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^Speaking of Christmas Town . . . the park has released more information about this year's event--just in time for Halloween! Busch Gardens® Williamsburg’s Christmas Town™ opens next month with one of the largest light displays in North America, new shows, and fan favorites One of North America’s Largest Holiday Displays with More than Ten Million Dazzling Lights First-Ever Christmas Town™ Performance of Celtic Fyre Show, Voted the #1 Theme Park Entertainment by USA Today’s 10 Best New Holiday Scavenger Hunt presented by Coca-Cola© Busch Gardens® Williamsburg is trimming the tree and hanging the lights for the full return of Christmas Town™ beginning on November 12. Voted the World’s Most Beautiful Theme Park every year since 1990, Busch Gardens® Williamsburg will transform into a stunning holiday wonderland with over 10 million twinkling lights, one of the largest light displays in North America. Along with a return of fan favorite shows, bites, and delights, this year’s must-see event will appeal to guests of all ages with new performances and activities including: Celtic Fyre®: A Christmas Celebration – Celtic Fyre returns for the first-time ever during Christmas Town™. Voted USA Today’s #1 Theme Park Entertainment, this iconic fan favorite show celebrates Irish culture with step dancing at Abbey Stone Theatre. The encore performance adds Christmas flair with a new twist on a Killarney classic. Up on the Haus Top – It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Warm up with modern-day Christmas classics in a festive performance in Das Festhaus. Unto Us – A choral celebration of the greatest story ever told. The first Christmas comes alive in this inspiring new show takes place in the open-air Il Teatro di San Marco Theatre. Holiday Scavenger Hunt presented by Coca-Cola© – Spot the special holiday ornaments around the park and you could receive a Coca-Cola prize while supplies last! North Pole Nightcap Bar – Grab your swizzle stick and make a toboggin run to the all-new bar featuring specialty holiday cocktails! Guests can renew holiday traditions by enjoying fan favorite Christmas Town™ classics including Santa’s Workshop, the Christmas Town Express, and Twas that Night ice skating show featuring Champion figure skater Elvis Stojko, who brings the magic of Christmas Eve alive in a spectacular performance. Other popular returning fun includes: Elmo’s Christmas Wish – Join Cookie Monster, Rosita, Grover, and Zoe as they help Elmo find his Christmas wish! Families are sure to be singing and dancing along while watching this fun holiday show. Visit the Sesame Street Forest of Fun outdoor stage to enjoy this show! O’Tannenbaum – Gather in front of Festhaus for a Christmas light show unlike any you’ve ever experienced. Scrooge No More – The ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future will be swept away at the Globe Theatre this season. Holiday Flavors to Savor – Find the tastes of the season throughout the park with the return of fan-favorite beverages, including the decadent Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate and the extra-jolly After Dinner Mint Hot Chocolate, perfect for after the kids nestle snug in their beds. The ever-popular Christmas Turkey Dinner returns to the Festhaus, the perfect meal while guests enjoy the all-new show Up on the Haus Top! Over 20 thrilling rides and coasters, festive treats, and holiday shopping complete the immersive experience with Christmas fun for the whole family. “Christmas Town is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to create unforgettable memories in an incredible park setting and we are thrilled to feature its full, park-wide return this year,” said park President Kevin Lembke. “With more than ten million lights and all new shows, 2021 promises to be our best holiday celebration ever. From the meticulously decorated trees to the beautifully choreographed new shows, this year’s Christmas Town gives us all a reason to celebrate the season again with friends and family. Not even Scrooge himself will be able to resist joining in on the festive holiday cheer.” Christmas Town™ will run on select dates through January 2, 2022.

I hope he's taking blood-pressure and cholesterol medication.

