Halloween Horror Nights or Howl-O-Scream?

Let's be honest here.  Who among us doesn't like a frightfully, good scare? Ummm, me! I'm more of a Mickey's Not So Scary than a Halloween Horror or Howl-O-Scream kind of a gal so I sent Bill (hubs) and Emily (daughter) to check these ghoulish events out for me!

At first glance, you might think that both events are the same but Howl-O-Scream and Halloween Horror Nights offer vastly different experiences! 

Busch Gardens Insomnia House was a favorite!  Emily says, "there is a room inside this house that the walls move and the characters within the house interact with the guests!" A totally different experience than what you might expect.

At Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Night there were a couple of stand-out houses!  The Trick 'r Treat house was a favorite because it felt most like Halloween, if that makes sense. I think you need to experience it to fully understand!  The Horrors of Blumhouse was interesting because it combines two hit films, Happy Death Days and The First Purge, which makes a nice contrast. It's like you get two houses in one!

Both Halloween Horror Nights and Howl-O-Scream have Scare Zones, but they are slightly different in how they operate.  Halloween Horror Nights has specific areas throughout the park as Scare Zones.  The borders of these Scare Zones are defined.  You walk in and out of them.  At Howl-O-Scream, the entire park is a Scare Zone! There are roaming hordes, character interactions and engagement and characters "stalking" you in queue lines and on the rides.  Don't be scared when you see your coaster riding buddy is a ghoulish monster!

5 Must-Dos

1. At Busch Gardens the Insomnia House is not to be missed! 
2. Universal Orlando's Trick 'r Treat house and the Horrors of Blumhouse are two you want to experience!
3. Dia De Los Muertos Scare Zone at Busch Gardens is one of the prettiest!  Yes, Scare Zone and pretty are not typically used in the same sentence but this Scare Zone provides ample photo op locations!
4. Just going to through this in - if you get hungry at Busch Gardens, the Zambia Smokehouse is always a great option!
5. And speaking of great Scare Zones, Twisted Tradition at Halloween Horror Nights is also an awesome photo op!          

Twisted Tradition scare zone, Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights!

You never know who you might bump into in the Twisted Tradition Scare Zone, Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights!