Central Florida is home to the happiest place on earth, Disney World. But, come October, Orlando is transformed into a scary festival of Halloween fun. Don’t worry though, there are options for families to enjoy alongside the events geared towards the older crowd.
Universal Orlando Resort is getting into the Halloween spirit to the fullest this season with Halloween Horror Nights. But keep in mind that Universal Orlando strongly suggests that these events may be too intense for younger children, so take that as a warning if you have children. Both parks, however, promise spooky chills and frights for those who love to be scared during this annual fiesta.
Universal Orlando Resort is celebrating its 18th annual Halloween Horror Nights with Urban Legends leading the festivities. This year, Bloody Mary acts as the scariest hostess of all, and she intends to bring all the scariest Urban Legends to life. Universal Orlando Resort promises more scare zones, more scary actors, the most haunted houses ever, and all new live shows. The event starts at the end of September and runs until November 1.
On select nights during the months of September, October and November (Sep 26-27, Oct 2-5, 9-12, 16-19, 22-26, 29-31, Nov 1), the theme park will Transform into the spookiest place on earth, complete with nightmarish mazes of haunted houses, fear-inducing live shows, and scare zones teeming with mutants, monsters, and maniacs. Voted “Best Halloween in the Country” by Amusement Today, this Halloween event draws millions upon thousands of horror fans from around the world for a night of terror.
Universal Orlando Resort Halloween packages are also available for those who need a place to stay for the night. With option one, guests can choose to attend only the Halloween Horror Night event. Option two offers guests the opportunity to spend the day in the park enjoying Universal Studios or Universal’s Islands of Adventure while completing their nightly admission to the Halloween Horror Night event. Both packages are a great deal and provide a great way for revelers to enjoy this October holiday, so reserve your Universal Orlando Halloween package today.
Two other theme parks are going the family route with their celebrations. These events are specifically geared towards children and create a Halloween atmosphere like no other for families. Disney World is celebrating Halloween with Mickey’s Not-So Scary Halloween Party, where kids can come dressed up and trick-or-treat with some of their favorite characters. A must-see part of this event is Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade, which takes place in the Magic Kingdom. The parade features a creepy Headless Horseman (although not too creepy!) and Disney Characters parading in Halloween costumes. It is a fun event for children, since they can dress up with their favorite characters and feel like they are part of the parade.
Mickey’s Not-So Scary Halloween Party offers trick-or-treating opportunities at a variety of locations in the park, creating a truly magical experience for any child. The most popular Magic Kingdom attractions are also open during this event. The highlight of the evening is The Happy HalloWishes Fireworks Display, where the night sky lights up with Disney characters trick-or-treating in spectacular fashion. Mickey’s Halloween Party runs on select nights from September 5 to October 31.
SeaWorld also presents an event that the whole family can enjoy: Spooktacular at Sea World. In an interesting combination of concepts, Sea World combines its marine attractions with Halloween, creating a Halloween “Fantasy” you won’t find anywhere else. This annual event presents the opportunity for children to go trick-or-treating among mermaids, octopuses, pumpkin fish and cute sea witches. The entire resort joins in on the fun, including Shamu’s Happy Harbor, where it is transformed into a Fall Festival, complete with pumpkins, scarecrows, and fantastical sea creatures like Gummy Worm Wanda and Swedish Fish Suzy.
Another highlight of SeaWorld’s Spooktacular event is the live Countdown to Halloween show featuring characters from Sesame Street, The Count, Elmo and more. The Count will also be hosting a character breakfast where kids can eat and meet their favorite Sesame Street characters. SeaWorld’s Spooktacular event is included in the regular price of park admission.
Orlando embraces the fun of the Halloween season by offering celebrations for both children and adults. No matter which event you choose, you’ll have a Halloween full of tricks and treats.