Here’s what’s happening this fall at our local theme parks:
Disneyland Resort Welcomes Fall 2026 with Halloween Time, Plaza de la Familia and Oogie Boogie Bash
Halloween Time runs through Oct. 31; Plaza de la Familia continues through Nov. 2; Oogie Boogie Bash takes over Disney California Adventure on select nights through Oct. 31
Fall arrived early at the Disneyland Resort this year, with Halloween Time returning to both theme parks on August 21 and continuing through Halloween night. The resort-wide celebration mixes familiar seasonal transformations with several additions for 2026, while Disney California Adventure again becomes the home of the separately ticketed Oogie Boogie Bash.
Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort
Disneyland Park once again puts pumpkins front and center, led by the giant Mickey Mouse pumpkin on Main Street, U.S.A. and the Main Street Pumpkin Festival. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and their friends debut new seasonal outfits featuring harlequin patterns, frilled collars and cuffs, and a palette of orange, yellow and black.
Haunted Mansion Holiday also returns as Jack Skellington and the residents of Halloween Town take over the classic attraction. The ballroom gingerbread house receives an all-new design for 2026, while Sally, Zero and Oogie Boogie are among the familiar characters woven into the transformation.
After dark, “Halloween Screams” fills Disneyland with projections, music and Disney villains, with fireworks added on select nights. In Disney California Adventure, Cars Land becomes Radiator Screams with Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree and Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween, while Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark takes over the Collector’s Fortress beginning in the late afternoon. Younger visitors can join Mickey Mouse and friends for “Mickey’s Trick and Treat” at the Disney Theater in Hollywood Land.
Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party
Oogie Boogie Bash returns to Disney California Adventure on 33 select nights from August 18 through October 31. The after-hours party runs from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., and event admission includes entry to Disney California Adventure beginning at 3 p.m. as well as unlimited Disney PhotoPass digital downloads from the party.
New for 2026, “Madame Leota’s Swinging Wake – A Haunted Mansion Street Party” brings a spirited séance, ghostly dancing and Haunted Mansion-inspired show moments into the streets of the park. The party also features immersive treat trails, uncommon Disney villains and characters, the atmospheric Villains Grove transformation of Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, and appearances by the Headless Horseman.
Plaza de la Familia Honors Día de los Muertos
Now through November 2, Plaza de la Familia returns to Paradise Gardens Park in Disney California Adventure with music, food, art and storytelling inspired by Pixar’s “Coco.” “The Storytellers of Plaza de la Familia Celebrate the Musical World of Coco!” brings songs from the film to life, while live mariachi music, a marigold arch, calaca figures and a memory wall create a colorful tribute to family and remembrance. Día de los Muertos-inspired décor also returns near Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante in Disneyland Park.
Downtown Disney joins the season with fall décor, themed food, shopping and select movie nights, and Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit once again sends guests searching for uniquely decorated Disney pumpkins throughout the resort.
Located in Anaheim, Calif., the Disneyland Resort features two spectacular theme parks – Disneyland Park (the original Disney theme park) and Disney California Adventure Park – plus three hotels and the Downtown Disney District dining, entertainment and shopping complex. The Hotels of the Disneyland Resort are Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, the Disneyland Hotel – both AAA Four Diamond properties – and Pixar Place Hotel. When it opened on July 17, 1955, Disneyland introduced the world to a new concept in family entertainment and continues to use creativity, technology and innovation to bring storytelling to new heights. Open daily, year-round. For more information, guests can visit Disneyland.com.
To enter a park, both a theme park reservation and a valid ticket for the same park on the same date is required. Park reservations are limited, subject to availability, and not guaranteed. Parks, attractions, entertainment, experiences, services, and offerings may be modified, limited in availability or unavailable, and are subject to restrictions, and change or cancellation without notice. Park admission and offerings are not guaranteed. Visit Disneyland.com/updates for more information about visiting the Disneyland® Resort.
Knott’s Scary Farm Returns with Two New Mazes — Inked and Unearthed — While Spooky Farm Brings Daytime Halloween Fun for Families
Knott’s Scary Farm runs select nights Sep. 17–Oct. 31;
Knott’s Spooky Farm takes place select days Sep. 24–Oct. 31
More than half a century after it first began frightening Southern California, Knott’s Scary Farm is back with a full-park transformation, more than 1,000 monsters, 10 haunted mazes, scare zones and live entertainment. The nighttime event is not recommended for children under 13 and requires separate event admission.
