On a foggy Florida night in Tampa you might just find yourself in the netherworld of monsters, thrills, and chills… It’s haunt season again, and we’re loving it! Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens has returned for another year of spooky merriment and we were there to cover it for you. This year’s event runs select nights now through October 31 and is a separate ticket event (not included with regular daytime admission).

I’ll warn you in advance. I’m a chicken. So I haven’t been brave enough to go into the haunted houses. But I love my time in the scare zones, and shows, and enjoy the haunted vibe of the entire park… baby steps. But don’t worry, I still have a spoiler-free description of all the houses for you and overall thoughts of the entire event.

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream 2022

This year’s Howl-O-Scream features 5 terrifying haunted houses and 8 scare zones, along with roaming hoards of monsters throughout the park. The event is slowly ramping back up; in 2019, Howl-O-Scream had 6 haunted houses and 9 scare zones. While there is still room for further development, we really enjoyed our time at Howl-O-Scream this year.

As you can see from the map below, Howl-O-Scream takes over the entire park. The houses are spaced out around the park loop with scare zones between: 

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

Let’s jump into the fog!

Howl-O-Scream Haunted Houses

There is only one brand new haunted house this year, with the remaining 4 returning with some new terrifying twists… like one being completely revamped. Let’s take a look at this year’s lineup:

Stranglewood Estate

“Every town has its share of ghost stories – and this one is no different. Once a lively home filled with laughter and lavish parties is now filled with darkness and the spirit of evil. Welcome to the Stranglewood Estate.”

Unfortunately, this is the only brand-new house this year. However, we love how they made the facade look like a creepy, old Victorian house. We wouldn’t want to stay here for an extended period of time though…

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

 

Witch of the Woods

“Something wicked this way haunts… an ominous legend summons you with her inescapable curse. Curiosity has brought many travelers into this dark forest, but only bone-chilling stories & dying screams make their way out.”

This house was the big hit at last year’s Howl-O-Scream, and we’re happy to see it back for another year of terrorizing guests.

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

 

Death Water Bayou: Blood Moon – The Final Phase

“The werewolves are clawing their way back in and the blood moon is in its final phase. Beware all who enter the inescapable fate of the Death Water Bayou.”

From the title of the house, it sounds like this might be the final year we see Death Water Bayou (which has been a HOS staple since 2013 in its various forms). We’re sad to think this may be leaving, but we’re excited to see what will take its place.

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

 

The Forgotten

“Victims will be drawn into a hidden world beyond the rubble and rocks of an unsuspecting quarry, where dark secrets lurk in the shadows. Will those who enter return to the world of the living or are they destined to become the newest minion of the Forgotten army?”

If you’re a fan of vampires, this is the house for you. Definitely a few scares to be found here.

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

 

The Residence – Home For the Holidays

“Merriment turns murderous at this suburban family home. Christmas arrives earlier than ever this year at The Residence, and all-new horrors are eager to be unwrapped. Holidays are best when spent with loved ones, but there’s no guarantee you’ll survive this silent night.”

This house has been a staple at Howl-O-Scream for years, but for 2022, it was completely reimagined. While the standard version of The Residence shows the domestic demons of the suburban Clark family, the new version gives it a Christmas makeover. This was the one house my friend and I were brave enough to really want to do (we’re both chickens at heart and prefer to get our scares in the scare zones for now). Unfortunately, by the time we got around to this house’s location… the line was closed for the evening, so we were unable to experience it. Fingers crossed for next time!

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

 

Howl-O-Scream Scare Zones

A good haunt event isn’t complete with an array of scare zones. At Howl-O-Scream this year, there are a solid 8 scare zones that you will find scattered around the park. Scare zones are my level of scary (knowing that safety is just a few feet away), and the actors definitely did a good job giving us some memorable screams.

Voodoo

“Driven out of the bayou by ravenous werewolves, the witch doctors now practice their dark magic on you as they pursue their twisted revenge through ancient curses.”

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

This scare zone moved to a new location this year and it works better now, as it was too spread out last year. Now that it’s more condensed, it’s more cohesive. 

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

Beyond The Veil

“Along the Nairobi Path lies the depths of a dark forest. Beware of the fairies and orcs as you stroll through this organic forest.”

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

This is a new scare zone and it’s also the most beautiful of all of them. Everything here is illuminated in blacklight and gives off a creepy Tim Burton meets Tinkerbell-gone-wrong vibe. It’s campy while remaining scary. This scare zone works best at night, so you should make this a stop after the sun goes down.

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

The Shortcut

“Cutting through the cemetery may seem like an easy way out, except when the corpses rise from the ground only to drag you back into their graves with them.”

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

This is another returning scare zone that has moved to a new location this year. It’s much smaller than before but still effective.The scare actors really got me good a couple times.

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

 

Raven’s Mill

“Within the walls of the corn field lies a horrific nightmare you cannot awaken. The scarecrows of Raven’s Mill are ready for you…”

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

This is another brand new scare zone this year, and it’s a good one! Scarecrows high above distract guests while the monsters lay in wait below. I got a really good scare in this zone that got my heart racing for a bit.

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

Skeleton Crew

“Rising from their watery grave, shipwrecked pirates seek to plunder the world of the living, taking all lost souls as their bounty.”

