Dallas Haunted House Guide

When October rolls around, Dallas doesn't just put out a few jack-o'-lanterns and call it a night — the DFW metroplex transforms into one of the most terrifying haunted attraction corridors in the country. From a Guinness World Record–holding haunted house in Fort Worth to a nationally ranked scare factory in Plano, North Texas delivers industrial-grade nightmares you genuinely won't forget. But with a dozen-plus haunted attractions scattered across a 60-mile metro — many with hour-long wait times on peak nights — trying to hit multiple in one evening becomes a logistical horror story of its own. Therefore, we put together the definitive DFW haunted house guide, complete with ticket details, scare ratings, and the ultimate Halloween party bus crawl route to maximize your screams.

Grab your crew and book a Halloween party bus with Dallas Party Ride — because nobody wants to drive through Dallas traffic with their hands still shaking.

The A-List: DFW's Top Haunted Attractions

Dark Hour Haunted House — Plano

Address: 701 Taylor Drive, Plano, TX 75074

Season: Late September through early November (select nights)

Tickets: $30–$45 depending on night and package; VIP fast-pass available

Scare Rating: 9/10 — Intense, not for young children

Consistently rated among the top 5 haunted attractions in the United States by HauntWorld Magazine, Dark Hour is the crown jewel of DFW's Halloween scene. This isn't a converted warehouse with strobe lights — it's a purpose-built, year-round scare facility with Hollywood-quality sets, animatronics, and a cast of over 100 trained actors on peak nights.

The production value is staggering. Each year, Dark Hour unveils a new theme layered over its existing maze, meaning repeat visitors get a different experience every season. The "Coven" and "Abomination" themes earned national press coverage for their elaborate storylines and interactive elements. Plan to spend 30–40 minutes inside.

Tips: Go on a Thursday or Sunday to avoid the worst lines. Friday and Saturday waits can exceed 90 minutes. VIP fast-pass ($15 extra) is worth every penny on October weekends. No children under 10 recommended.

Cutting Edge Haunted House — Fort Worth

Address: 1701 E. Lancaster Avenue, Fort Worth, TX 76102

Season: Late September through November 1 (Fri–Sat primarily, additional nights in October)

Tickets: $35–$45; combo and group rates available

Scare Rating: 8/10 — Extended, physically demanding walk-through

Cutting Edge holds the Guinness World Record for the world's largest haunted house attraction, housed inside a massive 100-year-old abandoned meat-packing plant on the banks of the Trinity River. The building itself — before a single prop is placed — is already terrifying. Add 55,000 square feet of multi-story sets, live actors, and special effects, and you get a walk-through that takes approximately 55 minutes to complete.

The sheer scale is what sets Cutting Edge apart. There are sections where you wade through fog so thick you can't see your own feet, stairways that twist between floors, and rooms that genuinely disorient you. It's an endurance test as much as a scare.

Reindeer Manor — Red Oak

Address: 410 W. Red Oak Road, Red Oak, TX 75154

Season: Late September through early November

Tickets: $25–$40 for individual houses; combo passes for all four

Scare Rating: 6–8/10 (varies by house — family-friendly options available)

Operating since 1974, Reindeer Manor is one of the longest-running haunted attractions in Texas and features four separate haunted houses on a single property: the Manor, Shadow MOB, Dungeon of Doom, and ElmZone. The variety is the appeal — you can build your own scare level. The Manor is the most intense; Shadow MOB leans into classic jump scares; and the family-friendly options let younger teens participate without nightmares.

The Red Oak location is about 25 minutes south of downtown Dallas, making it an easy first or last stop on a Halloween party bus circuit.

Thrillvania Scaregrounds — Terrell

Address: 2330 County Road 138, Terrell, TX 75161

Season: Late September through early November

Tickets: $30–$50; VIP and group options available

Scare Rating: 8/10 — Outdoor trails add a different kind of terror

Spread across 50 acres of rural East Texas woodland, Thrillvania combines three attractions: Verdun Manor (a haunted mansion), Cassandra's Labyrinth of Terror (a 3-D maze), and the Haunted Verdun Trail. The outdoor elements — real darkness, real woods, uneven terrain — create a visceral fear that indoor haunts can't replicate. You're walking through actual East Texas forest at midnight, hearing things you can't identify, and the actors have a lot of room to stalk you.

