Guide to Hersheypark Halloween For Families 2026

The Halloween season at Hersheypark amusement park is here! Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights presented by Reese's and Kit Kat® runs for eight weekends from Sept. 12 through Nov. 1, 2026, with thrills both day and night.

Hersheypark Halloween—recognized as one of the top Halloween events in the country by USA TODAY 10Best—delivers plenty of daytime fun for families before the immersive haunt experiences start at 6 p.m. Visitors can enjoy kid-friendly rides, sweet trick-or-treat stops, festive Hershey Character meet-and-greets, and much more. Families visiting with little ghouls and goblins can rely on this guide of family-friendly things to do at Hersheypark Halloween to help plan their perfect spooky season visit.

1. Rides for Every Age Group

Hersheypark Halloween tickets include access to 50 rides, weather and maintenance permitting. The park caters to every Hershey height group, offering more than 40 family and kiddie attractions along with more than a dozen thrilling coasters.

Thrill seekers in the family are in for a real treat, as the lights go out for dark rides on Candymonium, Comet, Lightning Racer and Wildcat's Revenge during the last hour of Hersheypark Halloween operation. For even more Halloween fun, Laff Trakk will feature lights-out rides during the entire operating day.

This event also serves as the final opportunity to experience select high-thrill coasters before they undergo winter maintenance in preparation for the 2027 season.

Please note that select family and kiddie attractions—including Granny Bugs, Monorail, Music Express, Pony Parade, Red Baron, Sweet Swing, Tea Cups and Trailblazer—may close at 5 p.m. prior to Dark Nights. Visitors are encouraged to download the Hersheypark mobile app to check real-time attraction availability and view the park map.

2. Trick-or-Treating for Kids (12 and Under)

There’s no sweeter place to trick-or-treat than Hersheypark! Children ages 12 and under can put on their favorite Halloween costumes* and explore 14 fun-filled candy stops along the Hershey's Trick Or Treat Trail. The trail starts with four stops at Hershey’s Chocolate World Attraction and continues into The Boardwalk At Hersheypark region, where 10 additional stops await in Treatville.

Treatville opens at 6 p.m. on Fridays and at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and closes each operating evening at 8:30 p.m., including Halloween night on Saturday, Oct. 31. The path begins at The Boardwalk main entrance across from Fallout Zone and Estate of Evil and winds throughout the water park with fun photo spots and a festive hay maze.

*Costume Policy

• All guests: Costumes that may cause confusion between the Dark Nights actors and guests are not permitted. Additionally, except as otherwise noted below, costumes are permitted on attractions provided they do not interfere with the restraint system, proper riding position, or cause a hazard to guests, employees, and/or the attraction. The loose articles policy for each attraction can be found under the “Additional Restrictions/Accessibility” link located on the information pages for each attraction on Hersheypark’s website, in the Rider Safety & Accessibility Guide, and on the Height Signs located at each attraction. Failure to adhere to the Hersheypark Costume Policy may result in the costume not being permitted or guest removal from the Park.
• Guests age 12 and under: Costumes and costume masks that provide unobstructed peripheral vision at all times with openings that allow the eyes to be fully seen may be worn. Costume masks are not allowed to be worn on any attractions. Having a fully painted face is permitted. This applies to guests who come to Hersheypark in makeup and also to guests who have their faces painted by the Park’s face painters.
• Guests age 13 and older: Costumes may be worn but must be family-friendly and may not be obstructive, offensive, revealing, objectionable, violent, or otherwise disrupt the general safety of guests or employees. Costumes may not contain any props or accessories that resemble or could easily be mistaken for an actual weapon. Costumes may not contain sharp objects, pointed objects or materials that may accidentally strike another guest. Layered costumes or costume props that surround the entire body are strongly discouraged and may be subject to additional security screening. Costumes may not drag on the ground as they could be a trip hazard. Costume masks are not permitted, but guests may have up to half of their face painted provided that it does not alter their identity.

3. All-New Monster Meet & Shriek

New this year, guests can come face-to-face with the monsters of Dark Nights during the Monster Meet & Shriek inside the Chevrolet Music Box Theatre. Offered every Hersheypark Halloween operating day from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., this family-friendly entertainment experience lets guests of all ages meet and pose for photos with featured monsters from the haunted houses and scare zones. Guests are welcome to take their own photos, but a dedicated Photo Pass photographer is also available on-site to capture spooky memories.

Daily character appearances are noted in the Hersheypark app but are subject to change based on availability.

4. Sweet Greets with Hershey Characters

Hersheypark is the only amusement park where guests can snap selfies with Hershey Characters dressed in Halloween costumes. Sweet Greet opportunities are offered at Hershey’s Hangout with Hershey Bar and Miss Kiss, and at Reese's Cuphouse with Reese and JR. Check the Hersheypark app for full schedule details, and remember to share your pictures on social media using #HersheyparkHalloween!

