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Last night I had the chance to experience Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld Orlando... The event is in its second year and builds upon the same formula that has been found at the other SeaWorld and Busch parks for years. This year's lineup features two "new" houses, one reimagined house and two returning, along with seven scare zones and four shows (one of which is an up-charge experience). Having just been to the parks two weeks earlier for the daytime offering of the Halloween Spooktacular, I was amazed to see that the vertical construction on Pipeline: The Surf Coaster had progress to new heights. The coaster's initial 110 foot tall banked turn the comes immediately after the coaster's launch is already nearly complete. At this pace, I'd expect that the coaster's track installation could be completed sometime between late November and early December. The new turn towers over any other park structures in the area. You can also see where the loading station, the train storage and transfer track will be, all running along the berm of the park by the parking lot. Time for some Halloween thrills... Howl-O-Scream's central hub is the education pavilion area normally used for SeaWorld camp, educational programs and field trips. It wouldn't be a Halloween event without fire and ghoulish dancers. Sliders roam this section of the park, so be on the lookout and don't be surprised if they spark a light upon the path in front of you. From the main hub you enter the park by Bayside Stadium. "Frozen Terror: Alive in the Ice" is the first scare zone to pass through. Halloween and chainsaws go hand in hand. Beneath the Ice: Terror at Base Camp Aura is a returning house from last year. The experience runs through the majority of the former entrance queue and loading station for the Wild Arctic simulator attraction. Pipeline can be seen from multiple angles in the park. Here you can see the launch track leading into the first turn. Over at Flamecraft Bar, this was going on... For some reason. The Waterfront is home to the Cut Throat Cove scare zone... Here there be pirates. Lost Souls Hideaway is a new Drag Cabaret show at Howl-O-Scream Orlando. It is a $10 up-charge to experience and reservations are required. Manta is among the lineup of park rides that operate during Howl-O-Scream. I couldn't really explain what happens in here if I tried... Some of the scare zones have scare actors haunting from above. Yes, they sell bug food here. No, I did not try any. Terrors of the Deep is a scare zone by Shark Encounter. Terrors of the Deep was the original name of the Shark Encounter exhibit, so this was a fun nod to that part of the park's history. Adult capri-sun pouches... If you've seen it at any of the other SeaWorld or Busch parks, you've seen it here. There's dancing. And stomping... And Jack does some Ripping. These knife drummers are easily the best part of the show. Over in Waterway Grill a temptress sings alluring tunes... All while an aerialist performs acrobats over guests' heads. Captain's Revenge: Drowned in Darkness returns this year to offer more pirate chills. Let me get one last look at you... Artsy... Sirens' Last Call Bar is easily the event's biggest themed bar space. They have ghoulish dancers... And lots of room for people. There's a dedicated shop in the main event hub. While a neat concept... Read the fine print before buying. And keep an eye out for sliders on your way out of the park!

^ Best part of those figures? the interchangable heads. . so you can display them with the creatures killing the kids, and coming from the masks! awesome.

Finally made it back to BGW this weekend. Yesterday was cool and overcast. We were in the park from 10-2:45 and got all the coasters at least twice except Tempesto. The park was pretty dead and with the exception of Pantheon, everything was a walk-on. Nessie was running great. Pantheon was great! I really didn't expect to like it as much as I did. I enjoyed the launches and every element, from the top hat to the zero-G stall. Probably not in my top ten, but a great addition to BGW. We rode it first and then it went down for a while not long after. It was bit drizzly and windy at times. We got it with about a 20 minute wait when it reopened. The real impetus of this trip did not disappoint. Typical wait times: Kid was acting up a bit:

Due to the Itaewon tragedy, Everland and the rest of Korea are cancelling all Halloween festivities. This includes the non Halloween parade and fireworks while the country has a period of mourning. Most events were planned to run until mid November except Legoland which would have finished Monday. There’s a lot of anti Halloween sentiment now and whether the activities and festivals will return for next year is unknown. Everlands busiest period is usually Halloween as seen by these weekday queue times but overcrowding will be a sensitive issue for a while. Lotte World and Legoland announcements: