ORLANDO, Fla. – One of TripAdvisor’s top destinations for fall, Orlando’s robust calendar of events and activities gives way to a bountiful collection of events celebrating culinary delights, immersive cultural festivals and scream-tastic Halloween experiences. The destination is home to one of the longest-running vegan food festivals in the world, an array of Halloween experiences, a world showcase of international food and wine at Walt Disney World Resort, and community events celebrating diversity with an open invitation for all visitors to come as they are.
“While Orlando is an incredible destination for travellers year-round, fall offers visitors several monthslong windows to enjoy special food festivals and incredible Halloween events for all ages,” said Casandra Matej, president and CEO of Visit Orlando. “Whether you’re celebrating Halloween all season long or savouring autumn flavours through food and wine, Orlando has a full line-up of unbelievably real experiences for the whole family to enjoy through the season.”
FOODIE EVENTS
- Celebrating its 17th year, Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining (Aug. 26 – Oct 2) returns for visitors seeking to experience some of Orlando’s best cuisine. The program features three-course, prix-fixe dinners at more than 100 top Orlando-area restaurants for $40, including six MICHELIN Guide honorees, as well as 23 venues participating for the first time.
- At the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival presented by CORKCICLE (July 14 – Nov. 19), guests can savor exciting and unexpected flavors from around the globe as they circle the iconic World Showcase. This delicious celebration features over 25 global Marketplaces, including a menu of new flavors and sips along with live entertainment, family activities and more. Guests are encouraged to pre-purchase tickets and make park reservations in advance.
- The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic (Nov. 11-12) will return for its 13th year, treating guests to a street party festival with unlimited food and beverage tastings at diverse food stations, featuring culinary selections from the hotel’s award-winning restaurants and wine from around the world.
- Central Florida Veg Fest Presented by Vegetarians of Central Florida (Oct. 22), the family- and dog-friendly vegan event held at Orlando Festival Park near downtown Orlando, returns for its 17th year. The event will feature a day of educational exhibits and activities from diverse cross-section of vegan cuisines and lifestyles, including new products and ideas from over 200 vendors and100 contributors as well as a wide variety of food preparation demos.
HALLOWEEN THRILLS
Orlando, the Halloween Vacation Capital ®, welcomes visitors to have a ghoulishly good time with a lineup of spook-tacular events at the destination’s theme parks and beyond the parks. The festivities offer something for everyone, ranging from fright-inducing thrills for adults and teens at world-class haunted houses to friendly chills the whole family can enjoy.
Spooky Theme Park Events
- Universal Orlando Resort’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida (Sept. 2 – Oct. 31) will return for a record-breaking 43 nights featuring 10 new, movie-quality haunted houses featuring everything from cinematic greats to original abominations including the all-new “The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare,” inspired by the record-breaking “After Hours” album by The Weeknd; five scare zones filled with creatures lunging from the shadows; and two live shows.
- Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World Resort (Select Nights, Aug. 12 – Oct. 31) will make a frightfully fun return at Magic Kingdom Park. The family-friendly, all-ages event will feature eerie entertainment that includes the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular! at Cinderella Castle, Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular, Disney Junior Jam for young partygoers, Mickey’s “Boo-to-You” Halloween Parade, the Trick-or-Treat Trail, Disney Characters in costume, and more than 20 favorite attractions with a Halloween twist. Guests are also invited to wear costumes, with some restrictions.
- At SeaWorld Orlando, guests can experience two Halloween-themed events:
- Howl-O-Scream (select nights, Sept. 9 – Oct. 31) will return after its “inaugural fear” to terrorize guests at SeaWorld Orlando. Offering 28 nights of fully immersive fear, the event will feature fright-inducing haunted houses and scare zones; thrilling nighttime coaster rides and experiences; an interactive bar; and an electrifying live show.
- Little ones can dress up in their favorite costumes to trick-or-treat and meet colorful Halloween characters at the SeaWorld Spooktacular (weekends, Sept. 17 – Oct. 31), a family-friendly daytime event included with theme park admission.
- Brick or Treat Presents Monster Party at LEGOLAND Florida Resort (weekends, Sept. 24 – Oct. 30), a signature Halloween event included with theme park admission, will feature tons of candy, an all-new show lineup, never-before-seen exclusive LEGO characters and an all-new cinematic experience to create the ultimate family Halloween celebration.
Scares Beyond the Theme Parks
- Screamin’ Green Hauntoween at Crayola Experience (Sept. 25 – Oct. 31) celebrates the Halloween season with a chock-full of spooky happenings included with admission, such as a themed scavenger hunt, spooktastic crafts, character photo ops, trick-or-treating on the weekends and more. Guests, craving more can add on activities like pumpkin decorating and slime making.
- Gatorland‘s “Gators, Ghosts and Goblins” event returns for its fourth year (weekends from Oct. 15-30). The event, included with regular admission, will feature multiple themed haunt zones, interactive characters, animal meet-and-greets, candy giveaways, a children’s Halloween costume parade and more spooky fun.
- Scream n’ Stream Drive-Thru Halloween Experience, (select nights Oct. 1-31), a haunted Halloween drive-thru event, will return for its third year featuring seven horrifying zones to drive through complete with monsters, music, lighting and special effects.
FALL FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
- Come Out With Pride Orlando (Oct. 15) returns for its 18th year for a celebration at Lake Eola Park in Downtown Orlando. This nonprofit celebration fosters a sense of community, encourages LGBTQ+ citizens to live openly and with pride, and educates the general public. Everyone from Central Florida and beyond is invited to come together and make an impact on Orlando’s LGBTQ+ community.
- Festival Calle Orange (Oct. 30), the vibrant one-day event celebrating the Hispanic community, will return featuring over 40 artists, and vendors with authentic food and drinks throughout 10 city blocks of downtown Orlando.
- Fall Fiesta in the Park will return for its 51st year to Lake Eola Park (Nov. 5-6), bringing family- and pet-friendly entertainment to downtown Orlando.
- The Electric Daisy Carnival (Nov. 11-13) will return to Orlando featuring three days of more than 120 dance music acts, full-size carnival rides and art, for one of the most vibrant and electrifying editions of EDC.
