Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party will return to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World for 38 select nights from August 7 through October 31, 2026, marking the earliest start date ever for the annual spooky fun celebration.
Melton Mowbray, England — The shortlisted nominees for the 2026 SCARE Awards have been announced, with winners set to be revealed at ScareCON on May
Universal Studios Hollywood’s Universal Fan Fest Nights 2026 food lineup serves up two Scooby-Doo items and a Universal Monsters-themed hot dog. The event is adding a Dining Pass for the first time, borrowing from the Halloween Horror Nights playbook.
The East Coast Haunters Convention returns to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania for four days of haunt tours, vendor exhibits, seminars, live entertainment, and after-hours events running April 23-26, 2026. Produced by TransWorld Trade Shows, the convention is co-located with the East Coast Christmas Show and open to the public, drawing haunted attraction owners, operators, home haunters, actors, and Halloween enthusiasts.
Nightmare Wharf opened Friday, October 2, at the Buffalo Naval Park, and part of it is inside a real Navy warship. Its haunted house, Project Blackwater, runs through the compartments of the USS Little Rock, where a Cold War experiment has gone wrong. The event runs 17 select nights through November 1, with timed entry from 7 p.m. and general admission from $34.99 on October 9, 10, and 11 to $64.99 on Halloween night.
Triotech, Merlin Entertainments, and Sony Pictures Entertainment have announced a new interactive Jumanji experience built on Triotech’s XD Dark Ride platform, debuting at four Madame Tussauds locations in July 2026.
The installations are planned for Madame Tussauds locations in New York, Hollywood, Las Vegas, and Sydney, all operated by Merlin Entertainments. The Jumanji content marks the first globally recognized entertainment IP introduced to the XD Dark Ride platform.
Universal Horror Unleashed is launching “Feaster Grievings,” an original, limited-time experience running April 1 through May 2, 2026, at the year-round horror venue inside the AREA15 District in Las Vegas.
TransWorld’s Halloween & Attractions Show returned to the America’s Center March 26 through 29 for four days of new product launches, vendor displays, and industry networking. We spoke with 16 vendors across the show floor to learn what they are bringing to market for the 2026 season. Here is what we found.
The Haunted Attraction Association honored the winners of the 2026 OSCARES Awards at an awards ceremony on Saturday, March 28, during TransWorld’s Halloween & Attractions Show. The OSCARES are the highest honors in the Halloween and haunted attraction industry. All winners are nominated by industry members, making the awards a peer-recognized honor.
The Haunted Attraction Association’s 2026 State of the Industry covered insurance pressures, AI’s role in the industry, and a call for collaboration over competition.
The Haunted Attraction Association elected Benjamin Gagne as its new president, approved a bylaws change opening the board’s 18th seat to non-owner/operators, and seated four new board members at its annual meeting during TransWorld’s Halloween & Attractions Show.
Carowinds (Charlotte, NC) is bringing its hit haunted attraction, The Conjuring: Beyond Fear, back months early. The interactive SCREAMium experience that debuted during SCarowinds last fall will return during a new Scream Break event running April 3 – 12, 2026, as part of the park’s spring break programming.
It marks the first time Carowinds has hosted Scream Break, a spring haunt event that has run at other Six Flags parks since 2023. At Carowinds, the event’s centerpiece will be The Conjuring: Beyond Fear, the 20-minute walkthrough experience built by Plague Productions in partnership with New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences.
The Haunted Attraction Association is proposing bylaws changes that would allow a non-owner/operator to serve on its Board of Directors for the first time, with guardrails keeping the role out of executive leadership.
Halloween Horror Nights turns 35 in 2026, and Universal Orlando is running its longest event ever: 49 select nights from August 28 through November 1
Salem, MA — Wicked New England, the Halfway to Halloween festival held at Old Town Hall in Salem, Massachusetts, returns for its second year on
Las Vegas, NV — Universal Horror Unleashed, the year-round horror experience at the AREA15 District in Las Vegas, is offering limited-time savings of up to
Joliet, IL — The Old Joliet Haunted Prison, a seasonal haunted attraction operated by Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group inside a former state women’s prison, may
Kalamazoo, MI — Haunters Against Hate: the Event is returning for its fourth year, this time at the Radisson in Kalamazoo, Michigan on August 1-2.
