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Updated: August 30, 2024
The air turns crisp, leaves rustle underfoot, and pumpkin spice fills the senses β it’s that time of year when theme parks across the United States transform into haunted wonderlands!
Halloween events at theme parks offer a unique blend of spine-tingling excitement, family-friendly fun (most times anyway), delicious food experiences, and the promise of unforgettable memories.
So with this ultimate guide to theme park Halloween events across the USA, coupled with a mouthwatering exploration of the yummy eats that await you, and a few of the tricks you should avoid, I hope you have the spookiest time of your life at these fantastic events this year.
Recommended Halloween Blog Posts
Complete Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights Food Guide (2024)
A Foodie Guide to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (2024)
A Foodie Guide to SeaWorld Orlando’s Howl-O-Scream (2024)
Top Theme Parks with Halloween Events and Limited-Edition Eats
From the East Coast to the West Coast, theme parks all over the country take on an eerie aura as they celebrate the Halloween season with gorgeous decorations and tasty food offerings. Some of the top theme parks that participate in these festive events include:
Universal Studios Hollywood & Orlando: Halloween Horror Nights (California, Florida)
Known for its spectacular Halloween Horror Nights, Universal hosts a variety of haunted houses and spooky treats like bloody snowballs, and fried zombie brains.
Haunted Houses in 2023 included themes like Stranger Things, The Exorcist: Believer, The Last of Us, and Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count and six (6) others. And Haunted Houses in 2024 include A Quiet Place among six original houses such as Triplets of Terror and Slaughter Sinema 2.
Silverwood Theme Park: Scarywood Haunts (Idaho)
Did you know that Silverwood’s Scarywood Haunts was considered one of “Halloween’s Scariest Thrills” according to the Travel Channel in 2012? Pretty cool if you ask me! They host numerous haunted attractions and scare zones and a number of dining options across the park.
I will say, the food situation here at Silverwood seems to be inconclusive.
During 2023 they had 12 food locations to choose from such as Dead End CafΓ©, Zombie Bites, and Full Moon Saloon β however I am unaware as to what offerings they had “on tap” so speak, but at least they make some semblance of an effort during the festivities.
Knott’s Berry Farm: Knott’s Scary Farm (California)
At Knott’s Berry Farm, this blackberry-obsessed park hosts the Knott’s Scary Farm with awesome mazes around the park and if you’re up for some truly interesting food, this is the place to be.
During last year’s (2023) festivities they had food offerings ranging from Witches Green Bean Fries, Swamp Gator Sausage, Camel Stew Bread Bowl, and Ostrich Hoagie.
The menu is eclectic and has something for everyone, including both alcoholic and non-alcoholic specialty drinks!
Six Flags: Fright Fest (Nationwide)
With Six Flags around the country celebrating the season through Fright Fest (some even have a Fright Fest Extreme version now!), it shouldn’t surprise anyone that they’ve been known to vary up their menu to celebrate the Halloween season. Typical offerings are blood bag cocktails and Demon Claws (chicken fingers tossed in a ghost pepper sauce).
My hope is that this year there will be some new and exciting treats up Six Flags’ sleeve to entice customers.
Hersheypark: Hersheypark Halloween / Dark Nights (Pennsylvania)
When you’re at Hersheypark Halloween / Dark Nights, you expect to see a whole lot of chocolate, right? Well, on their Trick or Treat Trail, you’ll most definitely find some candy confections.
You’ll also find haunted houses of all varieties, such as the new Auntie Mortem’s Abattoir and The Descent: Catacombs of Decay and multiple scare zones.
Hersheypark doesn’t disappoint in the food category with the help of a food pass, and they have Halloween specials such as Hacked to Pieces, Creepy Carrots, and Red Intestine Cinnamon Rolls. And if you’re looking to do their buffet, you find the full buffet menu here: RIP buffet menu.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay & Williamsburg: Howl-O-Scream (Florida, Virginia)
Five (5) haunted houses, five (5) scare zones, and some ridiculously delicious food, Busch Garden’s Howl-O-Scream could be one for the books. The Blood Bar is full of hauntingly delicious signature cocktails, beers, spirits, and seltzers, and if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you may find some real, dehydrated bugs to try on certain menus.
Cedar Point: Halloweekends (Ohio)
Cedar Point hosts HalloWeekends and while it’s scary good fun with their trails like Blood on the Bayou and Cut Throat Cove, there isn’t much here in the way of seasonal dishes. They do have the typical fare available, but nothing that points itself as being very Halloween themed.
I am hoping to be proven wrong however!
Disneyland Parks: Oogie Boogie Bash (California)
Disneyland Parks in California hosts Oogie Boogie Bash. Unlike other Halloween-scare heavyweights, this is all treats and no tricks. With treat trails and delicious eats, you won’t want to miss the exclusive food offerings here.
From the Te KΔ Dog, Oogie Boogie Churro, Monster Baby, and Ghoulish Fizz there’s something exciting around the corner for every taste.
Walt Disney World Resort: Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (Florida)
With Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Walt Disney World goes above and beyond the competition by truly raising the stakes. And, like Disneyland in California, Walt Disney World in Florida leaves no stone unturned when it comes to trying out new food concoctions for the occasion.
