Daniel Wadi 
Halloween in Orlando 2015
Orlando’s theme parks go all out for Halloween, making the “City Beautiful” one of the country’s top destinations for fright-lovers. But there’s more scary to this city than what’s inside the parks. Whether you’re looking for some serious scares or some more family-friendly frights, let us point you in the right direction so you can experience a little more of what makes Halloween in Orlando so special!
Orlando Halloween Events: For Adults
A Petrified Forest
Located in Altamonte Springs just outside Orlando’s city limits, A Petrified Forest is in its 7th year of bringing a whole new level of scary to eager visitors. A Petrified Forest is well-known in the Orlando-area for providing serious bang for your buck (tickets start at just $15 per person), and is located outside in a forest complete with chill-inducing, creepy cornfield. Groups are let in only 6 at a time to provide the ultimate scare experience, and characters are given the freedom to change the routine, so you never experience the same terror twice! With extras like mutant laser tag and total eclipse night (where you have no lights and a single glow stick for the entire group), this haunted house experience is a can’t miss night of fright and one of the top places to experience Halloween in Orlando.
When: October 2-31
Where: 1360 E. Altamonte Dr., Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
Cost: $15 per person
Legends: A Haunting at Old Town
Legends: A Haunting in Old Town replaced the hugely popular “Grimm House” in Kissimmee, which closed late last year. This year-round haunted house follows the story of Archibald Ashdown and his sons, undertakers who moved to Old Town in 1889. The Ashdowns laid plenty of people to rest over the years, but unfortunately, many were still alive at the time, and they now haunt the Legends location. This haunted house is one of the most unique in the area, with the Ashdowns greeting guests as they arrive to assure them nothing is “out of the ordinary” in their humble funeral parlor, but of course, this notion is dead wrong!
When: Year round, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday-Sunday and 7-8 p.m. on Thursdays
Where: 5770 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Suite 218, Kissimmee, FL 34746
Cost: $15 per person at box office
The Shallow Grave
This fan-favorite independent scare attraction was dreamt up by a local man, his wife and mother, and has become one of the top Orlando destinations for fright-seekers wanting something a little different from Halloween Horror Nights. Inside an anonymous industrial warehouse interior awaits the hatchet-faced Thaddeus Van Buren, an undertaker turned cannibal with a penchant for dragging screaming victims through the packed waiting room. Guests tour Thaddeus’ home and business, from the kitchen to the murderous morgue and ghoulish graveyard. The mazes in this haunted attraction are actually said to rival or exceed the mazes at Universal Studios in most respects, making this scream factory definitely worth a look. Tickets are $15 per person, per haunt and a $25 combo ticket grants you access to both of the Shallow Graves popular haunts.
When: October 2-31, from 7:30-11 p.m. depending on the day
Where: 701 42nd St., Winter Haven, FL 33881 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Suite 218, Kissimmee, FL 34746
Cost: October 2nd and 3rd tickets are $15 per person, per haunt. Combo tickets $20. | From October 9-31, each haunt is $17 and the combo pass is $25.
Orlando Halloween Events: For the Family
Boo at the Zoo
Halloween in Orlando is generally associated with adult-level frights, but there’s kid-friendly “scares” out there too. During this year’s Boo at the Zoo at the Brevard Zoo, you’ll be able to enjoy an evening of mystical wonderment as you journey through the zoo. There’s a variety of family-friendly Halloween fun including trick or treating with treat stations, Halloween-themed shows, arts and crafts and more. You can also dance at the ball in the Mystical Mansion, ride the Mystical Train, explore Professor Wormwood’s Mystical Garden and for those who dare, prepare for a scare on the Mystical Haunted Trail.
When: Select days October 9-25 from 5:30-9 p.m.
Where: 8225 North Wickham Road, Melbourne, FL 32940
Cost: Ranges from $8-$14
Halloween at Cranes Roost Park
Halloween at Cranes Roost Park is a community-oritented trick-or-treat alternative for kids. It’s been around for 20 years, and features local businesses and sponsoring booths that hand out candy and trinkets to around 15,000 kids each year! Other activities include live entertainment, and costume contests!
When: Saturday, October 31 from 5-9 p.m.
Where: 275 Cranes Roost Blvd., Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
Cost: Free
Corn Maze Mount Dora
The Corn Maze in Mount Dora consists of 7 acres of land with a ton of different paths! It might seem a bit intimidating, but the corn maze is a completely family-friendly fall activity, and there are even employees inside the maze and on the bridge to help you along if needed. There are two separate mazes, both well-kept and grown, and depending on what kind of challenge you’re up for, you can choose the longer or shorter option.
When: Saturday, October 31 from 5-9 p.m.
Where: 275 Cranes Roost Blvd., Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
Cost: Free
Carnival of Screams
Explore a traditional family-friendly Haunted House (lights on) and participate in costume contests, carnival games, children’s activities! You and the family can also enjoy food, music and more.
When: Friday, October 23 from 6-10 p.m. and Saturday, October 24 from 5-10 p.m.
Where: Riverside Park Complex, 1600 Lockwood Blvd., Oviedo
Cost: Before the event, $5. Day of, $10.
