As the Halloween season approaches, you might be wondering where to find the best Halloween attractions in Ontario, and whether they are accessible for people with disabilities. Fear not, for I’ve scoured the web and dug up some eerie delights to make your October unforgettable. Ontario has everything, from pumpkin patches to a spooky village, a haunted corn maze to house of terror, here are some of the best haunted attractions leading up to October 31st. Let’s delve into the world of haunted attractions, thrilling events, and family-friendly fun across Ontario during the scariest time of the year. I will also highlight which attractions are not disability friendly (mostly very scare haunts).
I’ll also share some ingenious tips on how to make the accessible Halloween escapades more disability-friendly, ensuring everyone can enjoy the spine-chilling festivities.
Quick Guide:
Here’s a quick summary of what events covered in this post that are accessible:
Fully Accessible ✅
Somewhat Accessible 🟡
Not Accessible ⛔
- Boo at the Zoo ✅
- Halloween Night of Lights ✅
- Pumpkins After Dark (Milton) 🟡
- Pumpkins After Dark (Ottawa) 🟡
- Spooktacular Light Show ✅
- Meeting of the Monsters (AGO) ✅
- Frightmare in the Falls ✅
- Snyder’s Fear Farm ⛔
- Bingemans Screampark ⛔
- Halloween Haunt (Canada’s Wonderland) ✅
- Legends of Horror (Casa Loma) ⛔
- Zombie Apocalypse (Casa Loma) ⛔
Best Halloween Attractions in Ontario:
Family-Friendly Frights:
Halloween enthusiasts with families need not worry – Ontario’s Halloween attractions are not just for the bravest of souls. There are several opportunities for the entire family. These events offer spooktacular fun suitable for all ages.
Boo at the Zoo – Throughout Ontario
Zoos across Ontario put on Boo at the Zoo every October. Boo at the Zoo involves several attractions, including local vendors and seasonal photo opportunities. Children are encouraged to dress up in their best costumes for this spooky event while supporting local small businesses. Boo at the Zoo is really fun for the whole family, and a great way to spend an afternoon or evening. I used to go to Boo at the Zoo as a child, and absolutely loved it!
At the Toronto Zoo, Boo at the Zoo takes place on October 28 and 29. Kids 12 and under that dress up in costumes receive 50% admission when accompanied by an adult paying regular admission.
Live Characters:
From 11am to 2pm, DC and Marvel superheroes will be dressed up throughout the park, including Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, Captain America, Superman, and Joker.
Pumpkins:
You can also check out their 200+lb pumpkins that will later be fed to the animals. These giant pumpkins are located at the Grizzly Bear & Wood Bison, and the zoo recommends you check them out Saturday morning.
Sustainable Candy:
The Toronto Zoo is also asking families to protect rainforests this year by choosing treats from companies that are committed to using certified sustainable palm oil. This helps save wildlife including orangutans, tigers, and hornbills. These candies include:
Mars | Twix, 3 Musketeers, MnMs, Snickers, Dove, Skittles |
Hershey’s | Reese’s, Whoppers, Twizzlers, Jolly Rancher |
Frito Lay | Lay’s, Ruffles, SunChips, Tostitos, Cheetos |
Ferrero | Kinder, Tic Tac, Ferrero |
Kraft Heinz | Kraft caramels |
Lindt & Sprugli | Lindt, Lindor |
Quaker | Chewy granola bars, Crispy minis |
Accessibility: ✅
The Toronto Zoo has many accessibility features, including accessible parking spaces. All pavilions are wheelchair accessible, and wheelchair or electric scooter can be reserved online. They also have accessible seats available on their carousel rides. Additionally, guests with disabilities receive a 50% admission discount, and an accompanying support worker receives free admission.
Halloween Night of Lights – Scarborough
From September 30-October 31, 2023, an immersive walk-through Halloween experience is available at the Scarborough Town Centre. This year, the Halloween Night of Lights experience has more than 2 million LED and RGB lights animated and synchronized to Halloween music. You walk through a trail of tunnels and animated displays, which takes 45 minutes. At the end of the trail is Pumpkinville, a fun fair with a pumpkin village and sculptures.
The event also includes a pumpkin patch, Fright Hour, amusement rides, a licensed bar area, food trucks, and certain dog friendly days!
