The 2026 fall calendar: four parks, dates and admission details

*Updated September 18: Kings Dominion’s general policy now matches Haunt’s chaperone age and start time. The pages still give different ages for possible photo-ID checks.

Updated September 17: Added Kings Dominion’s Haunt chaperone terms and the different ages and start time on its linked general policy. The park’s publication date for these terms is unknown.

Updated September 14:* added Dollywood’s September 19 passholder early-ride event, including ticket redemption and the earlier check-in cutoff.

Halloween season starts September 11 at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Carowinds. Dollywood’s Harvest Festival follows September 14, and Kings Dominion’s Halloween Haunt begins September 18. Before picking a night, check which experiences your admission covers.

These are the parks’ announced schedules, first checked September 6, 2026. We have not reviewed this year’s events in person. The three Halloween events run on selected nights; their date ranges do not mean they operate every night.

Updated September 11: Added Dollywood’s announced LumiNights dance parties and Apple Market, and clarified that Candy Corn Country is returning. The separately ticketed Boo Bash remains distinct from the regular festival. Carowinds’ conflicting chaperone terms were rechecked and remain unresolved.

Updated September 8: Added Harvey’s Boo Bash dates, admission hours and ticket details at Dollywood, plus Carowinds’ daytime schedule, Conjuring admission and re-entry details. Carowinds’ linked chaperone policies give different start times and group limits; that discrepancy remains unresolved.

Updated September 7: Added Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s chaperone and photo-ID requirements after checking the park’s published policy.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg: September 11–November 1

Howl-O-Scream starts at 6 pm on event nights and is included with applicable park admission. Busch Gardens lists five haunted houses, five scare zones and four shows. The park describes the evening event as intense and advises discretion for younger children.

Guests aged 15 or younger need a chaperone aged 21 or older after 4 pm during Howl-O-Scream, two hours before the event starts. The park may begin enforcing the rule earlier. WYDaily’s Jillian Appel reported September 4 that the policy is returning for this season.

Under the park’s chaperone policy, one chaperone can supervise up to six guests aged 15 or younger. The adult must enter with the group, stay inside the park and remain reachable by phone. Chaperones need a government-issued photo ID with their birth date; pictures of IDs are not accepted. Guests aged 16 or older entering without a chaperone also need government-issued photo ID to verify their age. The rules cover admission tickets, Fun Cards, passes and memberships.

For a visit with younger children, the park also lists daytime Halloween Spooktacular on Saturdays and Sundays from September 19 through November 1. Check the operating calendar for the date you plan to visit. Howl-O-Scream details and calendar.

Kings Dominion: September 18–November 1

Halloween Haunt runs on selected nights. Its 2026 lineup includes the new Diablo: The Infernal Path maze and Skeleton Crew stunt show.

Pay attention to maze access when comparing tickets. Kings Dominion lists a Haunted Attractions Pass for the mazes and packages that combine park admission with maze access. The park does not recommend Haunt for children under 13. Kings Dominion’s event and admission details.

The Haunt page’s chaperone section, checked September 18, requires guests aged 17 or younger to have a chaperone aged at least 21. It lists enforcement daily by 11 am, with earlier enforcement possible. One adult may accompany up to ten younger guests; the adult must enter with them, stay in the park and remain reachable by phone. Chaperones need government-issued photo ID showing their birth date. The requirement covers ticket and season-pass holders.

The linked general park policy, rechecked September 18, now gives the same chaperone age, start time and group limit. It no longer lists the ages 15-or-younger rule and 4 pm start that ATP found September 17.

One difference remains: the Haunt page says guests aged 16 or older may be asked for government-issued photo ID to verify age; the general policy says 18 or older. ATP has not obtained a park clarification of that difference. Guests aged 16 or 17 should check the ID requirement before visiting; both pages require them to have a chaperone.

Carowinds: September 11–November 1

SCarowinds also runs on selected nights, with JASON: Blood Reign among the new attractions announced for 2026. Carowinds does not recommend the event for children under 13.

The admission details deserve a close look: the Haunted Attractions Pass requires separate park admission, and the park says it is not valid for The Conjuring: Beyond Fear. A bundle or season pass may cover a different set of experiences, so read the inclusions for the product and night you select. SCarowinds lineup and admission details.

The park’s SCarowinds guide directs visitors to a date-specific ticket for The Conjuring: Beyond Fear. The add-ons page lists that experience separately and says park admission is not included. Check the exact product if considering an all-season upgrade.

Groups visiting with guests aged 15 or younger should confirm the chaperone terms before arriving. The event guide says the rule begins at 2 pm and permits ten younger guests per adult; its linked park policy says by 4 pm and no more than five. Both require a chaperone aged at least 21 and reserve earlier enforcement. ATP has not established which start time or group limit applies to SCarowinds.

The event guide also says guests cannot re-enter during SCarowinds hours, specifying all Friday event hours and 7 pm onward on Saturdays and Sundays. Plan any trip out to the car before those restrictions begin.

For a daytime visit with younger children, Carowinds lists Tricks and Treats on Saturdays and Sundays from September 12 through November 1, 2026. The family event includes a trick-or-treat trail in Crossroads and a costume contest in Camp Snoopy. The event page lists Tricks and Treats with park admission on applicable dates. Check the park calendar for daytime hours; the SCarowinds maze-admission exceptions above still matter if you stay for the evening.

Dollywood: September 14–October 31

Harvest Festival brings music, seasonal food and Great Pumpkin LumiNights to Dollywood. Candy Corn Country returns to the Country Fair area this year. Dollywood’s Harvest Festival page describes the pumpkin displays and seasonal offerings.

Dollywood’s September 10 announcement adds two nightly LumiNights dance parties and an Apple Market at the Dollywood Express train depot. Those festival dance parties are distinct from the special parties inside Harvey’s Boo Bash, which requires its own ticket.

Harvey’s Boo Bash is a separately ticketed event on October 16, 23 and 30. The event page says its ticket admits guests from 4 pm; Boo Bash itself runs 9 pm to midnight. That gives ticket holders time in Harvest Festival before the party starts. Guests planning to arrive earlier should check the bundle that includes daytime admission or their existing daytime ticket or pass.

As checked September 8, Dollywood lists event-only tickets at $129.99 plus tax for ages 4 and older. Availability and the final checkout total still need checking for the selected date. The park’s October 2025 season announcement confirms that Boo Bash begins after regular Harvest Festival guests leave; staying for those late hours requires the event ticket.

For passholders planning the first Saturday, Dollywood lists a separate Harvest Festival Early Ride Time event on September 19, 8:30–10 am. It is limited to 2026 Gold and Diamond passholders; the park explicitly excludes Silver and Platinum. An eligible pass alone is insufficient: attendees need an event ticket redeemed through My Dollywood and must scan both that ticket and their pass. Turnstile check-in runs from 8–9 am, ending an hour before the ride session. The listed attractions are in Wildwood Grove, including Big Bear Mountain and Dragonflier; NightFlight Expedition is not on the list. Quantities are limited, and ATP has not verified remaining tickets.

Before choosing a date

Start with the park’s own calendar, then check your ticket or pass, any maze or special-event admission, and the age guidance. Showtimes, available attractions and operating dates can change. This page records what the parks had published when we checked; it does not establish wait times, crowd levels or how the events feel on the ground.