Want to experience scares or do you like a more mild Halloween at Hersheypark? Hersheypark Halloween has Halloween fun for everyone! With the scary Dark Nights to the family friendly Hersheypark Halloween-they have it all. In this post I am sharing what to expect at Hersehypark Halloween and how to plan your visit.
Visiting Hersheypark during the Halloween is a fun season to experience the park. One of the things I really love about the Halloween event at Hersheypark is they offer two expereinces in one park.
Hersheypark Halloween includes family friendly activities, immersive haunt experiences, sweet treats through out the park and the popular Dark Nights are back!
Dark Nights is for those looking for big scares at the sweetest place on Earth. Hersheypark Halloween is for kids and adults looking for less scary Halloween fun.
Hersheypark Halloween Dates 2025
Hersheypark Halloween starts September 12th.
Hersheypark Halloween Ticket Pricing
Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights are included with the general admission ticket. Prices start at $54.99 and can be found here.
All tickets include unlimited access to all of your favorite rides as well as all 5 Dark Nights haunted house, 4 scare zones, lights-out rides on Wildcat’s Revenge and over 50 of the Hersheypark attractions.
Kid Friendly Hersheypark Halloween
Hersheypark Halloween is a family fun seasonal event hosted throughout Hersheypark, Hershey’s Chocolate World, and ZooAmerica. It features over 50+ rides and attractions to enjoy alongside Halloween special events.
Guests that enjoy roller coasters can experience lights-out during the last hour of park opening on Wildcat’s Revenge, Candymonium, Comet, and Lightning Racer. Laff-Trakk will be lights out all day long!
The fan favorite, Treatville Trick-or-Treat Trail will include sweet stops at Hershey’s Chocolate World and the Boardwalk at Hersheypark. This is for guests with children 12 and younger.
This trail was always a favorite for us. Featuring fun Halloween décor and photo-ops. Treatville will close at 8:00pm.
Creatures of the Night at ZooAmerica features a nighttime flashlight tour that is included with your admission to Hersheypark Halloween.
We love meeting the characters dressed up for Halloween and this year guests can enjoy a Hershey Characters Glow Dance Party. This will be in the Music Box Theater area nightly at 8:30pm.
The characters at Hershey are so fantastic and engaging with the kids. Meeting the characters was always a special moment at Hersheypark.
If you child doesn’t like scares don’t worry. There will be a bypass area after 6:00pm to avoid the scarier areas at Dark Nights. As a family we do not like haunted houses or scary things, so I am very glad they are offering a way to avoid the scary stuff.
When you visit expect to walk a lot! There are treat stops at Hershey Chocolate World, Hersheypark, and ZooAmerica. Each place is unique and worth spending your time.
One of the things I really like about the trick or treating at Hersheypark is TreatVille. At Hersheypark they have a designated area to trick or treat.
This allows you to line up once and not miss any of the spots. The people are dressed up and the theme throughout the area is really cute.
Kids are welcome to dress up in Halloween costumes for the Halloween event. When we visited we saw a mix of people dressed up in costume and some not. Keep in mind the weather can get chilly in the evenings.
Dark Nights
Dark Nights will be for guests wanting a scare this Halloween at Hersheypark. Featuring 4 scare zones and 5 haunted houses, this will be an incredible experience for those who like the scarier side of Halloween.
The 4 scare zones will be included with general admission to Hersheypark Halloween. Guests must purchase the Dark Nights add-on for access to the Haunted Houses.
Here is a description of the Haunted Houses from Hersheypark:
- Kill n’ Fill (New for 2025): Enter the grease-stained mechanics bay, weave around twisted wreckage in the body shop, and wade through the blood slicked car wash.
- Estate of Evil : Guests wander through a 13 room mansion with live in wait staff. Explore the gardens and game room.
- Auntie Mortem’s Abattoir: Ethel Mortem, known as Auntie to the community, is a second-generation meat processor running the family business with the help of her sinister nieces and nephews. Trucks keep coming to feed the machine, but the bones tell a more sinister story. Farm to table has never been more gruesome when Auntie is planning the menu.
