Oct. 9, 2026

NEWS: $13.5 Billion on Halloween, & Gore Isn't Driving It

NEWS: $13.5 Billion on Halloween, & Gore Isn't Driving It

Halloween is bigger than ever! The NRF puts spending at a record $13.5 billion this year, with 74% of Americans celebrating and 49% starting their shopping in September or earlier. And gore isn't driving any of it: the top ways people celebrate are...

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Key Takeaways

  • Halloween spending has reached a record-shattering $13.5 billion, proving that the holiday continues to grow despite shifting economic trends.
  • Gore is not the primary driver of Halloween success; traditional activities like handing out candy, costumes, decorating, and watching scary movies remain the most popular ways people celebrate.
  • Family-focused Halloween events are having a major moment, with parents seeking 'spooky, not scary' experiences that feature strong photo opportunities, dwell time, and family-friendly entertainment.
  • The live event sector continues to demonstrate a K-shaped recovery, where premium, upcharge haunt experiences and exclusive upgrades consistently sell out.
  • The National Retail Federation reports that nearly half of consumers are now utilizing AI tools to plan and shop for Halloween.

Halloween is bigger than ever!
The NRF puts spending at a record $13.5 billion this year, with 74% of Americans celebrating and 49% starting their shopping in September or earlier. And gore isn't driving any of it: the top ways people celebrate are handing out candy, costumes, decorating, pumpkins, and scary movies. In this week's double issue: why family Halloween is having a moment (go spooky, not scary, and plan for dwell time and food), why the K shape is still a thing as premium sells out from Tribeca to Osaka, and what Universal Studios Japan's Resident Evil house does with real doors.
In this issue:
- Halloween Spending Heads to $13.5 Billion
- Six Flags Permanently Retires X2 After Brain-Injury Lawsuits
- Enchanted Parks' First Halloween
- Blood Manor Charges $350 To Make You a Monster
- Spirit Halloween's 11 Costume Trends for 2026
- IAAPA's Brass Ring Awards Close Oct 16
- Tim Burton's Labyrinth, Harry Potter Drones, and DUNE: The Experience

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the projected Halloween spending record for this year?

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), Halloween spending is projected to reach a record $13.5 billion, with about $115 spent per person.

Are Americans prioritizing gore and horror for Halloween celebrations?

No, data shows that gore is not driving the season's massive spending. The top ways people celebrate are handing out candy, wearing costumes, home decorating, carving pumpkins, and watching scary movies.

How are families approaching Halloween events differently than general adult audiences?

Families are leaning heavily into 'spooky, not scary' experiences that allow them to participate together, often seeking out events with interactive elements, dance parties, and memorable photo opportunities.

What is the Halloween spending record trend regarding shopping timelines?

Shoppers are starting earlier than ever, with 49% of consumers beginning their Halloween shopping in September or earlier, a significant increase from past decades.

WEBVTT

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Coming up, your weekly roundup of news from around the

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haunt industry. Welcome to the show. I'm Philip. On the

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HAN Show, we bring you the haunt news, information, and

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education you need to prepare for Halloween. On Tuesdays, we

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bring you a roundup of news from haunts worldwide. Read

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more about these stories and so much more in our

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free weekly newsletter. Subscribe at the link in the show notes.

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And as always for the news roundup, I'm passing it

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off to Daryl.

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This message is from Philip Hernandez, publisher of the Haunted

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Attraction Network. I'm riding this on the train from Osaka

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to Tokyo, which is also why last week's issue never

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went out. So get ready for an extra meaty edition.

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Halloween is bigger than ever. The National Retail Federation puts

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spending at a record $ 13. 5 billion this year, with 74%

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of Americans celebrating and 49% starting their shopping in September

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or earlier, up from 34% a decade ago. We're into

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the general audience part of the season now, when the

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biggest brands announce their plans. Dairy Queen's first Halloween collection

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in its history, Hidden Valley's first seasonal product ever, Buffalo

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Wild Wings and Sarah Michelle Gellar, and the popular brands

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that aren't Halloween are all capitalizing on the season anyway.

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Spirit's 2026 trend list is led by Toy Story, K-pop

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Demon Hunters, and Spider-Man. Harry Potter is flying 1,200 drones

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over five cities, Netflix House is opening a K-pop demon

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hunter's experience, and Tim Burton's Labyrinth sold 100,000 tickets before

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opening in Tokyo. Three weeks ago, we wrote that Halloween

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is the only holiday that encourages novelty. Pop culture is

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how brands cash in. As we discussed before, Family Halloween

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is also having a moment. Someone asked me this week

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whether a client dipping into the fall season should target

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families or adults, and the short answer is a family

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audience is go spooky, not scary. Plan for dwell time

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and photo with memory moments. Plan entertainment. Pay special attention

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to food. balance novelty with tradition. The data backs it.

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41% of parents expect to be more involved in Halloween

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this year against 27% of all adults. Mickey's Not So

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Scary and Oogie Boogie Bash are both sold out. Enchanted

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Parks is running family events by day and haunts by

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night at four of its six parks in its first Halloween.

