I attended SeaWorld Orlando’s first ever Howl-O-Scream event this past weekend. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and didn’t have any expectations. I’m a die-hard Halloween Horror Nights fan and attendee. I was very pleased to see SeaWorld throw their hat in the night-time Halloween event ring. I will mention comparisons between the two events, but don’t go into HOS thinking it’s going to be like HHN. They are quite different.

There are four houses, four scare zones, three roaming haunts, two shows, two rides (Infinity Falls and Mako), and four themed bars. The event is only in part of the park, so the only open rides are the ones in the area.

I went into the park early so I could enter the stay and scream area. It was in the area where you experience all things sharks. This was a large free-roam area with a restroom and we had access to a Craft Beer Festival food tent. It was very comfortable to wait, with plenty of seating. This is unlike what I’ve experienced at the HHN holding areas and I really appreciated it.

I was able to do all four houses in about an hour and fifteen minutes the first time around. During the night, I did two houses three times and the others twice. I was also able to watch both shows. I also spent time shopping and taking photos. The queues were quite short towards the end of the night, so it was very easy to go back through the houses.

The first thing I noticed about the houses was that they aren’t crazy loud. The scare actors speak directly to you and interact with you. They have a lot of props, some handheld, that they can make scary noises with.

This event has got a lower budget than HHN, but it is their first and very understandable. They did an amazing job with the houses, scare zones, bars, and shops. I was very impressed. What it lacks in decor, it more than makes up for with scares and an excellent night out.

The first house I did was Dead Vines. This house is covered in hanging vines and foliage. As someone who uses a walker, it was a little irritating to keep trying to move them out of my face with one hand and push my walker with the other. It’s probably no big deal if you have use of both. I do have a friend who is a scare actor in this house. Look out when you are in the graveyard! Dead Vines has a good story and some great scares.

I then went to Captain’s Revenge. This house has an entrance facade like a ghostly pirate ship. I really enjoyed this house. Lots of treasure, pirates, and scares. I didn’t experience any issues getting through here with a walker.

Next I went through Beneath the Ice. This house is the longest, and made excellent use of the space it was in. It’s also very, very cold in there. This house has a great story and lots of scares. I mean lots. This is one of my top two houses. There are a couple of very tight turns, but I didn’t have trouble going through with my walker.

The fourth and final house I entered was Water’s Edge Inn. Right from the get go, this house is really cool. There are pictures spinning on the wall and a ouija board with a moving planchette. This house has a bonus room for Platinum Passholders with a specific lanyard. (You get your pass scanned and they give you the lanyard.) The first time I went through, I wasn’t shown into the bonus room, but was the second when I pointed out my pass. This house has some really innovative scares. That pile of laundry isn’t what you think it is. This house was my other favorite.

When it comes to house scares, SeaWorld got it right. They aren’t all jumpscares that you can see coming from a mile away. They really incorporate their scare actors into the sets. They are where you don’t expect them, and don’t see them. They get right next to you, bang on things, and scream. I don’t know how they keep their voices, honestly. I’ve been going to HHN religiously since 2012 and I’ve never been got. I got got at Howl-O-Scream. Plenty of times. And that’s saying something.

Let me tell you about these scare zones. What a trip! You’ve got scare actors in the bushes, lying in the bushes! They totally interact with you. They will carry on a full conversation in character. You can really tell they are loving every minute of what they are doing.

Deadly Ambush was my favorite of the four, followed by Frozen Terror, Sea of Souls, and Witchcraft Bayou. The camp counselors in Deadly Ambush are witty and have some great comebacks.

Have you ever seen shit like this?! They literally throw themselves down and skate across the ground in front of you. Sparks!

Something that’s been missing at HHN are the shot girls/guys that wander about. I saw a few of them at HOS. These were syringe Jell-O shots.

Can we talk about these bars? They’re legit indoor bars with unreal entertainment. Sirens’ Last Call has dancers in each corner. Longshoremen Tavern has longshoremen that are dying to entertain you. Tormented has a hellish landscape. And Poison Grotto? They’ve got someone up on the ceiling. She’s got a whole cirque thing going on up there, and it’s right over the queue to the bar. Check out the video below.

The first show I went to was Monster Stomp Slasher Alley. I loved it! The show starts in a way that is very subtle. Folks walking about. The music, dances, and all performances were fantastic. It’s absolutely worth your time and I highly recommend it. The video below is just some bits I pieced together.

Directly after Monster Stomp ended, I went over to see Sirens’ Song. This show is outdoors and the best place to be is in the middle. There are several stages with dancers and a main stage with the narrator. Sacrifices will be made. This show is really innovative and exciting. Also loved it and recommend it highly!

The longer I was at Howl-O-Scream, the more fun I was having and the more I knew I wanted to return. I loved that I could go through the houses multiple times so I could get really good looks at what they had done in them. I had a great time experiencing different scares each time through the houses and scare zones. The entertainment is phenomenal, SeaWorld really knocked it out of the park.

If you’re using a scooter/ECV, they will have wheelchairs available for you to transfer to go through the houses. Like I said, I made it through all four with my walker.

I am truly excited to return, and to see what they bring to the table next year.

I’ve posted tons of photos of merchandise and the event to Facebook, so be sure to check those out.