SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — As the temperatures begin to drop and the leaves begin to turn, it feels like the perfect time for ghouls and goblins — with a side of rollercoasters and more.
‘Tis the season for some spooktacular scares, and Dorney Park is bringing the fright with another season of Halloween Haunt.
The festivities kicked into high gear Friday with a Monster March — a wealth of witches, zombies, skeletons, undead workers and steel barons, and more frightening freaks cascaded into the park through a cloud of smoke.
But that was just the start of the horrors that awaited park-goers.
Though the bulk of the scares are returning classics, Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom Public Relations Manager Ryan Eldridge said there’s plenty to look forward to at Halloween Haunt.
“We've upgraded a lot of attractions this year to coincide with some of the changes that we've made to the overall property,” Eldridge said.
“So Blood on the Bayou is upgraded and different. We've also upgraded Tourist Trap. We've upgraded Trick or Treat. Ghost in the Machine has some new bells and whistles, and our scare zones are pushed in.
"They're tighter, and you're going to find that esthetic to be a little more scary and engaging.
“I think one of the big things that we're trying to do this year is to make the experience overall a little more scary, and I think you're going to find that we've done a pretty good job of that.”
Unholy upgrades
All that means more animatronics, more actors, new lighting features, better audio, and “all the things that you need to get people to shiver a little bit,” Eldridge said.
Haunted Mazes are back, with special features including Ghost in the Machine, where the restless spirits haunt the old abandoned steel factory.
There's also Tourist Trap, where visitors at the World’s Fair hotel tend to vanish before becoming part of the chilling legend.
Blood on the Bayou offers a visit to the French Quarter — populated by cursed and possessed souls and demons.
And there's plenty more: Outdoor Scare Zones include the Steel Yard: Forge Your FeAR; Midway Misfits, where shape-shifting fiends prey upon passersby; CarnEVIL, where all the eeriest clowns and frightening freaks can be found; and more.
Shows include Skeleton Crew, featuring skeletons performing a death-defying cirque show, and The Shrieks, showcasing a Halloween party packed with hit songs and spooky singers and dancers.
And there's the all-new Sink the Jerk, where participants have to hit a target to send a loud-mouthed performer into the deep.
Frightening favorites
Eldridge said his favorite feature is Ghost in the Machine, as it manages to meld local history with a touch of horror.
“As you're going through, you're getting that kind of Lehigh Valley undertone, telling a story," he said. "And at the same time, the scares are incredible.
"We brought in Plague Productions from California to help us with that set design, and it's unlike anything we have here. It's truly an incredible and scary experience."
Eldridge said he recommends that guests should be at least 13 to partake in Halloween Haunt, though there still is fun to be had for the younger ones.
From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, kids can enjoy a scare-free experience at Tricks and Treats, featuring trick or treating, pumpkin decorating, face painting, a foam pit and all the rides at Planet Snoopy.
Bundled passes including park access and all the Halloween Haunt attractions start at $49.
Gold Pass holders for 2026 can get in for free, and guests who bought park tickets separately can add Halloween Haunt access for $10.
'They bring it all to life'
Of course, one of the highlights of the Halloween Haunt is the wealth of creepy costumed actors.
Area Manager for Creative Services Tara Santa said getting the morbid mystique of the actors just right is pivotal to the scary experience at the park come fall.
“It is the most important," Santa said. "We can do all of the things that we do in these attractions; we can do all the scenery, all the animatronics, all that stuff — but it's nothing without our live actors, our costumes, our makeup.
"They bring it all to life."
Behind the scenes, actors and actresses have a streamlined process to get into costume, have the makeup artists doll them up and add prosthetics, and grab their props before haunting the park.
Savannah Standish, who plays the Mad Hatter as part of the Malice in Wonderland feature, is in her first year as a costumed creep.
“I’ve always loved horror and the macabre, and I just thought it would be fun, and I’m an actress,” Standish said.
She said she's been having “an amazing, amazing, amazing time… It’s a lot of fun to scare people.”
Just watch out as you wander the park, as those costumed cretins will stalk and taunt you — especially if you try to get a photo of their frightening faces.
And while those sets and spooky costumes and makeup take quite a bit of work to bring together, the end result gets right to the horrific heart of it all.
Neelie Webert and her son Mattis, 8, said they were thrilled to take in all the scares. Mattis said he loved the ghouls who could skate and slide around the park.
They said they plan to come back.
“We've had season passes for years, so we’re definitely here for this. It’s better this year since the merger,” Webert said.
“This is our third time in the last month; twice at the Halloween Haunt already.”
