While it may seem a little early for this post, the theme parks are beginning to celebrate the autumn season later this week! So, I thought I would do a fall in Orlando theme parks post to kick-off the fall season. If you are wondering about summer in the theme parks, here is my post on it from two months ago.
Fall in Orlando
Personally, fall is one of my favorite times to visit the theme parks! You can typically expect a bit cooler temperatures, which I consider a huge win. However, I would encourage you to keep an eye on the extended weather forecast if you plan a fall trip as it’s prime hurricane season. I’ve been lucky in that only one trip has been impacted by a hurricane. It is something to keep in mind though. On another note, I love fall and all of the theme parks have some fun/Halloween events to look forward to! So, I think it’s worth planning a trip during the fall months as long as you pay attention to the weather.
Epcot Food and Wine Festival
If you are visiting Walt Disney World in the fall, you can expect to experience the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival! Taking place from July 27th to November 18th in 2023, it’s a fabulous festival with lots to enjoy for fellow foodies! I don’t drink much, but I love eating! I enjoy walking around this festival and trying different dishes. They also have some cool concerts planned as part of their Eat to the Beat series. If you are visiting during these months, I highly recommend a visit.
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
If you are visiting Walt Disney World from August 11th to November 1, 2023, then on select nights you can attend the separately ticketed event Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom. I was supposed to attend last year, but the hurricane cut-off my WDW portion of the trip. Unfortunately, I haven’t attended this party since 2019. However, prior to that I attended it several times. It’s one of my favorite things to do at Walt Disney World! I love the special parade as well as fireworks! I’m hoping to attend this year’s bash. FYI: it’s not a scary event. It’s a family-friendly event including trick-or-treating for kids of all ages!
SeaWorld Orlando Halloween Spooktacular
Last year, I was lucky enough to visit SeaWorld Orlando and enjoy their Halloween Spooktacular event. In fact, you can read my SeaWorld Orlando Spooktacular Halloween post from last year to get a better idea of what to expect at this event, including my review of the Count von Count Spooktacular Breakfast. This seasonal event takes place on weekends from September 16th to October 29th. This is one of the few Halloween events included with regular park admission. It also takes place during the day, which has its pros and cons. It’s a family friendly event with mermaids and dancing scarecrows. You can also trick-or-treat around the park for an additional cost.
SeaWorld Orlando Howl-O-Scream
Now, we are moving on to the scarier, more adult Halloween events in Orlando. While SeaWorld is child friendly during the day, it takes a turn for the scary on select nights from September 8th to October 31st with their Howl-O-Scream event. A separately ticketed event meant for adults, it features several haunted houses, scare zones, shows, roaming haunts, and themed bars. It is cheaper than the OG scary event at Universal, but seems to be in the same vain. I haven’t ever attended this one, but I’ve heard good things about it.
Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights
Lastly, we have the premiere Halloween theme park event, Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando. This is the top tier scare event. It features 10 highly themed haunted houses, including popular IPs. For 2023, it was announced that there will be a “Stranger Things” house based on season four of this very popular Netflix series! There are also five scare zones along with a live show. They also feature themed food throughout the event. I went last year for the first time and enjoyed myself. If you are on the fence, I recommend reading my Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando: Tips for Anxious Folks post. I am currently planning a solo trip this year to at least experience the “Stranger Things” house on a tour. I plan to do a separate post detailing that experience in October.
Orlando Theme Parks in Fall
As you can see, there are several fun events taking place in fall in Orlando theme parks. From the haunts to the scary good food, there’s something for everyone! So, which of these events are you planning on visiting this year? Or, which of these is your favorite to visit each year?
You can view my other seasonal theme park guides here:
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