SeaWorld Orlando is no doubt the theme park to visit with the littlest of Halloween fans. Parents needn’t worry about any roaming zombies or killer clowns at SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular, a colorful upbeat event taking place each weekend in October specifically aimed in getting families to enjoy the holiday together without a care.
The event is included with park admission, featuring trick-or-treating, dancing with sea fairies and pumpkin fish, and sea-themed arts and crafts. SeaWorld likes to call it an underwater “fantasea” of fun.
New for 2013, the “Spooktacular Dance Party” features Princess Penelope and her undersea friends who invite guests to dance along. And while eerie evening events at other theme parks fill the streets with ominous fog, SeaWorld keeps things a bit more festive as clouds of bubbles fill the air. The dance party kicks off at the front of the park every event night an hour before SeaWorld’s park closing time.
Penelope also has her own Party Zone, located at SeaWorld’s Bayside area, with a live DJ, a variety of interactive crafts, and yes, more bubbles.
An assortment of street entertainment includes characters, comedy skits, drummers, and high-flying acrobats on springy stilts – not your traditional Halloween acts but entertaining nonetheless.
Video: Acrobatic performers at SeaWorld Orlando Halloween Spooktacular 2013
Kids and parents alike can decorate some sweet treats at the cookie decorating station, with kits available at an additional cost. It includes a cookie, frosting and toppings, perfect for making a ghost or any other ghoulish creation.
Throughout the park, each trick-or-treat station features an assortment of goodies including Tootsie Roll, Jelly Belly jelly beans, Airheads and other candy favorites.
A few tips for the most enjoyment of SeaWorld’s Spooktacular event:
SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular takes place weekends in October: 5-6, 12-13, 19-20 and 26-27, from 12 to 8 p.m.
More photos from SeaWorld Orlando’s Halloween Spooktacular 2013:
(Photos and tips by Michael Gavin)