Howl-O-Scream
- Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa Bay
- Dates: Sept. 28-30; Oct. 5-6, 11-13, 18-21, 25-28
- Cost: $59.95 for general admission. Lower prices for advance-purchase tickets. Tickets can be purchased online. A "Recurring Nightmare" ticket, which allows multiple visits, is available online. Group discounts are available. The event requires a separate ticket from daytime theme park passes.
- Busch Gardens Africa official Howl-O-Scream Web site
The zoo/ride park hybrid will transform itself each evening during Howl-O-Scream with monster-infested scare zones, haunted houses, and Halloween-themed shows. Like most theme park Halloween events, Howl-O-Scream is not for the squeamish and parents should use discretion. Like Universal's HHN, Howl-O-Scream is also quite popular. On weekend nights especially, the crowded haunted houses can become less an individual journey into nightmarish hells and more a conga line dash through some dimly lit rooms. Busch Gardens offers a few options to avoid the crowds and upgrade the Howl-O-Scream experience (for additional fees, of course), including VIP front-of-the-line tours and Fright Feast dinner packages.
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
- Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World
- Dates: Sept. 14, 21, 28, 30, Oct. 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31, and Nov. 2.
- Cost: Advance tickets, which can be purchased online, vary according to the day of the event: $38.95 or $45.95 for ages 10 and up; $32.95 or $39.95 for ages 3-9. The event requires a separate ticket from daytime theme park passes.
- Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Photo Gallery
- Walt Disney World official Halloween Party Web site
As the name implies, Mickey hosts a Halloween party for the young and gutless, er, young at heart. No blood-curdling screams, knife-wielding zombies, or gotcha haunted mazes here. Just Mickey and the gang offering trick-or-treaters some goodies (but steer clear of the apple-bearing Wicked Witch from "Snow White"), a Halloween-themed parade, storytelling, a special fireworks presentation, and selected Magic Kingdom rides, such as the entirely appropriate--and just updated--Haunted Mansion. Unlike other theme park Halloween theme park events where they want to be able to tell the guests apart from the zombified staff members, kids (and adults, if they so choose) are encouraged to come in costume to the Mickey's Party.
SeaWorld's Halloween Spooktacular
- SeaWorld Orlando
- Dates: Select dates in October.
- Cost: Included with park admission.
- SeaWorld Orlando official site.
Considerably less spectacular (and spooktacular, for that matter) than the Halloween events at Universal or sister park Busch Gardens Tampa, SeaWorld Orlando stakes out the same G-rated territory as Walt Disney World's mild-mannered party, but without the Disney pizzazz. Then again, SeaWorld isn't charging extra for their Halloween hoohah. There will be no bloodthirsty sharks here (come to think of it there ARE sharks at SeaWorld, and killer whales too--but you know what I mean), just low-impact Halloween fun with trick-or-treating, walk-around characters, and special entertainment, including a nighttime Shamu show. Kids can come in costume. On select dates, SeaWorld is offering a Spooky Spectacular Sleepover event for an additional fee.
Cypress Gardens Phobia
- Cypress Gardens Adventure Park
- Dates: Sep. 28-30, Oct. 5-7, 12-14, 19-21, 26-31
- Cost: The event is included with park admission (which is $44.95 for adults, $39.95 for 55 and over, and 3 to 9).
- For more info: (863) 324-2111
- Cypress Gardens' official Phobia site
When Cypress Gardens' new owners reopened the park a couple of years ago and added the "Adventure" tag to its name, who knew that its traditional parasol-wielding women in hoop skirts would be sharing the stage with axe-wielding ghouls? This certainly ain't your grandfather's Cypress Gardens. Each evening that Phobia is scheduled, the park will transform into scare zones and open its 5 haunted houses, including a 3-D evil clown-themed house. Shows will include a Halloween-themed ice skating revue. From noon to 6 p.m. each day of Phobia, the park will present a trick-or-treat trail, a hay maze, and other activities for younger children.
