Pumpkins, Trains and Ghostly Getaways
By Greg Aragon
Published: Thursday, October 8th, 2009
October is here and that means it’s time for pumpkins and Halloween and the Pumpkinliner train in Fillmore and a host of scary transformations at local theme parks.
Located in Fillmore, about 60 miles northwest or Pasadena, the Pumpkinliner takes visitors to a private pumpkin patch called Ichabog in Santa Paula. The exciting getaway begins at the Fillmore and Western Railway, a historic rail yard full of vintage trains used for Hollywood movie shoots and specialty train rides.
The train offers open-air cars with bench seating and indoor seating in antique Pullman-type trains from the 1920’s and 30’s. On my recent trek I sat inside on comfortable reclining chairs, sipping pumpkin ale, listening to the old-fashioned train whistle, and watching beautiful scenery drift bye the big windows. The outdoor car was packed with happy kids and their parents.
Along the 40-minute journey, the train passes citrus and avocado groves, back yards, sports fields, warehouse packing plants, horse ranches, orchard farms and more. When it pulled into “Ichabog,” we found a mini fairy tale land of pumpkins, hay stacks, Jolly Jumpers, a carousel, a haunted hay maze, arts and crafts, and a snack bar. The pumpkins cost between $1 and $5. The Pumpkinliner runs each weekend in October. Cost: kids $8; adults $17. For more info, visit: www.fwry.com or call (805) 524-2546.
For those who prefer something scarier there is “Fright Fest” at Six Flags Magic Mountain; “Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios; and “Shipwreck” at the Queen Mary.
“Fright Fest” offers terrifying attractions, haunted mazes, roaming zombies, frightening clowns and more. There is “Lector’s Slaughterhouse,” where visitors meet the celebrity butcher taking wretched revenge on the bowels of society; Jokester’s Hideout 3D, an all black-light den where crazy clowns run amuck in 3D; and the new Escape of the Zombies, a menacing pathway lined with undead zombies seeking humans.
The park will also run the giant wooden rollercoaster Colossus backwards, and other rides like Terminator Salvation The Ride, X2, Tatsu, BATMAN, Viper, THE RIDDLER’s Revenge and Goliath all in the dark. For more info of “Fright Fest,” visit www.sixflags.com/magicmountain.
This year’s “Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios is highlighted by a new “live” attraction based on the classic horror/slasher film “Halloween” and its murderous antagonist, Michael Myers. “Halloween: The Life and Crimes of Michael Myers,” is an interactive horror walk-through experience featuring a replica of Michel Myers’ house and all the atrocities that take place inside.
“Halloween Horror Nights” also features a terrifying live maze with traps and characters from the film “Saw;” and “Rocky Horror Picture Show: A Tribute.” The tribute will bring the mayhem of the classic horror spoof to life on-screen and on-stage with live performers singing and dancing in the celebrated, outrageous “Rocky Horror” costumes.
For more info visit: www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com
Another ghoulish getaway is “Shipwreck” at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. This year’s haunted ship features five crazy mazes. Highlights include “Vampire Village,” with where Transylvanian bloodsuckers seeking screaming victims; “The Graveyard,” where undead creatures stalk unlucky passengers; and Blackbeard’s Revenge (Pirate Maze). For more info, visit www.queenmary.com.
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