Howl-O-Scream 2010

[Chris]

Yes, officially HOS '09 is not even done yet, but I think it's already time to begin speculating what next year's HOS has in store.

At this point I think the focus of this thread should probably be on what we think will be back next year and what won't be.

I don't think it's out of the question to not expect any of the Festhaus Park attractions as that area will hopefully be closed off and under construction. I think there are plenty of possibilities for replacement locations though.

I think the stables in Heatherdowns could be converted into a house and even a small scarezone in the grassy area just outside of them. Also, I don't think it's out of the question that the vacated stables outside of Festa could be used as well as the land that surrounds it. It would be easy enough for a temporary path to be constructed from where the entrance to Cursed was this year.

I think we could actually have more attractions next year than this year. What does everyone else think?

 

[Wings]

If anything is removed from Festhaus Park, I think they would leave the Drachen Fire Station (one closest to the Festhaus) because that building is used for special events occasionally - and they need some sort of housing for special events there. That would leave some plains still which would have room for a smaller Harvest Hallow style attraction outside. So we'd only be missing one maze back there.

Moving towards France and Ireland, I think they are going to do a repeat, or have some sort of mazes in the Catacombs and CoD area.

Moving to Scotland, I think it is a pure possibility that if that building that currently or probably by now DID house the Clydesdales is cleaned out completely, cages and all - it would have room for a maze about the size of Masquerage in it, and could utilize some of the land in the back.

Pompeii, I would bet my life savings would still be there, I would have no changes to the actual attraction part of it.

Moving to Festa Italia, I wouldn't be surprised if they started to use the Roman Rapids Queue again as a Maze considering the fact it wasn't worth the money having it open in 2009 during the Howl-O-Scream season. As for the that now open land behind San Marco next to Festa I think it could be used as a Harvest Hallow Style scare zone after the Maze that would exist in the Cursed Area, that would take the exitees out to San Marco.

 

[yaytez]

Parade of the dead. All I'm sayin.

 

[Zachary]

WARNING: LOTS OF THOUGHTS IN ONE POST!

Parade of the dead. All I'm sayin.

I like the sound of that. A LOT. I've thought for a while that a parade at Busch would fit well...

BTW: You seem to have a lot of info. Make sure you stick around here...

A HOS parade could be like a combo of a show and a scare-zone! Ok, I cannot wait till October now!

I picked "Less" because I want the Drachen Fire buildings to come down ASAP. When they are gone, that means we can expect things to be going up soon after.

 

[BTT_Racheal]

I have a lot of info too.. I'm just good at keeping my mouth shut.

BTW: You seem to have a lot of info. Make sure you stick around here...

Anyway. I think they may not do the maze in the Rapids queue line next year.. (crazy) people rode it during the day.

Just an assumption, but since Wolf's queue line is still there, they may use it for a house and remove one of the mazes in FHP. If they're really going to remove it, I guess we'll find out opening day this year.

I think there is going to be a new show in the Festhaus this year.. Personally I didn't like Frakenrock (I also didn't hear a lot of positive stuff about it compared to Monster Stomp). I also think Catacombs will be a returning maze (maybe with another name). I found it funny they used a lot of the Masquerage props.

When we talked to Scott G., it almost sounded like they want to expand their event to compete with BGT, however, if they keep the "kid-friendly" thing going, they'll never be able to be like BGT.

 

[Zachary]

I was going though BTT's videos on YouTube and found one that I completely missed before:

(Skip to 2:25)

Hay rides and sleigh rides... Hmm...

 

[GoHokies87]

Moving to Scotland, I think it is a pure possibility that if that building that currently or probably by now DID house the Clydesdales is cleaned out completely, cages and all - it would have room for a maze about the size of Masquerage in it, and could utilize some of the land in the back.

You sound out of the loop(no roller coaster pun intended), check this out:http://bgwfans.com/?p=655

 

[Zachary]

I think he posted that before it was announced...

 

[BuschFreak5]

I voted same. Considering the large update they made last year, they're probably more concerned over large 2011 attraction maybe?

 

[Wings]

I honestly hope they keep RR closed and put a maze in there, and not have one in New France, Masquerage was one of my favorite mazes.

 

[Merboy]

I really loved the Vampire maze in the old drachen fire station. It was really well themed and scary, man. If there was any rivalry between the mazes (which I'm sure there was, lol) that one must have had a lot to brag about. Unfortunately, I went with my sister (that's not the unfortunate part) and she's a screamer. She walked in front of me and huddled down behind our cousin (who's 6-foot something) and the creatures loved to go after her. Easy target, man. Which sucked because it meant NONE of them went after me. Not a single one! In fact, many of them even crept around from behind me to get at my sister. Ugh. Lame.

Oh and about the "family-friendly" maze in Pompeii. I loved being able to actually go into the base of the building, but lemme tell you... as a preschool teacher, that shit was *not* family friendly. A skeleton charging out of the wall at you? Various bloody things scattered everywhere? No ma'am. At the youngest, I'd advise 15 and up. And yes, I'm talking about the tour in the day, not the scarier version at night.

