The horrors of Howl-O-Scream lurk just around the corner with SeaWorld San Diego’s first ever nighttime Halloween event kicking off Sept. 17 and running through Oct. 31 on select evenings. This separately ticketed event provides all the fear of a typical Halloween event, along with the thrilling rides and entertainment of a theme park. Guests adventure through three haunted houses and six scare zones, while four eerie roaming hordes move throughout the park. Amid the mayhem, guests can enjoy nighttime rides on three coasters, marvel at twisted acrobatics and contortions during the Vampire Circus show, dance the night away at steam-punk themed dance club and partake in spirited libations at three creatively creepy themed bars.
“We are putting our own unique spin on classic haunt themes so there are unexpected surprises around every corner at Howl-O-Scream,” says Randolph Borden, Vice President of Entertainment. “All our haunted attractions are designed by leading experts in the Halloween production industry and have helped us create the most terrifying houses, scares and experiences for our guests. The expectations are extremely high for our first year and we are ecstatic to welcome our fellow Halloween and horror fans to what will surely become a yearly, must-experience event!”
Horrifying Haunted Houses
- Nightmare Experiment – A government medical experiment at a run-of-the-mill sleep clinic has gone horribly wrong, descending into utter chaos. The patients have given into their worst nightmares and have driven the staff to the brink of madness. Guests fight for their life and sanity as they rush to escape the clinic, dodging unruly patients along the way.
- Simon’s Slaughterhouse – The local meat processing plant has fallen into the hands of the demented Simon the Butcher and his crew. Guests navigate their way through bloody corridors, meat-hooked mortals and screeching buzz saws to avoid the butcher’s blades.
- Death Water Bayou – The stifling heat and dank humidity permeates the air and beckons visitors deeper into Death Water Bayou. Guests wander amid gravestones, voodoo dolls and the spirits of prior mortals who couldn’t escape the Bayou Witch’s house of cursed horrors.
Concoctions and Cocktails for Post-Haunt Celebrations
Upon the exit of every haunted house, attendees enter an accompanying themed bar.
- AmBARlance – After escaping Nightmare Experiment, the AmBARlance is there to cure all guests’ ailments. The boozy “medications” are administered via IV bags and syringes as well as vodka soaked “vitamins” in medicine cups. For a more intense treatment, the Pop Rocks rimmed “ElectroShock” cocktail is sure to make their brain pop.
- Simon’s Screamatorium – Guests are on the menu at Simon the Butcher’s Screamatorium. Bartenders serve up the hottest drinks from within Simon’s human-sized smoker, including “The Bloodiest Mary” and “Vomit Shots.”
- Murder She Float – Pulled from the depths of the murky swamp, this abandoned Mardi Gras float was brought back to life and is glowing with the “spirits” of the Mardi Gras dead. Guests feast on grasshoppers and worms in a scoop of “mud” and wash it down with cursed concoctions, served up on Ouija boards, in fishbowls and in the skulls of those who have crossed the Bayou Witch.
Scare Zones
Scare seekers and daring visitors are forced to face their worst fears when stepping into any of Howl-O-Scream’s six different scare zones. Each one is based on classic haunt genres and provide unexpected surprises around every turn. The scare zones include killer clowns and snakes at First Fright zone, creepy dolls at the Deadly Toys zone, undead evils at the Graveyard zone, a deadly legend at La Llorona zone, alluring yet terrifying callings at The Sirens zone and lastly sinister monsters that lurk in the forest at The Hauntings zone.
Vampire Circus Show
Populated by a motley collection of off-the-wall characters and incomparable acrobats, The Vampire Circus is a performance set in a twisted fantasy universe where chaos and craziness give way to a haunted celebration. Guests are immersed in a spirited journey through an abandoned cemetery where an extraordinary circus comes back to life.
Additional Howl-O-Scream Elements
Wandering throughout the park, the event will feature four roaming hordes of zombies, creatures and terrifying characters that will scare and startle at every chance they have. For thrill seekers and adrenaline fanatics, Electric Eel, Manta and Journey to Atlantis are open for high-speed nighttime rides. For a break from the howling and screaming, guests head to The Underground, a steam-punk themed dance club where they can show off their freaky dance moves and move their feet to a variety of music and Halloween classics with a twist.