It’s the most wonderful time of the year… fall. The weather finally gets to where I really like it. I can start wearing my cowboy boots again. The new televisions shows roll out.
And Halloween kicks off in full gear. This year I have plans for Haunted Hayrides, a murder mystery, parties, costumes, trick-or-treating and, of course, Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
Last night was member preview night so they let some of us run around the park early to check things out. The lines were short and we really got to dig into things.
I have no idea what my friend James was thinking about while we were on Verbolten but I swear he was having fun!
And here’s what you need to know:
The New Haunted House- FROSTBITE
Located inside the Curse of DarKastle building is Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s newest walk through haunted house- Frostbite. We got a sneak peak and were able to walk through before it opened to the public.
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. Those who dare to walk through this fortress are exposed to a harrowing array of chilling elements, from a fog-shrouded graveyard to a creepy cavern filled with frigid creatures. The cold is not the only bone-chilling resident of the castle, however. For the ice has teeth … And this frost … Bites.
Since it was 85 degrees outside I was immediately excited that there was a nice cool building to be in. They have made sure to get some frost in Frostbite!
I REALLY liked this house. I think the actors took it a little easy on us because we were trying to take pictures and pay attention to details- I am excited to go back and walk through it again. The inside is beautiful- LOTS of blue and pretty lights. Several of the actors are working on slick surfaces and it almost looks like they are ice skating around you. A few of the walls are this opaque blue and you can see actors on the other side banging to get through. It was a VERY cool effect.
One of my favorite things about the house is the space. I can feel really confined in the houses but this one is huge. The ceilings are high, the walk ways are wide and there is plenty of room to move around. My only real complaint is a portion of the house that excessively uses strobe lights. It’s about one room longer than it needs to be and got to the point of being annoying. But the rest of it is worth dealing with that one annoying section!
The Escape Rooms
Last year Busch Gardens Williamsburg began with their first escape room- The Case of Mr. Karver. This year they have added a new one- Case of the Haunted Hotel.
They let us inside the rooms to look around and the rooms are beautiful. The details are fantastic. And the new one has some doors that look very interesting and full of promise to me.
However even as I was walking through the park I heard people complaining “$30 and it’s only 30 minutes! And that’s per person.” In my opinion the rooms are overpriced (especially considering the cost of the park- which I do think is worth it) so I would skip these. If you want to do escape rooms I have tons in my area that are really incredible for a better value.
In My Opinion- The Houses You Can’t Miss
After the visit this year I have FINALLY been in every haunted house. People always ask me what to prioritize in the park and I have always hesitated to answer because I had not spent good time in each area. Now that I have taken friends and heard opinions this is my list:
Cornered– This has been my favorite house for years. This year we went through it twice- once while it was light outside and once while it was dark. Both times it was scary but obviously the dark added a whole different element. It’s a must visit.
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.
Scarlett’s Revenge– Generally I am not a fan of the inside mazes but this one works for me. The detail is AMAZING. While most of the houses are pretty sparsely furnished you can tell extra time was taken inside this one to make it very interesting!
From the producer of The Blair Witch Project, Unearthed ™: Scarlett’s Revenge explores the story of Scarlett—a furious demon who wields a deadly deck of magical cards she uses to summon her evil minions. Journey through the unearthed structure she once called home and experience the splintered labyrinth of horrors and the revengeful wrath of this demon scorned.
Circo Sinistro– This one was new in 2016 and I couldn’t wait to get back. With the circus theme I was so impressed they didn’t do just clowns. My absolute favorite room has all these mannequins that are wearing dark over their skin and bright white clothes. You can’t tell which ones are real or fake until they jump out and scare you. It’s FANTASTIC.
This is nothing more than a story, whispered about for centuries in hushed tones, too inconceivable for average humanity. Because what happens under the faded big top is known only to those who have been lured in by its uncharacteristic charm. During the in-between times, when the mists of reality and the netherworld become one, lost souls from bygone eras come together to seek admittance to the other side. It is a gathering in a realm known as Circo Sinistro, where only those who are truly deranged are allowed to perform. Every so often, the circus abandons its veil of secrecy and appears for all to witness. These tents of terror are said to offer a sense of tranquility, enticing curious guests to come in and experience their wonders; but be warned, not everything is meant to be seen.
The Lady In The Bathroom
I am always impressed by the staff at the park. The park is clean, the people are friendly and with the exception of a few times things have always run smoothly.
Last night after the park closed we were taking a leisurely last stroll before we headed home. As everyone should we stopped at the bathrooms- my favorite ones are over by the fountain and carousel near Land of the Dragons (everyone has favorite bathrooms in a park right?).
When I walked inside 85% of the floor was wet having just been mopped and as I looked down I could see all the stalls had been cleaned. There was a woman in one of the far stalls cleaning.
I shouted to her “are there any you haven’t cleaned yet? I don’t want to mess something up you have already done.” She sticks her head out of the stall, smiles at me and says “honey you use whatever stall you want. If you aren’t here I don’t have a job so I appreciate you coming the park.”
I felt guilty the whole time I went.
As I was washing my hands (careful to not splash water and throw away my paper towels) she walked up to me and said “young lady any time you walk in a bathroom if all the stalls are dirty and only one is clean you march right in there and use the clean one. Everyone deserves a clean toilet.”
It made my night.
The Best Deals on Tickets
If you think you will visit Howl-O-Scream now and atleast once next year at the regular park go ahead and grab an Annual Pass. At $144.00 you also get FREE parking and can visit all next spring and summer!