REVIEW: castle dark

October 14, 2025

REVIEW: castle dark

The legend of Riverside’s Castle Park is embedded deep within SoCal’s theme park lore. It was initially designed, built, and operated by Bud Hurlbut who had worked personally with Walter Knott. Due to his intense imagination and work ethic - Hurlbut befriended and helped Knott expand his chicken dinner restaurant and ghost town attraction into the grandeur of what is now the Knott’s Berry Farm theme park. Hurlbut oversaw the building of the first official dark ride with the Calico Mine Ride and oversaw the making of the beloved Timber Mountain Log Ride. His influence on theme parks cannot be overstated and the charm of his input with each park still resonates with their guest - a testament to Hurlbut, and Castle Park's, “lost in time” energy.

Every year the Castle Park, a mini theme park with rides and mini golf, transforms into a nighttime attraction entitled “Castle Dark”, featuring three unique mazes enveloped in thick blankets of fog infused with spooky hues of purple and red. Dozens of local scare actors run about the park grounds playfully interacting with the crowds and ride goers. The old roadside carnival and fantasy aspect of the park - like large bulb lighting, mini golf, and an early 1900’s carousel - successfully bring to life the ambiance of what could be a classic 1980’s horror film.

This year's mazes - Feary Tales, Midnight Manor, and Containment Breach - are really fun. The scare actors really give it their all and Feary Tales even has a cool, animatronic rabbit who sets the pace of the storytelling. Inside this maze you find yourself in a children’s story that has turned into a nightmare, with characters such as a crying and screaming Snow White and the Evil Queen who is out to get her.

While Castle Dark doesn’t have the real estate and budget of places such as Universal Studios, that doesn’t prevent it from bringing its own charming and unique Halloween experience. Castle Dark is a very special theme park that comes to life every season with timeless attractions and  talented and fun scare actors who are ready to bring the best scares that Riverside has to offer.

VC

October 14, 2025

#castlepark #castledark #riverside #hauntedhouse #halloween #hauntsofla