Two All-New Mazes Lead the 2026 Lineup
- Inked – Mortimer Morbid, a washed-up 1930s cartoonist, discovers that blood can become ink and imagination can become reality. His attempt at one final Halloween special unleashes murderous cartoon creations that want to pull their audience into the picture.
- Unearthed – A search-and-rescue team enters a ravaged excavation site after a distress call, only to discover that ancient tablets have awakened a malevolent force from a forgotten age.
Eight returning mazes complete the lineup: Widows; Eight Fingers Nine: The Boogeyman; Chilling Chambers; Room 13; Cinema Slasher; Mary – The Haunting of Worth Home; The Zoo; and Origins: The Curse of Calico.
Scare Zones and Live Entertainment
The terror spills into the midways with themed scare zones including CarnEVIL, Ghost Town Streets, Forsaken Lake, The Gauntlet and The Gore-ing ’20s. Each area has its own cast and atmosphere, from the legendary sliders in Ghost Town Streets to sinister circus characters in CarnEVIL.
New for 2026, “Occultum,” curated by The Magic Castle, comes to Calico with dark magic, mind-bending illusions and sleight-of-hand. Additional shows and specialty food and drinks give visitors places to regroup before heading back into the fog.
Knott’s Spooky Farm – All Fun, No Fear
Families looking for Halloween without the hard scares can visit Knott’s Spooky Farm on select daytime dates from September 24 through October 31. Children can trick-or-treat through the shops and buildings of Calico while the park adds seasonal décor, characters and kid-friendly Halloween activities.
Visitors coming this fall can also check out MonteZOOMa: The Forbidden Fortress, the extensively reimagined coaster that reopened in 2026.
Knott’s Berry Farm and Knott’s Hotel are located in Buena Park, Calif. Knott’s Berry Farm is open year-round on select days.For event dates, tickets and operating hours, visit www.knotts.com.
LEGOLAND California’s Brick-or-Treat Monster Party Returns with an All-New Brick or Treat Street and Halloween Surprises in LEGO Galaxy
Brick-or-Treat takes place Sep. 19 and 26;
Oct. 3–4, 10–11, 17–18, 24–25 and 31; and Nov. 1
LEGOLAND California Resort keeps Halloween deliberately playful with the return of Brick-or-Treat Monster Party, a not-too-scary celebration built for families. The event is included with dated park tickets on Brick-or-Treat days and features candy stations, LEGO Monster characters, shows, costumes and special seasonal attractions.
ALL-NEW: Brick or Treat Street
The biggest addition for 2026 is Brick or Treat Street, an interactive trick-or-treat experience made up of six life-sized LEGO Monster homes inspired by favorite LEGO Minifigures. Guests can discover who lives behind each door while collecting tricks, bricks and treats. The new area also incorporates an interactive Halloween light trail designed to add visual surprises along the way.
Behind every door is a playful Halloween surprise waiting! Guests can discover:
- Wacky Witch’s Cottage: The Wacky Witch’s magical spells have gone delightfully wrong! Ring the doorbell, hunt for runaway frogs and discover colorful potion mishaps in this sweetly chaotic Halloween adventure.
- Wolf Guy’s Cabin: Something strange is happening inside Wolf Guy’s cabin! Knock on the door, witness his hilarious full-moon transformation, and let out your biggest howl before heading to the next house.
- Spider Lady’s Castle: Spider Lady may be away, but her creepy-crawly companions are still home. Reach through mysterious doors, discover surprising textures, and see if you’re brave enough to meet her furry friends.
- Mummy’s Throne Room: Wake the mighty Mummy… if you dare! Knock on the ancient throne room door and awaken a dramatic curse with an unexpected twist that will leave the whole family laughing.
- Plant Monster’s Greenhouse: Step up to the Plant Monster’s overgrown greenhouse, where giant vines stir, spores fill the air and hungry plants react as curious explorers wander a little too close.
