The summer months and the winter holiday season are always popular times for theme park vacations, but Halloween has become one of the hottest times to go — and this year it will be even hotter, with celebrations starting in August. Here’s a guide to this year’s festivities, from the family friendly Halloween Time at Disneyland to the bone-chilling Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Parks.
Halloween Time: Disneyland Resort
From Aug. 23 through Oct. 31, Halloween Time at Disneyland Park includes spooky decor throughout the resort, themed treats and popular seasonal attraction overlays. In addition, Haunted Mansion Holiday will be available via virtual queue this year.
At Disney California Adventure Park, clients can expect themed ride overlays like Mater’s Graveyard JamBooree, Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween and Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark. The daytime "Mickey's Trick and Treat" show debuts for the first time this year, and Plaza de la Familia commemorates the Day of the Dead with a traditional Dia de los Muertos ofrenda and a retelling of the story of “Coco.”
"Disneyland Resort is a place where families and friends make memories together," said Esteban Valerio, guest relations host the parks. "But in Plaza de la Familia, guests can leave memories for loved ones they may be missing.”
The separately ticketed and after-hours Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party returns to California Adventure on 27 select nights from Aug. 25 through Oct. 31. The event features themed treat trails, the Frightfully Fun Parade, the Villains Grove walk-through experience and rare Disney villains who only appear during the spooky season.
A Disney Halloween Party at California Adventure features rare Disney villains who only appear during the spooky season.
Credit: 2024 Disneyland ResortMickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Walt Disney World
At Walt Disney World, the perennially popular (and separately ticketed) Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party returns to the Magic Kingdom on 38 select nights, Aug. 9 through Oct. 31, with trick-or-treating, the fan-favorite Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade (with an earlier start time), the Not-So-Spooky Spectacular fireworks show hosted by Jack Skellington and the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular starring the Sanderson Sisters.
Clients can also meet Bruno from “Encanto” (his first Orlando Halloween party appearance) and join a new DescenDance Party inspired by the Disney+ movie “Descendants: The Rise of Red.”
Plaza de la Familia in California Adventure commemorates the Day of the Dead with a traditional Dia de los Muertos ofrenda and a retelling of the story of “Coco.”
Credit: 2024 Disneyland ResortHalloween Horror Nights: Universal Studios Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood
At the opposite end of the scare spectrum, Universal’s separately ticketed Halloween Horror Nights event starts earlier than ever at Universal Studios Florida, with 48 select nights from Aug. 30 through Nov. 3 and runs on 40 select nights from Sept. 5 through Nov. 3 at Universal Studios Hollywood.
This year, Florida’s event features ten haunted houses, five scare zones and jump scares galore, with six original houses, including The Museum: Deadly Exhibit, Major Sweets Candy Factory, Goblin’s Feast and Slaughter Sinema 2, the sequel to a 2018 haunted house that takes place in Carey, Ohio, the fictional town where Universal routinely sets its horrifying original stories.
In California, clients will experience eight all-new haunted houses, including Dead Exposure: Death Valley (the first Hollywood haunted house to follow the Dead Exposure storyline that debuted with Dead Exposure at Universal Studios Florida in 2008 and continued in Orlando with Dead Exposure: Patient Zero in 2018), plus Monstruos 2: The Nightmares of Latin America, a sequel to the 2023 house.
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“When we were conceiving the first ‘Monstruos’ house, the idea of a sequel was already in place,” said John Murdy, creative director of Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood. “We were waiting to see how it was received, and luckily it was a fan favorite, so you get the sequel. It’s still the Cemetery of the Lost, but a different section of the graveyard. It’s a very large place, so many bodies are buried there; you only saw part of it in 2023. Of course, once you step through the crypt gate, you are transported into the world of Monstruos.”
In addition, scare seekers in California will face “an onslaught” of scare zones and, of course, the Hollywood-exclusive Terror Tram, which takes clients on a wild ride through the studio back lot.
All-new “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” haunted houses in both Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Orlando will bring the “Ghostbusters” franchise to life.
Credit: 2024 Universal StudiosAll-new “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” haunted houses in Hollywood and Orlando will bring the “Ghostbusters” franchise to life — including iconic ghosts and creatures from the movies — as guests catch up with the original Ghostbusters to face a vengeful spirit who threatens to freeze everyone to death.
Both events will also feature all-new haunted houses based on “A Quiet Place” and “A Quiet Place Part II,” which transports clients into a post-apocalyptic world where sightless creatures prey on anything (or anyone) that makes even the slightest sound. The houses will use unique audio and special effects to recreate the silence in the films. And for the first time, Halloween Horror Nights will incorporate American Sign Language (ASL) into the guest experience.
Ticket options include Express passes and premium guided R.I.P. tours. In addition, clients attending the event in Hollywood can opt for early access tickets (1.5 hours before the event) or Frequent Fear and Ultimate Fear passes, allowing them to experience the scares repeatedly. Clients visiting Orlando can take a daytime Behind the Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tour or attend Universal Orlando’s first-ever limited-capacity Premium Scream Night on Aug. 29.
(Note: Halloween Horror Nights is not recommended for kids under 13.)
SeaWorld Spooktacular and Howl-O-Scream: SeaWorld
SeaWorld offers the family-friendly SeaWorld Spooktacular by day (included with admission) and the separately ticketed horrifying Howl-O-Scream after dark.
This year, Spooktacular takes place on select dates from Aug. 31 through Nov. 3 in Orlando, Sept. 12 through Oct. 31 in San Antonio, and Sept. 13 through Nov. 3 in San Diego. Howl-O-Scream takes place on select nights Sept. 6 through Nov. 2 in Orlando, Sept. 13 through Oct. 31 in San Antonio, and Sept. 27 through Nov. 2 in San Diego.
Howl-O-Scream Orlando returns in 2024 with "more screams, more terror and more haunts," including four new haunted houses, three new scare zones and two new themed bars. Those attractions join returning favorites for a total of five houses, seven scare zones and five bars. The only things missing, the park warns, are places to hide. Details about Howl-O-Scream in San Diego and San Antonio are still to come.
Front Line Fear passes allow clients to skip the queue for five haunted houses of their choice (Front Line Fear Extreme passes also include three thrill rides).
(Note: Howl-O-Scream is not recommended for kids under 13.)
Family-friendly Brick-or-Treat events at Legoland parks in Florida, California, and New York offer smaller clients the chance to celebrate Halloween with shows, exclusive Lego characters, and trick-or-treating.
Credit: 2024 Legoland ParksBrick-or-Treat: Legoland Parks
Legoland Parks in Florida, California and New York celebrate Halloween with family-friendly Brick-or-Treat events. The festivities offer smaller clients the chance to celebrate Halloween with shows, exclusive Lego characters and trick-or-treating (all included with park admission).
In addition, clients can see “The Great Monster Chase” 4D movie and ride the Dragon Coaster, which gets its annual disco party-style makeover with a groovy “Monster Mash” soundtrack and party lights.
Brick-or-Treat takes place on select weekends from Sept. 14 through Oct. 27 in Florida and California and on select dates in September and October in New York.
