SeaWorld San Diego hopes to build on the success of the marine park’s summer beer and food festival by expanding into the fall and winter with Halloween and Christmas events while California theme parks are prohibited from fully reopening.
The Spooktacular Halloween event will run Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Oct. 2 through Nov. 1 at SeaWorld San Diego. SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration will launch in November.
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California theme parks have been forced to cancel annual Halloween events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Universal Studios Hollywood has shelved Halloween Horror Nights for 2020 while Disneyland has canceled Oogie Boogie Bash. Knott’s Berry Farm has replaced its cancelled Halloween Haunt with the Taste of Fall-O-Ween food and beer festival. Six Flags Magic Mountain won’t host Fright Fest this year.
SeaWorld has been cleared by San Diego County officials to reopen stadium shows, zoo exhibits and aquariums at the park while rides and coasters remain closed. The park is following the now-familiar “new normal” of COVID-19 health and safety protocols with mandatory face coverings, temperature screenings, social distancing and enhanced sanitization.
The Halloween and Christmas events follow the limited-time run of Zoo Days: Bayside BBQ & Brews at SeaWorld. The limited-capacity, advance-reservation food and beer festival ran through Sunday, Sept. 27.
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SeaWorld’s Spooktacular will feature Halloween decor throughout the park and a fall flavors menu with chocolate-dipped apples, caramel corn, candy-corn cotton candy and seasonal beers, wine and cocktails. The Halloween event will also include a trick-or-treat candy trail, pumpkin scavenger hunt, dance parties and cookie decorating for the kids.
Advance online reservations will be required for both SeaWorld’s Spooktacular and Christmas Celebration events. Spooktacular tickets cost $74 for visitors age 10 and older and $64 for children ages 3 to 9. Kids under 3 are free. SeaWorld is offering a free child admission with any paid adult ticket through Nov. 1.
