JACKSON, NJ — Cedar Point in Ohio takes the crown as the top U.S. theme park to visit this Halloween, scoring 6.9 out of 10 in a comprehensive ranking by JeffBet, but New Jersey’s own Six Flags Great Adventure finished in the top ten.
The study evaluated eight categories: amenities, attractions, availability of Halloween events, crowding, price, seasonal popularity, theming, and value for money. Cedar Point excelled particularly in value for money, offering a $46.99 entry fee and $25 parking with 72 attractions and up to 13 hours of park time during the Halloween season.
Great Adventure finished 8th on the list ranking high in Halloween attractions during its annual Fright Fest celebration which runs from September through October. Fright Fest includes live entertainment and shows, haunted trails, actors throughout the park and a nightly parade to kick off the ghoulish entertainment at sunset.
Amenities were evaluated based on the number of restaurants, food stalls, and gift shops, while attractions were assessed by their variety, wait times, and ratings. Availability considered the number of days the Halloween event was running and the park’s seasonal hours. Crowding looked at queue times and foot traffic.
Value for money analyzed the ticket price in relation to the number of attractions and time each guest could spend in the park. Cedar Point offered 19 Halloween-specific attractions including mazes, outdoor scare zones, and live shows, contributing to its high score.
In terms of popularity, Cedar Point had the second-highest annual search volume, surpassed only by Universal Studios Hollywood, and a visitor rating of 4.6 out of 5.
Knott’s Berry Farm in California followed Cedar Point as the second-best choice, noted for its manageable crowd levels and an average daily footfall of 10,085. Disneyland Park in California ranked third, standing out for amenities with 127 eateries and 76 gift shops.
Conversely, the study ranked Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Universal Studios Florida as the least desirable Halloween theme parks, with scores of 3 and 3.9 out of 10 respectively. Busch Gardens faltered in amenities and event availability, while Universal Studios was penalized for its high costs, despite strong theming.
JeffBet emphasized the importance of considering smaller parks like Cedar Point and Knott’s Berry Farm, which may offer better value and experiences than larger, more popular options.
| Theme Park | Amenities | Attractions | Availability | Cost | Crowding | Popularity | Theming | Value for Money | Average |
| Cedar Point | 3.0 | 7.5 | 4.0 | 10.0 | 5.3 | 6.4 | 7.6 | 10.0 | 6.9 |
| Knott’s Berry Farm | 1.2 | 5.1 | 5.8 | 4.0 | 8.1 | 6.1 | 7.1 | 8.8 | 5.8 |
| Disneyland Park | 10.0 | 4.1 | 9.4 | 4.1 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 9.0 | 5.4 |
| Six Flags Magic Mountain | 1.5 | 5.4 | 4.3 | 9.4 | 8.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 9.0 | 5.2 |
| Kings Island | 1.3 | 6.0 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 6.2 | 5.4 | 6.3 | 9.5 | 5.2 |
| Hersheypark | 3.9 | 5.6 | 3.3 | 9.9 | 7.4 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 10.0 | 5.1 |
| Universal Studios Hollywood | 1.3 | 0.1 | 6.3 | 3.1 | 5.2 | 8.3 | 10.0 | 4.5 | 4.9 |
| Six Flags Great Adventure | 2.5 | 8.8 | 2.9 | 9.6 | 6.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 9.3 | 4.9 |
| Busch Gardens Williamsburg | 0.3 | 7.6 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 6.9 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 9.8 | 4.9 |
| Disney California Adventure Park | 3.1 | 4.0 | 8.3 | 1.9 | 5.6 | 5.0 | 5.8 | 5.1 | 4.9 |
| Six Flags Great America | 1.9 | 5.9 | 2.5 | 9.6 | 6.0 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 9.3 | 4.3 |
| Magic Kingdom | 1.1 | 2.8 | 6.3 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 7.3 | 4.2 |
| Universal Studios Florida | 0.5 | 1.5 | 7.3 | 0.0 | 5.6 | 6.7 | 7.9 | 0.0 | 3.9 |
| Busch Gardens Tampa Bay | 0.6 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 3.7 | 7.1 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 6.2 | 3.0 |