So, if you've been reading the HowlOScream "Actual" thread you've realized by now that I'm insane, based off of the fact that I ventured to Busch Gardens last night, a Saturday night near the peak of the HOS season. Well, ironically I AM NOT insane. But before we get to the fun stuff I've gotta give you a little background info on why we went. One of my friends, a foreign exchange student from Holland, had no idea what Halloween was and also had never ridden an American coaster, so needless to say, we had to get in somehow to introduce her to how we celebrate Halloween, and also to teach her what a haunted house was. We had an amazing time despite a few setbacks:
We arrived at the park around 5:15pm. Whoops, the park is at capacity and you must turn around. Curse words ensue. Anyway, we killed some time and drove to Pierce's, strike that, we got lost trying to find Pierce's and then finally found it. Um......YUUUUUUUM. Anyway, I checked FB mobile and still no word from BG about reopening. So, what do you expect four seventeen year olds to do on Saturday night? Walk around Walmart aimlessly. Thirty minutes later, at 7:50, we decided to chance it and try BG again. We sat on the on-ramp for a good forty minutes, but the sign read: Park is NEARING capacity, so we were put in a much better mood.
Quick little note: tourists are a** holes. Isn't it against the law to drive into the exit median and wait for some unsuspecting driver to coast, then you fly in front of them? Oh yea, four cars did it to the car in front of us. Marathon of car horns ensues. What really ticked me off was there was a police car sitting on the on ramp from Route 60, which is a ONE LANE on ramp. Not the one from 64 which is three lanes. Nice planning. Anyway, sorry for the rant, back to it.....
We got into the park around 8:30. Sat in line to buy a one year ticket for my friend for thirty minutes. Don't get me started on that one, there were three families in front of us. OH- the Christmas Town lights are on the ticket kiosks now. They may have never taken them down, but I thought I'd throw that out there. Alright, so we finally got in, I got through the finger scanner on my first try, for the first time this whole year. Now that the boring stuff is done, let's get on to the Olde Country shall we?
England has the best Halloween theme this side of Hell. Perfect execution, perfect costumes, perfect environment, and the music(which is the theme from Sweeny Todd) is the perfect fit for the area. After getting a picture with one of the lamenting ladies, we headed over to France. Scotland is nice, no real theme, and Ireland, oh Ireland.
The park is definitely listening to us. The scarecrows in the crowd are back, Jack is slightly creepier, but the whole thing is just a fun dance party. My one pet peeve last time was that the hanging pumpkins had no lights in them. That has changed and now many of them have flickering lights inside them. The transition from the Webs and Jack is Back is great, mainly because they play Lady GaGa's Bad Romance on a loop. Um, the webs are nice, spiders really don't get me, so it was kinda blah for me.
Catacombs has gotten better, it's still my favorite maze by far. The theme is brilliant, the scares are elevated, and it really feels like there are a lot of scares in that small area. They got us loads of times in here.
France and the chainsaw are brilliant, but once again chainsaws never really get me riled up, but as I'm sure other visitors know, I am the minority here.
Germany, um.....the sliders don't really scare anyone. Sorry. The vampire theme is great, just a little dull. However the park opening the employee shortcut for crowdflow was nice. That's when my compliments on crowdflow stop. Fifty minutes, for Hunted. OK, i can manage that, its a peak night, and spacing in the mazes has gotten much better. Now here's my main problem, stacking OUTSIDE of Hunted. Yes BEFORE you get in the house. Anyway, nice Sky's back....
Bitten was great as always, it gets better everytime you go through it.
I dont get scared easily, and the scareactors got me numerous times in Hunted. Harvest Hollow: I got double-teamed atleast three times. And they got me good. I don't wanta talk about it, but as a hint, don't look the corn guy in the face, bad things will come to you, including girly high-pitched screams emanating from your male mouth.
It was around 10:44pm when we got out, so we power walked to Appollo's Chariot, and when I say power walk I mean it, like Richard Simmons on crack. Anyway, long story short we made it to AC and got to reride and my friend said it was the most amazing 3 minutes of her life. Oh yea, and as an added bonus, the kid in front of me leaned over and hurled. And FYI, it smelled great.
We left the park around 11:30pm after ice cream in 45 degree weather.
Last thing. Busch Gardens has found a way to create its own weather. Fog is awesome, but when you turn around on the top of AC and see CLOUDS of fog three stories high, you know that this park knows how to create atmosphere, and that can be taken two different ways.