- Haunted Coal Mine: Curse Of The Tommyknockers – It’s not only the past miners that haunt these shafts but the evil Tommyknockers who must protect their gold by any means necessary. You escaped their mines once before, but will you be so lucky this time? The fear doesn’t come from where you’re trapped but who you’re trapped with.
- Twisted Carnevil – The darkness of the tent was truly a never-ending carnevil of nightmares. The nightmare continues with venomous twists and turns that will hypnotize some and paralyze others.
Also part of Dark Nights, midways will transform into four Scare Zones each evening.
- Fallout Zone: Rogue radioactive material has begun to emit an eerie green fog. Crews are scrubbing the midway to isolate, contain, and neutralize any threats. You may avoid the fallout, but can you escape the madness from those within?
- Midway Of Misery: Misery loves company…the Decayed Brigade welcomes new sliders from the underworld with more corners to lurk in and ground to cover. Beware to those who flock to the flames: you never know who (or what) is waiting beyond the arch.
- Darkstone’s Hollow: Ousted from his own show, Darkstone is now caged for all to see and the showmen that hawked his traveling mythical collection now frantically seek shelter from the creatures that have claimed The Hollow as their own.
- Path of Shadows Covens Curse: Beware of the 3 witches in this scare zone.
Speciality Dining
Hersheypark creates new beverages and food options for the Halloween event. Spirits Rooftop Bar takes over The Chocolatier for a ghoulish night. Featuring specialty cocktails, eats, and rooftop viewing of classic horror films.
Avenue of the Afterlife is located inside Hersheypark and offers another place to dine amongst the ghost that wander the fog.
Tips for Hersheypark Halloween
- Arrive 15 minutes before opening. You will be required to go through bag check to enter the park. As you enter the park you want to ride the busiest attractions first if possible. Those are Laff Trakk, Reese’s Cupfusion, Wildcat’s Revenge and Candymonium.
- Hersheypark is a huge park. Before you arrive take a look at the attractions and locations on the park map. It will be a big help for you to know which direction you are going as you enter.
- After you ride the busiest attraction take time to do the Trick or Treat trail or Scare Zones. If you are taking advantage of preview day plan to get a lot of the rides done and then do the Halloween activities.
- Purchase tickets online to save money.
- Feel free to dress up. There was a good mix of kids in costumes. Make sure you consider the size of costumes for riding rides.
- If you have a child with food allergies they do offer alternative candies.
- Be sure to check in with your kids about the scare zones. You know your child best about what kind of scares they like.
- Guests can purchase a No-Boo necklace to wear in the scare zones and haunted houses to alert workers that you do not want to be scared. This can help with a kid who is unsure about how brave they will be, or an adult who doesn’t like jump scares.
Hersheypark Halloween is a great Halloween event in Hershey, PA. It has something for families of all ages making it a great place to enjoy some spooky, or not so spooky, Halloween fun.
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Leah has been traveling with her family of 5 since 2012 and sharing her expertise on planning family vacations and visiting theme parks since 2016. Leah has been featured in Visit Rochester, Undercover Tourist, and Home Publications. She has worked with brands like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Hersheypark, Toyota, and various Tourism boards and destinations. Leah creates family travel itineraries based on real trip experiences with her family. Her guides and tips help others plan great family vacations. Learn more about Leah and Five for the Road.
I really want to take a trip to Hershey! I really appreciate parks that let you enter late in the day and use the tickets again the next day. That’s especially helpful for families with kids that might need to leave during the day for a nap!
Yes! We love that perk too! It makes it a lot less rushed day. We end up getting a lot done the day before. Hershey is great to visit any time of year!
I havent been to hershey park since i was a kid! No wait, we took my friends kids there once, around the December holidays. Might have to go back soon with my own kids! They would love all the candy! I really cant think of a better place to trick or treat!
I loved visiting during the December holidays! You should take the kids this year!