Halloween World of Illumination: From Christmas Lights to Zombie Zoo

Plenty of Valley families know World of Illumination as a December outing: the drive-through Christmas light show you roll through slowly with holiday music playing on the car radio. This year there's a fall option too. Halloween World of Illumination is bringing a new show called Zombie Zoo to Tempe Diablo Stadium. It opens September 30 and runs through November 1.

If your only reference point is the Christmas show, a few things will feel familiar and a few won't. The biggest difference has nothing to do with zombies. It's the address.

Zombie Zoo Is in Tempe, Not Glendale

If you went to the company's Christmas show in Glendale last season, don't put Glendale into your map app this fall. Zombie Zoo is at Tempe Diablo Stadium, 2200 W. Alameda Dr. in Tempe. You can pull up the stadium on Google Maps to check your route before the night you go.

For anyone living in Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Goodyear or elsewhere on the west side, that means a drive across the Valley instead of a trip down the road. It's very doable. It just changes the plan a little. Leave yourself some extra time, especially on a weeknight when you're heading east during the evening commute.

Here are the basics as they stand this summer:

Where: Tempe Diablo Stadium, 2200 W. Alameda Dr., Tempe, AZ 85282
When: September 30 through November 1, 2026
Days: Tuesday through Sunday, closed Mondays
Hours: Gates open at 6:30 PM, last entry at 10:00 PM
Tickets: Sold online, one ticket per car, with prices that vary by date

What Halloween World of Illumination Has Planned

Zombie Zoo has a simple story, which is part of its charm. Picture a zoo that sits right next to a graveyard. At midnight on Halloween, Tumba the Gorilla wakes the animals from their graves, and they come out to dance under the moon while DJ Monkey spins the Halloween soundtrack. When the moon fades, Tumba takes his bow and the animals head back to their graves.

The scenes you drive past follow that idea. The show lineup includes a swirling jack-o'-lantern vortex tunnel, towering spooky trees, cobweb-draped animal habitats, desert mummies, savannah zombies and bamboo groves glowing with spirit lanterns. It's Halloween imagery, but with a sense of humor. Dancing zombie animals are a different thing from a haunted house.

That matters if you're bringing kids. The show is billed as a family-friendly Halloween adventure. The storyline is built around a monkey DJ and a gorilla host, not around people jumping out at your car. If your family liked the Christmas show, this looks like it's aimed at the same crowd, just in October colors.

Same Format, Different Season

The good news for anyone who's done the Christmas drive-through is that you already know how this works. You stay in your car the whole time. The soundtrack plays through your car radio, and staff show you how to tune in. You move along the route at a slow roll and look out the windows.

Plan on about 20 to 30 minutes from the first display to the exit. Weeknights usually move faster than weekends, so a Tuesday or Wednesday visit can mean less time in line. Since the show runs Tuesday through Sunday, a midweek night is worth a look if you're making the drive from the west side.

A few other details carry over from the holiday shows:

Pets are welcome as long as they stay inside the vehicle.
Outside food and non-alcoholic drinks are allowed. There are no concessions on site, so eat before you go or pack snacks.
The show runs rain or shine.
Photos are encouraged, though the driver should keep their eyes on the route.
There are vehicle restrictions, and you can't consolidate cars at the venue. Check the vehicle rules in the show's FAQ before you go.

On tickets, the setup is the same one-ticket-per-car model. Zombie Zoo tickets are sold online only, and prices change by date, so not every night costs the same. If your plans shift, you can change your date for free and pay the difference if the new night costs more. Other than that, sales are final, so pick a night you're fairly sure about.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Halloween World of Illumination in Glendale this year?

No. The Halloween show, Zombie Zoo, is at Tempe Diablo Stadium, 2200 W. Alameda Dr. in Tempe. If you're coming from the West Valley, plan for a drive across town.

Is Zombie Zoo too scary for young kids?

It's billed as a family-friendly Halloween adventure. The story follows zoo animals that wake up on Halloween night to dance under the moon, led by a gorilla and a DJ monkey. It's spooky in look, playful in tone.

How long does the drive-through take?

About 20 to 30 minutes. Weeknights are usually quicker than weekends.