Complete Guide to Halloween in Orlando

For 2025 trips, it's time to pumpkin spice things up...

Just like every fairytale needs a villain, every Disney lover needs to visit Orlando during Halloween. And don't worry, the thrills stay family-friendly at events like Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

As for fright fans, you only need to go next door to Universal Orlando Resort. Their Halloween Horror Nights provide a full month of shows, rides and parties designed to make you run for the hills.

And if you keep on running, you'll discover the rest of the frightfully delightful events happening beyond theme parks, ranging from haunted shopping malls to roads - all listed in our complete guide to Halloween in Orlando below.

BEST FOR YOUNG FAMILIES

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Join the spooky yet fun festivities on select nights from 15th August to 31st October 2025 at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, a family-friendly event for ghouls and boys at Disney's Magic Kingdom.

Here, you'll find the huge Boo to You parade featuring all your favourite characters (including the villains), as well as scarily-good food and drink. Plus, plenty of family photo opportunities throughout. This year's live show is the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular. Inspired by the 1993 film, the mischievous Sanderson Sisters return beside amazing dancers, wild visual projections and otherworldly special effects that prove it's fun to be bad.

And you don't want to miss the bewitching fireworks show with its enchanting explosions.

Your family can even dress up for the occasion, as this is one of the few Halloween events where costumes are allowed. So, whether you want to be a scary Cinderella or reveal your inner Evil Queen, it's a night out not to be missed.
 

BEST FOR ADULT THEMES

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal

Renowned as one of Orlando's scariest events, Universal's Halloween Horror Nights is often spine-tingling and always thrilling. That's why it's been named Best Halloween Event by Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards for 15 years. Usually running between September and October, this year's event spills into early November, so you can expect over two months of haunted houses, scare zones and live shows.

This year, guests can get ready to be thrilled beyond their darkest dreams as Universal Orlando recently unveiled spine-tingling new themes for its ten haunted houses...

Brave the eerie halls of Freddy's abandoned pizzeria in Five Nights at Freddy's, stare into the painted grin of Art the Clown in Terrifier - praying you're not next on his twisted masterpiece - before slipping into the blood-soaked world of Jason Universe, where the masked killer is always one step closer than you think. The post-apocalyptic chaos of Fallout brings vault dwellers and mutated creatures to life, while Hatchet and Chains: Demon Bounty Hunters pits you against lava demons in a cursed Old West town. 

Other original haunted houses include Dolls: Let's Play Dead, where you shrink to doll-size to escape twisted toys, and Grave of Flesh, a descent into a flesh-eating underworld beginning at your own funeral. Gálkn: Monsters of the North unleashes undead horrors from icy fjords, El Artista: A Spanish Haunting explores a tormented artist's possessed creations, and The Horrors of The Wyatt Sicks invites you into a mysterious realm ruled by fear. 

Outside of the haunted houses, you will also need to watch the space you're in. There will be 5 Sinister Scare Zones where scare-actors are on the prowl. One place you can seek refuge is on the select rides remaining open, such as Jurrasic Park Velocicoaster.

Whichever themes are chosen for next year's Horror Nights, it's certain to sell out soon. Recommended to those aged over 13, tickets go on sale at least six months in advance, and you can get your Halloween Horror Nights tickets here. 
 

BEST NEW HALLOWEEN EVENT

Howl-O-Scream & Spooktacular, Seaworld Orlando

From holiday cheer by day to mature scares by night, SeaWorld's new Halloween schedule is making waves.

First, gather your little terrors for the kid-friendly Spooktacular on select dates from 30th August to 2nd November. Here, guests under 13 can dress up in costumes with face painting available within the park. Next, you're ready to join events like the Trick-or-Treat Trail, Bubble Dance Party, and the award-winning Sesame Street Party Parade. Elmo, Big Bird, and friends all get in on the act aboard colourful floats passing through the famous street, as your family laughs and learns as they go.

