Welcome to Texas Haunts, bringing you news and reviews of all things Halloween in Texas and surrounding states. We are based in the DFW area, but we list haunted attractions from all over Texas and surrounding states. Scores are on a 1-10 scale. Please click on the haunted house links for information about dates of operation, prices, location, and directions. Thanks for visiting and please come again soon!
Open All Year
Haunted Mayfield Manor Galveston
North Texas
Cutting Edge Haunted House Ft Worth December 13. Tickets sold for 8pm-9pm
Thrillvania Haunted House Park Terrell Open December 14 and 21. Tickets sold for 8pm-9pm
Central Texas
Scream Hollow Halloween Park Smithville Open December 6,7,13,14,20,21 from 6pm-11pm
House of Torment Austin Krampus from December 13-15 Hours TBA, Early access sign up here
West Texas
Nightmare on 19th Street Lubbock December 7 Opens at 7pm for Krampus
South Texas
Fright Night Haunted House Corpus Christi Open on December 13 Hours TBA
Louisiana
New Orleans Nightmare December 13 and 14 Hours TBA, sign up here for early access to tickets
Oklahoma
Mad Jack’s Haunted House Ardmore Ultimate Snowball Fight Dec 14 and 28 6pm-9pm Tickets here
Open All Year
Haunted Mayfield Manor Galveston
Central Texas
Scream Hollow Smithville Pitch Black on November 8 and 9, 7pm-11pm
House of Torment Austin November 9, 7pm-9:45pm
Houston
13th Floor Houston November 9, 7pm-9:45pm
San Antonio
13th Floor November 9, 7pm-9:45pm
Oklahoma
Guthrie Haunted Scaregrounds November 8 and 9, 7pm-midnight
Happy Halloween from Texas Haunts! Have a great one!
For the first time ever, Screams Halloween Theme Park in Waxahachie will be open after Halloween, on November 1 and 2! Same hours, 7pm-1am. Remember that ticket sales end at midnight. You can read my review of Screams here and buy tickets here. Arrive as early as possible, time flies at Screams!.
Because Halloween is on a Thursday this year, every haunted attraction in Texas and surrounding states will be open for at least one night this coming weekend, and most will be open both Friday and Saturday nights. Check my haunted house listings for a haunt near you.
Have a great Halloween and enjoy the weekend after!
Statewide Haunted House Listings
Horror/Sci-Fi TV Shows October 2024
Halloween Merchandise and Costume Links
Halloween Parties and Events DFW
Pumpkin Carving at the Old Monk and Dubliner
Pumpkin Patches, Corn Mazes, and Hayrides
Paranormal Places and Ghost Tours in Texas
North Texas
Screams Waxahachie
Cutting Edge Fort Worth
Thrillvania Terrell
Parker House Denton
Texas Scaregrounds Mineral Wells Closed for 2024
Creekside Manor Midlothian
Haunted Shadows Lake Trail The Colony
Moxley Manor Bedford
J&F House of Terror Garland
Hangman’s House of Horrors Fort Worth
Dark Hour Haunted House Plano
Zombie Safari Forney
Six Flags Fright Fest Arlington
Haunted Mead Manor Alvarado
Hellbilly Acres Alvarado
The Unknown Cleburne
Ripley’s Nights of Frights Grand Prairie
Fort Worth Haunted House Ft Worth
Central Texas
American Scaregrounds Haunted Attraction Elm Mott Permanently closed
Scream Hollow Halloween Park Smithville
House of Torment Austin
Fatal Fear Haunted House Austin Closed in 2024
Bat City Scaregrounds Austin
Silo of Screams Temple
Rocky Creek Maze and Haunted Trail Moulton
Houston area
Phobia Haunted House BW-8 Houston
Houston TerrorDome Houston
Houston Screamfest Houston
Purgatory Scream Park Kingwood
Redrum Fear Park Richmond
Haunted Trails Cypress
Creepy Hollow Haunted House Rosharon
Phobia Kemah Boardwalk Kemah
P-6 Farms Fall Festival and Corn Maze Montgomery
Haunted Drive Cleveland
Forest of Fear Drive Cleveland Closed in 2024
Horror Trails Houston Closed in 2024
13th Floor Haunted House Houston
Texas Zombie Hunt Richmond
Terror Isle Haunted Attraction Texas City
Galveston
San Antonio
Terrorland Haunted Adventure San Antonio
Freakshow Farms Nightmare in the Woods Spring Branch
13th Floor Haunted House San Antonio
East Texas
Graystone Manor Longview
World of Khaos Thrill Park Tyler
Doc Wilkes House of Horrors Longview
Terror Trails Yantis Closed in 2024
Afterlife Haunted Attraction Blossom
The Haunted Hotel Beaumont
Terror at the Oaks Vidor Closed in 2024
The Asylum Haunted House Talco
Zip Line with Zombies Diana
Yesterland Fright Farm Spooktacular Nights Canton
Delusions Scream Park Bryan
Haunted Hallows at Coppergate Ranch Mt Pleasant
Dr Mangle’s Murder Manor Jefferson
West Texas
Haunted Daze El Paso
Haunted Houses of Terror El Paso
Forbidden Acres El Paso
The Asylum El Paso
Nightmare on 19th Street Lubbock
Amarillo Scaregrounds Amarillo
6th Street Massacre Amarillo
The Haunt at Sundown Amarillo
Old Midland Trail of Horrors Midland Closed in 2024
The Blackness Haunted House Plainview
Nightmare on Main Street Vernon
Bloody Bill’s Chainsaw Carnage Odessa
South Texas
Haunting on the Blue Ghost Corpus Christi
Fright Night Haunted House Corpus Christi
The Hauntings of Boogeyman Haunted House Corpus Christi
Toluca Ranch Haunted House Weslaco
Louisiana
13th Gate Baton Rouge
The Mortuary New Orleans
New Orleans Nightmare New Orleans
Rise Haunted House Hammond
Dark Woods Haunted Attraction Natchitoches
Necromanor Haunted House Bossier City
The Devil’s Knot Haunted Trail Haughton
Fright Trail Lafayette
Haunted Forest Downsville
Evil Visions Haunted House Monroe
Oklahoma
Hex House Tulsa
Wicked Forest of Terror Oklahoma City
Guthrie Haunted Scaregrounds Guthrie
The Asylum Haunted Attraction Nowata
DCP Haunted Trail Yukon
Nightmare in the Country Woodward
Psycho Path Haunted Attraction Sperry
Nightmare Warehouse Enid
Mad Jack’s Haunted House Ardmore
Newcastle Nightmare Haunted Attraction Newcastle
Noble Scaregrounds Noble
Trail of Fear Haunted Scream Park Lawton
The Castle of Muskogee Halloween Festival Muskogee
Haunted Plantation Coweta
Mad House Haunted Attraction Oklahoma City
Nightfall Haunted Territory Oklahoma City
New Mexico
Purgatory Haunted House Albuquerque
McCalls Haunted Farm Albuquerque area
American Scarecrow: Haunted Theater Albuquerque
The Horror Hall Haunted House Tularosa
Arkansas
Haunted Hotel of Arkansas Little Rock
The Expelled Haunted House Huntsville Closed in 2024
Fear Factory 501 Jacksonville
Nightmares Haunted House Bentonville
Reaper Haunted House North Little Rock
The Asylum Haunted House Cave Springs
Banshee Manor Haunted Attraction Fayetteville Closed in 2024
Warehouse of Fear Siloam Springs
Scantling Haunted House Booneville
Carpenter’s Mortuary Spook House Gentry
Fields of Terror Mountain Home
Score 10 out of 10
Site here
Tickets here
Facebook here
Instagram here
Twitter here
Screams FAQs here
Phone (972) 938-3247
Location: Screams is on FM 66, 1.6 miles east of I-35, in Waxahachie. The address is 2511 FM 66 Waxahachie TX, 75167. Screams is about 30 minutes south of downtown Dallas and downtown Ft Worth. Screams is just off of I-35, on the Scarborough Faire grounds. Directions to Screams are here.
Screams Halloween Theme Park enters a new season with major improvements in all of it’s five main attractions, including a full redesign of Terra Mythica Castle. Time’s Up Maze has also been redesigned and it can take up to 20 minutes to find the exit. Time’s Up Actors are clearly having a good time misdirecting the guests. Bootlegger’s Bayou is outstanding this season. It has some new props, but it’s the actors who have driven most of the improvement. Klownz in 3D is fun and creepy at the same time, and is another haunt where the energy of the actors elevates the overall quality. Zombie Wasteland Apocalypse provides an intense outdoor experience. In addition to the haunted houses Walk through attractions Cool Ghoul Boulevard and Rottingwood Cemetery are back, with changes of their own.
