160 rooms<\/b>, 10,000 windows<\/b>, and a story set in 1924<\/b> now pull you into San Jose\u2019s mansion from Sept 26\u2013Nov 1<\/b>\u2014and the wrong turn could put you face-to-face with a door to nowhere you weren\u2019t meant to open.<\/p>\nMasquerade plot in 1924 unlocks Winchester rooms on Sept 26<\/h2>\n
The new Festival Fright Nights storyline places you in a 1924 masquerade under \u201cnew ownership,\u201d activating the mansion, outbuildings, and grounds. The experience runs on select nights from September 26 to November 1, 2025<\/b>, and taps areas rarely used for Halloween.<\/p>\nWhy first-timers relax while horror superfans risk missing out<\/h2>\n
Capacity and interest are surging as the event debuts. Casual visitors can stroll cocktail-in-hand through front rooms, but completionists chasing every scare could face sellouts and longer queues as word spreads.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a linear Halloween festival that goes inside the mansion, the outbuildings, the grounds, and really activates this entire property in an immersive way,\u201d \u2014 Brett Bertolino, Director of Special Projects, Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Book your path now with these steps before Oct 5<\/h2>\n
Lock in a route that hits the masquerade, garden set pieces, and basement beats without backtracking.<\/p>\n
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\n Step<\/th>\n Detail<\/th>\n Deadline<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n \n 1<\/td>\n Choose a date within the Sept 26\u2013Nov 1<\/b> window; avoid peak Fridays\/Saturdays if you want shorter waits<\/td>\n Within 7 days<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 2<\/td>\n Reserve early-entry or first time slot to reach interior rooms before crowds<\/td>\n Before Oct 5<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 3<\/td>\n Plan a clockwise route: mansion front rooms \u2192 gardens \u2192 outbuildings to reduce backtracking<\/td>\n Day of visit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 4<\/td>\n Set a \u201csellout\u201d alert and pre-purchase add-ons; bring ID for cocktail entry flow<\/td>\n 48 hours prior<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n