Haunts, Hunts & Hocus Pocus: Your 2025 Guide to Halloween and Fall in Central Florida
Get ready to uncover all the spookiest, sweetest, and most thrilling ways to celebrate Fall in Central Florida! Tiptoe into this blog for a fang-tastic guide to theme park attractions, haunted houses, pumpkin patches, and magical autumn events you won’t want to miss.
Ready to trade palm trees for pumpkins and sunshine for a dash of spooky delight? When fall rolls into Central Florida, the region transforms into a festive wonderland brimming with jack-o’-lanterns, haunted thrills, and all the cozy (or creepy!) vibes you could want. From world-famous theme parks that go all-out with ghoulish parades and haunted houses to local gardens, escape rooms, and charming farms bursting with autumn magic, Orlando and its surrounding towns are the ultimate playground for Halloween lovers.
Whether you’re hunting for family-friendly fun or heart-racing scares, grab your costume—and maybe someone’s hand—and get ready to learn about the best Halloween events and fall festivals Central Florida has to offer in 2025!
Halloween events at Orlando theme parks
Orlando theme parks pull out all the stops for Halloween. Nowhere else can you bounce from haunted houses to glowing pumpkin parades to chilling roller coasters all in the same weekend—making Central Florida the ultimate haunt for fall fun.
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World® Resort
Step into the spookiest yet sweetest celebration of the year— Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, running select nights until October 31, 2025, at Magic Kingdom® Park. This separately ticketed event is packed with frightfully fun entertainment, trick-or-treating throughout the park, Disney characters in costume, and eerie-sistible seasonal delights for the whole family. By day’s end, the park transforms into a festive Halloween wonderland where the air buzzes with excitement as the park lights up with whimsical decorations, lively music, and a sprinkle of eerie charm—perfect for families and Disney fans of all ages.
Top 3 must-experience highlights for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2025:
- Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular – The Sanderson sisters return in a spellbinding stage show filled with dance, projections, and special effects. You'll be able to catch multiple performances each night—don’t miss it!
- Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular – A magical fireworks and projection show hosted by Jack Skellington, with lasers, music, and fireworks lighting up Cinderella Castle at 10 pm.
- Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade – Watch for rare character appearances (like Pain & Panic and Vanellope!) and enjoy the Headless Horseman’s grand pre-parade entrance.
Fall highlights across Walt Disney World® Resort
- EPCOT® International Food & Wine Festival – Savor global flavors, sip on seasonal sips, and enjoy live "Eat to the Beat" concerts all autumn long.
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios® – The park has special spooky attractions, such as Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After, a new stage show featuring infamous characters, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™, and seasonal treats and festive fall characters at Hollywood & Vine, an iconic restaurant for lunch and dinner.
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park – The park glimmers with fall foliage, seasonal décor, and themed treats around Discovery Island and Pandora.
- Disney Springs® - Stroll through festive autumn décor and enjoy seasonal treats, Halloween-themed entertainment, and seasonal shopping events, all in the charming, free-to-enter, waterside district at Walt Disney World® Resort.
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort®
Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) at Universal Orlando Resort® is an adrenaline-fueled, spine-chilling experience that draws fans from around the globe. As one of the largest and most immersive Halloween events in the U.S., it transforms Universal Studios® into a nightmare playground with elaborately themed haunted houses, fear-filled scare zones, and high-energy live entertainment Running on select nights through November 2, 2025, this separately ticketed event is beloved for its cinematic-quality sets, unforgettable scares, and the rare opportunity to wander through the terror long after dusk.
What to see and do at HHN 2025:
- Jason Universe – Step into the infamous Friday the 13th summer camp, complete with creaky cabins and ominous woods, immersing you in the chilling legacy of Jason Voorhees.
- Gálkn: Monsters of the North – Encounter a mythic new original haunted house featuring horned, winged, and wolfish fiends in a frozen fjord village that eventually reveals a monstrous hybrid overlord.
- Ten Haunted Houses & Five Scare Zones – Explore a variety of terrifying mazes and scare zones throughout the park, blending both beloved franchises and inventive original concepts.
Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld Orlando®
Another special ticketed event is Howl-O-Scream, a pulse-racing, after-dark event that takes the thrill rides and attractions of SeaWorld Orlando® and amps them up with intense scares and eerie entertainment. Tailored for an adult audience, guests can wander through haunted houses, creep through fog-laden scare zones, rock out to live shows, and even take nighttime coaster rides—plus enjoy themed bars and unique cocktails all under the moonlight.
