Howl-O-Scream is another of the major theme-parks (Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World) foray into the Halloween celebration, in this case being Busch Gardens. I personally like this event in Tampa much more than their Orlando counterparts. The lines are much shorter than Halloween Horror Nights, its actually possible to see all the haunted houses on your visit and even catch a few roller coasters. This years event has seven different houses, four different scare zones, two Halloween themed shows, and even a club to party the night away! On top of that, the best rides stay open all night, my personal favorites being Montu and Sheikra, these roller coasters will make your neck hair stand as much as the haunted houses. The houses range from a creepy toy factory and inmates on death row to a sinister sorority with seductively evil secrets, you never know when the next scare is coming. Walking through the trails in the scare zones is so much fun; I was surprised by zombies, monsters, and other foul wicked things. My personal favorite has been watching the creepy clowns sneak up on my friends and watching them scream when I knew it was coming.

Quite honestly I never thought there could be a night that combined so much of both screaming AND laughing! Busch Gardens warns, “WARNING: This year’s event contains intense adult content such as violence, gore, and blood.” This years event is titled “A promise well kept” and it does not disappoint. Also, please remember that this is a separate ticketed even from a regular Busch Gardens pass!

With an Advanced Online Purchase, tickets are $39.95 Thursdays and Fridays (69.95 if you buy at the gate) and $49.95 on Saturdays.

Schedule:     Thu:      7:30 p.m – 1:00 a.m

Fri-Sat:      7:30 p.m – 2:00 a.m

EDIT: If you have 4 people in your party grab the Twisted Thursday 4-Pack which is only $19.95 per person!