Come dark, Howl-O-Scream comes to life. Even in the usually cute aquariums, there's something fishy going on. Transformed into a House of Horrors, you'll need to brave the dark passageways as ghosts and ghouls lurk behind corners on your route to freedom. But there's light at the end of the tunnel: high-energy musical shows and party zones with DJs deliver some respite! Plus, have you ever ridden your favourite attractions in the dark? It wouldn't be a Howl-O-Scream without them.

Launched at SeaWorld Orlando in 2021, after previously being hosted solely at SeaWorld Busch Gardens, Howl-O-Scream celebrates '5 Years of Fear' on select nights from 5th September to 1st November, with its most menacing icon yet: Havoc, the Ambassador of Darkness. Towering, flame-wreathed, and riding a hell-born motorcycle, Havoc sets the stage for chaos with his stunt show Throttle, a high-octane spectacle of rage and ruin. This year's lineup is packed with five haunted houses, each with its own twisted tale, plus five fear-drenched scare zones that plunge you into worlds of decay, madness, and supernatural terror.
 

BEST FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Screamin' Green Hauntoween, The Crayola Experience

In the face of fear, sometimes it's best just to keep calm, and crayon.

Better yet, from the safety of the Florida Mall, you’ll find an attraction which is the biggest, brightest and boldest of things to do outside of the theme parks

In fact, you might just find your favourite Halloween event at the Screamin' Green Hauntoween at The Crayola Experience, from 20th September to 31st October. Tailored towards crafty and creative kids, they can dig in and get their hands dirty crafting their very own mummy, painting a pumpkin, or conjuring a stained glass bat.

Next up is the spooky scavenger hunt. Here, young families can sneak into a mysterious tomb of an ancient Pharaoh and lurk through a creepy forest while encountering Crayola characters along the way. Lastly, you can dance the scares away at a DJ Dance Party on the weekends.

Screamin' Green Hauntoween happens from late September through the whole of October - ideal for a Florida holiday during the autumn half term.

BEST FOR LITTLE ONES' FIRST HALLOWEEN

LEGOLAND Florida, Winter Haven

Just a 45-minute drive from Orlando, Brick-or-Treat returns to LEGOLAND Florida in 2025 on select dates from 20th September to 2nd November, bringing a family-friendly Halloween celebration included with regular admission. The park transforms into a spooky LEGO wonderland with several themed trick-or-treat stations open from 2 to 7pm, complete with free treat bags.

Meet exclusive LEGO Halloween characters like Zombie Pirate, Spider Lady, and Plant Monster, enjoy lively shows such as the V.I.M. Dance Party, and end the night with the award-winning Monster Skytacular Drone Show featuring 500 drones and fireworks. Kids can build LEGO pumpkins, join giant sculpture builds, and ride Halloween-themed attractions like the Disco-Dragon Coaster. And costumes are most welcome to add to the festivities. 

BEST FOR ALLERGY-FRIENDLY TRICK-OR-TREATING

Each generation loves Halloween treats, but the tradition can be a bit too frightening for the 5.6 million children in the USA with food allergies. To create a friendly experience for all, Disney and SeaWorld's Halloween-hosted events are inclusive with their treats.

Walt Disney World has jumped on board the Teal Pumpkin Project movement. The dark turquoise colour signals allergy-friendly candy or small gifts. Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween guests with food allergies receive a teal bag to store their goods. Instead of collecting traditional candy, cast members with teal aprons will grant you teal tokens. At the end of the evening, you can redeem these tokens at the park's Allergy-Friendly Centres, where you select sweets according to your dietary requirements. 

Meanwhile, SeaWorld Orlando has implemented the Teal Pumpkin Program, which lets guests with food allergies collect a teal token and swap it at Coconut Bay Traders for safe, tasty alternatives, ensuring everyone can join the fun.


Are you ready to boo-gie on down to Florida? Check out our best Orlando holiday deals here.