The Other Orlando Blog

From the official Busch press release:

Howl-O-Scream 2009 Proves That Evil Never Goes Out of Style
Florida’s top-rated Halloween event debuts a new kind of nightmare with launch of HouseofVayne.com

TAMPA, Fla. (Aug. 21, 2009) – Busch Gardens Tampa Bay kicks off it’s tenth season of gut-wrenching scares by launching the Howl-O-Scream 2009 website, HouseofVayne.com, expanding the event to seven horrifying haunted houses, and introducing the beautiful new face of evil itself – the fashionable Ms. Vayne and her deranged models.

For 17 select nights, Howl-O-Scream 2009 will prove that evil never goes out of style. The devious creatures that infest all-new haunted houses, scare zones, thrilling shows and even the streets themselves will have guests watching their backs, and bone-chilling roller coasters keep the screams coming all night long.

Howl-O-Scream 2009 is a separate ticketed event, and the general admission price is $69.95. Savings are available on advance ticket purchases for Passport Members and Florida Residents. Discounts are also available through promotional codes provided on Bud Light, Domino’s Pizza and Applebee’s products statewide.

The event runs every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night during October: Oct. 1-3, 8-10, 15-17, 22-24 and 29-31. Freaky Preview lets guests sink their teeth into the scares a week early on Sept. 25-26 for discounted rates as low as $29.95 for general admission and $24.95 for Passport members. Operating hours are 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. during Freaky Preview and on Thursday nights. Friday and Saturday hours are 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.



Howl-O-Scream 2009 has more haunted houses than ever before, designed to tease your deepest, darkest fears…

· NEW! Delta-Epsilon-Delta: Pledge Week – For decades, the most mysterious sorority on campus has invited only select girls from the top families to join. But this year, it’s open rush, and the sisters are welcoming new members with open arms. Can you escape before you fall victim to the sinister secrets of this twisted sisterhood? No one does it like a E girl…


· NEW! Nightshade Toy Factory – By day, the old Nightshade Toy Factory appears abandoned. But as night falls, the mysterious manufacturing plant glows and hums as it creates the diabolical dolls, terrible teddy bears and possessed playthings of your childhood nightmares. These twisted toys are alive…and they are coming after the adults who have forgotten them.

Some of the most demented houses ever are back by popular demand with some horrible new twists. These returning favorites are sure to terrorize first-time visitors and die-hard fans alike:

· Reconstruction: The Doctor Is In – Dr. Edger VonAngst has the skill and technology to make you over…but what will you become? This mad reconstructive surgeon has set up shop, putting human parts back together with mechanical pieces and combining flesh, bone and steel in the most hideous ways. Nip/Tuck has never been like this!

· Death Row Vengeance – The inmates at Grey Echo Penitentiary are slated for execution, and they blame you. With their last breath, they curse those who do nothing to save them from the electric chair or lethal injection and vow to haunt those who watched them suffer. Will you make it out alive when they come back to make good on their dying promise?

· 13 – Each October, the underground members of The Messengers come out of hiding to seek out 13 unlucky victims, who are tracked down and tortured before the gang feasts on their flesh. This year, they have already claimed 12 lives so far… will 13 be your unlucky number?

· Taste of Blood – Once revered as royalty, hordes of undead vampires have now been forced underground into the subways and sewers to avoid the sunlight. By day, they feed on rats to survive. But as night falls, these fanged fiends take to the streets to seduce fresh blood.

· Trapped in the Walls – The gruesome fate of an innocent family made headlines when it happened. Years later, evil still lingers in the rooms where the tragedies happened. It has seeped into the walls, trapping dark demons and infesting a house that can’t let go of its horrible history.
At Howl-O-Scream, even the sidewalks aren’t safe from the things that go bump in the night. Four scare zones and nine bands of roaming hordes will keep guests watching their backs as they explore 335 acres of fright:

· NEW! Unearthed – Ancient evil rages when archeologists unearth the tomb of a feared Egyptian ruler, releasing his spirit into the world of the living. Ahmenhotep and his underworld minions will carry out a dreaded curse, seeking revenge on those who dared to defile his final resting place.

NEW! Banshees – According to legend, a banshee will wail around a house if someone there is about to die. When several banshees appear at once, it is said to foretell the death of someone great or notable. Here, Banshees glide through the darkness, preying on the living and looking to make their screeching songs come true.
NEW! El Carnaval del Muerto – In the small town of Decada de Sustos, the locals come together once a year to celebrate death. But in the midst of the wild revelry, visitors to this tiny village unwittingly play an important part in this macabre party by becoming the victims of the raucous and bloodthirsty townspeople.
NEW! Werewolves – As night falls, a hoard of restless half-man, half-beast monsters patiently wait for innocent guests to stumble into their lair. Those who are not worthy to join the clan will be preyed upon as dinner. These scavengers’ insatiable hunger is matched only by their cunning and determination to satisfy their need to feed.
· You never know where your next scare is preparing to pounce. Just when you thought you were safe, Roaming Hordes of clowns, zombies, monsters and more take their terror to the streets and sneak up on unsuspecting victims. Who’s watching your back?

After braving bone-chilling coasters in the dark such as SheiKra, Montu, Gwazi and Kumba, you can catch your breath at these twisted live shows:

· NEW! Full Moon Cabaret: The Magic of Jason Byrne – As darkness descends on the Desert Grill each night, The Academy of Magical Arts’ “Stage Magician of the Year” Jason Byrne takes to the stage with tantalizing tricks and ominous illusions as he presents his unique brand of award-winning killer magic.

· Fiends – Is there a doctor in the house? These captivating creatures of the night will infect you with dance fever and keep your pulse pounding with their deranged dance party. But when Dr. Freakenstein’s naughty nurses start operating, the diagnosis is always “code pink.”

Looking for a killer party or the perfect souvenir to round out your evening of evil?

NEW! Club enVy – Take a break from the terror to stop by Howl-O-Scream’s new, exclusive 21+ dance club, featuring unlimited access to exclusive cocktails, drink specials, character meet-and-greets and great music all night long. A special “Happy Hour” option also includes hors d’oeuvres and exclusive early access to haunted houses.

NEW! Howl-O-Scream Shop of Horrors – Remember your evening of evil with the perfect Howl-O-Scream souvenir, including signature House of Vayne jewelry, “10 Years of Terror” commemorative t-shirts and other Halloween-themed gifts. Then, smile through the pain and snap the perfect party pic with the DED girls at an exclusive photo op that’s not for the faint of heart.
Take advantage of the best way to see Howl-O-Scream with All-Inclusive Fear Tours that include your admission ticket. Fear Tours offer three levels of terrifying special treatment: “The Viewing” is a three-hour group tour of haunted houses and major thrill rides. The five-hour “Funeral” group tour adds reserved show seating, and “The Embalming” includes the Fright Feast dinner buffet, preferred parking and a private “Ghoul Guide” for your party of three or more. All tours include commemorative photos and complimentary beverages, and packages start at $89.95.

For those who want to skip the lines and get right to the screaming, the Front Line Fear pass offers no-wait access to your choice of seven haunted houses as well as photo and merchandise discounts – all for $35.00. The Front Line Fear Plus pass also includes front-of-line access for your choice of four major coasters for $45.00.

The Thrills & Chills Weekend Pass lets true Halloween fans face their fears over and over again with a long weekend (Thursday through Sunday) of unlimited access to Busch Gardens’ thrills by day and Howl-O-Scream’s chills by night – all for just $79.95!

For out-of-town guests, Gory Getaway vacation packages are also available, featuring Howl-O-Scream admission and accommodations at one of Busch Gardens’ preferred partner hotels. Prices start at $238.04 per person plus tax, based on double occupancy.

And if there’s one thing worse than being terrified, it’s being terrified on an empty stomach. Fright Feast is the most deranged dinner show in town, featuring a buffet of monstrous main courses and devilish desserts, plus an exclusive performance of Full Moon Cabaret: The Magic of Jason Byrne. Fright Feast guests are also the first to brave the dark with a half-hour of early access to the haunted houses. Fright Feast is $24.95 per person, with group rates and discounts for Passport members available.

Howl-O-Scream is a separate ticketed night event. No costumes are allowed. For guest information, visit HouseofVayne.com or call 1-888-800-5447.

Howl-O-Scream is intended for a mature audience. This year's event contains intense adult content such as violence, gore and blood.

Labels: Busch Gardens Africa, busch gardens tampa, halloween, Howl-O-Scream

Courtesy of Screamscape;

Hospitality House [is] now called the Garden Gate Café. For whatever reason the Myombe Reverve (Gorillas) is now part of Morocco instead of Nairobi in the list of attractions. The bigger change is that the Budweiser themed Crown Colony area been removed from the map like it never existed and the Skyride, Clydesdale Hamlet and Edge of Africa and Crown Colony Restaurant are now part of Egypt. Oh, and the Budwesier merchandise shops (Label Stable / A-B Trading Company) are now also removed from the map.

You can see the new map here (PDF).

Also, in keeping with the apparent policy to gradually remove all beer references from the park, the Brewmasters Club has closed and the Sundowner Safari (with the beer tasting) has been discontinued.

Labels: Busch Gardens Africa

# posted by Kelly Monaghan @ 12:15 PM 0 comments links to this post

No, not that sale.

We're not talking about selling the parks, but SeaWorld has announced a pretty substantial deal on hotel stays coupled with tickets.

Guests who book three nights at 19 nearby hotels get two additional nights free and free length of stay admission to SeaWorld and either Busch Gardens or Aquatica.

The Orlando Sentinel points out that the least expensive option, $561 for a family of 4, translates to $28.05 per person per day for room and park admission. That should leave Mom and Dad a few extra bucks to pay for beers, now that InBev has done away with the freebies.

Bookings need to be made by March 31 and are good through June 26.

Most of the hotels participating in the deal are reviewed in my new book, SeaWorld, Discovery Cove & Aquatica: Orlando's Salute to the Seas.

Labels: anheuser busch seaworld orlando, Busch Gardens Africa

Have those Belgians no heart?

Busch/InBev has announced that there will be no more free beer at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Africa, the St. Louis Business Journal is reporting.

The beer dispensing area at the SeaWorld Hospitality Center will be closed as of February 1 and converted into a restaurant; the Tampa equivalent will close as of the end of January and reopen with a "new menu".

Busch spokesman Fred Jacobs tried to make it sound like a logical move.

"The hospitality centers had pretty limited appeal because it was for patrons who were of legal drinking age who wanted beer," he said. "We were looking for something that had a broader age appeal."

Nice try, Fred. I guess the lack of broad appeal explains the long lines at the Hospitality Centers.

Bud boycott, anyone?

Labels: anheuser bush, Busch Gardens Africa, free beer, inbev, seaworld orlando

Prices at all the Busch parks in Florida (except Discovery Cove) are going up.

Effective January 5, ticket prices at SeaWorld will rise $5 to $74.95 for adults and $64.95 for kids (plus tax).

Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa goes to $69.95 for adults and $59.95 for kiddies.

Aquatica will now be $44.95 and $38.95 for adults and kids respectively, a $3 hike.

Adventure Island, next door to Busch Gardemn Africa, will go up $2 to $39.95 and $35.95.

The "Pay One Day" policy for Florida residents is still in effect, taking some of the sting out of the price hikes and annual Passports are looking like a better deal, too, for those visiting and staying a while.

It's the second price hike in six months, so I'm not sure what it means. A Busch spokesman quoted in the St. Pete Times denied the price increase has anything to do with the recent sale to InBev, but I'm not so sure.

It could be Busch Entertainment's way of saying to their new owners "We're too profitable to sell."