SeaWorld’s “Inaugural Fear” of Howl-o-Scream seemed like a tentative step toward a big Halloween event. You might say the park was dipping its big toe in the swamp water to check the temperature. How did it compare to Universal’s HHN? It’s probably not fair to say, as it would be like comparing Broadway to community theater. HOS did have “icons” in the form of vengeful Sirens, who had their own outdoor show. There were only four mazes, with at least vaguely sea-related themes. They were all pretty short, with rather basic set design (lots of plywood here). Water’s Edge Inn--This haunted hotel was the best of the lot, but it probably helped that there were very few guests there when we went through it. The scare actors worked it pretty hard and chased their few visitors all over the place. Captain’s Revenge--Pirates romp around more-elaborate sets than in the other mazes. This one was fun, at least. Beneath the Ice--This was the only maze where we had to wait in a huge line. People go nuts at an Arctic research facility. If your idea of horror is people banging on random things with sticks, SeaWorld has a maze for you. Dead Vines--Busch Gardens Williamsburg played around with “evil plant” mazes for a few years. They weren’t good. This one, which was set on some creepy island, was maybe (?) a bit better. Very lame looking sets, and no story to speak of. But there were some positives, too. Monster Stomp: Slasher Alley was a good variation on Williamsburg’s Ripper Row show. It wasn’t as elaborate a production, but it had completely different music (for example, rap) and some good versions of bits from the Williamsburg show (such as the knives-on-a-coffin percussion routine). The scare actors in the Witchcraft Bayou scare zone really engaged with guests. And the Poison Grotto bar (near the exit of Dead Vines) was pretty cool. There was even a nice little scare near the event exit (neither Erik nor I expected it). They were also running Mako and Infinity Falls. HOS takes place in a small part of the park and has its own separate entrance. Unfortunately, the exit is far away from the entrance, and it’s a long walk back to the preferred parking lot (properly warned ye be, sez I). Here’s a look at Howl-o-Scream, along with a wee bit more Universal. My thanks to Erik Johnson for being his usual affable self and providing the wheels and a lot of the planning. It was also great to touch base with Robb and Elissa (and the GreatZo and Dbru). Thanks for hanging out with us for a while. Manta, which in Japanese is AcroBat. Robb and Elissa came out, and the crowds was pretty light. We had multiple rides on Manta. Kraken, and Mako, and even took a spin on Grover. Again, thanks for spending the afternoon at SeaWorld with us! We wait with bated breath for someone to put an apostrophe in “tonight’s event.” Mako runs during HOS (as does Infinity Falls). It’s a pity they trim this coaster to death after a great start. We were already surrounded by zombies. I think we were also zombies after our long day and night at Universal. Hmm--either someone has cranked up the fog machines or a SWAT team is attacking. Eek! Scary food and drink vendor! Witchcraft Bayou? Seriously? That’s the name? Why not “Blood Bayou” or “Gator Bait Swamp” or “Voo-doop-a-doo River”? Despite the lame name, it was a pretty decent scare zone. Scare actors interacted with guests quite a bit. Uh oh! Better put that bag of raw chickens in a locker. “Next time, bring live chickens. We need their blood for our rituals.” So, the vines are dead? Or are they “undead”? Is the scary part having to do yardwork to clear them out? But the maze exit was near this rather intriguing bar. Drink up, look up, pass out. Arr! Pirates be more fun that killer plants, sez I. This way, ya lubbers. And be sure to give the giant skull a wee bit 'o' rum as ye pass by, lest he get cranky. Not quite that same as the original in Williamsburg (Monster Stomp on Ripper Row). While this show shared a few elements of the Virginia show (for example, dancing skeletons), the music was a bit edgier. And they don’t sell Jell-O shots to the audience in Williamsburg. This was an “abandoned campground” scare zone. One of the scare actors said something about werewolves, but I didn’t see any. RVs are pretty scary though, right? This guy might’ve met up with a werewolf. Welcome to the scariest zone of all--one with comfort collars! OK, what’s left? Remember: It’s all about the Jell-O shots. The scariest part of this maze was the fear of going deaf from all the scare actors banging on stuff. That Siren has one nasty overbite. She’s “Ice.” This one is just plain nasty. She’s “Fire.” The fourth and last maze of the night--and the best one. Time to hit the road. “Hey, you two! Come up here! I got Jell-O shots!” “Yas-s-s-s, no vun leafs here vithout a Jell-O shot. No vun!” Pleasant dreams from SeaWorld’s first Howl-o-Scream. In the interest of full disclosure, this happened. I’m not proud of it. It’ll take some doing to get the stench of Fast and Furious off of me. Thank you, Zed. Another VelociCoaster ride made me feel more human after being made a member of Vin Diesel’s “family.” “You will return the hats of his Excellency, Dr. Victor Von Doom! At once!” I do appreciate the theming, and especially the air conditioning, in Dr. Doom’s queue. No words necessary. Mythos helped me forget about the Fallon ordeal. And that’s a wrap from the Universal Resort. Thanks for reading.

