Howl-O-Scream 2021 (SeaWorld Orlando)

[Legacy]

Suprise out of the blue announcement that will do great for SeaWorld and yet is also "well duh, why haven't they done that yet?" Feels like SWO will bite off some tourists in September but mostly locals but will then start pulling off locals and tourists when they're blocked out on Fridays and Saturdays. I can also imagine they'll find their own identity among the population: MNSSHP/DAD is the family-friendly trick or treat event, HHN is the elaborate movie-like event, and HoS is the more intense event. I do wonder what this will do for alcohol sales in HHN if HoS shows there's demand for it... hmmmm.

If HoSO leans successfully into the “guerrilla,” make-shift haunt vibe, it’ll be able to establish itself as a “hole in the wall” alternative for Orlando. For a lot of people who have only ever done HHN, it’ll be a pretty big shift. And for HHN “purists,” that may be a turn-off.

I don’t expect this event to build its own noticeable market share. It probably won’t even really eat into HHN’s market share at first. But if HHN prices keep increasing, HoSO is going to become more attractive. I think that’s why it’s happening “now.”

 

[Brian G.]

I'm hoping they do a seasonal overlay for Shark Encounter. BRING BACK TERRORS FROM THE DEEP!

 

[Parkscope Joe]

If HoSO leans successfully into the “guerrilla,” make-shift haunt vibe, it’ll be able to establish itself as a “hole in the wall” alternative for Orlando. For a lot of people who have only ever done HHN, it’ll be a pretty big shift. And for HHN “purists,” that may be turn-off.

I don’t expect this event to build its own noticeable market share. It probably won’t even really eat into HHN’s market share at first. But if HHN prices keep increasing, HoSO is going to become more attractive. I think that’s why it’s happening “now.”

Definitely will push Orlando into being THE location for Halloween.

 

[Nick]

The way I explain it to people is HHN is an arena rock show: Highly produced, polished, more expensive, you get an assigned seat, and it's great

HOS is a local downtown theater alt band show: The theater is a bit rough around the edges, has more of a special charm, more aggressive, in your face, less polished and produced (not necessarily a bad thing)

I'll be honest, the last few years, HOS has lost some of its luster with Scott leaving. However, there were several years in the past where HOS outdid and even pushed past HHN

I explain it similarly, but more in theater terms, since it is a form of a live theatrical production after all.

I tell people that HHN is more like Broadway - it's the big time of haunts, there's a lot of glitz and glam involved, highly elaborate set pieces along with other effects used. The scareactors are (especially in IP houses) are held to very strict standards in terms of staying in character, which means that every time through you will more of less see them doing the same thing, you may just run into a scare that you didn't the time before on certain run-throughs.

I explain HoS in terms of Community Theater in the very best way. Everything involved with building the houses is done very cheaply, the costumes and sets are less elaborate, but the actors have more freedom to just kinda wing it and go "off script" and have a fun time with it, which is a big part of what makes it more intense than HHN. Every time through you will probably get a totally different experience due to this.

 

[Magic Feather]

A set of thoughts/predictions:

• Based on available space to put houses, I’m struggling to see a world where the event doesn’t end up ridiculously concentrated on the Bayside Pathway, which is weird considering the impending construction mess of project penguin.
• Between Ports of Call and the Harbor Pavilions, they could fit an entire (big) event’s worth of houses. That said, I doubt SeaWorld would want to concentrate the event that much in that area.
• I’m kind of doubting what the ride lineup will look like during this. They seem to be intentionally limiting the areas of the park that will be open, to the point that I wonder if the open area will even reach to Manta, let alone JtA, Kraken, and *maybe* Mako.
• I would not be surprised to find some of the stuff from Dark Horizon at this event.
• Also expecting at least one house ported in from another HoS event
• Guessing two completely original houses; one based on sirens
• Also expecting the Siren to be an event icon of sorts.

 

[GAcoaster]

I don't see the entire park open for this, I'm thinking more or less just the loop around the lake. Not much sense to opening Key West/Dolphin Cove/Turtle Trek/Atlantis/Antarctica areas. Maybe the pathway by Mako is the limit.

