Killer clowns, giant snakes, and actual crickets for dessert: America’s theme parks are serving up a season full of scares and creepy confections this Halloween.

As the leaves change and pumpkin spice lattes start brewing, theme parks trade some of their everyday magic for a little mayhem…and plenty of fake blood. Halloween season has arrived, and theme parks across the country are full of haunted hijinks.

Theme park Halloween events offer a welcome yet genuinely terrifying scare — albeit with friends close by and an exit always in sight. This year brings more chances to immerse yourself in horror favorites (think Sinners, Hellraiser, and I Know What You Did Last Summer), with attractions that have you gasping around every turn, adrenaline-fueled maze escapes, and squirm-inducing treats at this year’s best Halloween theme park events. Here’s where to find the biggest screams this season and all the best treats worth sticking around for!

Halloween Horror Nights
WHERE: Universal Orlando, Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood, Los Angeles
Now through November 1

The gold standard for screams, Halloween Horror Nights is nightmare fuel. In Florida, Universal Orlando is celebrating the event’s 35th anniversary with one of its most expansive years yet: 10 haunted houses, four elaborate scare zones, two live shows, and extensive themed food and beverage offerings across select nights.

This season, new haunted houses include the vampire-filled juke joint from Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, a rare encounter with Hellraiser’s Pinhead (with the actual voice of original Pinhead actor Doug Bradley), and a creative, haunting dive into Ozzy Osbourne’s solo career with the heavy-metal-fueled Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness.

The West Coast counterpart shares some of the houses (Sinners, Stranger Things 5, Hellraiser), all similar but not identical, while adding its own unique scare zones, including the popular FORTNITEMARES and a Terror Tram with a “blood-soaked” twist.

In Orlando, eerie can’t-miss bites include the deliciously gross-out Pleasure & Pain Brain (brain-shaped custard with gruesome “teeth and skin” cake pieces), followed by the definitely delicious Carn “Evil” Smash Tacos (Cheeseburger-style tacos that are a bit like a McDonald’s Big Mac wrapped in a taco shell).

Go big in Los Angeles with the Death by Cheese Stick, a hunk of deep-fried mozzarella served like all the best fright foods: impaled on a stick. For dessert, embrace the rock-star theatrics and high camp of the Prince of Darkness Cake at Ozzy’s Bar: carrot cake with cream-cheese mousse, black ganache, and chocolate mousse, topped with a chocolate bat you can sink your teeth into à la the legend himself.

Knott's Scary Farm
WHERE: Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, California
Now through October 31

The prototype that spawned an entire industry, Knott’s Scary Farm predates every other theme park event on the list. From humble origins in 1973 as the three-night Knott’s Halloween Haunt, Knott’s Berry Farm has evolved into a large-scale, full-park takeover on select nights every September and October. This year’s lineup includes 10 mazes, including two new ones called Inked and Unearthed, five scare zones led by a reimagined CarnEVIL, and three shows — two of them new. The park is unique in that it doesn’t license IP, so all the events’ horrors and scares are original mythology, giving fans a whole new cast of monsters to lose sleep over.

Fright Fest
WHERE: Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California
Now through November 1

Blanketing the country with a chorus of screams, Fright Fest enters its 40th year of hair-raising Halloween events. What began as “Fright Nights” at the now-closed Six Flags AstroWorld has grown into Fright Fest, the company’s signature Halloween celebration.

Few Six Flags parks rival the Fright Fest fun at Six Flags Magic Mountain, another Southern California Halloween seasonal must-do. The region’s weather during these months is typically warm and sunny — a far cry from the overcast gloom and sweater weather of the Northeast. Coaster fans can enjoy extended evening hours, with unique chances to ride the park’s outstanding lineup of 16 coasters in the dark. Can’t-miss night rides include the dueling Twisted Colossus and the gravity-defying Tatsu. This year welcomes two new mazes, including one themed to the Final Destination franchise, and two new stage shows (Nytewalkerz stunt show and Unleashed “opening scaremony”). Don’t miss the new boundary-pushing treat Last Leap Frog Legs — actual frog legs served over a bed of French fries — and the playfully named Worms in Dirt Funnel Cake, in which the worms are, thankfully, gummy.