How can you tell it’s fall in Orlando? a. The cool, crisp air b. The multicolored leaves drifting on the cool breeze c. The picturesque locals in the cardigans, bustling about their business raking leaves and making apple cider d. Billboards advertising theme-park Halloween events every two miles or so The answer, of course, is “d.” In fact, fall starts in late August or early September, when parks tend to kick off their Halloween events. Yes, All Hallows Eve is back in Orlando after a pandemic year off. Let’s look at the old and the new: “30 Years of Fear” at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights and “Inaugural Fear” at SeaWorld’s Howl-o-Scream. Universal celebrated the 30th annual HHN with ten houses (some of which I think were set up last year), with plenty of tributes to Halloweens past. Past icons returned to scare guests: Jack the Clown, Chance the Harlequin, the Caretaker, the Storyteller, the Usher, the Director, Lady Luck, and Fear. (What? No love for Bloody Mary?) And how well did Universal do this year? Let’s look at the houses first, from strongest to weakest. The Bride of Frankenstein Lives--Universal’s Classic Monsters are among my favorite horror films, and it was great to see a house that picks off where their best movie, Bride of Frankenstein, leaves off. Frankenstein’s lab explodes in glorious black-and-white, but his latest creation, the Bride, survives in living color; however, the original Monster is not so lucky. The Bride dedicates her life to reviving him, which somehow involves the blood of the Brides of Dracula! They spin a good yarn here, and if you’re a fan of the Classic Monsters, you’re going to love this house. The Revenge of the Tooth Fairy--Remember kids, when you lose a tooth, be sure to put it under your pillow for the Tooth Fairy--or else. Again, good storytelling is the key here. The moral: Fairies are, well, real jerks. (Didn’t Knott’s once do a Tooth Fairy maze? I have no idea what that one was like.) The Wicked Growth: Realm of the Pumpkin--Great atmosphere in a maze that heralds the arrival of the Pumpkin Lord, the ruler of Halloween. Universal is doing a somewhat more malevolent riff on Jack Skellington here. Texas Chainsaw Massacre--When in doubt, go with a classic. This maze is based on the original Tobe Hooper flick, not the “reboot,” and is stronger for it. You’ll be craving BBQ as you exit. Puppet Theatre: Captive Audience--A crazed puppeteer and troupe of actors and dancers haunt the ruins of an old theatre. Excellent sets and a bit of Shakespeare, too. HHN Icons Captured--Jack and his friends have their own dark realm, and you’re their guests. Each Icon gets the opportunity to shine, but Jack and Chance rule the place. The Haunting of Hill House--This is a good re-creation of the Netflix series, but if you haven’t seen the show, you can still enjoy it as an “old dark house” maze. Case Files Unearthed: Legendary Truth--This is a “tribute” to past Legendary Truth mazes. I wasn’t too familiar with the back story, but I appreciated the 1940s pulp fiction/film noir atmosphere combined with horror. If anything, they tried to do a bit too much. Welcome to Scarey: Horror in the Heartland--Another “tribute” to past mazes set in the fictional town of Carey, Ohio. I remember two of them well: Leave it to Cleaver and H.R. Bloodengutz: Holidays of Horror. It’s a bit disjointed, but fun. Beetlejuice--The “Ghost with the Most” finally gets his own house. It’s an enjoyable “comedy” maze, which captures the spirit of the Tim Burton flick pretty well. Overall, a strong year for houses, but the scare zones were pretty weak. They were mostly tributes to past years’ zones and are “Instagram friendly” (that is, scare actors on mini-stages, perfect for selfies). The Seek and Destroy zone was a poor shadow of the old Purge zones, with a wee bit of “Tron” thrown in (the “space cadet” costuming was laughable). Some of the scare actors in the Lights, Camera, Hacktion zone were pretty amusing, though. Something to remember if you’re planning to do HHN: Express Passes are a must (especially if you only have one night to attend). So come along with me and Erik Johnson at HHN. Robb and Elissa also came over to make a lap around the Studios and blast some alien scum on Men in Black with us. It was great seeing everyone in person again. But first, there’s some new coaster at Islands of Adventure . . . something to do with dinosaurs? Let’s try that first. So, what about this VelociCoaster I’ve heard so much about? I can sum this ride up in two words: “Holy crap!” Put a coaster in the velociraptor habitat, they said. What could possibly go wrong, they said. This ride is a great mixture of thrills and theming. The airtime here (and elsewhere) is unbelievable. Front-seat rides are particularly good, but there isn’t a bad seat on the train. If BGW's Pantheon is half as good as this ride, I'll be very happy. We also took time to ride the topless, oh-so-sexy Dr. Doom’s Fear Fall. Time to head to the Studios . . . uh oh. Ah, fall in Florida. Good to see Jack and all his cronies. We killed some time in the Legacy Shop. If you’re a hard-core HHN fan, this is where you beg Universal to take more of your money. She looks mean. But she looks nice . . . wait! Did she just wink at me? “Those women are with me. Shove off!” If you find this growing in your yard, you might want to move. Oops! My bad! I wrecked the wagon that was carrying all the homicidal maniacs. We did “Stay and Scream” and went through three of the back houses before using our Express Passes. It’s a time-honored strategy. Hmm--I think the Pumpkin Realm’s entrance will look a bit more impressive after dark. Yep--it does. Count Drac-o-Lantern strikes! Er, is this theatre even open? Looks like it needs a few renovations, maybe some paint. Don’t let Hill House’s resemblance to an industrial-park warehouse fool you. There’s a big gothic pile of a mansion in there. Curious George Revamped: Vengeance Comes in Yellow. Yes, the Man in the Yellow Hat has had enough of George’s shenanighans and has sold the monkey for medical experiments! Scariest maze ever! Just kidding--it’s the queue for Beetlejuice. Meanwhile, back in the scare zones, this is going on. The Queen of Gorewood Forest seems very un-nice. Photo taken as required by Florida law. “Ya want some popcorn? Soda? Hot dogs? A punch in the face? I ain’t got all night!” “That big bulge down below is all my accumulated sweat.” 30 Years of Fears . . . and Lines. Yep--30 years, Just in case you didn’t catch it the first time. I’m with you, pal. I have no idea what’s going on here, either. Get those fingers out of your mouth! You don’t know where those fingers have been. 30 Years of Fire, too. “Yes, I’ve been standing here for 30 years . . . of fears.” This scare zone was full of gyrations . . . . . . and goofiness. He might make a nice pie, though. The big winner of the night. Pleasant dreams, HHN. Howl-o-Scream is next.