- Scarecrow’s Barn: Help the friendly Scarecrow prove he can scare away his cheeky feathered friend. Strike your funniest pose, shout your loudest scare, then collect a LEGO brick for the next adventure.
Adding to the Halloween excitement, two NEW LEGO® Costume Characters, LEGO® Skeleton Guy and LEGO® Wacky Witch, will make appearances throughout Brick or Treat for meet and greet opportunities with guests. Plus, Brick or Treat Street will debut an all-NEW interactive Halloween light trail, featuring playful tricks and dazzling visual treats around every corner to create the ultimate Halloween atmosphere.
Brick or Treat Street is just the beginning. At Brick or Treat, families can also enjoy:
- Live entertainment and thereturn of fan-favorite shows, including Zombie Cheer Crew, Once Upon a Brick – The Tale of the Wolf Guy, and The Monster Rock Off
- Prehistoric Pumpkin Patch: LEGO® T-Rex Guy turns Dino Valley into his very own fall festival! Families can snag sweet treats from T-Rex Guy and his pal Scarecrow, building their very own LEGO pumpkin.
- Themed Rides: More action-packed fun awaits, as the Dragon Coaster gets a Halloween remix with festive decorations and a BOO-gie worthy party atmosphere.Guests can also hit the road at the Department of Monstrous Vehicles where young drivers can enjoy a frightfully fun Halloween twist to the Park’s Driving Schools.
- Monster Meet & Greets: Meet LEGO Monsters including Monster Rocker, Tiger Woman and Mummy!
- The Great Monster Chase 4D Movie: Join an action-packed Halloween adventure as LEGO® Monsters race through an exciting 4D experience complete with surprising special effects.
- The Resort’s first-ever LEGO® Halloween TreeReturns! Made from over 680,963 LEGO® bricks, this 17-foot-tall LEGO® creation features twinkling lights, cobwebs, ghosts, and playful pumpkins, making it a festive highlight of Brick or Treat.
- Plenty of hands-on brick build activities, costume contests and Halloween-themed tasty treats!
Keep the Halloween excitement going with the Ultimate Halloween Sleepover at LEGOLAND® Hotel or LEGOLAND® Castle Hotel. Staying overnight during Brick or Treat allows families to enjoy easy access to the Park all day long, with plenty of time for costume changes, nightly Brick Boo-gie dance parties and exclusive entertainment!
New Characters and Returning Monster Favorites
Two new costumed characters — LEGO Skeleton Guy and LEGO Wacky Witch — join the monster meet-and-greet lineup. Returning entertainment includes Zombie Cheer Crew, The Monster Rock Off, Once Upon a Brick – The Tale of the Wolf Guy, the Skeleton Brass Band and other monster encounters around the park. Costume contests for kids and groups, Halloween LEGO décor and photo opportunities add to the all-day celebration.
Seasonal Ride Transformations and LEGO Galaxy Fun
Brick-or-Treat also gives several attractions a Halloween twist. Guests can look for limited-time experiences such as Disco Dragon Coaster and Ghost Cruise, while the new LEGO Galaxy land gets into the act with Halloween-themed spaceship elements for Galacticoaster. The combination makes the 2026 edition the first Brick-or-Treat season to take place with the new space-themed land fully open.
Families staying overnight can extend the celebration at LEGOLAND Hotel or LEGOLAND Castle Hotel with Brick BOOOOO-gie, a kid-friendly costume dance party, plus seasonal character encounters and hotel entertainment.
LEGOLAND California Resort and Sea Life Aquarium are located in Carlsbad, Calif. LEGOLAND California’s 2026 operating calendar can be found here; the LEGOLAND Hotel and LEGOLAND Castle Hotel are open year-round. For more information, call 760-444-5600 or visit www.legoland.com/california.
SeaWorld San Diego Goes from Sweet to Screams with Spooktacular by Day and Howl-O-Scream by Night
Halloween Spooktacular runs Fridays–Sundays Sep. 11–Nov. 1;
Howl-O-Scream returns on select nights Sep. 11–Oct. 31
SeaWorld San Diego offers two very different ways to celebrate Halloween this fall: the family-oriented Halloween Spooktacular during the day and the separately ticketed Howl-O-Scream after dark. Together they give the park one of the widest Halloween ranges in Southern California, from Baby Shark and trick-or-treating to six full haunted houses.
