Halloween in Orlando is nearly synonymous with Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios, but there is another big event an hour down I-4. If you love haunted houses, scare zones and all the other things that go with a big theme park blow-out celebration for the season of scares, check out Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens. Here are some quick tips on enjoying it if you're traveling from the Orlando area:
The Drive: Bush Gardens is an easy drive down I-4 to I-75. It takes about an hour if there is little or no traffic.
The Plan: First you must decide whether you want to drive back to Orlando after the event or spendt he night in Tampa. Busch has special hotel packages if you want to stay late and crash for the night, especially if you plan to indulge in alcoholic beverages. If you prefer to see the houses fairly quickly so you can leave early, I recommend getting an upgrade. You can do the Fright Feast (a buffet meal and show) and get an early start on the houses or you can buy a pass for the express lines. You can even do a tour; they vary in length, but there is a three-hour version that gets you through all the housesin that timeframe. The five hour tour includes the roller coasters and reserved seating at select shows, but it also has you leaving the park two hours later. Click here for information on all the tours and options.
The Comparison: Will you like Howl-O-Scream if you've always been to Halloween Horror Nights? The answer varies among individuals, but as a Hallowen fanatic who attends both events multiple times each year (I spend more time at HHN since I'm from the Orlando area), I believe these events are very comparable. Some people don't like the fact that HoS repeats several houses each year, but that doesn't bother me. A year in between seeing them is plenty of time for me, and there are some HHN houses I would love to see for a few years in a row. HoS also has something much different than HHN for 2010: the extra-cost Alone house, which you do solo. I think the scare zones are equally good at both parks, and I like Fright Feast as I usually eat at Finnegan's at Universal while waiting for HHN anyway. HoS adds early house entry to the dining option, which is nice.
Hopefully these tips will help if you're planning to head to HoS for 2010. Check their website at www.howloscream.com for special ticket deals. Click here to read the haunted house descriptions and click here to read more of my articles. Click here to follow me on Twitter. Check out the music video from myX, the HoS icon for 2010, below. Click here if you cannot see the video.
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