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And gore isn't driving any of it. The top ways

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people celebrate are handing out candy, costumes, decorating pumpkins, and

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scary movies. Scott Swenson, my Green Tag co-host, adds a

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practitioner's note from his client's guest survey. The family audience

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isn't just strollers. It includes tweens who need a startle element,

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so some kind of haunted house experience is still necessary.

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But families want things they can do together, and spooky

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dance parties are trending well. Which brings me to Madame

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Leota's swinging wake. I mentioned it before during opening weekend,

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but I wrote some extended thoughts on it this week.

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Remember the K-shape? That remains a thing, and live event

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data shows premium is still selling well. At Universal Studios Japan,

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where I spent the weekend, the Upcharge Intensity Experience Afterimage

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sold out every night through the end of its run.

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Blood Manor in Tribeca charges $ 350 to put you in

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makeup and send you in as a scare actor for

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a night. The 17th door's backstage tour through the cast

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area and the control room was taken down to single-digit

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spots on Halloween night. Premium is expanding to a more

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intimate curated experience, not just a shorter line. On USJ,

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there are only two houses this year plus After Image,

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and the Resident Evil house needs a timed entry ticket

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that's gone early every evening. I won't spoil it, but

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each room has a real door instead of a plastic partition.

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Groups of six go through them, and the scares come

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from the back and the middle, so every guest sees something.

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I couldn't film inside. So my video is of the

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scare zones and the locals getting frightened. One continuity note.

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A month ago, we told you to make sure AI

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assistants can read your site. The NRF now says 47%

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of consumers are using AI tools for Halloween shopping. Also

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this week, Six Flags permanently retired X2. Jana Partners is

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pushing Six Flags towards a sale again. Transworld is launching

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a 100-person escape room summit. and 127 Southern California homes

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are turning into Halloween attractions this year. Here's what you

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need to know this week. In theme park news, Six

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Flags Magic Mountains X2 is permanently retired after brain injury lawsuits.

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Six Flags Magic Mountains in Valencia, California has permanently retired X2.

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Park President Brian Orting announced it on September 29th on

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the Six Flags blog. The coaster has been closed since

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July 12th after two riders were hospitalized within a week

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of each other, and three riders sued the park September

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21st over brain injuries they say the ride caused. Their

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law firm said more than 100 other riders had hired it.

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The statement says X2 consistently passed a multitude of safety

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tests and that the park closed it because we believe

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it's the right thing to do. X2 opened in 2008

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and carried more than 16 million riders. Jana Partners tells

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Six Flags to hire a bank and explore a sale,

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six months after it got the chairman replaced. Jana Partners

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is pushing Six Flags to explore a sale again, according

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to the Wall Street Journal. It's Jana's second push this year,

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but this time there's no public letter and no statement

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from Six Flags. Since December, Six Flags has sold seven parks,

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disappointing second quarter results as motivation for the push to

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sell again. And in this week's episode of Green Tagged,

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Philip proposes interest rates may explain the timing. About $ 1. 48

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billion of Six Flags' roughly $ 5 billion in debt has

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a variable rate, so the Fed's September hike adds about

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$ 4 million a year in interest, and each bond that

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comes due will likely be refinanced at a higher rate.

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The debt also makes a sale harder because any buyer

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is mostly buying the debt. Follow the links in our

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show notes to read the full story. Enchanted Parks' first Halloween,

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family days and haunted nights at six parks. Enchanted Parks

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is running Halloween at six parks this fall, from Valley

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Scare at Valley Fair to Diggerfest at Diggerland USA, and

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four of them pair a family event by day with

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a haunt after dark. It is the chain's first Halloween

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for four parks that took over from Six Flags in April,

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and every family event adds allergy-safe trick-or-treating stops through Fair's

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Teal Pumpkins Project. Every park has a daytime family event

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and four ad haunted houses at night for an extra fee.

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Running both formats in a transition year lets the new

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owner see which one pays. Six Flags Magic Mountain Fright

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Fest Food 2026. I ate all 11 items and the

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frog's legs win. Six Flags Magic Mountain from Valencia, California

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added 11 limited time dishes for Fright Fest this year.

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from Cajun Frog's Legs to a Worms in Dirt Funnel Cake,

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and Philip of the Haunted Attraction Network tried all of them.

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Topping his list of favourites were the Last Leap Frog's

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Legs at Chicken Coop and the Black Widow Wings. Read

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our full food guide for every item with its location

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and ranking, plus the six Fright Fest drinks and what

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to know about the dining plan. Clarabelle's Enchanted Halloween Dinner

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at Storyteller's Cafe. What about $ 100 a person gets you?

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Running daily through October 31st, Clarabelle's Enchanted Halloween Dinner at

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Storyteller's Cafe in Disney's Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, California

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invites guests to a buffet dinner with Clarabelle Cow and

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her friends. This is Clarabelle Cow's annual Halloween celebration where

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all the characters are dressed in their fall costumes. Visiting

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characters include Carabel Cow, Goofy, Daisy, and Pluto, but may

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vary depending on the evening. The buffet spread is broad, charcuterie, fruit,

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several salads, vegetables, and a carving station with more than

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one kind of meat. Soft drinks, coffee, and hot chocolate

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are also included in the price. The meal runs $ 86

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per adult and $ 46 per child, plus tax and tips.

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Hershey Park's Estate of Evil haunted house reopens for Christmas,

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decorated by its murderous staff. Hershey Park, from Hershey, Pennsylvania.

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is bringing one of its Dark Nights haunted houses into Christmas.

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The Estate of Evil, a 13-room mansion whose staff killed

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off every previous owner, reopens as a holiday open house

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at Christmas Candy Lane on select dates, November 13th through

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January 3rd, where guests can see how that staff decorated

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the rooms with terrifying holiday flair. Haunted Mansion Holiday 2026,

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this year's gingerbread house, is a music box with a

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skeleton ballerina. The 2026 Gingerbread House in Disneyland's Haunted Mansion

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Holiday in Anaheim, California is a music box more than

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10 feet tall. As its Santa Jack key turns, it

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plays a holiday song and its lid lifts as a

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skeleton ballerina rises out of the top and spins. It

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sits on a ballroom table in the attraction's grand hall

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and marks 25 years of gingerbread houses in Haunted Mansion Holiday,

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which returned on August 21st and stays up through January 6th, 2027.

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In the attraction's story, The gingerbread house is one of

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Jack's holiday traditions. a giant gift he leaves for the

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ghosts who dance around the Grand Hall, and it gets

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a new design every year. A team of carpenters, storytellers,

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pastry chefs, bakers, and confectionery and technical specialists build it,

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and it fills the Grand Hall with a scent of gingerbread.

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Halloween spending heads to $ 13. 5 billion, and the people in

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costumes start first. Americans plan to spend $ 13. 5 billion on

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Halloween this year, $ 115 billion, per person, according to the

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National Retail Federation's annual survey, up from last year's record

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of $ 13. 1 billion. NRF's survey, conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics,

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asked 7,889 consumers about their Halloween plans. 74% planned to celebrate,

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on par with the 73% last year, and up from

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68% in 2019. The top ways they'll celebrate are handing

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out candy, 61%, dressing in costumes, at 50%, decorating their

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home or yard, 42%, carving pumpkins with 42%, and watching

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scary movies. at 42% as well. 49% of consumers planned

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to begin Halloween shopping in September or earlier, up from

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34% in 2016. The Halloween and Costume Association ran a

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separate analysis of the NRF and Prosper data that compared 3,178

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adults who dress in costume with all 7,889 American adults surveyed.

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Compared with all adults, costume wearers start earlier, with 57%

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beginning to shop in September or earlier, participate in Summerween,

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with one third taking part in summer activities and spend more.

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IAPA's Brass Ring Awards close October 16th and one category

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is for haunts. Application for IAPA's Brass Ring Excellence Awards

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close October 16th and one of the live entertainment categories

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is for walkthrough haunts. Most creative new haunt production. Haunted houses, mazes,

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scare zones, hay rides and haunting grounds can enter if

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they have at least three live actors and are new

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or at least half revamped. A Halloween stage show or

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parade goes on a different category. Most creative new holiday production.

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Last year, Universal Studios Singapore won with Once Upon a

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Time to Die. And the other finalists were Six Flags

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Conjuring Beyond Fear and Tokyo's Disney Resorts Villains Halloween Parade.

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The applying company must be an IAPA member in good standing. Screamscore.

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The free app that scores how scared you got. Now

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works for horror movies too. Screamscore. A free app that

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turns your smartwatch's heart rate readings into a fear score

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out of 100 now works for horror movies as well

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as haunted houses, and friends can compare scores in groups.

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The new version is out for iPhone and Android and

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pairs with an Apple Watch or OS wearable. A session

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starts with a choice, haunted attraction or horror movie, and

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one of the app's press images shows us 77.53, labeled

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terrified and second place. recorded at Factory of Terror on

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September 25th. The app says it is designed as entertainment

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and not a medical device. Transworld launches a 100-person escape

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room summit in St. Louis. Transworld Trade Shows is launching

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an escape room summit on Monday, February 22, 2027, in St. Louis, Missouri.

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One day of advanced education, hands-on learning and networking for

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up to 100 established escape room owners, senior operators, designers,

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and industry leaders. It opens a week of escape room

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events ahead of Transworld's three trade shows, which run February

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25th through 28th at America Center. The summit builds on

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Transworld's original room escape conferences held in Chicago, Niagara Falls, Nashville,

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and San Antonio, with a new program built around the

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challenges in the future of today's escape room businesses. Sessions

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will cover business growth and profitability, along with design, technology,

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and guest experience. Transworld plans to keep attendance at about

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75 to 100 people so the conversations stay focused. Full programming, speakers,

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participating companies, workshops, tour locations, pricing, and registration have not

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been announced yet. The Best New Halloween Costumes of 2026,

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picked by industry judges. The Halloween and Costume Association has

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named 24 finalists in its third annual Spooky Awards. The

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awards are open to Halloween product makers, both HCA members

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and non-members. A panel of industry experts judged each entry

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on five criteria. Innovation, Marketability, Trendsetting Potential, appeal, and usefulness.