Halloween Spooktacular Adds an Exclusive Baby Shark Show
Spooktacular returns every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from September 11 through November 1 and is included with regular park admission. New for 2026 is “Trick-or-Treat with Baby Shark,” an all-new live show at Mission Bay Theater billed as a California-exclusive performance, along with new meet-and-greets with Baby Shark and Pinkfong. Also new is Coral Candy Club at SkyTower Lawn, a family dance party featuring DJ Cotton Candy and Tabitha Taffy. Returning favorites include Spookley the Square Pumpkin and Jack Scarecrow, the Waterfront Pumpkin Patch, mermaid encounters and Captain Sweet Tooth’s Candy Trail. The park also observes Día de los Muertos October 31–November 1 with Catrina figures and colorful ofrendas.
Howl-O-Scream Returns with Six Haunted Houses
When night falls, the tone changes dramatically. Howl-O-Scream runs on select nights September 11 through October 31 and is intended for a mature audience. The separately ticketed event features six haunted houses, multiple scare zones, live entertainment, themed bars, hidden speakeasies and rides in the dark.
- ALL-NEW: I Know What You Did Last Summer: The Final Catch – a haunted-house retelling of the seaside slasher story, beginning with the fateful July 4 accident and the killer’s return one year later.
- ALL-NEW: Area 64: MOTHERSHIP – a prequel set 30 years before Area 64: Alien Outbreak, featuring an 80-foot alien mothership façade and the largest haunted-house show scene SeaWorld San Diego has created for Howl-O-Scream.
- Nightmare Experiment Sweet DreamzZz – a former wellness center becomes the test site for a sleep aid with terrifying side effects.
- Death Water Bayou Awakening – bayou witches, dark rituals and a ravenous demon turn Mardi Gras into a nightmare.
- Simon’s Slaughterhouse – the deranged meat-factory maze returns with intensified sensory scares.
- 3D MAZE: Circus of the Damned – a disorienting neon clown nightmare in three dimensions.
The fear continues outside the houses with scare zones including Overgrowth, Ripper Row, Terrors of the Deep, Red Moon Revelry, All Hallow’s Harvest, Carnival of Chaos, Deadly Toys and Graveyard. “Monster Stomp” returns with its gothic-rock take on Victorian London, while Vile Vignettes and the event’s bars and speakeasies fill out the evening.
For runners who prefer their scares in daylight, SeaWorld also hosts the Howl-O-Sprint 5K on October 18.
Follow SeaWorld on Facebook and Instagram for the latest Summer Spectacular details and information. SeaWorld San Diego is located in San Diego’s Mission Bay. For park hours, event information and tickets, visit seaworldsandiego.com.
Six Flags Magic Mountain Unleashes Fright Fest with New Final Destination and Wolves’ Blood Mazes
Fright Fest runs on select nights Sep. 18–Nov. 1;
family-friendly Tricks and Treats takes place
Fridays–Sundays Sep. 25–Nov. 1
Fright Fest returns to Six Flags Magic Mountain with seven haunted mazes, seven scare zones, live shows and nighttime coaster rides. The event runs on select nights September 18 through November 1 and is not recommended for children under 13. Regular park admission or a valid pass is required, and entry to the haunted mazes requires a separate Haunted Attractions Pass or an admission bundle that includes maze access.
Seven Haunted Mazes — Including Two New for 2026
- NEW! Final Destination: Death’s Playground – guests enter a maze where Death itself is the antagonist and a premonition reveals a chain of catastrophic events already set in motion.
- NEW! Wolves’ Blood – a remote town has been overrun by werewolves as concertgoers make their way through ransacked stores and bars toward an underground rock show.
- The Conjuring Universe – cursed artifacts and malevolent forces await inside the Warrens’ occult museum.
- Trick ’r Treat – a twisted candy-trail nightmare based on the cult Halloween film.
- Carnage presented by M&M’S – Fright Fest’s original villain draws guests deeper into his dark world.
- Vault: 666 Unlocked – demonic relics and obsolete oddities fill an abandoned antique-shop vault.
