Howl-O-Scream Williamsburg 2022

Official Website​

Howl-O-Scream: Virginia Halloween Event | Busch Gardens Williamsburg

The spirit of Halloween is unleashed at Howl-O-Scream! Find haunted houses, escape rooms, scare zones, live shows & roller coasters if you dare.

buschgardens.com

Attraction Lineup​

Haunted Houses​

1. Inferno [New] - Location: Pompeii (?)
2. Death Water Bayou [New] - Location: Festa Field
3. Nevermore Chapter 2 [New] (Updated & Relocated) - Location: Drachen Fire Station Building (?)
4. Witch of the Woods [Returning] - Location: Oktoberfest Woods Maze
5. KILLarney Diner [Returning] - Location: Ireland Simulator

Terror-Tories™​

1. Dead A-head [New] - Location: France
2. Gorgon Gardens [New] - Location: Italy Gardens
3. Scary Tale Road [New] - Location: Rhinefield
4. Meat Market [Returning] - Location: New France
5. Ripper Row [Returning] - Location: England

+ Roaming Hack Pack [Returning] - Location: Where you least expect it​

Shows​

1. Jack is Back [Returning] - Location: Ireland
2. Phantoms of the Festhaus [Returning] - Location: Festhaus
3. Skeletones [Returning] - Location: San Marco
4. Monster Stomp® on Ripper Row [Returning] - Location: Globe Theatre

+ ZomBeats [Returning] - Location: France?​

Party Zones​

1. DJ Marie Antoinette Party Zone [New] - Location: France
2. DJ Masquerade Party Zone [New] - Location: Festa Italia

(These are listed as new, but seem to be in the same areas as the party zones in 2021)

BOOze Bars​

1. Stone-Cold Spirits [New] - Location: Italy Gardens
2. Pete's Provisions [New] - Location: New France
3. Back Alley Bar - Location: England
4. Jack's Nightcap - Location: Ireland
5. Frost Bar - Location: Oktoberfest
6. BarKastle Spirits - Location: Oktoberfest

 

[horsesboy]

It looked like they were working on the Circo area today I am thinking that we might see something different in that area it's definitely worth keeping an eye on if you are at Pantheon or the train in the future.

 

[horsesboy]

Work trucks parked on Circo's entrance area snd it appears that part of the fence has been taken down.

 

[ludmarco]

They brought the Reaper out for today

A week later, I’m just now reading this, bur it made my day

my totally accurate and not at all biased prediction is :

Houses
1) Killarney Diner
2) Witch of the Woods
3) Nevermore (moved to the royal palace)
4) NEW Greek mythology maze (in Pompeii)
5)NEW Carnival of the Damned (generic creepy circus just totally not Circo)(Roman rapids)

Terrortories
1) Ripper Row
2) Meat Market
3) NEW zombie gladiators (San Marco)
4) NEW Bavarian Boogeymen or a Frankenstein-esque escaped creature idea(Rhineland)

Shows
1) Monster Stomp on Ripper Row
2)Jack is Back
3)Dig it Up
4)Phantoms of the Festhaus


This is no way based on any knowledge or leaks and I expect to be wrong about a lot but this is what I’d like to see and what they could pull off.

I would love to see a mythology-inspired haunted house. The past few years BG haunted houses have been… less creative than they have been in the past, and, like every year, I’m hoping this year will be different and I will walk into some amazing houses

On another note, I’ll be devastated if they get rid of Ripper Row. I would be perfectly content if it became a permanent part of HOS

 

[Coasternerd]

A week later, I’m just now reading this, bur it made my day

I would love to see a mythology-inspired haunted house. The past few years BG haunted houses have been… less creative than they have been in the past, and, like every year, I’m hoping this year will be different and I will walk into some amazing houses

On another note, I’ll be devastated if they get rid of Ripper Row. I would be perfectly content if it became a permanent part of HOS

I mean Monster Stomp on Ripper Row is the full name of the show in there-

 

[horsesboy]

When asked about the Drakken Fire site's future Kevin hinted at a return of a maze to the building for Howl-O-Scream obviously this could simply be a dodge effort especially since it was shortly after the track is for a coaster themed maze line but it might be worth keeping an eye on.

 

[Diamond Dave]

When asked about the Drakken Fire site's future Kevin hinted at a return of a maze to the building for Howl-O-Scream obviously this could simply be a dodge effort especially since it was shortly after the track is for a coaster themed maze line but it might be worth keeping an eye on.

Anything they do build in there will probably have to be temporary, so on the quality level of Vault compared to...Bitten.

 

[Zachary]

Yeah, given that the event building definitely doesn't appear to be on track to be ready for HOS, I could see a Vault-style planned-for-one-year house going into Drachen Fire's station building.

 

[MikeLovesKD]

Someone please give me clarity.

