The biggest Halloween events in Florida this year are Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida, Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom, Creatures of the Night at ZooTampa, and Fantasy Fest in Key West.
Most run on select nights through October 31, a Saturday this year, and nearly all need a separate ticket from daytime admission. Fantasy Fest is the exception, with free street events from October 16 to 25.
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Florida does not have one Halloween scene. Orlando holds the large after-hours productions, Tampa Bay offers both a family event and an adult one, and Key West hosts a ten-day costume festival for grown-ups. The sections below sort events by region, age and ticket type so you can match a night to your group, then book hotels and vacation rentals in Florida close to the event you pick.
Table of Content
Halloween Events in Orlando
Orlando has the densest cluster of Halloween events in the state, and a single stay in Orlando keeps Universal, Disney and SeaWorld within reach.
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida ( Photo Credit: bocamag )
Halloween Horror Nights is one of the most intense Halloween events in Florida and suits adults and older teens. The 35th edition runs on select nights from August 28 through November 1 at Universal Studios Florida, with 10 haunted houses, scare zones and live shows.
The houses include Stranger Things, Sinners, H.R. Bloodengutz, Invasion: Alien Abduction and Madlands: Caged Cannibals, and Jack the Clown and Dr. Oddfellow lead this year’s Infernal Carnival of Nightmares theme.
Single-night tickets went on sale from $87.99 plus tax, with October nights running $91 to $130, and the Express Pass add-on ranged from $170 to $280 at launch. A Scream Early add-on opens the park and select houses from 2 p.m., which is the simplest way to shorten waits.
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom ( Photo Credit: wdwnt )
This is the best Halloween event in Florida for families with younger children. The party runs on 38 select nights from August 7 through October 31, from 7 p.m. to midnight, and ticket holders can enter Magic Kingdom from 4 p.m. October dates include every Thursday, most Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and Saturday, October 31. Tickets cost $119 to $229 depending on the date.
The evening includes trick-or-treating at more than a dozen stops, the Boo-to-You parade at about 8:15 p.m., a party-only fireworks show and a new Tomorrowland experience called A Masquerade with Stitch. Halloween night was reported as the first date to sell out, so confirm availability before building a trip around it. Once inside, Walt Disney World planning habits help cut time in line.
Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld Orlando
Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld Orlando ( Photo Credit: orlandosentinel )
SeaWorld Orlando runs Howl-O-Scream on select nights from September 11 through October 31, with gates opening at 6:30 p.m. and the event starting at 7 p.m.
This year brings five haunted houses with four new storylines, including the park’s first movie-licensed house, I Know What You Did Last Summer: The Final Catch, plus six scare zones and five themed bars. Four rides stay open after dark, including Mako and Expedition Odyssey Fire and Ice.
Costumes are not allowed, and the event carries intense adult content, so under-18 guests are admitted but it is not designed for them. Advance single-night tickets start at $47.99 against a regular price of $125.99.
Halloween Events in Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay offers a family event and an adult event within a short drive of each other, and the rest of the area is covered in things to do in Tampa.
Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay ( Photo Credit: visittampabay )
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay runs Howl-O-Scream on select nights from September 11 through October 31. The event starts at 7 p.m., and ticket holders can enter the park from 5 p.m.
It has six haunted houses, led by the new Anaconda: Fear Has No Escape, six scare zones, and two shows, Fiends and Cirque X-Scream. Madame Mary’s Red Rum Social, a Roaring Twenties speakeasy bar, is one of four new themed bars.
Costumes are not allowed. Advance tickets start at $48.99 against a regular price of $125.99. The park also lists a daytime Halloween Spooktacular on Saturdays and Sundays from September 12 through November 1.
Creatures of the Night at ZooTampa
Creatures of the Night at ZooTampa ( Photo Credit: zootampa )
Creatures of the Night, which some visitors still call ZooBoo, is the gentlest Halloween night out in Tampa Bay. ZooTampa runs it from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on select Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights in October, ending on Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31.
This season adds an all-new Halloween realm and a family-friendly haunted neighborhood. After-4 p.m. admission is priced at $34.95 on Fridays and Sundays and $39.95 on Saturdays, and Members and Zoo Fun ticket holders enter free except on October 10, 17 and 24. Children 12 and under may wear costumes, while adults 13 and up may not wear masks, wigs, face paint or costumes.
Ybor City and Guavaween
Halloween events in Ybor City and Guavaween ( Photo Credit: tampabay )
Tampa’s Guavaween street party in Ybor City ended in 2018, so older articles that still promote it are out of date. Ybor City remains Tampa’s main nightlife district, which makes it the closest option for a costume night out without a theme park ticket.
Halloween Events in Florida for Adults
Adults have more choices than families do. Halloween Horror Nights, both Howl-O-Scream events and Fantasy Fest, are built for grown-ups, and the theme park events add Halloween-themed bars alongside the haunted houses.
Fantasy Fest in Key West
Fantasy Fest in Key West ( Photo Credit: oceankey )
Fantasy Fest is a ten-day costume festival that runs October 16 to 25 in Old Town Key West, and its 2026 theme is Musical Icons and Iconic Musicals. The Fantasy Fest Parade rolls down Duval Street on Saturday, October 24 at 7 p.m. Street events are free, balls and parties are ticketed, and the festival is adults-first after dark.
