Theme Park Halloween Events in Southern California in 2022 #2

Sept 8th – Oct 31st 2022: Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal Studios Hollywood have brought back their Horror Nights, said to be the most intense, immersive and scariest Halloween event at any theme park in Southern California  This year they began on September 8^th and they go till Halloween on October 31^st and are the second of the Theme Park Halloween Events in Southern California in 2022 to start for the year.

Halloween scares are not quite our style, but if that’s your thing, they hold it on select nights throughout the September / October season starting at 7pm and on average finishing at 2am!  Aside from 8 different Haunted House attractions and the Terror Tram to survive there are also multiple scare zones where scarily costumed actors, some with chainsaws and other props, will charge at you to keep your adrenaline pumping.

Even The Wizarding World of Harry Potter^TM  gets into the theme this year with the Death Eaters^TM Encounter, presumably during the evening (website does not indicate), an event previously only seen at the Orlando location.

On top of that you can find various of the food vendors around the park including special menu items, including themed cocktails, some of which include a set of pointy teeth for your own transformation.  Also noteworthy is the Bungbarrel Spiced Mead from the Hog’s Head Inn in Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

During the day the scares tone down, but you can still walk through the scare zones (mercifully without being charged upon) to check out the amazing attention to detail in the sunlight and enjoy other themed attractions, food and memorabilia.

• Name: Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood
• When: Sept 8th – Oct 31st 2022
• Where: Universal Studios Hollywood
  [100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608]
• Website Link: Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios California
• Other Info:
  • General admission tickets for Halloween Horror Nights range from $72 to 104 (date dependent)
  • Other ticket options including Express access are available
  • Passes for daytime admission after 2pm that convert to Halloween Horror Night entry can also be purchased.
  • This night time event is not recommended for children under 13.A

Theme Park Halloween Events in Southern California in 2022 #3

Sept 9^th – Oct 31^st 2022: Beachside Fall Fest at Belmont Park

The Beachside Fall Fest at Belmont Park is a little different from all the other Theme Park Event for Halloween in 2022.  Belmont Park starts with free entry (and parking): it costs you nothing to get in.  But then you need to pay for each ride or attraction you are interested in enjoying.  As far as their Fall Fest weekends, they add a variety of seasonal attractions such as live music in their Midway area, the Seasonal Go Kart Track, Specialty Treats, the Pumpkin Plunge (in their plunge pool), character appearances, and free trick or treating for the kids.  There are even signature fall drinks for the adults such as festive beer on tap.

• Name: Beachside Fall fest
• When: Sept 9^th – Oct 31^st 2022 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays adding Monday 31^st.
• Where: Belmont Park
  [3146 Mission Blvd, San Diego, CA 92109]
• Website Link: https://www.belmontpark.com/fallfest/
• Other Details:
  • Entry (and parking) is refreshingly free: pay as you play or buy credits for games, rides and meals online before you go.
  • “Ride & Play Combo” cost $55 for individuals under 48” and $60 for over 48” but does not include arcade, escapology and midway games credits.
  • Food, beverage and arcade credits sold separately.
  • Which rides and attractions are open on a given day may vary.

Theme Park Halloween Events in Southern California in 2022 #4

Sept 16^th – Oct 31^st 2022: SeaWorld Howl-O-Scream and SeaWorld Spooktacular

Seaworld holds daytime spookiness for the young and the young at heart, and then nighttime scariness for thrill seekers.  During the day, SeaWorld holds their Spooktacular on Saturdays and Sundays from the 17^th of September providing opportunities for trick-or-treating as kids meet colorful costumed characters as explore the decorated trail and There is also a Halloween dance party, a pumpkin scavenger hunt, and more (as promised by their website).

In the evening SeaWorld takes on a more sinister vibe with Howl-O-Scream.  Howl-O-Scream started on September 16^th and from 7pm on Thursdays through to Sundays, with the addition of Monday Oct 31^st, the park comes “undead” with haunted houses, scare zones, live entertainment, DJ dance parties, access to themed bars, rides and coasters inside the park, and more.  This is separately ticketed to the standard SeaWorld ticket, though packages including both are available.

