Halloween is fast approaching, but the spooky season starts early here in Southern California. We’ve been covering Halloween activities since before August, but many of the hidden gems of the haunt season don’t begin until closer to the end of October…
Southern California has a deep Halloween history — the creative fuel behind many of today’s major events — but the region’s smaller haunts, yard displays, and shows keep that tradition alive in local form. If you’re hunting for something near you, the SoCal Haunt List is a great resource run by a home haunter. We picked a few of our favorite hidden gems from that list to share today. And for Disney fans, stick around for a unique Halloween opportunity at the end.
Let’s start our spooky travels outside the Disneyland berm…
Eulogy Collective
Opening earlier this October, the Anaheim GardenWalk mall is now home to a year-round haunted house. The walk-through experience is centered around the Seven Deadly Sins— Pride, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, Sloth— each with their corresponding section.
I caught up with some members of the creative team, all veterans of home haunt development. They described the experience as squarely between home haunt and the kind of big production you’d see at the theme parks. This puts the maze into an interesting medium budget territory where you won’t find the expensive gimmicks, but all the rooms are otherwise detailed and well themed. The owner, Chewy, was very particular that there are no blank hallways between scenes; everything is part of the theme, down to the countless hand-made gothic brick dungeon panels.
Additionally, the format and location allow Chewy to be flexible with changes to the haunted house. The house will only be open about every other month. In between, the Eulogy Collective team will re-arrange, add, and overlay the experience. For example, they’ll close in November and re-open with a holiday theme for December. Following that, closed for January and open for Valentine’s Day in February. The actual layout of the building offers a lot of flexibility. It’s a big black box; they can continually keep things fresh by snaking the path in new directions and swapping out rooms.
No haunted house is complete without the part that makes it all work— the live talent. The scare factor is approachable for most tolerance levels, but otherwise has great atmosphere and creative performances from the actors (many of which manage to get some good frights).
Additionally, the front of the venue has a small shop with a few horror-related oddities for purchase.
If you’re feeling brave, The Eulogy Collective is open on select days through November 2nd. Tickets are $24, and parking at the GardenWalk is free for an hour. You can also get parking validated at select establishments in the mall. We have a little teaser below of what to expect:
Being a smaller haunt venue, they can space out parties so guests aren’t in a never ending conga line. Of course, that creates a nice isolated atmosphere. Depending on the time of day, there may be a short line to enter, but the wait likely won’t be too long.
The next haunt takes us to a place that’s already pretty scary on its own— downtown Los Angeles.
People In The Dark: An Immersive Ghost Story
Do you have a favorite ghost story? Our tour guide, Katherine, had a few stories to share in this unique immersive theater-meets-haunted-house experience.
You see, Katherine is a big fan of the glitz and the glitter of old Hollywood at the height of its golden age. The downtown LA location and walking tour are a function of the experience; they’re the primer for the ghost story that People in the Dark thrusts you into as the tour progresses.
It’s a tale as old as Hollywood: a talented young actress exploited and discarded like yesterday’s trash. Perhaps you’ve asked yourself, “Whatever did happen to Baby Jane?” Well, Katherine took us on a tour of an abandoned studio to answer the question, “Whatever happened to Olivia Desmond?”
That story is told in fascinating, immersive theater fashion. We caught up with part of the creative team, Jackson, who described it as a mesh of haunted house, immersive theater, and modern art installation. People in the Dark is an experiment in immersive art for Jackson and his co-collaborator, both of whom have established theme park design day jobs with Universal Studios and Disney.
With a heavy focus on live theater, the experience hinges on the talent. During the initial street-level ghost tour, we noted how we were unsure where tour guide Katherine began and aspiring actress Katherine ended. After losing Katherine in the studio, “Olivia Desmond’s ghost” wove her story in a charming but eerie fashion, taking us through her career and eventual downfall. As someone who’s written a feature-length screenplay, I can certainly relate to her frustration in getting hers into production.
Desmond is fictional, of course, but the clever intertwining of the real history surrounding the venue, the crafted narrative, and the strong performance allows the audience to suspend disbelief. The show is scrappy, doing a lot with a shoestring budget. We’d love to see what happens if Drowned Out Productions is able to secure a larger budget in the future, especially after the success of this installation.
If you’re interested in trying something fresh, People in the Dark is open select nights through Halloween. Due to the very small production operating in a limited capacity, it is a bit pricier at nearly $70. Be aware they’re also operating in downtown LA, which comes with its own challenges (including parking). The entrance is quite literally in the middle of a random alley marked only by a light-up ghost. It is the very definition of a hidden gem.
Here’s a fun teaser of the People in the Dark experience:
For our next event, we’ll be heading north to the land of oranges…
Six Flags Magic Mountain Fright Fest
Traveling all the way to Valencia (by broomstick, I’m told), Dusty and crew took over Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest. The park billed this event last year as the “biggest haunt in California,” but this year, they’ve dropped a few of the attractions. To their credit, the three cut mazes were the weakest ones. Plus, Stranger Things has been replaced with Carnage, a theme based on the clowns in the DC themed area of the park (the clowns put on a pretty incredible stunt show in the scare zone).
Dusty’s favorite maze was themed to the movie “Trick ‘r Treat.” It’s whimsical, has some fun… but not TOO scary… thrills.