The walk through time is 10-15 minutes per main attraction, except for the maze, which can take over 20 minutes. The combined total walk through time for all five main attractions is over an hour. You can go through the haunted houses and walk through attractions as many times as you want. Fast passes are available online and cut the wait time in line for haunted attractions significantly on crowded nights. Fast passes can be purchased here.
Hell Dollz return on the main stage, while new stage entertainment has been added at Taboo Tavern. Hell Dolls is a 30 minute show featuring acrobatics, fire swallowing, and fire twirling. The Hell Dolls are made up of three stage performers, and much of the act involves synched routines with all three performers working with fire simultaneously. Check their schedule in front of the main stage early in the evening as it may vary nightly. Their link tree is here.
Queen Anne’s Lace from Scarborough will be singing songs in the Halloween spirit at the Taboo Tavern Stage opening weekend only. Ghouls Line Is It Anyway and Halloween themed trivia will be nightly at Taboo Tavern. End of the World Parade will march October 11,12, 18, and 19. Scary-Oke returns on Merchant’s Row near the park entrance.
Rottingwood Cemetery is a walk though attraction at the park entrance. It’s decor and props have improved this year and will usually have actors in the area. It’s well decorated and is a good way to begin and end the evening.
Cool Ghoul Boolevard is a walk through light show, with synched music. It’s very photogenic and looks good at either twilight or in the dark. Take a right at the park entrance and look for the lights just before Headless Horseman Tavern. The light patterns have changed this year, alternating between dark lights and a pattern that is almost Christmas like.
A wide variety of roaming actors can be found around the park all night. They have excellent costumes and will pose for photos. A lot of work was put into decorating the park in the off season. My favorite area is the long stretch of graveyard from Rottingwood Cemetery at park entrance down to 13th Hour Bakery. Fog machines add to the ambience once night falls.
The Mythical Monster Museum is open during Screams for the first time in a decade, and it has lots of new monsters to examine. You can find the MMM behind Taboo Tavern, next to Time’s Up Maze.
A variety of games can be found around the park, including Heads and Hoops on the side of the food court next to Bootlegger’s Bayou, Zombie Paintball next to the Mythical Monster Museum, and Drop of Doom by the food court. Additionally, Test of Strength, and Axe, Knives, & Stars Throw Games are also close to the back of the food court.
Several new vendors have been added, including food trucks close to the main stage and Coco’s Sweet Treats. A screen showing classic horror movies is up at Headless Horseman Tavern, which has the most scenic setting at Screams, and covered seating. Jack-O-Lantern Tavern is enlarged and is on the side of the main stage. Taboo Tavern is at the back of the food court, while Morgue Tavern is on the side of the food court next to Full Moon. Spiders Web Bar is next to Taboo Tavern. Bag of Bones has a good location between the entrances to Terra Mythica and Bootleggers Bayou. In all, there are seven pubs and taverns to choose from, each with it’s own style and decor. Additionally, roaming vendors have jello syringes with vodka and rum.
The full list of alcohol offered at Screams is below. Not all taverns and pubs will have the full selection. Last call is at midnight.
Beer & Cider: Blake’s Carmel Apple, Blake’s Original Hard Cider, Blake’s Triple Jam, Bud Light,
Dallas Blonde, Deep Ellum IPA, Estella Jalisco, Left Hand Milk Stout, Mango Cart, Michelob Ultra,
Monster Beast (various flavors), Nasty Beast Hard Tea (various flavors), Neato Bandito, Paulaner
Oktoberfest, Spaten Oktoberfest, White Claw Black Cherry, Ziegenbock, and assorted variety of
specialty beers.
Wines: Alexander Valley Chardonnay, Brut Champagne, Cupcake Muscato, Ferrari Crano Fume
Blanc, Rebellious Red, White Zinfandel-Peach Sangria, and more.
Other: Cherry Noir Mead, Scarborough Mead
Jell-O Shots: Cherry, Lemon Lime, Coconut Lime
Full Moon Cafe and Bar has been revamped for 2024, and has new bartenders, plus food service again. In addition to the newly added Banana Pudding, old favorites return in Bacon Cheese Potato Wedges, Buffalo Wings, Meat Pies with Corn Salsa, Toasted Ravioli, Raspberry Fontina Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Bottled Dr Pepper products & Water, Coffee, & Hot Chocolate. Full Moon has a full bar, covered seating, very good bartenders (Alicia, Alex, Dylin), and a cool location in the park.
Taboo Tavern in the back of main food court has Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Deep Ellum IPA, Ziegenbock and Left Hand Milk Stout on tap. Best Day Electric Lime is available in bottles. Scarborough Mead, Chardonnay, Cabernet and Champagne are also offered at Taboo Tavern. Bottled water can be bought here.
Spider Web Bar next to Taboo Tavern, has bottles of Bud Light, Bud Zero, Michelob Ultra, Estrella Jalisco, Korback Cervesa Especial. White Zinfandel and bottled water are also offered.
Morgue Tavern, on the far side of the main food court next to Full Moon, has Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Ziegenbock, Mango Cart, Spaten Lager, Full ESB, and Budweiser on tap. Dallas Blonde, Bud Zero and Best Day Electric Lime are available in bottles. Chardonnay, Cabernet, champagne, and sangria are sold here.
Headless Horseman Tavern is next to Cool Ghoul Boulevard and across from 13th Hour Bakery. Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Left Hound Stout, Honey Hush, Spaten Oktoberfest, and Ziegenbock are on tap. Dallas Blonde, Best Day Electric Lime and Bud Zero are available in bottles. Wine offerings are Alexander Valley Chardonnay, Cupcake Moscato, Rebellious Red and Ferrari-Cerano Fume Blanc. Headless also has Cherry Noir Mead and Brut Champagne.
Bag of Bones is located next to the entrance to Terra Mythica Castle. It has icy Hurricanes and Blood Orange ‘Ritas on tap. Bud, Bud Light, Bud Zero, Michelob Ultra, White Claw Selzer, Miracle Wheat, Estrella Jalisco and Korback Cervesa Especial are sold in bottles. Jello shots are also available.
Jack-O-Lantern Tavern offers can and bottles only, and has more craft offerings than the other taverns. It’s located on the far side of the main stage. Craft offerings are Ace Pear Cider, Ain’t It Funky, Coco Vodka Pineapple, Coco Rum Mojito, Monster Beast, Monster Hard Tea, Northeast IPA, and Miracle. Domestics are Bud Zero, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, and Electric Day Lime. Bottled water is also available here.
The main food court has faire/carnival staples. Their full list is below.
New offerings: Baked Potatoes, Brisket Baked Potatoes, Jalapeno Sausage-on-a-Stick,
Hamburgers, Cheeseburgers, Broccoli Cheese Soup in a Bread Bowl, Red Beans & Rice in a Bread
Bowl, Garlic Bread, Cheesy Garlic Bread, Frozen Dr Pepper & Big Red
Returning for 2024: Chicken Tenders & Fries, Corn Dogs, French Fries, Funnel Cakes, Pretzel
Bites with Cheese, Bubba’s Bacon, Sausage-on-a-Stick, BBQ Brisket Sandwich on Texas Toast,
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich on Texas Toast, Smoked Turkey Legs, Elote, Beef & Chicken Fajitas,
Frito Pie, Nachos with Cheese, Beef & Chicken Nachos, Hot Dogs, Pizza, Bottled Dr Pepper
products & water, Fresh Lemonade & Iced Tea, Root Beer Floats, Coffee
You can get barbecue, sliders, nachos, fajitas, tacos and more from three food trucks.
The food trucks are:
Big Red Trailer
Sausage-on-a-Stick, Cowboy Pepper (smoked chicken, cheeses, jalapeno, wrapped in
bacon), Philly Cheesesteak, Brisket Sliders, Pulled Pork Sliders, Brisket Tacos, Smoked
Chicken Tacos, Pork Tacos, Nachos: cheese, chicken, brisket, or pork. Big Red is located next to Jack-O-Lantern Tavern and close to Cool Ghoul Boulevard.
El Taquito de Luna
Traditional Mexican Tacos made with fresh high quality ingredients: pork, brisket,
chicken fajita, Volcano plus Refreshing Fruit Waters. This stand is close to the food court and Henna Tattoos.
