Explore haunted attractions, theme parks, and vacation spots across Arizona, Southern California, and Las Vegas. From ghost tours and escape rooms to family trips to Disneyland and Universal Studios, dive into reviews and articles on entertainment, nostalgia, and the paranormal. Whether you're chasing thrills or uncovering eerie legends, this blog is your gateway to unforgettable adventures.
Get ready to trick-or-treat at this not so scary event on select nights in September and October 2017. The Anaheim, CA Disneyland Halloween event features Trick-or-Treating, a Halloween Parade, spectacular fireworks, and photo ops with some popular Disney Villains.
Sold Out: Tickets for this event are no longer available for online purchase.
Purchase of a separate event admission ticket is required to join the Halloween fun.
(NEW in 2017) Your ticket lets you enjoy both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park for up to 3 hours before Mickey’s Halloween Party starts.
Then you’ll be treated to 5 hours of Trick or Treating fun at Disneyland Park with Halloween themed attractions, Character Greetings, fireworks, the Ride of the Headless Horseman and more.
Ride of the Headless Horseman: The haunted herald leads a Frightfully Fun Parade down Disney's Main Street, U.S.A..
Halloween Screams: Fireworks celebration.
Trick-or-treat stations: Offer a safe and fun environment to Trick Or Treat for candy and healthy goodies (loved the apple crisps treats when went).
Meet Disney Villains: A chance to meet, greet and pose with some Disney Characters decked out in Halloween costumes.
Watch the zombie barbershop quartet perform a host of spook-tacular hits. Ghosts ‘n’ Guests alike can sing.
From September 15, 2017 through early January 2018, the Haunted Mansion will be transformed with jack o’ lanterns and wreaths, terrifying toys and kooky characters from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.
New for Mickey’s 2017 Halloween Party: Souvenir Disney PhotoPass photos taken during the event.
Trick-or-Treating at Mickey’s Halloween Party
At Mickey’s Halloween Party, you’ll be handed a small souvenir treat bag to collect your night’s candy collection. Use a special map or the Disneyland app and follow along designated Treat Trails to locate the trick-or-treat stations and claim your Halloween treats, no costume required.
Disneyland Halloween Parade
The Headless Horseman will rise from the shadowy depths of Sleepy Hollow this Halloween Season as he holds a flickering jack-o-lantern to lead a procession of Halloween festive friends down Main Street, U.S.A..
Mickey’s Halloween Party Dates and Times
6:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Friday, September 22, 2017
Monday, September 25, 2017
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Friday, September 29, 2017
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Friday, October 6, 2017
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Friday, October 13, 2017
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Friday, October 20, 2017
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Friday, October 27, 2017
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights 2017
If you’re a horror fan looking for the ultimate Halloween experience, Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights 2017 is the must-visit haunted event in California. With movie-quality haunted houses, terrifying mazes, scare zones, and the infamous Terror Tram, it’s a spine-chilling adventure you don’t want to miss.
This Halloween Horror Nights survival guide covers ticket prices, crowd tips, must-see mazes, showtimes, and insider hacks to help you maximize your experience and avoid long wait times.
One of the most terrifying parts of Universal's Halloween Horror Nights
is the fear of not getting to experience all of the mazes due to long
lines. So here are some tips.
🗓️ Halloween Horror Nights 2017 – Dates & Best Times to Visit
📍 Location: Universal Studios Hollywood, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608 🎟️ Event Dates: Select nights from September 15 – November 4, 2017 ⏳ Event Hours:7:00 PM – 2:00 AM (Arrive by 5:00 PM for early entry)
📅 Least Crowded Days to Visit:
✅ Best days to go: Sundays & Thursdays (lowest crowds & cheaper tickets). ✅ Best month to go:September & early November (discounted tickets & fewer visitors).
🚫 Peak Nights to Avoid:
❌ Most crowded nights: October 7, 14, 21, 27, 28, 29, 31 ❌ Saturdays & Fridays – Expect maximum crowds & highest ticket prices.
Halloween Horror Nights requires a separate ticket from regular park admission.
👻 General Admission Tickets
💰 Price Range:$65 – $95 🕰️ Includes: Admission to all haunted houses, scare zones & rides.