The last time I visited the park, the James City County Police had a "safety command center" in the France parking lot near the main entrance. I don't recall that being the case in past years.

Thanks for the report. I grew up in Central California, so I visited this park once a year (I was there during its opening year of 1976). I haven't been there since the Paramount days.

Haunt Has Risen from the Grave As you can tell from the Evil Boogie Boogie Eyes atop the Eiffel Tower, Haunt has begun at Kings Dominion. Yes, the annual Doswell scare fest is back with a new outdoor maze (and four returning indoor mazes), scare zones old and new, and a lot of techno-dancing and heavy-metal head-banging music--along with the usual assortment of evil clowns, zombies, witches, and other children of the night. It’s great to see Haunt back after its COVID hiatus. The event doesn’t seem quite as big as in past years, with fewer mazes and scare zones, but KD did a very good job with what it had. I think they were wise to stick with the stronger mazes from previous years. Theme Park Review was invited to be a victim, er, guest at an RIP Party on Friday, October 1, with plenty of good food and drink and a complimentary Fright Lane pass for all the mazes. The latter came in pretty handy, as the lines got a bit long as the shadows of darkness lengthened (the park was open from 7:00 pm-midnight). So, how do the mazes stack up? Grimm Woods (next to Grizzly)--This new maze gives us a decidedly non-Disney version of the old standards in which evil comes out triumphant. The twisted takes on fairly tales include Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, and Hansel and Gretel. This one starts out slow as a long walk through the woods but finishes pretty strong. The old Dinosaurs Alive path is ideal for a Haunt maze, and I’m glad they’re using it--lots of spooky lighting and sound effects here. Blood on the Bayou (behind Windseeker)--This voodoo cannibal maze has excellent sets and a dark, confusing layout (which the scare actors use well). Trick or Treat (next to Drop Tower)--Another oldie but goodie, evil witches have made unsuspecting trick-or-treating kids into their minions. I think this maze, and Bayou, were originally featured at Knott’s Scary Farm a few years ago. They worked in California, so why not in Virginia? Condemned (Action Theater)--A haunted hotel provides the scares in this one. Not sure you’d want to book your next vacation here, though, as the staff seems a bit, well, “off.” It’s a decent maze with pretty elaborate sets. Corn Stalkers (International Street)--This is the oldest maze of the bunch, and even though it’s a bit long in the tooth, it’s still fun. Watch out for the bungee guy! I dare you to look at these photos from KD’s Haunt! “Hey, Ma! Load up the kids in the Death Wagon! We’re goin’ to Doswell, Virginny for Haunt.” This Jack O'Lantern told me that KD has been doing Haunt for 20 years. I see no reason to doubt him, but . . . why was he talking to me? Get out of my head! First things first--dinner and drinks. This is also the site of the Masquerade scare zone. The park out a great spread of all sorts of food. I went for the beef, of course. The Redrum IPA comes directly from the Center of the Universe, which is conveniently located in Ashland, Virginia. Those aliens make good beer. Great cookies for dessert, too. I had a shortbread ghost and a gingerbread witch’s house, but these masks looked good. Haunt kicks off with Blood Reign, a show where Queen Majesty (easy name to remember, I guess) welcomes guests to her “Bloody Ball.” This is where all the classy monsters hang out. “Oh, very well, peasant. You may take our picture--but it will cost you your liver.” As I cross the bridge into Old Virginia, I am filled with foreboding. I don’t understand why. I reserved a room via the hotel website, but they never sent me a confirmation. Perhaps that’s just as well. If you’re looking for sliders and stilt-walking scarecrows, Pumpkin Eater is the scare zone for you. There’s old Peter Pumpkin Eater himself. His biggest fear is being made into a lousy pumpkin-spice ale by a mass-market brewery. “No need to be so hasty,/'Cause you’re lookin’ might tasty,/So I’m gonna eat your brain.” These post-apocalyptic dancers raised quite a ruckus, so that’s what they named the show The Ruckus. I guess. This is the front of the Trick or Treat house. But it’s used as the exit, as the main entrance is on the left side of the building. Don’t ask me why. You can’t have any sort of haunted event without an evil circus. I think this is in the Constitution. This circus has a fortune teller and a Subway. Classy, eh? “I’ll have a turkey sub on whole wheat . . .” “I’m not the Subway clerk, sir. besides, all Subway sandwiches taste the same no matter what they’re made of.” “Yeah, you and I got the opposite problem. All the guys are too short for me.” Burnette the Barker and his Band of Homeless Guys. Buy him a $15 cocktail, and he might end up in the backseat of your car. Welcome to Uprising . . . . . . where the zombies are revolting! “You can say that again.” Join the Zombie Uprising! They promise all the brains you can eat! Snoopy and the Great Pumpkin team up to quell the Zombie Uprising. “Yes-s-s-s, kiddies, join us during the day for family-friendly fun! We have music and candy and brains and spleens . . .” “Country roads . . . take me home.” It’s always good to see the ol’ homestead again. Why, I can smell Grandma’s soup a-simmerin’ on the stove. Yessir, Grandpa should be mighty tasty tonight. Grimm Woods is the anti-attraction in which you enter through the gift shop, which is closed, as is Grizzly. I'm sorry Grizzly fans (I imagine there are a couple). Blood on the Bayou’s façade looks a wee bit like a redressing of the old Zombie High School entrance. Welcome to the Post-Apocalyptic Cemetery of Haunts Past. The steampunks have joined the Borg, and the Zombie High students graduated by eating everybody else. Time to head out. At least that's what this guy told me . . . or did he? It's all a blur. All in all, a fun evening. Thanks for inviting TPR, Kings Dominion! Happy Haunting!