• Name: SeaWorld Howl-o-Scream and
  SeaWorld Spooktacular
• When: Sept 16^th to October 31^st 2022 Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays plus Monday October 31^st
  Howl-O-Scream starts at 7pm.
• Where: SeaWorld San Diego
  [500 Sea World Dr., San Diego, CA 92109]
• Website Link: Halloween Spooktacular at SeaWorld San Diego
  Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld San Diego
• Other Info:
  • Howl-O-Scream tickets start at 39.99 for single night entry on a booked night, and unlimited entry tickets go for $99.00
  • SeaWorld Spooktacular is part of regular SeaWorld entry costs, Tickets start at $64.99.
  • Kids go Free in October 2022 – One child (aged 3-9) gets in free with an adult paid ticket.
  • At time of writing a combined single-entry ticket for both events (daytime SeaWorld and Howl-O-Scream) was available for $104.99 for a single specified date.

Theme Park Halloween Events in Southern California in 2022 #5

Sept 17th – Oct 31st 2022: The Count’s Spooktacular at Sesame Place

The sister theme Park to SeaWorld, Sesame Place, is all about the kids with The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular taking place on Saturdays & Sundays. Kids can do a little ghost scavenger hunt, visit trick or treating stations throughout the park, watch a Halloween Parade, traverse a hay maze and of course enjoy the usual water rides and regular dry rides that are part of the Sesame Place theme park. As a bonus, many of your favorite Sesame Street characters are dressed in Halloween costumes for their meet and greet opportunities.

• Name: The Count’s Spooktacular
• When: Sept 17^th to Oct 31^st on Saturdays and Sundays.
• Where: Sesame Place San Diego
  [2052 Entertainment Cir, Chula Vista, CA 91911]
• Website Link: The Count’s Spooktacular at Sesame Place San Diego
• Other Info:
  • Tickets start from $64.99

Theme Park Halloween Events in Southern California in 2022 #6

Sept 17^th – Oct 30^th 2022: Brick or Treat at Legoland.

Legoland®, with their combination of wet and dry rides and multiple displays of Lego® constructions hold their Halloween Brick-or-Treat event with a specific focus on activities for kids and families.  The event occurs weekly from mid-September on Saturday afternoons from 3pm to 9pm and finishes with a bonus day on Sunday October 30^th from 2pm to 8pm.

During the event there are candy stations set up all throughout the park for children to go trick-or-treating at on Saturdays from mid-September to the end of October, as well as costume contests (Best Monster, Best Group, Best Homemade) and all new themed entertainment line-up and meet and greets with characters in Halloween costumes, with their website mentioning some never-before-seen Lego® characters being introduced.

On other days of the week you can still enjoy the Halloween themed décor and special seasonal treats as well as all the normal theme park fun.

• Name: Brick-or-Treat at Legoland California
• When: Sept 17^th – Oct 30^th 2022
  Saturdays 3pm – 9pm and Sunday Oct 30^th 2pm to 8pm
• Where: Legoland California
  [One Legoland Dr, Carlsbad, CA 92008]
• Website Link: Legoland California Brick-or-Treat
• Other Info:
  • Included in the price of entry starting at $108.99 (or part of select annual passes)
  • Check for reservations availability online before you go and book your Brick-or-Treat day ahead, or you might not be able to get in.
  • Inside Legoland the vendors are all cashless, so either bring credit cards or take a moment to convert you cash into a card at one of the three cash-to-card kiosks around the park. NOTE: cards are not reloadable and after some months attract fees that slowly eat the balance so don’t overload them with more than you’ll likely spend – you can always get another.

Theme Park Halloween Events in Southern California in 2022 #7

September 17th through October 31^st: Six Flags Magic Mountain Fright Fest and Kids Boo Fest

Six Flags evenings also contain more of the same frightful fun with 14 Haunted Houses, multiple Scare Zones, and riding thrill rides in the dark, but they also include three “Monster-tainement” shows.  “The Rising” features the battle of good versus evil set on a sunken pirate ship, “Unleashed” is the 7pm nightly breakout of the Fright Fest monsters, and lastly “Voodoo Nights” boasts a ghoulish dance party ( “where ghoul rock goes pop with today’s hits” ?!).  You can also get a separate ticket for the Spirits with Spirits all-you-can-eat buffet dinner that includes unlimited soft drinks and a ticket for a free cocktail or mocktail.

