Aliens, big ol’ bugs and a creepy capybara have joined the lineup of Gators, Ghosts and Goblins, the Halloween proceedings that start Saturday at Gatorland.
It’s the seventh year for the family-friendly spookiness event, which has become increasingly elaborate. Character interactions are flanked with effects created with 3D printing and 3D bit mapping, pretty modern stuff for an old-school Florida attraction.
“You’re definitely going to notice some more animations going on,” Brandon Fisher, director of media relations, said during a preview of the event.
“New this year, we have big, giant bugs overtaking Gatorland,” he said, standing near an elaborate webbed stage and dangling (artificial) arachnids, which all play into a storyline involving competing exterminators, including Bubba’s Bug-B-Gone.
Skunk Ape emerges from the swamp at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins event during a preview, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights event runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Cyrus the Gravedigger causes pause during a preview of Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins, . The family-friendly, fun-and-frights event runs features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Guests are surprised by ghouls during a tour of an abandoned movie theater at Gatorland’s Gators, Ghosts and Goblins preview event. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Guests are surprised by a ghoul during a tour of an abandoned movie theater at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins preview event Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights celebration runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Guests are surprised by ghouls and gators during a tour of an abandoned movie theater at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins preview event Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights celebration runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Cyrus the Gravedigger unveils scary characters during a tour of an abandoned movie theater at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins event during a preview, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights celebration runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
A costumed trainer feeds pumpkins to the alligators at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins during a preview, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights event runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
A scary pirate growls at a guests at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins during a preview, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights event runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
An alien invader surprises guests at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins during a preview, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights event runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Guests are surprised by ghouls during a tour of an abandoned movie theater at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins preview event Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights celebration runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Guests are surprised by ghouls during a tour of an abandoned movie theater at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins preview event Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights celebration runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
A pirate zombie steers the ship at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins during a preview, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights event runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Creepy exterminators run through the park at Gatorland’s Gators, Ghosts and Goblins event. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Cyrus the Gravedigger unveils Frankenstein during a tour of an abandoned movie theater at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins event during a preview, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights celebration runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
A scene from the tour of an abandoned movie theater at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins event during a preview, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights celebration runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Guests are welcomed during a tour of an abandoned movie theater at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins event during a preview, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights celebration runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Alien invaders surprise guests at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins during a preview, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights event runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
A movie poster welcomes guests at an abandoned movie theater at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins event during a preview, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights event runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Guests are surprised by ghouls during a tour of an abandoned movie theater at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins preview event Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights celebration runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Alien invaders surprise guests at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins during a preview, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights event runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Scenes from Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins preview event, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights event runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Guests are welcomed to an abandoned movie theater at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins event during a preview, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights celebration runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
A new costumed capybara character greets young guests at Gatorland. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Park CEO Mark McHugh keeps on eye on his ghouls during a tour of an abandoned movie theater at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins preview event Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights celebration runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
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Skunk Ape emerges from the swamp at Gatorland’s 7th Annual Gators, Ghosts and Goblins event during a preview, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The family-friendly, fun-and-frights event runs from Oct. 11 to Oct. 26 and features spooky scenes, chilling characters, a haunted theater, children’s Halloween activities and animal meet-n-greets. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
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Meanwhile, Gatorland’s Skunk Ape character — introduced in the early COVID-19 pandemic era as the Social Distancing Skunk Ape — has encountered aliens that have crash-landed in the cryptid petting zoo area.
“So now you have to ride the train and try to help Skunk Ape find them,” Fisher said. “He’s very worried about them, and also, he’s trying to fend off the aliens alone, armed with nothing but pine cones.”
Gators, Ghosts and Goblins, scheduled for Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 26, is included with regular admission. Other activities include candy giveaways, live DJ, specialty vendors, animal interactions, children’s costume parade and a haunted walk-through with a monster movie theme.
The haunt mixes laughs, horror and history utilizing an original black-and-white production called “Curse of the Swamp Ghost.” The flick features Gatorland folks seen in the attraction’s videos, including Savannah Boan, Mike Hileman and Mark McHugh, Gatorland CEO.
“Legend has it a theater full of people who are watching it vanished and were never seen again,” says the haunt’s guide, a gravedigger portrayed by Dan Carro, Gatorland’s creative director.
Before actual jump-scares and other haunted-house fare kick in, the gravedigger reveals facts about old horror films, including a Thomas Edison-based version of “Frankenstein,” a rights battle over Nosferatu and a film destroyed by fire in a studio backlot. That’s also about the time a sound effect represents Bram Stoker rolling over in his grave.
“We want to highly entertain you and, at the same time, we don’t want you to feel like we’re forcing you to learn something,” Carro said. “We definitely want you to come out enriched, which is kind of the Gatorland way.”
The theatrical walk-through plays with paints, multiple boo holes, fiery theatrical tricks and themed digital screens that add to the ghostly population and spookiness.
“We only have a handful of people, you know, that are in the building, and we want it to feel like there’s a horde of characters coming after you,” Carro said.
Social Distancing Skunk Ape promotes safety at Gatorland
After exiting the haunt, visitors can turn right to see (and pose with) another Gatorland original, the creepy capybara costumed character, standing with a jack-o’-lantern-heavy backdrop. The attraction added popular capybara experiences in recent years.
“It goes back to what can we do that no one else has and no one else has seen, and that was one of them,” Carro said.
“I don’t know if you necessarily call it an oxymoron, but capybaras are so cute and cuddly,” Fisher said. “And now they’re creepy.”
For more information, go to gatorland.com.
Gatorland at 75: It’s a family business that’s long in the tooth
Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. BlueSky: @themeparksdb. Threads account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.
Originally Published: October 9, 2025 at 1:01 PM EDT
