Orlando likes to call itself the “theme park capital of the world,” but at this time, the central Florida city is happy to put aside the moniker in favour of another slogan: “Halloween Vacation Capital,” not least because of its seven theme parks, some of them vying to deliver to guests the creepiest experiences in town.
“With brand new theme park events and Halloween happenings at attractions, restaurants and hotels throughout the destination, there’s something for every scare level – from fun to frightening,” touts Visit Orlando.
From world-class haunted houses to kid-friendly trick-or-treating, and even a year-round “Halloween-themed” bar, here are some of 2021’s spookiest happenings:
THEME PARK EVENTS
Universal Orlando Resort: Halloween Horror Nights (through Oct. 31) is back for its 30th Horror enthusiasts can experience terrifying haunted houses, sinister scare zones, outrageous live entertainment and some of the park’s most exhilarating attractions. The ‘ghost with the most’ and Halloween Horror Nights legend, “Beetlejuice”, will make his return to this year’s event after the first “ghost host” of Halloween Horror Nights during the event’s debut in 1991. Another fan favorite, Jack the Clown, will return in 2021, as well as all-new mazes inspired by Netflix’s series “The Haunting of Hill House.”
SeaWorld Orlando: Guests can experience two Halloween-themed events this year:
• For the first time in Orlando, Howl-O-Scream will terrorize guests on select nights through Oct. 31 with fright-inducing haunted houses and scare zones; thrilling rides and experiences; an interactive bar and an electrifying live show.
• Little ones can dress up in their favorite costumes to trick-or-treat and meet silly Halloween characters at the SeaWorld Spooktacular family friendly daytime event on weekends until Oct. 31.
LEGOLAND: Florida park guests can experience the spooky, kooky fun of Brick or Treat, with trick-or-treating and exclusive Halloween characters and decorations on select days throughout October.
BEYOND THE PARKS
Family-Friendly
• Gatorland’s “Gators, Ghosts and Goblins” event returns for its second year (weekends until Oct. 31). Fun and spooky adventures await the whole family, from specially themed shows to ghoulish selfie zones and “Frank & Stein’s” Octoberfest Pavilion. Visitors should also beware of monsters rumored to haunt the park.
• Screamin’ Green Hauntoween at Crayola Experience celebrates the Halloween season with monster-ific crafts and spooky surprises for the entire family. Dance parties and trick-or-treating are offered on weekends, while weekdays include scavenger hunts, live slime shows and SLIME TIME, a spooky, sticky art class.
• October is Spooky Science Month at Orlando Science Center. Visitors young and old can learn about the science of slime in Dr. Dare’s Laboratory, check out not-so-scary StoryTime in KidsTown and help capture mischievous spirits with the Ghostflusters in the live stage show.
• Museum of Illusions Orlando will host Halloween-themed experiences each Wednesday evening throughout October. Guests are encouraged to dress in their costumes and trick-or-treat throughout the museum. Many of the museum’s iconic rooms will be reimagined with Halloween theming for spooky (and mind-bending) photo snaps.
• Enzian Theater’s 13 Films of Halloween will showcase a series of scary movies throughout the month of October. The lineup features programs for all ages and includes a free outdoor screening, themed drinks, midnight films and cult classics. The theatre will also offer 13 Cocktails of Halloween, available throughout October at Eden Bar.
• The 12th Annual Dia de los Muertos & Monster Party presented by the Downtown Arts District, happening Oct. 21, will showcase Day of the Dead and Halloween-inspired art created by regional, national, and international artists. This themed art exhibition will be paired with an outdoor experience featuring food, drinks, entertainment, and spooky art vendors.
Extra Scary
• Tunnel of the Damned: Apocalypse is a new haunted experience at Orlando Forum. The maze is composed of 20 masked actors and 145 linear metres of winding, horrifying madness throughout the venue.
• American Ghost Adventures offers a wide variety of year-round paranormal experiences in downtown Orlando, like a haunted pub tour “Spirits with Spirits.”
• Mortem Manor Haunted Attraction at Old Town features year-round terrors with two spooky stories, state-of-the-art animatronics and live actors. Ranked one of the “Scariest Haunted Houses in America” by the Travel Channel, guests can explore the haunted house, be buried alive in a coffin or both.
• The Haunted Road, a drive-thru Halloween attraction at Corn Maze Orlando, will return for its second year on select nights September through November. The immersive outdoor theatre show brings a mix of familiar characters, twisted creatures and unexpected scares to horror fans visiting the social distance-friendly drive-thru event.
• This year’s Spooky Empire horror convention, happening Oct. 22-24, invites Halloween fans to take in the best sights, sounds and screams of terror with an enormous room of vendors, a film and tattoo festival, music, celebrity speakers, and more to satiate even the most diehard afficionados of the spooky season.
• A Petrified Forest (select nights, Oct. 1-30) features three new outdoor scare trails for groups of six or less to venture through the dark, haunted forest filled with terrifying beasts. On special Total Eclipse Nights – which require a signed waiver for anyone under 18 – monsters can even touch the guests. Separately, Kid’s Day and Special Needs Nights will also take place for a milder experience.
• Scream n’ Stream Drive-Thru Halloween Experience at Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures (select nights to Oct. 31) is an interactive drive-thru horror adventure featuring goblins, zombies and more. Visitors will be handed stun guns to shoot creatures’ suppression vests to keep them away. The experience is designed like a dark ride at a theme park, guiding each car from zone to zone with lights, scenery, original audio, and live performers all around.
• A different Scream n’ Stream Halloween experience (through Oct 31) will take place at Oviedo Mall. The drive-through haunted attraction is a 25-minute drive through a secret research compound that is home to some of the most fearsome creatures on the planet: clowns and zombies. Attendees will be handed laser guns to keep the driver safe from the clown and zombie tandem.
GOULISH DINING EXPERIENCES
• Cocktails & Screams is Orlando’s first year-round Halloween-themed bar. The speakeasy-style downtown haunt is very immersive, featuring spooky scenes from Dr. Frankenstein’s lab to a hallway straight out The Shining, with themed cocktails to match.
• The cast at Pirates Dinner Adventure will perform “Vampirates” – a Halloween-themed show centered around an evil gang of vampire pirates – during the month of October. Showgoers will feast on a three-course meal during this bloodsucking performance.
HAUNTED HOTEL OFFERINGS
• Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center guests can take advantage of the Goblins & Giggles packages for stays until Oct. 31. Visitors can enjoy family-friendly Halloween activities and entertainment, including a Monster Mash Bash where guests can sport their best costumes; a Hide-and-Seek Scavenger Hunt where the littlest of vacationers can solve puzzles throughout the resort; Spooky Animal Encounters with friends from Wild Florida and more. Packages are available on the hotel website using the code CUE.
• Universal Orlando Resort is offering a special four-night Halloween Horror Nights Hotel & Ticket Package. Starting from $149 p.p., per night, packages must be purchased by Oct. 28 for stays through Oct. 31. The haunting packages include four-night accommodations; a four-day three-park ticket to Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal’s Volcano Bay; one-night admission to Halloween Horror Nights; access to select live entertainment venues at Universal CityWalk, and other perks.
More events can be found HERE.