Oogie Boogie Bash
WHERE: Disney California Adventure, Anaheim, California
Now through October 31

As piercing shrieks emanate from nearby parks, Disney’s Oogie Boogie Bash is more likely to elicit a chorus of “awwww.” The popular family-friendly Halloween event returns to Disney California Adventure with vibrant autumn décor, rare villain character encounters on trick-or-treat trails, and exciting ride overlays. This year’s highlights include a new ride experience on Guardians of the Galaxy called Monsters After Dark and an all-new Madame Leota’s Swinging Wake, honoring the “head”-lining ghost from Haunted Mansion with a street party featuring twirling ballroom dancers and gravediggers. Also new this year is an appearance by Yzma from The Emperor’s New Groove. Returning fan favorites include a twice-nightly appearance from the Headless Horseman, Maleficent in all her evil-spirited glory, and Oogie Boogie himself ready for a photo in the Animation Building lobby.

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
WHERE: Magic Kingdom, Orlando, Florida
Now through October 31

Perhaps the largest-scale, family-friendly Halloween event in the country, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party activates every corner of Magic Kingdom into festive fun. The event requires a separate ticket with limited capacity and sells out fast each year. While the party isn’t necessarily a crowded event, wait times can still require some strategizing. Plan to stay later, as wait times tend to drop as the evening goes on. New highlights this year include Stitch’s Masquerade Mashup, a dance celebration with candy giveaways, Captain Jack’s Buccaneer Bash, where guests are taught the ways of a pirate, and Chip ‘n’ Dale “meet ‘n’ greets.” The year’s hotly sought-after, party-exclusive popcorn buckets include a glowing Hatbox Ghost bucket and a Headless Horseman bucket (limited to two per person per transaction, as they are known to fly off the shelves).

Howl-O-Scream
WHERE: Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Virginia and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Florida
Now through November 1

Busch Gardens’ two East Coast parks in Virginia and Florida host the Howl-O-Scream festivals each spooky season. Unlike many listed here, Howl-O-Scream Williamsburg is included with regular daytime park admission rather than being a separate upcharge ticket. That includes a full evening of entertainment with five haunted houses, including the all-new Anaconda: Dead on Arrival (inspired by the Sony Pictures film), five scare zones, four live stage shows, and access to dark rides on the park’s 10 roller coasters. Don’t miss Verbolten: Forbidden Turn, which reopened this past May with a major theming overhaul.

Tampa Bay’s Howl-O-Scream is its own separately ticketed event that rivals the gory fun at Universal Studios. Riding the park’s incredible coasters like Iron Gwazi, SheiKra, Cheetah Hunt, and Montu in the darkness is the main draw for thrill-seekers. Like its sister park in Virginia, this Howl-O-Scream is packed with high-intensity original mazes and scare zones. The people-eating anaconda slithers into the park for the first time, just like in Virginia. However, this experience is called “Fear Has No Escape,” and fortunately for all ophiophobes (those with a snake phobia), the exit is clearly marked.

Harvest Festival & Great Pumpkin LumiNights
WHERE: Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Now through October 31

It’s a heavy-hearted, emotional season at Dollywood as fans celebrate “Dreamer-in-Chief” Dolly Parton’s life, with a legacy forever memorialized throughout the park. The main draw of the 2026 Halloween season is the Harvest Festival presented by Humana, included with park admission. By day, guests can enjoy Southern comfort foods, including a new apple-everything market (think fried apple pies, warm apple dumplings, and cinnamon-butter skillet apples), along with bluegrass and Southern gospel music, and the Southern Gospel Jubilee, the world’s largest Southern gospel celebration. Add in the cutting-edge, genre-defining thrills of NightFlight Expedition, the new coaster-meets-whitewater river ride that’s debuted to unanimous raves, and it’s clear this world-class park is entering a new era of popularity and acclaim.

After dark, Great Pumpkin LumiNights transforms the park into a sea of more than 12,000 lit pumpkins, including one towering 40-foot pumpkin tree. New this year is Harvey’s Boo Bash, Dollywood’s first-ever separately ticketed after-hours event, held on three Fridays: October 16, 23, and 30. From 9 p.m. until midnight, limited-capacity crowds enjoy treat trails, dance parties, character meet-and-greets with Harvey (the friendly pumpkin mascot from Great Pumpkin), costumes, and night rides.

Pumpkin Nights and Harvest Festival
WHERE: Silver Dollar City, Branson, Missouri
Now through October 31, 2026

Silver Dollar City is the rare theme park that stays true to its roots while also pushing the limits of innovation with its thrill rides. The 1880s-themed park features industry-leading rides like Time Traveler, a spinning-launch roller coaster, and Mystic River Falls, a raft ride with the tallest drop in the Western Hemisphere (a terrifying 45-foot plunge). As the Ozarks start to transform, Silver Dollar City becomes a festive fallscape filled with more than 20,000 pumpkins. Known for its unique artisans and craft demonstrations, the park showcases master pumpkin carver Barry Brown turning gourds into works of art, along with lively cooking demonstrations and cook-off competitions. Pumpkin Nights is the park’s glowing, scare-free celebration of fall, with towering pumpkin creations, family dance parties, and rides after dark (Outlaw Run is the go-to for the park’s wildest night ride). The park’s menus get a festive makeover, too, with pumpkin spice rubbed ribs, pumpkin corn dogs, and pumpkin cheesecake funnel cakes. Opt for the $38 (plus tax) Harvest Festival Tasting Ticket to try all five seasonal specials.

