These Theme Park Halloween Celebrations Will Give Guests Chills Long Before October

Whether clients are looking for spine-tingling frights or not-so-scary fun, theme parks offer plenty of events and experiences to celebrate Halloween. And this year, the haunts are creeping in extra early, with some California and Florida theme parks kicking off the spooky season in August.

While some families may think that’s too soon to think about Halloween, summer openings do allow families to enjoy the festivities while the kids are still out of school.

“Not everyone can travel in October, especially once school and fall activities are in full swing," said Susanne Hays, owner of Fairytale Journeys Travel. “With theme parks offering summer dates, it’s still the same fun, just with a little more sunshine and a lot more wiggle room in the calendar.”

Here’s what clients need to know about Halloween 2025 in the theme parks.

Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort

The giant Mickey jack-o-lantern arrives on Main Street, U.S.A., on August 22, signaling the transformation of the Happiest Place on Earth into the Spookiest Place on Earth. This year, Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort is extra special because clients can experience some of the resort's 70th-anniversary offerings while they're celebrating Halloween, including the Paint the Night parade and Tapestry of Happiness projection show in Disneyland and World of Color Happiness in California Adventure.

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The resort’s Halloween celebration continues through October 31, with the return of favorite attraction overlays, including Luigi's Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween, Mater’s Graveyard JamBooree and Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark in California Adventure and Haunted Mansion Holiday inspired by “The Nightmare Before Christmas” in Disneyland, all included with park admission.

Clients can also meet favorite characters sporting Halloween costumes and watch the Halloween Screams nighttime spectacular (with fireworks on select nights). Plus, younger clients won’t want to miss Mickey’s Trick and Treat show in California Adventure. 

From August 22 through November 2, California Adventure will celebrate Dia de los Muertos with the return of Plaza de la Familia, featuring a musical street performance inspired by "Coco," themed crafts and a menu highlighting Mexican cuisine. Clients can stop by Ramone’s in Cars Land to see an ofrenda (a traditional display in memory of a loved one) for Doc Hudson.

Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party in California Adventure

The family-friendly, separately ticketed Oogie Boogie Bash returns to California Adventure on select nights from August 17 through October 31, featuring the walk-through Villains Grove projection experience, immersive character-hosted treat trails and the "Frightfully Fun Parade."

Admission to the after-hours event includes entry to California Adventure three hours before the party begins and unlimited digital photo downloads from the party.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in Magic Kingdom

At Walt Disney World Resort, the Halloween festivities take place during the after-hours Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in Magic Kingdom Park, which will take place on select nights from August 15 to October 31. While the celebration is not included with park admission, it's jam-packed with exclusive character meet-and-greets, spooktacular entertainment and trick-or-treat trails.

Party guests are also treated to the fan-favorite Mickey's Boo-to-You Halloween Parade featuring the Haunted Mansion's waltzing ghosts and caretakers (with their iconic sparking shovels), Disney Princesses and villains and rare characters like Pain & Panic from "Hercules" and Vanellope from “Wreck-It Ralph.”

At Cinderella Castle, the Sanderson Sisters gather their villainous friends for the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, and Jack Skellington hosts Disney's Not So Spooky Spectacular, a projection and fireworks show featuring towering encounters with Ursula, The Queen of Hearts and Oogie Boogie.

Admission to the after-hours event includes entry to Magic Kingdom three hours before the party begins.

Brick-or-Treat at Legoland Resorts

Brick-or-Treat events at Legoland resorts in Florida, California and New York feature themed shows and experiences, brick-or-treating and exclusive seasonal Lego characters. All of the above are included with day tickets and hotel packages.

“One of the largest kid Halloween celebrations in the country returns this fall as Brick-or-Treat Monster Party takes over all three Legoland Resorts,” said Julie Estrada, North America communications director for Merlin Entertainments. “From zombie cheerleaders and monster dance parties in California to wickedly delicious treats in Florida and an October-long takeover of Legoland New York, our events will leave families with Halloween memories to last a lifetime.”

Clients can join the fun on select dates from September 20 through November 2 in Florida, September 20 through November 1 in California and October 2 through November 2 in New York.

RELATED: The Best Theme Parks for Toddlers and Young Kids

Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld Parks

The separately ticketed nighttime Howl-O-Scream event returns to SeaWorld Orlando with a new wave of horrors lurking around every corner, including six scare zones, five haunted houses, two “roaming hordes” and the chance to experience the park’s thrill rides in the dark. Plus, this year, a few never-before-seen surprises will be revealed as darkness falls.

During Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld San Diego, clients will need to evade five angry haunts through eight scare zones and four "vile vignettes," but they can seek refuge in themed bars across the park — including five speakeasies — and attempt to calm their nerves with nighttime coaster rides.

“As we mark the fifth year of Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld San Diego, we’re turning the fright factor up higher than ever,” said Kira Lange, vice president of entertainment at SeaWorld San Diego. “This year, we’re packing in more scares per square foot than ever before — from sinister speakeasies to pulse-pounding haunted houses. It’s our most immersive event yet, perfect for thrill-seekers looking to add a unique and chilling twist to their fall travel plans.”

Howl-O-Scream will take place on select nights from September 5 through November 1 in Orlando and September 12 through November 1 in San Diego and San Antonio.

Howl-O-Scream is not recommended for children; however, during the day, families can celebrate Halloween at the kid-friendly SeaWorld Spooktacular, which is included with park admission on select dates through August 30 and November 2 in Florida, September 5 through November 2 in California and September 11 through November 2 in Texas.

SeaWorld San Diego is also hosting the Howl-O-Sprint 5K Run on October 19, 2025, with a “thrilling and chilling” 3.1-mile route featuring Halloween surprises all along the way.

Universal Halloween Horror Nights

Universal Studios Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood are not for the faint of heart during Halloween Horror Nights, which will take place on select nights from August 29 through November 2 in Orlando and September 4 through November 2 in Hollywood.

The separately ticketed events on both coasts include horrifying haunted houses and scream-inducing scare zones featuring the biggest horror franchises and original stories from Universal’s creative teams.

“Universal has created more than 200 haunted houses,” said Lora Sauls, assistant director for entertainment development and show direction at Universal Orlando. “And [each year] we’re adding to that collection of horrors."

For 2025, haunted houses based on Prime Video’s post-apocalyptic series “Fallout” will debut in Florida and California, transporting fans to “The Wasteland,” where they’ll encounter desperate Scavengers and Raiders who will do anything to survive; mutated cockroaches known as Rad Roaches; and The Ghoul, an ageless bounty hunter who has endured radiation exposure for centuries.

In addition, the infamous Jason Voorhees from the "Friday the 13th” movies will be resurrected for Jason Universe, original haunted houses at both parks which take clients back to the summer camp where Jason’s murderous career began in the 1980 horror classic.

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Clients who attend Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood have the exclusive opportunity to experience Terror Tram on the studio’s back lot; in Orlando, clients can attend the one-night-only Premium Scream Night on August 28, 2025. But the best way to experience Halloween Horror Nights on both coasts is an R.I.P Tour, which ensures the maximum number of scares possible.

Halloween Horror Nights is not recommended for kids under 13.