Howl-O-Scream Turns Up The Scares in Tampa Bay

Back for another year of bone-chilling thrills, Busch Gardens Tampa's Howl-O-Scream is now open for its 2016 season.  The event is billed as "Tampa Bay's premier Halloween event," drawing thousands of thrill seekers each fall to test their fright limits.

This year the event will run for 21 nights, giving visitors over 300 acres of "terrifying horrors and merciless roaming hoards" to explore.  This year the event has seven different haunted houses, with two of them being brand new.

© Busch Gardens Tampa

The first of the two additions is named Motel Hell, whose name probably gives away a lot about its theme!  Set in a super creepy deserted motel, the park is promising that nightmares will become reality for those who dare to enter.  "The paranormal presence of its former owners still lurks on the untouched property, mysteriously preventing the brave souls who are attempting to tear it down. Guests who dare to enter will find themselves face-to-face with their worst nightmares and inescapable fate."

© Busch Gardens Tampa

Also new this year is The Black Spot, a bit of a mysterious maze that centers around pirates - mainly Saw Tooth Silas.  The story goes that he was a pretty bad guy, and once he decided that a person was to be removed from his crew, they were sent to The Black Spot - and never seen from again... at least not in one piece.  The maze allows guests to enter Saw Tooth Silas' world and the results of his terrors.

While the mazes are always going to be the big draw of Howl-O-Scream, Busch Gardens Tampa has worked to make the entire park a bit more scary in 2016.  The property will now have Inescapable Roaming Hordes of monsters and ghouls which will freely roam the park, proving that no area is truly safe.  Essentially this makes the whole place a scare zone, keeping visitors on their toes!

All the fun also comes with the park's rides such as the brand new Cobra's Curse and the face-first free fall, Falcon's Fury.  For more on the event, click here.