Missing Links BBQ
Boudin: chicken, seafood, or spicy pork; Sausage: Alligator with jalapenos, spicy beef,
Cajun beef; Sausage Hoagie. Missing Links is across from the food court and near Bootleggers Bayou.
Kettle corn is sold close to the main stage, and 13th Hour Bakery has a wide variety of sweets, tea, hot cocoa, and coffee. 13th Hour’s full menu is below:
Skull Pastries, Cookies, Cheesecake, Cannoli, Cake, Pumpkin Pie, Apple Crisp, Turnovers,
Popovers, Gourmet Brownies, Hot Coffee, Cold Brew Coffee, Iced Chai Tea Latte, Iced Green
Tea, Hot Tea, & Hot Chocolate with specialty flavors
Coco’s Sweet Shop has cotton candy, chocolate dipped bananas, cheesecake, iced apple cider, and 17 flavors of shaved ice. Coco’s is located next to Full Moon Cafe.
Screams has added a turkey leg stand on the main shopping row, close to the park entrance. A drink stand has been opened close to Zombie Wasteland.
Screams has expanded it’s list of Halloween themed merchants this year, and maintains it’s own souvenir shop. Vendors at Screams are:
Main Row by the park entrance; Creepy Coasters, Dead Dave Designs, Cowgirlz Candy, Rugged History Beard Company, Morbid Hookers, Delicious Doom Chocolates and Candies, Autumn Moon, palm reading and tarot cards, plus the Screams souvenir shop. Fyre and Fairie is located across from Terra Mythica Castle. Studio Stig is across from Bootleggers Bayou, Henna Body Art Tattoos is across from the main food court.
Across from Cool Ghoul Boulevard; Duststarr 3D, Altered Spirit.
Wares from merchants include the following:
3-D printed items, Halloween themed pumpkins, dragons, knights, Pokémon, dice towers, alter &
meditation practice tools, crystals, palm stones, trinket boxes, sage bundles, natural oils, horror themed
crochet plushies, witch starter kits, healer kits, drink coasters with classic horror & sci-fi movie themes,
dream catchers, moons, jewelry, doll art, skull art, mugs, incense, handmade clocks, coasters, kitchen
knives, neon lights, mystery bags, studio products, men’s grooming products, Halloween soaps, hair
clips, fairy gardens, charm bottles, prints & canvas art, moss art, crafts with bone, and more. Most merchants are on the main row close to the park entrance, but others are scattered through the park, with several in the back of the park near Coo Ghoul Boulevard.
The Screams souvenir shop has Screams baseball caps, beanies, t-shirts, hoodies, shot glasses, wine tumblers, water bottles, coffee mugs, bottle openers, glow sticks, necklaces, car decals, yo-yos, power pack chargers and lapel pins.
The park opens at 7pm, and closes at 1am, but the ticket office closes at midnight. This is a massive park, so arrive as early as possible. I spent two nights reviewing Screams, to give you an idea of how much there is to do at this park. If you know that you will arrive after 9, you may want to consider buying a fast pass, especially if you want to go through the haunted attractions multiple times.
It helps to go through the haunted houses first, then eat and drink. I begin my night at Screams with Terra Mythica Castle. This has the longest lines later at night, so see it early. When you enter the park, take a left past Rottingwood Cemetery, walk down Merchant’s Lane, and you will see the entrance to the Castle ahead. Once you exit the Castle, take a right, then another right and begin walking uphill, back to the shops. After a few yards you will see the entrance to Bootlegger’s Bayou on your right. This is lots of fun and also has long lines later in the evening. After Bootlegger’s, take a left, walk past the food court and games, and go into Time’s Up Maze. Once you are out of the Maze, walk past the food court, past the main stage, and look for the entrance to Zombie Apocalypse Wasteland. After Zombie Apocalypse, look for Klownz in 3D, which is close to the entrance to Zombie Apocalypse. After exiting Klownz, you will have seen all five major attractions and then it’s time to eat, drink and shop. On your way around the park you can walk through Cool Ghoul Boulevard and Rottingwood Cemetery.
Haunted Attractions
Terra Mythica Castle
Located at end of the main row of merchants, close to the park entrance, Terra Mythica Castle is the largest attraction at Screams. The Castle has been completely redesigned this year. Remnants of a tavern are found at the beginning of the trek. Dark lighting, dark wood and good detail highlight the tavern area. An evil monk puts a curse on customers in a sort of hunting trophy room after the tavern. In a rapid change of scenery, a well decorated bridge follows as the path leads into a swampy area. Good mood lighting plus fog make this area the most atmospheric part of the Castle. You’ll find great detail in the library that follows the swamp. Among the interesting props in this area are the three witches of the Castle. Actors have an easy time startling guests in the library since people tend to be distracted by the quality of the decor. Leaving the library, the descent down to the dungeon is much darker this year. Like the library, the dungeon is filled with high quality props and decor. An old favorite dating back to the early days of Screams, the big dragon animatronic, is in a new location before the end of the path. Go through the Castle a couple of times if you have a chance. There is a lot to see inside and you’ll probably notice more detail during your second trip. I have to give a special shout out to the greeters of the Castle. Great job of interacting with guests and making the experience special for everyone!
Bootleggers Bayou
Creepy and run down looking, complete with dim green lighting, the outside of Bootleggers Bayou seems like something you would find on the wrong side of a haunted swamp. A pair of perfectly cast greeters welcome you to Bootleggers and set the mood for the haunt. A dilapidated living room begins the trip, leading to a hallway filled with hanging clothes. The clothes hallway has been used at haunted houses before, but the actors here make the most of the cover the clothes provide. Bootlegger’s butcher shop is creatively decorated and comes with a couple of family members who encourage guests to be on the menu. It takes a lot of work to make a place look this filthy, and the effort paid off. A nasty looking bedroom follows, packed with old dolls that look like something out of a slasher movie. The best, or worst part of Bootleggers is the bathroom. It’s as gross as ever, and it has a peculiar aroma this year. There is nice detail in the sewing room and I appreciated the hanging cadavers that followed. Can’t go wrong with old school props. Bootleggers wouldn’t be complete without a good swamp, which wraps up your trip. This is a very well done attraction. Great dim lighting, excellent actors all the way through and believable props and decorations.
Klownz in 3D is the funhouse at Screams. It is located between Zombie Wasteland Apocalypse and the front gate. The fun at Klownz starts with an entertaining greeter who gets the crowd into the spirit for a trip through the house. You’ll find great detail in the neon 3D paint in all parts of this haunt. Variety is the best part of this attraction. Well timed airguns, strobe lights, and fog add to the usual 3D house experience. The fast spinning vortex tunnel is a good touch. A hall with shaking walls and a hall with prop clowns and a real clown coming out of the walls are always favorites of mine. The number of props is impressive and include a large four headed clown prop, a spinning clown, severed clown heads hanging from the ceiling and a toxic waste area with neon paint. Red velvet drapes in one area were an unusual touch. Some of the best actors at Screams are in Klownz and they have some of the best costumes in the park. There are plenty of good hiding places for actors in Klownz, so you’ll never know where the next scare will come from.
Time’s Up Maze is located in back of the park behind the main food court. It’s much longer than I anticipated. I would say that the average time to find the way out is 15-20 minutes. There is a considerable amount of depth in the design of this year’s maze. If you use the tops of other buildings that are visible from inside the maze you will have an easier time of it. Actors in the maze are good at popping out as customers round corners, especially in low visibility areas. There seemed to be more actors working the maze than last year as there were no long stretches without an actor around. Don’t make the mistake of listening to actors when they give you directions. That’s how you spend 30 minutes in the maze. I don’t want to give out real spoilers on how to find the exit, but I will say that you have to go through the chain link fence area to get to the exit. Also, staying to the right is usually a good idea in mazes. There were an impressive number of jump scares in Time’s Up, which isn’t easy to pull off in a maze.
Zombie Wasteland Apocalypse is the haunted trail at Screams. It is located between Klownz in 3D and the main stage. When I was going through the notes that I took after my trips through ZWA, it occurred to me that ambience is probably the best thing about this attraction. The mood is very creepy on the trail. Eerie green and blue lights illuminating the fogged path reminded me of old zombie movies that I’ve seen. The fog is heavy in one part of the trail and combined with strobe lights to almost cause me to lose my way for a second. Even the most experienced haunted house fan will be disconcerted from time to time in ZWA. I was very impressed by the actors. They had great timing and knew how to use props for cover. The diner was my favorite part of ZWA. I didn’t expect to find a room this detailed and the actors were very into their roles. I’ve always enjoyed the change of pace the outdoor area with broken down vehicles offers after the narrow passageway in the middle of the haunt. Dueling chainsaws were another good change of pace. They never fail to get people running. All in all, 2024 is another great year for Zombie Wasteland Apocalypse.
