Here in Central Florida, we’re serious about our Halloween celebrations. We’ll spend the entire month of October — and sometimes even longer — dressing up like someone or something else, scaring ourselves silly, and making sure our kids love it enough to carry on our traditions. We don’t have to worry about a chill in the air, so Floridians get out to enjoy the fall weather as much as possible.
As the mother of a 2-year-old, it wasn’t long ago that I’d be out until 2 a.m. every weekend in October, getting scared to the verge of tears and loving it. And I still do! But now I have to put in some legwork to find more kid-friendly Halloween events — and there is no shortage of those in the Orlando area. Most adult-themed events have special kids’ days, and some even have events for kids and teens with special needs or sensory issues.
Round up the whole family for some friendly frights, or call up your babysitter or nanny to watch the little ones while you experience a night of terror with your tweens and teens. Here are 10 great Halloween haunted houses, activities and events around Central Florida.
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If your family coordinates intricately designed costumes every year, or even if you just love to see the creativity everyone else comes up with, it’s never going to get better than Disney World during Halloween time. Come as you are or go all out on yours and your child’s costumes at this event where kids can go trick-or-treating at the Happiest Place on Earth. There are 14 locations throughout Magic Kingdom that give out quality name-brand candy, like Skittles and M&Ms.
Many of the rides and attractions at Magic Kingdom remain open during this after-hours event that requires an additional ticket. That means that you’ll still have to purchase a ticket to the Halloween Party even if you’ve already purchased a single-day Disney ticket or if you’re an annual passholder. (You do not have to purchase a daytime Disney ticket to go to this event, but you will have to wait until the evening when the event begins to enter the park.) It can be pricey, but it’s worth it if you have some great costumes to show off. Everyone takes pics here and shares them across social media, so you could really stand out if you’re on top of your costume game! Parents, be warned that adults cannot wear masks with their costumes. Check out the rules here.
If that didn’t sell you on this event, check out the video here of Disney’s Boo-To-You parade and some pics here of the delicious Halloween treats offered throughout the park. And a friend of mine even said her kids got so much candy here, they had enough to give out to trick-or-treaters back home. So, really, you’re saving money!
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OK, let’s transition from Disney to something a little more… mature. While kids of all ages are welcome at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, it’s not recommended for kids under 13. Allow me to explain why this is not a bad thing! This is such a cool event for those with older kids who really appreciate the horror genre. Sure, they’re going to get scared, but they’re also going to see some great effects, amazing makeup and costumes, and even live performances of horror in action. It’s a great place to tag along with the kids without feeling lame (because you’ll all be screaming together), or just send the teens out on their own somewhere you know they’ll be safe. Universal Studios has excellent security, and the event does not allow guests to wear costumes or masks of any sort.
The nine haunted houses at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights include ones themed after films like “The Shining” and “Saw,” as well as the TV series “American Horror Story.” And as a big fan of campy, classic horror, the “Ash vs. the Evil Dead” house was a real treat. They also have original-concept haunted houses, like “Dead Waters,” where you can wander through the realm of the Voodoo Queen. The huge, haunted steamboat set created for this house makes it worth the wait. And if you’re having trouble with the often hours-long wait times on these attractions, the Express Pass and R.I.P tours are absolutely worth the extra money.
A lot of the rides at Universal Studios are still open throughout Halloween Horror Nights, so you can go visit Harry Potter or the Men In Black if you need a break from the frights. But I would suggest checking out the final run of Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure. It’s the 26th and final year of this bodacious musical show that satirizes the year’s pop culture in the most excellent ways. Let the Wyld Stallyns rock you one last time… and then get back to the roaming hoards of chainsaw-wielding maniacs.
Dates: Sept. 23 – Oct. 29, Saturdays & Sundays, 11 a.m. – park close | Click here for details. Address: SeaWorld Orlando, 7007 Sea World Drive, Orlando, FL 32821 Phone: 407-545-5550 Fees: Park tickets start at $79.99. | Event included in regular park admission. | Click here for details.
Kids can get into costume and trick-or-treat here… if they have enough time in between dance parties and the new Sesame Street Halloween show! Parents will love that this event is included in admission to SeaWorld six weekends through October. Take advantage of trick-or-treating in the daylight hours starting at 11 a.m., or come even earlier to Count von Count’s Spooktacular Breakfast, where your kids can meet Sesame Street characters. And if you’re still not over SeaWorld removing its Budweiser beer offerings, try this year’s seasonal craft brew sampler for $30. More than 20 local brews from across Florida will be featured throughout the park, and you can try 10 of them with your sampler lanyard.
While parents are enjoying their treats, the kids will love the sea-themed trick-or-treat stations offering yummy candy like Tootsie Rolls, Junior Mints, Airheads, and more. Last year, my son got a ton of super healthy fruit strips that ended up lasting weeks in our snack bag.
This event is during park hours and included in admission, so you’ll never have to worry about missing any rides or shows you’d regularly see here at SeaWorld. In fact, Pets Ahoy gets the Halloween treatment with a special version of the show that features animal actors showing off well-trained stunts. It’s always our favorite (indoor with a/c) show at the park!
Dates: Open select dates through Oct. 31 | Click here for details. Address: 5770 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee, FL 34746 Phone: 407-396-4888 Fees: Click here for ticket details.
