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.
Lights of the World: Phoenix AZ Lights and Lantern Festival
Lights of the World is an international Lantern Arts Festival and is known as the largest Light Show in North America. This unique Chinese Lantern Arts Festival combines 10,000,000 lights in 11 exhibits representing 6 continents with over 71 stunning displays for a Global Celebration of Lights.
Lights of the World: The Largest Lantern Festival in North America
Experience the magic of Lights of the World, the largest lights and lantern festival in North America, at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in downtown Phoenix this holiday season! This spectacular event blends the age-old Chinese tradition of lantern festivals with modern technology and dazzling light displays.
What to Expect at Lights of the World
🌏 Global-Themed Lantern Displays: Some installations soar up to 60 feet tall, showcasing different cultures and civilizations from around the world.
🎡 Over 20 Carnival Rides & Games: Enjoy thrilling rides and classic midway games, making it a perfect family-friendly holiday event.
🎭 Live Entertainment: Watch daily acrobatic performances and cultural showcases, adding to the festive atmosphere.
🍽️ Delicious Food & Holiday Treats: Indulge in a variety of seasonal and international cuisines while exploring the glowing displays.
Event Details
📅 Dates: November 16, 2017 – January 2, 2018 ⏰ Hours: 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM daily 🚫 Closed: December 26, 2017 📍 Location:Arizona State Fairgrounds, Phoenix, AZ
Admission & Discounts
🎟️ General Admission:
Adults: $18
Seniors (65+): $16
Children (3-13): $15
Children under 3: FREE
Military & First Responders:FREE admission on Tuesdays
💰 Save on Tickets:Discounted tickets are available at all Phoenix Walgreens locations!
Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime holiday event! Lights of the World is a must-see Christmas attraction in Phoenix, perfect for families, couples, and friends looking for a magical holiday light festival experience.
🎟️ Buy your tickets now and immerse yourself in a world of lights! Buy Tickets Online - Buy early and save 20% through November 1st
Acrobat Tickets are a Separate charge of $8
Lights of the World has ten Million Lights making up the following displays:
Spectacular Light Displays at Lights of the World
✨ Interactive Displays:
Dinosaur Stamp
Egg Hatching
Hopscotch Lanterns
Korean Drum
Moon Launch
Photos with the Zodiac
🌟 Themed Lantern Exhibits:
Christmas Avenue, Christmas Tree & Holiday Goodies
Leaning Tower of Pisa, Eiffel Tower & Statue of Liberty
Golden Gate, London Bridge & Sydney Opera House
The Wonders of Eastern Asia & The Wonders of Southern Asia
Dinosaur Farm, Dinotopia & Time of the Dinosaurs
Secret Flowers, Mystic Weaving & Pearl of the Sea
Terracotta Army, The Nutcracker & The 12 Chinese Zodiac
With over 10 million dazzling lights, Lights of the World is an unforgettable holiday experience!
Illumination Symphony of Light invites you and your family to experience Arizona’s largest Christmas drive through holiday light show, fully synchronized to your favorite holiday music. Come enjoy the 1-mile long attraction featuring millions of holiday lights.
They are located in Phoenix right off the I-17 and Jomax; just minutes north of the 101 and within 30 minutes of Scottsdale, Phoenix and Glendale areas.
The attraction will run nightly from November 15th, 2017 to January 14th, 2018. Enjoy 14 acres of, state of the art, holiday lights and displays. The holiday attraction cost is as little as $29.50 per car and a percent of the proceeds benefits local charities.
The fun doesn’t end there, after the 1-mile drive through experience, get your family and friends out of the car to stroll around the Holiday Boulevard; a park. Play and eat in the interactive walking area which includes bounce houses, food trucks, selfie stations and other holiday experiences to create unforgettable memories.
They have developed (4) 800 foot queue lines for when enter from the service road, this can handle approximately 300 cars at one time. The check-in Elves will scan your ticket and keep the lines moving, doing their best to keep wait times down to a minimum.
You can print your ticket at home and bring it or you can keep it on your phone to scan at the entrance. The journey through Illumination will take on average of 25 minutes in the car. Once your journey through Illumination is complete, you can stay and visit the “Holiday Boulevard” where you park, play, eat and visit Santa’s Village.
