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

 

[RKRCC]

This park just sounds like an absolute mess this year. Jesus. Guess I know what im skipping for 2 years in a row lol I feel like Hunt Club is better at this point and theyve had the same line up for the last 10 years

I wouldn’t give up on it…. The husband and I went on Friday and had a great time. My advice would be to avoid Saturdays (I know that may be hard to some) and eat before you go. The mazes and terrortories were very well stocked for a Friday in September and should only get better. Our first Friday was great and hopefully it will only get better as the park gets further into the season….

 

[basseyfish]

I wouldn’t give up on it…. The husband and I went on Friday and had a great time. My advice would be to avoid Saturdays (I know that may be hard to some) and eat before you go. The mazes and terrortories were very well stocked for a Friday in September and should only get better. Our first Friday was great and hopefully it will only get better as the park gets further into the season….

Don't really care how many actors are in an area. Halloween is more about atmosphere than scares imo, and it sounds like busch just doesnt deliver. Sound, music, lights, set decorations. Enough of my complaining opinion though. The park is just taking 15 steps backwards each year. Hopefully things are changed in the weeks. Aslong as the GP are happy then they don't care

 

[Nicole]

I think it it worth waiting a few weeks, before assessing the quality of HOS for the 2022 season. Historically, they have (unfortunately) continued to add theming and actors over the first few weeks. I'm not saying that is acceptable (obviously, it isn't), but it does mean that it might be a more immersive experience in October than now.

 

[Nibbins]

Howl-o-Scream "food" options:

Howl-o-Scream Sundae



Howl-o-Scream Funnel Cake

 

[Coasternerd]

Please tell me the ice cream is Josephine’s?

 

[WDWRLD]

Yea where did you get those?

 

[Nibbins]

Please tell me the ice cream is Josephine’s?

Yea where did you get those?

The Sundae is from Roman Freeze, the Funnel Cake was Three River Snacks.

Haven't checked Josephine's or the other funnel cake locations, but I would imagine they have the same available.

 

[WDWRLD]

Ahhh…..Will have to check them
out. Now I see why the line was so long at Roman when I was just trying to get a drink Saturday night. Josephine’s isnt open just to add.

 

[Coasternerd]

Josephine’s isnt open just to add.

Which is annoying because that’s the only place in the park (that and Les Frites/Pretzel World) that I get food.

 

[Mwe BGW]

Please tell me the ice cream is Josephine’s?

Josephine's is closed.

 

[GrantLee123]

Josephine's is closed.

How long was it even open?

 

[Coolguy15]

Went Saturday with my girlfriend. Here are my house rankings from best to worst:

1. Killarney Diner
2. Inferno
3. Nevermore Chapter 2
4. Witch of the woods.
Wasn’t able to do Death Water Bayou

 

[CoasterTalkBob]

If increasing staffing were as simple as "just hiring" more, I'm pretty sure they would have done it already. We have debated the reasons for their staffing issues at length. Regardless of why they don't have enough people, it clearly isn't something they can fix easily.

Since they do not have enough staff, I think it makes sense to offer more dining options during one of their busiest events.

Not an argument in the least bit but more of a different point of view -- It's highly possible that there isn't an interest in solving the problem even if they consider the staffing shortages a problem. Regardless of whether or not they are trying to hire people or they are specifically not looking to hire anyone the result is still that labor costs are much lower. If people are still showing up at your park, paying obscene amounts of money, and you're saving tons of a money on labor, are you going to be motivated to fix the problem?

I’m expecting there’s going to be a day where BGW is going to have to give out so many Busch Bucks that it’s going to piss off Scott to the level that he fires everyone or the board fires him.

You're assuming that they will always try to make things better with something. You could have the worst scenario occur and nothing says they will give you Busch Bucks. I was promised a replacement ticket that I never received. I don't have faith in BGW comping anything..... I'm honestly surprised that people get anything as it is.