🎟️ Front of Line Pass (Express Pass)
💰 Price Range:$169 – $219 ✅ Skip the line ONCE per maze/ride – Highly recommended for crowded nights. ⚠️ Limited availability – Sell out FAST! Buy in advance.
🎫 Day/Night Combo Ticket
💰 Price Range:$95 – $139 (General Admission) | $199 – $259 (Front of Line) 🌞 Enter Universal Studios at 2:00 PM, explore daytime attractions, then stay for Halloween Horror Nights. 🚨 Must-see before 5 PM: Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem (CLOSED at night).
Universal Studios is famous for movie-themed haunted houses that bring iconic horror films to life.
👹 2017 Haunted Maze Lineup:
🎥 The Shining – Experience Jack Torrance’s madness in the Overlook Hotel. ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5) 🔪 SAW: The Games of Jigsaw – Face twisted traps straight from the SAW movies. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 – Best maze!) 👻 Insidious: Beyond the Further – A psychological horror experience. ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5) 🧛 American Horror Story: Roanoke – Inspired by the AHS Roanoke season. ⭐⭐⭐☆ (3/5) ⚔️ Titans of Terror – Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Leatherface & Chucky all in one maze! ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5) 🧟 The Walking Dead – Year-round attraction, do this last. ⭐⭐⭐☆ (3/5) 🧙 Ash Vs. Evil Dead – A mix of comedy & horror. ⭐⭐☆☆☆ (2/5 – Least scary maze) 🧛 The Horrors of Blumhouse – Features The Purge, Sinister & Happy Death Day. ⭐⭐⭐☆ (3/5)
📢 Pro Tip: Start at the Lower Lot first—mazes fill up fast.
😈 Scare Zones – Where You Can’t Escape the Fear
Universal Studios Hollywood has three terrifying scare zones.
🔥 Urban Inferno – Hellfire & demonic creatures. 🎃 Hell-O-Ween – A twisted Halloween-themed nightmare. ☣️ Toxic Tunnel – Radioactive mutants in an underground tunnel.
🚨 Warning: There’s no safe zone at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights—monsters can chase you anywhere!
🚌 Terror Tram – Titans of Terror Take Over the Backlot!
🔪 Hosted by Chucky, featuring Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees & Leatherface. ⏳ Experience time: ~1 hour (not recommended as first attraction). 🚨 Last ride times:11:15 PM (Sun-Thurs) | 11:45 PM (Fri, Sat, Halloween Night).
📢 Pro Tip: Visit the Terror Tram later in the night when wait times drop.
🎤 Halloween Horror Nights Show – Jabbawockeez
🔥 Jabbawockeez Dance Show – High-energy dance, music, and visual effects. ❌ Skip this show if you’re short on time—focus on the mazes first!
🎡 Open Rides During Halloween Horror Nights
✅ OPEN RIDES:
Jurassic Park: In the Dark
Transformers 3D
Revenge of the Mummy
The Simpsons Ride
🚨 CLOSED RIDES: Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Minion Mayhem, Studio Tour.
📢 Pro Tip:Do NOT waste time on rides until you’ve finished the haunted houses!
🚗 Parking at Universal Studios During Halloween Horror Nights
💰 Parking Costs:
General Parking: $25 before 6 PM, $10 after.
Preferred Parking: $35
Front Gate Parking: $50
🚶 Walking Distance From Parking Lots:
Curious George & E.T. Garages – 15-20 min walk (General Parking).
Jurassic Park & Woody Woodpecker – 8-10 min walk (Preferred Parking).
Frankenstein Garage – 5 min walk (Front Gate Parking).
📢 Pro Tip:Arrive early to park closer & avoid long walks late at night!
📌 Final Halloween Horror Nights Survival Tips
✔️ Arrive by 5 PM for early entry. ✔️ Start with Lower Lot Mazes before moving to Upper Lot. ✔️ Buy Front of Line Pass if visiting on a busy night. ✔️ Skip rides until after haunted houses. ✔️ Wear comfortable shoes – You’ll be walking a LOT. ✔️ Stay hydrated & eat before you arrive (no outside food allowed).
🔥 Don’t Miss Universal Studios Hollywood’s Biggest Halloween Event!
Halloween Horror Nights 2017 is one of the best Halloween events in California! Whether you're a horror movie fan, thrill-seeker, or just love a good scare, Universal Studios delivers an unforgettable Halloween experience.
