You better watch out. You better not cry.
The “Haunted Holidays” carwash is coming to serve up suds and scares for Christmastime.
A spin-off from the Haunted Carwash, a creative drive-through Halloween fright fest that originally began as the “Tunnel of Terror” during the pandemic, Haunted Holidays is the latest event to mingle the seasons in offering one final chill before the year’s end.
“We love both Halloween and Christmas,” said Veronica Young, who co-founded the Haunted Carwash with Long Vo. “We’re going to merge the two and try something new this year, which we’re hoping everyone is going to enjoy just as much as the Haunted Carwash.”
Haunted Holidays stands poised to take over Big Wave Carwash in Anaheim for one weekend only on Dec. 13 and Dec. 14.
That’s when drivers will line up for themed thrills beginning with a festive toy store that soon descends into a scary blizzard before entering the dreaded tunnel.
A gang of creepy elves and truly abominable snowmen deliver jump scares all along the way.
“Being our first year doing this, we’re still curating the experience,” Young said. “It’s going to be merry and bright and scary and fright!”
The emphasis on themes came from this past Halloween when the Haunted Carwash’s Lakewood location revolved around a cemetery story line, which fans reacted to positively.
“It was like our first year all over again,” Young said.
A creepy elf may make an appearance at Creep it Real Festive to promote Haunted Holidays.
(Courtesy @ShootingSars.Meets)
Young found similar affirmation when she promoted Haunted Holidays in public for the first time at last month’s holiday-mashing Creep it Real Festive event at the Heritage Museum of Orange County in Santa Ana. Fans who stopped by her booth to take photos with eerie elves and enter a raffle for free tickets were excited at another chance to take the ticket — and the ride.
“We had lots of families that were very excited to see us coming back again and that they won’t have to wait a whole year,” Young said.
She also recounted how one kid told their parent, “We can still go! We didn’t miss it!’’
Haunted Holidays does, indeed, promise frights for the whole family.
Like past Haunted Carwash events, the experience will have some scare immunity, if preferred — and as long as guests remember how to exercise it.
To tone down the interactions with scare actors, just keep car doors locked and the windows rolled up.
“A lot of families enjoy coming to our event because when they have little ones, they still feel safe,” Young said. “The kids still get to experience some of that spooky holiday fun.”
For the full Haunted Holidays ride, unlock those car doors and keep windows rolled down. The frosty fiends wandering around the car wash will take that as an open invitation to get a little more up close and personal.
There’s also going to be a special station on the radio dial for guests to tune into for creepy holiday music.
“We probably won’t be playing Jingle Bells on there,” Young said with a laugh.
She hopes the event later this month proves to be so successful that it comes back bigger and better every year.
“The Haunted Carwash has turned into a tradition for a lot of people and families,” Young said. “We’re going to try Haunted Holidays out for one weekend and see how it goes.”
At the end of all the terror and screams, not only will guests have survived the holidays — but their cars will be shiny and clean. Be sure to tip your abominable snowman!
For more information, visit thehauntedcarwash.com.