Haunted house in Sea Girt mixes Disney, darkness, and devotion for a good cause

👻 Monmouth County’s Marlin Manor transforms into a jaw-dropping Halloween spectacle with six themed scenes, fog, lasers, and singing pumpkins.

‍♀️ The Sea Girt home haunt raises funds for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital for the fifth year.

👻 Fans can visit nightly from 7–10 p.m., rain or shine, and experience the full show synced to music

SEA GIRT — October is spooky season. Time to get outside, especially at night, to check out all the neighborhood homes decked out in lights, cobwebs, graveyards, and other hauntingly creative decorations for Halloween.

ALSO READ: Cursed farms, killer clowns and ghost mills: Inside NJ’s top haunted attractions

But, if you want to see a very special home dripping from end to end in Halloween goodies, and help out a wonderful cause, check out The Marlin Manor in Monmouth County.

Disney-inspired Halloween display turns Sea Girt home into haunted wonderland

Located at 1326 Laurel Avenue in Sea Girt, Marlin Manor is a Halloween home haunt inspired by Disney.

Run by husband and wife, Daniel and Elizabeth Marlin, this is their 5th annual Halloween display, and this year, it’s bigger, scarier, and spookier than ever.

Step into the shadows and experience all the haunted display wraps around the entire front and side of their corner lot home.

Lose yourself in six individually curated Halloween scenes, with 8 projectors, dozens of animated props, and over 50 tombstones, all made with their own custom paint jobs, plus tons of lights and interactive elements.

Highlights of the 2025 Marlin Manor Halloween haunt

Awaiting unsuspecting “victims” this year include

• An entire house front projection mapping and singing pumpkin patch
• 2025 New Pirate Scene
• Fan favorite scenes return like Beetlejuice, Nightmare Before Christmas, Haunted Mansion, Tower of Terror, and Bates Motel
• Witch’s Swamp with a 12-foot witch flying above, conjuring spells from her oversized bubbling cauldron
• Spooky graveyard featuring Disney’s Haunted Mansion ghost hosts
• Fog, lasers, lights, and animatronics
• 12-foot giants rising from the dark

Skeletons for St. Jude: Scares that give back

Besides putting on a fantastic show for anyone who loves Halloween, the Marlins are honored to help raise funds for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital for their 5th year.

Called “Skeletons for St. Jude,” visitors to Marlin Manor can help by scanning the QR code at the home’s display or the link in their Instagram bio to donate.

"We have always loved the organization of St. Jude and what they do and stand for. When we saw Skeletons for St. Jude first start, we knew it was the right choice," Daniel Marlin said.

Halloween has always been about fun, imagination, and lasting memories.

"We hope our efforts help bring that same joy to the incredible children and families at St. Jude, so they can create their own spooky memories for years to come,” Marlin added.

Getting this done takes quite some planning

The planning process and new projects start in July behind the scenes. Setup starts during the first week of September, and takes about a month to complete, Marlin said.

Most of the decorations are bought. Some are hand made. But, even the stuff that's bought gets customized and upgraded, he said. Over the years, family and friends have even donated their old school props to Marlin Manor.

While the theme for next year has not been unveiled, Marlin said he would love to add some more actors and some fire and spark effects to the show.

Since the family has been collecting props since they bought the home six years ago, the million dollar question Marlin is always asked, "Where do we store everything?"

Most of the decorations get broken down and stored in their attic or basement.

When and where to visit Marlin Manor this Halloween

The Marlin Manor Halloween show runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. nightly, rain or shine. Tune into 88.9 FM to hear the full experience from your car.

Families and kids of all ages are welcome to walk around the displays and bring the haunt to life with interactive buttons.

It's very popular. Marlin said he'll get between 30 and 40 cars on the weekends alone, especially closer to Halloween. During the week, many neighbors come by with their kids. It's become a tradition for so many people.

After Halloween, Marlin Manor will prepare for its beautiful Christmas display, too.

Report a correction | Contact our newsroom