Howl-O-Scream runs 30 dates from September 11 through November 1, 2026: every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, every Thursday in October, plus Monday, Oct. 12. Scares start at 6 p.m. on every one of those dates. Here's the thing that trips up anyone who's been to Tampa or Orlando: at Williamsburg, Howl-O-Scream is included with your regular park admission or season pass, no separate event ticket required. Five haunted houses, five terror-tories, and four shows all come with the ticket you'd buy anyway.
Last checked September 20, 2026, against Busch Gardens Williamsburg's official Howl-O-Scream page and park calendar. Upgrade prices are the park's "starting at" online prices and move with demand.
Howl-O-Scream runs 30 dates this year, Sept. 11 through Nov. 1: every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, every Thursday in October, plus Monday, Oct. 12. Scares start at 6 p.m. on every one of those dates, but the table below shows park hours, since that's when the night actually ends and it varies a lot night to night. The first five dates, Sept. 11 through Sept. 19, are already behind us. Here's every date from Sunday, Sept. 20 through the Nov. 1 finale.
| Date | Park hours |
|---|---|
| Sun, Sept. 20 | 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
| Fri, Sept. 25 | 3 to 11 p.m. |
| Sat, Sept. 26 | 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. |
| Sun, Sept. 27 | 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
| Thu, Oct. 1 | 5 to 10 p.m. |
| Fri, Oct. 2 | 2 to 11 p.m. |
| Sat, Oct. 3 | 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. |
| Sun, Oct. 4 | 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
| Thu, Oct. 8 | 5 to 11 p.m. |
| Fri, Oct. 9 | noon to 11 p.m. |
| Sat, Oct. 10 | 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. |
| Sun, Oct. 11 | 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. |
| Mon, Oct. 12 | 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Thu, Oct. 15 | 5 to 11 p.m. |
| Fri, Oct. 16 | noon to 11 p.m. |
| Sat, Oct. 17 | 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. |
| Sun, Oct. 18 | 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
| Thu, Oct. 22 | 5 to 11 p.m. |
| Fri, Oct. 23 | noon to 11 p.m. |
| Sat, Oct. 24 | 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. |
| Sun, Oct. 25 | 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
| Thu, Oct. 29 | 5 to 10 p.m. |
| Fri, Oct. 30 | 2 to 10 p.m. |
| Sat, Oct. 31 | 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
| Sun, Nov. 1 | 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
If you leave the park, you can't get back in after 8 p.m. On the evenings the park opens at 5 p.m. for the event, the kid rides in Land of Dragons and Sesame Street Forest of Fun stay closed. Outside these dates, the park is closed Monday through Wednesday, and Thursdays in September too.
Hours are from Busch Gardens Williamsburg's operating calendar as of September 20, 2026. Parks do adjust hours, so check the official calendar the week you go.
Five houses are on the schedule, headlined by a new Sony Pictures tie-in:
One correction worth flagging: a couple of Halloween trade sites are labeling Werewolves and Bloodshot as "all-new" for 2026. They're not. Both debuted last season and are returning here, just revamped.
Five terror-tories fill the walkways between houses this year, two of them new: Viper Valley (an Amazon-themed street festival crawling with snakes) and Witch's Way (enchanted woods stalked by witches and crones), alongside returning zones Disgrotesque, Wicked Wunderland, and Ripper Row.
Four shows are confirmed, one new for 2026: Undead Diva, where Vita Von Vault tries to figure out which band member poisoned her. Returning: Fiends (Dr. Freakenstein's indoor show), Skeletones In Your Closet, and Monster Stomp on Ripper Row. There's also a daytime Monster Street Party in France Plaza, open to all ages, and six themed BOOze Bars around the park if you're 21+. If the scare actors aren't your thing, Busch Gardens sells a NO BOO Necklace that tells them to leave you alone in the terror-tories.
A Sesame Street Halloween Event in the Forest of Fun: a hay maze, a scavenger hunt, safe trick-or-treating along Griffon Overlook, and three Sesame Street shows. Built for kids 9 and under, included with admission.
Five houses, five terror-tories, and four shows starting at 6 p.m. The park's own FAQ says it's not intended for children. Ten roller coasters run in the dark.
Howl-O-Scream itself doesn't have a separate price, it's covered by whatever admission or pass gets you into the park. These are the upgrade prices Busch Gardens Williamsburg had posted on its official pages as of September 20, 2026:
We don't sell tickets or passes, and we don't do affiliate links. This is what Busch Gardens Williamsburg offers so you know your options before you buy from them.
Two rules worth knowing: if you leave the park you can't get back in after 8 p.m., and guests 15 and younger need a chaperone who's at least 21, from 4 p.m. until close. One chaperone can cover up to six guests, and a government-issued photo ID is required at the gate.
This is a new season for us to track, so we don't have crowd data yet on which Howl-O-Scream nights run heaviest. What we do know: it's 30 dates, not the whole fall, covering every Friday, Saturday and Sunday plus Thursdays in October. Check your date against the official calendar before you lock in dinner or a hotel, since closing time varies by night. Busch Gardens still runs its regular daytime ride lineup on event days, so the crowd calendar below covers your afternoon before the park turns.
Yes. Unlike Busch Gardens Tampa, SeaWorld Orlando, and other Howl-O-Scream events that sell a separate ticket, Williamsburg's Howl-O-Scream comes with your regular park admission or season pass. All five haunted houses, five terror-tories, and four shows are included. Only the Quick Queue upgrades, VIP tours, Sip & Scream, and reserved seating cost extra.
Busch Gardens Williamsburg's own FAQ says the event "contains intense adult content such as violence, gore, and blood and is not intended for children." Minors under 18 are allowed in with a parent, but the park is telling you upfront this isn't built for kids. The family-friendly option is Halloween Spooktacular, the daytime event.
The biggest difference is how you pay for it. Tampa's Howl-O-Scream is a separately ticketed night event, no daytime admission included. Williamsburg's version comes with your regular park ticket or season pass, so if you're already planning a day at the park during the event window, you're already in.
Halloween Spooktacular, officially "A Sesame Street Halloween Event." It runs Saturdays and Sundays, September 19 through November 1, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., included with admission. It's built for kids 9 and under, with a hay maze, a scavenger hunt, safe trick-or-treating along Griffon Overlook, and three Sesame Street shows.
The headliner is Anaconda: Dead on Arrival, a new Sony Pictures house where you search the Amazon for a missing film crew. A second new house, Fright at the Museum, opens Sept. 25. Two terror-tories are new too: Viper Valley and Witch's Way. And there's one new show, Undead Diva. A couple of Halloween trade sites are calling the Werewolves and Bloodshot houses "new" as well, but both actually debuted last year. They're returning for 2026, not new.
It runs 30 dates from September 11 through November 1, 2026: every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, every Thursday in October, plus Monday, Oct. 12.
Scares start at 6 p.m. every date. Closing time varies by night since it's tied to the park's own hours, anywhere from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Check the official calendar for your exact date.
Yes. Guests 15 and younger need a chaperone who's at least 21, from 4 p.m. until close. One chaperone can cover up to six guests, and a government-issued photo ID is required at the gate.
Howl-O-Scream nights still run Griffon and Pantheon in the dark, along with the rest of the lineup. The app tracks Busch Gardens Williamsburg's ride waits live, so you can time your coaster laps between houses. Get it on the App Store before you go.
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