Operation Hours:
Nightly From November 14th 2017 – January 14th 2018
Monday – Thursday: 6:00PM – 10:30PM
Friday – Sunday & Holidays: 6:00PM – 11:30PM
Location: 27701 N. Black Canyon Highway Phoenix, AZ 85085 Contact: 602-567-3618 or by email info@worldofillumination.com
Admission:
They recommend you purchase tickets online for $29.50, Only One Ticket Per Vehicle with up to 8 People!
All ticket sales are final and non-refundable and are valid only for the date designated on the ticket. Time slots are sold for 60 minute increments. Though you will choose a preferred time of attendance at check-out, your ticket will be honored anytime during our operating hours on the day it is scheduled for!
In the event of extreme weather (heavy rain, high winds, etc.) they may need to temporarily close the event for safety reasons. If this happens they will reschedule your ticket to another date/time free of charge.
They cannot guarantee availability of drive-up tickets which cost $35.00 per vehicle.
Discount Tickets:
Every Thursday in November and December they will give you a discount for bringing nonperishable food items for St. Mary’s Food Bank. You will receive one dollar off your admission per item, up to $5. for every item you donate to .
They have also partnered with Phoenix Children’s Hospital this holiday season and plan on holding several on site fundraisers in efforts to benefit various other non-profits in the Arizona who need all of our help throughout the year.
Illumination Symphony of Light Holiday Giveaways
Enter to Win: The Illumination team will draw winners and announce on their Facebook page:
100 Free Tickets (November 15th – 30th)
4th Place $50 (November 22nd)
3rd Place $100 (November 29th)
2nd Place $250 (December 6th)
1st Place $500 (December 25th)
For more Fantastic light displays this Christmas Season, visit Lights of the World
Krampus: A Haunted Christmas 2017 – A Twisted Holiday Experience in Phoenix, AZ
Prepare for a chilling holiday horror event as Krampus: A Haunted Christmas comes to Phoenix’s Fear Farm Haunted House on December 8th and 9th! This one-weekend-only haunted house experience offers a terrifying holiday twist, perfect for horror fans looking for an alternative Christmas event in Arizona.
What to Expect at Krampus: A Haunted Christmas
🎄 A Twisted Christmas Tale of Terror: Venture through a Christmas-themed haunted house where Krampus lurks in the shadows, punishing those who have been naughty.
👻 Live Holiday Horror Attractions: Expect jump scares, eerie winter scenes, and Christmas nightmares brought to life.
🎅 Meet Krampus: Face the terrifying holiday demon as he roams Fear Farm, snatching up those who dare to enter his lair.
Event Details
📅 Dates: December 8 - 9, 2017 📍 Location: Fear Farm Haunted House, Phoenix, AZ 🎟️ Admission: Tickets available online and at the gate.
NOTE: All tickets are valid only for the date that you purchase. There are no refunds or exchanges for unused tickets.
For those who love Halloween and horror-themed Christmas events, Krampus: A Haunted Christmas is a must-see holiday attraction in Phoenix. Dare to enter? Gather your bravest friends and experience a Christmas nightmare like no other!
🔥 Get Your Tickets Before They Sell Out!
Discount TICKETS go on sale at noon on Tuesday, November 14th, 2017
Also open December 8th and 9th at the following locations throughout the US:
13th Floor in Denver, CO
13th Floor in Chicago, IL
Fear Fair in Seymour, IN
Factory of Terror in Canton, OH
Nashville Nightmare in Nashville, TN
House of Torment in Austin , TX
Halloween Horror Nights officially launched at Universal Studios Hollywood October 9, 1997, it ran through the 2000 Halloween season and then returned in Halloween 2006. It has continued since.
Last year was my first year and I can not wait to return this year, with my kids this time.
Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights 2017: Prepare for what is promoted as the scariest and most intense Halloween event in Southern California (100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608) and is created by the same minds and studio that bring many of your favorite blockbuster horror films.This year Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights features 8 terrifying mazes based on some of the most frightening television shows and movies.
The Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights 2017 line up includes The Walking Dead, Ash vs Evil Dead, Titans of Terror (Leatherface, Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger), the Roanoke chapter of FX's American Horror Story and Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. The one I am looking forward to SAW: The Games of Jigsaw and others still to be announced.
Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Night 2017 hours and dates of operation: September 15th through November 4th 2017 Hours: 7:00pm - 2:00am Terror Tram line closes at 11:15 p.m. on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays and at 11:45 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and on Halloween.
Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights 2017 ticket prices and admission varies based on day and type of tickets purchased.
RIP Tour: Unlimited Front of Line, gourmet buffet dining, guided walking tour, valet parking. R.I.P. Tour $269-319
Front Of the Line Ticket: Cut to the front one time at each maze, show, ride and Terror Tram.
Front of Line Ticket $169-219
Day Night Combo: Enjoy The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ and more during the day and Halloween Horror Nights that night!
General Admission tickets $95-115
Front of Line $199-245
Universal Studios Hollywood 2017 Halloween Horror Nights Houses, Mazes, Scare Zones and Terror Tram:
SAW: The Games of Jigsaw
The SAW series is one of the highest grossing horror franchises of all time and this maze will bring his twisted traps to life. It might also feature a bit of a sneak peek at the upcoming eighth SAW film (Jigsaw, in theaters Oct. 27 2017). This maze will test you as you come face-to-face with mastermind Jigsaw and his collection of infamous traps.
The film franchise revolves around John Kramer, AKA the "Jigsaw Killer" or "Jigsaw". He was introduced only briefly in initial Saw movie and his character was developed in more detail in Saw II. Jigsaw traps them in situations that he calls "tests" or "games" to test their will to live through physical and psychological torture, rather than killing his victims outright.
American Horror Story: Roanoke
There is an isolated farmhouse Deep in the backwoods of North Carolina that will allow you to witness its centuries of horror. Legend says this house was built close to the site of the infamous "Lost Colony of Roanoke", an English settlement that mysteriously vanished back in the late 1500's.
The Shining
Welcome to The Overlook Hotel, an isolated century old hotel with a tragic history of murder and madness. During the harsh Colorado winter Jack Torrance a writer and former teacher who has agreed to be the caretaker for The Overlook Hotel. Be there to experience his descent into madness that will put his family and yours in grave danger as Jack slowly gets more violent and angry. See if Danny can use his special talent, the "Shining", to inform your group what is going on in the hotel before it is too late.
Ash vs Evil Dead
Witness an epic battle between the chainsaw-wielding Ash Williams and the Deadites in Ash vs Evil Dead.
Titans of Terror
Fall victim to some of the most deplorable slashers and killers in film history who need no introduction. See Leatherface (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) wielding his chainsaw, Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th) with his machete, and Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street) with his trademark glove.
Enter AMC's vision of a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies "The Walking Dead", presented by Universal Studios Hollywood. A fully immersive navigation through a world overrun by hungry walkers (you can call them biters if you want). This attraction is available year round, so make sure you get the other mazes done first.
The Titans of Terror Tram will be hosted by Good Guy Doll Chucky. You will be transported into a nightmare of carnage pitting you against the same characters you escaped from in the Titans of Terror Maze, you will be led by infamous serial killer doll Chucky as you navigate a portion of the world-famous back-lot.
As usual the Terror Tram includes being dropped off near the Bates Motel set from Psycho where you can get a picture with Norman Bates.
Scare Zones
Halloween Horror Nights 4 was the first year to introduce the scare zones. These are specific outdoor areas that feature themed costumed characters intent of scaring people who walk through the areas, it is necessary to travel through these scare zones to get to certain areas of the park.
Urban Inferno
Encounter Burnt Lost Souls, Half-Goat Executioners, Mad Monks, Blacksmiths Forging the chains of Purgatory and demons including the towering King and Queen.
Hell o ween
Witches, ghosts, vampires, werewolves and zombie children have come out to roam New York Street in celebration of Halloween.
Toxic Tunnel
Utility workers were doing repairs inside the tunnel and accidentally burst a pipe with toxic gas, everyone has been infected by the gas and turned into zombie-like sub-humanoids.
Rides
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, Studio Tour and other select attractions will not be open during Halloween Horror Nights. To experience all our daytime attractions, check out our Day/Night Combo Ticket.
Some rides that will be open are:
Transformers™
Jurassic Park™
The Simpsons™
Revenge of the Mummy™