👻 What’s your favorite haunted house at Halloween Horror Nights? Let us know in the comments below!
Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights 2017 just released the last 2 Haunted Maze themes! All 4 Chapters of Insidious are coming to Halloween Horror Nights as well as the Horrors of Blumhouse which is a combination of 3 films: The Purge, Sinister, and the soon to be released Happy Death Day.
Insidious: Beyond the Further
This Haunted House is based on all 4 films in the Insidious franchise, including the upcoming "Insidious: The Last Key". I have personally never seen the movies. So for those of you in the same boat, here is a short synopsis of the movies:
Chapter 1: A family is in search of help for their son (Dalton) who fell into a coma after a mysterious incident in the attic, there is much more to this endless sleep than meets the eye.
Chapter 2: The haunted Lambert family seeks to uncover the mysterious childhood secret that left them dangerously connected to the spirit world.
Chapter 3: A prequel set before the haunting of the Lambert family that reveals how gifted psychic Elise Rainier reluctantly agrees to use her ability to contact the dead to help a teenage girl in danger from a supernatural entity.
This maze takes you deep inside the past of Dr. Elise Rainer, a brilliant parapsychologist from the 3rd movie. The story of this maze includes some story from her childhood when her paranormal abilities first emerged and takes you through her mother's untimely death by a demonic entity.
Find yourself troubled by the same evil supernatural spirits Elise spent a lifetime with. Go on an ominous journey back in time to experience the depraved and intimidating beings that have tormented Dr. Rainer since the 1950s.
The last maze to be announced for Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights 2017 is...
The Horrors of Blumhouse
Get ready for three of Blumhouse Productions' films in one twisted and bone chilling experience. Be face-to-face with the some of the iconic scenes from the blockbuster movie 'The Purge' franchise as well as Sinister film series and the soon to be released Happy Death Day (Release date: October 13, 2017).
Attempt to survive Halloween Horror Nights while you face The Purge in a depraved world where all crime is declared legal in the government's annually sanctioned 12-hour cleansing of society. Join in on a sneak peek of what is described as a living trailer for Happy Death Day where you will encounter the déjà vu scenario and be forced to relive the last day of your lives over and over again while trying to escape a mysterious masked killer. Then encounter an ancient pagan deity, Sinister who is determined to trap you for eternity in a sordid shadow world of the dead.
Free parking and free cocktails are the classic Las Vegas comps. Unfortunately, many Las Vegas Resort and Casinos have started charging to park.
Free Parking in Las Vegas – Which Casinos Still Offer It? 🚗🎰
Las Vegas has long been known for free parking, free cocktails, and complimentary casino comps. However, in recent years, many of the biggest Las Vegas casinos and resorts have started charging for parking, making it harder for visitors to avoid extra fees.
If you're planning a trip to Sin City, this guide will help you find which Las Vegas Strip hotels still offer free parking, where to park for cheap, and how to get free parking through casino comps.
Over the last year properties along the Strip started rolling parking fees for valet and self-parking services.
🚗 Las Vegas Parking Fees – When Did Casinos Start Charging?
In June 2016, MGM Resorts was the first major Las Vegas casino group to implement paid parking fees at 10 properties, including:
✔️ Aria ✔️ Bellagio ✔️ Delano ✔️ Mandalay Bay ✔️ MGM Grand ✔️ The Mirage ✔️ New York-New York ✔️ Excalibur ✔️ Luxor ✔️ Monte Carlo (now Park MGM)
By 2017, Caesars Entertainment followed suit, introducing paid parking at 8 more casinos, including:
✔️ Caesars Palace ✔️ Flamingo ✔️ Harrah’s ✔️ The Linq ✔️ Bally’s ✔️ The Cromwell ✔️ Paris Las Vegas ✔️ Planet Hollywood
This rapid shift toward paid parking changed the Vegas experience for many visitors, making it more expensive to visit the Strip.
🏆 Which Las Vegas Strip Casinos Still Offer Free Parking? (2024 Update)
As of 2024, a few Las Vegas casinos still offer free parking, making them prime choices for visitors looking to save money and avoid parking fees.
