SeaWorld San Diego Howl-O-Scream 2024 Guide

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Here’s some good news.  Howl-O-Scream is back at SeaWorld San Diego.  It will be running from September 27, 2024, through November 2, 2024, on select nights.

Now here’s some even better news.  This year, it is bigger and better than ever!

There are even more haunted houses, where you try to work your way out of mazes while avoiding scary creatures.  You also have to fend off scary creatures at certain parts of the parks, otherwise known as scare zones and scAREAs.  There are also vignettes.  Then there are also pop-up bars and rides that are even more thrilling at night.

We’re going to tell you about all the attractions.  We’ll tell you how to make your experience better with some upgrades.  And we’ll tell you about how to save money on tickets.

Haunted Houses

Area 64: Alien Outbreak

Area 64: Alien Outbreak is back, and is reimagined this year.  This year it will be a full-scale invasion, and will be full of mad scientists, lethal security, and, of course, aliens.  If you want to believe, this is the haunted house for you!

Simon’s Slaughterhouse

Ever play Simon’s Says?  Well, when you played, did Simon ever say “DIE!”?

This haunted house is really exciting this year because there are brand-new sensory effects.  So there will be spooks in every corner as you try to get through the meat processing plant without becoming a victim of the butcher yourself.

Nightmare Experiment

Bad news: a crazed doctor is doing a secret, experimental project on a human.  Worse news: you are that human!  So your goal is to find a way out!

Circus of the Damned

The premise of this haunted house is that an evil ringmaster wants to restore his cursed Circus of the Damned to its former glory.  So now he is looking for new performers – and you don’t want one of those new performers to be you!

And starting last year, there was a new twist to this popular haunted house – there were 3D elements!  So grab those special 3D glasses to do this haunted house!

Death Water Bayou

Your mission in this haunted house is to get out of the black, murky waters of Death Water Bayou.  Because if you don’t, you could fall under the curse of the evil Swamp Witch!  This year, there is even a new terrifying finale.

Scare Zones

Ripper Row

Here is a scare zone I’m really excited about coming to SeaWorld San Diego.  It stars the infamous murderer Jack The Ripper.

Terrors of the Deep

Terrors of the Deep is an all-new scare zone.  You’ll be at the water’s edge where deadly sea beasts and other horrors emerge from the depths of the ocean to terrorize fishermen.  Except this time, they’ll be terrorizing you!

Red Moon Revelry

Here’s another brand new scare zone.  The premise behind this one is that a once peaceful woods has become home to a group of vampires who are there to celebrate the arrival of a blood moon.  And perhaps they are here to turn you into a vampire, too!

All Hallow’s Harvest

In this scare zone that is also brand new, you’ll find scarecrows in a farmland.  But this time, their purpose isn’t to scare away birds or animals.  No, these scarecrows want to harvest your body and soul.  So you might want to look out for that!

Carnival of Chaos

Angry carnies and sideshow clowns will be roaming this returning favorite scare zone.  You will definitely want to avoid them.

Deadly Toys

Not all toys are fun and playful like Woody and Buzz Lightyear.  Some toys are downright frightening.  And that is exactly what you’ll find at this scare zone.

Graveyard

Don’t you just hate it when someone who is evil refuses to stay buried?  Well, if you do, you might want to stay away from some evil beings who are no longer buried – and would love to meet you!

Simon’s Meat Market

Simon’s Meat Market is returning after a successful run last year.  This scare zone involves you visiting an abandoned meat-packing plant with a sinister history.  What could possibly go wrong?

Vignettes

There are also six vignettes:

  • Dark Magic
  • Misfortune
  • All Hallow’s Harvest
  • Call From Beyond
  • Simon’s Meat Market

Shows/Entertainment

Opening SCAREmony

This a reimagined stage show starring terrifying creatures. They prepare guests for the terrifying night that will follow.

Monster Stomp

Monster Stomp is a brand show at Howl-O-Scream San Diego.  It takes place at Nautilus Amphitheater.  It celebrates the mystery of Jack the Ripper with modern rock, live singing, great percussions, and exciting choreography.

Rides in the Dark

You love the SeaWorld thrill rides during the day.  But how about trying them at night?  Trying them at night gives the rides a whole new feel.  And at Howl-O-Scream, you can ride Electric Eel, Emperor, and the all-new Arctic Rescue in the dark!

Cocktail Bars

Avoiding all those evil clowns, aliens, vampires, toys, and other evil creatures can make you quite thirsty.  And unless you’ve been turned into a vampire and are thirsty for blood, I’m sure you’ll be thirsty for a good cocktail.  Luckily, there are pop-up cocktail bars throughout the park during the event:

  • Bloodthirsty
  • The Cracked Cauldron
  • Ancient Libations
  • Big Top Drinks
  • Toys ‘N’ Tonic
  • AmBARlance
  • LaBARatory

Upgrades

There are a lot of upgrades you can get at Howl-O-Scream that can make your experience even better.

  • Howl-O-Scream VIP Terror Tour
  • Front Line Access (skip-the-line access to five haunted houses)
  • Front Line Fear Extreme (skip-the-line access to five haunted houses & three rides)
  • Front Line Fear Unlimited (unlimited front-of-the-line access to five haunted houses & three thrill rides)
  • Monster Stomp Reserved Seating

You can purchase these upgrades here.

Howl-O-Scream Tickets: How to Save Money

Now other festivals at SeaWorld San Diego (like their Halloween Spooktacular) take place during the day.  When that happens, admission to the event is included in the price of admission.

But this festival takes place after the park closes for the day.  So it requires a separate ticket.  So even if you have an annual pass, you need to purchase a ticket for Howl-O-Scream.

But here is some more good news.  You can save a lot of money on your ticket to Howl-O-Scream by buying your ticket online here.  In fact, you can save up to 53%.  There are multiple ticket options available, including single-day tickets, and unlimited admission for the entire event so you can visit multiple days.