There are a plethora of parades, character meet and greets, trick-or-treat locations, and, of course, rides! The food at Mickey’s shindig is mainly party-exclusive, so you won’t be able to find these tasty treats outside of the party.
Dates sell out quickly so if you’ve not gotten your tickets I suggest you do so before they’re gone (like your breath).
Best Way to Navigate This List
With a plethora of spooky attractions, thrilling rides, and good eats, planning your Halloween-themed adventure is as exciting as the events themselves. Make sure to check each park’s official website for the latest event details, including dates, ticket information, and any COVID-19 related updates as I am sure I may have made a mistake.
To fully immerse yourself in the experience, don’t forget to explore the unique limited-edition offerings that each park brings to the table. The nice thing about these theme park halloween events is that, aside from the scare factor, it’s the fact that parks typically are open to trying foods that they normally would never try otherwise.
So explore all of the places you can, not only for the haunted houses and the scare trails but for the strange concoctions that you can check off on your bucket list.
The Complete List of Theme Park Halloween Events by Regions
A lot of the best theme park food is found at special events, and Halloween is of no exception. While not every event listed below boasts special food dishes, you are guaranteed to have a lot of fun at these spooky spectacles.
Also, I know that there are other events that occur such as Harvest Festivals (e.g., Silver Dollar City / Storybook Land), but since they are not Halloween-centric I chose not to add them to this list. You can however find those on the general festivals list though.
Midwest β’ Northeast β’ Southeast β’ Southwest β’ West Coast
Check out the festivals page for food guides, food reviews, etc.
π = Confirmed date
Midwest
Illinois:
Six Flags Great America β£ Fright Fest, September 14 – November 3 on select nights π
Indiana:
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari β£ Happy Halloween Weekends, September 21 – October 27 on Saturday and Sundays π
Iowa:
Adventureland Resort β£ Phantom Fall Fest, September 21 – October 27 on weekends π
Michigan:
Michigan Adventure β£ Tricks and Treats, September 14 – October 13 on Saturday and Sundays (FYI: family-friendly) π
Minnesota:
Valleyfair β£ Tricks and Treats / ValleySCARE, September 21 – October 26 on select days over the weekend (Tricks and Treats dates are September 28 – October 27 on Saturdays and Sundays) π
Missouri:
Six Flags St. Louis β£ Kid Boo Fest / Fright Fest, September 14 – November 3 (Fright Fest begins September 13) π
Worlds of Fun β£ The Great Pumpkin Fest / Halloween Haunt, Weekends between September 13 – October 27 π
Ohio:
Cedar Point β£ Halloweekends, September 12 – October 27 on select nights π
Kings Island β£ Tricks and Treats Fall Fest / Halloween Haunt, Weekends between September 20 – October 27 π
Wisconsin:
Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park β£ Halloween Town, Weekends of October 1 – November 1 π
Northeast
Connecticut:
Lake Compounce β£ Phantom Fall Fest, Weekends between September 21 – October 27 π
Maryland:
Six Flags America β£ Kids Boo Fest / Fright Fest, September 21 – October 27 on select nights (Kids Boo Fest dates are September 23 – October 21) π
Massachusetts:
Six Flags New England β£ Kids Boo Fest / Fright Fest, September 21 – October 27 on select nights (Kids Boo Fest runs from September 21 – November 3, 2024) π
New Hampshire:
Canobie Lake Park β£ Screeemfest, September 21 – October 27 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays π
New Jersey:
Jenkinson’s Boardwalk β£ Boo at the Boardwalk, October 19, 20, 26, and 27th (FYI: this is a family-friendly event) π
Six Flags Great Adventure β£ Kids Boo Fest / Fright Fest Extreme, September 13 β November 3 on select nights (Kids Boo Fest starts September 14) π
New York:
Legoland New York Resort β£ Brick-or-Treat, October 3-27 on weekends π
Luna Park β£ Halloween Harvest, September 20 – October 27 on weekends and select nights π
Playland β£ Hosting Hudson Horrors, TBD
Six Flags Darien Lake β£ Kids Boo Fest / Fright Fest, September 21 – October 13 on select nights π
Six Flags Great Escape β£ Kids Boo Fest / Fright Fest, September 30 – October 29 on weekends (Kids Boo Fest runs September 28 – October 27, Saturdays and Sundays) π
Sylvan Beach Amusement Park β£ Halloweekends – TBD
Pennsylvania:
Conneaut Lake Park β£ Ghost Lake, September 20 – October 27 π
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom β£ Halloween Haunt, Weekends between September 13 – October 27 π
Dutch Wonderland β£ Happy Hauntings, Weekends between September 14 – October 27 (FYI: this is a family-friendly event) π
Hersheypark β£ Hersheypark Halloween / Dark Nights, Weekends between September 13 – November 3 π
Idlewild & Soak Zone β£ Hallowboo, Weekends between September 14 – October 27 π
Kennywood β£ Phantom Fall Fest, Weekends between September 20 – October 27 π
Knoebels Amusement Park β£ Hallo-Fun, October 4 – 27 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays π
