Event Howl-O-Scream 2016: Evil Encore

[null]

Hey everyone!
Busch Gardens Tampa has updated their social media accounts and official website with this years theme, Evil Encore.
Let the speculation begin!
To start out, I would like to state that to me, the name Evil Encore sounds like a reunion of Howl-O-Scream's past themes. I could be wrong, I wouldn't be surprised that it means something else.
Now for the houses...
I am almost certain that Zombie Mortuary will be retired this year after sporting it's fifth year.
Circus of Superstition is probably on the chopping block after displaying the name "The Last Laugh" in 2015.
Unearthed: Scarlett's Revenge is likely staying though, 50/50 chance I would say.
And since all 3 parks share the theme Evil Encore, it may be safe to say that we will get a shared house for this year.
As for scare zones...
They might have a few scare zones this year since they have "Haunted Houses and Scare Zones" listed on their website.

Who knows.
And finally shows...
I really don't know what to say about shows this year. Fiends has always been a staple, and so its probably returning this year with a few new twists and songs.

And that's pretty much what I'm thinking for this year.
I look forward to hearing other speculation, and I expect to hear some new updates on this year soon...

 

[Jonathan S]

Hey everyone!
Busch Gardens Tampa has updated their social media accounts and official website with this years theme, Evil Encore.
Let the speculation begin!
To start out, I would like to state that to me, the name Evil Encore sounds like a reunion of Howl-O-Scream's past themes. I could be wrong, I wouldn't be surprised that it means something else.
Now for the houses...
I am almost certain that Zombie Mortuary will be retired this year after sporting it's fifth year.
Circus of Superstition is probably on the chopping block after displaying the name "The Last Laugh" in 2015.
Unearthed: Scarlett's Revenge is likely staying though, 50/50 chance I would say.
And since all 3 parks share the theme Evil Encore, it may be safe to say that we will get a shared house for this year.
As for scare zones...
They might have a few scare zones this year since they have "Haunted Houses and Scare Zones" listed on their website. Who knows.
And finally shows...
I really don't know what to say about shows this year. Fiends has always been a staple, and so its probably returning this year with a few new twists and songs.

And that's pretty much what I'm thinking for this year.
I look forward to hearing other speculation, and I expect to hear some new updates on this year soon...

Hey there, Welcome to the forum!

Howl-O-Scream 2016 should see almost all new houses, and feature another live show along with Fiends. (Source via Busch Gardens' facebook page for auditions.)

Zombie Mortuary should not return, period. I believe the reason why they brought it back was because with the transitioning of creative directors (Scott Swenson to ?), they only had so much time to prepare, and old ideas are very easy to hash out at the last second.

Circus won't return, obviously, due to the name signage (last laugh).

As far as Scarlett's Revenge though, I believe this house will remain in Gwazi station, but will receive a retheme for Evil Encore, as you stated.

Death Water Bayou will most likely stay for another year, as well as DeadFall (which will most likely receive an upgrade, as seen in "Thirst for Blood").

The Nairobi Pavillion and Gwazi Park will most likely receive new houses (Nairobi remained empty last year).

Zombie laser tag will also remain for another year (I really want to experience it, missed it for the past 2 years).

The main point I want to speculate on is the future upcharge house. With "The Experiment" gone due to Cobra's Curse, what could we see for this year? If anything, Alone should return because of its popularity.

If anybody wants to add anything on, please do.

 

[null]

The main point I want to speculate on is the future upcharge house. With "The Experiment" gone due to Cobra's Curse, what could we see for this year? If anything, Alone should return because of its popularity.

If anybody wants to add anything on, please do.

While I would love for Alone to return, I highly doubt it.
The Basement is currently occupying Alone's former space, and I trust that The Basement is returning this year.

While 2015 wasn't the garbage heap some of us thought it would be without Scott, it still wasn't up to standards.
Personal Houses were Scott's favorites and he had to fight to have them for the past two years.
With the new guy in charge I'm not sure if we will ever see personal houses back at Howl-O-Scream. If he does, then they won't be like Scott's, obviously.

 

[null]

After more research and brainstorming, I've written down a few theories on what the name "Evil Encore" might mean.
As dealing with Howl-O-Scream, you can hardly ever predict their creativity but I thought I might throw out some theories that I have either come up with myself or have heard from other sources.
Below are 6 theories for what this years theme might be about...

1. A Reunion of Past Icons/Themes.
This is what I think is most likely. Being the year 2016, it could be a take on sweet 16 birthdays. They brought back a few icons for Unearthed, but still.

2. An Old Theater.
This theory comes up because of the sounds of slides shifting as stated by CastleOSullivan in Williamsburg's Howl-O-Scream thread. Yet he mentioned an evil fairground which brings us to the next theory...

3.Clowns/Circus/Fairground.
Now this one seems to be a popular theory on ParkFans.
Evil Clowns or an Evil Fairground/Circus is a possibility, but to me, I dont really think clowns or a circus when I think Evil Encore. But anything is possible.

4. An Evil Concert/Band.
While they already did the idea of an evil singer and band back in 2010 (My X with Sylvie). It is backed up by the images of spotlights in some of the social media accounts and website.


5. A Magic Show/Other Performance.
Getting to the last two of the theories, this is just an oddball idea I thought of. A magician who kills his assistants and volunteers with tricks would be cool. Maybe...

6. The exact same lineup as 2015.
As for the last theory,
Evil Encore, while highly unlikely, could be translatable to the exact same lineup as 2015. I don't think this will happen, but I'm just putting it out there on the slim chance that it comes true.

EDIT:
The theme has been revealed
Mr. Karver put his heart and soul into his dolls. After the authorities came to close him down, Karver locked himself in his “Hall Of Dolls” and burned it to the ground. Now, the dummies are back and they insist the show must go on.

 

[CastleOSullivan]

[tweet=https://twitter.com/howloscream/status/751108385353834497]

If they mean that Circus of Superstition is returning for yet another year, that is one heck of a bad note. That house has been on the chopping block for at least the past three years. In 2014, they had the subtitle "last laugh", Which was later removed from the title. In 2015, they added "the final act" or something like that.

 

[CastleOSullivan]

I have heard rumors that Howl-O-Scream planning will be more Williamsburg-centralized this year. That might explain this. That could mean that BGW will get a higher priority, but Tampa may or may not be forgotten entirety.

 

[Zachary]

This is almost an oxymoron...

[tweet=https://twitter.com/howloscream/status/751438651238780928]

And BGT inviting us to come face our fears... of this house returning again... seems quite fitting.

 

[null]

The website has been updated with Unearthed on it's haunted house list.

 

[Jonathan S]

The website has been updated with Unearthed on it's haunted house list.

Not surprised that Unearthed has been rehashed, but c'mon really!? Another year of a cheesy 3D Clown house, Busch you can do so much better than this!

I really do hope that there are new houses this year, but based upon Busch's trend to bring back old houses (most likely easier to stage and construct), I'm thinking we'll have another 2015 with only one new house...

And so help me god if they bring back Zombie Mortuary, I will be very upset with the creative team!

 

[CastleOSullivan]

I like the updated "Unearthed" logo. They essentially just used the concept art for the facade. It works though.

 

[null]

UPDATE:
Williamsburg has announced that the name "Evil Encore" does indeed entail a Circus theme! At least for them...

I would like to give some of my personal thoughts on to what is happening with the event right now.

Williamsburg has announced a new house this year, "Circo Sinistro".
Tampa has not announced this house for themselves nor has San Antonio.
This could mean 2 things:

1.This means that they are not sharing a house this year as with Unearthed.

2.This could just be that they have not announced it yet. They are releasing their house line-up one by one again, so they may just be keeping it til the end of announcements.

As for the new houses this year...both Circus of Superstition AND Unearthed have been announced on the line-up, this means that either we are getting only 1 new house once more, or that a different house is going upstairs (Zombie Containment Unit 15, The Basement).

We will have to see how it goes

 

[CastleOSullivan]

I will be furious if those are the only returning mazes (I doubt it). Circus of Superstition was originally intended as a two year house. Death Water Bayou can stay as long as it wants, because in my opinion, that was the first (perhaps only) maze to surpass the popularity of Zombie Mortuary. Unless Tampa pulls something from under our noses, I'm not expecting much for them, sadly.

 

[null]

Fiends has returned with a new logo

 

[wombat96]

Looks like 2016 will have an icon.

 

[null]

It appears that said icon is an elderly female.
Looks interesting, I look forward to how this year's theme unfolds.

I took some screen-shots and brightened them a little to make it easier to see.

 

[The Hessian]

Yeah it might be a female but that hair is misleading and there isn't any other characteristics that can be pointed out that lead the Icon to being female. Its still up in the air as far as I can tell

 

[null]

Further details include that the area in which this video is filmed in includes doll heads, lighting equipment of sorts, wood carving tools (i guess), a typewriter, and a pair of glasses....hmmm.

 

[The Hessian]

wood carving tools (i guess)

Those are Wood Carving tools and I should know its been a hobby of mine for several years now.

 

[CastleOSullivan]

It looks very much like the woodshop from the Trickster commercial which didn't air on TV. Maybe he has a girlfriend. I don't know. He was very quite perverted, which was the main reason as to why they removed his character.

I have expressed in the past why I think his character as it was should never be rehashed. That said, most people don't know anything about him except what he looks like. Maybe he will come back for more. He made his own props.

 

[null]

UPDATE 2:
I took another screen-shot and put it into photoshop.
I brightened a little more, played with some colors, and sharpened it.

The supposed icon may actually be an elderly male. He or she appears to be wearing a tool apron, and a tunic. As confirmed by The Hessian, the icon works in wood carving. Maybe a puppet maker?

Another interesting thing I discovered is that whatever that wall-thing is behind him/her features the same wallpaper on the website... EDIT: After showing this picture to my dad, he assumes that said wall-thing is a mantelpiece / fireplace, it almost looks like there are a few fireplace tools next to it...huh

This also doesn't seem like it has anything to do with clowns. So at this point I'm guessing all parks are the same theme name but a different concept, which I like.

Below is the photoshopped image.
Please add any speculation!