Howl-O-Scream
- Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay
- 2009 Dates: "Freaky" preview dates are Sept. 25 and 26; Event dates are Oct. 1-3, 8-10, 15-17, 22-24, and 29-31.
- Cost: $24.95 for general admission. Lower prices for "Freaky Preview" on Sept. 25 and 26. Also lower prices for advance-purchase tickets, which can be purchased online. Group discounts are available. The event requires a separate ticket from daytime theme park passes. A combo "Thrills and Chills" weekend pass is available that combines daytime theme park and nighttime Howl-O-Scream tickets is available.
- Nightshade Toy Factory haunted house at Howl-O-Scream preview video
- Howl-O-Scream Halloween Event at Busch Gardens Photo Gallery
- Busch Gardens Africa official Howl-O-Scream Web site
The zoo/ride park hybrid will transform itself each evening during Howl-O-Scream with the fashion-show-gone-horribly-wrong theme, "House of Vayne." The event will include monster-infested scare zones, haunted houses, and Halloween-themed shows. Among the haunts will be Nightshade Toy Factory, Trapped in the Walls, and Taste of Blood (yum!).
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
- 2009 Dates: Sept. 4, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, and 29; Oct. 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, and 31; Nov. 1.
- Cost: $59 for ages 10 and up and $53 for ages 3-9. Advance tickets, which are discounted for select dates, can be purchased online. 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 Boo-to-You parade, storytelling, a special Happy HalloWishes fireworks presentation, and selected Magic Kingdom rides, such as the entirely appropriate 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
- 2009 Dates: October 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 30, and 31. Starts at noon.
- 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 its 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 (for "sea sweets,"), walk-around characters, and special entertainment. Kids can come in costume.