I wish we had a shrug emoji because this isn’t the first time we’ve seen reports or low on drinks and outsourced stuff being run out of. I can’t really see how over time things would get worse from the same person in charge who’s in the field.

I honestly don't thinks I'd put any fault on the food truck(s) because they have limited space to carry supplies...... Even if they know it's going to be slammed all they can do is fill their truck and sell what they can. I'd say this rests solely on BGW not having enough food trucks come in or running their own establishments properly.

 

[Icer]

On one hand I am excited this weekend's weather is going to be like the first fall weather weekend we have had, on the other hand I am pissed that my weekend trip is going to be flooded with even more people considering that fact.

 

[WDWRLD]

It’s pathetic when park operations suck so bad that guests look at great weather as something that will make their experience bad.

 

[MIKEYT67]

It’s pathetic when park operations suck so bad that guests look at great weather as something that will make their experience bad.

INot at all what he said
Has nothing to do with operations I believe he is talking crowd size

 

[Icer]

To be fair, my main fear is the poor operations. Didn't use to be a full capacity park meant no chance at getting food even at 4:30 unless you want to wait 30 plus minutes to get overcharged for sub-par food, drinks selling out, trash cans being full, bathrooms being disgusting.

I used to look at high capacity days as "ah show up early and stay in to guarantee a parking spot before they close the gates" but now it is "do I even go? I won't be able to get any service".

 

[WDWRLD]

Exactly what @Ice said, years ago you knew HOS would fill to capacity and be packed. You needed to be at the park around 2-3pm to get in but you could chill, have dinner and get ready to HoS to start. Now there is no reason to get there early to get in. The crowds are no where near as big as they were yet the park has decided to close some dining locations, close drink carts, not have as many bars, one serving line at Festhaus and Trappers, and basically make it a pain to get anything. They still want to push dining plans but you can’t use those at the food trucks.

 

[bill s]

Don't really care how many actors are in an area. Halloween is more about atmosphere than scares imo, and it sounds like busch just doesnt deliver. Sound, music, lights, set decorations. Enough of my complaining opinion though. The park is just taking 15 steps backwards each year. Hopefully things are changed in the weeks. Aslong as the GP are happy then they don't care

But atmosphere only gets you so far if there are no scares, or the atmosphere needs to stand alone or something else. If you're building up to something, eventually that something should happen. That was my issue with the event last Sunday.

I saw some scares, and even got startled indirectly. I'm almost used to most scares being directed at those probably more easily scared, but when so few actors really do much of anything anyway, and there is never really any break in the conga line, scares become very rare indeed. I did see some actors looking for the perfect moment, but apparently in 5 houses that was never me.

My favorite was Death Water Bayou, which had some good sets, and was less crowded by then, as I only went through because Pantheon had closed down early. Witch of the Woods isn't worth the hike if it's as humid when you go. As to the scare zones, except for England going in, they seemed to be catching their breath between groups or taking a nap every time I went through.

 

[CoasterAuditor]

I was at the park Friday night last week and only did 2 of the mazes Witch of the Woods and Death Water Bayou. I liked the latter of the two a lot more. I wish we did Nevermore Chapter 2 over Witch of the Woods but my group accidentally walked that way and I didn't feel like directing at the park for once since I was with thoosies. I like DWB more than Circo that's for sure, but I definitely prefer KDs Blood on the Bayou (at least last year) in comparison. I went through the scare zones in Rhinefield, England, and Italy. I liked in Italy the scare actors pretending to be statues I'm sure that messes with people. Witch seemed understaffed that night. Also got some night rides on Alp, Apollo, Pantheon, and Nessie. For some reason we just didn't end up in France, New France or Ireland at all but the park closing at 10 definitely limited our flexibility.

Overall I definitely enjoyed the brief visit and will need to get back for the other mazes and last of the year rides on Griffon, Alp, Nessie, and I have to assume Apollo will be going down in the winter for rehab after cycling all year but who knows.