The Best Amusement Parks For Halloween Gallery

Amusement parks are full of fun games, loveable characters, great food, and thrilling rides. It makes sense, then, that every October many of them take it to the next level for their thrill-seeking guests.

Nearly every major theme park has a special event relating to Halloween, typically throughout the entire month. Some keep it cute with seasonal decorations or characters dressed up in Halloween gear, whereas others go all out, creating haunted houses or rides, spooky shows, and having menacing creatures who are sure to make you scream even when you're not on a roller coaster.

Of course, not all amusement parks do a great job of celebrating Halloween. We've made up a list of the ones who do it best. Many of them succeed in creating an experience that's absolutely terrifying, whereas others are just joining in for some happy Halloween fun. There may be an age limit, however, depending on the level of spookiness, so we suggest you check the suggested or required minimum age when planning your visit to one of the best amusement parks for Halloween.

Carowinds: SCarowinds (Charlotte, N.C.)

The largest Halloween event in the Carolinas is taking place through October 29, with more than 16 haunted attractions and Halloween shows. More than 500 monsters will also be there, waiting to greet you.

Castle Park: Castle Dark (Riverside, Calif.)

At 7 p.m. every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through October 29, Castle Park will become Castle Dark, a terrifying experience for all who dare to stay. Castle Park took it to the next level with Ghost Manor, a new virtual reality attraction, as well as three new mazes filled with all sorts of creatures lurking in the dark.

Cedar Point: Halloweekends (Sandusky, Ohio)

On Saturdays and Sundays throughout October, you can come to Cedar Point for some Halloween fun at their Halloweekends. During the day, they hold The Great Pumpkin Fest, where you can join Snoopy and the PEANUTS gang for The Great Pumpkin Parade, a dance party, and other Halloween-themed shows and attractions. At night, however, horror takes over. Go through six scary mazes, including the new and sinisterly named Deprivation and Fearground Freakshow, and six outdoor scare zones with Screamsters everywhere trying to make you scream.

Disneyland Resort: Halloween Time (Anaheim, Calif.)

At Disneyland, you can find your favorite characters in full Halloween spirit, as well as multiple Halloween attractions such as Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, a Halloween-ified version of the Space Mountain ride. The Main Street Pumpkin Festival should be a lot of fun, too. Unfortunately, Mickey's Halloween Party is all sold out, so adults are going to have to wait until next year to dress up as their favorite characters.

Gilroy Gardens: Halloween@Night (Gilroy, Calif.)

The rides may not be in operation during Gilroy Gardens' Halloween@Night, but there's still plenty of things to enjoy for the whole family! Every weekend through October, the park lights up at 7 p.m. for a festival of not-so-scary fun. Go on nighttime rides and enjoy special Halloween treats, along with games and crafts for everyone. Trick-or-treaters are welcome, and you can also enjoy classic episodes of The Addams Family, Bewitched, and The Munsters at the Lakeside Amphitheater.

Kennywood: Phantom Fright Nights (West Mifflin, Penn.)

Kennywood's Phantom Fright Nights is a fearsome fright fest, indeed. With 11 Halloween attractions, including a 4-D experience based on Friday the 13th and a haunted Noah's ark, you'll have plenty to keep you screaming.

Kings Dominion: Halloween Haunt (Doswell, Va.)

On select nights through October 29, Kings Dominion will become the ultimate scream park with 400 monsters appearing at 7 p.m. Experience the park's eight mazes, five scare zones, as well as the fright zone in their shows, if you dare.

Knott’s Berry Farm: Knott’s Scary Farm (Buena Park, Calif.)

Knott's Berry Farm turns into Knott's Scary Farm on select nights through October 31. The theme park has 13 haunted mazes and attractions, as well as all sorts of scary shows. What's truly terrifying, however, is that more than 1,000 monsters are hiding all over the park, ready to scare the life out of you!

Lagoon: Frightmares (Farmington, Utah)

Frightmares has more than seven haunted attractions for guests to enjoy, including a séance and Pioneer Village Scare Zone. There are also a few attractions for the little ones, such as Halloween-themed walk-throughs with fun and friendly characters.

LEGOLAND: Brick-or-Treat (multiple locations)

Both LEGOLAND California and LEGOLAND Florida have a Halloween-theme experience built just for kids (and other LEGO lovers)! On select dates throughout the month, you can come for trick-or-treating or meet and greets with spooky Halloween LEGO characters. There will also, of course, be plenty of LEGO-building activities.

Nickelodeon Universe: Nickelodeon Boo-niverse (Bloomington, Minn.)

Located within the Mall of America, Nickelodeon Universe is celebrating Halloween with its Nickelodeon Boo-niverse. Come watch the Fright Lights Halloween Spectacular, a nightly and funky light show, or join the Shock + Ride Halloween Dance Party where you can dance to your favorite Halloween songs and meet your favorite Nickelodeon characters. There will also be a pumpkin carving and decorating contest, as well as a costume parade on certain dates.

Scandia: It’s a Scream! (Ontario, Calif.)

There are three Scandia locations, but it seems the Ontario site goes all out for Halloween. It offers three new mazes: The Wuss Maker, Blackout, and New House of Clowns. Those names are spooky enough!

Silverwood Theme Park: Scarywood (Athold, Idaho)

Silverwood becomes Scarywood for Halloween, and you can ride most of its signature rides in the dark. If that's not enough to frighten you, try one of their five haunted attractions or seven scare zones. Don't let your guard down, because there are monsters literally everywhere.

Six Flags Great Adventure: Fright Fest (Jackson, N.J.)

Every Six Flags park has its own version of Fright Fest, but the one in New Jersey is an extra kind of terrifying. Visit one of seven haunted mazes, including The Manor and the Big Top Terror: Forgotten Carnival in 3-D. There are also five scare zones around the park, including CarnEvil, Bone Butcher Terror-tory, or the new Lady of the Lake Cemetery. Halloween-themed live performances will also be scheduled throughout the month.

Universal Studios: Halloween Horror Nights (Orlando, Fla.)

See all your favorite horror movies and TV shows come to life at Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights. There are eight absolutely terrifying mazes, as well as the Titans of Terror Tram, hosted by the notorious bloodthirsty doll Chucky. Three scare zones are present throughout the park, including the horrifying Hell-O-Ween.

Walt Disney World: Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween (Orlando, Fla.)

No one does Halloween better than Disney. Join Mickey and the gang, through November 1, for tons of Halloween entertainment, including the Happy HalloWishes Fireworks Show, the Boo-to-You Halloween Parade, and the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular. Kids can also trick-or-treat through the park!

Wild Adventures: Terror in the Wild (Valdosta, Ga.)

Earlier in the day on Friday and Saturdays through October, Wild Adventures has a wonderful Kid-O-Ween event for everyone to enjoy. Once it gets dark, however, it's no longer child's play as the park becomes Terror in the Wild. There are multiple haunted attractions where horrifying creatures chase you down or scare zones where they wait for you to come to them. If you're still looking for the right place to celebrate Halloween, here are the best towns in America for trick-or-treating.