Everybody laughed as a ghoul chased a hysterical kid down a foggy midway. The plump kid ran crying and waving his arms, dodging other ghouls who finally cornered him. Finally the ghouls burst into uncontrollable laughter at the spectacle the kid had created.

The kid was among the estimated 19,000 guests to attend the first night of Knott’s Berry Farm’s 29th annual Halloween Haunt on Oct. 4. Unfortunately, so was I.

This year Knott’s added four new mazes titled Red Moon Massacre, The Curse of the Spider Woods, Malice in Wunderland, and Lore of the Vampire. Scary? Maybe, if you’re 12 and scared of the dark.

The Curse of the Spider Woods is not a maze, it’s a show, a Knott’s employee explained. I waited in line for about five minutes before being led into a dark room along with the rest of the crowd. We all stood crowded in a small fog-filled room wondering what horror awaited. Soon the lights went off, the suspense was killing us. A thunderous voice recited the Little Miss Muffet rhyme. There was few recorded blood-curling screams and we were led back out. Yup, that was it. If you ask me, it’s a maze.

Malice in Wunderland, Lore of the Vampire and Elvira’s Red Moon Massacre were fun but I certainly didn’t think it was worth standing two hours in line. This year I don’t think the artists put much effort into designing the monsters makeup. But overall, the monsters did manage to spook me once or twice.

Elvira is back once again starring in her own show titled, “Elvira at 20… almost legal.” (Should’ve been titled, “Elvira pushing 60…should be illegal.”) We stood in line for about 45 minutes and when we were finally let into the theatre there was an additional 20 minute wait “due to technical difficulties,” according to a Knott’s employee. A hooded man appeared on stage standing behind a turntable. The man, claiming to be the Grimm Reaper, played out-of-date tunes for another excruciating 10 minutes. At this point, many people began to walk out on the show.

Finally, just when I though the torture was over, Elvira appeared on stage wagging her chest proclaiming herself as “booby-licious” and comparing herself to Destiny’s Child and J.Lo. She pranced around stage singing her morbid versions of “I’m a Survivor,” “Girls just wanna have fun,” “Love Shack” and more. Toward the end of the show, she teased the audience with a trailer of her upcoming boob flick starring herself titled “Elvira’s Haunted Hills” due out next fall. I became restless and tired of her tasteless jokes and soon joined the rest of people who walked out on the show.

The Hanging, starring the Crypt Keeper is possibly the most anticipated show of the night. This year the jokes were targeted at Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Tom Cruise and that annoying British Hostess of the Weakest Link game show, just to name a few. Disney’s California Adventure fell victim to their mocking as well as movies like Planet of the Apes, Mission Impossible and Hidden Dragon Crouching Tiger. I won’t reveal who gets hanged, but I will tell you this: You’re gonna be dissappointed.

Other feature shows include The Haunted Hypnotist, Zamora’s Side Show of the Bizarre, Ed Alonzo’s Magic and Mayhem, and Dr. Cleaver Returns.

Knott’s Scarry Farm is open Oct. 11-14, 18-21, 25-28, 30-31 and Nov. 2-3. Hours are 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. and 7 p.m. through 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $30 pre-sale and $40 at the door. Is it worth it? I don’t think so.