Fun and Fright: 5 Spooky Halloween Activities in Orlando, Florida
October 17, 2023 | Lifestyle
Boo! Spooky season is now upon us. If you’re looking for some thrilling things to do or if you want your kids to have a festive Halloween season, visit Orlando, Florida. Orlando is filled with frighteningly fun events for people of all ages. From theme parks with a focus on family-friendly activities to spooky twists added to the non-stop nightlife as fall settles in, we are sure you will find something entertaining for you and your crew with these spooky Halloween activities in Orlando.
Family-Friendly Halloween Activities
Halloween is a highly anticipated holiday in a kid’s world thanks to all the candy they get from trick-or-treating. However, that doesn’t have to be the only way your children have fun in Orlando this Halloween. Check out the activities below to help build the anticipation for Halloween night.
Theme Parks During Halloween: Kids Version
If you live in Orlando, you likely know Walt Disney World pretty well, but you may not have seen it during Halloween. This theme park incorporates fun activities for kids to keep the spooky season light and enjoyable (see the darker side of Halloween at Universal Studios and SeaWorld below).
Though they took a hiatus in 2021 with Boo Bash Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney World hosts Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Magic Kingdom on select nights from August 11 to November 1. Throughout the park, you and your kiddos can experience:
- Characters dressed in costume (and you’re encouraged to join the fun)
- Trick-or-treating in the park
- Shows featuring the Sanderson Sisters, Dr. Facilier, Oogie Boogie, and Maleficent
- Ghoulish dining and drink options
- Frightening merchandise
- Boo-to-You Halloween Parade (on select nights)
- Fireworks with some Nightmare Before Christmas images (on select nights)
Pumpkin Patches and Corn Mazes
Another great way to get your kid in the Halloween spirit is by partaking in some fall festivities. Many local Orlando farms are home to corn mazes and pumpkin patches bursting with fun things for children to enjoy. From hay rides to navigating interactive corn mazes and even to pumpkin painting activities, here are some corn mazes and pumpkin patches Orlando is known for:
- Fall Festival at Southern Hill Farms, Clermont, open from Sept. 23 to Nov. 12
- Annual Pumpkin Patch by Kasheta Farms, Apopka, opens on Sept. 28
- Club Lake Fall Festival Corn Maze, Apopka, open from Sept. 30 to Oct. 29 (Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays)
- Great Scott Farms Corn Maze, Mount Dora, open from Sept. 30 to Nov. 26 (Saturdays and Sundays)
Trick-or-Treating
Trick-or-treating is a must for kids during Halloween. Every child waits patiently (or impatiently) for Halloween so they can fill their bag or basket to the brim with delicious Halloween treats and compete in costume contests.
If your neighborhood doesn’t support trick-or-treating, there are plenty of other ways to participate in the exciting activity without going door to door. Here are some trick-or-treating Orlando traditions:
- Halloween in the Park at Kit Nelson Park, Apopka, open Oct. 23, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Trunk-or-Treat at Reiter Park, Longwood, open Oct. 23, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Halloween Safety Spooktacular at Seminole State College, Sanford, open Oct. 28, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Trunk-or-Treat and Car Show at Promenade at Sunset Walk, Kissimmee, open Oct. 30, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Halloween at Cranes Roost Park, Altamonte, open Oct 31, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Halloween Activities for Adults or Older Teens
If you’re an adult or older teen who loves all things spooky, Halloween in Orlando holds all kinds of haunts for you to explore. Once the sun goes down, Orlando can become your oyster for all the darker things that take place in the Halloween season. The activities below will give you plenty of ideas to make your spooky season last all fall.
Theme Parks During Halloween: Adult Version
Orlando has a reputation for unique theme parks. All of them have Halloween activities, but Universal Studios and SeaWorld’s Halloween traditions aren’t quite as kid-friendly as Disney’s. With frights around every corner, discover what these two parks hold for you.
Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando has been voted the best Halloween event by Amusement Today for thirteen years, and we can see why. Here is just a sampling of the terrors they have in store for 2023:
- 10 haunted houses
- Five scare zones
- Live entertainment
- Thrilling rides and attractions
- Themed food, drink, and merchandise
Howl-O-Scream by SeaWorld in Orlando is one of the newest Halloween attractions, and you could be a part of it. There is much to experience at one of the best spooky theme parks prowling with all kinds of aquatic horrors. Here’s their lineup for 2023:
- Five haunted houses
- Seven scare zones
- Terrifying live shows
- Themed bar and food experiences
- Coasters in the dark
Haunted Houses and Corn Mazes
Another common tradition when celebrating Halloween as adults is to attend a haunted house or corn maze. Orlando has no shortage of either. Some kid-friendly corn mazes turn spooky and fiendish once the sun sets. Here are some of the corn mazes and haunted houses around Orlando that you don’t want to miss:
- Scream ‘n’ Stream: Drive-In Haunted House
- The Haunted Road
- Orlando Forum of Fear
- The Orlando Haunted Maze
- Mortem Manor in Kissimmee
- Petrified Forest Scare Trail in Altamonte Springs
Ghost Tours
Nothing is scarier than real-life thrills, and Orlando is a hub for paranormal experiences. Travel around the city to see some of the most mystical and horrifying places after the sun goes down. What could be a better way to get in the mood for Halloween? Check out these tours:
- Orlando Haunts: Ghouls and Ghost Tour
- Orlando Boos and Booze: Haunted Pub Crawl
- A two-hour, interactive walking ghost tour in downtown Orlando
- Sanford Ghost Tour
Whether you’re 6 years old or 86 years old, there are plenty of ways to celebrate your Halloween season in the city of Orlando. All of the activities on the list above are sure to send a chill down your spine or bring a smile to your face. This Halloween, be safe and enjoy the frightening fun that Orlando holds.
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