Fall at Holiday World isn’t about making families choose between roller coasters and Halloween fun. This fall, visitors can ride some of the park’s biggest attractions, wander through a 12-acre corn maze filled with dinosaurs and finish a Saturday night watching 500 drones soar above the Indiana sky.

Happy Halloween Weekends returns to Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana, bringing seven weekends of family-friendly Halloween fun to the park.

The celebration, which began in 2012, has become popular enough that Holiday World is adding an extra weekend to this year’s schedule and extending operating hours until 10 p.m. on Oct. 10, 17 and 24.

For fall visitors, that means more opportunities to experience Holiday World after summer has ended and the park takes on an entirely different personality.

Dinosaurs Fill a 12-Acre Corn Maze

One of the signature experiences during Happy Halloween Weekends is the Dino Corn Maze Adventure.

Spread across 12 acres, the walk-through attraction combines the classic fall tradition of navigating a corn maze with life-sized dinosaurs. Some are animatronic, complete with movement and realistic sound effects that make the experience feel more like a prehistoric expedition than an ordinary trip through a cornfield.

“Dinosaurs are back by popular demand,” said Lauren Crosby, Holiday World’s director of entertainment and events and a fourth-generation owner. “Between the Dino Corn Maze Adventure, entertainment, activities and delicious fall food, it’s impossible to fit this much Halloween fun into one day.”

That’s part of what makes Happy Halloween Weekends appealing as a family getaway. Rather than building the event around intense scares, Holiday World mixes its rides with seasonal attractions, walk-through mazes, hayrides, entertainment and trick-or-treating for children 12 and younger.

Dinos Soar in the Sky Gets Three New Shows

Saturday nights bring one of Happy Halloween Weekends’ biggest spectacles with Dinos Soar in the Sky.

The nighttime production uses 500 drones to create prehistoric scenes above the park, with fireballs shooting from the cornfields adding another dimension to the show.

What is new this year is that visitors won’t necessarily see the same production each weekend.

Holiday World will rotate among three all-new versions of Dinos Soar in the Sky, each featuring unique scenes and a soundtrack built around one of three musical genres: pop, rock or country.

The changing shows give repeat visitors something different to experience throughout the fall season. Dinos Soar in the Sky is scheduled for Saturday nights, weather permitting.

New Halloween Entertainment Joins the Lineup

The dinosaurs and drones may grab plenty of attention, but Holiday World is adding more entertainment this year.

Halloween High School: Freshman Year joins the lineup as a new stage show, along with a new DJ Dance Party and Ghouling Pianos.

And because this is still Holiday World, the rides remain an important part of the experience. A fall visit gives travelers an opportunity to mix Halloween activities with attractions throughout the park, making Happy Halloween Weekends as much a theme park trip as a seasonal celebration.

Fall Flavors Are Part of the Experience

Holiday World is also giving travelers another reason to arrive hungry.

The fall menu includes a Chicken Parmesan Sandwich at Santa’s Merry Marketplace and the Horseman’s Smash Burger at Goblin Burger, topped with fried pickles and pimento cheese.

Dessert brings a Maple Pecan Funnel Cake at Freedom Funnel Cakes, while the Dino Mac Bowl at Snackhouse combines pepper jack cheese, Dino nuggets, onion straws and barbecue sauce.

The seasonal menu adds another dimension to a fall visit, giving guests something different to try between rides and Halloween activities.

Why Holiday World Works for a Fall Road Trip

Holiday World’s location in Santa Claus, Indiana, makes Happy Halloween Weekends especially accessible for travelers throughout the Midwest and South.

The park is just a few hours from Indianapolis, Louisville, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Nashville and Columbus, while travelers from Chicago, Kansas City and Atlanta can turn a visit into a longer weekend getaway.

Happy Halloween Weekends runs Saturdays and Sundays from Sept. 19 through Nov. 1, while Friday Night Live! continues through Oct. 30. Holiday World also plans to open Nov. 7 and 8 for the final rides of the 2026 season.

For travelers already thinking ahead to next year, 2027 Season Passes are on sale. Guests who purchase and pay in full this year can also visit Holiday World on Sundays during this year’s Happy Halloween Weekends.

With rides, Halloween entertainment and 500 drones filling the Saturday night sky, Happy Halloween Weekends gives travelers another reason to make a fall road trip to Santa Claus.

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(Photos and Video courtesy of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari)