FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

We loved having The RISE at Old Westbury Gardens for our first 8 seasons!  It's a beautiful venue and it's very close to home for a lot of visitors.  We weren't able to return in 2020 because of Covid.  We tried to return in 2021 but ultimately weren't able to make it happen due to drainage issues on the big parking field. Perhaps one day those issues will be resolved and the gardens will be ready to have us back.  For now, we couldn't be more excited to be at USDAN!  It's only a few miles away and WOW what a beautiful venue!  Here's what you can expect visiting The RISE at USDAN in 2022:

-The entire trail is wooded which allows us to deliver the most gorgeous show we've ever done!
-The trail is longer than in the past so your experience will be longer!  Plus, there are more roads and paths for us to use in future years as we grow the event.
-The entire foot path is paved!  No more walking on temporary flooring, dirt or gravel paths! The primary parking lot is paved!  No squish-squashing around on the grass!
-The parking lot is WAY smaller so we will have 75% less people on the trail than we've had in the past!  No more big crowds!
-There are a number of buildings we can use on property which will help us build out the experience in future years!
-The staff at USDAN have been so welcoming to The RISE and they really want us to succeed here.

The RISE at Usdan is going to be FABULOUS!  We're just a few miles down the road and the setting is GORGEOUS!  Here's what you can expect visiting The RISE at Usdan in 2022:

The entire trail is wooded which allows us to deliver the most gorgeous show we've ever done!
The trail is longer than in the past so your experience will be longer!  Plus, there are more roads and paths for us to use in future years as we grow the event.
The entire foot path is paved!  No more walking on temporary flooring, dirt or gravel paths! The primary parking lot is paved!  No squish-squashing around on the grass!
The parking lot is WAY smaller so we will have 75% less people on the trail than we've had in the past!  No more big crowds!
There are a number of buildings we can use on property which will help us build out the experience in future years!
The staff at Usdan have been so welcoming to The RISE and they really want us to succeed here.

At 4,200 feet long, our new trail will be the longest jack o'lantern trail in the world! It will be significantly longer than our previous trail at Old Westbury Gardens. Visitors will need to walk about a mile, give or take, from the parking lot, through the trail, and back out to the parking lot. Our trail is paved and has some ups and downs to it, much like the Bronx Zoo has. There will be benches to sit on along the way. This terrain may not be suitable for guests who have difficulty walking a mile or who have difficulty walking up or down hills, so please use discretion prior to purchasing tickets and decide if this event is right for you.

Not even close! USDAN's parking lot is 75% smaller than what we had previously. That means the number of people on-trail at anytime is 75% less than in the past! You'll see. There will be a whole lot less people there than in the past!

The moment you've all been waiting for is here! We stopped making the large pumpkin displays in 2019 to focus on our classic jack o'lanterns and our art pumpkins. That year, a few of you threw your pumpkin guts at us and let us know we made a big mistake! So, for the first time since 2018, we're bringing back the big displays!

Sorry, all tickets are sold in advance on our website. No tickets are sold at the door.

The RISE is a self guided tour and guests move at their own pace however most people spend anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes on the trail.

Parking is available on-site for passenger vehicles only. Buses are not permitted at this time. Please plan accordingly if you are attending with a large group.

• Handicap Parking - Handicap parking spots are available on a first-come first-served basis.  Handicap parking accommodations will ONLY be provided IF there is availability AND if you have a handicap FRONT license plate OR a handicap placard attached to your rear-view mirror PRIOR to entering the property. We will not be able to accommodate handicap parking requests without one of these credentials.

The RISE is more of an art show, not a haunted event. The RISE is a bunch of really cool hand-carved illuminated jack o'lanterns with some really great music behind them! We do have some music that we consider "eerie" but not "scary". It is Halloween, you know! We think it's appropriate for children of all ages but only you can know if it's suitable for your child.

If you're a little late for your time you will still be admitted in with your valid ticket. There are no refunds or exchanges if you miss your date altogether.

All RISE events are rain or shine. In cases of severe weather, we reserve the right to cancel the event and re-issue you a ticket for a different day and time. For more information about our weather policy, click here.

Photography is permitted however, for the safety of our guests, flash photography, tripods, monopods, and selfie sticks are prohibited. 

RISE of the Jack O'Lanterns is a unique and immersive family-friendly walk-through experience which features over 5,000 hand-carved and illuminated jack o'lanterns creatively arranged along a scenic, paved, and safe path through the woods at night!

Yes! All kids 2 years of age and under come free with a Halloween-loving adult! Anyone 3 and older needs a Child (3-17) or Adult (18+) ticket.

The RISE is a fully outdoor event so be sure to dress appropriately for all weather conditions!

Absolutely!  Each year, most dates and times sell out quickly. In fact, for 2022, we expect the event to fully sell out early because our capacity is about half of what it was in previous years.

Some of our jack o'lanterns are carved using real pumpkins and some are carved using carveable foam craft pumpkins, depending on artist preference. Either way, each jack o'lantern on our trail was hand-carved by one of our talented jack o'lantern artists!

We love pets but, for their safety and for the safety of our guests, we do not permit them at RISE events. Only guide dogs for the blind and service animals who have been specifically trained to perform a task for those with disabilities will be permitted in accordance with ADA requirements. Service dogs in training, emotional support animals, comfort animals, and/or therapy animals are not permitted. 

Sorry! We do not sell the jack o'lanterns on our trail.

You may arrive up to 15 minutes prior to your scheduled timeslot. Please do not arrive sooner. Due to parking limitations, visitors entering more than 15 minutes before their timeslot may be directed off-site until their appropriate entry time. Entrance to the trail begins at your selected timeslot. It's ok if you arrive later than your timeslot. You will gain entry upon arrival. Parking lot closes to entering vehicles 10 minutes after last timeslot of the evening.

Certain dates and times sell out fast. Please check the Buy Tickets page to see which dates and times are still available.

2022 RISE of the Jack O'Lanterns will be held on Long Island at USDAN Summer Camp for the Arts, 185 Colonial Springs Road, Wheatley Heights, NY 11798.

Wheelchairs are permitted, though we do not supply them on-site. If you require a wheelchair, please make sure to bring your own as we will not be able to provide one for use once you arrive.
At 4,200 feet long, our new trail will be the longest jack o'lantern trail in the world! It will be significantly longer than our previous trail at Old Westbury Gardens. Visitors will need to walk about a mile, give or take, from the parking lot, through the trail, and back out to the parking lot. Our trail is paved and has some ups and downs to it, much like the Bronx Zoo has. There will be benches to sit on along the way. This terrain may not be suitable for guests who have difficulty walking a mile or who have difficulty walking up or down hills, so please use discretion prior to purchasing tickets and decide if this event is right for you.

Yes! You may bring a stroller or hand-pulled wagon for your little ones!

All of our artists are committed to creating AMAZING displays for you to see at each RISE event! We are very busy carving all month long and, as such, we cannot work on any outside commissions.

RISE of the Jack O'Lanterns will be held on various evenings this fall. Advanced tickets are required and are sold on a first-come first-served basis. Please click “Buy Tickets” for dates, times, and locations. We sell out fast so order your tickets now before they’re gone!

Smoking, including the use of e-cigarettes, is strictly prohibited anywhere on the grounds or parking lots at any RISE event.

The RISE will be a BYOHC event in 2022: Bring Your Own Hot Chocolate! We encourage our guests this year to bring their own non-alcoholic beverages. We will not be selling food or beverages this year on-site for a number of reasons. (Lack of power to heat the beverages, staffing shortages, etc). We STRONGLY encourage guests to bring a water for themselves because the trail is almost 1 mile and has some ups and downs.

We will not be selling light-up toys this year like we've done in the past. Some guests have complained that they are a distraction. They also produce significant amounts of waste and we want to reduce that as much as possible. If you feel strongly either way on this, please let us know through the post-event feedback email you get and we'll revisit it in 2023.

Our focus in 2022 is on Long Island. If you have any ideas for venues outside Long Island that we should explore for future years, please contact us!

We're planning on having over 5,000 hand-carved jack o'lanterns on-trail each night in 2022!

RISE of the Jack O'Lanterns began back in 2012 at Old Westbury Gardens on Long Island. Soon after, we branched out to a number of other locations in Boston, New Jersey, San Diego and Los Angeles. Over the years, The RISE has had over 1 Million visitors come walk our trails! The RISE shut down in 2020 because of Covid and we spent the next two seasons sharpening our carving tools. Now, we're back and ready to deliver an amazing experience in 2022 at an all new FABULOUS venue on Long Island! Get your tickets now because our new venue has only a small parking lot and therefore we only have a fraction of the tickets available this year than in the past.

We only sell timed-tickets so we can ensure we don't over-sell the event.

Yes!  We have REAL bathrooms for your use (no more porto potties!).  They are available to use before you go on the trail and we also have one set of restrooms ON the trail for the first time every!

You may see a restroom sign that says "There are no restrooms on the trail" but that was printed before we got permission to open the on-trail restroom!  

Handicap parking spots are available on a first-come first-served basis.  Handicap parking accommodations will ONLY be provided IF there is availability AND if you have a handicap FRONT license plate OR a handicap placard attached to your rear-view mirror PRIOR to entering the property. We will not be able to accommodate handicap parking requests without one of these credentials.

If your friends have tickets for the same night as you but have a different timeslot, you all can go in together BUT you MUST go in at the later timeslot. You could always enter later than your timeslot, just not earlier.

IMPORTANT: If your party is arriving in more than one vehicle, you're going to all want to park in the same parking lot.  We recommend that you stay in contact with your other party via phone or text.  The first car arriving should alert the next car as to which parking lot they are in (either Lot A or Lot B).  When the second car arrives, they should ask the first parking staff they see to park in that same lot.  If you're all in the same parking lot, you will enter the trail loop at the same location.  If your cars are in different lots, you will enter the trail at different locations and it will be unlikely that you will meet up with the rest of your party.

IMPORTANT: If your party is arriving in more than one vehicle, you're going to all want to park in the same parking lot.  We recommend that you stay in contact with your other party via phone or text.  The first car arriving should alert the next car as to which parking lot they are in (either Lot A or Lot B).  When the second car arrives, they should ask the first parking staff they see to park in that same lot.  If you're all in the same parking lot, you will enter the trail loop at the same location.  If your cars are in different lots, you will enter the trail at different locations and it will be unlikely that you will meet up with the rest of your party.

Also - If your friends have tickets for the same night as you but have a different timeslot, you all can go in together BUT you MUST go in at the later timeslot. You could always enter later than your timeslot, just not earlier.

Ticket prices for 2022 will be announced at a later date. You can sign up to receive a promocode for discounted tickets by visiting jackolanterns.com/discounts.

If you already have tickets for certain time-slot and need an additional ticket for that timeslot, please join the wait list for that time. We cannot guarantee that any tickets will become available but, if we are able to accommodate your request, we will send you an email with a link to purchase your additional tickets from the wait list.

You can sign up to receive a promocode for discounted tickets by visiting jackolanterns.com/discounts and submitting your email address. An automatic email will be sent to you with your promocode. Promocodes are good for a variable discount of up to 50% off. There are a limited number of discounted tickets available per promocode to select dates and time slots. Tickets sell out quickly so get yours now before they’re gone!

The RISE has a general no-exchange policy; however, we may be able to honor an exchange request based upon ticket availability as long as certain circumstances are met. Click here to read more about our exchange policy and see if you meet the exchange criteria. Tickets are transferable and can be given to friends or family if you are unable to attend your scheduled date and time.

You do not need to print your tickets if you have a smartphone. However, you will need to SAVE your tickets on your smartphone PRIOR to arriving on-site because there's almost no cell service at the ticket scanning location. Right after you purchase your tickets, PLEASE print them OR save them on your phone so you can avoid issues trying to download them once you're on-site.

Sorry, tickets are only valid on the date and time for which they were purchased.  We do not offer refunds and tickets cannot be exchanged once their original date has passed.

Please read our Refunds and Exchanges Policy for more information. 

This is likely because you are trying to obtain more tickets than what we have remaining for a particular date/time.  You may need to select a different date/time that can accommodate your whole party.

After purchasing your tickets, you will be emailed a link to view and print your tickets. You do not need to print your tickets if you have a smartphone. However, you will need to SAVE your tickets on your smartphone PRIOR to arriving on-site because there's almost no cell service at the ticket scanning location. Right after you purchase your tickets, PLEASE print them OR save them on your phone so you can avoid issues trying to download them once you're on-site. Tickets are not sent in the mail. We do not hold or sell tickets at the door.

Yes! We pre-sell all of our tickets so we can limit the number of people who are on the trail at any given time. It's a safety thing. We will not be selling tickets at the door.  You can purchase your tickets by clicking on the Buy Tickets tab at the top of the page. You can also sign up for a promocode to get discounted tickets by visiting jackolanterns.com/discounts.

Yes!  Active Duty US Military and their families can get a promocode for discounted tickets by visiting http://www.jackolanterns.com/military

The entrance closes 10 minutes after the last scheduled ticket time. Those who are still on the trail will be able to finish the walk through at their own pace, however no further entry will be permitted at that time.

Tickets go on sale to the general public in August. Tickets will be made available first to anyone who signs up for a promocode on our website. Be sure to sign up with your email so we can notify you when tickets are available!

You will need to SAVE your tickets on your smartphone PRIOR to arriving on-site because there's almost no cell service at the ticket scanning location. Right after you purchase your tickets, PLEASE print them OR save them on your phone so you can avoid issues trying to download them once you're on-site.

Sorry. Due to our limited capacity in 2022, we do not have special group rates.

The promocode email is sent to you immediately after you submit your email address. If you signed up for a promocode and haven't gotten an email back, it's likely in your SPAM FOLDER. Please check there. If you didn't receive your promocode and it's not in your spam folder, there may have been a typo when you submitted your email address. Try submitting your email address again by visiting jackolanterns.com/discounts.

Tickets are sold on a first-come first-served basis. There will be no holds placed on ticket orders.

An automatic email with a link to print your tickets is sent to you right after you place your order. If you’ve placed your order and haven't received this email, CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER.  Be sure to check the email account that you gave us when purchasing your tickets. You can also log in to our website to view and print your tickets using the email address you gave us and the password you created when completing your order.  The login page is here: http://www.jackolanterns.com/login. Please print or download your tickets PRIOR to arriving on-site because there is almost no cell phone reception where we are scanning tickets.