If you’re planning a Southern California escape with teens and you want more than just Disneyland, Buena Park has just the right blend of excitement and theatrics. Think high-speed roller coasters, a dinner show where pirates and vampires collide, plus a hotel base that keeps things relaxed in between the action. Here’s our Buena Park with teens itinerary.
Thanks to Visit Buena Park for sponsoring this post.
Vampirates Dinner Adventure: Spooky, Swashbuckling Fun
When daylight fades, Buena Park pulls out the dramatic flair. Enter Vampirates, the Halloween show at Pirates Dinner Adventure that merges pirate action with vampire lore.
We love visiting Southern California during spooky season, and this time around beyond heading to the Oogie Boogie Bash at Disneyland, we decided to add some Vampires+Pirates fun to our itinerary.
What’s the Vampirates Show Like?
The Vampirates show features a 4-course dinner served during the performance of a theater type show. This one is vampire pirates vs a vampire hunter. It features live stunts, sword fights, aerial acrobatics and lots of fun with the audience.
Tips for Teens & Families
- Dress up! You know I love a good costume theme event – and there were plenty of people both in costume and not. You won’t feel left out either way. Check out my DIY pirate costume ideas.
- Arrive early to grab pre-show photos and peruse the gift shop; After the show the lobby and gift shop area is typically mobbed with people shopping.
- Honestly the food is the only underwhelming part of the experience. The show is campy and fun but you aren’t there to eat an amazing meal. They do offer gf/vegetarian/vegan options (free) as well as meal upgrades if you taste buds require it. Plus they serve Pepsi products which is always a bummer for me.
Prefer Pirates without Vampires?
Vampirates is a seasonal show for Halloween, typically running September through early November. The traditional Pirates Dinner Adventure is offered year-round including on alternate nights during the Fall.
We’ve seen both versions and have a split house amongst my teens. My oldest son prefers the original show and my youngest son prefers the Vampirates show. I think if you have the opportunity to see a seasonal show, then that would be my preference.
Thrills & Screams at Knott’s Berry Farm
Knott’s Berry Farm is always a hit with my crew: the mix of high-speed coasters and themed rides keeps everyone happy. There’s just something about the mix of thrills, nostalgia, and snacks that makes it a family favorite.
I really loved how the park was decorated for Halloween including some of the Knott’s Scary Farm additions. The famous Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival is in the spring but they offer some boysenberry treats all year long!
Must-Ride Coasters & Fun
My managed to hit all the roller coasters, plus a few more fun additions during our visit. My son’s ranked roller coasters at Knott’s Berry Farm:
- Silver Bullet
- GhostRider
- Xcelerator The Ride
Though teens may want all the adrenaline, Knott’s also has more mellow rides, unique themed areas, and immersive seasonal events that deliver variety. I love the Camp Snoopy area even though my kids have outgrown it. And we saw trick or treating all day long, even for adults! A total bonus for visits during the fall.
Smart Strategies for Your Day
- Get there at park opening. All the rides were basically walk on for at least the first hour or two including roller coasters.
- Splurge on Fast Lane passes if you can especially if you are there on busier days or only have one day to ride everything.
- Maybe skip breakfast so you have a room to try a wide variety of seasonal snacks.
Why DoubleTree Buena Park Works for Families
We were already booked on this trip at our favorite Disneyland area hotel but we stopped by to check out the DoubleTree Buena Park for future reference. I recommend picking one hotel as a base for your trip and planning your adventures around it. If you stay here, you can still totally plan a Disneyland visit as well.
Location, Location, Location in Buena Park!
The DoubleTree Buena Park is less than 1 mile from Knott’s Berry Farm, Pirates Dinner Adventure and Medieval Times. Making it an excellent base for Buena Park or Southern California fun.
Teen friendly features include lots of extra chill space in the lobby and an outdoor pool
Free Shuttle to Knott’s and Disneyland
Plus the hotel offers a free shuttle to Knott’s Berry Farm, Disneyland and the Buena Park Mall. You can find the schedule and reserve your spot at the bell desk. Normally this shuttle is only available for hotel guests but the hotel made an exception for us so we could share our experience with you.
The shuttle was comfy and under 5 minutes to the park. The driver made sure that every party had a scheduled return time or the hotel phone number so they could schedule it later in the day. It was a very easy way to save on parking at the park.
Dining at Ventanas Grill
The Double Tree Buena Park also offers a full service restaurant on site. I believe some rooms/packages come with meal vouchers for Ventanas Grill.
We stoped in around 9 AM for breakfast before heading to Knott’s Berry Farm. I liked that the menu offered a wide variety of breakfast options. My oldest went with a typical super sweet option and my youngest chose a unique/new to him entree. We ordered at traditional breakfast, churro french toast, Korean hard boiled eggs and horchata overnight oats.
More family friendly travel ideas
Looking for more family friend trip ideas? Check out our tips below!
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