Paultons Park after dark: pumpkins, night rides and Mum screaming on Storm Chaser

We went to Paultons Park’s Halloween late night opening yesterday, 17 October, and I already want to do it again. We arrived at 4pm with a very simple plan: get round as many rides as possible in the dark before the park closed at 7.30pm. Storm Chaser ended up getting quite a lot of our attention. About five rides in a row, actually.

There were a couple of things we thought could have been better, especially the lighting on some of the decorations and finding a hot drink later on. But riding after dark made the evening feel different from a normal visit, and the whole atmosphere reminded us a bit of late nights at Disney.

So many pumpkins, even before it got dark

The first thing that surprised us was just how many pumpkins there were. They seemed to fill the park. We knew Paultons had closed to get the Halloween decorations ready, and after seeing how much had gone into it, we weren’t surprised they needed that time.

Arriving at 4pm meant we got a good look at everything in daylight. Our plan had been all about night rides, but on 17 October it wasn’t really dark until just after 6pm. That left a much shorter window for the proper after dark part of the evening than we’d imagined.

Watching the light change was part of the fun, though. You get the daytime view first, then gradually the park starts to feel different. I filmed the sunset so you can see that part of the evening too.

Watch the sunset over Paultons Park

Watch the sunset at Paultons Park on TikTok

The pumpkin tower looked brilliant, but more lights would help

Once it was dark, the big tower of pumpkins by the entrance looked amazing. A few of the larger pumpkins lit up too, and those were exactly the sort of decorations we’d been looking forward to seeing at a Halloween late night opening.

The disappointing bit was how many didn’t light up. There were some really good models around the park that we’d noticed earlier, but after dark they weren’t lit at all. It felt like a shame when so much work had clearly gone into putting them there.

I’d love to see more of those displays lit up next time. The decorations were already there and looked great in daylight, so being able to enjoy them properly in the dark would add so much to the atmosphere. The entrance tower showed how good that could look.

Digital masks and a different atmosphere after dark

After dark, some members of staff mingled with guests wearing the coolest digital masks. I thought they were brilliant. Some of the younger children seemed a bit scared, though, so it wasn’t the same experience for everyone.

For me, it added to the feeling that this was a special evening rather than just a normal park day running a bit longer. Between the pumpkins, the masks and heading between rides in the dark, there was plenty to take in even when we weren’t on anything.

It was pretty cold, but there was no rain. A crisp autumn evening was just right for it. By the end I definitely wanted a warm drink, but I wouldn’t have swapped the night rides for an earlier finish.

Night rides on Flight of the Pterosaur, Raven and more

Peppa Pig World closed at 6pm on our visit, while the rest of the park stayed open until 7.30pm. We used the evening for night rides on Flight of the Pterosaur, Velociraptor, Vild Swing, The Edge and Raven, as well as our repeated trips on Storm Chaser.

Getting to ride favourites in the dark was the whole reason we’d come, and it was worth it. There’s something about coming off a ride and going straight back into that Halloween evening atmosphere that makes you want another go. In our case, “another go” on Storm Chaser happened quite a few times.

We went on it about five times in a row. I think that probably tells you how much we were enjoying ourselves. If you’ve only visited Paultons during the day, our evening felt different enough to make a late opening something we’d happily do again.

Storm Chaser, with Mum providing the soundtrack

I filmed our night time Storm Chaser ride, and you can hear Mum screaming and laughing. She makes me laugh so much. It’s one thing trying to explain why we kept going back on, but hearing her in the video probably does a better job.

Play this one with the sound on. The ride was fun, but Mum’s reaction is my favourite bit of the clip.

Watch our Storm Chaser night ride on TikTok

Finding a hot drink was harder than it should have been

This was the main practical thing we’d change. There were only a few kiosks open, and after about 6.30pm we couldn’t find anywhere to get a warm drink while we were going round the park. We asked staff, but they weren’t sure which food booths were still open either.

We did eventually get a hot drink from the café at the entrance as we left. So there was somewhere serving, but we hadn’t been able to work that out earlier. On a cold evening, knowing where to go would have made a real difference.

A clear sign showing which places are open late, and until what time, would help. We were there for the rides rather than the food, but being able to find a warm drink without going on a separate hunt for one would have been lovely.

We missed the Valgard show

We dashed back to Valgard for 7.15pm to watch the show, but we couldn’t get close enough to see it properly. In the end, we decided to leave and get a head start on the car park instead.

I can’t tell you what the show was like because we didn’t get to watch it. We’re planning to go back next week, though, and this time we want to be there early enough to get a spot at the front. That’s the one part of the evening we really want another chance at.

Would we do another Paultons Halloween late night?

Definitely. More lights on the pumpkin displays and clearer information about the open kiosks would improve it, but neither stopped us having a great time. Night rides, a cold dry evening and Mum laughing her way round Storm Chaser are what I’ll remember most.

We really think Paultons should do more late night openings. The atmosphere reminded us of those Disney evenings when you don’t want to head out of the park yet. Half past seven suddenly felt much too early to finish.

If we did this evening again, we’d still arrive in time to see the decorations in daylight, then make the most of the rides once it got dark. We’d sort out a hot drink earlier and get to the show well before 7.15pm. Apart from that, I’d be quite happy with more of the same. Especially Storm Chaser.

About this visit: these timings and experiences are from Saturday 17 October 2026. They describe our evening, rather than the opening times for every Halloween date.

For more about the rides, read our Paultons Park review, or browse the rest of our theme park news.