Howl-O-Scream
Halloween
About Howl-O-Scream
Howl-O-Scream 2009
Howl-O-Scream operates on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from Friday, September 25, 2009 through Sunday, November 01, 2009. The park hours will be 10:00 am to 10:00 pm on all Fridays and Sundays, and Saturdays in September; the park hours will be 10:00 am to 11:00 pm on Saturdays in October. The Howl-O-Scream events will run from 6:00 pm to park closing, unless indicated otherwise below.
This year, Busch Gardens Williamsburg is offering a Fall Fun Card for Howl-O-Scream. For the price of a one day admission, you can come back again and again September 11th through November 1st. This year's Howl-O-Scream will feature six mazes/haunted houses, seven scare zones, and six shows. There are six areas available for photo opportunities with the characters this year.
Busch Gardens offered the quick queue tickets in 2008. Once info regarding quick queue for this year is released, it will be updated here.
Busch Gardens Williamsburg rates each of the Howl-O-Scream attractions using a pumpkin scale. The pumpkin rating scale goes from one to five pumpkins. Here is a listing and definition of each of the ratings (these are the definitions set by Busch Gardens).
One Pumpkin = Good fun for everyone
Two Pumpkins = Fun, but more frightful
Three Pumpkins = Scary, be careful
Four Pumpkins = Older teens, parental supervision strongly advised.
Five Pumpkins = No one under 17, please
Here is a breakdown of each of the mazes, scare zones, and shows. The pumpkin ratings are included below the name of each attraction. All attractions open at 6 pm unless otherwise indicated. Mazes / Haunted Houses Bitten
Rating: Five Pumpkins
Location: Festhaus Park
This maze is set in Eastern Europe in the 1800s, and has the theme of vampires and the undead.
Revenge of Pompeii
Rating: Four Pumpkins
Location: Escape From Pompeii entrance
Opens: 12 pm
The theme is set in Pompeii. There is an abandoned expedition camp, and a sinister ash storm causing many people to be missing. Those missing are lurking at every turn and are there to have their revenge.
Catacombs
Rating: Four Pumpkins
Location: France
Here, you will go through a ruined cemetery leading to an underground city. This place marks the final resting place of those buried there. The dead will show themselves here.
Cavern of Darkness
Rating: Five Pumpkins
Location: Ireland
Opens: 12 pm
At a time in the past, there were magical beings on the Earth. Since human existence, they have been residing in the Underside, but want to come back to the surface. Their home has been invaded again, and you will explore the Earths crust. These magical beings do not want humans there, and will not chase them away from the Underside.
Cursed
Rating: Five Pumpkins
Location: Festa Italia
Those cursed have their fate determined by the witches of the woods. In this abyss, consciousness is thinnest this time of year. The Hunted
Rating: Five Pumpkins
Location: Festhaus Park
This attraction is set in the 1800s in Germany. Here, a hunters cabin is located and is in disrepair. Here, you will find the truth through the bloody clues within. Scare Zones Harvest Hollow
Rating: Five Pumpkins
Location: Festhaus Park
Creatures lurk haunting this harvest. They need fresh victims, as the seed of blood is needed for their crops. You may be tormented by scarecrows, the woods, and other nightmares. The axmen are there for the sacrifice. Will it be you? Mischief and Mayhem
Rating: Four Pumpkins
Location: Jack Hanna's Wild Reserve
Irish creatures are causing trouble. They want to cause mischief, and will use the darkness to their advantage.
The Moors
Rating: Four Pumpkins
Location: Scotland
The ghosts of Scotland are there to protect their battleground. Anyone there is a threat, and will torment anyone there. Spellbound
Rating: Four Pumpkins
Location: Festa Italia, Italy
An abandoned wagon shines and the air is gloomy. Shadowy figures move through the darkness trying to put you under their spell. Werewolves
Rating: Four Pumpkins
Location: Rhinefeld, Germany
Upon entering this town, everything is boarded up. Signs tell you t stay out and not to enter. The townspeople are locked in their homes to protect them from the outside. While you are in the village, eyes peer out of the bushes, among other things. A small bit of light from the moon will help you find your way out. Strangers Beware
Rating: Four Pumpkins
Location: Oktoberfest, Germany
People here are afraid of strangers. The townspeople come together to defend their land from any foreign person. As a stranger, they will be after your life. They do not trust strangers and strangers will be dealt with accordingly. The Watchers
Rating: Four Pumpkins
Location: New France
Ghosts haunt this location and are among the rooftops of the village. They come flying out of trees with the purpose of luring you into the nightmare. These watchers are watching you. Shows Jack Is Back
Rating: Two Pumpkins
Location: Killarney, Ireland
Jack-O-Lanterns were used in Celtic Ireland to ward off evil spirits. Jack comes back for a visit during this street show. The performers and guests alike sing and dance to the music. There are no major changes to this attraction this year. Frankenrock
Rating: Four Pumpkins
Location: Oktoberfest, Germany
This show is located inside Das Festhaus. This show has a group of monsters that have every intention to rock. They will rock it up using many familiar tunes from the 1990s, as well as other classics. Monster Stomp Revamped
Rating: Four Pumpkins
Location: Killarney, Ireland
This show is located in the Abbey Stone Theater. Witches, skeletons, mummies, and other characters come out to play for the evening to the sounds of your Halloween favorites. This show features some adult themes, and parental supervision is advised for this show. There are no major changes to this attraction this year.
Halloween Musical Performance
Rating: One Pumpkin
Location: Prince Elmos Castle, Sesame Street Forest of Fun
This ten minute show is great fun for all ages. Sesame Street characters such as Count von Count will appear in this show. Photo opportunities are available after the show with the characters. Movies of the Macabre
Rating: Two Pumpkins
Location: Italy Pavilion
Black and white silent movies are shown on the big screen. You can dine while watching these movies. The official Busch Gardens Williamsburg Howl-O-Scream site, where you can also purchase tickets, is located here.
-- Last edited by Drew Petzold
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Photos from Howl-O-Scream
 
Readers' Opinions
From drew horsefield on Jul 19, 2009
The first thing to remember is that BGE Howl-O-Scream is a completely different animal than BGA.
The haunted houses are not as good and the scare zones are nowhere as elaborate.
All in all I enjoyed my weekend at BGE for Howl-O-Scream.
From drew horsefield on Jul 19, 2009
The first thing to remember is that BGE Howl-O-Scream is a completely different animal than BGA.
The haunted houses are not as good and the scare zones are nowhere as elaborate.
All in all I enjoyed my weekend at BGE for Howl-O-Scream.
From Shannon Tate on Oct 20, 2007
Just went 13 Oct 2007, my first time, and admit I was a little disappointed. The shows were very good, but I went for the "scare zones." I can't say they were much better than typical haunted houses. Not to say they weren't scary and fun, but I was expecting more from BGE. The queue time was also very long, we didn't get to do "Tormented Tales" maze because the wait was over 2 hours. The whole clown thing in Italy/Turkey struck me as kind of lame. I hate to diss on BGE b/c I love it so much, but this was a little bit of a let-down.
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