LOL--

 

[SeventyOne]

A set of thoughts/predictions:

• Based on available space to put houses, I’m struggling to see a world where the event doesn’t end up ridiculously concentrated on the Bayside Pathway, which is weird considering the impending construction mess of project penguin.
• Between Ports of Call and the Harbor Pavilions, they could fit an entire (big) event’s worth of houses. That said, I doubt SeaWorld would want to concentrate the event that much in that area.
• I’m kind of doubting what the ride lineup will look like during this. They seem to be intentionally limiting the areas of the park that will be open, to the point that I wonder if the open area will even reach to Manta, let alone JtA, Kraken, and *maybe* Mako.
• I would not be surprised to find some of the stuff from Dark Horizon at this event.
• Also expecting at least one house ported in from another HoS event
• Guessing two completely original houses; one based on sirens
• Also expecting the Siren to be an event icon of sorts.

What I assume is the press release is floating around, and it emphasizes "coasters," plural. Even if we spot them Ice Breaker, I think they almost have to have Mako and Manta up and running as well. Would be easy to cut off the JTA/Kraken corner I guess, but Kraken running at night would draw a lot of attention from outside the park. Also there is an indoor show, which I assume will be in Nautilus (leaving Pets Ahoy for daytime use), which is close enough to Mako to leave it open.

If I had to guess, block the path past the dance party outside Wild Arctic (DJ set up there, don't see them moving it) all the way to Nautilus, leaving Sesame Street and the rapids ride closed. Also close off Key West and Turtle/Manatee, unless used as a house, and even then just queues in and out. Still leaves plenty of access to see the lagoon show--which is supposed to feature the Siren--from the walkways over the lake, access to a fair amount of F&B.

The pirate house being pulled from Tampa seems like a no brainer. I wonder if all the houses end up having a vaguely nautical connection.

 

[shiekra38]

A set of thoughts/predictions:

• Based on available space to put houses, I’m struggling to see a world where the event doesn’t end up ridiculously concentrated on the Bayside Pathway, which is weird considering the impending construction mess of project penguin.
• Between Ports of Call and the Harbor Pavilions, they could fit an entire (big) event’s worth of houses. That said, I doubt SeaWorld would want to concentrate the event that much in that area.
• I’m kind of doubting what the ride lineup will look like during this. They seem to be intentionally limiting the areas of the park that will be open, to the point that I wonder if the open area will even reach to Manta, let alone JtA, Kraken, and *maybe* Mako.
• I would not be surprised to find some of the stuff from Dark Horizon at this event.
• Also expecting at least one house ported in from another HoS event
• Guessing two completely original houses; one based on sirens
• Also expecting the Siren to be an event icon of sorts.

This is interesting, I didn't think about that

TBH, I'd love to see the houses spread out all over the park

And, like Busch they have a lot of walkways where the bush people could be hiding

I don't see the entire park open for this, I'm thinking more or less just the loop around the lake. Not much sense to opening Key West/Dolphin Cove/Turtle Trek/Atlantis/Antarctica areas. Maybe the pathway by Mako is the limit.

LOL--

I'm dying hahaha

 

[Legacy]

A set of thoughts/predictions:

• Based on available space to put houses, I’m struggling to see a world where the event doesn’t end up ridiculously concentrated on the Bayside Pathway, which is weird considering the impending construction mess of project penguin.
• Between Ports of Call and the Harbor Pavilions, they could fit an entire (big) event’s worth of houses. That said, I doubt SeaWorld would want to concentrate the event that much in that area.

This is exactly what they do for HoS in SA. The event there takes place in only a third of the park, and there’s only two/three rides open.

I’d expect Icebreaker, Manta, and Mako.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

You know the usual speculation season we have with HHN? I think that will all go for SWOHoS now. That's kinda exciting.

 

[GA-MBIT]

You know the usual speculation season we have with HHN? I think that will all go for SWOHoS now. That's kinda exciting.

Yeah! That was one of my first thoughts when this was announced! The lack of IPs and repeated originals will probably lead to it being overall slower than HHN, but I think it'll still be pretty fun! In general the more speculation to go around the better!

This will be a game changer for SWO imo. I think this'll end up doing what HHN did for Universal pre-potter. Excited to see how they go about it. Central Florida is an exciting place to be for both a theme park and Halloween fan.

 

[Tobias]

Yeah! That was one of my first thoughts when this was announced! The lack of IPs and repeated originals will probably lead to it being overall slower than HHN, but I think it'll still be pretty fun! In general the more speculation to go around the better!