Screams is on the Scarborough Faire grounds and is natural terrain, so remember to wear comfortable shoes, and don’t wear high heels. If the weather cools down, you may want to take along a light jacket, just in case. Wearing costumes, Halloween type masks, or face paint into Screams is not allowed
Remaining Screams dates are:
October 11th and 12th
October 18th and 19th
October 25th and 26th
November 1st and 2nd
All nights are 7pm-1am. Admission to the park closes at midnight.
Online Ticket Prices are:
$42 General Admission for Friday ($45 at ticket office)
$52 general admission for Saturday ($55 at ticket office)
$30 for Friday fast pass ($33 at ticket office)
$40 for Saturday fast pass ($43 at ticket office)
$40 group tickets for Friday, $50 for Saturday. Parties of 15 or more to qualify. Online only.
$165 season pass. Available online only.
Monster Museum $5 + tax and fees online, or $7 at the door.
Buy tickets here
Ticket prices do not include taxes and fees.
Parking is free.
There are 4 ATMs onsite. Two are in the souvenir shop, one is between Coco’s Sweet Treats and the pizza stand on the far side of the main food court, and another is close to Taboo Tavern on the main food court. While all taverns and most food sellers accept credit cards, games are cash only.
Flush Toilets are available between Scary-Oke and Terra Mythica Castle. Porta potties are located in several locations, including: by the flush toilets next to Scary-Oke, close to the exit for Terra Mythica castle across from the food court, close to Cool Ghoul Boulevard, and close to Zombie Wasteland and Klownz in 3D.
Screams is the only real haunted theme park in North Texas and is the best value around. At other haunted attractions, you drive to the haunt, wait in line, and spend 10-35 minutes inside. Then you leave. Some of the haunted houses in DFW are good, but Screams is the only place where you can go through each attraction as many times as you want, eat, drink, and shop. It is easy to arrive at 7 and stay until 1. Another unique feature is that there is something for everyone at Screams. Even if you aren’t into haunted houses, you can have a great time in the park. You can fill your evening by having dinner, trying the various pubs and taverns, seeing Hell Dolls, checking out the new stage entertainment at Taboo Tavern and Scary-Oke, shopping, playing games, and going through the walk through attractions.
Screams looks great in 2024, with a major redesign of their haunted attractions, new food and drink, and a great cast of actors. The crew went all out in preparation for this season in another summer of punishing heat, and their effort shows in the attention to detail in the houses, trails, and in the park grounds. Be sure to see Screams at least once this season, and remember, arrive early, and stay late!
AMC Fearfest Countdown to Fearfest begins on September 28. Fearfest begins on October 1. AMC’s daily schedule is here.
SYFY 31 Days of Halloween Countdown to 31 Days of Halloween begins on September 3. 31 Days of Halloween begins on October 1. SYFY’s daily schedule is here.
TCM October Horror The Countdown to October Horror begins on September 9. October Horror begins on October 2. TCM’s star of the month for October is Bela Lugosi. TCM’s daily schedule is here.
Movies! Channel Friday Night Frights has a double feature of horror movies every Friday night through the year, beginning at 7pm CST. Movies! frequently has additional horror movies on after Friday Night Frights, sometimes running until 5am. Movies! is a free over the air channel. Their site is here, check it for how to view Movies! in your area. Movies! daily schedule is here.
Comet Channel Horror Comet is an all genre channel that airs movies mostly on Saturday afternoon and evening, and genre TV shows the rest of the week. Comet’s daily schedule is here.
Svengoolie’s Halloween BOOnanza begins on October 1, on the MeTV network. Svengoolie is a horror host who has a weekly Saturday night show on MeTV. Svengoolie has special programming through the month of October. MeTV’s site is here. Check for how to view MeTV in your area and for your local schedule on their site.
Shudder 61 Days of Halloween began on September 1. Shudder is a streaming service. You can subscribe directly at Shudder, or through Amazon Prime.
Travel Channel Ghostober will begin on October 1. Travel Channel’s daily schedule is here.
Freeform 31 Nights of Halloween Begins October 1. Freeform’s daily schedule is here.
Disney Channel Calling All Monsters Countdown to Calling All Monsters begins on September 3. Calling All Monsters begins on October 2. Disney Channel’s daily schedule is here.
Food Network Halloween begins on September 16 with the Halloween Baking Championship season premiere. Food Network’s daily schedule is here.
Hallmark Channel Halloween begins on September 10. Hallmark Channel’s schedule is here.
Halloween Movies on TV is a great site that I link to. They update throughout the season, so check them frequently.
New Releases in Theaters
Beetlejuice 2 Opens nationwide September 6
Speak No Evil Opens nationwide September 13
Meanwhile on Earth September 13
The Substance September 20
A Different Man Opens NY and LA September 20, nationwide October 4
Azrael Opens nationwide September 27
Terrifier 3 Opens nationwide October 11
Smile 2 October 18
New Releases on Streaming
Here After Digital/VOD September 13
Apartment 7A Streaming on Paramount+ September 27
Hold Your Breath Streaming on Hulu October 3
V/H/S/ Beyond Only on Shudder October 4
It’s What’s Inside Streaming on Netflix October 4
MadS October 11 on Shudder
Time Cut Streaming October 30 on Netflix
Salem’s Lot The long delayed remake will stream on Max in October
Theaters Showing Vintage Horror Movies in October
Texas Theater also has the Texas Horror Cult Film Festival on October 28, from 7pm-10pm
The Rooftop Cinema Club Ft Worth
The Rooftop Cinema Club Houston
Sundown at the Granada List of their movies on the rooftop here
Theaters Showing Vintage and First Run Horror Movies in October
Free Movie Showings
Haunted Mansion shown outside in Downtown Dallas October 18, 7pm-9pm
Pictures on the Plaza in Grapevine October 12 (Coco),19 (Hotel Transylvania) ,26 (Haunted Mansion)
October 17
Hallowine Yappy Hour at Lost Oaks Winery in Burleson 6pm-9pm
October 19
Howl-O-Ween Pet Photos in Addison Circle Park at 2pm
Dog Halloween Costume Contest at Little Elm Park from 5pm-6pm
October 23
Woof O Ween in Flower Mound 5:30pm-7:30pm
October 24
Howl-O-Ween Party for Dogs at Wag Hotel in Richardson from 6:30pm-8pm
Doggie Halloween at the Stoneleigh Hotel Dallas 5:30pm-7:30pm
October 26
Howl-O-Ween at Wag ‘N Bone in Dallas 9am-11am
Pet Costume Contest Benefitting Doodle Rock Rescue at Dallas Farmers Market from 10am-2pm
Uptown Pup Halloween Party in Dallas 11am-2pm
Woof-O-Ween at Tequila Social in Dallas 11am-2pm
Mutts Howl-O-Ween at Mutts Canine Cantina in Dallas and Ft Worth from 11am-4pm
