Six Flags Magic Mountain is gearing up for its 33rd year of Fright Fest, with the Valencia theme park's haunted mazes, scare zones, and late-night live shows set to run select nights from September 18 through November 1. The 2026 lineup leans hard into licensed horror, adding two brand-new mazes to a roster that now spans seven total haunted houses across the park.
The event's original villain, Carnage, still anchors the festivities, according to NBC Los Angeles. This year's 33rd edition, as noted by Haunted Attraction Network, cements Fright Fest's status as the Santa Clarita Valley's longest-running annual Halloween haunt. Among the new attractions is Final Destination: Death's Playground, which physically replaces Condemned, a long-running original haunted house that had occupied the same spot for years, per the same outlet's reporting.
Two New Mazes Join a Rebuilt Conjuring House
The seven-maze lineup for 2026 includes the new Final Destination: Death's Playground and Wolves' Blood, alongside a rebuilt version of The Conjuring Universe maze and four returning attractions, according to Haunted Attraction Network's breakdown of the season. To make room for the fresh material, the park retired two long-standing original mazes, Condemned and Truth or Dare, the outlet reports. NBC Los Angeles adds that this year's mazes also draw themes from Trick 'r Treat, and that Fright Fest features an old mansion filled with terrors as one of its haunted destinations.
Wolves' Blood, the original werewolf-themed maze, was created by designer Gus Krueger, a veteran haunt designer brought over from rival event Knott's Scary Farm, Haunted Attraction Network reports. The move reflects a broader pattern in Southern California's haunt scene, where major theme parks compete aggressively for top creative talent to elevate their seasonal storytelling.
Scare Zones, Live Shows, and Themed Cocktails
Beyond the mazes, Fright Fest spreads scares across seven scare zones, including an ocean-themed zone, and destinations featuring various oddities, per NBC Los Angeles. Live entertainment includes slider shows and dance performances throughout the night. For guests looking to unwind between scares, the event also offers themed food and drinks, including creepy cocktails and murky mocktails.
Six Flags Magic Mountain Fright Fest is recommended for guests aged 13 and older and is presented by Snickers, according to NBC Los Angeles's report. Admission prices start at $25, though that figure covers general Fright Fest entry rather than maze access.
Maze Access Costs Extra, and Evening Rules Apply to Minors
Guests hoping to walk through the haunted houses need more than standard admission. Per Six Flags, standard daytime park admission does not include entry to the Fright Fest mazes, requiring a separate Haunted Attractions Pass starting at $35 online, or an All-Season maze pass starting at $49.
Families with younger teens should also plan around the park's chaperone rules. Under Six Flags Magic Mountain's mandatory chaperone policy, all guests aged 15 and under must be accompanied by a chaperone aged 21 or older with valid photo ID after 4 p.m., with each adult permitted to supervise up to 10 youth, according to Attractions Magazine. For families seeking a less intense option, Magic Mountain also runs a daytime Tricks and Treats festival on Fridays through Sundays from September 25 through November 1, separate from the nighttime Fright Fest programming, Six Flags notes.
Part of a Bigger Post-Merger Halloween Push
This year's expansion follows 2024's Fright Fest EXTREME, which introduced five major intellectual property mazes at once and marked the largest seasonal expansion in the park's history, according to background compiled by Theme Park Insider. That IP-driven strategy has only grown since Six Flags merged with Cedar Fair: the combined company's 2026 Halloween offerings span 29 IP-licensed attractions, 196 scare zones, and 141 daytime activities across its North American parks, per DesignRush News.
The Valencia park's seasonal push also comes amid a shift in how Six Flags manages its marquee properties. In April, Six Flags corporate reinstated local park presidents at 10 marquee properties, including Magic Mountain, reversing a 2025 move toward centralized management. That restored local leadership now oversees the day-to-day execution of events like this fall's Fright Fest.