Last year was my first time visiting Howl-O-Scream? generally I would go to KD's Haunt, but I decided to give Howl-O-Scream a try. Loved the atmosphere of the park, but the mazes were a bit underwhelming. I went twice. Once in September and once in October. Not a lot of jump scares. Did the park have an employment issue during this time of the year, or is Howl-O-Scream not as jump scary as KD's Haunt?

Need honest opinions, please.

 

[Alpentheon]

Someone please give me clarity.

Last year was my first time visiting Howl-O-Scream? generally I would go to KD's Haunt, but I decided to give Howl-O-Scream a try. Loved the atmosphere of the park, but the mazes were a bit underwhelming. I went twice. Once in September and once in October. Not a lot of jump scares. Did the park have an employment issue during this time of the year, or is Howl-O-Scream not as jump scary as KD's Haunt?

Need honest opinions, please.

Haunt is scarier imo it’s more adult centered

 

[MikeLovesKD]

Haunt is scarier imo it’s more adult centered

I'm glad you told me this.

I figured it was. There were moments in between with no jump scares at all. My guess is that Bush Gardens Williamsburg wants Howl-O-Scream to be me family centered. I honestly had more fun riding the rides at night time. This is a major let down because Bush Gardens has bigger show building space to make mazes scarier. KD's show buildings are very small, so they have to do the best they can to scare you.

 

[horsesboy]

Someone please give me clarity.

Last year was my first time visiting Howl-O-Scream? generally I would go to KD's Haunt, but I decided to give Howl-O-Scream a try. Loved the atmosphere of the park, but the mazes were a bit underwhelming. I went twice. Once in September and once in October. Not a lot of jump scares. Did the park have an employment issue during this time of the year, or is Howl-O-Scream not as jump scary as KD's Haunt?

Need honest opinions, please.

They answer is yes to both questions.

 

[MikeLovesKD]

They answer is yes to both questions.

Thank you too, for responding.

I'm going to be planning my fault visits different this year. I enjoy the night ride experiences at Howl-O-Scream, but the mazes at KD are better. One of the ones I expected more from was NeverMore. That is a sizable event building that Dark Kastle use to sit in. I wanted an intense medieval theme. There is so much opportunity to work with. STEVE THE HAUNT GUY could easily scar the pants off visitors with that kind of space. For those who don't know; that was KD's Haunt director. Not sure if he is still there, but that guy did some creative stuff with the little space KD had.

 

[ManitobaMoose]

Is the lady in this promotional image suppose to be the same witch from last year?

 

[Coolguy15]

Is the lady in this promotional image suppose to be the same witch from last year?
View attachment 27105

looks like the same witch to me.

Work trucks parked on Circo's entrance area snd it appears that part of the fence has been taken down.

I honestly wouldn't be shocked or mad if they took down Circo. It was a pretty weak house. If they chose to remove Killarney, though, I would be upset, that one was the best, hands down.

 

[Icer]

They wouldn't remove Killarney, too much invested into new sets and stuff to throw it all aside. Just my guess, it has remained mostly constructed this entire season, since the building serves no other purpose at the moment. Using the same logic, I expect Nevermore to "return" in some capacity (obviously elsewhere), though Nevermore was very much more piecemeal and recycling of past components, perhaps with the intention of never using that theme again.

With the work happening back by Circo, fair to assume it is getting replaced. Combine that with having to replace the DK building house, I am going to predict:

Returning:
Witch of the Woods
Dystopia
Killarney Diner

New:
House behind roman rapids (maybe yet another clown theme, maybe something like masquerage making a return, maybe a wicked woods)
House intended to run multiple seasons in RPT backstage OR another limited run style house like Vault or Nevermore in the DF queue house

I just have a hunch they won't increase from 5 houses this year with them penny pinching entertainment, but if they do, I would expect both of the "OR" options to come in to play with one of them being Nevermore relocated to DF building.

 

[ludmarco]

Is the lady in this promotional image suppose to be the same witch from last year?
View attachment 27105

Still waiting for the woman from the Dark Side if the Gardens to return… hoping they’ll at least play the song in Oktoberfest again

 

[Zachary]

I just have a hunch they won't increase from 5 houses this year with them penny pinching entertainment

This was confirmed by BGW already (see wiki post).

 

[Icer]

Then it looks like, as always, my hunches are perfectly and completely accurate to the utmost degree.

 

[horsesboy]

Hiring is underway already with audition on the 25th and 30th. $15 an hour for scare actors and a $750 sign on bonus.

 

[Icer]

Really hoping that entices people into doing the job, combined with it already sounding like a fun job. If they can keep the actors safe, this could be a great year for the cast.

Honestly they should also implement a "house of the week"/"zone of the week" thing where whichever cast puts on the best show gets a small bonus or something, incentive to help prevent scareactor fatigue as the event progresses. Not entirely sold on my own idea, but I'd love for them to explore something to help combat this.