Halloween's scariest theme park tradition in the UK is reaching a milestone. Thorpe Park, the Surrey resort best known for coasters like Stealth and Hyperia, has been running its Fright Nights event since the early 2000s, and the 2026 season marks its 25th anniversary. Coverage from Secret London flags the occasion, though full details of the 2026 line-up have yet to be spelled out.
For anyone who has never been: Fright Nights transforms the park after dark each autumn into a horror playground. Expect a roster of scare mazes with individual themes, roaming actors who are legally allowed to get uncomfortably close, and the unusual thrill of riding major coasters in the dark. Past editions have included mazes based on film and TV horror properties alongside original concepts dreamed up in-house, and the event has built a cult following that sells out October weekends year after year.
An anniversary year is typically when Thorpe Park pulls something extra out of the bag — a new maze, an extended run, or special one-off experiences — so 2026 is a sensible year to make the trip if you've been putting it off. Exact dates usually follow the park's general pattern: selected nights from late September or early October through to 31 October, with the final nights before Halloween the busiest and most atmospheric.
Why it matters for travellers: this is one of the UK's flagship Halloween events, an easy day or overnight trip from London, and a good excuse to pair a scare-filled evening with a stay in the capital or nearby towns like Staines-upon-Thames and Chertsey. If you scare easily, note that daytime entry on Fright Nights dates is more family-friendly — the full horror experience only switches on in the evening.
