Plan Your Visit: What to Know Before You Go
Everything you need before you go: directions, free parking, what to wear, and what to leave locked in the car. The 2026 season has ended, and this is how a night at the Scaregrounds works.
Free parking · Outdoor haunt in Mesa, AZ
Season update
The 2026 Halloween season has ended. Dates for next season will be announced here.
Coming up first: A Nightscare Before Christmas, our December haunt.
Getting There
Find the Gates in Mesa
Scarizona takes over the Thompson Event Center in Mesa, minutes from the Loop 101 and 202 and a short drive from anywhere in the Valley. Parking was free and included with every ticket. Come early, leave the car out in the dark, and walk toward the screaming.
Thompson Event Center
1901 N. Alma School Road, Mesa, AZ 85201
Live Customer Service Line:
480-549-0406
Information Line:
480-444-2590
Near the Loop 101/202. Free parking included.
When to Come
The Season Is Short. The Nights Are Long.
In 2026, the season ran select nights from Friday, September 25 through Sunday, November 1. The first check-in each night was 6:45 PM, and the nights closest to Halloween ran latest. Next season's dates will be announced here.
Every 2026 ticket was timed entry, which meant guests picked a slot when they bought. The busy nights went first. Read how ticketing works so you are ready when next season opens.
Plan Your Night
Three Steps to the First Corridor
Pick Your Night and Slot
In 2026, guests chose a night and selected a timed-entry window when they bought. The busy slots went first.
Choose Your Pass
In 2026, General Admission covered all three haunts on one price, with no per-house upcharge, and a Fast Pass was available online to cut the line on the nights that filled up.
Arrive in Your Window
Guests showed up inside their timed-entry window in closed-toe shoes with a ticket ready, and walked from the desert dark into the first corridor of the production.
Know Before You Go
What to Wear to a Haunted House, and What to Leave in the Car
Dress and Expect
Closed-toe shoes are site-wide guidance and strongly recommended everywhere on the grounds. Two attractions go further: Mayhem in Madness and Startled Darkness require closed-toe shoes to enter, with no exceptions. Show up in shoes you can run in. Our full outfit guide covers layers, rain and what stays in the car.
Rules at the Gate
Bags and Screening
Leave large bags, backpacks, and oversized purses at home or locked in the vehicle. Any permitted bag may be inspected, and all guests may pass through bag checks and metal-detector screening before entry. Carry nothing you would hate to drop in the dark.
No Costumes or Masks
Costumes, costume masks, face coverings that conceal your identity, and realistic weapons are not permitted. Leave the scaring to the professional monsters.
No Outside Food or Drink
Outside food and drinks are not allowed onsite. Food and beverages are available for purchase inside the Scaregrounds, where the midway keeps serving long after the sun quits.
No Alcohol Anywhere
Alcohol is strictly prohibited everywhere onsite, including the parking areas. Guests who appear intoxicated or bring alcohol may be denied entry or removed without a refund.
Prohibited Items
Weapons of any kind, including firearms, knives, pepper spray, and realistic-looking toy weapons, are prohibited. Fireworks, drugs, laser pointers, and other dangerous or disruptive items are not allowed.
Security Onsite
Trained security personnel are onsite to keep guests, cast, and crew safe. Expect possible security screening before you enter. Every scare on these grounds is staged, and someone is always watching the dark.
2026 Tickets Were Timed and Nonrefundable
Medical Advisory
Is There a Haunted House Age Limit?
Scarizona is designed to be intense and is not recommended for guests under 12, but parents and guardians know their children best. The same guidance covers all three haunts, Mayhem in Madness included. We tell you what waits in there and we trust you to make the call, because you know the kid and we know the dark. Our honest age guidance page covers what to weigh, and our guide to how scary Scarizona is compares the three haunts.
Before You Go
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I wear?
Dress for an outdoor night. Closed-toe shoes with sturdy soles are strongly recommended, and Mayhem in Madness and Startled Darkness require them with no exceptions. Leave the high heels, flip-flops, sandals, and anything that drags on the ground at home, because the floor is not always dry and you will be moving faster than you planned.
Is Scarizona completely outdoors?
Yes. Scarizona Scaregrounds is an outdoor haunted attraction. You may encounter dirt, gravel, uneven ground, darkness, and other natural outdoor conditions. The desert is part of the show, and so is whatever you hear moving across it.
What happens if it rains?
A little rain will not scare us away. Scarizona may remain open during light rain, but severe weather could cause delays or closures. Check the site and our socials before you drive out, because the desert decides the weather, and it does not announce.
Is the attraction scary?
That is the point. Expect darkness, loud noises, flashing lights, fog, tight spaces, frightening characters, and scares that arrive from the side you were not watching.
Is Scarizona appropriate for children?
Scarizona is designed to be intense and is not recommended for guests under 12. Parents and guardians know their children best, but remember: once the scares begin, our monsters do not take babysitting breaks. The same guidance covers all three haunts, including Mayhem in Madness, which carries its own content warning.
Can the actors touch me?
Our actors will not intentionally grab or restrain you, and guests may never touch the actors, props, or scenery. Keep your hands to yourself, and the creatures will do the same.
Can I get a refund if I get too scared?
In 2026, tickets were nonrefundable, including when a guest decided not to enter or left before completing an attraction. After all, getting scared is exactly what you came for. Next season's ticket terms will be announced with the dates.
You Know the Plan. Get the Next Dates.
The 2026 season has ended. A Nightscare Before Christmas is our December event, running December 10 to 13 and 17 to 20, 2026.
Free parking · Outdoor haunt in Mesa, AZ