Howl-O-Scream runs select nights September 11 through October 31, 2026. Gates open at 5 p.m., the event starts at 7 p.m. All six houses are named, including Anaconda, the event's first-ever licensed-IP house, and this year's storyline is Dark Side of the Gardens: Chapter Three.
Last checked August 18, 2026, against Busch Gardens' official event pages.
Five scare zones are announced so far: Ragnar's Wrath: Call of Odin (Norse monsters collecting Odin's payment), Mr. Gleam's Auto Spa (body horror at the car wash), The Punchline: Riot, Rootbound, and a revamped Breadcrumbs to Nowhere: Once Upon a Time. The Fiends stage show is back at Dragon Fire Grill.
Busch Gardens moved from launch pricing into a sale tier over the summer, and the current prices are actually lower than launch. These were live on the official ticket page on August 18, 2026:
| Ticket | Current price |
|---|---|
| Single-night ticket | From $39.99 |
| Any Night ticket | $38.99 |
| Unlimited Scream Pass (blockouts on Saturdays) | $112.99 |
| Two-park single visit (with SeaWorld Orlando) | $97.99 |
| Two-park unlimited | $164.99 |
Skip-the-line access is sold separately: Front Line Fear from $79.99, EXTREME from $99.99, ULTIMATE from $119.99 (the only tier with Anaconda priority access). The VIP Terror Tour runs $299.99 per person and Fright Feast, a buffet plus an hour of front-of-line house access, starts at $55. We don't sell any of these; prices move, so confirm on the official site.
Howl-O-Scream is built for adults. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's own event rules warn of violence, gore, and blood content, and costumes aren't allowed at the event.
Fridays and Saturdays sell heaviest and cost the most. Thursdays and Sundays run about an hour shorter, draw lighter crowds, and skip most of the party atmosphere, which makes them the better pick if you're there for the houses. Early September nights are the quietest of the whole run.
Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, so October 30 and 31 should be the two most crowded nights of the Florida haunt season. Gates open at 5 p.m., two hours before the houses do; getting in at 5 and eating before 7 puts you at a house door when the event actually starts.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay runs its regular daytime operation on these same days, so it's worth checking the crowd calendar for the daytime picture too.
See the full Busch Gardens Tampa Bay guide →
No. It's a separate night ticket. Daytime admission isn't included and isn't required, and once you leave the event there's no re-entry.
It's not built for them. Busch Gardens' own FAQ warns of intense adult content: violence, gore, and blood. There's no minimum age and no child pricing, but there are no toned-down nights either. For a family Halloween night in Florida, this isn't the one.
Thursdays and Sundays, especially in September. Skip Oct. 30 and 31 unless you want Halloween-Saturday crowds; those should be the two busiest nights of the run.
The Anaconda house is the headline: the event's first house ever built on licensed IP. The storyline also moves into Dark Side of the Gardens: Chapter Three, with new scare zones still being revealed through August.
No. Costumes are banned at the event.
Your Howl-O-Scream ticket covers coasters in the dark too. The app tracks Busch Gardens Tampa's ride waits live and flags the drops, so you can time your rides between houses. Get it on the App Store before you go.
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