ValleyScare at Valleyfair Is Back! Everything You Need to Know Before You Go

If roller coasters aren’t scary enough for you during the day, apparently the obvious solution is to ride them at night while monsters wander around the park.

Welcome to ValleyScare.

After being gone from Valleyfair’s fall lineup, ValleyScare is officially back for 2026—and if you love Halloween, haunted houses and thrill rides, this is one Minnesota fall event you’ll want to put on your calendar.

When the sun goes down, Valleyfair transforms from the amusement park we know all summer into something considerably creepier.

We’re talking haunted mazes.

Scare zones.

Roaming monsters.

Halloween entertainment.

And some of Valleyfair’s most popular rides operating in the dark.

Here’s what you need to know before heading to ValleyScare at Valleyfair this fall.

What Is ValleyScare?

ValleyScare is Valleyfair’s nighttime Halloween event in Shakopee, Minnesota.

During the event, portions of the park are transformed with Halloween decorations, fog, lighting, monsters and other spooky effects.

Guests can walk through haunted mazes, encounter scare zones throughout the park, watch Halloween-themed entertainment and ride some of Valleyfair’s attractions after dark.

And riding a roller coaster at night?

Completely different experience.

You know the drop is coming.

You just can’t see it quite as well.

When Is ValleyScare in 2026?

ValleyScare returns beginning September 19, 2026 and continues on select Friday and Saturday nights through October 31, 2026.

The event is currently scheduled to run from 7 p.m. until 11:59 p.m.

That gives you several weekends to fit a visit into your fall schedule.

As Halloween gets closer, I’d expect the event to become increasingly popular, so if you have a particular weekend in mind, planning ahead is probably a good idea.

Always double-check Valleyfair’s calendar before leaving home because operating dates and hours can change.

Is ValleyScare Included With Regular Valleyfair Admission?

This is one of the biggest things to understand for 2026.

ValleyScare is being offered as a separately ticketed nighttime event.

That means you shouldn’t assume that simply visiting Valleyfair earlier in the day automatically gives you access to ValleyScare that evening.

However, Valleyfair says ValleyScare admission is included with certain eligible season passes and memberships.

If you have a Valleyfair or Six Flags pass, check the current benefits attached to your particular pass before buying another ticket.

Haunted Mazes Are Included

Here’s some good news.

Once you’re admitted to ValleyScare, the haunted mazes are included with your ValleyScare admission.

You don’t have to buy a separate haunted-house ticket for each maze.

That makes it much easier to spend your evening trying several different haunted experiences.

And let’s be realistic.

If you’re going to ValleyScare, you might as well see how many times you’re willing to voluntarily walk into a dark building while fully aware that someone is waiting inside to scare you.

What Is There to Do at ValleyScare?

ValleyScare is more than a couple of haunted houses added to the amusement park.

The entire nighttime experience changes.

For 2026, Valleyfair says ValleyScare includes:

Haunted Mazes

These are the traditional walk-through haunted attractions.

Expect dark spaces, elaborate sets, creepy characters, unexpected scares and plenty of moments when someone in your group suddenly decides you should walk in front.

If you’re going with friends, establish your haunted-house order beforehand.

There is always one person who insists they’re not scared and then spends the entire maze hiding behind everyone else.

Scare Zones

You don’t necessarily have to enter a haunted maze to encounter monsters.

Scare zones are located throughout portions of the park, meaning the scares can happen while you’re simply walking from one attraction to another.

Fog, lighting, performers and themed environments help transform the park once darkness falls.

Roaming Monsters

Yes, they’re walking around.

No, you’re not necessarily safe because you successfully made it out of the haunted maze.

That’s kind of the point.

Halloween-Themed Entertainment

ValleyScare also features live Halloween entertainment throughout the evening.

This gives you something to do between haunted attractions and rides—and perhaps a few minutes to recover before voluntarily terrifying yourself again.

Rides in the Dark

This might be my favorite part of ValleyScare.

Some of Valleyfair’s popular rides operate during the nighttime event.

Roller coasters already provide plenty of adrenaline during the day.

At night, everything feels different.

The park is darker.

The air is cooler.

You can’t see the track as clearly.

And the entire park has a Halloween atmosphere surrounding it.

Even if haunted houses aren’t your favorite thing, nighttime rides alone can make ValleyScare fun.

Halloween Food and Drinks

Valleyfair is also planning specialty food and beverage offerings for ValleyScare.

Seasonal theme-park food is half the fun of these events anyway.

Come hungry.

Is ValleyScare Scary?

Yes.

This is not Valleyfair’s little-kid Halloween event.

Valleyfair specifically warns that ValleyScare is an intense nighttime Halloween experience that may not be appropriate for younger guests.

Parents should use their own judgment based on their child’s comfort level with haunted houses, darkness, loud noises, monsters and jump scares.

Some teenagers will absolutely love it.

Others may decide after approximately seven minutes that they have made a terrible mistake.

Know your kid.

What About Younger Kids?

If your children love Halloween but aren’t ready for monsters chasing them through a dark amusement park, Valleyfair has another option.

Tricks and Treats is Valleyfair’s daytime, family-friendly Halloween event.

For 2026, Tricks and Treats begins September 26 and takes place during daytime hours on select Saturdays and Sundays through October 31.

That’s the event I’d choose for younger children or kids who enjoy Halloween but don’t enjoy being scared.

Essentially:

Tricks and Treats = cute Halloween.

ValleyScare = somebody is probably hiding in that fog.

Choose accordingly.

Can You Do Tricks and Treats and ValleyScare on the Same Day?

On select Saturdays, Valleyfair’s current 2026 calendar shows Tricks and Treats taking place during the afternoon and ValleyScare beginning later that evening.

For example, several Saturdays have daytime Tricks and Treats scheduled from noon until 5:30 p.m., followed by ValleyScare beginning at 7 p.m.

But remember that ValleyScare is separately ticketed.

If you want to experience both events, check exactly which admission products you’ll need before arriving.

ValleyScare Would Be Perfect for a Teen Halloween Night

If you’re looking for Halloween activities to do with teenagers around the Twin Cities, this is one I’d put near the top of the list.

Teenagers can sometimes be tricky when it comes to fall activities.

They may feel too old for the pumpkin patch.

They’re definitely too old for some of the little-kid Halloween events.

But they’re absolutely not too old to scream their heads off in a haunted maze and then immediately get on a roller coaster.

ValleyScare works especially well as:

• A teen friend-group outing
• A Halloween birthday activity
• A parent-and-teen night
• A fall date night
• A group Halloween outing
• A fun alternative to a traditional haunted house

Let the teens bring a friend or two and suddenly you’re the coolest parent in Minnesota.

At least until you tell them it’s time to leave.

What Should You Wear to ValleyScare?

Remember that this is Minnesota in September and October.

It could be 68 degrees when you leave the house.

It could feel like 42 degrees three hours later.

Layers are your friend.

I’d wear:

• Comfortable walking shoes
• Jeans or comfortable pants
• T-shirt or long-sleeve shirt
• Hoodie or sweatshirt
• Light jacket if temperatures are dropping
• Socks and shoes you don’t mind walking in for several hours

Check the weather before leaving.

You’re going to be outside after dark, and Minnesota fall evenings can get cold quickly.

Also remember that you’ll be going on rides.

This probably isn’t the night for an elaborate outfit involving 14 accessories that could potentially fly off on a roller coaster.

Arrive Early

If you want to get the most out of your ValleyScare ticket, don’t casually wander in at 10 p.m.

The event is only a few hours long.

You’ll potentially want to fit in:

• Haunted mazes
• Scare zones
• Roller coasters
• Shows
• Food
• Photos
• Walking around the park

That’s a lot.

Get there in time to enter when the event begins so you can maximize your evening.

Expect Bigger Crowds Closer to Halloween

There’s something about October that makes everyone collectively remember:

WE MUST DO ALL THE HALLOWEEN THINGS.

The closer you get to Halloween, the more popular haunted attractions tend to become.

If you’re mainly interested in experiencing ValleyScare and don’t care whether it’s October 30, consider visiting earlier in the season.

September evenings can also be warmer, which is a nice bonus when you’re spending several hours outside.

Check Valleyfair’s Policies Before You Leave

Special Halloween events sometimes have different policies than regular daytime amusement-park operations.

Before heading to Shakopee, check Valleyfair’s current ValleyScare information for things such as:

• Bag policies
• Costume rules
• Re-entry policies
• Ticket requirements
• Season-pass eligibility
• Parking
• Weather policies
• Event hours
• Ride availability

It’s much better to spend five minutes checking before you leave than discovering something at the entrance.

Is ValleyScare Worth It?

If you love haunted attractions AND amusement parks, ValleyScare gives you both in one night.

That’s what makes it different from visiting a regular haunted house.

You can scream through a haunted maze.

Walk through a scare zone.

Grab some Halloween food.

Ride a roller coaster in the dark.

Then encounter another monster while you’re walking to the next attraction.

It’s essentially an entire Halloween night packed into one place.

For teenagers, older kids who genuinely enjoy scary attractions and adults who love Halloween, ValleyScare could easily become an annual fall tradition.

ValleyScare Is Back for Halloween 2026

Minnesota has plenty of incredible fall traditions.

Apple orchards.

Pumpkin patches.

Corn mazes.

Fall color drives.

And now we can officially put ValleyScare back on the list.

For 2026, ValleyScare runs on select Friday and Saturday nights from September 19 through Halloween, bringing haunted mazes, scare zones, live entertainment, monsters and nighttime rides back to Valleyfair.

If your perfect fall night involves roller coasters, cool Minnesota air and voluntarily walking directly toward people whose entire job is to scare you…

ValleyScare is waiting.

I’ll be the person hiding behind the teenager in the haunted maze.