🎰 Casinos That Offer Free Parking on the Strip:
✔️ Treasure Island (TI) – Free self-parking for all visitors. ✔️ Tropicana – No self-parking fees. ✔️ Wynn & Encore – First 24 hours free, paid after that. ✔️ Venetian & Palazzo – Always free self-parking! ✔️ Circus Circus – Free self-parking for hotel guests & visitors. ✔️ Stratosphere (The STRAT) – Free parking for all guests.
💰 Casinos That Offer Free Parking with Validation or Loyalty Programs:
✔️ Resorts World – Free for casino loyalty members or with validation. ✔️ Cosmopolitan – Free for hotel guests & Identity Rewards members. ✔️ Mirage (Now a Hard Rock Property) – Free for some MGM Rewards members.
📢 Pro Tip:If you're not staying at a hotel, choose one of the above casinos for free parking and then walk or take the Las Vegas Monorail/Uber to your final destination.
💰 How to Get Free Parking at MGM & Caesars Casinos
Even though MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment charge for parking, you can still get free parking through casino rewards programs.
1️⃣ MGM Resorts – Free Parking with MGM Rewards
🎟️ Who Gets Free Parking?
Gold, Platinum & NOIR tier members in MGM Rewards (formerly M life Rewards).
Hotel guests staying at an MGM property get free self-parking.
📍 MGM Properties with Paid Parking (Unless You Qualify for Free Parking): ❌ Aria ❌ Bellagio ❌ MGM Grand ❌ Mandalay Bay ❌ Mirage ❌ New York-New York ❌ Excalibur ❌ Luxor ❌ Park MGM
💡 How to Get Free Parking at MGM Resorts:
Sign up for MGM Rewards (it’s free).
Earn points by playing slots, table games, or dining at MGM restaurants.
If you reach Gold, Platinum, or NOIR status, parking is free!
2️⃣ Caesars Entertainment – Free Parking with Caesars Rewards
🎟️ Who Gets Free Parking?
Platinum, Diamond & Seven Stars members in Caesars Rewards.
Hotel guests staying at a Caesars resort get free self-parking.
📍 Caesars Properties That Charge for Parking: ❌ Caesars Palace ❌ Flamingo ❌ Harrah’s ❌ The Linq ❌ Bally’s ❌ The Cromwell ❌ Paris Las Vegas ❌ Planet Hollywood
💡 How to Get Free Parking at Caesars Casinos:
Sign up for Caesars Rewards and earn points through casino play, dining, and hotel stays.
Reach Platinum tier or higher for complimentary self-parking.
🚗 Best Budget Parking Options on the Las Vegas Strip
If you can’t find free parking, the following locations offer cheaper parking rates compared to major casino garages.
✔️ Fashion Show Mall – Free parking just north of Treasure Island. ✔️ Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood – Free parking with validation. ✔️ The LINQ Promenade – Free parking for some Caesars Rewards members. ✔️ STRAT (Stratosphere) – Free parking, just north of the Strip. ✔️ Resorts World – Free parking for certain guests or with casino validation.
📢 Pro Tip:Use a parking app like SpotHero to find discounted parking near the Strip!
🔥 Will Free Parking Ever Return to the Las Vegas Strip?
Las Vegas casinos originally introduced free parking to attract visitors, but as more resorts introduced fees, it became the industry norm. However, with rising complaints about resort fees, parking fees, and hidden charges, some experts predict that casinos may start offering free parking again to lure back visitors.
💭 My Prediction:
As competition increases, some Vegas casinos may bring back free parking to attract more tourists.
Loyalty programs (MGM Rewards & Caesars Rewards) will continue to be the best way to get free parking.
Expect more free parking at off-Strip casinos like Downtown Las Vegas & The STRAT.
📌 Final Thoughts – How to Get Free Parking in Las Vegas
🚗 Want to avoid Las Vegas parking fees? Follow these tips:
✔️ Park at casinos that still offer free parking (Treasure Island, Tropicana, Venetian, Palazzo, Wynn, etc.). ✔️ Join casino loyalty programs (MGM Rewards, Caesars Rewards) for free parking perks. ✔️ Use mall or hotel parking garages for free or cheaper rates. ✔️ Take advantage of validation at select restaurants & shops. ✔️ Skip the Strip parking hassle & use the Monorail, Uber, or taxis instead.
📢 What do you think about paid parking on the Strip? Should Las Vegas bring back free parking? Let us know in the comments!
