If you click on the links in this post, we may earn money from the companies mentioned in this post, at no extra cost to you. You can read the full disclaimer here.
Did you attend SeaWorld Orlando’s Howl-O-Scream event last year? If you did, I am sure you had fun (and were terrified!). After all, this event was awarded one of USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards’ Ten Best Theme Park Halloween events.
If you didn’t attend last year, don’t worry. It’s back this year, and it should be even bigger and better!
I want to tell you about all the fun things at this event. And then I’ll tell how you can save money here!
When Does Howl-O-Scream Take Place?
Howl-O-Scream takes place at night after the park closes. It takes place on select nights. It begins on September 8, 2023. The last day of the event is (fittingly) October 31, 2022.
The event runs on Fridays and Saturdays in September. But when October starts, the event runs from Thursday to Sunday. The event hours are for 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM.
Is Howl-O-Scream For Everyone?
Children are allowed in Howl-O-Scream. But please be aware that there is a lot of violence, gore, blood, and just material that may be too intense for a lot of kids. You know your child best. This may not scare your kid and they’ll be fine. But this may be an event you’ll want to skip.
If you are looking for a more kid-friendly Halloween attraction at SeaWorld, consider taking your kid to SeaWorld Orlando’s Halloween Spooktacular.
Haunted Houses
There are haunted houses you can walk through that all have different theming and backstories. They are really more like haunted mazes.
If you want to make sure you get to do each maze and have time to do everything else during your night, consider buying a Fear Pass. The Fear Pass lets you skip the line once at one of the five haunted houses. This can especially come in handy on a popular night like a Saturday or Halloween. You can also purchase a Fear Pass Extreme which allows you to skip the line at each of the five haunted houses.
Click here to purchase one of the Fear Passes. And keep reading to learn about each haunted house!
Beneath The Ice: The Meltdown
You might have been to Beneath the Ice last year, but this year it has been reimagined. Frost attacked an Arctic research facility. The scientists and a special government task force were able to capture Frost. Unfortunately, during the process, most of the facility was destroyed and many crew members were killed or worse – turned into mindless minions. And now Frost has cried out and her twin sister Flame has come to her rescue. And now you are here to witness the hottest rescue attempt in, well, forever.
Blood Beckoning
Blood Beckoning is a returning favorite haunted house. This haunted house takes place in the underworld. It is where the abandoned and forgotten dwell in shadows…and where Scratch lives.
Scratch is proof that beauty comes with a price. She is waiting for you, because as it just so happens, you are what she and her disciples need to sustain their allure. So can you get out without a scratch on you?
Captain’s Revenge – Drowned In Darkness
Rumors of untold fortune and beautiful melodies got you on the ship. But now the lifting melodies are gone and are replaced by howling winds. But even worse? You now run the risk of being driven mad by the cursed treasure – and becoming a permanent part of the crew.
Dead Vines: Nawlins Nightmare
If you went to Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld Orlando last year, then you might remember Dead Vines. But it’s been reimagined this year.
In this haunted house, you find yourself in New Orleans. And that’s good because you might need some of that Big Easy to magic to get you out of this one.
D3LER1UM666 Laboratories
In this brand new haunted house, you’ll get to explore D3LER1UM666 Lab. This is a government-established mercenary HQ that was established to counter the threat posed by the Sirens and other dangerous sea creatures. Now you get to tour the facility. This seems like a good idea, right?
Scare Zones
Scare zones are outside areas of the park you can walk through and get, well, scared. They often involve actors walking through dressed up in costume, scaring you.
This can be incredibly thrilling and is part of the fun. But if you scare a bit too easily like me, you might not want an actor walking up and scaring you. But sometimes you need to walk through a scare zone to get to another part of the park.
In that case, you can purchase a No Boo Necklace.
When the actors see you are wearing it, they should leave you alone. Now, this does not guarantee an absolute scare-free experience. Sometimes, actors do make mistakes and you can still get startled. But for the most part, this does work.
And if you buy it online right now, you can save up to $6 on the pass! Click here to buy it.
But for those of you who like being scared, it’s time to get excited reading about each scare zone. Because like the haunted houses, they all have different theming.
Portal of Passage
This brand-new scare zone lets you come face to face (assuming they have a face) with some of Howl-O Scream’s most devious inhabitants.
Witchcraft Bayou
Some may say it is a bad idea to pass through this backwater bayou. But, hey, witchcraft and voodoo aren’t real…right? Well, try telling that to the cult trying to spells on you. Watch out before the black magic gets you!
Frozen Terror – Alive in the Ice
Even though you may be a safe distance from that snow-entombed research facility we mentioned earlier, you are still near the inhospitable Arctic wasteland. And it is full of icy, subhuman walkers. And they want to turn you into one of them!
Toxic Turmoil
The plotline behind this brand new scare zone is that a toxic catastrophe caused a hidden chemical landfill to be overcome by plant life, humans, and, oh yeah this may be important information, mutated creatures. Can you make it to the other end alive?
Blood Light District
Here’s another brand new scare zone where the sinister creatures who roam the street will tempt your deepest desires.
