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Well, the park is in desperate need of a new coaster. So, let's hope the new ride(s) the park management is lobbying for aren't just used flats.

Jack Is Back and so Is the Big Bad Wolf at Howl-o-Scream 2025 Fall is upon us, and monsters stalk the villages of Busch Gardens Williamsburg--at least on certain nights starting at 6:00. Yes, Jack is back, and he’s brought a few fiends with him for Howl-o-Scream (HOS) 2025. Theme Park Review was invited to a VIP Media Night to officially kick off this year’s scares, which started with a ghoulish spread and drinks in the lobby of the Globe Theatre in England (aka Ripper Row after 6:00 pm). The food at the Globe was good (I particularly liked the little roast beef sandwiches with onion jam and horseradish). TPR thanks Busch Gardens for inviting us, as well as for the unlimited Quick Queues for the rides and haunted houses. What’s new at HOS 2025? This year’s event boasts two new haunted houses and three new Terror-tories. Here are the houses. NEW Werewolves: The Wolf’s Revenge (Oktoberfest, across the tracks from The Wolf’s Revenge coaster): A group called the Lycan Project captures a werewolf and holds it for research, resulting in a plague of lycanthropy worldwide! It’s an improvement over last year’s Monster Manor, but I wish it had more werewolves and a few less paramilitary types in it. NEW Bloodshot Bar & Kill (Escape from Pompei building): BGW does a nice job with the “vampire bar/club” concept. Good sets, with plenty of biker vampires and victims who like to harass visitors--my favorite house of the night. Clown Town (Germany, behind the DarKoaster show building): It’s tough to go wrong with evil clowns and shady carnivals, and this maze is pretty entertaining. If you’re a long-time BGW visitor (like me), it’s fun to spot references to clown mazes from years past. Colorful and fun--my second favorite of the night. Death Water Bayou--Morte (Festa Italia): BGW tweaked this jazzy New Orleans voodoo maze since last year, and it’s much improved (particularly the “swamp room”). But be sure to visit after dark to get the full effect. KILLarney DInEr--Condemned (Ireland): This diner infested with mutant insects and exterminators is pretty much the same as last year. Good sets, but I think it’s time for something new. The three new Terror-tories are Bavarian Bloodshed (werewolves and victims lurking outside the Festhaus), Disgrotesque (glammed up demons and techno music in France), and Wicked Wunderland (a twisted version of Christmas in Germany, complete with Krampus and evil elves). Three shows--Fiends (Abbeystone Theatre), Skeletones in Your Closet (Festhaus), and Spirit Spellabration (Italy)--are running. Monster Stomp on Ripper Row (Globe Theatre) opens on September 26. Howl-o-Scream runs on select nights through November 2. It's included with park admission. Let’s have a look around. You might want to wear a wolf-bane necklace and carry a crucifix . . . just in case. Creepiest Uber I've ever had. But he had a good head on his shoulders . . . at one time. Let's check out the buffet. Aw, it was nice of the wolf to share some of his kill with us. He made a tasty prosciutto out of his victim, but I'm not sure where he got the cheese. There was merch, of course. I like the little Jack doll. Speaking of Jack, he doesn't have his dance party in Ireland anymore, but he's sill the official master of ceremonies for Howl-o-Scream. It's a werewolf . . . in lederhosen! "Werewolves must not wear lederhosen! It is ungodly!" "I dunno. I think I look pretty good. Now get me a beer before I rend you limb from limb!" One of the poor, luckless researchers of the Lycan Project in the Werewolves house. A chili competition! Oh boy! Can I come? I'll bring cornbread! Tough day at the Lycan Project office. Might as well check out the other new maze . . . agh! Medusa! It's good to see the troll bridge keeper back, just doin' his job. Anybody want to grab a drink? Nah! Let's just grab something here. It appears that I have been accepted as one of the "Ancient Ones." Oh boy! Get this ancient one a Bloody Mary! We Ancient Ones have a heavy burden to bear. Jack's spirit lives on in Ireland. I think this Terror-tory is a "work-in-progress." I think that this might be a space for a DJ. We'll see. I like the decorations in this Terror-tory in New France. Nice, old-school Halloween vibe. Spider Bridge is back. Have yourself a scary little Christmas. Oh, come on. Who doesn't bite off the head of a gingerbread man first? This will probably be Santa's Workshop in a few months. For now, it belongs to Krampus! Speaking of Krampus, he spent most of his time lurking in the dark, so I never snagged a picture of him. But he does have a nice Christmas tree. They're letting the good times roll . . . . . . over in Fest-Evil! Time to head out via the Trail of Terrifying Trees! With any luck, we'll survive Ripper Row. Good night, Wolfie! Again, TPR thanks Busch Gardens for inviting us to this year's VIP Media Event. Thanks for reading!

So some reporting from the ACE event last Saturday at the park: (and keep in mind I am just the messenger here) Screamin' Eagle was down for a lift hill motor issue. Awaiting parts, could be several weeks. Bummer for sure. All the other coasters were running two trains which was really nice on a low attendance day. Beautiful weather but after Labor Day and before FF so not a huge crowd there. Even so the park very generously added a second coaster and a second hour to ert for the group of 49 attending the event. It was Freeze and Thunder plus snacks. They gave us a nice long walk back of the Boss including a chance to climb part way up the stairs leading down from the mid course brake to get a very cool view of the coaster in action. I've done it before but it isn't always offered. Log Flume had a mechanical problem with the right side of the flume and was running the seldom used left side instead, which was kind of a nice treat. For those that don't know they don't often have the staff and/or crowds for both sides and usually run the right side as it is way easier to load fast pass and ada riders. They did have some temp tiny bridges to accommodate those riders. JL running the best all season that I have experienced. Fire effect back on and mostly working as intended. Final screen still f**ked up. Everything else running normally except TS and Spinsanity of course. And I really don't remember about Fireball, I don't usually pay any attention to it. All the FF props up and ready to go and we did see what were clearly FF cast members getting a walk around as some sort of training. At one point I did see them go to the little show area for the train so MAYBE something related to FF is going to happen there? We got a twilight group ride on the carousel. The horses are magnificent and the craftsmanship really shines through. The chariots are not yet on and are still being restored which explains the mysterious fb post regarding the "real opening". I was told by management that the reason they went ahead and opened it without the chariots was as compensation for the fact that the Joker funhouse part of the queue has never opened. Although I thought that a bit of a strange connection. The reason for the funhouse not yet being open is also apparently missing parts................no elaboration on what those parts might be. At lunch I talked to 2 members of the management team. One is the new entertainment manager. He is from the area originally but spent most of his career at SFFT, but he and his wife recently moved back. He stated that there would be enhancements to the entertainment for next year and that this was already underway. He also told us that park management was lobbying for new rides(s) and other improvements with Coaster Con 2027 in mind since SFSTL is one of the host parks for that. Of course he had a crowd that wanted to hear that, we'll see. Asked two different management bigwigs about the whole food issue with the legacy memberships. One told me that he flat out had no idea, the other just repeated the all add-ons will be good at all parks line. Of course these aren't add-ons they were included as part of the memberships and I know they aren't all the same. Bottom line - it will simply be a try it and see if it works situation next year. I was told they were well aware of the 50th anniversary of Eagle next year and that they are "working on plans to celebrate". Again, we'll see but they did promise to keep the organization in the loop.