By Joanna Tweedy
It's that time of year again! Orlando will soon be turning a shade of pumpkin orange as Halloween fever sweeps the theme parks. Whether you’re looking for family-friendly tricks and treats or eerie encounters to set your pulse racing, Florida has the coolest ghouls on the planet…
When Mickey and Minnie wish you a happy Halloween, they really mean it. Walt Disney World Resort’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party guarantees a fright-free fest that celebrates the nice things about the spookiest day of the year. On selected evenings until 31st October, visitors to the Magic Kingdom can get a street-side view of the Boo-to-You Halloween parade and marvel skywards at the Happy HalloWishes fireworks display. Trick-or-treating takes place all over the park and some of the attractions stay open late. Don’t forget your own face paints; dressing up is nothing short of de riguer at this time of year. To make sure you're in the thick of the action stay at a Walt Disney World® Resort hotel.
Long before Halloween, the woodwork begins to creak at Universal Orlando® Resort as otherworldly creatures creep up on unsuspecting park goers. This year promises to be among the creepiest ever as Halloween Horror Nights 18 is unleashed. At the centre of the nightmare is Bloody Mary, a tortured soul who appears (or does she?) from behind a shattered mirror. Be prepared for more spine shivers than ever before, there's a record number of Scare Zones, Haunted Houses and Scareactors. All new live shows include a tribute to the Rocky Horror Picture Show and tricks by US magician Brian Brushwood. The only question is, are you brave enough to visit? For a ringside seat, stay at the Hotel Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando® Resort.
Perfect for younger children, SeaWorld® Orlando’s attractions are light on frights and big on fun. The park takes on an enchanted feel as Halloween Spooktacular washes over the park and visitors get to mingle with sea witches and pumpkin fishes. As part of the underwater Fantasea, you can play with a sea fairy, dance with an ice DJ or meet a mermaid. Some 2 million treats have been placed at 15 stations across the park and there’s a Spooktacular map to help you hunt them down. A ghoulish start to the day is also on the menu. Count Von Count’s Spooktacular Character Breakfast sees Sesame Street favourites providing entertainment with Halloween-themed songs as you tuck into a boo-ffet breakfast. The Hotel Renaissance Orlando Resort is across the street from all the action.
If you thought Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay was all about exploring the wilds of Africa then think again. Visit during Halloween and you'll bear witness to Howl-O-Scream, the biggest rival to the bloodcurdling action on offer at Universal Orlando® Resort. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening until October 26th, sinister sisters the Raven Twins will be making mischief at Busch Gardens. A separate ticketed event, Howl-O-Scream promises haunted houses, terrifying live shows and bone-chilling rollercoasters, all designed to set your heart racing. Haunted houses include: 13 Eat your Heart Out, Trapped in the Walls and Death Row Call, while Zombie Junction, one of three Scare Zones, is overrun with flesh-eating ghouls. Guests of a nervous disposition might want to book a guided tour although the tour names - Funeral and Embalming among them - offer little in the way of reassurance. Retreat to the safety of Sand Key and stay at Hotel Marriott Suites Clearwater Beach.
If a goulish trip to Orlando is what you're looking for, find out more about the latest VHOT DEALS to Orlando.
Joanna Tweedy is a freelance travel journalist. She regularly writes for The Daily Mail's travel website Travelmail