5. Scare-Free Avenue of the Afterlife

For guests who want to experience the Dark Nights thrills without any chills, there's no need to fear! Families can take a walk down the Avenue of the Afterlife, conveniently located in The Boardwalk. This scare-free zone is the place to dance, dine and celebrate the season with a crew of family-friendly creatures. Guests can purchase exclusive food, watch the Acro Duo jugglers and stilt walkers, and join a DJ Dance Party, now featuring select Hershey Characters - all while skipping the scares!

6. Our Friends From The Sea Show

Parkgoers can see California sea lions and Atlantic harbor seals during the Our Friends From The Sea show in the Aquatheatre at 2 and 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Please note there are no shows on Fridays.

7. 60+ Seasonal Food and Drink Options

Visitors often come for the rides, but they stay for the sweet treats at Hersheypark, and Halloween is no exception. Hersheypark offers a taste of fall with more than 60 limited-time snacks, savory eats and specialty drinks during Hersheypark Halloween. Instagram-worthy items include Flamin' Hot Cheetos Corn Dog Nuggets, a Brisket Cuban Sandwich and three Halloween-themed King Size Shakes—signature milkshakes topped with baked goods celebrating a decade of popularity in 2026!

Additionally, guests sample a variety of scary-good culinary offerings available during Dark Nights with the Hersheypark Halloween Tasting Pass. The pass lets visitors eat their way through Hersheypark by choosing up to five specialty items from more than 30 food and drink options. Priced at $39.99 plus tax, it can be purchased online prior to a trip or at Guest Services locations in the Park.

The Hersheypark Halloween Tasting Pass is $39.99 and can be purchased online or in-person at Guest Services locations. New this year, Tasting Passes are digital only for guest convenience. Guests will receive a barcode via email that can be easily scanned five times.

Explore our 2026 Foodie Guide to Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights to plan your culinary adventure through Hersheypark.

8. Haunted Houses and Scare Zones

If your family wants to give the scares a try, Dark Nights returns for its fifth year with an expanded lineup of frightful fun starting at 6 p.m. Admission to Dark Nights is included with a Hersheypark Halloween ticket or 2026 Hersheypark Season Pass, granting access to five haunted houses with varying levels of intensity and five spine-tingling scare zones.

New in 2026, brave visitors can follow the fractured tracks of the Reese’s Depot Of Doom scare zone. But they must beware. The freight yard may look abandoned, but it comes alive at night with shadowy trespassers starving for company. Navigate the fog-drenched boxcars with caution. Will you escape the Depot, or will you be doomed forever?

Note: Some aspects of the experience may be too intense for children younger than 13. Parental discretion and guidance are advised.

9. Creatures Of The Night at ZooAmerica (Starting Oct. 16)

Guests should bring their flashlight and curiosity, because ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park is getting in on the Halloween action with Creatures Of The Night! The Zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. this fall, with the Creatures Of The Night event running Fridays through Sundays from Oct. 16 to Nov. 1. The Halloween-themed experience from 6-9 p.m. is the only time of year that ZooAmerica is open after dark for visitors to explore the 11-acre Zoo by flashlight, see their favorite nocturnal animals under the cover of nightfall and enjoy educational activities.

ZooAmerica is included in the one-price admission to Hersheypark Halloween when accessed from the bridge inside Hersheypark during posted Park hours. Guests interested in visiting ZooAmerica before Hersheypark opens will have to purchase a separate Zoo admission.

10. Overnight Fall Getaway

Visitors looking to treat the family to a Halloween weekend in The Sweetest Place On Earth can book the perfect fall getaway at The Official Resorts of Hersheypark, with rates available online.

The Hotel Hershey, Hershey Lodge, and the all-new Hershey Inn & Suites offer several Halloween packages, including a Dark Nights package featuring two nights of deluxe accommodations, a two-day Hersheypark ticket, breakfast each day, Hersheypark Halloween Tasting Passes and Dark Nights Haunted House Fast Track Passes for each guest.

All resort guests receive FREE Resort Benefits, including the best price on Hersheypark tickets, extra hours at the Park with Preview Plan and free front-gate shuttle service to our exclusive resort drop-off location.

Save On Halloween Visits

Hersheypark Halloween admission includes access to the Dark Nights haunted houses and scare zones, more than 50 rides and attractions, Hersheypark Halloween entertainment and much more fun for the whole family. Hersheypark Halloween pre-sale tickets are available now, starting at $36.99 when you pick your day on www.Hersheypark.com. One-Day Any Day Halloween tickets are also available for $54.99, giving guests the flexibility to visit on any Hersheypark Halloween public operating day. Current 2026 Season Pass Holders can enjoy unlimited visits to Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights.