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Several weeks ago I had the chance to experience Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld Orlando for the first time in a number of years. I will admit that I went in with lessened expectations because my previous experience with the event had it falling below the bar set by the event's Tampa and Williamsburg counterparts. And while some of my expectations were met, I will say that I was pleasantly surprised to see some of the event's offerings have matured since my previous visit years ago. The event entrance opened while the sun was still out... The Howl-O-Scream entrance plaza is set up by the education pavilions and serves as a holding area that opens roughly an hour before the event starts. Shopping, bars and light snacks are available while you wait for the horrors inside to be unleashed--though some start roaming in the area before then. This year's icon was Havoc, known as the face of fear. And he makes his debut in a quick pre-show performance in the event entrance plaza. Once inside the park you'll find a number of themed bars in case you need some liquid courage to survive. The Rave Yard was our first house. No that is not a typo. Yes, this house ended up being exactly what you think would be. Clever choice of signage or too on the nose? Entering one of the event's scare zones. What you see is what you get. Though I will never have anything less than immense respect for the United Parks for having crawlers like these camoflagued throughout the parks for incredibly effective scares. Jumping on the Mel's Die-In bandwagon, I see. Dark and ominous... This rejuvenation clinic is more sinister than it lets on. Of all of the houses at this event, this was certainly... One of them. Aliens are unleashed on a rural corn farm... What could possibly go wrong? You exit the house into the Waterway Grill which this year features a laser light show overhead while you can grab a bite or a brew. Self-awareness is key. While I'm no fan of taking a bath in the middle of a haunt event, this was one of the four advertised rides that was supposed to be operating during the event. Did I see a ghost in this scare zone? Maybe. In case your appetite is ripping you up inside. Mako operating with a 5 minute wait is always a pleasant surprise! This was a newer house location for me and presented some great views of Kraken and Mako. One of the better houses of the year. Hello beautiful! Hard to believe this event has been running for five years already. Monster Stomp is back once again. If you've seen Monster Stomp in one Howl-O-Scream across the country, you've seen them all. But the crowd is always pleased. New this year was an added show, Throttle, located near the water's edge in the Sharks realm of the park. They managed to transform this area into a surprisingly effective stage where a set of borderline-risque dancers meet fire, fueled dirt bikes and Havoc himself. The dancers perform in and around the crowd... And there are motorcycles doing tricks. It doesn't make a lot of sense but in a weird way, it kind of works. Don't forget the fire! Wreaking Havoc throughout the crowd. More pyro to close out the show! Remember how I mentioned options for liquid courage? There's a lot of them at this event. They have stilt walkers too. I will always consider the event's inclusion of this booth to be a... Choice. The most fleshed out scare zone of them all. Just a taste of what you'd experience here. This scare zone was a great place to be headed. Any way you slice or dice it, you could come out a head. This one gave Night Maze a run for its money. Horror, mirrors, fog and darkness just work well together. Oh and night rides on Pipeline were a walk-on. This is one stand-up experience. This was a booth. They had edible offerings to consume. The last and arguably my favorite of the event's scare zones was the Blood Light District. Yes, it is exactly what you think it is. Overall we had a fun time at the event. While Howl-O-Scream will never be the one you go to for movie-set quality immersion or even the most technical of effects, it does manage to have more raw, effective thrills than I find at some of the better-budgeted attractions down the street. Staffing continues to be the greatest challenge where these houses and scare zones could be even more effective if only they had more scare actors. That said, what we experienced this year was a far more mature event than that of previous years. Still plenty of room to grow, but the added entertainment and some really clever scare zones (like the one above) made this feel like they're headed in the right direction for making gains year over year. Howl-O-Scream Orlando 2025 was shockingly fun.

Rain nothing! Tormenta progress ramps up as more track pieces arrive! Pic courtesy of Six Flags Over Texas!

Man I am loving what Herschend is doing here!

Kentucky Kingdom has announced Flying Fox, a new Vekoma Suspended Family Coaster for 2026! https://www.kentuckykingdom.com/media-room/new-family-roller-coaster-flying-fox/ Kentucky Kingdom is taking family fun to new heights with the debut of its first new roller coaster since 2019, adding to the continued investment in the park. Today, the park officially announced Flying Fox, an all-new family-friendly coaster opening for the 2026 season. This custom coaster will be the park’s 6th rollercoaster, the most in Kentucky. Join the daring adventures of local legend and crop-dusting pilot, Jeb Fox, as Flying Fox sends riders soaring over a vibrant Kentucky farmland setting. Every detail of the attraction has been carefully designed by Herschend’s in-house creative team, known for bringing stories to life in ways that feel both authentic and whimsical. From the red barn-inspired queue to hand painted murals and playful audio featuring Jeb himself, the theming celebrates Kentucky’s agricultural heritage while adding a lighthearted twist aimed for families to enjoy. “At Kentucky Kingdom, our mission is to create memories worth repeating, and the addition of Flying Fox is the next exciting chapter in that journey,” said Sarah Worrell, General Manager of Kentucky Kingdom. “With the debut of Discovery Meadow in 2025, we set a new standard for immersive, family- friendly experiences, and Flying Fox builds on that momentum. This new coaster represents not only our continued investment in the park, but also our commitment to transforming Kentucky Kingdom into a place where families can return year after year and always find something new to discover.”