Hersheypark Dark Nights — 2026 Review
Updated: 7 minutes ago
Hersheypark Dark Nights — Hershey, PA
Overall Rating: 8.28/10
Chocolate by day. Chaos by night. 🍫🎃 Now celebrating its 5th year, Hersheypark Dark Nights transforms the Sweetest Place on Earth into one seriously wicked Halloween playground! Five haunted attractions, five uniquely themed scare zones, roaming creatures, sliders sending sparks across the pavement, fire blasting into the night sky, spooky eats, and roller coasters ripping through the darkness—there's something happening around nearly every corner.
Dark Nights brings that big theme-park production value to the haunt world, and it shows. We're talking movie-like sets, pyrotechnics, towering characters, creepy carnival chaos, multi-sensory scares, and even bubbles filled with fog! Whether you're chasing scares, riding coasters after dark, hunting down Halloween treats, or just soaking up the atmosphere, this is one haunt experience where the fun goes WAY beyond the haunted houses. Come for the chocolate. Stay for the nightmares.
Entertainment Value: 9/10
There is a lot packed into a night at Dark Nights. Beyond the five walkthrough attractions—Haunted Coal Mine, Kill 'N Fill, Estate of Evil, Auntie Mortem's Abattoir, and Twisted Carnevil—guests can explore Fallout Zone, Midway of Misery, Darkstone's Hollow, Reese's Depot of Doom, and Path of Shadows: Coven's Curse. Each scare zone has its own distinct identity, making wandering the park part of the experience itself.
The entertainment extends well beyond the scares. Day of the Dead stilt walkers, roaming characters, Halloween-themed food, merchandise, and unexpected moments like an afterlife dance party with dancing candy keep things lively. Then there's the Decayed Brigade, including fan favorites Fry-Boy and Archer, sliding through Midway of Misery and sending sparks—and people—flying! Their nightly slider showcase unfolds beneath a massive flaming archway, with bursts of fire shooting into the sky synchronized to music. And if that's still not enough adrenaline, jump on one of Hersheypark's coasters and experience those drops, launches, and turns in complete darkness!
Costume & Makeup: 8.77/10
Dark Nights continues to deliver some cleverly designed characters. Several performers throughout Fallout Zone sported wicked burn-like makeup that fit the post-apocalyptic environment perfectly, while the Day of the Dead stilt walker immediately commanded attention. We loved the gal in Estate of Evil with a dart lodged in her forehead, but one of the cleverest disguises was hiding in plain sight inside Kill 'N Fill—a performer disguised as one of the car wash mops! It's those character designs that blend directly into their surroundings that can deliver some of the best surprises.
Cast & Crew: 7.38/10
This was one area that felt a little more inconsistent than our previous visits. There seemed to be fewer actors throughout portions of the event, and energy varied from scene to scene. That said, we visited on a Sunday early in the season, and there were still several performers who absolutely brought it. The Checkered Clown in Twisted Carnevil was lively and committed, the Cymbal Monkey delivered a perfectly timed scare, and the train conductor in Reese's Depot of Doom helped bring the new scare zone to life. We also loved a performer in Estate of Evil who appeared and disappeared with flashes of lightning, creating an awesome visual against an eerily illuminated window.
We appreciated the scripted dialogue used to establish many of the characters. We'd love to see performers build upon those lines with more unscripted dialogue and improv. The scare zones seemed to be where performers had the most freedom to engage, and some of our most memorable character moments happened there. We understand the balancing act of keeping large crowds moving, but those performers who can carry an interaction just a little longer tend to be the ones you remember after the night is over.
Set Design & Special Effects: 9.27/10
This is where Dark Nights flexes. Hersheypark throws lighting, audio, fog, scents, pyrotechnics, animatronics, detailed scenery, and other sensory effects at you—and some environments are ridiculously convincing. Kill 'N Fill remains a standout with its vintage garage aesthetic and incredibly lifelike car wash. Even the floor appears wet, while moving car-wash equipment and that cleverly concealed mop character make the environment feel alive.
Estate of Evil's sauna remains a crew favorite. Its unfortunate occupants have practically been burnt to the bone, while the combination of lighting, audio, scenery, and even smell attacks multiple senses at once. Meanwhile, Auntie Mortem's Abattoir continues to satisfy the blood-and-gore fix, serving up plenty of gruesome imagery for those who like their haunts a little messier.
Outside the houses, the effects get even bigger. The flaming archway towering over Midway of Misery launches huge bursts of fire into the sky synchronized with music, while Fallout Zone features a five-blast fire effect powerful enough to illuminate the entire surrounding area. Dark Nights even breaks out the “foggles”—bubbles infused with fog that leave behind wispy streaks when popped. Throw in Twisted Carnevil's trippy lighting and disorienting mirror maze, and the sheer variety of effects is impressive.
We also appreciated that security personnel seemed much better concealed within the attractions this year. It's a small change that makes a big difference in keeping guests immersed in the scenes around them.
Fright & Thrill Factor: 7/10
Dark Nights delivered a fun mix of startles, eerie environments, disorienting effects, sensory overload, and energetic scares, though the lower actor density during our visit kept the intensity from reaching its full potential. When everything clicked, there were some excellent moments—the lightning-assisted scare in Estate of Evil, Twisted Carnevil's sensory chaos, and several well-timed character encounters caught us off guard. Plus, there's a thrill factor here most haunts simply can't offer: stepping out of a haunted house and immediately jumping onto a massive roller coaster in the dark.
Nightmare Highlight: Twisted Carnevil 🎪
This was an almost unanimous squad vote! Twisted Carnevil fully immersed us in a creepy, demented carnival funhouse. Trippy and disorienting lighting, chaotic environments, strong energy, and an absolutely wild mirror maze made this attraction stand apart from the rest of the lineup. The Checkered Clown was fully committed and brought fantastic energy, while the Cymbal Monkey landed one of our best-timed scares of the night.
Honorable mention goes to the new Reese's Depot of Doom! We loved seeing another distinctly themed scare zone added to the Dark Nights lineup, and we're excited to see how this area continues to develop.
Sharpening the Scare: 🔪
Ease up on the fog in a few areas. We love a good fog-filled haunt, but portions of Auntie Mortem's—particularly one dark room—were so dense that several members of our group found it uncomfortable to breathe.
Give the Decayed Brigade showcase better sightlines. The show is exhilarating, but the current location makes it difficult for much of the crowd to actually see. A more open viewing area or even a live feed on nearby screens could help everyone enjoy the action.
Increase actor density and consistency. Some performers were fantastic, but other sections felt noticeably lighter on actors and energy than we've experienced in previous years.
Build upon the scripted dialogue. The character-specific lines provide a great foundation. More unscripted interaction and improv could turn quick encounters into the memorable character moments haunt fans love.
Bring on more photo ops! We'd love to see dedicated photo opportunities throughout the park, especially ones themed specifically to the individual haunted attractions and scare zones.
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