Howl-O-Ween benefitting Dallas Pets Alive at Community Beer Company in Dallas 4pm-8pm
Woof-O-Ween at Odyssey Pets in Dallas 4pm-6pm
Dog Friendly
Halloween Party @ The Truck Yard Lower Greenville 11am-11:30pm
Halloween Party at the Truck Yard Alliance in Ft Worth 11am-11:30pm
Halloween@ The Truck Yard in the Colony 11am-11:30pm
October 27
Day of the Dog at Bearded Monk in Denton 2pm-3pm
October 28
Halloween Dog Photoshoot at Dogtopia in Southlake All day (open 7am-7pm)
October 29
Halloween Dog Photoshoot at Dogtopia in Southlake All day (open 7am-7pm)
Halloween
Halloween Pet Adoption Special at Watauga Animal Shelter 11am-5pm
Roanoke’s Halloween Dog Costume Contest 5:30pm-6:30pm
All Through October
Howl-O-Ween at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine
Cosmic Howl at Meow Wolf in Grapevine
October 11
Witches and Wizards Mixer and Dance Social in Farmer’s Branch 7:30pm-11pm
October 12
Family Fright Fest The Colony 3pm-7pm
Bull-O-Ween at Top 10 Events Arlington 5pm-8pm Benefits bull dog rescue
October 13
Howl-O-Ween Couture Fashion Show at Pixee’s Paws Pet Boarding in Arlington 2pm-4pm
October 17
Pumpkin Painting at Ellie’s Restaurant and Lounge in Dallas with Yappy Hour 5pm-7pm
Halloween Spirits Walk at Grandscape in the Colony 6pm-9pm
Hallowine Yappy Hour at Lost Oaks Winery in Burleson 6pm-9pm
Halloween Cocktails Tasting at B&B Theater in Red Oak 7:30pm-9pm
Marquee Night Out Cocktail Tasting at B&B Theater in North Richland Hills 7:30pm-9pm
Marquee Night Out Cocktail Tasting at B&B Theater in Wylie 7:30pm-9pm
October 18
Zombie Apocalypse at Crave Dogs and BBQ in Mansfield 5:30pm-9pm
Paint a Pumpkin and Watch Hocus Pocus Dallas Farmers Market 7pm-10pm
Dia de los Muertos Party at White Rock Brewing in Dallas 7pm-10pm
Ghouls at the Gator Halloween Bash in Pilot Point 7pm-11pm
Pre Halloween Costume Party at Horus Hall in Ft Worth 8pm-11:30pm
Halloween at the Arcade Costume Contest at Round 2 in Dallas 9pm-2am
Brazaween Brazilian Halloween Party at GOAT Lounge in Dallas 10pm-2am
October 19
October Spooktacular at VFW in Denton Benefitting Meals on Wheels For Pets of Seniors Noon-4pm
Trunk or Treat Cedar Springs Dallas 1pm-3pm
Cemetery Tour from White Rock Brewing in Dallas 1pm-5pm
Howl-O-Ween Pet Photos in Addison Circle Park at 2pm
Cocktail Class Halloween Edition in Duncanville 2pm-4pm
Dallas Halloween Weekend Bar Crawl Trinity Cider Downtown Dallas 4pm-11pm
Ft Worth Halloween Weekend Bar Crawl 4pm-11pm
Dog Halloween Costume Contest at Little Elm Park from 5pm-6pm
Spooky SZN Candle Making Class 6pm-8pm in Dallas
Ghoul’s Night Out Cocktail Workshop in Arlington 6pm-7pm and 8pm-9pm
Scary Sweet Cake Decorating Class at Val’s in Dallas 6pm-9pm
West End Zombie Crawl at Chet’s in the West End 7pm-11:30pm
Halloween at Kava Culture in Ft Worth 7pm-Midnight
October 20
Pumpkin Carving Social Craft Party (Adults Only) in Farmers Branch 2pm-4pm
Costume & Pumpkin Painting Party One Eleven Ranch Park in Garland 2pm-5pm
October 22
Cemetarium Craft Party at Voodoo Brewing Plano 6:30pm-8:30pm
Witchcraft and Wizardry Trivia Night at Third Rail Bar in Grapevine 7pm-9pm
October 23
Woof O Ween in Flower Mound 5:30pm-7:30pm
Halloween Charcuterie Workshop in Richardson 7p-8pm
October 24
Pumpkin Painting at Ellie’s Restaurant and Lounge in Dallas with Howl-O-Ween 5pm-7pm
Puppies and Pizza Halloween Party at Oreste’s NY Pizza and Bocce in Dallas 6pm-8pm
Howl-O-Ween Party for Dogs at Wag Hotel in Richardson from 6:30pm-8pm
Doggie Halloween at the Stoneleigh Hotel Dallas 5:30pm-7:30pm
Bishop Arts Halloween Bar Crawl Dallas 7pm-10pm
October 25
Halloween Bash at Dogtopia in Southlake all day (open 7am-7pm)
Dallas Fright Night Halloween Bar Crawl from Trinity Cider 5pm-11pm
Ft Worth Fright Night Bar Crawl 5pm-11pm
Halloween Spooktacular Nights at the Dallas Arboretum 6pm-8pm
SpookFest at Fireside Recreation Center in Dallas 6pm-8pm
Boo Bash in Duncanville 6pm-8pm
Block Party Night Market at Henry’s Majestic in Dallas 6pm-10pm
Trick Or Drink Dallas Halloween Bar Crawl/Lower Greenville/Starts at The Dubliner/Registration 6pm-11pm/Runs 6pm-2am
The Village Presents a Murder Mystery Dinner Dallas Starts at 6:15pm
Sam’s Search Sweepstakes Halloween Party Starts at 7pm in Southeast Dallas
Halloween Bar Crawl from Dot’s Hop House in Dallas. Starts at 7pm
Halloween Bash 7pm-Midnight in Farmers Branch 7pm-Midnight
Horror Trivia Dinner at the Dallas Hemp Company 7pm-10pm
The Westin Southlake’s Annual Halloween Party 7:30pm-Midnight
The Rocky Horror Picture Show Showing and Party at the Texas Theater in Dallas. 8pm
Halloween Comedy Show and Costume Contest at Shark’s Comedy Club in Dallas 8pm-9:30pm
Hideaway Cabaret Burlesque Show in Dallas 8pm-11pm
Halloween Meet and Greet at Andretti Go Cart in Grand Prairie from 8pm-11pm
Halloween Silent Disco at the Dallas Farmer’s Market 8pm-11pm
Ft Worth Walking Dead Bar Crawl 8pm-2am 3 Nights For One Price
The Walking Dead Halloween Bar Crawl at Bottled Blonde Downtown Dallas 8pm-2am
Noche De Terror Halloween Party at Strangeways on Fitzhugh in Dallas 8pm-2am
Pre-Halloween Party at T’s in Lewisville starts at 9pm
Geek’d Up Halloween Party in Dallas 9pm-midnight
Halloween Costume Contest at Horus Hall in Ft Worth 9pm-Midnight
The Village Nightmare on Main Street Halloween Bash North Dallas 9pm-2am
Spooktacular Halloween Party at Hangout Club in Irving 9pm-2am
80’s Halloween Bash and Costume Contest in Frisco 9:30pm-1:30am
Gloria’s Nightlife Halloween Party at Gloria’s in Addison 10pm-2am
Shay DeCastro at Portal Halloween Afterparty Dallas 1:30am-4:30am
October 26
Howl-O-Ween at Wag ‘N Bone in Dallas 9am-11am
Halloween Family Weekend in downtown Dallas 10am-1pm
Pet Costume Contest Benefitting Doodle Rock Rescue at Dallas Farmers Market from 10am-2pm
Halloween Party @ The Truck Yard Lower Greenville 11am-11:30pm Free admission
Halloween Party at the Truck Yard Alliance in Ft Worth 11am-11:30pm
Uptown Pup Halloween Party in Dallas 11am-2pm
Woof-O-Ween at Tequila Social in Dallas 11am-2pm
Mutts Howl-O-Ween at Mutts Canine Cantina in Dallas and Ft Worth from 11am-4pm
Halloween@ The Truck Yard in the Colony 11am-11:30pm
Martin House Brewery has a Booery Halloween party from noon-5pm in Ft Worth
Old Town Burleson Halloween Pub Crawl and Costume Contest 2pm-8pm
PT’s Halloween Pop Up in Dallas 2pm-6pm
Howl-O-Ween benefitting Dallas Pets Alive at Community Beer Company in Dallas 4pm-8pm
Woof-O-Ween at Odyssey Pets in Dallas 4pm-6pm
Scopetacular Halloween Bash in Frisco 4pm-8pm
Dallas Halloween Bar Crawl Deep Ellum 4pm-11pm
Ft Worth Official Halloween Bar Crawl 4pm-11pm
Ft Worth Halloween Bar Crawl at Junk Punch 4pm-11pm
Arlington Halloween Bar Crawl 4pm-11pm
Trick Or Drink Dallas Halloween Bar Crawl/Lower Greenville/Starts at The Dubliner/Registration 4pm-10pm/Runs 4pm-2am
Downtown Dallas Halloween Pub Crawl 4:30pm-9pm
Trick or Treat Trail in Little Elm 5pm-9pm
Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat from 6pm-7pm in Hurst
Trunk or Treat Arlington 6pm-8pm
Halloween Spooktacular Nights at the Dallas Arboretum 6pm-8pm
Candy Trail Feat Haunted Halls (children) in Irving 6pm-9pm
Dallas Halloween Block Party Cedar Springs 6pm-1am
Nightmare Over Little Elm Park Party and Fireworks in Little Elm from 6:30pm-9:30pm
Dallas Zombie Bar Crawl Dot’s Hop House Downtown Dallas Starts at 7pm
Dallas Halloween Singles Party Brass Tap in North Dallas 7pm-9pm
Hoeasis Halloween Hoedown in Dallas 7pm-9pm
R&B Paint and Sip Halloween in Plano 7pm-10pm
Nightmare on Main St Halloween Party at Third Rail in Grapevine 7pm-10pm
Steel Rose Halloween Bash at Guitars and Growlers in Flower Mound 7pm-10:30pm
Trunk or Treat in Addison 7:30pm-9pm
80’s Rock Halloween Bash at Barn Hill Vineyards in Anna from 7:30pm-10pm. Doors at 6:15pm
Trick Or Drink Dallas Halloween Bar Crawl/Lower Greenville/Starts at The Dubliner/Registration 4pm-10pm/Runs 4pm-2am
Haunted Beer Garden Halloween Party at Outfit Brewing in Dallas 8pm-Midnight
Halloween Costume Party at Royal Lane Studios in Dallas starts at 8pm
Nightmare on Elm St Silent Disco at Sweet Tooth Hotel in Dallas 8pm-11pm
Graveyard Live Halloween Party 8pm-2am Arlington
Dragons Ball “The Last Dance” in Dallas 8pm-2am Check Updates on Facebook
Ft Worth Walking Dead Bar Crawl 8pm-2am 3 Nights For One Price
Nightmare on Elm St Party at La Neta Lounge on Elm St in Dallas 8pm-2am
River Pig Dallas Halloween Party Lower Greenville 8pm-2am
Horror Hotel Halloween Party at Waterproof in Dallas 8pm-2am
The Dervish Club Halloween Party 8:30pm-Midnight
T’s Annual Halloween Bash in Lewisville. Starts at 9pm
Trap Bowl Halloween Edition in The Colony starts at 9pm
Halloween Bash at Punch Bowl Social in Dallas. Starts at 9pm
Nightmare on Morton in Ft Worth 9pm-Midnight
Annual Halloween Costume Contest at O’Shea’s Irish Pub in Grapevine 9pm-1am
Halloween Havoq in Arlington 9pm-2am
Haunted House Party at The Palms in Dallas 9pm-2am
Alter Ego Costume Party at Miami Vibes in Plano 9pm-2am
Halloween Party BCA & TCA 5 Year Anniversary in Dallas 9pm-3am
Fright Night Halloween Party at House of Blues in Dallas 10pm-2am
Haunted Hotel Halloween Mega Bash Aloft Hotel West Dallas 10pm-2am
Lava Cantina’s Halloween Bash and Rocky Horror Picture Show in The Colony 11pm-2am
October 27
Main Event Ft Worth South Halloween Party 11am-2pm
Main Event Frisco Halloween Party 11am-2pm
Spooky Themed Pop Up Market from 11am-5pm in Dallas
Main Event Ft Worth North Halloween Party noon-4pm
Day of the Dog at Bearded Monk in Denton 2pm-3pm
Halloween Crafts at Celestial Beerworks in Dallas 2pm-6pm
The Underground Market’s Ghoulish Goods Market Dallas 11am-5pm
Trunk or Treat from T’s parking lot in Lewisville 5pm-8pm
Boo Bash at Lava Cantina in the Colony 4pm-10:30pm
October 28
Halloween Dog Photoshoot at Dogtopia in Southlake All day (open 7am-7pm)
Monster Mash Monday at Main Event in Grapevine 4pm-7pm
Halloween Char-Spook-Erie at Ron’s Corner Tavern in Bedford 7pm-9pm
October 29
Halloween Dog Photoshoot at Dogtopia in Southlake All day (open 7am-7pm)
Halloween Trivia Night at Third Rail Bar in Grapevine 6:30pm-9pm
October 30
Whiskey Dinner and Costume Party at Barrel and Bones in The Colony 7pm-9pm
Horror Movie Trivia Night at Black Dog Arcade in Arlington starts at 7pm
Oakus Pocus Halloween Crawl in Denton 7pm-Midnight
Halloween Comedy and Karaoke Party at the Nines in Dallas 9pm-1am
Cowboy Cabaret Halloween Edition in Ft Worth 8pm-10pm
Geeks and Freaks Party at PM Lounge on Henderson in Dallas 10pm-2am
Halloween
Halloween Pet Adoption Special at Watauga Animal Shelter 11am-5pm
Make and Take Halloween Treats Central Market Lovers Lane Dallas 11am-1:30pm
Trick or Treat on Downtown Streets Dallas 4pm-7pm
DYS Trick or Treat Halloween Extravaganza Dallas 4pm-8pm
Treat Street Fort Worth Stockyards Halloween Festival 5pm-7pm
Ft Worth Halloween Bar Crawl 5pm-11pm
Roanoke’s Halloween Dog Costume Contest 5:30pm-6:30pm
Halloween Bar Crawl in Arlington 5pm-11pm
Halloween Bar Crawl begins at Trinity Cider in Dallas 5pm-11pm
Trick Or Drink Dallas Halloween Bar Crawl/Lower Greenville/Starts at The Dubliner/Registration 6pm-11pm/Runs 6pm-2am
Midnight at the Masquerade at Southfork Ranch Show and Dinner. Doors at 6pm, Show at 7pm
Halloween Trick or Treat Event in Plano 6pm-8pm
Paint and Sip in Duncanville 6pm-8pm
Trunk or Treat in Farmers Branch 6pm-8pm
Boo’s and Brews by Tailgaters in Frisco 6pm-11pm
Halloween at Haltom in Haltom City 6pm-11:30pm
Live Band Karaoke Halloween Party at Third Rail Bar in Grapevine 7pm-9pm
Trunk or Treat Plus a Movie in Las Colinas Trunk or Treat 5pm-7pm, movie 7pm-9pm
Halloween Masquerade Ball at Hearsay in Arlington 7pm-10pm
Fright Night Dallas Hemp Halloween Party East Dallas 7pm-11:30pm
Halloween Ghost Hunt at Oakland Cemetery in Dallas 7:30-11:30
Chills and Thrills Halloween Party at Echo Lounge in Dallas 7pm-Midnight
Trick Or Drink Dallas Halloween Bar Crawl/Lower Greenville/Starts at The Dubliner/Registration 6pm-11pm/Runs 6pm-2am
Dallas Halloween Bar Crawl 5pm-11pm Trinity Cider Downtown Dallas
Masquerade Party in Frisco 8pm-Midnight
Costumes and Cocktails at Lofty Spaces in Dallas 8pm-1am
Ft Worth Walking Dead Bar Crawl 8pm-2am 3 Nights For One Price
The Church Presents Halloween on Halloween East Dallas 8pm-2am
Tower Club Nightmare on Elm Street Contest Party on Elm in Dallas 9pm-midnight
Freak or Treat 9pm-2am Walnut Hill West Dallas
Shark’s Comedy Club Halloween Party and Costume Contest in Dallas 9:30pm-midnight
Halloween Night Rooftop Party 10pm-2am The Statler Downtown Dallas
Dallas Lingo Halloween Party at Playhouse Dallas 10pm-2am
Costume Contest and Party at the Speakeasy in Alcatraz in Dallas 10pm-2am
November 1
The Halloween After Party at Lofty Spaces in Dallas 8:30pm-1am
Maxim Masquerade at the W Hotel Doors open at 8:45, runs until 2am
Dare to Scare Irving 9pm-Midnight
November 2
Downtown Dallas Halloween Bar Crawl 4pm-10pm
Midnight at the Masquerade at Nack Theater in Frisco 6pm-9pm
Haunted W Dallas Rooftop Halloween Party and Costume Ball 9pm-2am
Haunted Castle in Plano is the first dedicated haunted house oriented restaurant and bar in Texas, and one of the few in the world. It opened this August and is located in west Plano, along the Dallas North Tollway access road, just south of Park Blvd. It is heavily decorated and has two main dining areas, plus a bar. The exterior has been made to resemble a castle and has Halloween decorations close to the front entrance. When you walk into the restaurant, the waiting area is well decorated and has a view of the main dining area and bar. A short hallway leads to the second dining room, which is also well decorated. The look of this place is it’s strong point. There are no bare parts of walls or empty spaces. Every bit of Haunted Castle has been decorated, for the most part well decorated. The haunted house ambience is one of a kind and appeals to both adults and kids.
