Howl-O-Scream 2016

[shiekra38]

So while HoS has yet to announce the return of ZCU15 for some mind boggling reason, I decided to do a little digging on this whole "Evil Encore" theme since not much is being said about it. Turns out not much is being said about on Tampa's side since Busch Garden's Williamsburg tells quit a bit more about this theme.

Apparently it revolves around a dollmaker named Mr. Karver (Who looks like a take on Pinocchio's Gepetto), who really brought life into the dolls he made. BGW, talks about the various dolls and their personalities.

Mr. Karver's Workshop | Howl-O-Scream | Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Though even with that info, BGW's HoS looks to have no house or scare zone dedicated to the theme. Which makes me question why bother with info of the theme if you're not really going to use it?

Then there's Seaworld San Antonio's HoS, where they're not only using the Evil Encore theme as well, but they're having a house AND and a scare zone dedicated to the theme. An' the house gives the full background to the theme.

Karver's Kradle | Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld San Antonio

I think what happened here is the whole Evil Encore theme was created by the San Antonio crew, since they were able to make both a house and scare zone for it. For the other two parks it was dropped on them as a shared theme, so while it'll be used for the website and marketing materials, they're not gonna' use it much inside the event.

Although they share a theme, they are very different events...HOS Tampa has tried the 'icon' house quite a few times..I think since we just got rid of Nightshade Toys a while ago they didn't want to possibly have a house look similar to that..I would like more icon presence at HOS though..It seems sometimes they are on point with it, and other times the icon fades to the background..Last year it worked well with Scarlet's house

 

[ThNdIzNiR]

I guess it is official now... ZCU 15 is on the website. Although it was already more or less confirmed, now that it is official I'm unsure if I should attend or not. Do you think they will at least improve upon last year's ZCU? I wish there was a 3rd new house so I could fully justify going back this year.

 

[kingcooger]

I guess it is official now... ZCU 15 is on the website. Although it was already more or less confirmed, now that it is official I'm unsure if I should attend or not. Do you think they will at least improve upon last year's ZCU? I wish there was a 3rd new house so I could fully justify going back this year.

What houses were there the last year you went?

 

[ThNdIzNiR]

What houses were there the last year you went?

I've only been a couple times. I did go last year though. Originally I wasn't even thinking of attending this year because they re-use houses, but then I saw that there will be 2 new ones and possibly a 3rd. I spoke with my wife and she agreed it would be worth going back if the final announcement was in fact a new house. Unfortunately it isn't now, so I'm undecided if it's worth the visit.

 

[kingcooger]

I've only been a couple times. I did go last year though. Originally I wasn't even thinking of attending this year because they re-use houses, but then I saw that there will be 2 new ones and possibly a 3rd. I spoke with my wife and she agreed it would be worth going back if the final announcement was in fact a new house. Unfortunately it isn't now, so I'm undecided if it's worth the visit.

That makes sense. I go yearly because I like the atmosphere so I can tell you that ZCU last year was not much better than it was the year before, so I am not expecting much from it. The house that is mosy likely to change this year is probably Unearthed because that ending was bare bones and widely panned. The rest will have little tweaks here and there, but will be fairly similar to what they were in past years.

 

[shiekra38]

I've only been a couple times. I did go last year though. Originally I wasn't even thinking of attending this year because they re-use houses, but then I saw that there will be 2 new ones and possibly a 3rd. I spoke with my wife and she agreed it would be worth going back if the final announcement was in fact a new house. Unfortunately it isn't now, so I'm undecided if it's worth the visit.

Have you done the Fright Feast? They let you into the park early and you have the potential to walk through a house by yourself! As well as a pretty good buffet...It may change the event entirely for you haha..

 

[UNIrd]

I hate to poop on this event because I truly do enjoy it when I go.. but I looked it up and Zombie Mortuary is actually back for it's 6th year. And Circus of Superstition for it's 5th. That's ridiculous.

 

[kingcooger]

I hate to poop on this event because I truly do enjoy it when I go.. but I looked it up and Zombie Mortuary is actually back for it's 6th year. And Circus of Superstition for it's 5th. That's ridiculous.

I agree that CoS3D has overstayed its welcome, but ZM consistently ranks high so I can see why they keep it around. From a personal perspective, ZM gives most of my group anxiety every year so I see it as being highly effective

 

[UNIrd]

I agree that CoS3D has overstayed its welcome, but ZM consistently ranks high so I can see why they keep it around. From a personal perspective, ZM gives most of my group anxiety every year so I see it as being highly effective

I don't know how you can still have anxiety after entering the same funeral home scene year.. after year.. after year..

 

[kingcooger]

I don't know how you can still have anxiety after entering the same funeral home scene year.. after year.. after year..

They do not remember it year to year. Since I do, I tend to have them walk in front so I can get a laugh. It is their most disorienting and claustrophobic house so the actors have plenty of chances to catch people off guard

 

[ThNdIzNiR]

Have you done the Fright Feast? They let you into the park early and you have the potential to walk through a house by yourself! As well as a pretty good buffet...It may change the event entirely for you haha..

We haven't done the feast, but it's funny you ask because that is what we were planning on trying this year (assuming we still go). So if you purchase the feast, do they just let you walk to the location where the food is right from the entrance even though the park is closed? I was wondering how that worked. You don't need to already be in the park (daytime ticket) to be able to purchase the feast?

 

[kingcooger]

We haven't done the feast, but it's funny you ask because that is what we were planning on trying this year (assuming we still go). So if you purchase the feast, do they just let you walk to the location where the food is right from the entrance even though the park is closed? I was wondering how that worked. You don't need to already be in the park (daytime ticket) to be able to purchase the feast?

As long as you have event entry they will let you into the park starting at 5pm (with or without Fright Feast) then the feast proper starts at 6pm back in the exert Fire Grill (or whatever they call it now). The Feast and showing of Fiends ends around 7pm and you get sole access to the houses for a bit (read as, go through alone) and express until 8:30pm. The sole access is phenomenal and I would recommend it just for that as many of the houses are super unnerving alone.

In an interesting twist, BGW announced an escape room themed to either Mr. Karver or Jack the Ripped and it was obviously planned as I saw them working on the building it was going to be in over Labor Day weekend.

Your move, Tampa!

 

[Tobias]

In an interesting twist, BGW announced an escape room themed to either Mr. Karver or Jack the Ripped and it was obviously planned as I saw them working on the building it was going to be in over Labor Day weekend.

Your move, Tampa!

Yeah, I recently noticed BGW's announcement of the escape rooms. So at least they're doing something with the theme.

As for Tampa, what move? They're already done.

http://www.buschgardenstampablog.com/howl-o-scream-puts-evil-encore-2016

So SW San Antonio is getting a house and a scare zone from the theme, BGW is doing a escape room. Tampa is doing bupkis with the theme. Just something to put on marketing materials and that's it. I don't know what's more baffeling, that they're doing nothing with a shared theme...or the fact that they finished the house announcements with a returning house (ZCU15), and not the new houses.

 

[Tobias]

In an interesting twist, BGW announced an escape room themed to either Mr. Karver or Jack the Ripped and it was obviously planned as I saw them working on the building it was going to be in over Labor Day weekend.

Your move, Tampa!

Yeah, I recently noticed BGW's announcement of the escape rooms. So at least they're doing something with the theme.

As for Tampa, what move? They're already done.

http://www.buschgardenstampablog.com/howl-o-scream-puts-evil-encore-2016

So SW San Antonio is getting a house and a scare zone from the theme, BGW is doing a escape room. Tampa is doing bupkis with the theme. Just something to put on marketing materials and that's it. I don't know what's more baffeling, that they're doing nothing with a shared theme...or the fact that they finished the house announcements with a returning house (ZCU15), and not the new houses.

 

[GAcoaster]

I'll be going to the opening night on the 23rd. I always enjoy BGT's HOS.

 

[kingcooger]

Yeah, I recently noticed BGW's announcement of the escape rooms. So at least they're doing something with the theme.

As for Tampa, what move? They're already done.

HOWL-O-SCREAM PUTS ON AN “EVIL ENCORE” IN 2016 | Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Blog

So SW San Antonio is getting a house and a scare zone from the theme, BGW is doing a escape room. Tampa is doing bupkis with the theme. Just something to put on marketing materials and that's it. I don't know what's more baffeling, that they're doing nothing with a shared theme...or the fact that they finished the house announcements with a returning house (ZCU15), and not the new houses.

To be fair, BGW seemed like they had announced everything until they surprised us with these escape room experiences. That is the key here, these are being marketed as experiences, not houses on their website so BGT could use a similar approach. The only caveat is that I imagine we would see some form of work going on somewhere in the park to support this upcharge experience.

 

[shiekra38]

We haven't done the feast, but it's funny you ask because that is what we were planning on trying this year (assuming we still go). So if you purchase the feast, do they just let you walk to the location where the food is right from the entrance even though the park is closed? I was wondering how that worked. You don't need to already be in the park (daytime ticket) to be able to purchase the feast?

Essentially they give you a wrist band with pumpkins on it..The park is normally closing by the time you get in so you walk directly to The Desert Grill for the buffet and Fiends show..Then the houses open at about 6:30/7..That is the time you can potentially go through a house on your own as nobody is let in the park yet and the Fright Feast is a rather small group

 

[Speed]

I don't remember there being any scarezones last year so it's nice that Busch Gardens is finally bringing them back.

Spoiler: All areas marked in red are scarezones

 

[shiekra38]

Those scare zones were a surprise..Wasn't expecting them at all

 

[GAcoaster]

Very well done scare zones (especially the Wasteland). I thought HOS was good this year and a lot of fun. The Black Spot seemed short, but was well done and FILLED with scare actors.