Perhaps the park is a study in joyous decay: The Park at the Edge of the Apocalypse. It also looks like the best setting for amusement-park horror movie this side of Wonder Rakutenchi in Japan. Carnival of Souls 2: Lakeside Boogaloo.

But can any Donkey Kong ride possibly top Cosmoworld's Family Banana Coaster?

Looks like a great dining experience, which I'm sure will be mobbed for sometime to come. That lobster salad looked great--as did the lemon mousse. But where are the Space Food Sticks?

Yes, the Skyride is open. I don' t know if it opens with the park, but it was running during Howl-o-Scream tonight. Mach Tower has been open from noon until 8:00 pm.

Good report, Bert--thanks. It's always interesting to see how different parks in the chain do Howl-o-Scream. I'm looking forward to HOS in Orlando next month. Williamsburg should try the "ride with monsters" thing, too.

My only ride on Bilge Rat Barges was years ago in October. They had turned off or toned down some of the water effects because it was cooler out. It didn't make any difference--still drenched from head to toe.

I went for a second look at the new mazes on Sunday night. KILLarney DInEr seemed better, as they really put some thought into the sets. Witch of the Woods had a villager working the queue looking for a "wtich hunter." Now there's an idea. Instead of the usual lurking minions and frightened villagers, throw in a team of witch hunters to "protect" guests and build to a climactic confrontation with the witch. I think that would be a stronger story and less "random." But hindsight is always better than foresight.

