SeaWorld Orlando has announced the first haunted house, scare zone and themed bar for its first-ever Howl-O-Scream halloween event this fall.
SeaWorld is bringing its long-time Busch Gardens haunt brand to its SeaWorld-branded parks in Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio this year, as the chain looks to expand beyond its traditional family-friendly Halloween programming. That will remain available during regular operating hours, but Howl-O-Scream will open to haunt lovers for a specially-tickets event after hours, starting September 10 and running select nights through October 31.
In Orlando, here are the first three reveals for Howl-0-Scream, with descriptions provided by the park.
SeaWorld is holding a Sinister Sale now with one-night tickets ranging from $29.99 to $50.99, plus tax. Unlimited visit tickets are available for $99.99 plus tax and an unlimited ticket for Howl-O-Scream at both SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa is on sale for $139.99 plus tax. Ticket prices are valid through July 25 and are available on the event website.
* * *
We wanted you to read this article before we make our newsletter pitch, unlike so many other websites. If you appreciate that - and our approach to covering theme park news - please sign up for our free, twice-a-week email newsletter. Thank you.
I have no idea how SeaWorld's mazes will turn out, but $29.99 a night puts Howl-O-Scream in a different market from the $70.99+ HHN and $129+ Boo Bash. Heck, you can buy an all nights combo ticket for the Orlando and Tampa Howl-O-Screams for less than the cost of one Boo Bash ticket on some nights.
Sea World is still running spooktacular during the daytime hours. Weird decision to run an evening Halloween event as well.
I like spooktacular for the grandkids, but I have no interest in the evening event. I even have a HHN ‘free’ ticket on my pass, but the days of me going to those events is over and done with.
I was there in 2002 when it was first held at IOA, and I went to a few more after that, but nothing was any better. Even the dual park HHN’s, didn’t come close to an amazing IOA event. The Jurassic park area was pitch black, with TM’s jumping out from all sorts of nooks and crannies to scare the bejeebers out of you … LOL. Damn, it was good. I’m pretty sure they were allowed to touch us as well, which made the experience even more intense.
This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.
It will be interesting to see where Sea World goes with these events. The San Diego and San Antonio parks can aim at more mature audiences with mostly smaller haunts competing in those regions. However, the Orlando park has to compete against the established HHN and Howl-O-Scream in Tampa that they don't want to undercut. Does Sea World Orlando try to settle in the middle between Disney's Boo Bash and Universal's HHN, or do they try to go head to head with one of the established events and risk undermining their own event less than an hour drive away?
I expect Sea World to do good work with their non-IP based attractions, but I worry that the Orlando park might not find much success given the crowded marketplace.