In this edition of the Orlando Media Newsletter, unmask some of the most terrifying adult-focused Halloween happenings throughout the destination, expect major headlining artists at the return of Electric Daisy Carnival 2023 and get your head in the game with NCAA games and NFL Pro Bowl Games as they return to stadiums throughout Orlando. 

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  • While the Halloween Vacation Capital offers countless friendly chills for the whole family, Orlando visitors will discover a darker side filled with spine-tingling excitement for horror fanatics. Here are some of the spookiest happenings for adults coming this Halloween season. 

  • At the theme parks, Universal Orlando Resort’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida (now through Nov. 4) returns for a record-breaking 48 nights featuring 10 new, movie-quality haunted houses; while Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld Orlando (select nights through Oct. 31) returns with fully immersive fear featuring fright-inducing haunted houses, scare zones and an electrifying live show.  

  • For Halloween fun all year long, The Bureau features Possession at Haddon Heights, a paranormal-themed escape room that forces guests to confront an evil entity at an abandoned school; while Halloween-themed bar Cocktails & Screams in Downtown Orlando features live music and an extensive list of creative cocktails. On Sundays this fall, guests can experience the Cereal Killer Brunch and the HallowEMO Night event on Halloween, debuting new cocktails and entertainment. 

  • Spooky Halloween performances are happening throughout Orlando, including Phantasmagoria XIV: “Tales of the Undead” (Oct. 26 – 28) at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts; Teatro Martini’s annual Halloween Revue (now through Oct. 31), an interactive dinner show featuring lyrical pole dancers, comedians, magicians and jugglers; “Nosferatu" (Sept. 15 – Nov. 5, 2023) at Renaissance Theatre Company, a re-vamped 90-minute adults-only horror experience followed by an evening at “VBar” Vampire-nightclub. 

  • Haunting outdoor attractions will also feature events catering toward older crowds: Harry P. Leu Gardens will host the new Haunting Nights (now through Oct. 31) – an artful, elevated Halloween immersive event featuring thrilling surprises for guests 13 and older; while Scream n' Stream Drive-Thru Halloween Experience returns with seven horrifying zones to drive through complete with monsters, music, lighting and special effects. 

  • For a more artsy Halloween experience, adults will enjoy Orlando Museum of Art’s Till Death Do Us pARTy: A Day of the Dead Cocktail Evening (Oct. 28), featuring an evening filled with art, music, specialty tequila and mezcal cocktails, light bites, live performances of traditional Mexican dance and more. 
     

  • Electric Daisy Festival (EDC) is returning to Orlando with three action-packed days filled with life, love, art and music Nov. 10-12 at Tinker Field. With five technology filled stages, three-dimensional superstructures, colorful, glow-in-the-dark environments and more, EDC Orlando will include an impressive lineup of performances from Zedd, Alesso, Alison Wonderland, the Chainsmokers and other artists. Festival goers will also be able to take advantage of pre- and after-parties happening throughout downtown Orlando from Nov. 9-12. 
     

  • Fans of college and pro sports can catch one of several NCAA football matches and NFL Pro Bowl Games as they return to the stadiums throughout Orlando.  

  • The 2023 Florida Blue Florida Classic brings the Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats and FAMU Rattlesnakes face-to-face for one of the nation’s greatest football rivalries on Saturday, Nov. 18, at Camping World Stadium.  

  • For the 34th year, the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl will feature the top selection from the Atlantic Coast Conference (inclusive of Notre Dame) and the second selection from the Big 12 outside of the CFP series on Thursday, Dec. 28.  

  • Watch as the top teams from the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten Conference take the field for the 2024 Cheeze-It Citrus Bowl — the seventh-oldest collegiate bowl game in the country — on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024.  

  • The Nation’s Premier College Football All-Star Game, The Hula Bowl, returns to the home of the UCF Knights at FBC Mortgage Stadium on Jan. 13, 2024. One-hundred of the top senior athletes will be selected to play at the Hula Bowl based on their potential to make a professional football team roster.  

  • The 2024 NFL Pro Bowl Games are returning to Camping World Stadium for an AFC vs. NFC competition. Here, 88 of the league’s top players will showcase their football and non-football skills in unique competitions and create action-packed flag football games at Camping World Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024.   

  • Additionally, sports fans can celebrate the Orlando Magic as they officially tip off the 35th season in franchise history when they face the Houston Rockets at Amway Center this month. In honor of that milestone, the Magic held a celebration event at Amway Center, unveiling a new uniform and court for the 2023-24 season. 

 

What’s New and Upcoming Around Orlando 

  • Brightline began service to Orlando International Airport (MCO) connecting Orlando and South Florida (Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach) with inaugural rides last month. And now, along with an increased number of weekly rides, Brightline and Mears Transportation announced a new partnership to help connect travelers between the Brightline Orlando Station and various destinations within the Orlando area in partnership with Orlando Health. The new Brightline+ Shared Connect Shuttle and Luxury Private Ride powered by Mears will incorporate the Mears Transportation fleet into Brightline’s innovative door-to-door booking service, allowing guests to effortlessly extend their journey by reserving transportation to and from Orlando International Airport’s Brightline train station.   

  • Big Chicken, a chicken chain owned by NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, will open in the SODO district in late-2023. The restaurant will feature some of the star’s favorite home-cooked meals and his namesake dish, The Shaq Attack, a crispy chicken sandwich stacked with pepper jack cheese, jalapeno slaw and spicy chipotle BBQ sauce.  

  • Caribe Royale Orlando Resort will debut its all-new, sports-centric facility, Stadium Club, in January 2024. The two-story, 500-seat sports bar area is an interactive, immersive sports entertainment destination featuring eight pro-level sports simulators, two bars, two 165-inch XHD projector displays and a 110-foot-long ribbon display television.   

  • Exploria Stadium’s new “Orlando Made” local food and beverage offerings will expand with the addition of 13 new local vendors to the program. Soccer fans can find these offerings at different locations in the venue or as part of the “Orlando Made” rotating vendor cart. New vendors include Dexter Birdland, SusHi Eatstation, Cholo Dogs, NOSH, Norma’s Italian Eatery, Pattie Lou’s Donuts, Chill in Tacos and Fortuna Bakery. The new additions join the five previously announced permanent concession stands, including 4Rivers Smokehouse, Black Rooster Taqueria, Harrell’s Hot Dogs, Teak Neighborhood Grill and The COOP by 4Rivers.  

 
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Did You Know? 

Orlando is 2023’s Best Foodie City in America according to WalletHub. 

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