Long Beach, CA — Passes are now on sale for Midsummer Scream 2026, which returns to the Long Beach Convention Center August 7-9. Single-Day Passes
Four Pennsylvania haunted attractions featured on pre-convention tours, with a Saturday night party at Shocktoberfest The East Coast Haunters Convention has announced its lineup of
Winners to be honored at awards ceremony during TransWorld’s Halloween & Attractions Show The Haunted Attraction Association has announced the winners of the 2026 OSCARES
Los Angeles, CA — Tickets are now available for Spooky Swap Meet VI, returning to Heritage Square Museum in Los Angeles from April 24-26 with
Valentine’s Day Haunted Houses & Haunted Attractions Across the USA (2026 Guide) Looking for a thrilling way to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year? Whether you
Miami, Fla. (Feb. 12–15, 2026) — Horrorland Miami has announced Love Kills, a Valentine’s themed haunted attraction scheduled to operate for four nights only, February
Kelso, Wash. (Feb. 13–14, 2026) — Cinema of Horrors will once again offer a Valentine’s Day weekend event with Hearts of Horror, a limited-run blackout
Update, September 2026: HCA has named 24 finalists for the 2026 Spooky Awards, and the winners will be announced January 11, 2027, at the Halloween
Universal City, CA — Universal Studios Hollywood has announced the details of the ‘immersive experiences’ coming to this year’s Universal Fan Fest Nights, and it
Long Beach, CA — Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, producers of The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor, have announced Dark Masquerade, a new limited-run immersive experience debuting
As the holiday season arrives, haunted houses across the U.S. are getting into the festive spirit, combining the joy of the holidays with thrilling scares.
Update, July 2026: Eastern State’s pivot away from the linear walkthrough now has a high-profile follower. ScareHouse is returning from a two-year hiatus with Halloween
CLEVELAND, OH – September 26, 2025 – Gothic horror instrumentalists Midnight Syndicate have released Darkened Corners, an EP compiling previously unreleased and rare material spanning
The Haunted Attraction Association (HAA) has announced its 2025 Top Haunts, recognizing 67 attractions across the United States and beyond. The full certified roster now
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier has opened a newly reimagined Funhouse, designed and produced by EPIC Entertainment Group. The 2,800-square-foot attraction officially debuted
Howl-O-Scream Tampa returns for the 2025 season on September 5 with a new haunted house, expanded scare zones, and updated experiences across the park. The
The Halloween Horror Nights 2025 panel at Midsummer Scream delivered an in-depth look at this year’s Terrifier haunted houses, but two unexpected design choices stood
Elvira Joins LA Haunted Hayride for 2025 Season Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group unveiled its 2025 Halloween lineup during a packed Saturday panel at Midsummer Scream.
Explore our full guide to Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas—details on all 4 haunted houses, immersive zones, dining, and our review.
The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor is expanding its Halloween horror experience this year with a bold lineup of themed special events. From drag-infused dance nights
Universal just announced it’s expanding its Horror Unleashed brand to Chicago—but the timing, location, and strategy raise more questions than answers. The company has yet
Hersheypark Halloween and its signature Dark Nights haunt experience return for eight fright-filled weekends beginning Friday, September 12, through November 2, 2025. This year’s event
The Hall of Shadows, the massive haunt showcase at Midsummer Scream, is back and more terrifying than ever. This year’s edition—running August 15-17, 2025, at
San Jose, CA – This fall, the iconic Winchester Mystery House will undergo a chilling transformation as it debuts Festival Fright Nights, a brand-new Halloween
The Haunted Attraction Network’s annual Hauntathon is back for its 11th year—and your haunt could be part of it. Running from September 1 through October
The Midwest Haunters Convention (MHC) returns to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, for three action-packed days on June 6-8, 2025. Produced by
Fright Nights WV has announced a new off-season event, “Fright Nights Final Cut: Summer Slaughter,” scheduled for Friday, June 13th. According to the press release,
The haunted attraction industry descended on St. Louis, Missouri from February 27 to March 2, 2025, for TransWorld’s Halloween & Attractions Show, the largest trade
LONG BEACH, CA – Horror legend John Carpenter will make an exclusive one-day appearance at Midsummer Scream on Saturday, August 16, 2025, as part of
SAN JOSE, CA – Winchester Mystery House invites guests to experience its new Halfway-to-Halloween Flashlight Tours beginning April 19, 2025. Visitors will explore the 160-room
DrownedOut Productions, in partnership with the Immersive Art Collective, has announced the return of “Limos,” an immersive psychic experience that combines elements of Greek mythology
Universal’s upcoming Horror Unleashed attraction in Las Vegas represents the company’s first foray into a permanent, year-round horror experience. Set to open on August 14,
Are you counting down the days until the Halloween season returns? For haunt enthusiasts who can’t wait for the spooky season, Wicked New England is
