Get ready for a spooktacular time in Central Florida! As the fall season approaches, Central Florida transforms into a hub of Halloween excitement! From Halloween fun at theme parks to thrilling and spine-chilling events this region hosts some of the best Halloween happenings. Whether you are a local or are visiting, this guide is your go-to resource for all the best things to do during this year's spooky season. Let's dive into Your 2023 Guide for Halloween Events in Central Florida and make the most of this year's Halloween festivities!
Family-Friendly Halloween Events
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
Where: Orlando
When: Select nights from August 11 to November 1, 2023
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a kid-friendly Halloween event at Magic Kingdom within the Walt Disney World Resort. To partake in the festivities, you will need a separate ticket for the event itself. The party runs from 7 pm to midnight, and you are able to enter Magic Kingdom starting at 4 pm the night of your party! During the event, you will see your favorite Disney characters in their Halloween costumes, be able to trick or treat in the different themed lands and enjoy your favorite rides like Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain! This party also includes a special parade and fireworks show that you cannot witness with regular park admission. The best part is that everyone no matter the age can dress up in their favorite Halloween costume!
For more details about Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, check out our blog post: Your Guide to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party! 🎃👻
Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND
Where: Winter Haven
When: September 16, 23, 30, and October 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, and 28-29
Brick-or-Treat is Legoland’s monster-themed Halloween event that is included with regular park admission and some select annual passes. During the Halloween Party, you can expect live entertainment and shows like the Very Important Monster Dance Party, limited-time attractions like BOO-gie Down on the Disco Party Coaster, exclusive character meets and greets, and Trick-or-Treating. This year they also have an all-new fireworks show! It is a great family-friendly event for you to enjoy this Halloween season.
Busch Gardens' Spooktacular
Where: Tampa
When: Saturdays and Sundays between September 9 and October 31 plus Monday 10/30 and Tuesday 10/31
Busch Gardens' Spooktacular is a family-friendly Halloween Festival included with regular park admission. This special event takes place between noon and 4 pm in the Festival Walkway at Busch Gardens on the dates mentioned above. The theme for Busch Gardens' Spooktacular revovles around Kandy, a witch-in-training who shares about her journey to becoming a real witch! There is also a costume parade where children 13 or younger are the star of the show and can show off Halloween costumes. You can also trick-or-treat during the event, but you need to purchase a reusable bag from the park to be a part of the fun!
SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular
Where: Orlando
When: Select dates between September 16 and October 31
SeaWorld’s Spooktacular is a kid-friendly Halloween event that starts at 11 am and ends one hour before the park closes on the select dates it runs. This event is included with regular park admission; however, to partake in trick-or-treating, you need to purchase a reusable bag from the park. There is also a pumpkin garden, a meet and greet with a Mermaid, and a DJ Scarecrow Dance Party! Also included in this event are the Sesame Street Halloween Parade, Halloween Storytime with Big Bird, and a Halloween Costume Contest. There are also extra items for purchase to enhance your experience like Halloween Cookie Decorating and Kids Crafts (crafts are free, cookie kits are extra), a Halloween Scavenger Hunt, and Count von Count's Spooktacular Breakfast!
Gaylord Palms’ Goblins & Giggles
Where: Kissimmee
When: Select dates from September 8 - October 29, 2023
Enjoy spooktacular activities at the Gaylord Palms’ family-friendly Goblins & Giggles this Fall! A few of the complimentary activities include trick-or-treating, the Jack-O’-lantern walk, and the Phantom of the Atrium Light Show. Likewise, you can meet Spookley the Square Pumpkin during the days of this event! There is also a Spook-tacular Scavenger Hunt around the resort ($12.99 for the booklet) and a Monster Mash Bash that you need tickets for. If you stay at the Gaylord overnight, you will not need to leave to enjoy some Halloween fun, plus you get complimentary access to Cypress Springs Water Park!
Scary, Spooky Halloween Events – Intended for a Mature Audience
Universal's Halloween Horror Nights
Where: Orlando
When: Select Nights September 1 – November 4, 2023
It is time to summon your scream squad and purchase your tickets for Universal's Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort. This Halloween event is not for the faint at heart! There are ten haunted houses to explore! A few of these haunted houses are: 1) The Exorcist: Believer, 2) Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count, and 3) Stranger Things 4. On top of the haunted houses, they have five Sinister Scare Zones, live entertainment, and themed food, drinks, and merchandise.
Busch Gardens® Howl-O-Scream®
Where: Tampa
When: Select nights between September 8 and October 31
Tampa Bay's Most Terrifying Halloween Event, Busch Gardens® Howl-O-Scream®, is taking over the park with haunted houses, sinister shows, scare zones, and more! This year there is a brand-new haunted house and two new scare zones - D.H. Baggum's Circus of Fear is the new haunted house, and Sin City Zombies and Big Ed's Demolition Derby are the new scare zones! Their slogan this year is “Howl-O-Scream is bringing fear to the next level, and once you are in there is nothing to fear but everything,” so make sure to come prepared!
