By Contributor,Ronny Maye

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Halloween, pumpkins and Halloween scenery

October is one of my favorite times of the year. As the leaves change colors, the nights grow darker, and the air fills with the scent of pumpkin spice, the spookiest time of the year is upon us. Spooky Season, a period of morbid curiosity and thrilling entertainment, is a beloved tradition for many. From haunted houses and hayrides to mind-bending mazes, horror movies, and creepy decorations, this season is all about embracing the “dark side.”

Whether you’re a die-hard fan of all things spooky or just looking for some seasonal fun, there’s no better place to enjoy Spooky Season than a theme park. Let’s dive into the magic and mayhem of this frightfully fantastic time of year in Charlotte, North Carolina, when the familiar Carowinds theme park undergoes a spine-tingling transformation into SCarowinds during Halloween.

SCarowinds Decor

What Is SCarowinds?

Like other theme parks with Halloween events, SCarowinds is a seasonal attraction running on select nights from late August to early November. You have until November 2 to visit! It features five haunted mazes, four scare zones, four special shows (such as the Bon Bon Burlesque Troupe), and themed food and drinks throughout the park.

With the price of the daily admission ticket, you’re not just getting access to the park rides, but also to all the fall festivities, including Oktoberfest, Tricks and Treats, and the SCarowinds scare zones. While there’s plenty to see and do while you’re in the park, if you wish to visit the haunted mazes, that is an additional fee. A few things to keep in mind as you’re planning your spooky night to be sure you and your crew are having a screaming good time:

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SCarowinds Scare Zone

For the safety and enjoyment of all guests, all visitors aged 17 or younger must be accompanied by a chaperone who is at least 21 years old after 2 pm.

Re-entry is not permitted during SCarowinds, which starts at 6 pm.

While your daily admission grants you access to the park and its fall festivities, they do require a separate ticket for the enhanced experience of the haunted houses and mazes.

Guests are not permitted to wear costume masks.

SCarowinds live entertainment

What To Expect At The SCarowinds Haunted Mazes

While I can’t speak to the event in years past, I can say that the event (including the haunted mazes) was surprisingly family-friendly. However, this largely depends on your child’s maturity and interest in spooky things. There is a disclaimer that the haunted mazes are not recommended for children under 13. We had kids 10 and under in tow — and they had a blast. We also saw many kids, much younger, entering the mazes, as they seemed to really enjoy it too. To avoid giving any spoilers, I’ll insert the official description of the haunted mazes shared on Carowinds’ website:

1. Defex 2.0: Embark on a spine-chilling journey through a scorched doll factory, where the air is filled with the screams of dolls, secrets lurk in every corner, and few emerge from Mr. Pinky’s lair unchanged.

2. The Toothfairy: Enter a rotting dreamworld where twisted rhymes echo and the Toothfairy’s bloody collection never ends.

3. Paranormal, Inc.: Explore Hayden Hill Hospital’s haunted halls, where tortured patients and cruel doctors still hunt for victims.

Outside SCarowinds Haunted Maze
Ronny Maye, Freelance Writer

4. Slaughter House: The Final Cut: Step behind the counter and face silent butchers where clean cuts come from a disturbing source.

5. Silver Scream Studios: DIRECTOR’S CUT: Step into deadly films, scream through aliens, dodge vampires, and survive camp horrors before the credits roll.

SCarowinds Haunted Maze

The Conjuring: Beyond Fear: Step into an all-new, SCREAMium experience where you’ll navigate iconic scenes from The Conjuring Universe to lock away cursed artifacts before supernatural chaos is unleashed. Please note that you will need to obtain a special ticket for this experience. Our express lane passes were not valid, according to the workers at the entrance. It was a 90+ minute wait. As this is a highly anticipated maze with the longest wait times, I suggest starting here.

What To Expect In The SCarowinds Scare Zones

Prepare for a thrill as characters in various costumes roam the streets, creating heart-pounding jumpscare moments amidst foggy settings and dimly lit areas. You may be “chased” by the revving of a chainsaw or a clown on the loose. Again, to avoid giving any spoilers, I’ll insert the official description of the scare zones shared on Carowinds’ website:

1. Glitch: Immerse yourself in a neon nightmare set in the year 2147, where rogue AI corrupts reality and cyber-beings hunt amidst crashing systems.

2. Harvest FEAR: Step into a 1950s festival where scarecrows vanish, tradition turns deadly, and darkness taints every flickering light.

SCarowinds Scare Zone Actors

3. The Hollow: Dare to enter twisted fields where townsfolk transform into vine-laced husks worshipping an ancient force.

4. Cleaver Brothers: Sideshow of Screams: Watch the circus that vanished decades ago return every Halloween, crawling out of the fog.

Halloween-Themed Food And Drinks At SCarowinds

One of the most exciting aspects of seasonal events and festivals is the unique food and beverage offerings. It’s always a thrill to see how classic dishes and drinks are given a festive twist to complement the occasion perfectly. SCarowinds is an example of this, offering a culinary experience that’s both familiar and delightfully different.

SCarowinds Halloween Cocktail
Ronny Maye, Freelance Writer

Some of the offerings, such as the Mocktail Blood Bags, were found at multiple locations. We enjoyed plenty of these as well as the alcoholic versions. You’ll definitely want to try the Harvest Apple Lemonade, Ginger Apple Harvest, and Blackberry Hex! Over in Terminal A, the feature of the season is a Brain Burger, described as a fresh beef burger topped with mac and cheese and onion rings, served on a brioche bun, accompanied by a side of fries.

Of course, you’ll find your traditional theme park eats like popcorn, candy apples, funnel cakes, pretzels and hot dogs, but I think any visit would be best paired with the Premium All-Day Dining Plan, especially if you’re an open-to-close type of parkgoer.

Carowinds Dining
Ronny Maye, Freelance Writer

For about $40 per person, you can dine every 90 minutes at the park restaurants. We ended up doing three rounds of dining during our park visit. With everyone having different tastes, we had everything from Panda Express to Italian, as well as seafood, and good old-fashioned burgers and chicken sandwiches. Additionally, take a break and grab a cool beverage every 15 minutes. I must admit, I would have preferred the Freestyle Machines for more variety. As someone who doesn’t typically drink soda, my only refill options were lemonade or Powerade, aside from water.

SCarowinds Scare Zone Actor

Overall, we had a blast at the park, where every corner held the promise of a new adventure. Whether it was getting airbrush t-shirts, shopping at the SCarowinds merch store (or at Camp Snoopy), playing arcade games, enjoying carnival-like games, or getting a caricature drawn of you and your fright friends, the fun never stopped.

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