Forget summer, here’s your guide to Halloween at Orlando’s theme parks

We may be in the sweat-drenched dog days of summer, but we can’t help but look forward to the actual most wonderful time of the year: Halloween.

Since the clock struck midnight on July 5, retailers have been slowly stocking shelves with autumnal and spooky season decor. Michael’s, Target and Bath & Body Works are famous for having Halloween stuff out early. But some other places, like At Home and HomeGoods, were reported to have seasonal items available well before Independence Day.

And then there are Florida’s theme parks, which have been teasing their new and returning Halloween events for months. Now that the major summer holiday is over, it’s time to count down the days until pumpkin spice everything returns and the theme parks crank up the fog machines.

Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights

Arguably the biggest annual Halloween event in Central Florida is Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida. The fright fest has been running for over three decades now, and this year’s event includes 10 haunted houses, five scare zones, live entertainment and themed food and drinks.

At the end of last year’s event, Universal Orlando announced that infamous killer doll Chucky —  from the USA and SYFY TV series — would get his own dedicated haunted house at the 2023 event.

Only one other house has been revealed for this year so far, but it’s a blockbuster one: The Last of Us.

Naughty Dog’s iconic horror video game comes to life at Universal promising encounters with the human-fungal monsters called Clickers and Hunters. Guests will get to join beloved characters Joel and Ellie as they make their way through an abandoned and overgrown Pittsburgh. Just remember to stay as quiet as possible so the cordyceps monsters don’t find you.

As HHN fans eagerly await more house reveals, many like to make speculation maps that include franchises like The Exorcist, Stranger Things 4 and the classic Universal Monsters.

Halloween Horror Nights, now in its 32nd year, runs a record 44 nights this season, from Sept. 1-Oct. 31.

Disney World

The most magical place on Earth also goes all-out for the Halloween and fall season with events proven just as popular — if much less scary.

For Disney, the season begins Aug. 11 and ends Nov. 1. But that doesn’t mean the parks will wait until Aug. 12 to put up fall decorations. The famous Mickey pumpkins and fall foliage has gone up as early as the first week of August in the past.

The biggest Halloween event is Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom — a separate ticket experience that runs select nights Aug. 11 through Nov. 1.

The party is basically an explosion of colorful, kooky and slightly spooky shows, costumed characters, themed food and drinks, and trick-or-treating throughout the park. There’s the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular show on the Cinderella Castle stage and the grand finale Not-So-Spooky Spectacular fireworks and projection show.

There’s also the famous Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade featuring beloved characters in their Halloween best, including some from Haunted Mansion and the Headless Horseman. This party is also a chance for everyone of all ages to dress up in costume and trick-or-treat around the park.

Tickets for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party are available now starting at $109 per person for ages 10 and up. Tickets can go up for $199 for the most popular nights, especially in October.

Elsewhere at Disney, the other three parks do some minor decorating for the holiday, and Epcot hosts its annual International Food & Wine Festival starting July 27.

Disney Springs arguably has the most Halloween decor and festivities outside of Magic Kingdom with late night concerts and dance parties, festive photo opps and themed food offerings throughout. The shopping and entertainment complex is also a great place to snag exclusive and limited edition Halloween merch for 2023.

SeaWorld Orlando’s Howl-O-Scream

SeaWorld Orlando launched its own fright fest in 2021, and it’s been a big hit with horror fans in Central Florida.

This year’s event returns Sept. 8 and runs select nights through Oct. 31. Like Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, Howl-O-Scream is for those who love to be scared.

SeaWorld recently announced returning haunted house Blood Beckoning. The house is the home of blood siren Scratch, who relies on visitors’ sacrifices to keep her ageless beauty. The park also introduced and gave backstories for two of its sinister sirens, Frost and Flame.

For the last couple of years, Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld has embodied the dark and disturbing aspects of the ocean and its lore, including creepy and grotesque sea creatures like mermaids and sirens.

Tickets for Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld Orlando are available now starting at $37.99 per person for a single-night ticket.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s Howl-O-Scream also returns this year and currently has tickets on sale at an early-bird price. The Tampa park recently announced the new haunted house D.H. Baggum’s Circus of Fear and the return of the popular Stranglewood Estate house.

There are also two new scare zones so far — Sin City Zombies and Big Eg’s Demolition Derby.

Legoland Florida’s Brick or Treat

The Winter Haven park’s kid-friendly Brick or Treat returns Sept. 16 and runs select nights through Oct. 29.

Unlike Disney’s Halloween party, Legoland’s is included with park admission and annual passes. There’s trick-or-treating around the park, of course, plus a new fireworks show, spooky Lego characters and limited time Halloween food offerings.

The party features a V.I.M. (Very Important Monster) Dance Party with Lord Vampyre and more live entertainment, featuring the new Lego Plant Monster and the Jammin’ Jacks singing jack-o-lantern trio.

Legoland’s Dragon Party Coaster also cranks up the slightly spooky monster tunes for rides in the dark.

For more information and tickets, visit Legoland.com/Florida.

Beyond the major theme parks, Central Florida has a ton of other Halloween events that are likely to return in 2023.

Gatorland: As it has for the last few years, Gatorland hosts Gators, Ghosts and Goblins on select nights in October. The family-friendly event is included with admission and features Swamp Ghost’s Monster Museum, a children’s Halloween costume parade, Frank & Stein’s Ooky Kooky Octoberfest with an undead polka band and more festivities.

Scream-A-Geddon: The intense Dade City horror park is now hiring for 2023. Previous events features six haunted house-style attractions plus a Monster Midway and Bonzo the clown’s beer garden. If you like Halloween Horror Nights, you’ll enjoy this one.

Sir Henry’s Haunted Trail: The Plant City horror trail celebrates a decade of scares this year. The 2023 event begins Sept. 29 and runs select nights through Nov. 4. Sir Henry’s is set to have haunted escape rooms and attractions as well as a new haunted hayride, laser tag and axe throwing.

The Haunted Road: The horror-filled drive-through experience in Orlando will likely return this year. Last year’s event featured a new 30-minute route down the Haunted Road with stops at murder sites of infamous serial killers, plus an Afterlife Party.

Scream N’ Stream: The Florida Mall in Orlando will likely get the Scream N’ Stream haunted drive-through again. Last year’s event included seven haunted road experiences and a haunted house, including ones with scary Santas, zombies, clowns and creepy toys.

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This article appears in Jul 5-11, 2023.