Howl-o-Scream Has Risen from the Grave 2021 Halloween arrives earlier each year. Remember when pumpkin-spice, well, everything wasn’t even available (or discussed) before September? Now you can drink pumpkin beer in August. The same is true of Howl-o-Scream at Busch Gardens, which officially started on Friday, September 10. Of course, Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights beat them by a week (or was it more?), but this is pretty dang early for a Halloween event. But I’m not complaining. I checked out the first Howl-o-Scream since 2019 last Friday. It’s great that this event, which has always been a big one for the park, is back, with three new mazes; two new TERRORtories (that is, scare zones)--Meat Market and Hexed Hollow; and two party zones with DJs (France and Festa Italia). The park is also using “roaming hordes” of scareactors to make the scare zones more lively. There was lots of chainsaw action that night. I only saw bits and pieces of the new shows: Skeletones (Italy) and Phantoms of the Festhaus (Germany). The former reminded me a bit of the old Starfright Orchestra show--only scaled down (four musicians and two singers). It was a decent way to enjoy a lunch or dinner while listening to some old holiday standards (such as the “Addams Family” theme or “Time Warp”). Phantoms featured a larger cast. The show had something to do with a sing-off to choose the “top ghoul” of the night. I caught a tiny bit of it after having a beer in the Brauhaus. Monster Stomp on Ripper Row has returned, and Jack Is Back in Ireland. But I go there for the mazes. Nevermore (Oktoberfest in the old DarKastle building)--This gothic maze was the best one of the night, with lots Edgar Allan Poe going on (particularly “The Raven” and “Masque of the Red Death”). It reminded me of Masquerage, a maze they ran one season in Festa Italia. Nothing groundbreaking, but a good, solid park haunt. KILLarney Diner (Ireland in the Battle for Eire building)--This was a fun cannibal maze with some good 1950s atmosphere, well-done sets, and a fair amount of gory stuff, but it was a bit short. It has the same problem that other mazes in the building have shared--that long, narrow exit corridor where nothing happens. Witch of the Woods (Germany, behind Verbolten)--This was their “flagship” maze, but I think it was the weakest of the new mazes on Friday night. Yes, it’s in the woods, there are creepy minions, and the Witch herself looks pretty cool, but there was no real “payoff.” Another good name for this one might be the “Island of Misfit Props.” What’s some Greek statuary and a dude in a Spartan helmet doing in here? Circo Sinistro (Festa Italia, by the Roman Rapids)--The creepy clowns and such are back, but their haunt has been changed a bit. They eliminated the “preshow” with the ringmaster and creepy girl on a swing, along with the railroad car. The result is an OK evil-circus maze. It’s really showing its age, though. Dystopia (Italy in the Pompeii building)--This returning maze is about people being turned into automatons by some mutant overlords in the not-too-distant future. This one has been hit-or-miss in the past (I think it depends on how may scare actors they have). All in all, an enjoyable, if somewhat cautious, return for Howl-o-Scream following its hiatus because of the pandemic. Most of the scare actors in the mazes who weren’t wearing full monster masks were sporting face masks--some with appropriately creepy faces painted on them. I wish I could say the same for many of the guests. As for me, I went through the mazes while masked. Here’s a look at Howl-o-Scream’s opening night. Why, hello, you sexy thing. “You better be talking about Pantheon and