Halloween Outside of Walt Disney World: Halloween Spooktacular

There is something for any thrill level when it comes to celebrating Halloween in Florida. You can have a high scare level, such as you’ll find at Halloween Horror Nights. You can have a fun for the whole family time at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. What if you want to have fun with the kids during the day, and still keep it not scary? That’s where Halloween Spooktacular comes in.

There are two versions of Halloween Spooktacular. The first is at SeaWorld Orlando. It takes place on Saturdays and Sundays, starting on September 16. On October 13 Fridays for the rest of the month are also included. The final two days are October 30 and 31. Kids can dress in costume and trick or treat. They will also love Halloween Storytime With Big Bird (who wouldn’t love that?) and the Sesame Street Halloween Parade. There is plenty of other not-scary fun for the kids, they are sure to have a great time.

At Busch Gardens Tampa, it’s Spooktacular instead of Halloween Spooktacular, but the idea is the same. It begins on September 9, and runs on Saturdays and Sundays through October. Spooktacular will also be held on October 30 and 31. Kids once again can dress in costumes and trick or treat. There are also costumed storytellers, a costume parade that the kids can join, Spooky Science, and more. Starting on September 30 and running through the end of October, Busch Gardens Tampa will also hold Sesame Street Kids’ Weekends on Saturdays and Sundays, so it could be fun to combine the two.

One thing to know about trick or treating at either event; you’ll need to purchase a reusable bag at the park. They are themed and aren’t expensive, and your child will have a cute new bag to hold all that candy. Both SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa have gone cashless, so make sure you have an alternate way to pay.

The best part of all is that Halloween Spooktacular is included with your theme park admission! This isn’t a separate ticketed event like Howl-O-Scream, which is also held at these two parks.

I’ll say it whenever I talk about either SeaWorld Orlando or Busch Gardens Tampa, purchase your ticket online ahead of time. That’s where you’ll find the best deals, and the savings could be significant.