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The judges pick three finalists on each of the eight categories. Accessories,

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adult costume, child costume, licensed costume, most unique costume, decor, masks,

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and the most innovative product. Fans can vote for the

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favourite on October 1st through 15th and hca will name

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the winners january eleventh at the halloween and party expo

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in new orleans queen mary dark harbour returns for the

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thirteenth season with one new maze and three imagined mazes

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now in its thirteenth season queen mary dark harbour in

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long beach california runs select nights through november first staged

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aboard the queen mary the retired ocean liner that served

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as a long beach floating hotel and attraction since 1971,

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the event uses the ship itself as a haunted setting,

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running mazes through its interior spaces and staging entertainment across

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the shipyard next to the ship. Dark Harbour is running

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six haunted mazes in 2026 and we have a video

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of each. Follow the links in the show notes to

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see Shipwrecked, Brace for Impact, Their New Maze, Lullaby, Teddy's Revenge,

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which has been reimagined, and a full tour of all

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of the haunts. Los Angeles Haunted Hayride opens for its

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18th season. The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride in Los Angeles,

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California is open at Griffith Park for its 18th season,

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running select nights through Sunday, November 1st. Phil have attended

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to film walkthroughs of the new and returning mazes for

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this season, including Fallen Angel, their new maze, Elvira's Trick

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or Treat Mayhem, Hellbilly Halloween, and others, including a full tour.

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Blood Manor is open in Tribeca, and for $ 350, you

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could be one of the monsters. Blood Manor in New York,

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New York, a 10,000 square foot haunted house in a

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landmark Tribeca building on Broadway, opened its 2026 season October

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2nd and runs 22 nights through November 7th. General admission

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starts at $ 50. R.I.P. Express is $ 75, and the $ 350

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Scare Actor Academy experience puts you in professional makeup and costume,

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trains you on landing a scare, and sends you to

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work the night as one of the cast. Jenna Bush

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Hager and Michelle Buteau have joined the cast for a

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Today Show segment. and a New York Post reporter worked

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a night as a cast member. Blood Manor has run

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for more than 20 years under co-founder Jim Lorenzo, and

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its building is where Civil War photographer Matthew Brady leased

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his studio in 1853, which the haunt's backstory turns into

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a ghost story. The 17th Door is open for its

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12th season, and a backstage tour takes you to the

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control room. The 17th Door in Buena Park, California, is

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open for its 12th season on select nights through November 1st,

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continuing its perpetuum penitentiary prison story across 17 doors in

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about 35 minutes. The season's effect includes rotating rooms, earthquake effects,

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and hurricane force winds. General admission runs $ 38 to $ 47

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depending on the night. The backstage tour, which debuted in 2024,

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starts after you finish The Maze, a guide that takes

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the group through the cast area, the costume room, and

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scare routes, and other technical systems. Then, onto the control

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room where The Haunt is operating. It's sold with VIP

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entry for $ 78 to $ 88. Photos aren't allowed, and the

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tour package says written notes are allowed exclusively for idea stealing.

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Tour times on October 14th and Halloween night. Each show,

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eight or fewer spots are left. The Reign of Terror

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Haunted House adds two new sections for 2026, including the

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Blue Bayou Hotel. The Reign of Terror Haunted House in

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Thousand Oaks, California premiered two new walkthrough sections for the

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2026 season, Backwoods, and the Blue Bayou Hotel, plus a

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reimagined funhouse. Cinema of Horrors turns 10 with a vampire

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mining town and a military bunker in an old movie theater.

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Cinema of Horrors in Kelso, Washington celebrates its 10th season

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with two new haunted houses built inside a former movie theater.

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Bloodstone Gulch is a western vampire haunt set in a

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once booming mining town where residents have found something more

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dangerous than the outlaws who once ran its streets. Guests

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walk through the town's main street, saloon, hotel, courthouse, and

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holding cells as the story plays out all around them.

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Bunker 13 sends guests to a deteriorating military installation full

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of warning systems, industrial rooms, and disturbing discoveries. Cinema of

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Horror says whatever happened inside was never meant to escape.

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Both were built for the anniversary season with new sets, characters,

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and storylines. Horror House Nights Psycho Circus is a Central

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Florida haunted house from the Spanish crew. Horror House Nights

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Psycho Circus is open at La Loma Ranch in Haines City, Florida.

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between Orlando and Tampa. Fridays through Sundays through November 1st,

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a general admission is $ 19 before fees. The Spanish crew

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started the haunt in Spain in 2022, brought it to

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the United States last year, and tears the house down

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after every season to rebuild it around a new theme.