Daytime events such as the Goombay Festival and the Pet Masquerade work for children. Lodging on the island is limited, and Stock Island and the Lower Keys sit within easy reach if Key West is full. The Florida Keys tourism board lists dates and event details. Visitors can add a day at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park or plan a longer trip around the Florida Keys.
Spooky Things to Do in Florida Without a Theme Park Ticket
Spooky things to do in Florida are not limited to theme park events. St. Augustine ghost tours and pumpkin patches work as standalone outings in October, and Ybor City adds a nightlife option in Tampa.
Ghost Tours in St. Augustine
Ghost Tours in St. Augustine ( Photo Credit: floridashistoriccoast )
St. Augustine, founded in 1565, is the strongest Halloween choice outside the theme parks. Evening ghost tours in St. Augustine typically pass cemeteries, old inns and the area around Castillo de San Marcos inside the Historic District.
Most tours last one to two hours, and start points vary by company, so booking ahead is sensible on weekends. Daytime can go to the beaches near St. Augustine, which suits families who want sand and a spooky evening on the same trip.
Pumpkin Patches and Fall Farms
Halloween Pumpkin Patches and Fall Farms ( Photo Credit: hellowestcoast )
Pumpkin patches are among the lowest-cost Halloween outings in Florida and the easiest with young children. Many patches around Tampa Bay and Central Florida run daily or on weekends through October 31, and some add hayrides and corn mazes.
The Florida Railroad Museum’s Pumpkin Patch Express runs October 17 to 18 and 24 to 25 this year. Confirm dates and hours with each farm before driving, since small patches change schedules. More budget ideas are in cheap things to do in Florida.
Where to Go on Halloween Night
Halloween is Saturday, October 31, and multiple events run that night. Halloween Horror Nights continues through Sunday, November 1, Howl-O-Scream ends its season at SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Magic Kingdom holds its final Mickey’s party, and ZooTampa closes Creatures of the Night.
Fantasy Fest ends a week earlier, on October 25. Tickets for Halloween night sell fastest, so book now. Without tickets, a pumpkin patch, a St. Augustine ghost tour or an evening in Ybor City still gives you a Halloween plan.
Florida’s Top Stay for Halloween
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St. Petersburg
Red Roof Inn Tampa Bay - St Petersburg View Property -
Orlando
Floridays Resort Orlando View Property -
Orlando
Castle Hotel, Autograph Collection View Property -
Orlando
Rosen Plaza on International Drive View Property -
Orlando
Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Resort View Property -
Orlando
Renaissance Orlando Resort Disney Springs Area View Property -
Orlando
Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa View Property -
Orlando
Waldorf Astoria Orlando, an Official Walt Disney World Hotel View Property -
St. Petersburg
Mint House St. Petersburg Downtown View Property -
Tampa
Residence Inn by Marriott Tampa Downtown View Property -
Tampa
Comfort Suites Tampa Airport North View Property
Planning Tips for Halloween in Florida
Atlantic hurricane season officially runs through November 30, so check forecasts before booking nonrefundable travel. SeaWorld and ZooTampa events run rain or shine, and ZooTampa allows no ticket changes within 72 hours of the event. Keep backup plans for things to do in Florida when it rains handy, and the best time to vacation in Florida shows how October compares with other months.
Costume rules differ by event. Howl-O-Scream bans costumes, ZooTampa bars them for adults, and Fantasy Fest rewards them. Orlando’s Universal, Disney, and SeaWorld events can share one hotel stay, while Busch Gardens and ZooTampa pair with a Tampa stay. Busch Gardens lists a shuttle from Orlando on its site, so check whether it runs on event nights. Families with small children can find daytime ideas in things to do in Florida with kids.
Explore Famous Places Near Your Florida Stay
FAQs
Yes. Florida has Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando, Howl-O-Scream at two parks, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Fantasy Fest in Key West, all running in October.
Haunted houses at Halloween Horror Nights, SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay are the most intense options. Evening ghost tours in St. Augustine are the best choice without a theme park ticket, and Creatures of the Night at ZooTampa is the lighter version for families.
Orlando offers the most variety in one area, with Halloween Horror Nights, Mickey’s party and Howl-O-Scream within reach of each other. Key West suits adults who want Fantasy Fest, and St. Augustine suits travelers who want ghost tours.
Yes. Fantasy Fest runs October 16 to 25 in Key West, with free street events, ticketed balls and parties, and a parade on Duval Street on Saturday, October 24. It is adults-first after dark.
Yes. Halloween Horror Nights has 10 haunted houses, Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens has six, and Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld Orlando has five. All three carry mature content.
Halloween Horror Nights runs on select nights from August 28 through November 1 at Universal Studios Florida. It does not run every night, so check the calendar before choosing a date.
Families can choose Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Creatures of the Night or a pumpkin patch. Adults can choose Halloween Horror Nights, Howl-O-Scream or a St. Augustine ghost tour. Halloween is Saturday, October 31, and several of these events run that night.
Halloween Horror Nights, Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens, and Fantasy Fest in Key West are the main adult choices. Ybor City nightlife is a lower-cost alternative.
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