A visit to an amusement park this month might include a big scare. That’s because many parks nationwide are hosting Halloween events. Some events have been held annually for decades!
Universal Orlando Resort began its Halloween festival, called Halloween Horror Nights, in 1991 with just three scary nights. Since then, Halloween Horror Nights has expanded to a seven-week-long that takes place at Universal parks around the world.
This year there will be nine haunted mazes, including one themed around the hit TV show Stranger Things. There will also be five scare zones—areas where you might encounter actors dressed as zombies, ghouls, and evil clowns.
The longest-running and largest Halloween event is at Knott’s Berry Farm. The California theme park has been hosting Knott’s Scary Farm since 1973. Today, there are nine haunted mazes, four scare zones, and more than 1,000 “monsters” roaming the park.
In 2017, the park Dark Ride, a haunted maze in an abandoned carnival ride. Parts of the maze are modeled after real-life rides at the park.
One of the most popular Halloween events is Six Flags’ Fright Fest. The festival began at a Six Flags in Houston, Texas, in 1986. Today, 10 parks host the six-week event, where visitors can wander through seven haunted mazes (if they dare!) and pass through four scare zones.
PJ O’Brien, age 13, visited Fright Fest in New Jersey last year. He went a few times with his parents and friends. “For me, it’s the best part of Halloween,” he says. Zombies were everywhere in the park, including in the haunted maze he wandered through. PJ recommends Fright Fest to kids with this warning: Be ready to be scared!