Tickets:
The event runs Thursdays-Sundays, beginning when the sun goes down (6:30pm for remaining weeks). Pumpkinville is open 5pm-11pm on weekdays, and 12pm onward on weekends. Tickets can be purchased online:
Adult Pass (13+) – $19.99
Child Pass (2-12yrs) – $14.99 Children 1 and under FREE
Family 4-pack – $65 (2 Adult + 2 Child Passes)
Friends 4-pack – $70 (4 Adult Passes)
Accessibility: ✅
Night of Lights donates a portion of proceeds to Epilepsy Toronto, an organization providing critical services to people affected by Epilepsy. Night of Lights is fully accessible for strollers and wheelchairs.
Pumpkins After Dark – Milton
Pumpkins After Dark takes place September 23-October 31, 2023, and features over 10,000 hand-carved pumpkins. Pumpkins After Dark is another family-friendly walk-through experience. Events include live pumpkin carving demonstrations, fall treats, and many fall photo ops. Additionally, every Wednesday is pet night!
Accessibility: 🟡
There are different degrees of wheelchair accessibility through the event. Their website states that they have made adjustments for accessibility where possible, but to note that this is a farm property with slight inclines, declines, uneven and soft terrain. They also recommend that you bring your own assistance when you attend the event.
They allow one support person to receive complimentary admission. They ask you to purchase your ticket online and present your Access 2 card on site to receive the complimentary ticket.
Pumpkins After Dark – Ottawa
Same as the Milton event, Ottawa’s Pumpkins After Dark runs from September 29-October 31, 2023.
Accessibility: 🟡
Pumpkins After Dark accepts the Access 2 card. The cardholder must purchase their ticket in advance and present the card at the box office, which will provide complimentary admission to one support person.
The event is wheelchair accessible, but the terrain is variable, including paved pathway, grass, and loose gravel. The pumpkin pathway is a one kilometer loop.
Spooktacular Light Show – Toronto
Running from September 23-October 31, 2023, the Spooktacular Light Show is a drive-through event of unique light displays, including a haunted house, pumpkin-filled tunnel. It’s the perfect place for the whole family. Drive through a haunted trail of lights synchronized to halloween music. It takes about 30 minutes to drive through the 2 km trail. The light show has 2 different locations to choose from.
Accessibility: ✅
The website states that the event is accessible for deaf people. It also says website also says that the venue is not “ADA compliant”, which is confusing as the ADA is a piece of American legislation. However, the event takes place in your car, so should be accessible to those who can sit in a vehicle for extended periods.
Meeting of the Monsters – Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
Co-hosted by the Insomniac Film Festival, this event showcases a spooky film. Taking place on October 27, 2023, individuals are encouraged to wear their scariest costume and get ready for a frightening evening paired with lively discussions about the movie.
Accessibility: ✅
The AGO is fully accessible. For requests for Verbal Description, American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and/or live captioning for online and onsite programming, the AGO asks for three weeks notice in advance of the event date.
Frightmare in the Falls
Canada’s largest horror event takes place October 27-29 at Niagara Falls. Frightmare in the Falls is an interactive Horror Festival at the Niagara Falls Convention Center, including memorabilia, panels, movies, cosplay, special effects, and more. This year, the event will include appearances by celebrities from several movies and tv shows, including Saw, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Exorcist, Hocus Pocus, and The Walking Dead, among MANY others. There is also an after-party, including live shows and live music.
Accessibility: ✅
This event is fully accessible. A medical companion may be brought free of charge, who will receive a complimentary admission pass. Panels and screenings will have limited seating on a first-come first-serve basis, and they recommend fans who require accessible seating to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the event. Frightmare in the Falls can also accommodate requests for interpreters up to 2 weeks before the event for Panels.
Haunted Houses of Horrors:
If you’re a fan of heart-pounding scares, Ontario has a plethora of haunted houses waiting to send shivers down your spine. From sinister mazes to ghostly encounters, there’s something for every thrill-seeker. Many of them are geared toward more mature thrill seekers, and unfortunately, are not particularly accessible for people with disabilities. Here are some of the different terrifying attractions.
Snyder’s Fear Farm – Bright
The Snyder’s Fear Farm is not for the faint of heart. This experience involves a haunted farm, haunted hayride with real horses, and six outdoor haunts. The event is not recommended for those under 12 years old, and adult supervision is required for anyone under 18. Masks and costumes are not allowed, and tickets must be purchased online.