Labels: adventure island, aquatica, Busch Gardens Africa, seaworld orlando

The recent price increase for Passports (annual passes) to the Worlds of Discovery Parks (a.k.a. the "Busch" parks) has made the 2-year Platinum Passport an even better deal than it was.

The incremental difference between the price of a Platinum Passport and the four-park, two-year Passport (SeaWorld, Busch Garden Africa, Aquatica, and Adventure Island) is now just $43, as opposed to $75 before the recent round of price hikes.

So if you're considering that four-park option, consider this: $43 extra gets you unlimited entry to all ten Worlds of Discovery parks! Not too shabby.

Labels: anheuser busch seaworld orlando, aquatica, Busch Gardens Africa, worlds of discovery

Since man cannot live by theme park food alone, I am always on the lookout for good places to eat nearby and I hit the jackpot just a short drive from Tampa's Busch Gardens Africa.

I consider myself quite the Indian food aficionado, and Cilantro is a superb Indian restaurant. Every dish I've sampled here has been a cut above the run of the mill Indian fare we tend to get used to in this country.

I have yet to come across a me-too recipe and the flavors are intense and complex. They will vary the spiciness to your taste and I find the "medium" setting to be just fine. Especially good are the chicken sag, navratan korma, and lamb rogan josh. The garlic nan is terrific as well.

Cilantro doesn't automatically serve rice, so expect to order it separately, although if you are used to rice with your Indian food, I'd suggest trying it without for a change of pace. I found I didn't miss it. When I did order lemon rice or vegetable biryani, I found them to be excellent.

There are some great Indian beers, including the Hayward 5000 in a 21-ounce bottle. There's also a wine list, which I haven't sampled.

They also have a lunch buffet for around $12. It's not as good as the evening meals, but then these things never are.

Cilantro is located at 11009 N 56th St, Tampa 33617 (813) 983-8220. The number for delivery is (813) 914-4000.

There is also a branch in Jacksonville (which I plan on sampling as I head north) at 9825 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville 32257 (904) 262-9577.

They say the web site is www.cilantrojax.com, but it didn't work when I tried it, hence no link.

Labels: Busch Gardens Africa, cilantro, indian food

The Busch parks . . . excuse me, the Worlds of Discovery are pushing special "staycation" deals for Florida residents. From the press release:

The Worlds of Discovery announced today a new ticket that offers Florida residents a great new way to experience adventures found nowhere else in the world. Available starting today, the "Pick Two” combines visits to any two of the Florida Worlds of Discovery – SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Adventure Island – for only $79.95.

For guests who want unlimited visits at a value unmatched by any other theme park, Busch Gardens and SeaWorld's "Pay for a Day” offer has been extended through Labor Day. With a Fun Card, Florida residents can enjoy unlimited admission through the end of 2008 to either SeaWorld or Busch Gardens for the price of a single-day ticket. The "Pay for a Day” offer is available online or at the parks' front gates, and will be the same price as a single-day admission.

As you may have noticed, Discovery Cove, which is very much one of "the Florida Worlds of Discovery," is not included in this deal.

I found this press release especially interesting for the way it pushes the Worlds of Discovery brand front and center. Maybe I'm reading too much in to all this, but it seems to me that SeaWorld et. al. are trying to look less and less A-B and more and more WoD in preparation for what seems like an inevitable spin off of the theme parks.

Of course, this promo also reflects the growing uneasiness of all the parks over what $4-plus gas is going to mean for attendance.

Labels: aquatica, Busch Gardens Africa, seaworld orlando, worlds of discovery

Passport holders can get an uncluttered preview of the new Jungala area at Busch Gardens Africa on weekends only through April.

Just show up bright and early at 8 am (a little earlier is probably better) and show your passport at the Nairobi gate for early admission.

It will be worth setting the alarm a little early. I've been touring the area the last few days and, even though it's not compltely finished yet, it is another triumph for Busch. The tiger and orang habitats are spectacular and the tweener interactive play area is another success on the scale of Land of the Dragons.

Labels: Busch Gardens Africa, busch gardens tampa, jungala