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The crew says it isn't trying to match the polished

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sets of Florida theme parks. Its goal is a house

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that smells bad and feels dirty and dark. We want

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you to feel like you're somewhere wrong, the media kit says.

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Haunted Soiree's 2026 Halloween Party is built on a real

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1928 hex murder. Haunted Soiree, a two-hour Halloween party with

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drinks and immersive theatre at the Nocturne Theatre in Glendale, California,

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takes on true crime for 2026. Its new story is

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built on Pennsylvania's 1928 hex hollow murder, a killing over

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a book of German-American folk magic, and it runs select

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nights October 10th through 31st. Each year, Haunted Soiree becomes

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a new immersive world this year. it's set nearly a

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century after a suspected warlock was killed over a mysterious

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book of German-American folk magic. The Secret of Autumn Society

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keeps its strange traditions alive through a festival of drinks, music, masks,

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and ghost stories, and games that the ticket page calls Haunttoberfest.

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As the night goes on, guests find out the festivities

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aren't what they seem, and every toast, game, and tradition

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is part of a ritual. The Halloween season is almost

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upon us and haunts around the country are announcing their dates,

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new additions, special events, and more. To help you manage

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the myriad of updates, the Haunted Attraction Network has compiled

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comprehensive guides to the top haunts in the U.S. and

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top theme park events around the world. Bookmark your important

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pages for reference and check back often for updates as

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new information is released. Follow the links in our show

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notes to follow all of these guides. Updated this week

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is Halloween Horror Nights Tickets 2026, The Complete Guide to

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All Universal Parks. Previously announced, Halloween Horror Nights Streaming Guide,

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Fall Food and Drinks 2026, Halloween Horror Nights at Universal

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Studios Hollywood, Every Food and Drink Item at Halloween Horror

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Nights Hollywood, Scarowinds 2026 Guide, Halloween Inflatables, Halloween Candy, Fright Fest,

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Not Scary Farm Guide, Kennywood Phantom Fall Fest, Alton Tower

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Scarefest 2026, Halloween TV Specials, Dollywood Harvest Festival in 2026,

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Cedar Point Halloweekends, Spirit Halloween Locations for 2026, Netherworld Haunted House,

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When Do Haunted Houses Open?, The Best and Scariest Haunted

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Houses in America, The Top Haunts List, Halloween Horror Nights 2026,

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Disney Halloween 2026, Fright Fest, Hello Screams, Orlando Halloween Events,

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Halloween Time at Disneyland, Haunted Houses in California, Halloween Horror Nights,

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and Haunted Houses in Texas. In event news, the Mississippi

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Vintage Store built a free Beetlejuice walkthrough down to the

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Shrimp Hands. The Lucky Rabbit, a vintage store in downtown Hattiesburg, Mississippi,

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has built a walkthrough Beetlejuice movie set from the afterlife

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waiting room with its checked floor, and now serving counter

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to a sandworm bursting out of the wall, and it's free.

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The fan-made walkthrough is back for its third Halloween open

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weekend through November 1st. Tim Burton's Labyrinth opens in Tokyo

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November 25th with 100,000 tickets already sold. Tim Burton's Labyrinth,

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a 60-minute walkthrough maze of rooms filled with sets, sculptures

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of Burton's characters, and more than 150 of his original sketches,

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opens November 25th at Krivia Base, Tokyo, and runs through

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February 21st, 2027. Visitors choose which doors to open as

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they go, so two people can see different rooms, and

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every route has the same number of rooms. It's the

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exhibition's first stop in Asia, and dates are selling out.

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The Harry Potter Forbidden Forest Experience is back near New

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York City for the Patronus to conjure. Harry Potter, A

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Forbidden Forest Experience, a lit nighttime woodland trail of more

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than 20 life-size magical creatures and six interactive spell moments,

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returns to FDR State Park in Yorktown Heights, New York,

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on October 16th for the first time since 2022, and

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runs select nights through November 29th. Fever and Warner Bros.

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Discovery say this year's trail follows a new chronological journey

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through the films, and for the first time you can

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conjure a Patronus. Adult tickets start at $ 35. 90 for the

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latest entry times. The Harry Potter Drone Show puts 1,200

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drones over five U.S. cities this fall. The Drone Art Show,

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Harry Potter, sends 1,200 drones into the night sky and

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formations time to music from the films, with a live

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electric violinist on stage and an LED wristband for every guest,

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and it's coming to five U.S. cities, starting with Salt

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Lake City on October 9th, then San Diego, New York, Phoenix,

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and more. The show runs about 60 minutes. The adult

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tickets start at $ 44. 12, depending on your city. Dune, The

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Experience in Los Angeles. Tickets on sale October 7th. Dune,

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The Experience is a 60-minute walkthrough of sets, original costumes,

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and prop from Dennis Villeneuve's Dune films. Opens in downtown

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Los Angeles in late November, and tickets go on sale Wednesday,

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October 7th at 9 a.m. with the waitlist pre-sale first.

