Credit: SeaWorldIn a surprising ranking, Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios is no longer the premier Halloween theme park event. And it’s not even close.
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October is finally here, which means one thing for theme park enthusiasts: Halloween Horror Nights! Guests can gather at Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Orlando, or any other Universal Park for a fun and terrifying experience they won’t soon forget.
However, Halloween Horror Nights is far from the only game in town. In fact, it seems that every theme park has gotten in on the Halloween game ever since Knott’s Berry Farm started the trend 50 years ago. And according to readers of USA Today, Universal Studios is no longer the best Halloween theme park in America.
SeaWorld Voted the Best Halloween Theme Park
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SeaWorld is one of the newest theme parks when it comes to Halloween festivities. When Busch Gardens started holding Howl-O-Scream in 1999, SeaWorld San Antonio soon followed in 2000. However, the event didn’t come to SeaWorld San Diego or SeaWorld Orlando until 2021.
Well, it looks like Howl-O-Scream was well worth the wait since readers of USA Today ranked it as the best theme park Halloween event in the country. And its Busch Gardens cousin is right behind at number two.
SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment CEO Marc Swanson is proud of the achievement, saying, “Receiving this award recognizes that one-of-a-kind experience, from terrifying haunted houses, thrilling scare zones, signature shows like Busch Gardens Tampa’s Cirque X-Scream and Monster Stomp at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, to a strong lineup of thrills at both of our parks.”
So what is it that set SeaWorld so far ahead of the pack? Fans listed the elaborate haunted houses, darkened thrill rides, immersive scare zones, and food and alcohol as highlights. But something that also benefits SeaWorld is the lack of crowds.
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While Howl-O-Scream is certainly busy, it’s nowhere near the level of Halloween Horror Nights, which has faced numerous issues this year due to overcrowding. In fact, that could be the most significant reason it has fallen so far from grace in the eyes of the public.
Universal Studios Barely Scraped the Top 10
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Universal Studios may be the most popular Halloween theme park event in the business, but it is far from the only one. USA Today’s readers actually ranked Halloween Horror Nights as the tenth-best event of the year. That’s right, there are nine different parks ahead of Universal.
What’s exciting about this specific ranking is that no event is exactly alike. Some may be dedicated to trying to scare the pants off of you, while others are family-friendly experiences focusing more on the treats instead of tricks. And they’re from all over the country, reminding you that you can find a good scare anywhere.
Here’s the full ranking:
- Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld – Multiple locations
- Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens – Multiple locations
- Hallo-Fun at Knoebels – Elysburg, Pennsylvania
- Halloween Haunt at Kings Island – Mason, Ohio
- Castle Dark at Castle Park – Riverside, California
- Hersheypark Halloween – Hershey, Pennsylvania
- Halloween Haunt at Kings Dominion – Doswell, Virginia
- Harvest Festival at Silver Dollar City – Branson, Missouri
- HalloWeekends at Cedar Point – Sandusky, Ohio
- Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios – Multiple locations
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While there are definitely some iconic Halloween Haunts missing from this list, like Fright Fest at Six Flags and Knott’s Scary Farm, this is still a great ranking. This serves as a reminder that there are many theme park options for Halloween other than Universal Studios.
This year, avoid the crowds at Halloween Horror Nights and give a new park a shot. You may find a new favorite event.
What’s your favorite Halloween experience? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!