During October, the air in Williamsburg, VA starts to get deathly chill. This year the chill will be intensified as Busch Gardens Williamsburg adds FrostBite to its lineup of haunted houses. FrostBite, which replaces the retired Bitten, gives Busch Gardens seven haunted houses.
That’s not the only new feature this year at Howl-O-Scream. The park also will provide an exclusive sneak peek at the event with the first-ever Pass Member Howl-O-Scream Preview Night on Sept. 22. Park guests must have a valid annual Busch Gardens pass to attend this event. This is a great way to show appreciation to the dedicated fans of the park and Howl-O-Scream.
With its ever growing popularity, Howl-O-Scream will officially begin on Sept. 23 and run every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 29. New this year, the park will also stay open until midnight on Saturdays in October and will add two Thursdays, Oct. 19 and 26, to its schedule.
2017 Haunted Houses
- NEW FrostBite: The fire-breathing giant that once guarded the enchanted dark castle has met his chilling demise. He once stalked the premises, providing the warm lifeblood for the stronghold, but now his bones are mere decoration in a macabre icy grave. Frostbite now consumes all those trapped within. The cold is not the only bone-chilling resident of the castle, however. For the ice has teeth … And this frost … Bites.
- Circo Sinistro: No one knows when or where the tents will rise, but all who see them are drawn to find out what lies inside Circo Sinistro at Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s Howl-O-Scream. This haunted house is not of this world and not of this time – but beware, what you see, you soon will be.
- Catacombs: Through a ruined cemetery filled with statues lies a tunnel that leads to an underground city. Its history is more terrifying than that of France’s worst revolutions. Deep within these tunnels lie mile after mile of bones—the final resting place for those who are buried here. But all is not as quiet as it appears. As guests venture forth into the dank, dripping corridors of rat infested remains, the voices of the dead begin to speak, and some have taken shape.
- Dead Line: Deep underground, construction of the newest line of the Pompeii Metro was moving smoothly until an ancient pipe was accidentally struck. At first, it seemed like steam. Then the mist became thicker, more sinister. Now the strange gas is leaking quickly, and everyone trapped inside is infected. The difficult decision was made to cut off all communication to the outside world. The Dead Line is off the grid.
- Cornered: It’s 1977 and a picturesque farming community is in an uproar over the ongoing disappearances of its residents. Each time someone goes missing, an intricate corn husk doll is left behind leading many to suspect local corn-farmer Jasper McCobb. The McCobb farm has fallen into disrepair since the death of Jasper’s mother. Could the missing townspeople be somewhere in the maze of maize? Join the search party and find out.
- Lumberhack: Hikers beware: The woods hold a terrifying secret. More than 50 years ago a logging camp was abandoned after a horrific accident where saws ripped into human flesh instead of tree bark. Tragically, the loggers perished … only to inexplicably awaken from death sometime later filled with inhuman rage. The undead loggers rampaged until every living thing in the camp had felt the bite of their axes. Now the forgotten lumberjacks lie waiting for unsuspecting campers to stumble into their den of the damned.
- Unearthed – Scarlett’s Revenge: During maintenance at the park, an excavation crew uncovered a centuries-old house buried deep beneath the ground. Upon opening its door, a sinister force was unearthed—Scarlett—a furious demon who wields a deadly deck of magical cards she uses to summon her evil minions. Journey below to experience the splintered labyrinth of horrors and the revengeful wrath of this demon scorned.
Busch Gardens becomes a seriously scary place at 6 p.m. when the Howl-O-Scream haunts come out. Guests should consider the park’s elevated scare factor when deciding whether Howl-O-Scream is appropriate for young children.
Hours of operation during Howl-O-Scream may vary. The Curse of DarKastle attraction will be closed for the season starting Sept. 4, then reopen as FrostBite on Sept. 22. Please visit www.howloscream.com/va for a schedule and additional information.
