Everybody laughed as a ghoul chased an hysterical kid down a foggy midway. The kid ran crying and waving his arms, dodging other ghouls who finally cornered him.

Then, the ghouls burst into uncontrollable laughter at the spectacle.

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.

Mazes

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 frightened of the dark.

“‘The Curse of the Spider Woods’ is not a maze, it’s a show.” said a Knott’s host.

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 us.

Soon the lights went off, the suspense was killing us. A thunderous voice recited the “Little Miss Muffet” rhyme. There were a few recorded blood-curdling screams and we were led back out. Yup, that was it.

“Malice in Wunderland,” “Lore of the Vampire” and “Elvira’s Red Moon Massacre” were fun but I didn’t think it was worth standing two hours in line.

Shows

Elvira is back once again starring in her own show titled, “Elvira at 20… almost legal.” It should have 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 beyond our control.”

A hooded man appeared on stage standing behind a turntable. The man, a rather pathetic excuse for the Grim Reaper, played out-of-date tunes for another excruciating 10 minutes.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 the 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 sat there wondering “How long is this show?”

I became tired of her tasteless jokes and joined the crowd who walked out.

“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.

Disney’s California Adventure fell victim to their mocking as well as movies like “Planet of the Apes,” “Mission Impossible” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”

The show’s beginning was entertaining and strong but it flopped in the end.

I won’t reveal who gets hanged, but I will tell you this: You’re going to be disappointed.

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.