- Willoughby’s: Resurrected – evil spirits still occupy the once-opulent Willoughby mansion.
Seven Scare Zones and Undead Entertainment
The park’s scare zones are City Under Siege, Devil’s Triangle, Exile Hill, Nightmares: Reign of Blood, Plaza de la Muerte, Thunderbolt Alley and Underworlds of Oz. The lineup ranges from demonic clowns and cursed spirits to a sinister Queen of Hearts and a dark interpretation of the Emerald City.
Live entertainment includes the opening “Unleashed” scaremony, the new “Nytewalkerz” extreme-sports show with undead dancers, skaters and trampoline artists, “Sliders of the Night: Streets of Mayhem,” and “Margo Rita’s Monster Ball.” Seasonal food and drinks are available throughout the event.
Tricks and Treats for Families
During the day, Magic Mountain offers a gentler Halloween option with Tricks and Treats on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from September 25 through November 1. The daytime event is designed for families and younger guests before Fright Fest takes over after dark.
Six Flags Magic Mountain is located in Valencia, Calif. The park is open year-round on select days. For more information and event schedules, visit sixflags.com/magicmountain.
Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights Brings Eight Haunted Houses, Art the Clown’s Terror Tram and More
Halloween Horror Nights runs on select nights
Sep. 3–Nov. 1, 2026
Halloween Horror Nights returns to Universal Studios Hollywood with one of the season’s most franchise-heavy lineups: eight haunted houses, an all-new Terror Tram starring Art the Clown, four scare zones, street experiences and the return of “The Purge: Dangerous Waters.” The separately ticketed event begins September 3 and runs on select nights through November 1.
Eight Haunted Houses
- Sinners – the juke joint from Ryan Coogler’s supernatural horror film becomes a vampire-infested nightmare set in 1930s Mississippi.
- Stranger Things 5 – the final season of the Netflix series sends guests back into Hawkins for one last confrontation with Demogorgons, the Mind Flayer and Vecna.
- Hellraiser – the original film trilogy inspires a trip into a realm of pain ruled by Pinhead and the Cenobites.
- Evil Dead Burn – based on the newest film in the Evil Dead franchise, with a family home consumed by Deadites after the Book of the Dead is opened again.
- Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness – an original house where the late heavy-metal icon’s music and imagery become a decaying world of madness and mayhem.
- Killer Klowns from Outer Space – the cult favorite returns with murderous alien clowns, cotton-candy cocoons and a distinctly 1980s invasion.
- KILLceañera: Music by SLASH – a Hollywood-exclusive original maze built around a blood-soaked quinceañera, with an original score and the song “15 Candles” by SLASH.
- Dead, Deader, Deadest – an experimental drug meant to restore the appearance of corpses instead raises a century’s worth of the dead.
Terror Tram starring Art the Clown
The backlot’s Terror Tram gets a new host in 2026 as Art the Clown arrives with a bag of blood-soaked presents, decides it is too early for Christmas and hijacks the tram for a twisted holiday celebration. Ice Nine Kills contributes new music that turns familiar Christmas sounds into something considerably less cheerful.
Scare Zones, Shows and a New Daytime Tour
Four scare zones fill the park: Hackerz, Fortnitemares, El Circo de la Muerte and Blood Bog. Additional street encounters include Murder of Crowz and Shriek of the Banshee, while “The Purge: Dangerous Waters” returns with its fiery stunt-show action.
For the first time, Universal is also selling an “Unmasking the Horror Tour Add-On,” a daytime, lights-on behind-the-scenes look at select haunted houses before the nightly event begins. It offers horror fans a rare chance to study scenic details that can be difficult to see while being chased through the dark.
Halloween Horror Nights begins at 7 p.m. on event nights, with separate ticket options available for early access, express entry and the R.I.P. Tour. Regular daytime park admission does not include the Halloween Horror Nights event.
For more information about Universal Studios Hollywood, visit www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com; follow @UniStudios on Instagram and X and like Universal Studios Hollywood on Facebook.
Universal Studios Hollywood is located in Universal City, and is open daily. For Halloween Horror Nights dates, tickets, policies and operating information, visit www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com.
Wishing everyone a memorable visit to our theme parks!
