Here’s the deal: Halloween is already creeping around the corner, and you haven’t done anything to celebrate. Lucky for you, Orange County is full of spooky events and there’s just enough time to get in on the fun. Here are the top five Orange County Halloween events.

1. Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort - Anaheim

Disneyland is well known for its epic decor during the holiday season. Halloween Time runs from early September to Oct. 31, 2022. Trick-or-treat yourself to the Oogie Boogie Bash, as it returns for round three after its debut back in 2019, replacing Mickey’s Halloween Party. The Bash will run every other day until Halloween, but specific dates are already sold out. If just visiting the park is more your speed, Cast Member Mindy Harter recommended the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland because they “completely transform its theme to Nightmare Before Christmas from October through December. They go all out on the decor and it’s almost like having a new ride for the holidays.”

Another popular attraction is the Mickey Mouse jack-o-lantern on Main Street and Disney characters in Halloween costumes scattered around the park. You can use the Disneyland app to find out who’s in the area at any given time.

2. Knotts Scary Farm - Buena Park

It’s the 49th season of Knott’s Scary Farm, and seven mazes came back this year for arguably one of the most popular Halloween attractions in Southern California. Two new mazes, Bloodline 1842 and the Grimoire, join the show as well as crowd favorites Wax Works and Pumpkin Eater making a return. Amberli Higginbotham, a Scare Actor for the park, said “Knott’s is original in every way!” Higginbotham is a featured creepy clown that roams the Carn-EVIL scare zone, located by the Boardwalk.

Be sure to carve out some time to see two new shows, “Conjurers: Dark Magic” at the Birdcage Theater and “Le Magnifique Carnaval du Grotesque” at the Calico Mine Stage. Whether it‘s scare zones, mazes or hauntingly good food, Scary Farm is sure to be eerie-sistible.

3. The Cauldron - Buena Park

While this themed bar and restaurant is open year-round, there’s something bewitching about The Cauldron during Halloween season. They have costume themed weeks, this week being Fairy Tales/Cosplay, and if you wear a costume, you get 10% off your meal! Opening at 4 p.m., use Yelp to join the waitlist as it can be over 3 hours depending on how busy they are. However, it is 21+ and there are no takeout orders during the Halloween season.

“I really enjoyed the dark theme of the bar. Everything was witch themed and everyone was so friendly,” said senior Ever Rodriguez. They also feature a “Witch Wine” deal on Sundays where wine-by-the-bottle is half price.

For more information and updates, check their Instagram @thecauldronbarbp.

4. Pirate’s Cave Haunt - Orange

“Pirate’s Cave is a haunted house that is done in Orange. It’s really small, but the jump scares are awesome. And I’ve been going since I was a kid so I have a lot of good memories,” said Jared Thomas, sophomore.

This season Pirate’s Cave is pairing with Dark Harvest, another commercial haunted house, to bring “Shady Pines Asylum” to life. Admission is only $25 ($30 on Oct. 29), or you can purchase Express Queue Tickets for $48. Since Pirate’s Cave is a passion project, some say it is better than a lot of larger professional haunts. Teaming up Pirate’s killer narrative skills and Dark Harvest’s signature mazes, it’s sure to be full of unexpected jump scares and amazing attention to detail. Dark Harvest also supports cancer research so you can scream for a good cause.

5. 17th Door - Fullerton

If you’re looking for a more extreme scare, 17th Door is notorious for their creative and grotesque scenes, and their money maker is shock value. As the name alludes, there are 17 doors, each more terrifying than the last. The haunt averages 34 minutes, making it one of the longest haunted houses in California. Unlike most commercial scares, the actors are allowed to grab you, things may fall on you, you may get wet, and you may have to hold your breath, making it a very interactive experience. They even have a safe word so guests do not have to complete all the rooms. Tickets range from $38-110.

For more information, you can go to the17thdoor.com/faq/.

 

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