Consumers seem ready to scare up a little fun and escape from their troubles, at least for one night.

Despite an economy that has forced many to cut back on recreational spending, more people plan on celebrating Halloween than in recent years. Retailers expect almost 8 million more people than last year to dress in costume and 11 million more people to decorate their yards, according to the National Retail Federation.

A recent survey by the federation predicted 52 million consumers will dress up this year and 74 million will decorate. Last year, 44.8 million planned to wear a costume and 63 million planned to...