Most of the houses are repeats from last year.
The Invasion show has been swapped out for Margo Rita’s Monster Ball. Margo Rita is actually a homegrown Six Flags scare actor. I took her photo last year performing in the Underworlds of Oz scare zone. This year, she’s hosting a dance battle to choose the queen of the undead.
Fright Fest is also home to two new scare zones, Thunderbolt Alley near West Coast Racers and Nightmares: Reign of Blood near Tatsu.
Fright Fest remains an interesting oddity in the haunt scene. It’s the only option that doesn’t require a separate event ticket, meaning that some of the Halloween offerings are available at no extra charge. If you’re just looking for a few scares, maybe a show or two, and a couple of coasters, there’s a lot of extra value there. If you’re a hardcore haunted house enthusiast, add the haunted houses for as little as $25. You can buy a park ticket + haunted attractions for as low as $65. That’s a great deal.
If you’re interested in reading more in-depth about what to expect from Fright Fest, check out our Fright Fest article.
Halloween at Walt Disney’s Storybook Mansion: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Cabaret
To round out our look at lesser-known haunts is a unique and rare opportunity. Walk in Walt Disney’s footsteps and step inside his Storybook Mansion for an evening inspired by one of his most haunting tales — The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
- October 31 · 8:30 PM (The 3pm option is now sold out)
- Event Lasts 3 Hours
- Limited to 25 guests
🌖 Perched high above Los Angeles, the mansion offers sweeping nighttime views of Los Angeles and an enchanting one-of-a-kind setting for this spirited celebration of Disney’s spookiest storytelling.
🍷 The evening begins on the back patio with a twilight soiree inspired by Disney Villains, including hearty hors d’oeuvres and sinful desserts from the Disney Villains: Devilishly Delicious Cookbook,prepared and served by cookbook author and Merry Murderess of the Mansion, Julie Tremaine. (Evening also includes wine, champagne, and soft drinks.)
🎶 As the spirits rise, the music begins. Inside the mansion’s grand living room, guests will enjoy a hauntingly delightful cabaret led by Jonathan Regier — acclaimed vocalist, guitarist, and animation voice artist — whose spine-tingling range and humor blend the whimsical and the wicked. He’s joined by Ben Bromfield, award-winning film and television composer (“Boss Baby,” “Red Fish, Blue Fish,” “Where’s Waldo”), and Libby Ward, celebrated comedy writer and performer known for her sharp wit and theatrical flair. Together, they conjure a musical evening filled with dark Disney melodies, jazzy twists, and a touch of Halloween mischief.
🎥 Next, step into Walt’s private screening room — the very space where he reviewed his studio’s latest creations. Think Walt was making sweet princess films while he lived in this mansion? Think again. During those years, the studio was crafting cinematic nightmares for children — family-friendly horror stories like The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Guests will enjoy a rare showing of this chilling classic, produced during the golden age of Disney animation, while the Disneys lived in this very home.
🕯️By candlelight, join Disney mansion curator and MiceChat Founder Dusty Sage, your Ghost Host for the evening, on a wander through the home’s upper halls. Hear true ghost stories tied to this very house — including a chilling local legend that lingers long after the lights go out.
⏰ As the clock nears midnight, the evening ends where it began — with laughter, music, and the faint sense that the night’s spirits may not be quite ready to leave. Be careful… one of our ghosts just might follow you home.
👻Costumes are welcome — whether inspired by Disney’s spookiest tales, the mansion itself, or your own Halloween imagination. Or simply… come as you are.
🏰 Now, as they say… look alive, and secure your tickets for Halloween night at Walt Disney’s real-life haunted mansion… HALLOWEEN EVENT TICKETS GOING FAST HERE
More Southern California Halloween Options
You might expect us to feature Disney’s Oogie Boogie Bash, but that event has been sold out for months! So we’ll share your best alternatives instead:
Knott’s Scary Farm
The real star of the season is Knott’s take on Halloween. With great entertainment, unbeatable scare zones, creative haunted houses, and the best food around, we wait all year for this event.
Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights
Are you a true horror fan? Look no further than Universal Studios. Their event is packed with horror franchise bad guys, slashers, and scares. Their Terrifier maze sets a new bar for disgusting horror. The bathroom scene alone is enough to haunt your nightmares for a lifetime. But our favorites were Five Nights at Freddy’s rogue animatronics and a Terror Tram experience that dumps you off right in the middle of a Blumhouse horror show at the Bates Motel on the studio lot. A memorable Hollywood experience!
Halloween Horror Nights 2025: Jason, Fallout & Freddy Bring the Fear to Universal Studios Hollywood
Queen Mary Dark Harbor
And last, but far from least, is a Halloween festival at a notoriously haunted and historic cruise ship… The Queen Mary! With mazes on and off the ship, hidden speekeasys, and stellar production value, we think this is perhaps the most underrated Halloween events in town. Check out our coverage from last year:
Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor Resurrected – New Mazes, Old Haunts & Hidden Secrets
And that brings us to the end of our ghostly gathering. There is much to see in Southern California during this season of tricks and treats. Perhaps you have some thoughts to share about the scary sights to see and haunted trails to track in Southern California. What are your favorite haunts and Halloween hidden gems? Let us know in the comments below.