The main complaints from customers and reviewers are the unevenness of service and the quality and cost of food. The menu is limited and pricey for a place like this. Food quality isn’t great, but it’s good enough, considering that no one comes here just to eat. The food is well presented, but the portions are not large. The waitstaff dresses in Halloween costumes and is pretty attentive, but they are a bit overworked. The kitchen can fall behind at peak hours, so going to Haunted Castle Monday through Thursday is probably a better bet. If you go on Friday, try to arrive before 6, and mid afternoon Saturday is a good time.
The bar is the best decorated part of Haunted Castle. The seating at the bar itself is a little cramped so you may want to sit at the tables on either side of the bar. The side tables offer a better view of the main dining area and light show that comes on a few times per hour is best viewed from the bar. The drinks menu has quite a few Halloween themed drinks, plus beer and wine. I wasn’t thrilled with the size of the specialty martinis, but the bar was so cool looking that I overlooked skimping on alcohol. If you go to the bar on weekends, be prepared to wait. One bartender is on duty at a time, with the entire restaurant to make drinks for, as well as bar customers.
Haunted Castle is sort of like going to a theme park. It’s overpriced given the quality of food and drinks, but it’s an event that you probably won’t attend often. This is definitely not a place to go to regularly, but it’s fun to see occasionally. It is a one of a kind Halloween experience, so ignore the minor growing pains and check it out this Halloween season.
Haunted Castle Cafe can be booked for private events, such as birthday parties and corporate events.
Location: 1900 Dallas Pkwy, Plano, TX 75093
Phone: (972) 803-6429
Site: hauntedcastlecafe.com
Hours:
Monday 4pm-11pm
Tuesday through Sunday 11am-11pm
The Old Monk on Henderson, in Dallas, will be having pumpkin carving October 23-Halloween. $20 gets you a pint, a pumpkin, and a carving kit. Supplies of pumpkins are limited, so it’s best to arrive in the late afternoon, or early evening M-Thu, and earlier Fri-Sun. Old Monk opens is open 3pm-midnight Monday through Thursday, Friday 11:30am-2am, Saturday 11am-2am, Sunday 11am-midnight.
The Dubliner, on Lower Greenville, is having pumpkin carving on Sunday, October 27 and Wednesday, October 30, late afternoon-early evening.
Swizzle Tiki Bar in Lower Greenville decorates for Halloween through October, plays horror movies on the bar TV, and has an annual Halloween themed Burlesque show in late October. Swizzle is in the lowest part of Lower Greenville, close to Voodoo Donuts.
Haunted Castle Cafe in Plano opened in August. It’s close to Willow Bend Mall, off of the northbound Dallas North Tollway access road. This is the first restaurant or bar in DFW that is dedicated to Halloween/haunted houses. However, the reviews are mixed. The food menu is small, erratically executed, and pricey. Of course, everything is pricey today. Your best bet may be to go to the bar and order appetizers along with your drinks. The place is very well decorated. It sounds like it’s worth checking out once, just for the experience of being able to drink in a place that is all about haunted houses and Halloween.
The Old Monk, Spider Murphy’s Pub, The Skellig are Irish pubs, owned by the same company, along Henderson Ave in Dallas, close to Lower Greenville. All three decorate heavily for Halloween and usually have Halloween themed drinks in October. Old Monk has pumpkin carving in the last week of October.
The Dubliner is the oldest Irish pub in Dallas. It’s located in the middle of Lower Greenville and decorates heavily for Halloween. It’s owned by a guy from Dublin and is far more authentic than the Old Monk and it’s sister pubs. The Dubliner has pumpkin carving for one night during the final night week of October.
Wonder Bar on Henderson Ave in Dallas decorates for Halloween and has Halloween themed drinks in October.
Halcyon Dallas in Lower Greenville has movie nights on Friday. Remaining movies are Ghostbusters on the 11th, Haunted Mansion on the 18th, and ET on the 25th.
The Quarter Bar in Uptown will decorate for Halloween and offers themed drinks, October 21-31, with a Halloween party on October 26 from 9:30pm-2am featuring a costume contest at 10pm.
Saint Roccos at Trinity Groves has a pop up Halloween bar called Devil’s Butcher Shop that opens Thursday, October 10. Nights open will be Thursday-Saturday in October, plus Halloween. 7pm-1am.
Sweet Tooth Hotel on Elm St has Sweetlejuice, open now. It’s a variation on Beetlejuice.
Hide Bar in Dallas has a pop up Halloween bar that is open now. Hide is in Lowest Greenville.
Nickel City in Ft Worth has the Black Lagoon pop up bar this October. Open now.
Third Rail Bar in Grapevine has a Halloween pop up called Nightmare on Main Street. Open now.
Spirit Halloween has opened all of it’s locations. For additional info, check out their FB page here.
Here is an updated list of stores that sell quality Halloween merchandise and costumes. These links should take you directly to their Halloween departments. Walgreens, Kroger, Tom Thumb, Albertsons, and CVS usually sell a fair amount of Halloween decorations and candy, but they list little to nothing online, so I’m not linking to them. They are worth checking out in person, especially CVS. Many of the costume shops listed also carry decorations.
Merchandise
In Person and online
Online only
Costume Shops
Online
In Person and online
Since it’s looking like at least some haunted attractions in Texas will join Screams in cancelling, we are going to post alternatives to haunted houses this season. Without commenting on whether paranormal activity is real, I will say that investigating paranormal sites can be fun, even if you aren’t a believer. After all, we all know that haunted houses aren’t full of real monsters, but they are great fun anyway. Below are some links to paranormal sites and ghost tours.
Haunted Places
Haunted Places.org The Most Haunted Places In Texas
Backpackerverse 10 Most Haunted Places in Texas
Caller.com 13 Haunted Places in Texas
Haunted Rooms: 17 Most Haunted Places in Texas
Haunted Rooms Most Haunted Places in DFW
Texas Escapes Texas Ghosts List
Click2Houston Creepiest Places in Texas
Arlington Tourism 18 Most Haunted Places in DFW
Travel Texas Haunted Places to Visit
Austin Ghosts Top 10 Most Haunted Places in Texas
Shadowlands Haunted Places in Texas
Ghost Tours
Trip Advisor Ghost Tours in Texas
Ghost Tours of Galveston Island
Ft Worth Stockyard Ghost Tours
North Texas
Halls Pumpkin Farm and Corn Maze Grapevine
The Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch Flower Mound
Boo at the Zoo Ft Worth Zoo
Dallas Arboretum Pumpkin Festival Dallas
Dallas Pumpkin Patch Preston Trail Farms Gunter
Blase Family Farm Pumpkin Patch Rockwall
Zombie Safari Forney
Team Family Farms Aubrey
Yesterland Fall Festival Canton
Black Creek Farms Pumpkin Patch Decatur
Elves Farm Pumpkin Patch Denison
Central Texas
The Robinson Family Farm Temple
The Jersey Barnyard Pumpkin Patch La Grange
Barton Hill Farms Fall Festival Bastrop
Elgin Christmas Tree Farm Pumpkin Festival Elgin
Evergreen Farms Pumpkin Hunt Elgin
Rocky Creek Maze Moulton
Sweet Berry Farm Harvest of Fall Fun Marble Falls
Lone Star Family Farm & Corn Maze Stephenville
San Antonio Area
Good News Pumpkin Patch San Antonio
Vogel Orchard Pumpkin Patch Fredericksburg
Circle and Maze La Vernia
Devine Acres Farm Fall Countryfest Devine
Great Hill Country Pumpkin Patch-Love Creek Orchards Medina
Pipe Creek Pumpkin Patch Pipe Creek
Owl Creek Farms San Antonio
Houston Area
Halter Inc Haunted Trail and Pumpkin Patch Houston
P-6 Farms Montgomery
Haunted Drive Cleveland
Blessington Farms Fall Festival Simonton
Dewberry Farm Brookshire
Double Creek Farm Pumpkin Patch Livingston
Martin Farms Pumpkin Patch Bellville
J&J Nursery Spring
Old Time Christmas Tree Farm Pumpkin Patch Spring
Berryland Farms of Texas Winnie
Froberg Fruit and Vegetable Farm Alvin
Oil Ranch Scarecrow Festival and Pumpkin Patch Hockley
Texas Zombie Hunt Richmond
East Texas
Zip Line With The Zombies Diana Reservations required. Call 903 968 6924
West Texas
Fiddlestick Farms Midland
Maxwell Pumpkin Farm Amarillo
AT’L Do Farms Lubbock
Assiter Punkin Ranch Floydada
Haunted Maze at Circle S Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch Wall
South Texas
Rockin K Maze Robstown
South Texas Maize Hondo
Neal’s Lodges Haunted Hayrides Concan
Times are for opening night only, unless otherwise noted.
