsters pretty much were on their own.  Sure, there was fog - and it was dark - but, it wasn't at all the same.

Not only did Haunt fans have to adjust to a TrimSpa version of The Swamp, so did the gang that calls it home each year; it was a huge adjustment to make.  Hiding spots were lost (heck, in the new location, there were no real hiding spots) structures were lost and the entire group had to re-learn their surroundings.  It may not sound like a challenge, but consider that many of these guys and gals come to work in this location every year for almost 30 nights each season.  Suddenly, everything they have known is gone.  It is a big deal and we feel that the team as a whole did a brilliant job of working it out.

The main way that it was worked out was that the Swamp monsters adopted a complete in-your-face attitude; more so than in previous years.  Each night, all night long, monsters were right there with the guests in close quarters - it was sheer panic and total chaos.  And it was flippin' awesome!  Granted, we really missed The Swamp in its original location - as did the monsters - but we have to say that we totally got a kick out of the scare zone and loved watching the plethora of monsters brutalize the guests.  Often, we'd bump into a group of teens standing on the outskirts of The Swamp arguing with each other - "Hell no, I ain't goin' in there!  It's crazy!"

That is a major pat on the back to the Swamp team.  It was a unique, odd situation that these creative folks took by the horns and owned.

Now, let's talk about the creative fun the gang in The Swamp had on Halloween Night.  God knows, strange and wonderful things happen all over the Scary Farm each year on Halloween, but what happened in The Swamp on October 31st is going to go down in the history books.

While the rest of the Scary Farm celebrated Halloween, The Swamp transformed itself into a winter wonderland - October 31st became Christmas!  And we're talking Christmas - decorations, music, a snow machine... the works.  Fans were totally thrown and monsters came from far and wide to witness the spectacle.  There were even tiny stockings hung with care, each featuring the name of a Swamp monster.

It was completely wicked and the type of thing that will be reminisced about for decades to come - if not by guests, by monsters at Knott's.  It truly was one of the great ones.  Even Freak was dressed up like a Christmas tree - ornaments and twinkling colored lights in full effect!  How's that for amazing?  Even if this wasn't the "protocol" for All Hallow's Eve, it sure as hell was genius - and even the powers-that-be at Knott's had to have a good laugh over it.  You see, it's little moments like this that make Haunt what it is.  The little stories that make people laugh for years - this is the essence of why Halloween Haunt is so successful and so timeless.

While we watched the monsters get their Haunt on this season, we witnessed one of the greatest chases and scares we've ever seen in person.  This girl was chased through the area by a group of monsters - ending up on the floor in a ball, screaming her head off.  It was beautiful - and the best part was, we captured it all on video!

This individual also did a big no-no and slapped at a monster - at Haunt, that is equivalent to spraying gasoline on a fire.  She was pursued after that without mercy.  We honestly though she was going to piss her pants - or worse.  Her lame boyfriend had to get involved and that was the end of the fun.  However, it was great while it lasted!

Theme Park Adventure wishes to extend a special thanks to two individuals for supplying us with additional Swamp pictures to share with our readers when we realized we needed more for this review and knew that we had to have pictures of the Christmas extravaganza - our own Bastard and our good pal Brian Wisdom.  Thanks for the photos and thanks for being great monsters, gentlemen!

The only question left hanging in the balance is, now that Silver Bullet has been built and opened, and The Swamp's old area is relatively "open for business," what will become of the scare zone this year?

One would have to guess that this would be a great opportunity to run the new coaster in the dark, pump the area full of fog and let The Swamp rip-roar once again.  However, as is always the case with Halloween Haunt, it's all up in the air until just before those creaky gates swing open once again.

Whatever 2005 brings, we know that one thing's certain... the boys and gals who make The Swamp what it is - they are sure to bring it.

Uncle Skittles - gotta love him... or he'll kill ya.

One of the Scary Farm's most famous monsters - Freak!

Would ya like a little Vaseline to go with that?

Oh Feakmas tree, Oh Freakmas tree!  How lovely are your... balls..

The Impaler - Santapaler!  Honestly though kids, let's just be open here.  The Impaler ate Santa Claus.

Little monster stockings - how cute is that?

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