Fright Fest is not recommended for guests under 13, and coincidentally guests 13 and over are prohibited from wearing costumes during the event.

On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sunday during the day Six Flags also has “Kid’s Boo Fest” which provides a Trick-or-Treat candy trail, themed sweet treats such as their “Screamwich”. For this event it seems seasonal costumes are acceptable/optional!

Six Flags also hold an Oktoberfest Food Festival at their Ace of Clubs venue in the Metropolis™ area at the same time.  On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at the park you can enjoy craft and seasonal beers to compliment the delicious menu of German inspired cuisine.

One thing to note if you want to go to Six Flags: Six Flags is a cashless environment including payment for parking.  They have cash-to-card machines located inside the park, but do not accept cash payments at any of their vendors or attractions.

• Name: Fright Fest, Kids Boo Fest, Oktoberfest Food Festival
• When: September 17th through October 31^st
  • Fright Fest:
    • Fridays 7pm – 12am,
    • Saturdays 7pm – 1am,
    • Sundays 7pm – 11pm,
    • Monday Oct 31^st 7pm – 11pm
  • Oktoberfest and Kids Boo Fest:
    • Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Monday the 31^st Oct
    • Park opens from 10:30am with some kids attractions (such as Bugs Bunny Land) closing at 7pm when Fright Fest starts.
• Where: Six Flags Magic Mountain
  [26101 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia, CA 91355]
• Website Link:
  Fright Fest at Six Flags Magic Mountain
  Kids Boo Fest at Six Flags Magic Mountain
  Oktoberfest at Six Flags Magic Mountain
• Other Details:
  • Single entry for Kids Boo Fest and Oktoberfest and the basic Fright Fest start at $75.00 (seemingly sold for the season as “Fright Fest Admission”). A season pass (Gold level) starts at $79.99. neither ticket includes the Fright Fest haunted attractions.
  • Night Time Single Entry for Fright Fest Haunted Attractions Start at $24.99 and are additional to entry. There are also Express Entry tickets available.  All Season access tickets for the Haunted attractions are also available at $49.99.
  • Single entry Spirits with Spirits buffet admission for food and drink cost an additional $59.99

Theme Park Halloween Events in Southern California in 2022 #8

Sept 22^nd – Oct 31^st 2022: Knott’s Scary Farm and Knotts Spooky Farm

Knott’s Berry Farm also hosts two different events for Halloween.  Knott’s Spooky Farm, including a Halloween costumed Snoopy, can be enjoyed during the day from opening to 5:30pm.   Described as “a family-friendly fall time celebration”, Kids can trick-or-treat around the town of Calico’s shops and buildings to collect bounty from the friendly townsfolk and enjoy more kids’ Halloween activities.  Various parts of the park are themed such as a pumpkin patch in calico town, the Halloween Hootenanny on the Timber Mountain Log Ride, and shows like the Great Pumpkin Palooza and a spooky puppet play at the Bird Cage Theater.

After the park is emptied, the Knott’s Scary Farm event begins at 7pm.  Claiming to be the largest and most haunting Halloween event in SoCal, the event includes Scare Zones, haunted houses, mazes, sinister shows, riding thrill rides in the dark.

• Name: Knott’s Scary Farm and Knott’s Spooky Farm
• When: Sept 22^nd -Oct 31^st 2022, Thursdays to Sundays, plus Monday 31st
  • 7pm to 1am for Knott’s Scary Farm
  • 10am to 5:30pm for Knott’s Spooky Farm
• Where: Knott’s Berry Farm
  [8039 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA 90620]
• Website Link: Knotts Scary Farm
  Knotts Spooky Farm
• Other Info:
  • Knott’s Spooky Farm is part of normal entry with tickets starting from $69 (but do not include entry to Knott’s Scary Farm)
  • Knott’s Scary Farm tickets start from $59 for a single night’s entry (but don’t include daytime entry).
  • Oct 2022 Special: Knotts Scary Farm – a chaperone with up to 5 minors may be eligible for a complimentary ticket (see website for details)