Sesame Place Philadelphia β£ The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular, September 17 – November 6 on select days π
Southeast
Arkansas:
Magic Springs Theme and Water Park β£ Magic Screams, September 28 – October 27 on Saturdays and Sundays π
Florida:
Busch Gardens Tampa β£ Spooktacular / Howl-O-Scream, September 6 – November 2 on select nights (Spooktacular runs from September 9 – October 31) π
Disney’s Magic Kingdom β£ Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, August 9 – October 31 on select nights π
Legoland Florida β£ Brick-or-Treat, Saturdays, September 13, 14, 21, 28, and October 5 – 27 on Saturdays and Sundays π
SeaWorld Orlando β£ Spooktacular / Howl-O-Scream, (Spooktacular runs August 31 – November 3) September 6 – November 2 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in September and Thursdays to Saturdays in October π
Universal Studios β£ Halloween Horror Nights, August 30 – November 3 on select nights π
Georgia:
Six Flags Over Georgia β£ Kids Boo Fest / Fright Fest, September 14 – November 3 on select nights π
North Carolina:
Carowinds β£ The Great Pumpkin Fest / Scarowinds, September 13 – October 27 on select nights (Pumpkin Fest begins on September 14) π
Virginia:
Busch Gardens Williamsburg β£ Halloween Spooktacular / Howl-O-Scream, September 6 – November 3 on select nights (Spooktacular begins September 21) π
Kings Dominion β£ The Great Pumpkin Fest / Halloween Haunt, September 20 – October 27 on select nights (Pumpkin Fest begins on September 21) π
West Virginia:
Camden Park β£ Spooktacular – October 4 – 26 on Saturdays and Sundays (tentative)
Southwest
Oklahoma:
Six Flags Frontier City β£ Kids Boo Fest / Fright Fest, September 14 – October 27 on select nights π
Texas:
Kemah Boardwalk β£ Boo on the Boardwalk, October 4-6, 11-13, 18-20, 25-27, 31 π
SeaWorld San Antonio β£ Spooktacular / Howl-O-Scream, September 13 – October 27 on select nights (Spooktacular runs September 14 – October 29, Thursdays through Sunday) π
Six Flags Fiesta Texas β£ Kids Boo Fest / Fright Fest, September 7 – November 3 on select nights π
Six Flags Over Texas β£ Kids Boo Fest, September 13 – November 3 on select nights π
West
California:
Adventure City β£ Boo-tastic Halloween Party, October 4, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 30, 31 π
California’s Great America β£ Tricks and Treats, September 20 – October 26 on select days π
Castle Park β£ Castle Dark, September 20 – October 27 π
Disneyland Park β£ Oogie Boogie Bash, August 23 – October 31 on select nights π
Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park β£Β A Bigger Better Boo, September 27 – October 27 on weekends π
Knott’s Berry Farm β£ Knott’s Scary Farm, September 19 – November 2 on select nights / Knott’s Spooky Farm, Thursdays through Sundays, September 26 – October 31 π
Legoland California Resort β£ Brick-or-Treat, September 14, 21, 28 and Weekends in October π
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park β£Β Boardwalk Fright FlicksΒ (21+ only), October 2, 9, 16, 30 π
SeaWorld San Diego β£ Spooktacular / Howl-O-Scream, September 27 – November 2 on select nights (Spooktacular runs September 6 – November 3) π
Sesame Place San Diego β£ The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular, September 14 – November 3 π
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom β£ Kids Boo Fest / Fright Fest, September 21 – November 3 on select nights π
Six Flags Magic Mountain β£ Kids Boo Fest, September 20 – November 3, Friday to Saturday / Fright Fest Extreme, September 19 – November 3 on select nights π
Universal Studios Hollywood β£ Halloween Horror Nights, September 5 – November 3 on select nights π
Special Mention: The Haunted Amusement Park at the now-defunct Marshal Scotty’s Playland, September 27 – November 2 on weekends π
Colorado:
Elitch Gardens β£ Fright Fest, September 28 – November 3 π
Idaho:
Silverwood Theme Park β£ Scarywood Haunt, September 27 – November 2 π
Oregon:
Oaks Amusement Park β£ Hosting Oaks Park ScareGrounds by ScareGrounds PDX, October 4 – November 2 π
Utah:
Lagoon Amusement Park β£ Frightmares, September 6 – November 3 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays π
Washington:
Wild Waves Theme and Water Park β£ Fright Fest, October 4 – November 3 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays π
Happy Halloween!
Halloween events at theme parks offer a unique way to celebrate the spooky season with your family. Beyond the rides and entertainment, these events also provide an opportunity to indulge in delicious seasonal treats (some that look like brains, cordyceps, and other body parts).
The diverse range of attractions, haunted houses, entertainment options, and mouthwatering food ensures that there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
I hope this guide helps you plan your Halloween adventures and create unforgettable memories!
And if you havenβt as of yet, please follow us on our other social media channels (YouTube, Instagram & Tik Tok β @themeparkbites) to stay up to date on food reviews. Thank you for allowing us to be your tasty theme park companion!