Top attractions for 2025:
- Five Haunted Houses and Six Scare zones – Step into standalone mazes packed with detailed storytelling, heart-stopping jump scares, and spine-chilling décor. No matter where you go in the park, twisted characters and roaming creatures lurk just around the corner.
- Monster Stomp Live Show – A rock and rhythm spectacular where Jack the Ripper and club-like beats electrify the night.
- Night-time Coaster Rides – Brave Mako®, Ice Breaker, Infinity Falls, and more in the dark for an extra adrenaline jolt.
Beyond the Parks: Halloween attractions in Central Florida
Central Florida offers an array of top-notch Halloween attractions beyond the theme parks, featuring haunted experiences, spooky tours, and festive fall events that bring the region’s rich seasonal spirit to life.
Haunted House Escape Room at Escapology
Challenge your courage and wits in this permanent haunted‑house themed escape room that weaves spooky legends and suspense into every twist and turn. Escapology’s Haunted House escape room plunges you into the eerie halls of Mulberry Manor—a cursed estate steeped in tragic history and chilling lore. You and your team (2–8 players) have 60 minutes to piece together clues, solve frightful puzzles, and avoid becoming the next victims of a century-old massacre.
Happy Frights or Haunting Nights at Harry P. Leu Gardens
Halloween in the Garden at Harry P. Leu Gardens transforms Orlando’s lush botanical oasis into a spellbinding autumn adventure. Running in September and October, it features two experiences: Happy Frights, a whimsical, family-friendly trail with trick-or-treating, Día de Muertos art, and playful worlds like a Mad Hatter’s maze; and Haunting Nights, a more intense journey with eerie scare zones, creepy characters like Bigfoot and towering spiders, plus tasty fall food and drinks under the stars. With stunning outdoor settings and creative themes, it’s one of Central Florida’s most unique Halloween events.
Top pumpkin patches and fall festivals in Central Florida
Pumpkin patches and fall festivals across Central Florida bring the season to life with vibrant mazes, harvest-themed activities, and festive outdoor fun, offering the perfect way to celebrate autumn under Florida’s sunny skies.
Southern Hill Farms (Clermont)
Located about 35 minutes outside Orlando, Southern Hill Farms in Clermont is open through mid-November. This family-favorite offers pumpkin picking, sunflower and zinnia fields, apple cider treats, s’mores kits, and festive photo ops. Perfect for a day on the farm with engaging fall experiences.
Great Scott Farms Corn Maze (Mount Dora)
Great Scott Farms Corn Maze in Mount Dora is a must-visit autumn destination located just about 30 miles (roughly a 45-minute drive) from Orlando. Available on weekends and set on a charming Lake County farm, it offers a seven-acre corn maze, vibrant pumpkin patch, sunflower fields, and thrilling family activities like zip lines, a super slide, hayrides, and an expansive wooden play fort.
Amber Brooke Farms Fall Festival (Eustis)
Amber Brooke Farms Fall Festival in Eustis, located about 30–45 minutes north of Orlando, offers a delightful blend of classic autumn fun running through early November. Nestled on an appealing family-owned farm, the festival features pumpkin picking, a vibrant crop maze, scenic sunflower and zinnia fields, and engaging activities such as wagon rides, a cow train, hillside slides, archery ranges, and gel blaster stations.
The Ultimate Fall Retreat: Caribe Royale Orlando
When it comes to celebrating Halloween in Orlando, Caribe Royale Orlando is the ultimate location, offering a fantastic blend of comfort, convenience, and luxury. Nestled on a sprawling 60-acre tropical oasis, this all-suite resort delivers spacious one- and two-bedroom accommodations—ideal for fall break getaways, couples’ retreats, or even a staycation for Florida locals. With outdoor pools and hot tubs, boutique spa, two-story fitness center, padel and pickleball courts, kids’ area, bike rentals, catch and release fishing, and eight on-site dining options, there’s no shortage of fun when you need a break from the parks.
As a certified Walt Disney Good Neighbor® Hotel, Caribe Royale Orlando sets itself apart by offering scheduled shuttle service to all four Disney Theme Parks and Disney Springs®, plus the convenience of purchasing Disney tickets onsite at the resort.
Book your stay at Caribe Royale Orlando and experience a vacation filled with great food, relaxation, and endless fun. Learn more here.