Arizona Halloween Drive-Thru: Zombie Zoo's Final Weekend in Tempe

Halloween in Arizona usually means pumpkin patches, costume parties and trick-or-treating after the sun goes down. This year, Tempe added something completely different to the mix, and this is your last weekend to see it. Zombie Zoo, our Arizona Halloween drive-thru at Tempe Diablo Stadium, closes Sunday, November 1. Halloween lands on Saturday, which gives you three final nights to roll through a glowing zoo full of undead animals, Halloween music and larger-than-life displays without ever leaving the comfort of the car.

If you've been meaning to go all month, don't wait for next year. At World of Illumination, we never repeat a show. Each season gets a brand-new theme, story and set of displays, so once the gates close on Sunday night, Tumba the Gorilla and his dancing zoo take their final bow.

Zombie Zoo's Final Weekend at a Glance

• Where: Tempe Diablo Stadium, 2200 W. Alameda Dr., Tempe, AZ 85282 (get directions)
• Final nights: Friday, October 30, Halloween night on Saturday, October 31, and closing night on Sunday, November 1
• Hours: Gates open at 6:30 PM, last entry at 10:00 PM (10:30 PM on select nights)
• Tickets: Online only on the Zombie Zoo ticket page. One ticket covers the whole car, and prices vary by date.
• Time in the show: About 20 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic that night
• Up next: Reindeer Road takes over the stadium on November 13

Meet the Creatures of Zombie Zoo Before They Go

Zombie Zoo isn't simply a Christmas show with pumpkins added to it. It's a full Halloween story built for Tempe. The zoo sits beside a graveyard, and when the clock strikes midnight on Halloween, Tumba the Gorilla wakes the animals from their graves. Instead of starting a terrifying zombie invasion, the creatures end up throwing a rather unusual dance party under the moon. Visit on Saturday and you'll be watching that story on the very night it's set.

That story gives the displays plenty of room to get strange and colorful. You'll travel through a swirling jack-o'-lantern vortex tunnel before moving past towering spooky trees, cobweb-draped habitats and groups of animals that look very different from what you'd find on a normal trip to the zoo. Desert mummies and savannah zombies join the party, spirit lanterns glow through bamboo groves, and DJ Monkey handles the Halloween soundtrack while Tumba keeps his undead crew moving. When the moon fades, Tumba takes his bow and everyone shuffles back to bed.

It's spooky, but Zombie Zoo is a family-friendly Halloween adventure rather than a traditional haunted attraction. That matters for families with younger kids who want something more exciting than looking at decorations but aren't ready for actors jumping out of dark corners. The monsters here belong to a bright, animated world, with plenty of silliness mixed into the Halloween atmosphere.

An Arizona Halloween Drive-Thru for Halloween Weekend

Halloween weekend in the Valley gets busy fast. Between school parties, neighborhood trick-or-treating and costume plans, the calendar fills up, and that's exactly where a drive-through show fits. By late October the brutal summer heat has finally eased, the evenings feel like fall, and people suddenly remember how much they enjoy being out after sunset. Palm trees and warm nights don't match the classic picture of a foggy Halloween town, but that's part of what makes celebrating Halloween in Arizona fun.

Since the whole show happens from inside your own vehicle, costumes can be as elaborate as you like without anyone worrying about how far they'll have to walk in them. There's no long route to manage with tired kids, grandparents don't have to navigate a dark trail, and the whole group has its own little home base inside the car. The soundtrack plays through your car radio (the radio station FAQ explains how that works), so you control the volume.

A few ways to fit it into the weekend:

• Friday: Kick off Halloween weekend early, costumes and all, before Saturday's plans take over.
• Saturday: Make Zombie Zoo part of Halloween night itself, before or after trick-or-treating in your neighborhood.
• Sunday: Catch closing night and give the season a proper send-off with the leftover candy in the cup holders.

Planning Your Last-Chance Zombie Zoo Night

Final weekends and Halloween night tend to draw a crowd, so a little planning goes a long way.

• Buy before you leave the house. Tickets aren't sold at the gate, so check the ticket calendar for open nights and book online. All sales are final.
• Know your arrival window. The time on your ticket is an arrival window, not a show time. It helps keep traffic moving, though peak nights can still mean a wait in line. If you're running late, you can still arrive any time during show hours on your ticketed date.
• Check your vehicle. Some larger vehicles can't go through the route, so read the vehicle restrictions before you head out. Everyone in your group needs to arrive in the car they'll ride in.
• Bring snacks. There are no concessions, but outside food and non-alcoholic drinks are welcome in the car. Pets are welcome too, as long as they stay inside the vehicle.
• Use the restrooms in line. Restrooms are at the queue lanes, so make a stop before you enter the show.
• Dim your headlights. Turn them off or as low as they'll go once you're inside so everyone gets the full effect of the lights.

The show runs rain or shine, but severe weather can delay or close it. Our show delays and closures FAQ explains how we let ticket holders know.

The stadium location also makes it easy to turn the show into a full evening. Arizona Mills is a short drive from Tempe Diablo Stadium if you want dinner or a little shopping before your arrival window, and Downtown Tempe and Mill Avenue work well for adults making Zombie Zoo part of a Halloween date night. Families coming from Mesa, Chandler or Gilbert can head straight to the stadium without crossing the entire Phoenix area.

After Halloween, Reindeer Road Comes to Tempe Diablo Stadium

Once Tumba and the zoo head back to their graves, the stadium gets ready for Christmas. Reindeer Road opens November 13 and runs through January 3, with gates at 6:00 PM. Reno Reindeer leads the way through a giant gift box tunnel, a peppermint vortex and towering mega candy canes, over glacial peaks and through glittering ice caves, all the way to Santa's Workshop. It's a completely different show at the same address, so if Zombie Zoo becomes your family's Halloween tradition, you'll only have to wait a couple of weeks for the next one.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Zombie Zoo close?

Zombie Zoo's final night is Sunday, November 1, 2026. Gates open at 6:30 PM, and last entry is 10:00 PM (10:30 PM on select nights).

Is the Arizona Halloween drive-thru open on Halloween night?

Yes. Halloween falls on Saturday, October 31, during Zombie Zoo's final weekend. Check the ticket calendar for availability, since Halloween night is a popular choice.

Can I buy tickets when I arrive?

No. Tickets are sold online only and aren't available at the gate, so choose your date and buy before driving to Tempe Diablo Stadium.

Do I need a ticket for every person?

No. Admission is per vehicle, so one ticket covers everyone riding together in the car.

Is Zombie Zoo scary for kids?

Zombie Zoo is a family-friendly Halloween adventure. It uses zombies, graveyards and spooky trees, but the overall feel is colorful and playful, with dancing animals and a Halloween soundtrack rather than the jump scares of a haunted house.

Will Zombie Zoo come back next year?

World of Illumination creates a brand-new show every season, so this weekend is your last chance to see Zombie Zoo as it is now. Reindeer Road, the Christmas show at the same stadium, opens November 13.

One Last Dance Under the Moon

Arizona doesn't need falling leaves or freezing October nights to get into Halloween. Sometimes all it takes is sunset, a car full of your favorite people and a zoo full of undead animals dancing under the lights. For families around Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert and the rest of the Phoenix area, this weekend is the last chance to catch this year's Arizona Halloween drive-thru before Tumba takes his final bow. Pick your night and say goodbye to Zombie Zoo in style.