North Texas
September 13
Cutting Edge Haunted House Ft Worth 8pm-10pm
Dark Hour Haunted House Plano 6:30pm-Midnight
Six Flags Fright Fest Arlington 6pm-11pm
September 21
Thrillvania Terrell 8:30pm-10pm
September 27
J&F House of Terror Garland 8pm-10:30pm Blackout weekend. Tickets online, cash only in person.
Moxley Manor Haunted House Bedford 8pm-11pm
Hellbilly Acres Woods of Terror Alvarado 7pm-Midnight
Hangman’s House of Horrors Ft Worth 8pm-Midnight
Haunted Mead Manor Alvarado 8pm-Midnight
September 28
Haunted Shadows Lake Trail The Colony 7:30pm-Midnight
October 4
Screams Halloween Theme Park Waxahachie 7pm-1am
Creekside Manor Midlothian 7:30pm-Midnight
The Parker House Denton 8pm-10pm
Zombie Safari Forney Sold out until October 18. 7pm-10pm. Tickets are selling fast for the season.
The Unknown Cleburne 8pm-11pm
Fort Worth Haunted House 8pm-Midnight
October 5
Ripley’s Nights of Frights Grand Prairie 7pm-11pm
Central Texas
September 13
Scream Hollow Smithville 7pm-midnight
House of Torment Austin Tickets on sale from 7pm-9:15pm
American Scare Grounds Haunted Attraction Elm Mott 7:30pm-Midnight
September 27
Silo of Screams Temple 8pm-10pm Low Scare Opening Night
September 28
Bat City Scaregrounds Austin 7:30pm-11pm
Silo of Screams Temple 8pm-10pm Full Scare Opening Night
October 12
Rocky Creek Maze and Trail Moulton Tickets online only, entrance gate closes at 9pm
Houston
September 13
Purgatory Scream Park Houston 8pm-11:30pm
13th Floor Haunted House Houston Tickets on sale from 7pm-9:15pm
September 20
Houston Terrordome Houston 8pm-11pm. Buy one ticket get one free weekend.
September 27
Creepy Hollow Haunted House Rosharon 7:30pm-Midnight
September 28
Phobia BW-8 Houston 8pm-11pm
Phobia Kemah Boardwalk Kemah 5pm-10pm
Redrum Fear Park Richmond 7pm-11pm
P-6 Farms Fall Fest Montgomery 10am-6:30pm (last admission at 5:30pm)
October 4
Haunted Drive Cleveland 7:30pm-11pm
Haunted Trails Cypress 8pm-11:30pm
October 5
Terror Isle Haunted Attraction Texas City 7pm-11pm
October 11
Texas Zombie Hunt Richmond 7pm-10pm
San Antonio
September 13
13th Floor Haunted House San Antonio Tickets on sale online for 7:30pm-9:45pm
September 21
Freakshow Farms Nightmare in the Woods Spring Branch 8:30pm-10pm
September 27
Terrorland Haunted Adventure San Antonio 7:30pm-Midnight
East Texas
September 27
Graystone Manor Haunted House Longview 7pm-11pm
The Haunted Hotel Beaumont 7pm-11pm
Haunted Hallows at Coppergate Ranch Mt Pleasant 8pm-11:30pm
September 28
World of Khaos Haunted House Tyler 7pm-Midnight
Yesterland Farm Spooktacular Nights Dark till 10pm
October 1
Zip-line with Zombies Diana October 1-Halloween. Reservations required, call 903 968 6924.
October 4
Doc Wilkes House of Horrors Longview 7:30pm-Midnight
Afterlife Haunted Attraction Talco 8pm-11pm
The Asylum Haunted House Talco 8pm-11pm
Dr Mangle’s Murder Manor Jefferson 9pm-Midnight
October 11
Delusions Scream Park Bryan 7pm-11pm
West Texas
September 13
The Haunt at Sundown Amarillo 8pm-Midnight
September 27
Haunted Daze El Paso 8pm-Midnight
Nightmare on Main St Vernon 7:30pm-10pm
September 28
Amarillo Scaregrounds Sneak Peek night, ticket booth from 7:30pm-9:30pm
Haunted Houses of Terror East El Paso 7pm-Midnight
Nightmare on 19th Street Lubbock 7:30pm-11pm
October 3
Forbidden Acres Haunted House El Paso Thu and Sun 8pm-10:30pm Fri-Sat 8pm-11pm Cash Only
October 4
6th Street Massacre Amarillo 7pm-Midnight
The Blackness Haunted House Plainview 7:30pm-11:30pm
October 5
Haunted Houses of Terror West El Paso 7pm-Midnight
October 18
Bloody Bill’s Haunted Attraction Odessa 8pm-Midnight
South Texas
All Year
Haunted Mayfield Manor Galveston Fri-Mon 11am-9pm, Tues-Thu 1pm-9pm
September 27
The Hauntings of Boogeyman Haunted House Corpus Christi VIP Weekend, buy online, begins at 8.
October 4
Fright Night Haunted House Corpus Christi 7pm-11pm
Haunting on the Blue Ghost Corpus Christi 7pm-10pm
The Hauntings of the Boogeyman Corpus Christi Regular opening 8pm-Midnight
October 11
Toluca Ranch Haunted House Weslaco 8pm-Midnight, ticket sales stop at 11:30pm.
Louisiana
September 13
The Mortuary New Orleans Opens at 7:30pm
Necromanor Haunted House Bossier City 7pm-Midnight
Haunted Forest Downsville 8pm-Midnight
New Orleans Nightmare Tickets on sale for 8pm-10:15pm
September 27
13th Gate Baton Rouge 6:30pm-11:30pm
Fright Trail Lafayette 7pm-11pm
September 28
Rise Haunted House Hammond 7pm-10:30pm
October 4
Dark Woods Adventure Park Natchitoches 7:30pm-11pm
Evil Visions Haunted House Monroe 7pm-Midnight
October 11
The Devil’s Knot Haunted Trail Haughton 8pm-Midnight
Oklahoma
September 13
The Asylum Haunted Attraction Nowata Special night, 9pm-11pm
September 27
Castle of Muskogee Halloween Festival Muskogee Opens at 5:30pm, ticket sales end at 10pm.
Newcastle Nightmare Haunted Attraction Newcastle Ticket window open from 7pm-11pm
The Mad House Haunted Attraction Oklahoma City Dark to 11pm $15 Cash only
September 28
Guthrie Scaregrounds 7pm-midnight
The Asylum Haunted Attraction Nowata regular opening 9pm-11pm
Nightfall Haunted Attraction Oklahoma City 6pm-11pm
October 3
Nightmare Warehouse Enid 7:30pm-10:30pm weeknights 7:30pm-11:30pm weekends
October 4
Hex House Tulsa 7pm-11pm
Psycho Path Haunted Attraction Sperry 7:30pm-11pm
Haunted Plantation Coweta 7pm-11pm
October 5
Nightmare in the Country Woodward 8pm-11pm
DCP Haunted Trail Yukon 7pm-10:30pm
Mad Jack’s Haunted House Ardmore 7pm-11pm
October 11
Noble Scaregrounds Noble 7:30pm-11pm
Wicked Forest of Terror Oklahoma City 7pm-11pm
New Mexico
September 27
McCall’s Haunted Farm Albuquerque Area 7pm-Midnight
October 4
Horror Hall Haunted House Tularosa 7pm-10pm
October 5
Haunted Scarecrow: American Horror Theater Albuquerque Doors open at 6pm
October 11
Purgatory Haunted House Albuquerque 7pm-11pm
Arkansas
September 13
Haunted Hotel of Arkansas Little Rock 7:30pm-12:30am
September 27
Nightmares Haunted House Bentonville Dusk-11pm
The Reaper Haunted House 7pm-11pm
Fields of Terror Mountain Home Dark until 10pm
September 28
The Asylum Haunted House Cave Springs 7pm-11pm
Fear Factory 501 Jacksonville 7pm-11pm
October 4
Carpenter’s Mortuary Spook House Gentry 7pm-11pm
Warehouse of Fear Siloam Springs Ticket booth opens at 6:30pm, park opens at 7pm, last ticket at 11pm.
October 19
Scantling Haunted House Booneville 7pm-9pm