Oh and also, the maze in Ireland. That place was SO dark!!! There was one point where you cross the bridge or something (I didn't know exactly what I was walking on because it was so dark), all I could feel was the railing and the ground beneath my feet which, being in a maze, I felt could disappear at any time or turn into sand or rickety wooden boards or something. I otherwise loved it (especially the guys on rollerskates or whatever) but man it was so dark!

Oh and my favorite person in the mazes was the guy who was on some kind of elastic cords or something and jumped down from the ceiling and then went right back into the mist. I don't remember which maze that was, but I loved it.

 

[Shafor]

Oh and about the "family-friendly" maze in Pompeii. I loved being able to actually go into the base of the building, but lemme tell you... as a preschool teacher, that shit was *not* family friendly. A skeleton charging out of the wall at you? Various bloody things scattered everywhere? No ma'am. At the youngest, I'd advise 15 and up. And yes, I'm talking about the tour in the day, not the scarier version at night.

I don't know... my 3 year old loved it. She used to carry around this stuffed dragon with her at the time and would put him on her shoulders give him the "tour." She must have gone though it a two dozens times. In fact, she was upset when we went this year and she saw that the maze wasn't open.

Now my 7 year old... wouldn't go near it. Didn't go through once. Big chicken

 

[Wings]

Oh and about the "family-friendly" maze in Pompeii. I loved being able to actually go into the base of the building, but lemme tell you... as a preschool teacher, that shit was *not* family friendly. A skeleton charging out of the wall at you? Various bloody things scattered everywhere? No ma'am. At the youngest, I'd advise 15 and up. And yes, I'm talking about the tour in the day, not the scarier version at night.

I think fifteen is a little stretching it, I was in these haunted houses without a problem at age 12.

 

[Merboy]

I think fifteen is a little stretching it, I was in these haunted houses without a problem at age 12.

10, 11, 12 or so, fine. But when I hear "family-friendly" I think "this is something I can take my 4-year-old to see" but many of the elements of that maze were not something I'd show a 4yo.

 

[Erin]

I think that since Blackstone now owns Busch Gardens, Howl-O-Scream will be much bigger and better than ever this season. Blackstone owns half of Universal Studio's, and I know that their Halloween Horror Nights is supposed to be super scary and good. It seems to be that they're changing a lot this first year, so who knows what will be in store for us. I checked out the website for Howl-O-Scream, and it said that it was "Under Destruction". Ha! It also said that it will be up sometime in June. I remember last year checking out the website in late August/ Early September, and it not having anything at all, I think the website came up just before Howl-O-Scream actually started last year, if I am remembering right. I think that this is also a sign. When I was on the train the other day by the old Drachen Fire Station, I noticed that they had these grey plastic rocks with built in speakers in the grass, the first thought that came to my mind was Jack's Halloween Haunted Express. I really think that they're doing some early preparation for this season. Also, when I was on the train, I looked over to where last season's haunted house, Cursed, was, near Roman Rapids. I don't know if it was just me, but it looked like they were already starting to set up another haunted house over there. Because during Christmas Town, when I was on the train, I remember distincly looking over there and seeing nothing. If they are already setting up when the full season hasn't even started yet, this year's Howl-O-Scream is going to be something to look forward to, that's a definite.

 

[Zachary]

Cursed has not been taken down. Everything that I have seen in the Drachen Fire area is has been left over from last year.

 

[STMolo]

Are they trying to eliminate damage to the props now?

 

[Erin]

Cursed has not been taken down. Everything that I have seen in the Drachen Fire area is has been left over from last year.

Ok, so Cursed hasn't been taken down yet.
But I've been going everyday to Busch Gardens with my friends since it opened, and I went all of fall and Christmas last year. The speaker rocks are new. They didn't have them on opening day either, just when last week began is when they went up.

 

[Chris]

But I've been going everyday to Busch Gardens with my friends since it opened, and I went all of fall and Christmas last year. The speaker rocks are new. They didn't have them on opening day either, just when last week began is when they went up.

Could be for the concerts/sports event. Did they look like they were set in place, or were they bunched together like they were later going to be moved? I'll have to try to get a picture next Friday.

 

[Erin]

But I've been going everyday to Busch Gardens with my friends since it opened, and I went all of fall and Christmas last year. The speaker rocks are new. They didn't have them on opening day either, just when last week began is when they went up.

Could be for the concerts/sports event. Did they look like they were set in place, or were they bunched together like they were later going to be moved? I'll have to try to get a picture next Friday.

Okay, that'd be great!
I'll try and do the same.
They were set in place in a long row, and the rocks were sort of scuffed up like they are for Howl-O-Scream. They were lined up close to the train tracks, I don't really get the feeling that they're gonna be used for the concerts or sport events.