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

This is another returning scare zone. Last year, it was very poorly lit… so much that you couldn’t really see anything or get any proper scares. Thankfully this seems to have been fixed as the lighting this year was definitely better. And some new scares have been added too!

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

The Junkyard

“You’ll find more than spare parts as you rummage through this surly scrap site. Will you make it out in one piece or be devoured by the haunted rubble?”

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

This is probably our favorite scare zone this year. It’s off the beaten path and is pretty good-sized; it could almost be its own mini-house with how detailed it is. There are lots of fun things to look at and scares when you least expect them. If you’re visiting Howl-O-Scream, make sure this is on your must-see list!

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

In The Shadows

“Eerie legends and cryptid creatures passed down through centuries of ghost stories have gathered in the woods, turning wary skeptics into doomed believers.”

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

This was our favorite scare zone last year. Unfortunately, this year’s version felt a little lacking. There weren’t as many scare actors and our favorite monster of last year was glaringly missing as well.

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

Hidden Scare Zone & Roaming Hordes

“Beware of the hidden zone and roaming hordes…just when you think you know what’s coming, untold horrors lurk in the darkness awaiting your arrival.”

This “scare zone” could honestly barely be called that. The scare actors are really spread out and somewhat easy to spot, which overall spoils the surprise.

We also noticed the roaming hoards were almost non-existent outside of a couple areas (entrance/Moroccan Plaza, Gwazi Plaza and Cheetah Hunt Plaza), which was also disappointing. Though we did spot some really fun monsters here and there.

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

Howl-O-Scream Entertainment

If all the scares are overwhelming for you, there’s a few entertainment options for you to decompress for a bit before heading back into the thick of the horrors.

50/50: Choose Your Fate

“No matter your choice – he wins, and you lose. Join the game show host as he decides your fate and experience the fright of a lifetime.”

This show is performed a handful of times at the Coke Canopy stage and has an audience participation element.

Fiends

“These captivating creatures of the night will infect you with dance fever and keep your pulse pounding with their raucous dance party.”

This show is performed twice nightly on the Festival Field stage (weather permitting). This year, Fiends finally got a bit of a revamp. Besides a new general theme (this year the Fiends get a star on the Walk of Fame), each monster now performs to new songs. While new elements were welcome, something felt a little disjointed with the show. But overall we love the fun energy of the cast, and would certainly return to this show.

Cirque X-Scream

“Cirque X-Scream features exhilarating acts and stunts, including trampoline tricks and aerial performances.”

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

Unfortunately, there were no performances of this show on the opening night of Howl-O-Scream. But the overall premise of the show sounds similar to Cirque Electric, which was a super fun and high-energy show performed during Summer Celebration.

The Rolling Bones

“The live performance of this skeleton band lights up Dragon Fire Grill with epic covers of classic rock anthems.”

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

This is a short (15-minute) show, that honestly is not worth going out of your way to see. If you’re already at or nearby Dragon Fire Grill and a show is about to start, then it might be worth stopping in to check it out.

Rides In The Dark

One of our favorite things at Howl-O-Scream (besides the scares), is the opportunity to ride some world-class roller coasters in the dark! It brings a new level of thrill and excitement for riders.

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

Roller Coasters

With most of the Howl-O-Scream crowds in line for the haunted houses, wait times for the coasters are minimal. We saw Iron Gwazi had just a 10-minute wait most of the night (this new coaster usually commands a 50-60 minute wait on average), 15 minutes for Cheetah Hunt, and 5 minutes for Cobra’s Curse. ShiekRa was a walk-on when we rode.

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

Crash Test Clowns

“Buckle up for an extra bumpy ride where the road rage from your fellow travelers includes a monstrous appetite for human brains.”

Another Howl-O-Scream favorite, the monster bumper cars, is back again! This year’s version is Crash Test Clowns, where guests go up against, you guessed it… evil clowns. We love this genius upgrade to a classic attraction.

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

Howl-O-Scream Merchandise

And what theme park special event is complete without merchandise? We spotted lots of new items this year, including shirts, pins, mugs/drink tumblers and more!

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

We absolutely LOVE these adorable Furry Bones figurines. Little skeletons dressed up as various creatures, animals and food items? We’ll take one of each!

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills

We also spotted this sign in one of the gift shops. A 5% surcharge added to all purchases on top of the normal sales tax? That seems unnecessarily scammy to us. What are your thoughts on this unexplained cash grab?

, Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills


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Let’s Hear From You

That’s a quick rundown of what’s happening at Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens Tampa this year. Did you see any haunted house themes that piqued your interest? What do you think about the new scare zones this year? Do you think 2023 will be back to 2019 levels of houses and scare zones? AND… what about that crazy unexplained surcharge??? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

More Florida Theme Park Halloween Activities

Now that we’ve officially reached haunt season, there’s a lot going on around the Florida theme parks. Here’s a roundup of everything that’s happening at theme parks in the Southern Florida region for Halloween:

The Boo is Back at Florida Theme Parks – Halloween Roundup

And our coverage of all the Halloween events in the Disney and Universal parks: 

Halloween Time

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Amy VandenBoogert
Amy is lucky to live in beautiful Tampa Bay, Florida and frequently visits the Busch Gardens theme park in that city. You can find Amy's updates on Busch Gardens and other Central Florida attractions in MiceChat's Orlando Parkhopper columns.