I'd say it's less due to that, more due to the entire house lineup (minus one) is mothballed from last year, so we already know what the lineup is and houses are always the bulk of spec. Which leaves the one lone house (which might get some more spec very soon if things in HW are confirmed), SZ's and shows which really don't kick in till next month or so.

But yeah, I agree that a nice amount of spec will be happening in here, which ain't a bad thing due to HHN's unique situation.

 

[GA-MBIT]

I'd say it's less due to that, more due to the entire house lineup (minus one) is mothballed from last year, so we already know what the lineup is and houses are always the bulk of spec. Which leaves the one lone house (which might get some more spec very soon if things in HW are confirmed), SZ's and shows which really don't kick in till next month or so.

But yeah, I agree that a nice amount of spec will be happening in here, which ain't a bad thing due to HHN's unique situation.

I was actually referring to HOSO with all that, not HHN30 . HHN30 has a normal amount of IP houses and no repeat originals, I don't expect Howl o Scream to have any IPs and I've heard that they usually repeat quite a few houses at Tampa and elsewhere. HHN will probably keep a large bulk of spec energy. That's what I was trying to say.

 

[Tobias]

I was actually referring to HOSO with all that, not HHN30 . HHN30 has a normal amount of IP houses and no repeat originals, I don't expect Howl o Scream to have any IPs and I've heard that they usually repeat quite a few houses at Tampa and elsewhere. HHN will probably keep a large bulk of spec energy. That's what I was trying to say.

Whoops, my bad. X3

 

[shiekra38]

This is exactly what they do for HoS in SA. The event there takes place in only a third of the park, and there’s only two/three rides open.

I’d expect Icebreaker, Manta, and Mako.

They really only need that much tbh

Although I'd like to see Kraken open as well

They could keep Antarctica, Sesame, Key West and Turtle Trek area closed off

The park still feels big without those areas and it creates a tighter circle around the park so you can hit everything

Was just poking around needed to visualize it in my head...This is pure baseless speculation

 

[Nick]

You know the usual speculation season we have with HHN? I think that will all go for SWOHoS now. That's kinda exciting.

And what's more exciting is that we don't have to speculate long (at least this year), it'll only be a couple months before we know all the details as opposed to HHN where people start speculating the day the event ends and then have to wait 8-10 months to hear from Universal.

 

[P@n!K_Sw1tC#]

Honestly, the area that they’re designating for the main entrance to HOS would make a beautiful permanent entrance to the park with the waterfront and the coasters in the background. One can dream.

 

[TheGentTrent]

You know the usual speculation season we have with HHN? I think that will all go for SWOHoS now. That's kinda exciting.

And what's more exciting is that we don't have to speculate long (at least this year), it'll only be a couple months before we know all the details as opposed to HHN where people start speculating the day the event ends and then have to wait 8-10 months to hear from Universal.

But yeah, I agree that a nice amount of spec will be happening in here, which ain't a bad thing due to HHN's unique situation.

I want to believe this with all my heart, but history shows that HoS never gets the same level of spec that HHN does. For comparison's sake, the HHN spec thread (which started late this year) is at 165 pages while HoS Tampa is only at 2.

Side note: shouldn't this thread be moved to the Howl-o-Scream sub-forum?

 

[Nick]

I want to believe this with all my heart, but history shows that HoS never gets the same level of spec that HHN does. For comparison's sake, the HHN spec thread (which started late this year) is at 165 pages while HoS Tampa is only at 2.

Side note: shouldn't this thread be moved to the Howl-o-Scream sub-forum?

I think HoS Tampa doesn't get nearly the same amount of spec for multiple reasons - for one thing, HoS typically doesn't change up too much year over year and only has one or two new houses each year, so there's just not as much to talk about. Secondly, it's in Tampa, so most people who go to HHN don't go to HoS at BGT.

Now that there's an HoS in Orlando, I think a lot more people will attend both and care about what's at the event each year, however aside from this year where it's the inaugural year so we don't know what to expect yet, I wouldn't expect there to be all-new houses every year. That's just not what HoS is and thus limits how much speculation there can be.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

My speculation comment was more about this year because we know HHN30's line up due to the delay. I imagine next year it'll go back to mostly HHN as that will be a whole new event while most of the HoS houses will return. Just happy to see speculation return in some capacity for this year.