Overall, it was an amazing night. I find it so odd that I go to the park usually once a week, but that one time that you can't get in, it seems like a luxury, and you MUST get in. Anyway, it was an awesome night. Just wish there were pictures.
I'm sure there are usage and spelling errors, I apologize.
-Sky
We arrived at the park around 5:15pm. Whoops, the park is at capacity and you must turn around. Curse words ensue. Anyway, we killed some time and drove to Pierce's, strike that, we got lost trying to find Pierce's and then finally found it. Um......YUUUUUUUM. Anyway, I checked FB mobile and still no word from BG about reopening. So, what do you expect four seventeen year olds to do on Saturday night? Walk around Walmart aimlessly. Thirty minutes later, at 7:50, we decided to chance it and try BG again. We sat on the on-ramp for a good forty minutes, but the sign read: Park is NEARING capacity, so we were put in a much better mood.
Quick little note: tourists are a** holes. Isn't it against the law to drive into the exit median and wait for some unsuspecting driver to coast, then you fly in front of them? Oh yea, four cars did it to the car in front of us. Marathon of car horns ensues. What really ticked me off was there was a police car sitting on the on ramp from Route 60, which is a ONE LANE on ramp. Not the one from 64 which is three lanes. Nice planning. Anyway, sorry for the rant, back to it.....
We got into the park around 8:30. Sat in line to buy a one year ticket for my friend for thirty minutes. Don't get me started on that one, there were three families in front of us. OH- the Christmas Town lights are on the ticket kiosks now. They may have never taken them down, but I thought I'd throw that out there. Alright, so we finally got in, I got through the finger scanner on my first try, for the first time this whole year. Now that the boring stuff is done, let's get on to the Olde Country shall we?
England has the best Halloween theme this side of Hell. Perfect execution, perfect costumes, perfect environment, and the music(which is the theme from Sweeny Todd) is the perfect fit for the area. After getting a picture with one of the lamenting ladies, we headed over to France. Scotland is nice, no real theme, and Ireland, oh Ireland.
The park is definitely listening to us. The scarecrows in the crowd are back, Jack is slightly creepier, but the whole thing is just a fun dance party. My one pet peeve last time was that the hanging pumpkins had no lights in them. That has changed and now many of them have flickering lights inside them. The transition from the Webs and Jack is Back is great, mainly because they play Lady GaGa's Bad Romance on a loop. Um, the webs are nice, spiders really don't get me, so it was kinda blah for me.
Catacombs has gotten better, it's still my favorite maze by far. The theme is brilliant, the scares are elevated, and it really feels like there are a lot of scares in that small area. They got us loads of times in here.
France and the chainsaw are brilliant, but once again chainsaws never really get me riled up, but as I'm sure other visitors know, I am the minority here.
Germany, um.....the sliders don't really scare anyone. Sorry. The vampire theme is great, just a little dull. However the park opening the employee shortcut for crowdflow was nice. That's when my compliments on crowdflow stop. Fifty minutes, for Hunted. OK, i can manage that, its a peak night, and spacing in the mazes has gotten much better. Now here's my main problem, stacking OUTSIDE of Hunted. Yes BEFORE you get in the house. Anyway, nice Sky's back....
Bitten was great as always, it gets better everytime you go through it.
I dont get scared easily, and the scareactors got me numerous times in Hunted. Harvest Hollow: I got double-teamed atleast three times. And they got me good. I don't wanta talk about it, but as a hint, don't look the corn guy in the face, bad things will come to you, including girly high-pitched screams emanating from your male mouth.
It was around 10:44pm when we got out, so we power walked to Appollo's Chariot, and when I say power walk I mean it, like Richard Simmons on crack. Anyway, long story short we made it to AC and got to reride and my friend said it was the most amazing 3 minutes of her life. Oh yea, and as an added bonus, the kid in front of me leaned over and hurled. And FYI, it smelled great.
We left the park around 11:30pm after ice cream in 45 degree weather.
Last thing. Busch Gardens has found a way to create its own weather. Fog is awesome, but when you turn around on the top of AC and see CLOUDS of fog three stories high, you know that this park knows how to create atmosphere, and that can be taken two different ways.
Overall, it was an amazing night. I find it so odd that I go to the park usually once a week, but that one time that you can't get in, it seems like a luxury, and you MUST get in. Anyway, it was an awesome night. Just wish there were pictures.
I'm sure there are usage and spelling errors, I apologize.
-Sky
any way all the mazes were great the only thing bad was fraken rock, i had to leave after 3 minutes it was so bad