Terrors of the Deep
A sunken village full of treasures has been discovered in the dark depths of the ocean. This might seem like good news, but unfortunately, the treasures were claimed by a cursed Pirate crew. So that doesn’t sound good…
CarnEvil Pier
This brand new scare zone involves sinister Barkers, freaks, and, obviously, evil clowns.
Shows
In addition to the haunted houses and scare zones, Howl-O-Scream has a few shows that are not only entertaining but fit the Halloween atmosphere!
Siren’s Song
Siren’s Song is an outdoor show where the sirens tell their story – and feast on your greatest fears! This show has special effects, hypnotic dancing, and terrifying savagery.
Monster Stomp
Have you ever seen a musical starring Jack the Ripper? Well, then, don’t you think now is the time? Enjoy percussion, singing, and dancing in this modern rock and rhythm spectacular.
Cursed Lagoon
This new show is located in Forever Pearls, and here you’ll find out what’s lurking beneath the surface.
Themed Bar Experiences
Longshoremen Tavern
Longshoremen is a new tavern in port where you can come, relax and get a drink. Or perhaps even hear a story mythical monsters or discover a partially recovered old SeaWorld treasure.
Tormented
Tormented is the one place at Howl-O-Scream where finding a frosty is a good thing. You can take a break from the Arctic hellscape outside and refuel here.
Poison Grotto
Discover your favorite poison by unwinding with a refreshing concoction at this unearthly lounge. Just remember to pay proper respect to the one who lured you in, as not only are you her guest, but she is always watching.
Sirens’ Last Call
This rusted-out underground warehouse is the local hangout creatures of the shadows. So you might want to try your best to blend in and not stand out. Oh, and you might also want to try the bar’s signature drink, “The Siren’s Kiss.”
CarnEvil Curiosities
Carnival magic may be contagious. But watch out before it infects you when you hang out at this fun new specialty bar.
Rides
A fun thing about visiting Howl-O-Scream is that you get to do roller coasters at night. This makes riding your favorite roller coasters a totally different experience. Rides you can do at Howl-O-Scream include Manta, Mako, and the all-new Pipeline: the Surf Coaster!
And you know how I menitoned could buy a Fear Pass Extreme Pass earlier? Well, the Fear Pass Extreme gets you more than just skip-the-line priviliges at the haunted houses. But you also get to skip the line at Mako, Manta, and Pipeline: the Surf Coaster. You can buy a Front Line Fear Extreme Pass here.
Restaurants
If you get hungry during Howl-O-Scream, don’t worry! They have several quick-service food options available until 11:30 PM.
Additional Information
Please note that costumes are not allowed for the event.
There is a separate Howl-O-Scream entrance for this event. It’s going to be located to the right of the main entrance. If you were already in SeaWorld before Howl-O-Scream, you’ll be able to enter through a specific part of the park. There will be an area, too, where you can wait while the park is transformed into Howl-O-Scream.
Bags measuring larger than 8” x 5”, including purses and backpacks, are not permitted through the dedicated Howl-O-Scream entrance. Normal bag policies apply for guests already inside the park who are also attending Howl-O-Scream. The reason for this is to help make sure the line doesn’t get too long for Howl-O-Scream given bag checks.
There are exceptions to this policy for medically necessary items after proper inspection. If you have any medically necessary item, then you should carry them in a clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag that’s not any larger than 12” x 6” x 12”.
Similarly, diapers can be carried in clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bags. These bags just can’t be larger than 12” x 6” x 12”.
Flash photography is not permitted at Howl-O-Scream.
All our haunted houses are ADA compliant and wheelchair accessible. But having said that, there are some tight corners to turn. So you might want to transfer to a standard (non-motorized) wheelchair to tour the haunted houses. Transfer chairs are available at the beginning of each haunted house.
Discounted Tickets
Unlike other SeaWorld holiday events (like their Christmas celebration or Mardi Gras event), Howl-O-Scream is a separate ticket event. Luckily, there are multiple ticket options – and even better, a lot of these tickets are currently on sale!
The best way to save money on tickets, though, is to get an annual pass at SeaWorld Orlando. You can save up to 70% on tickets if you get an annual pass. And an annual pass to SeaWorld gets you so many other perks, too. We go over the benefits of an annual pass at SeaWorld Orlando here.
But there are other tickets on sale, too. You can click here to buy these discounted tickets.
You can pick the day you’re going and buy a single-day ticket. This can save you money if you visit on an off-peak day, such as a Friday or Sunday in September, because tickets are cheaper then. And you can save even more money if you buy that ticket now, because you can currently save up to 65%.
If you want more flexibility on when you visit but want to take advantage of the current sale, then you can also buy an any night ticket. It is currently on sale for up to 50% off.
If you want to visit Howl-O-Scream on mulitple nights, then you can buy an Unlimited Visit ticket. It’s on sale for up to 25% off.
If you also want to visit Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens theme park in nearby Tampa, Florida, you can also buy a joint ticket. You can either buy a joint ticket that gets you visit to Busch Gardens’ Howl-O-Scream and one visit to SeaWorld Orlando’s Howl-O-Scream. Or you could get unlimited visits at both events. These ticket options are also on sale for up to 40% off.
Once again, you can purchase these discounted tickets here.