Hersheypark Halloween & Dark Nights
WHERE: Hersheypark, Hershey, Pennsylvania
Now through November 1, 2026

With a lineup of many of America’s best-known sweets — Hershey bars, Kisses, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups — Hershey has Halloween practically built into its DNA. At Pennsylvania’s Hersheypark, that sweet legacy now transforms into a candy-filled celebration of the spirit by day and a more sinister take by night. The park’s signature trick-or-treat trail includes 14 stops for children 12 and younger, with four at Hershey’s Chocolate World (no admission ticket required) and ten in the park’s Treatville. There’s also the new, family-friendly “Monster Meet & Shriek,” which gives guests a more relaxed, up-close encounter (and photo op!) with featured monsters from the park’s scare zones.

Now in its fifth season, Dark Nights is an elaborate nighttime haunt with five haunted houses and five scare zones. New to the lineup this year are the Reese’s Depot of Doom outdoor scare zone and several new storylines inside the park’s haunted houses. Lights-out coaster rides include the rare chance to ride the usually vibrant Laff Trakk in the dark, along with rollicking rides on the award-winning Wildcat’s Revenge, and journeys into the depths of the dark woods on Candymonium.

New food highlights that won’t last long include cheesecake egg rolls with strawberry dipping sauce, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Corn Dog Nuggets, and three Halloween-themed King Size Shakes delivered picture-perfect.

HalloWeekends
WHERE: Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio
Now through November 1

Now in its 29th year, Cedar Point’s HalloWeekends gives its Lake Erie shoreline a mischievous makeover for families and thrill-seekers alike. The playful spirit shows up throughout the park as many rides get into character: GateKeeper becomes GateKreeper, Maverick becomes MaverEEK!, and the Midway Carousel spins backward as the Midway Scare-ousel.

By day, families enjoy 10 interactive trick-or-treat stops, with doors opening onto different surprises. At The Magical House on Boo Hill, children encounter illusions and playful discoveries in a scare-free walkthrough. Kids can also decorate pumpkins, make masks, and uncover skeletons and prehistoric treasures in a sandbox.

As the sun sets, the park’s scare tactics ignite screams with several haunted mazes and scare zones. New additions this year include Diablo: The Infernal Path, a haunted maze based on Blizzard’s video-game franchise, and Crystal Rock Massacre, a new outdoor scare zone set at what appears to be an ordinary summer camp (of course, it’s not).

For those who like a role in their own nightmare, The Conjuring: Beyond Fear returns this year as a separately ticketed experience, letting visitors play paranormal investigators and secure cursed objects.

Halloween Haunt
WHERE: Kings Island, Mason, Ohio
Now through October 31

One could argue that a night ride on The Beast is enough of an adrenaline-pumping thrill that there’s no need for additional festive trappings. Fortunately, Kings Island festoons its park with Halloween accouterments in an all-out celebration as thrilling as its world-class rides. This year, seven haunted mazes aim to knock your socks off, including two new ones: a chance encounter with the one and only Jason Voorhees on a Friday the 13th walkthrough, Jason: Blood Reign, and a crank-up-that-volume (maybe bring earplugs) heavy-metal-themed haunt, Metal Massacre. These outdoor haunts, along with three scare zones and three live shows, keep the unease going with jolts of sinister scares.

SCARowinds
WHERE: Carowinds, Charlotte, North Carolina
Now through November 1

More than 300 monsters are unleashed on the foggy midways as Carowinds becomes SCARowinds. Leading the pack is “the most feared slasher ever,” Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th franchise, in the all-new JASON: Blood Reign. The maze sends visitors into a sinister summer-camp woods, and pulses quicken as exits become elusive. Three new (and two returning) scare zones fuel the screams between roller coasters like the Fury 325 (North America’s tallest, fastest, and longest non-launched giga coaster) and Copperhead Strike, the spritely double-launch coaster.

The new scare zones include: Carnevil: Midway of Mayhem, Lost Souls, and Restricted. Four new shows include Blade Drummers: The Sacrifice, a blades-and-fire stunt show, along with the evening opener, The Resurgence, and Sinister Slide Squad and Incantations with the Enchantress.