not my girlfriend, punk.” “Blair Witch Project 3, Subsection A: Sticks of Doom” “How many times have I told you to never play with your head! Do you wish to go blind?” Awww, aren’t you the most adorable wittle . . . . . . PLAGUE RAT? So, according to the poster in Big Ben, there’s been some “Ghastly Murder,” too? Well, isn’t that just great. Where shall we go first? May as well grab some dinner and watch the Skeletones. Hey, Edgar? Where’s your house? So turn left at the melancholy House of Usher? Thanks, pal. The message the purple lights above us bore, It shall be DarKastle . . . nevermore! Hmm--looks like the witches and demons kicked the vampires out of Vampire Point. “Excuse me, are you being helped?” Hey, are you really dating that Reaper guy out front? Well, this is another fine mess I’ve gotten myself into. Looks like they changed the menu at the Smokehouse. “Beware! Don’t order tonight’s special. It keeps coming back on me.” “Hey, don’t knock our BBQ until you try it! Right, Chauncy?” “Right, Edgar. You can beat our prices, but you can’t beat our meat!” “Hey, where ya goin’? Sheesh, make one silly pun . . .” “‘Can’t beat our meat’! How droll! Did you hear that, my dear . . . oh, that’s right. You can’t hear anything.” “I say, you now have permission to shake thy moneymakers.” “Typical guy--waits until I invite him to my place before telling me he’s a werewolf.” I wonder what the specials are here? A hot roast beef sammich sounds good. Ugh! Is this one of those truck stop/faux diner things? Yep--definitely. You can probably buy trucker hats with dirty slogans on them, too. Be sure to look at the wall menus in this scene. Jack is back, and he’s brought disco and ABBA with him! Dance! Dance or die! Pompeii may be a Dystopia, but it has cool lighting. You can party with evil clowns in Festa Italia. “Giant skull swallows park guest. Film at 11.” So, what’s shakin’ at the Festhaus? Uh oh! The guy with the scythe is sort of rapping. Time to head out . . . while I still have a head. I had to survive giant spiders . . . . . . and Ripper Row. “G’night, dearie! Pleasant dreams.” Thanks for reading.

Frankenstein's Castle is a great walkthrough--lots of fun stuff inside.

As they say in Colonial Williamsburg . . . I'm looking forward to riding this coaster, as opposed to just looking at it.

^My favorite Fuji Q moment was being told to put my wristwatch in a locker, only to attach the locker key to the same wrist with an elastic band.

I just cleaned up some of this thread. Good people of TPR, let's restrict ourselves to discussing Cedar Point--cut out the personal attacks. If you have a personal beef with someone, take it to private messages. Theme parks are supposed to be about fun, remember? Thank you.

^I think we'll see a "special event" schedule before the regular the "regular" season, much like what they did this year. I don't think daily operation would work too well, as tourism drops off steeply in Williamsburg from January until mid-March.

The dark rides have always piqued my curiosity about this water park. As Elissa said, I wish more water parks had them.

That was the most frightening moment of airtime ever.

The dumbest feuds are Twitter feuds. I'm simply tired of the attitude, but I guess many people find it entertaining.

Although I'm looking forward to VelociCoaster, Universal has no right to be snarky about anything after opening so many lame screen-based rides over the last few years. I'm glad the the SeaWorld parks are finally in a position to start opening their new stuff. Now if we could just get Pantheon open in Virginia . . .

Same--about the only thing that might bring me back to that place is Hades getting the RMC treatment.