Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Unleashes New Horrors for Howl-O-Scream 2025

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is preparing to awaken the darkest corners of your imagination as Howl-O-Scream returns this fall. On select nights, the park will transform into a sprawling nightmare filled with new haunted houses, scare zones, roaming hordes, and sinister live entertainment.

*Howl-O-Scream 2025 at Busch Gardens Tampa. Courtesy United Parks & Resorts, Inc.*

This year’s event promises more frights than ever before, introducing two all-new haunted houses, plus enhanced storylines for a returning favorites. Alongside them, guests will encounter three new scare zones, fresh hordes prowling the park, and chilling shows designed to keep the screams coming long after the haunts end.

Haunted Houses

*Howl-O-Scream haunted house. Courtesy United Parks & Resorts, Inc.*

Guests can venture into a terrifying lineup of haunted houses, including two brand-new experiences plus some reimagined returning nightmares:

M.A.R.S. (NEW!) – Board the wrecked Elysium spacecraft, stranded on Mars after a catastrophic crash. Survivors cling to life as insect-like alien creatures swarm the wreckage. Your mission: reach the ship’s core before the infestation spreads—or join the doomed crew forever.
Ravens Mill: Lambs to the Slaughter (Upgraded) – Once a thriving farming community, Raven’s Mill has taken a gruesome turn. Scarecrows stitched from missing townsfolk stand guard as the mill grinds bone and flesh. Every visitor risks becoming the next harvest.
D.H. Baggum’s Circus of Fear (Returning) – Step right up, step right up, to the most horrifying spectacle ever witnessed! D.H. Baggum’s collection of grotesque creatures will chill you to the bone. Beware, for the midway is a hunting ground. D.H. stalks the unsuspecting, snatching them away for a sinister purpose.
Stranglewood Estate – Once a hub of lavish parties, Stranglewood Estate now echoes with the whispers of its dark past. Madame Stranglewood, a beloved socialite with a hidden penchant for cruelty, ruled this town with an iron fist. She lured unsuspecting servants into a secret room in the basement, where she ended their lives, trapping their souls in eternal torment.
Shadows of Wonderland (Returning) – Alice is gone, but Wonderland has twisted into something far darker. The Queen of Hearts rules a nightmare realm of bitter, vengeful characters.

Scare Zones and Hordes

*Howl-O-Scream Halloween event at Busch Gardens Tampa. Courtesy United Parks & Resorts, Inc.*

The terror won’t be confined to the houses. Scare zones across the park ensure that no path is safe, with monsters lurking in every shadow. Three new zones debut this year, along with new roaming hordes that hunt unsuspecting guests throughout the night.

The Pestilence (NEW!) – Enter a plague-ravaged town where mob doctors drag victims into the Ashen Furnace. No one escapes their “precautions.
Breadcrumbs to Nowhere (NEW!) – Hansel and Gretel’s tale rots in Havenwood Forest, where a decaying cottage hides the Crone’s lair. Once you step inside, you may never find your way out.
Murders at Buckshot Ridge (NEW!) – A logging camp deep in the woods turns blood-soaked as the forest exacts its revenge. Rotting cabins and shifting paths trap the unwary.

Sawgrass Slaughter: Legend of the Skunk Ape (Returning) – Venture into the depths of the Everglades, where the stench of decay and a pungent, musky odor fill the air.
Ragnar’s Wrath (Returning) – Vikings haunt the charred remains of their longhouse, consumed by icy winds and death’s stench.

*Live entertainment at Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream Halloween event. Courtesy United Parks & Resorts, Inc.*

Sinister Shows and Entertainment

In between scares, guests can take in sinister stage productions:

The Reckoning – Witness a battle of good versus evil as innocent Lark faces her fate before the Gatekeeper.
Cirque X-Scream – A high-energy stunt spectacle blending acrobatics and thrills that keep audiences on the edge of their seats.

Guests can also take a break from the screams at themed bars serving eerie cocktails in chilling atmospheres.

Upgrades for Fear Fans

*Roller coaster in the dark during Howl-O-Scream. Courtesy United Parks & Resorts, Inc.*

Howl-O-Scream offers multiple ways to upgrade the experience:

Front Line Fear Passes – Skip the lines at all haunted houses starting at $69.99. Includes front-of-the-line access to five haunted houses of choice, with single-use priority entry at each house. *Seasonal pricing applies, and Howl-O-Scream admission is required but not included.
Front Line Fear Extreme – includes front-of-the-line access at all five haunted houses along with single-use priority entry to ten of Busch Gardens’ most popular thrill rides, including the all-new Phoenix Rising, Serengeti Flyer, Iron Gwazi, Tigris, Cheetah Hunt, SheiKra, Kumba, Montu, Falcon’s Fury, and Cobra’s Curse. *Seasonal pricing applies, and Howl-O-Scream admission is required but not included.
Ultimate VIP Tour – Includes
admission to Howl-O-Scream for groups of two or more, led by a private VIP tour guide. Guests enjoy front-of-the-line access to all haunted houses and major thrill rides, as well as exclusive entry to a VIP-only lounge stocked with complimentary snacks, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. The package also includes priority access to the park’s themed bars, a dinner at Dragon Fire Grill, reserved seating at all Howl-O-Scream shows, and preferred parking. Tours begin at $299.99 per person (minimum of two).

Howl-O-Scream is a separately ticketed event running select nights Sept. 5 – Nov. 2 after 7pm. For tickets and more information, visit the official Busch Gardens Tampa website Here.

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