8 Creepy Florida facts that'll keep you up at night

It's fall, y'all! And that means it's time to get in the mood for everything spooky and creepy. To kick off the celebration, here's a list of creepy Florida facts that'll keep you up at night. 

Oh, and if you love everything Halloween related, don't forget to check out our list of Florida pumpkin patches and things to do at Busch Garden's Halloween Horror Nights this year! 

1. In States that ranked highest for serial killers, Florida ranked...

Florida is known for a lot of things; beautiful beaches, palm trees, oranges... oh, and apparently, serial killers! According to studies, Florida ranks third among states with the highest amount of serial killer murders, averaging about 9.92 serial killings per 1 million people, a number that is trailing slightly behind Nevada and Alaska. 

2. There is a rumor that Walt Disney's frozen body...

Now before we get comments about this--we aren't saying this rumor is a fact, we're saying that it's a fact that this rumor exists.*

According to his family, after his passing in 1966, Walt Disney's body was cremated and his ashes were laid to rest at a confidential location in Glendale, California--somewhere in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

​However, rumor has it that when Walt Disney died he wasn't actually cremated at all, and instead his body (or some rumors claim just his head) was cryogenically frozen and buried somewhere under his pride and joy--Magic Kingdom in Disney World, Orlando. Though, some think it was actually Disneyland in California. Where do you think he's buried? 

3. People still go missing in this infamously cursed area...

You'd think that with GPS and satellite technology as good as it is today, vessels would stop seemingly vanishing in the Bermuda Triangle. However, the infamous area off of Florida's Atlantic coast known as the Bermuda Triangle, aka the Devil's Triangle, is supposedly still claiming lives under mysterious circumstances. According to a news report from 2021, a boat carrying 20 people to Florida puzzlingly disappeared and even after intense search efforts was never found.

4. There's a whole database of unidentified remains...

Looking for something--or someone? There's a whole database of unidentified remains dating back to the 1970s that you can search through on the Hillsborough County website, complete with dates, location found, descriptions and images. The purpose of the database is to allow the public to help authorities identify these otherwise unknown Jane and John Does. 

5. In states with the most UFO sightings, Florida ranked...

Blame it on the rocket launches or fireworks: Florida ranks second in states with the most reported UFO sightings, reported by a 2021 article by Stacker. According to a separate report by Click Orlando, there are an average of 41 UFO sightings per 100k individuals. Are you a believer--or do you need proof?

6. Florida alligators killed more humans this year than...

They're big, they're scaley, and they're more deadly than a shark? Well, maybe not in the right setting, but in 2022 alligators killed more humans in Florida than sharks! According to data provided by Tracking Sharks, while there have been 21 shark attacks in Florida so far this year, zero have been fatal, whereas USAToday reported in August that two people have died by alligator attacks in Florida just this year--a number that is doubled nationwide. 

7. You won't find many inground cemeteries in Florida because...

Do you want floating femurs? Because inground cemeteries is how you get floating femurs... and skulls, and full skeletons and such. Basements in Florida are rare because of flooding--so it's only natural that inground cemeteries would be treated the same. Being so close to sea-level means that excess water and flooding is a big problem especially so with anything below sea level. Inground cemeteries are at an exceptionally high risk of experiencing dislodged tombstones, rising and broken caskets, and worst of all, missing and incomplete remains. 

8. Florida leads the nation in these two weather-related fatalities...

A day at the beach often brings ideas of peace and relaxation--but sometimes things don't go as planned, especially when inclement weather is on the radar. According to an article by News4Jax, Florida often leads the nation for highest number of fatalities from lightning strikes and rip current drownings per year. In Florida, lightning deaths per year average around seven and surf currents around 22. 

Want more interesting Florida facts? Check out some of our other posts below and follow us on Tiktok for more!