ScreamWorld — Irving/Dallas

Tickets: $25–$35

Scare Rating: 7/10

ScreamWorld packs multiple haunted experiences into one admission, making it a solid value play. It's less polished than Dark Hour or Cutting Edge but compensates with enthusiasm, creative sets, and a good mix of psychological and jump scares. The location near Irving makes it convenient for groups coming from central Dallas or Arlington.

Haunted Trails — Balch Springs

Address: 12300 Elam Road, Balch Springs, TX 75180

Tickets: $25–$40

Scare Rating: 7/10 — Outdoor trail format

An outdoor haunted trail experience that takes advantage of East Dallas's wooded terrain. The mile-long trail winds through darkness with actors lurking behind trees, in ditches, and sometimes overhead. It's a different flavor of fear — more primal, less theatrical — and the fresh air between scares gives your heart rate just enough time to drop before the next one spikes it.

Dallas's Real Haunted History

The Hotel Adolphus

Built by Anheuser-Busch founder Adolphus Busch in 1912, the Hotel Adolphus in downtown Dallas is one of the most storied haunted buildings in Texas. Staff and guests have reported a spectral bride on the 19th floor — legend says she was jilted on her wedding day in the 1930s and took her own life. The hotel has fully embraced the legend, and paranormal investigators have recorded EVP sessions in the ballroom.

Millermore Mansion — Dallas Heritage Village

Originally built in 1855, Millermore was the largest home in Dallas County before the Civil War. Now relocated to Dallas Heritage Village in Old City Park, the mansion has a long history of unexplained footsteps, cold spots, and apparitions reported by staff and visitors. Paranormal teams have conducted multiple investigations, and it regularly appears on "most haunted places in Texas" lists.

Dealey Plaza

Beyond its historical significance as the site of the Kennedy assassination, Dealey Plaza has accumulated decades of paranormal reports — cold spots near the grassy knoll, shadow figures in the Texas School Book Depository windows, and a general sense of heaviness that visitors frequently note. Whether it's genuine haunting or the weight of history, it's undeniably eerie after dark.

Halloween Events Beyond Haunted Houses

Deep Ellum Halloween Block Party

Deep Ellum goes all-out on Halloween weekend with bar crawls, live music, street performers, and some of the most elaborate costumes you'll see anywhere. Multiple venues host costume contests with cash prizes, and the energy on Elm Street on October 31st rivals any major city in the country.

Uptown Dallas Costume Crawl

Uptown's bars and restaurants along McKinney Avenue roll out Halloween-themed cocktails, DJ sets, and costume competitions throughout the last two weeks of October. The trolley adds a festive touch, and the density of venues makes it perfect for a walking (or party bus) crawl.

Grapevine Halloween Express

The Grapevine Vintage Railroad runs a special Halloween Express train ride through October — a family-friendly experience with costumed characters, storytelling, and trick-or-treating on a historic steam train. It sells out quickly, so book early.

The Ultimate Halloween Party Bus Crawl

Here's how to hit the best of DFW's Halloween scene in one terrifying night by party bus:

• 6:00 p.m. — Board your party bus. Costumes on, Halloween playlist blasting, pregame responsibly.
• 6:45 p.m. — Reindeer Manor (Red Oak) — Start with the four-house combo while lines are short.
• 8:30 p.m. — Dark Hour (Plano) — The main event. VIP fast-pass recommended.
• 10:00 p.m. — Haunted Trails (Balch Springs) — Outdoor trail under the stars.
• 11:30 p.m. — Deep Ellum Halloween Block Party — Bars, music, and costume contests until close.

This route covers roughly 80 miles of DFW — absolutely not something you want to navigate in costume after dark with a car full of screaming friends. A party bus keeps the energy going between stops, gives everyone room to decompress (or hyperventilate), and ensures nobody has to drive home shaking.

Group Discounts & Booking Tips

Most DFW haunted attractions offer group discounts for parties of 15 or more — which aligns perfectly with party bus capacity. Call ahead to each venue for group rates (typically 10–20% off), and ask about reserved time slots to minimize wait times.

For the bus itself, use our trip cost calculator to estimate your Halloween crawl cost. Split among 20+ people, it's shockingly affordable — often less than $30 per person for an entire evening of transportation.

Book Your Halloween Party Bus

Halloween weekends are our busiest season — our fleet books up fast in September and October. Don't wait until the last week of October to call. Lock in your date early, plan your route, and let Dallas Party Ride turn your Halloween night into a story your friends will retell for years.

Call (214) 945-0983 to reserve your Halloween party bus, or book online now. Read what past Halloween groups have said on our reviews page. We'll keep the lights on inside the bus — what happens outside is between you and the darkness.