Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, has been named America’s top amusement park for a Halloween visit, narrowly finishing ahead of Magic Kingdom Park in Florida and Silver Dollar City in Missouri, according to a new analysis of visitor reviews.
The study examined Tripadvisor feedback and seasonal review patterns to identify parks receiving strong visitor responses during the Halloween and fall travel period. Disneyland earned an overall study score of 84.8 out of 100, while Magic Kingdom followed at 84.1 and Silver Dollar City placed third with 83.2.
California had the strongest presence in the top 10 with four parks, while Florida secured three spots. Missouri, Tennessee and Ohio each had one park represented.
Disneyland and Magic Kingdom Lead Halloween Rankings
Disneyland Park ranked first with an overall visitor rating of 4.33 out of five and a Halloween-specific rating of 4.44, based on 705 qualifying reviews. About 25.5% of its English reviews were posted between September and November.
The Anaheim park offers seasonal entertainment during the Halloween period, including Haunted Mansion Holiday, which gives the familiar attraction a seasonal makeover.
Magic Kingdom Park in Bay Lake, Florida, finished a close second. The park received a Halloween review rating of 4.48 from 950 qualifying reviews, slightly higher than Disneyland’s seasonal rating. Its overall visitor rating stood at 4.32.
Magic Kingdom also had the largest total volume of reviews among the parks included in the ranking, with 69,904 reviews across all languages. According to the study, only 6% of its qualifying Halloween reviews gave the park one or two stars.
Silver Dollar City Records Highest Halloween Review Rating
Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, ranked third overall but recorded the highest Halloween review rating in the study. Its 191 qualifying seasonal reviews produced an average score of 4.50 out of five.
The park’s Harvest Festival combines pumpkin displays, evening rides and pumpkin dance parties, offering an experience that blends Halloween activities with broader fall celebrations.
Disney California Adventure Park placed fourth with 79.4 points, giving Anaheim two parks among the top four. Its Halloween reviews averaged 4.42 from 106 qualifying responses. The park also hosts Oogie Boogie Bash, a separately ticketed Halloween event held on selected nights.
Universal Studios Hollywood ranked fifth with a score of 77.7. Its 465 qualifying Halloween reviews averaged 4.08, while 24.7% of its English reviews were posted during the fall. Halloween Horror Nights at the Los Angeles park features haunted houses, scare zones and the Terror Tram.
Dollywood and Florida Parks Secure Top-10 Positions
Dollywood Theme Park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, placed sixth with 76.8 points. Its Halloween rating averaged 4.46 from 397 qualifying reviews. The park’s Harvest Festival includes Great Pumpkin LumiNights, featuring thousands of illuminated pumpkins and large seasonal displays.
Universal Studios Florida ranked seventh with 72.9 points. The Orlando attraction had 1,266 qualifying Halloween reviews, the largest seasonal review sample among parks in the ranking, with an average rating of 3.96. Its 2026 Halloween Horror Nights event features 10 haunted houses alongside scare zones and live entertainment.
SeaWorld Orlando followed in eighth place with 58.0 points and a Halloween review average of 3.82 from 153 qualifying reviews. Its seasonal programming ranges from the daytime Spooktacular, featuring costumes and trick-or-treating, to the nighttime Howl-O-Scream event.
Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, ranked ninth with 52.8 points and a Halloween rating of 4.07 from 381 qualifying reviews. Its HalloWeekends event combines haunted attractions and seasonal entertainment with the park’s rides.
Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park completed the top 10 with 52.3 points. Its 172 qualifying Halloween reviews averaged 4.17, making it the fourth California attraction to appear in the ranking.
Visitor Reviews Highlight Different Halloween Experiences
Austin Colasanti, CEO of Neon Designs, said the findings show that visitors seek different experiences when choosing a park for Halloween.
“Disneyland and Magic Kingdom are familiar names for a trip like this, but Silver Dollar City does very well alongside them. It has the highest Halloween review rating in the study, with a seasonal program built largely around its harvest festival. That’s a good reminder that people book these trips for different reasons. Getting scared is only one of them.
“Dollywood does well too, and there’s plenty to enjoy about walking around somewhere full of glowing pumpkins. Especially with children, who can be very excited about Halloween until something actually jumps out. Having a night that everyone enjoys is worth more than getting through every haunted attraction.
“The lighting is a big part of what makes Halloween work. Something you barely noticed in daylight can become the thing everyone stops to photograph once it’s lit up. And it doesn’t all need to be dark and frightening. A warm glow around a pumpkin display can make people want to stay a little longer, which matters when the evening is as much about wandering around as going on rides.
“Before booking, check the details for the night you’re going. A photo of a Halloween party on a park’s website doesn’t mean it’s included in your ticket, or even running that evening. Look at the age guidance too, and leave a bit of room in the schedule. It’s still a night out, and nobody wants to spend all of it rushing to the next line.”
