Orlando, FL — SeaWorld Orlando has confirmed Howl-O-Scream will return for its sixth year on select nights from September 11 through October 31, 2026, with five haunted houses, six scare zones, five all-new interactive bars, and two live shows. The separately ticketed event opens its gates at 6:30 p.m. with the event beginning at 7:00 p.m., and the park has named its first two new experiences: the haunted house “Everything Must Stay” and the scare zone “Just One More Chapter.”
NOTE: This article will be updated as new announcements land.
Everything Must Stay
The only named haunted house so far is an all-new, original concept centered on a haunted open house. The park’s description reads: “For six years, one suburban home has sat unsold while every open house ends the same way: terrified buyers fleeing from things they can’t explain. Tonight, those unseen forces awaken, and you’ll find yourself trapped inside for the worst showing imaginable.”
Photo courtesy of SeaWorld Orlando
Of the five houses in this year’s framework, the official page lists three more as all-new with storylines still under wraps, plus one returning house that has not yet been identified.
Just One More Chapter
The first named scare zone is an all-new gothic garden themed to cursed romance, where, per the park’s description, “irresistible temptation creates deadly intentions.” It joins two returning zones already confirmed on the official page: Trailer Park Tragedy and Woodrot Hollow. Three additional new scare zones remain unannounced.
Photo courtesy of SeaWorld Orlando
The five interactive bars are listed as all-new for 2026, with names still to come.
Shows, Night Rides, and the Howl-O-Sprint 5K
The official attractions page lists two live shows: the returning Throttle, featuring the villain Havoc, and Monster Stomp, the Jack the Ripper-themed percussion show at Nautilus Theater that the park labels a fan favorite. FOX 35 Orlando has reported a third production, Hellzapoppin Presents: The Grave Danger Thrill Show, which does not yet appear on the official page.
Four coasters will run during event hours: Mako, Ice Breaker, Pipeline: The Surf Coaster, and Expedition Odyssey: Fire & Ice.
The Howl-O-Sprint 5K returns for its third year on Friday, September 18. The nighttime race starts at 8:00 p.m., runs through the event’s scare zones, and is capped at 2,000 participants. Early registration is $85, or $66.66 for Annual Pass Members, through September 4, and includes a finisher medal, event shirt, free parking, and a Howl-O-Scream ticket valid through October 31.
Ticket Options and Pricing
Howl-O-Scream Orlando is separately ticketed and not included with daytime admission. A limited-time Sinister Sale prices single-night tickets from $34.99, with Annual Pass Members from $29.99. The Unlimited Scream Pass is currently selling for $112.99, and combo tickets pairing SeaWorld Orlando with Busch Gardens Tampa Bay are available in single-visit and unlimited versions.
Across the Howl-O-Scream Parks
All four Howl-O-Scream parks have posted 2026 dates. The event at Busch Gardens Williamsburg runs September 11 through November 1 with a five-house, six-terror-tory, four-show framework, and the event there has historically been included with daytime admission. SeaWorld San Antonio also runs September 11 through November 1, with the event included with park admission. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, which unveiled the M.A.R.S. haunted house last season, is separately ticketed with its own Sinister Sale from $34.99; the park’s pages currently show both a September 4 and a September 11 start, and its 2026 lineup has not been announced beyond medical-themed teasers on the event’s social accounts.
None of the other three parks has confirmed 2026-specific houses or zones, and lineup content currently visible on their pages carries over from 2025. HAN has covered the chain’s Halloween brand since its expansion years, including Howl-O-Scream’s return to SeaWorld San Diego and the 2023 multi-park reveal cycle.
Event dates and ticketing
Howl-O-Scream Orlando 2026 runs select nights September 11 through October 31 at SeaWorld Orlando. Tickets and event details are at seaworld.com/orlando/events/howl-o-scream. Additional houses, scare zones, and bar reveals are expected weekly through the summer; this article will be updated as announcements are confirmed.