Seaworld's Howl-O-Scream
Where: Orlando
When: Select nights from September 8 to October 31
Prepare to scream in five all-new horror-filled houses, seven scare zones, and a few roaming haunts where you will never know where they are coming from! One of the most recent houses announced for this spooky Halloween event is Beneath the Ice: The Meltdown, but they are still releasing themes for two other houses! In the theme of icy cold, one of the scare zones is Frozen Terror - Alive in the Ice – four other scare zone themes will be released soon, so check out their website for that! Even if you steer clear of these haunted houses and scare zones and want to focus on enjoying the rides at night, you are still bound to be frightened by The Sirens, the Siren Minions, and Camo. So be ready - there is no escape from the sinister scares!
SCREAM-A-GEDDON Horror Park
Where: Dade City
When: Select nights starting September 8 and every night in October until November 4
If you are a fan of killer clowns, zombies, and monsters, you will love this spine-chilling Halloween event in Dade City, Florida. The Horror Park features six haunted houses, including three interactive houses; two are part of the general admission, while one requires a separate ticket. The distinct ticketed house offers Zombie Paintball Assault, allowing you to shoot paintballs at zombies. In the other two interactive houses, if you choose to be “marked” (only for those 18 and older), you may be grabbed and led into concealed cells within the attraction. On top of the six haunted houses, you will discover the Monster Midway, where you can enjoy games, fun, and food amidst terrifying monsters circling around to give you a scare. They offer a range of culinary delights, including burgers, pulled pork, pizza, tacos, beverages at Bonzo’s Beer Garden, desserts, and more!
A Petrified Forest
Where: Altamonte Springs
When: Dates have yet to be released
For 15 years, A Petrified Forest has been serving up scares with their haunted trails and a surprise in every corner! When you are not exploring the trail, you can grab food from one of the food trucks, check out the local vendors, enjoy the DJ, and battle in the Laser Tag arena. The contents of the trail are rated PG-13; however, if a parent sees it fit, their younger children can come along for the haunting journey as well! Another plus is that they have a specific 'Make-A-Wish' Kid's Day and a Special Needs Night. 'Make-A-Wish' Kid's Day is a daytime Halloween event targeted for the little ones on a Saturday in October. They have a trick-or-treating, a costume parade, games, a bounce house, and more – it is typically a 3-hour event in the morning. Special Needs Night is an evening where the trails are only open for those with special needs and their parties, so they can enjoy the always wheel-chair accessible trails at their own pace!
Other Halloween and Fall Events
Spooky Empire
Where: Orlando
When: October 27 – 29, 2023
Spooky Empire, known as "the Dark Side of Comic Con," stands as Florida's premier horror convention. The event will take place at the Hyatt Regency Orlando and promises an array of offerings, including vendors, live music, celebrity speakers, a costume contest, and more. Additionally, a tattoo festival featuring over 50 tattoo artists will run during the convention, ensuring you'll discover an artist who aligns with your vision. Notably, Spooky Empire often boasts celebrity guests. This year, the roster includes Tony Todd, renowned for his role as Candyman, and Robert England, also known as Freddy Krueger. Held twice annually in Orlando, this convention's first event of the year takes place in May.
Local Events
There are various Halloween events for you to enjoy near you on top of all the ones mentioned above. Some local events are also more economical than purchasing tickets to enjoy one of the ones above - some even offer free admission! As such, no matter what your budget is there is something for everyone when it comes to enjoying the spooky season! Here are a few examples:
- Riverwalk Trick or Treat – Tampa, FL
- Pied Piper's Haunted Carnival at Armature Works – Tampa, FL
- Creatures of the Night at Zoo Tampa – Tampa, FL
- 19th Annual Wesley Chapel Fall Festival – Wesley Chapel, FL
- Trunk-or-Treat in a local community or church
- Halloween at Cranes Roost Park – Altamonte Springs, FL
- Halloween at Boxi Park – Lake Nona, FL
- Lake Nona Trick or Treat Spooktacular – Lake Nona, FL
- Halloween at Old Town – Kissimmee, FL
Fall Festivals
If Halloween celebrations are not your cup of tea, do not worry – there are numerous Fall Festivals during this time that offer a wonderful weekend outing for the entire family. I love Fall and Halloween and I enjoy a good mix of the two. My favorite things at a Fall Festival are the corn maze, pumpkin patch, petting zoo, and face painting, and the Harvestmoon Fun Farm in Masaryktown has all of that! However, there are more Fall festivals around like:
- Hunsader Farms – Bradenton, FL
- Sweetfields Farm – Brooksville, FL
- Beasley Farms – Brooksville, FL
- Southern Hill Farms – Clermont, FL
- 52nd Annual Fall Fiesta in the Park – Orlando, FL
- Springtime Agventure Farm Fall Pumpkin Patch – Polk City, FL
Time to Get Spooky!
Whether you like your Halloween to be spooky, cute, and fun or spooky, frightening, and terrifying, there is an event for you! Even if you are not a Halloween person, a Fall Festival is waiting to welcome you to its fun festivities. Halloween and Fall are a great time of the year and truly ring in the holiday season that is quickly approaching!
Have you been to any of these Halloween or Fall Events before? If so, let us know in the comments below - we would love to hear about your experience at each one! If you have not gone, are they on your Fall bucket list? Let us know in the comments below, and share this article with the person or people you want to go with! Either way, SUBSCRIBE below to learn about other places you should add to your "To Visit" List! Ready? Okay, vamos. Time to have fun!
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