SeaWorld's Halloween Spooktacular551

Each October, SeaWorld Orlando hosts SeaWorld's Halloween Spooktacular, a special weekend treat for guests who want to celebrate the haunting holiday. One of the nicest aspects of Halloween Spooktacular is that it's free with regular park admission, so if you're an annual passholder you can experience the party without shelling out an additional entry fee. If you're heading to the park for the event, we have a few tips to make Spooktacular even more spectacular:

* The main Halloween Spooktacular area is located in the vicinity of the Atlantis Bayside Stadium. Although you can access the Halloween attraction by following the pathway near the Wild Arctic attraction's Arctic Shop, we highly recommend entering the main Spooktacular entrance, located across from the Dolphin Nursery. Walking this way offers a much bigger "wow" factor, complete with colorful signage and an abundance of colorful characters meeting and greeting guests (and posing for pictures) along the pathway. Enter near the Wild Arctic attraction and the very first thing you'll encounter is the cookie decorating station - which is not necessarily the first activity you'll want to experience.

* Speaking of cookies: For $5.50 you can purchase a souvenir Spooktacular lunch box that contains one soft pumpkin-shaped sugar cookie, a container of orange icing, a modest cup of decor items - gummy worms, M&Ms, candy corn, Skittles, and black and orange sprinkles - and a plastic knife. You'll also receive either a container of milk or apple juice with your cookie kit. Next to the cookie check-out there are tables and chairs where kids can sit to assemble their cookie creations. Decorating and eating the cookies is definitely the way to go. The sugar cookies are quite fragile and don't hold up well to jostling inside the Spooktacular lunch box. (And we definitely don't recommend purchasing the cookie box then carrying it around the park. Trust us - you'll simply end up with a box of cookie pieces and crumbs!)

* When you enter the Spooktacular area via the main entrance, know that the long line that forms at the left-hand "turn" just past the first candy station is actually a line to have photographs taken with a group of costumed characters, and not a line into the attraction itself. If you're not interested in picture-taking, there's no need to wait in the line. Just stay on the right side of the path and bypass the queue.

* All candy distribution takes place under the ruffled "jellyfish" umbrellas, and can be found along the walkways from the Spooktacular entrance near the Dolphin Nursery to the Terrace eatery near the Nautilus Theater. Small handled bags can be picked up at any candy distribution site. You can also bring your own bag or Halloween candy holder. Plastic Shamu-shaped candy pails can be purchased at several gift kiosks for around $10.

* Because there aren't established lines for many of the candy stations and character interaction areas, patience is a necessity. We found the candy station across from the Sea Witch set-up to be particularly frustrating. We wandered around the circular set up multiple times, looking for the end of the line. Finally a kind woman noticed our confusion and gestured for us to step in front of her family, adding that they, too, had difficulty getting into the queue. Because of this, expect a lot of "cutting" in line, and be sympathetic to your fellow Spooktacular guests.

* If your family loves character photos, it pays to wander through the Spooktacular village several times throughout the day. SeaWorld does a wonderful job cycling characters in and out, so even if you walk past the same meet-and-greet spots multiple times, odds are you'll see a new characters posing for pics every time.

* The Countdown to Halloween show - starring Sesame Street's The Count, Abby Cadabby, Elmo, and others - is immensely popular, so get to the Seaport Theater early if you want to score good seats. We got there 40 minutes before the show started and were among the last guests allowed into the entry line, and therefore could only find seats in the back of the theater. If your child is autistic or is particularly sensitive to loud noises, know that the show literally ends with a bang, when paper streamers are shot from above the stage into the audience.

* Be aware that SeaWorld has started taking advantage of its captive audiences, peddling light-up souvenirs inside its indoor theaters before every show. This virtually guarantees that you'll hear pleas for the colorful illuminants at some point during the day. The good news? They are quite affordable. Light-up dolphin necklaces and solid-color swords are just $5, and flashing multi-color swords run $10.

* If you purchase a souvenir cup, SeaWorld offers 99 cent (plus tax) refills at any restaurant or drink stand that offers fountain drink. But know that they'll also fill your cups with ice water free of charge - a great perk on hot days when staying hydrated is a must!

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