Accessibility: ⛔
The haunted farm is “a very dark and terrifying haunted farm”, using strobe lights and light effects. The farm does not allow pregnant women or anyone with heart conditions to participate. It includes uneven ground, bumpy rides, and jump scares. As such, while the farm is taking these precautions to keep everyone safe, it does not seem very accessible for people with disabilities.
Bingemans Screampark – Kitchener
Bingemans Screampark describes itself as “the most terrifying haunted attraction”. It has 6 haunted attractions.
Accessibility: ⛔
The Screampark is not recommended for children under 12, those easily frightened, or those with heart conditions. Bingemans does overall have a comprehensive accessibility policy, but does not recommend these attractions “for anyone who is pregnant, claustrophobic, has heart problems or any kind of heart-related medical issues, or to those with weak bladders”. Further they state that there are uneven paths, stairs, and crawling areas. They explicitly state that the terrain “will not accommodate wheelchairs, walkers, strollers, crutches, or any other walking assist”.
Halloween Haunt – Canada’s Wonderland
From September 22 – October 29, 2023, Canada’s Wonderland will be putting on it’s Halloween Haunt, turning the theme park into a scream park. It involves seven mazes, scare zones, hundreds of monsters, night rides, and live entertainment. The park will be selling special Halloween treats, including Toxic Waste (lemonade and melon liquer), Spiced Vampire Pork Chop, Toxic Mac n’ Cheese, or a Spooky Corn Dog.
Accessibility: ✅
The event is not recommended for children under 13, and does not permit make-up or costumes. Canada’s Wonderland is accessible for wheelchairs.
Legends of Horror – Casa Loma, Toronto
This October, Casa Loma has turned into an immersive theatrical experience, in which the audience walks a 2km trail through the castles gardens and tunnels. The experience takes over an hour.
Family hours run from 5-6:30pm, in which there are no live actors, creating a less frightening event. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult, and parental discretion is advised.
Accessibility: ⛔
They do not allow outside food or beverages, including water. There is a café/bar halfway through the event. There is a lot of walking and limited seating. As the event primarily takes place outdoors and in the tunnels with multiple sets of stairs, it is not wheelchair, walker, or stroller accessible.
Zombie Apocalypse – Casa Loma, Toronto
Additionally, in partnership with Secret City Adventures who puts on escape rooms, Casa Loma will be putting on Zombie Apocalypse, a zombie-themed haunted attraction.
This terrifying, immersive experience returns for its second year with a new design and story. Enter the world of fictional pharmaceutical giant, Biolux and its new wonder drug: the Biolux Serum, a purported solution to aging and disease, which renders subjects into cannibalizing contagious zombies. Playing the role of investigative journalists, guests uncover the grisly secrets of Biolux labs, witnessing its gruesome experiments and interacting with maniacal scientists and the remaining survivors stuck inside.
Located in an abandoned dental college south of historic Casa Loma at 175 Kendal Avenue (southeast corner of Kendal and Davenport), Zombie Apocalypse features over 30 live performers and 20 rooms of terror, promises to take the fear factor to the next level.
Accessibility: ⛔
This site is also not wheelchair accessible.
Making Halloween Disability-Friendly:
At its core, Halloween is about inclusion and enjoyment for everyone, regardless of abilities. Here are some thoughtful ideas to ensure everyone can revel in the Halloween spirit:
- Accessible Venues: Seek out events hosted in accessible venues, ensuring wheelchair users and individuals with mobility challenges can participate comfortably.
- Sensory-Friendly Activities: Consider organizing sensory-friendly Halloween events, where lights and sounds are adjusted to accommodate individuals with sensory sensitivities.
- Inclusive Costumes: Encourage creativity with costume designs that can easily accommodate mobility aids or medical equipment. Inclusivity should be celebrated!
- Clear Signage: Ensure clear signage and directions at events to assist individuals with visual impairments in navigating the space safely.
- Community Involvement: Encourage local businesses and neighborhoods to participate in inclusive events, such as providing non-food treats for those who can’t have treats (like me, due to my gastroparesis), or accepting non-perishable goods for food banks.
By embracing these inclusive ideas, we can make Halloween a joyous occasion for everyone. So, gear up, and check out some of the best halloween attractions in Ontario – a spooktacular Halloween awaits, where frights and delights are accessible to all. Let me know what you’ll be doing this spooky season! Happy Haunting! 🎃👻