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Fever produces it with Legendary and Warner Bros. Inside, and

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you can test yourself against the rare Bene Gesserit, claim

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Paul Atreides' throne, and take a photo with a colossal sandworm.

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No prizes listed yet. Netflix House's K-Pop Demon Hunters experience

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lets fans sing with Hunter X and meet Derpy Tiger.

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K-Pop Demon Hunters, the immersive experience, is coming to Netflix

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House Dallas in Dallas, Texas starting November 12th and Netflix

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House Philadelphia in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, starting November 20th.

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The experience starts backstage with Hunter X, the film's K-pop trio,

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before opening right at the last stop of their world tour.

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When Gui Ma crashes the show, guests join Hunter X

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to restore the Han Moon. The rooms use interactive sets

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and screens, 3D technology, live actors, custom animation, and play-based

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challenges built for guests of all ages. set to songs

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from the film's Grammy and Academy Award winning soundtrack. Edgar

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Allan Poe Speakeasy 2026. Four Poe Tales, Four Cocktails, and

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Sixteen U.S. Stops. The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy is a

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seated 70 to 90 minute show in which performers act

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out four of Poe's stories while a cocktail arrives with

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each one. From the telltale heart with the pale blue

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eye to the mask of the red death with the

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cocktail of the red death. It's playing 16 U.S. stops

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this fall. Chapter 2 has four different tales and four

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new cocktails and tickets start at $ 55 for guests 21

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and up. Sold only on Fever. Beetle House LA is

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back for Halloween with a $ 30 retro party in commerce.

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Beetle House LA, the everyday is Halloween bar and restaurant

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that announced last year was closing its Hollywood Boulevard home,

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is back for one more spooky season. October 8th through

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November 7th at the Compound in Commerce. This year's version

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replaces the $ 65 pre-fix dinner with a party that you roam.

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$ 30 timed 90-minute sessions with spooky street food, smoking cocktails,

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a DJ, sideshow acts, apple bobbing, and trick-or-treating. No walk-ins.

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Eventbrite only. Halloween at Area 15 Las Vegas 2026. Every

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October event. Area 15, the Las Vegas district that houses

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Universal Horrors Unleashed, List nine Halloween events in October from

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Five Nights at Poe Theatre to Scary F15, Strange Circus Massive,

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an 18 and over party across three venues on Halloween

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night from $ 34. Two of the events are free and

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a Halloween family rave on Universal Unleashed's patio starts at $ 16.

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mall of america halloween twenty twenty six eleven family events

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and the first nick at fright and indoor trick-or-treating families

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have eleven programs to choose from at the mall of

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america in bloomington minnesota this year and one haunted house

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New this year is Nick at Fright, two nights of

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character parades and a live DJ inside Nickelodeon Universe on

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00:27:24.269 --> 00:27:28.289
October 23rd and 24th. The Magic of Halloween, a $ 10

430
00:27:28.250 --> 00:27:31.759
walkthrough pumpkin display and photo spots with no scares, sold

431
00:27:31.839 --> 00:27:34.940
next to the Twin Cities Fearfest haunted house. The season

432
00:27:35.000 --> 00:27:40.299
closes with Mauloween, store-to-store trick-or-treating on October 31st. Spirit of

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00:27:40.359 --> 00:27:44.690
Halloween Town 2026, a Halloween Town cast reunion with the

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00:27:44.750 --> 00:27:48.690
real Halloween Town. St. Helens, Oregon, where Disney Channel filmed

435
00:27:48.710 --> 00:27:52.250
Halloween Town, is running its Spirit of Halloween Town festival

436
00:27:52.329 --> 00:27:55.210
every weekend through November 1st, and three of the movie's

437
00:27:55.269 --> 00:27:58.880
cast members are back for a reunion October 17th and 18th,

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00:27:59.099 --> 00:28:03.200
with Judith Hoag and following weekend. The downtown plaza, street vendors,

439
00:28:03.259 --> 00:28:06.039
and food are free. and the ticketed attractions need an

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00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:10.220
access pass. Photo ops of the cast are $ 85 plus fees.

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00:28:10.500 --> 00:28:14.920
Europa Park Halloween 2026. What Halloween looks like at Germany's

442
00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:18.609
largest theme park day and night. Europa Park in Rust,

443
00:28:18.789 --> 00:28:22.849
Germany runs Halloween as two events. By day through November 1st,

444
00:28:23.089 --> 00:28:26.769
the park is decorated with 180,000 pumpkins, and puts on

445
00:28:26.829 --> 00:28:30.430
Halloween shows including a vampire circus on ice, all included

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00:28:30.519 --> 00:28:33.660
as a regular day ticket. At night, through November 7th,

447
00:28:33.799 --> 00:28:37.319
part of the park becomes Traumatica, a horror event for

448
00:28:37.380 --> 00:28:40.420
guests 16 and older with 8 scare attractions and a

449
00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:44.200
new full-contact haunt called The Hotel, in a separate ticket

450
00:28:44.279 --> 00:28:49.450
from € 45. Traumatica started in 2007 as Terenzi Horror Nights,

451
00:28:49.609 --> 00:28:52.859
draws more than 70,000 guests a season, and won the

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00:28:52.920 --> 00:28:58.559
established Haunt Award for HAA's 2025 Oscars Awards. Hong Kong

453
00:28:58.599 --> 00:29:04.829
Halloween 2026. Cosplay street parties in five districts on October 17th, 24th,

454
00:29:04.880 --> 00:29:07.750
and 31st. Hong Kong is holding its first Halloween month

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00:29:07.769 --> 00:29:12.210
with cosplay street parties in five districts on October 17th, 24th,

456
00:29:12.390 --> 00:29:15.150
and 31st, and free rides on party trams and an

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00:29:15.349 --> 00:29:18.509
open-top bus for anyone in costume. The Hong Kong Tourism

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00:29:18.529 --> 00:29:21.950
Board program runs alongside Halloween at Hong Kong, Disneyland, and

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00:29:22.049 --> 00:29:26.880
Ocean Park, both through November 1st. Spirit Halloween costumes for 2026.

460
00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:30.480
The 11 trends Spirit named and what each one costs.

461
00:29:30.700 --> 00:29:34.069
Toy Story, K-Pop, Demon Hunters, and Spider-Man costumes are among

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00:29:34.089 --> 00:29:37.869
the 11 trends Spirit Halloween named for 2026. The list,

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00:29:37.930 --> 00:29:42.480
released October 1st, also includes VIPs. jackets, an off-campus hockey

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00:29:42.519 --> 00:29:46.900
romance line, Greek armor, Fortnite and Halo, a dungeon crawler

465
00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:50.440
Carl look built around boxers and Crocs, and a horror

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00:29:50.500 --> 00:29:55.180
trend Spirit describes as viral internet horrors, blood-curdling new school cinema,

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00:29:55.349 --> 00:30:00.410
and relentless slashers, illustrated with It, Saw, and Backroom's costumes.

468
00:30:00.589 --> 00:30:03.650
Spirits Announcements has no prices, so our story lists what

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00:30:03.670 --> 00:30:07.180
the site charged on October 3rd. Dog Halloween is having

470
00:30:07.220 --> 00:30:11.420
a moment in 2026. Glow harnesses to viral ghost dogs.

471
00:30:11.660 --> 00:30:14.680
This fall, the Pet Isle is full of Halloween glow-in-the-dark

472
00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:18.789
dog harnesses, viral ghost ghost dog yard decorations, and bacon

473
00:30:18.829 --> 00:30:23.089
shaped treats all have arrived for 2026 and Joyride Dogs

474
00:30:23.190 --> 00:30:27.589
just added a limited edition glow-in-the-dark collection to the pile. Joyride,

475
00:30:27.849 --> 00:30:32.529
a direct-to-consumer harness brand, launched its 2026 Halloween collection with

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00:30:32.589 --> 00:30:36.970
glow-in-the-dark harnesses and matching leashes. The lineup includes black skulls

477
00:30:37.029 --> 00:30:41.779
and pink skulls designs plus limited edition Fossil Frenzy, midnight web,

478
00:30:41.900 --> 00:30:45.140
and bat season patterns. The appeal is not only the look.

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00:30:45.220 --> 00:30:47.839
The harnesses glow in the dark and have full wraparound

480
00:30:47.900 --> 00:30:51.130
reflective panels, which is a real advantage for walking or

481
00:30:51.170 --> 00:30:56.170
trick-or-treating with a dog after sunset. Spirit Christmas locations 2026,

482
00:30:56.170 --> 00:30:59.829
every store and when it opens. Spirit Christmas has 43

483
00:30:59.829 --> 00:31:03.789
stores in its 2026 locator as of September 26th in

484
00:31:03.789 --> 00:31:07.880
15 states, and 38 are Spirit Halloween stores reopening for

485
00:31:07.890 --> 00:31:12.140
the holidays. Those 38 closes Spirit Halloween on October 31st

486
00:31:12.220 --> 00:31:15.700
and open as Spirit Christmas on November 6th per Spirit's

487
00:31:15.740 --> 00:31:19.880
store pages. Five Christmas-only stores open first on October 14th

488
00:31:19.920 --> 00:31:25.950
and 15th. Spirit's Christmas shop splits into decor, animatronics, inflatables, nutcrackers,

489
00:31:26.009 --> 00:31:29.450
and costumes and apparel with a holiday costume section, and

490
00:31:29.470 --> 00:31:32.930
an ugly Christmas section. It also carries the Nightmare Before

491
00:31:32.990 --> 00:31:37.319
Christmas decor. Three of Halloween Wars' pumpkin carvers run real-life

492
00:31:37.619 --> 00:31:41.460
live carving and haunt businesses. The Food Network's Halloween Wars

493
00:31:41.500 --> 00:31:45.880
Season 16, Back from the Dead, brings back all-star pumpkin carvers,

494
00:31:45.980 --> 00:31:49.569
cake artists, and sugar masters, some defending former titles and

495
00:31:49.690 --> 00:31:52.829
others hunting for redemption. The pumpkin carving side of Halloween

496
00:31:52.849 --> 00:31:55.829
Wars is where the show crosses into our haunt industry world.

