I Attended SeaWorld’s Howl-O-Scream For The First Time, And It Proved That Sometimes Less Is More

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Even though it’s still early September, many theme parks have already launched their Halloween celebrations, with spooky events happening for a week or two now. Most parks offer a special ticketed Halloween event, and I recently checked out Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld San Diego. I haven’t visited them all, but I’ve experienced a few of these events this year.

I hadn’t been to Howl-O-Scream or SeaWorld in years, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I’m really glad I went! It wasn’t the biggest or scariest Halloween event I’ve experienced, and that’s okay – in fact, it was uniquely strange in a way I didn’t anticipate.

Howl-O-Scream Is Smaller Than Halloween Horror Nights, But That’s Not A Bad Thing

Howl-O-Scream and Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights are very similar. Both events feature several haunted houses and themed walk-through experiences designed to be scary. They both also include “Scare Zones” – outdoor areas where actors try to frighten guests – and offer special themed food and drinks.

SeaWorld’s Halloween event is noticeably smaller in scale than Universal Studios Hollywood or Orlando. While it features five haunted houses compared to their eight or ten, it still offers a fun and engaging experience despite the difference in size.

It’s awesome that some Halloween events have so many haunted attractions, but it’s tough to experience them all in one visit. Even with a fast pass, like the one I had at Halloween Horror Nights, I could only manage eight haunted houses and the Terror Tram during my recent trip.

I also used the Quick Queue option at Howl-O-Scream, but even without it, I could have easily gone through all five haunted houses. This meant I had plenty of time to enjoy the rest of SeaWorld’s offerings, including three open roller coasters – which are always more fun to ride at night! I also had time to sample the park’s great food and drinks, and speaking of drinks…

How To Uncover Howl-O-Scream’s Hidden Secrets

What makes Howl-O-Scream special is that each haunted house is located off the beaten path, and each one secretly contains a themed bar. If you can find the hidden entrance and know the password (available on social media), you can step inside and try their unique cocktails, plus the signature Howl-O-Scream “Blood Bag” drink.

Offering alcoholic drinks was a nice bonus, but each haunted house had unique features that made it worth visiting even if you weren’t interested in a beverage. It added to the fun and allowed guests to see hidden parts of the houses that most people wouldn’t normally experience.

One reason Howl-O-Scream was successful was its manageable size. If the crowds had been much larger, any secret locations wouldn’t have felt very hidden – there would have been obvious lines leading the way, and that would have ruined the experience.

Howl-O-Scream Is More About Creepy Than Scary

I recently went to Halloween Horror Nights for the first time this month. I’ve always avoided it in the past because I really dislike jump scares, and I knew the event would be full of them.

I was surprised I didn’t dislike the jump scares as much as I thought I would, which made me willing to try SeaWorld’s Howl-O-Scream again. And this time, there weren’t nearly as many jump scares, not because they weren’t frightening, but simply because there were fewer of them.

While actors who jump out to scare you are present in both the scare zones and haunted houses, they’re much less frequent here. This actually enhances the experience – jump scares feel more surprising and effective when you don’t see them coming. And if you’re not a fan of jump scares, you’ll likely enjoy it even more.

The haunted houses prioritize creating a spooky atmosphere over jump scares, which I actually prefer. It’s also great that the scare actors adapt to their audience. They’ll amp up the fright for teens who enjoy it, but with younger kids, they focus on being funny and avoiding anything too scary. It’s a really thoughtful approach.

Monster Stomp On Ripper Row is An Absolute Fever Dream That Needs To Be Experienced

I had a great time at Howl-O-Scream, and one of the highlights was definitely the show on Ripper Row. It’s unlike anything I’ve seen – imagine the energetic, improvised drumming of *Stomp*, mixed with the dark story of the late 1800s Jack the Ripper murders, and a bit of rock opera thrown in. Honestly, it’s even stranger and more captivating than that description makes it sound!

It’s hard to explain the show, because it didn’t really *have* a plot, at least not one I could follow. It felt like a string of increasingly over-the-top musical numbers, and the performers gave it absolutely everything they had. Just when you think it can’t get any stranger – like when glow-in-the-dark skeletons dance to “Thriller” – it does. The entire cast suddenly launched into “Ballroom Blitz,” and while the reason for it was unclear, someone must have had a plan!

How Does Howl-O-Scream Stack Up To Other Theme park Halloween Experiences?

When choosing a theme park Halloween event, it’s less about finding the ‘best’ one and more about what kind of experience you want. Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights and Disney’s events, like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Oogie Boogie Bash, are very different. Each event clearly shows what you can expect.

SeaWorld San Diego’s Howl-O-Scream offers a moderate level of thrills. It’s scarier than what you’d find at Disney, and could be a good way to test if you’re ready for a truly intense haunted experience.

Howl-O-Scream is a genuinely enjoyable event. It’s well worth visiting for anyone who loves theme parks, Halloween, or a combination of both.

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2025-09-19 13:10