Howl-O-Scream is a different experience every time I go. Some weekends are lackluster, while on others the atmosphere and scares are great. I went on Sunday, and overall it was pretty good. Here are my thoughts:
Bitten was really good. It was VERY dark in there. (Or maybe it was just because it was my first maze and my eyes hadn't adjusted.) There were a lot of actors. Also, something very cool happened. A girl slipped in front of me just as I was going through the gate, and I thought, WTF? Throughout the maze she was texting on her phone and looked uninterested. Then, about halfway through, one of the male vampires grabs her and drags her away as she's screaming like mad. That's dedication! One thing it didn't like, getting sand in my shoe.
Hunted was...meh. None of the actors were really up to par. The set up was improved from last year, but nobody was really scaring, or surprising. I think It'll probably get better later on.
Harvest Hallow was improved over last year. But that's not saying much since last year it was AWFUL. It was ok. The actors were creepy, but not surprising. BUT I did this one while it was still light out, so the atmosphere wasn't at its best.
Cursed was pretty good. It was lacking in actors in some parts. There was a problem with backups in the maze when I went in, so that was a real mood killer. But this maze has lots of potential.
Catacombs. It wasn't as long as I hoped it would be. But the dark claustrophobic environment was created really well. The actors could have been WAY better when I went in. I expect this to be the best maze once HOS runs for awhile.
One thing I think they should do, especially on slow nights, is space the groups apart, and make them smaller. Sure the lines would be longer, but it would give the actors a chance to get ready, and improve the overall experience of the maze.
Scare is Everywhere. It's not really everywhere. There are lots of gaps in coverage, like Ireland, Oktoberfest, Festa Italia, and (when I was there) the Wild Preserve. Though, the chainsaw guys in Canada (I'm not even going to bother calling it New France anymore.), were really good. Plus, it made sense. I think there could have been more mummies in front of Pompeii, and those guys who skidded on their knees in Germany disappeared once it started raining.
I didn't see any of the shows. (yet!)
I will probably go to Howl-O-Scream at least two more times. I look forward to any changes that are made.