497
00:31:55.970 --> 00:31:59.890
Paulina Stovall, who took the Season 15 title with Poisonous Perfection,

498
00:32:00.170 --> 00:32:04.099
runs Carved FX, a San Jose company that stages live

499
00:32:04.180 --> 00:32:08.660
carving and immersive displays for events and haunt-style installations. David

500
00:32:08.759 --> 00:32:12.009
Pablo Smith in Boo Crew says, is a world champion

501
00:32:12.190 --> 00:32:16.269
ice sculptor who won the 2017 spin-off Halloween Wars. Hayride

502
00:32:16.309 --> 00:32:19.779
of horror Brian Tater Edwards captains the Howlers out of

503
00:32:19.839 --> 00:32:24.200
central Ohio. Halloween Wars Season 16 premiered Sunday, September 13th,

504
00:32:24.259 --> 00:32:27.319
and episodes stream the next day on HBO Max. Food

505
00:32:27.380 --> 00:32:30.710
Network has not published a full episode schedule or finale

506
00:32:30.750 --> 00:32:33.829
date at this time. Dairy Queen's first ever Halloween collection

507
00:32:33.869 --> 00:32:37.750
has a purple ube oreo blizzard and a $ 4 mystery plush.

508
00:32:37.910 --> 00:32:41.269
Dairy Queen's first Halloween collection comes with a purple ube-flavoured

509
00:32:41.390 --> 00:32:44.890
oreo blizzard, a sparkling blood orange lemonade that foams as

510
00:32:44.930 --> 00:32:48.349
you stir it, and ghost pepper dipping sauce, with a

511
00:32:48.349 --> 00:32:51.829
$ 4 mystery plush keychain. The plush keychains are shaped like

512
00:32:51.910 --> 00:32:56.970
little blizzard cups with five designs. Blizzabeth, Flipblenda, Brrrrny, and

513
00:32:57.019 --> 00:33:00.140
the rare gold one named Goldie. If you unwrap Goldie,

514
00:33:00.180 --> 00:33:03.140
you win Blizzard's treats for a year. The prize is

515
00:33:03.200 --> 00:33:07.059
a sweepstakes and it ends October 31st. Spellbound series menu

516
00:33:07.140 --> 00:33:11.890
items run September 28th through November 1st at participating US locations.

517
00:33:12.089 --> 00:33:14.990
Hidden Valley's new spooky ranch is black and the bottle

518
00:33:15.029 --> 00:33:17.630
glows in the dark. Hidden Valley turned its ranch black

519
00:33:17.650 --> 00:33:20.940
for Halloween. Spooky Ranch out today for $ 3. 97 only at

520
00:33:20.980 --> 00:33:23.829
Walmart is the brand's original ranch flavor in a pitch

521
00:33:23.869 --> 00:33:26.549
black dressing and the bottle glows in the dark. Hidden

522
00:33:26.569 --> 00:33:29.609
Valley says Spooky Ranch has the same classic creamy taste

523
00:33:29.690 --> 00:33:32.460
as its original ranch. The company says the black colour

524
00:33:32.519 --> 00:33:35.779
comes from fruit juice and cocoa with no artificial flavours.

525
00:33:36.220 --> 00:33:39.240
Cup Noodles' new Vampire Noodles turn blood red in hot

526
00:33:39.299 --> 00:33:42.359
water and there's a matching casket. Cup Noodles is getting

527
00:33:42.400 --> 00:33:45.720
spooky this season with a new Halloween flavour, the Vampire Noodles,

528
00:33:45.900 --> 00:33:48.609
out today for $ 1. 18 at Walmart. It is a hot

529
00:33:48.710 --> 00:33:52.029
garlic chicken ramen in which natural beet colouring turns the

530
00:33:52.069 --> 00:33:55.299
noodles red once hot water is added. Some upcoming events

531
00:33:55.319 --> 00:33:58.940
September through November of 2026 include our Creep It Real

532
00:33:59.099 --> 00:34:04.099
OC Festive November 20th to 22nd in Santa Ana, California.

533
00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:07.660
And that's all for the news this week. Today's episode

534
00:34:07.700 --> 00:34:11.449
was produced by me, Philip Hernandez, with reporting by Daryl Plunke,

535
00:34:12.030 --> 00:34:15.409
post-production by David Swope. This Haunt News Update is a

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00:34:15.449 --> 00:34:18.389
production of the Haunted Attraction Network, and you can sign

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00:34:18.429 --> 00:34:22.599
up to our weekly newsletter at hauntedattractionnetwork.com. Support for this

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00:34:22.679 --> 00:34:26.630
episode comes from Gantam Lighting and Controls. Until next time, haunters,

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00:34:27.409 --> 00:34:34.139
stay scary. This is a Haunted Attraction Network production.

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