While the theme parks go all-out for Halloween, we do have a lot more to offer here in Central Florida than just the high-dollar experiences. Take, for example, Old Town — a place I’ve been a handful of times in my life as a local and almost always just to walk around, go on the Ferris wheel, and take old-timey pics. More recently, Old Town has opened Mortem Manor — the only year-round haunted attraction in Florida, according to the website. The haunted house features live actors and is pretty scary on its own, but during Halloween they’ve added something a little more.
The Haunt at Old Town includes haunted mazes and scare zones, in addition to those that already exist year-round at Mortem Manor. There, they play off your fears and phobias to make for a truly terrifying experience. Buying a combo pack of tickets will get you into the mini haunts, as well as Mortem Manor. While there’s no specific age listed on the site, they do recommend that it could be too scary for younger kids.
There’s also something called the “Last Ride,” which I would never recommend unless you’ve been curious about what it feels like to ride in a hearse. The $5 additional ticket is a burial simulator where you’re sealed inside a coffin and you can hear and smell everything happening around you. So… good luck with that!
Address: 1360 E. Altamonte Drive, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701 Phone: 407-468-6600 Fees: Tickets range from $11 – $50 (and only $5 for Kid’s Day). Click here for ticket details.
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A Petrified Forest, now in its 10th year, is a PG-13 event. The website actually says they don’t recommend it for kids under 12, but you “know what your kids can and can’t handle.” This haunted scare trail has live actors and great scenery. They even have a “Total Eclipse Night,” where all the lights are turned off and guests are given a glow stick to illuminate their path. These particular nights are so scary, participants have to sign a waiver that includes terminology like, “non-harmful and appropriate contact by A Petrified Forest actors is expected and acceptable (you may be touched, grabbed, picked up, moved, etc.).”
But what’s so great about A Petrified Forest is how it also caters to the younger crowd, those who don’t like all the scares, and those who are there to appreciate the artistry. They offer a backstage tour, where guests can meet cast and crew, get closer to the sets, and learn about what goes into the production. Their Special Needs night on Wednesday, Oct. 18, is open only to those who might need a little extra help getting through the trail (and anyone accompanying them.) And their Kids Day is a daytime event on Saturday, Oct. 14, where kids can trick-or-treat on the trail — without the scary costumes and scenery they’d see at night. This event also includes all the great things you’d find at a fall festival: a bounce house, costume contest, arts & crafts, food, games and more!
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All the Halloween fun is included with the price of admission to Crayola Experience at the Screamin’ Green Hauntoween! Kids will be able to create Halloween-themed crafts, and on weekends there’s scavenger hunt trick-or-treating. Of course, all the regular Crayola stuff is available to play and get messy with, too. This includes the playground for the littlest ones, and the nice, relaxing lunch tables for moms to hang while the kids run wild in a safe space.
On Oct. 14, a professional makeup artist from Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba will be at Crayola to do face-painting. But get there early, because the line will be closing at 1 p.m.
Always be sure to buy your Crayola Experience online before you go. The tickets on their website are cheaper than what you’d pay in person.
LEGOLAND will have extended hours and spooky Halloween activities on select days through October. It’s included with regular park admission, which is a little steep, but there’s really a ton to do here. And you get even more special perks if you’re staying at the LEGOLAND hotel on site. Check out some of those details on the event guide here.
They also offer a Halloween VIP upgrade, which includes delicious treats, a LEGO character dance party, special access to trick-or-treating, face painting, a souvenir photo, and premium reserved seating for their evening fireworks. This is a $95 ticket on top of what you’d pay to get into the park. That being said, annual passholders get a lot of discounts around this park, including to the VIP upgrade. Consider buying one of those passes if you’ll be coming back at all in the next year.
This haunted house has a theme that seems to be very popular this year: clowns! Face the Fear has teamed up with the (fictional) International Clown University (or I.C.U.) to tell the story of the survivors of a 1967 train that crashed in Sanford. They established the ICU, which attracted plenty of people of ill repute. They weren’t there to make people laugh; they were there to terrify! The ICU was closed after all their shenanigans, and now it reopens for public viewing for one month every 10 years.
The story goes that all the original members of the ICU fled and were never seen again. But… “it is difficult to know who is under the smiling face of a clown.” Face the Fear is scary enough for adults, but they do have a child’s ticket, so feel free to bring the braver ones! They’ll also have concessions available for extra fees.
Riverside Park in Oviedo is hosting the Carnival of Screams the last weekend in October. On Thursday, Oct. 26, guests can experience the carnival’s haunted house. But there’s a lot more fun going on Friday and Saturday.
Before the regular haunted house starts up, the Carnival of Screams welcomes families for a lights-on haunted house from 5 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. There will be costume contests and games for the kids. They’ll have inflatable games for an extra fee, and food and drinks available for purchase. Buy tickets early at the Gym and Aquatic Center or at Riverside Park. Check the Facebook event page for updates.
Kids can wear their cutest costumes for this daytime trick-or-treating event at the Central Florida Zoo. There are trick-or-treat stations all across the zoo, and they’re holding special Halloween-related events throughout the weekend.
There’s special Halloween book-readings of “The Skeleton in the Closet” at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Music Time in the Discovery Courtyard will be held at 12:30 p.m., and stick around the courtyard for the costume contest at 1 p.m. Contestants can enter into one age group or category with no advance signup required. There will also be kids crafts and a bounce house!
For additional fees, kids can get their face painted or ride the Zoo Boo Choo-Choo! And, of course, all the regular zoo fun is available during this event with regular zoo admission. Check out the website for details on show times.
Did we list all the best haunted houses and scary Halloween events around Central Florida? Let us know in the comments below!
