Irvine Park Railroad's Pumpkin Patch will require paid reservations on weekends
But with crowds bulging in recent years, the Irvine Park Railroad is introducing a new $20 per person reservation system for weekends.
'A positive experience at Irvine Regional Park starts at the front gate,' said John Ford, co-owner of Irvine Park Railroad. 'If you have to wait half-an-hour to 45 minutes just to get into the park, that's not a good experience right from the get-go.'
The Pumpkin Patch has grown in popularity since the pandemic as a free destination for families to flock to during spooky season.
Ford described weekends in October leading up to Halloween as a 'madhouse' at the event, which runs from Sept. 13 through Oct. 31.
Irvine Park Railroad, which leases the park space from the county, did not have attendance statistics to share but Ford noted that Pumpkin Patch is its most popular seasonal event, surpassing Santa's Village and Easter Eggstravaganza in terms of foot traffic.
The success has posed logistical challenges for OC Parks, which manages the 495-acre Irvine Regional Park, the oldest regional park in California.
There's only one road leading into the park's entrance, which causes a long queue of cars to form along Jamboree Road. Inside the park, there is a limited amount of parking spaces to accommodate the crowds.
Overflow parking at Santiago Canyon College is a half-mile walk from the park.
'This is a transitional year,' Ford said. 'We were the last pumpkin patch around without an entry fee. That's what the reservations are — an entry fee.'
Weekend reservations for the Pumpkin Patch, which include an $8 train ride ticket, go on sale on Aug. 18 at Irvine Park Railroad's website. They do not include OC Park's $5 parking fee on weekends.
Reservations aren't required for infants 12 months and younger.
The Pumpkin Patch remains otherwise free this year on weekdays, including Fridays.
Pumpkin Patch fans met news of the reservation system with mixed reactions once it was announced on Irvine Park Railroad's social media accounts.
Some families deemed the reservation price per person as too steep for a weekend trip.
Others embraced the change and noted that past crowds led to longer wait times for everything from rides to parking, which led them to skip the event.
'We can't please all the people all the time,' Ford admits. 'We know that some people are going to be happy. Others are not going to be happy.'
People with weekend reservations will have a color-coded wristband and be directed to board the train ride once they enter. After the train ride, event goers have a two-hour window to enjoy Pumpkin Patch activities.
Ford will have to hire additional staff to manage the weekend reservation system.
'We'll be meeting with OC parks people on a weekly basis to work things out,' Ford said. 'When it when it works well for us and it works well for OC Parks, ultimately, it's a win for the public, and that's what we always want.'
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