RE: Howl-O-Scream and the Internet Wayback Machine
Oh man the 2005 site took me back.
Every year in late July/August, I was sitting on my dial-up speed computer, checking that site every day for updates.
the scare zones, Festa Dementia was like the best one they've ever had (It was called that for years.) Not only did it have tons of great theming, (So many clown laying around the garden area, circus props, the works.) And at night, it had the best scare actors, and they weren't those the Dark Knight Joker masks, very few actors wore masks. They just had their faces painted, and each costume was different. And back then they had a little street show type thing, over near the Tradewinds, in that open area (that i think now is picnic tables?? I haven't been on the tradewinds in ages.) But it was all enclosed, with big freak show posters. I never watched the show, I just knew it was there. And then there were the teacups. The teapot was removed, and a clown was hanging upside down in the middle, they had thick black curtains covered in polka-dots, and it was black-lit. (Although that version of the teacups may have been 03-04 time frame, rather than 05.)
2005, sadly was about the year when it started to go downhill-ish (before the past few years, where it has been near disastrous.) The years prior, there was heavy themes in certain spots. And some area that weren't so heavily themed, had a few more scare actors in the path. I can't vouch for the houses, I didn't actually start entering the houses until... 2006??
Ahhh the days where i did nothing but watch shows, and cried while walking around the park, refusing to let go of my dad's hand. Good times... good times...