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Off Topic / Happy (belated) Halloween!
« Last post by Highwind Dragoon on October 31, 2025, 10:25:57 PM »I'll post my thoughts/reviews on the theme parks/Scream Parks that I attended this Halloween season on Sunday night, after I get home from my last Scream Park of this Halloween season.
Sir Henry's Haunted Trail:
5/5
They have three very well designed haunted trails, as well as a awesome hayride. Food options were a BBQ food truck, Buttermilk corn dogs, and a spooky eats concession stand, all of which are very good.
Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream
4.25/5
2 new houses this year Vastly improves the event; Scare-acters are WAY BETTER here than at seaworld's Howl-O-Scream event. Only downsides are that Stranglewood estate and Circus of fear are still here.
Pemberton Haunted Acres:
4/5
Everything I experienced here was good, did have trouble with the "laser swamp" in Backwater Bayou, but the houses and scare-actors were great! Burger at Concession stand was awesome, as well.
Black Water Grave:
4/5
It's good for being a local affair, just don't expect Sir Henry's Haunted Trail/Pemberton Haunted Acres/Ominous Descent levels of budget. Other than that, night was great.
Dr. Grimley’s Haunted Trail:
4/5
First year at this event and it's awesome! Squiggles game was the best maze out of the bunch. Only complaint was that other than the mocktail stand, there wasn't much of a midway, and they used the general store/cafe of Sunsational Farms for food and some merchandise, instead. I think this event needs an escape room like Black Water Grave in Bartow, FL and Sir Henry's haunted trail in Plant City, FL have, and (maybe) an axe throwing game; like Sir Henry's Haunted Trail and Fear Reach Scream Park in Tavares, FL both have one.
Slaughterhouse - Horror House Nights at Port 27:
4/5
Went here on 11/2/25, Slaughterhouse was phenomenal. Only downside was the parking getting in and out. Other than that, one of the better haunted attractions that I attended this Haunt season.
Tales of Terror Haunted Attraction:
Originally 3/5; now 4/5
It's a bit rustic, and the only food offered was spooky treats and bags of chips. Did not have much of a midway, as well. Houses were fine, scare-actors were great. Second house was dark, and had some difficulty navigating parts of it. I attended the event on Friday, October 10th.
Update: After going to Fear Reach Scream Park on 10/30/25, I'm Bumping this place up one star. Just might come back for the Christmas haunt event.
Seaworld Orlando Howl-O-Scream
3.5/5
All 5 houses are a step up from last year, and noticed more Scare-actors and less statues. Need to work on their timing/positioning, though....
Fear Reach Scream Park
3/5
It was Fine/ok. One of the Scare-actors said to me in the first house, "Did you come here to get scared or not? Keep moving!" Personally felt that was very unprofessional to break character like that. Everything else was fine/ok, though. With this place clocking in at a 43 mile drive; vs. both Sir Henry's haunted trail and A Petrified forest being 37 Mile drives each; It's pretty obvious which Scream Park(s) that I'll be returning to next year, or 2027. Even Dr. Grimley's Haunted trail was a 57 Mile drive, and it was WAY BETTER than this.
This is a once and done experience, at best.
A Petrified Forest Scream Park:
3/5
Not bad for what you pay for. This scream Park is squeezed on a forested patch by a busy road, with a rather small midway that nevertheless, has a decent offering of food options. Not a Fan of parking in a shopping center parking lot to hitch a ride on a old school bus with uncomfortable wooden benches, but I've dealt with worse. If you live nearby, it's worth it. The drive distance to the parking lot for me is the same distance to go to Sir Henry's Haunted Trail (37 miles). Going to skip next year, might come back in 2027 if I move closer to this scream park.
To quote another reviewer: "Major props to bus driver Splatter. The only guy who gave energy in the whole event."
Ominous Descent Haunted Attraction:
3/5
Honestly, it was just ok. I hope they can move to a bigger venue in a couple of years, and add another house/trail.
Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights:
2.5/5
Only liked 1/2 of the mazes (5); the other 5 were Blah/not appealing to me. Also gets crowded REAL FAST, even on the Tues., Wed. and Thurs. they are open on. Recommend the "Stay and Scream" option, or buy an express pass or crowbar your bank account open to buy a group RIP tour at $390-$500 per person; or you could take out a small loan of about $3,500-$5,500 to purchase a private RIP tour. This is the most expensive Halloween event in Orlando that is not Mickey's-not-so-scary halloween party.
The Awakening at the Creek:
1/5
Just god-awful.
This was not worth the $20 that I spent on it. I've seen backyard haunts WAY better than this, like Lairs of Fear.
This is more of a neighborhood affair, punching well short and below of being a local affair. Need more lighting on both trails, also got run off the second trail by a chainsaw scareactor. Once and done for me.
The Awakening at the Creek, do better next year.
Haunt Season Christmas Edition:
Ominous Descent: Christmas nightmares
3/5
Went to the Christmas haunt event on Friday night(12/12/25); it was fine/ok, again. They didn't have any merchandise for the event, and the BBQ guy wasn't there, leaving only the sweet treats tent and no savory food options. Going to skip this event next year for both Halloween and Christmas and go to Black Water Grave/Tales of Terror/Sir Henry's/Pemberton's, instead.
Sir Henry's Haunted Christmas
3/5
Both trails and the hayride felt like a step down from last year. Also, only food options were Spooky eats and a shaved ice food truck. Everything else was as good as last year's event.
Pemberton Haunted Acres: Naughty and Nice
4/5
Honestly felt like the best Christmas Haunt event that I went to this very brief Christmas haunt season. Still had difficulty with the "laser swamp" in the Hillbilly Mayhem Holiday Massacre haunted maze; walked right into a low wall and heard a Scare-actor snicker at me, which was a bit unprofessional, honestly. Didn't have any difficulty with the Village of misfit toys haunted trail. The cowboy burger I had before going into the mazes was good, as well as the Cookie and banana bread I bought, as well.
There are 2 sections to this event: you enter through the 'Nice' section, with a "light tunnel" Giant Christmas tree, meet and greet with Santa and a movie projector playing Christmas movies. The 'Naughty section contains the haunted maze and the haunted trail, as well as the food hut, which sells burgers and hot dogs on the left side, and baked/sweet treats on the right side. A small booth sells merchandise for the event.
Sir Henry's Haunted Trail:
5/5
They have three very well designed haunted trails, as well as a awesome hayride. Food options were a BBQ food truck, Buttermilk corn dogs, and a spooky eats concession stand, all of which are very good.
Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream
4.25/5
2 new houses this year Vastly improves the event; Scare-acters are WAY BETTER here than at seaworld's Howl-O-Scream event. Only downsides are that Stranglewood estate and Circus of fear are still here.
Pemberton Haunted Acres:
4/5
Everything I experienced here was good, did have trouble with the "laser swamp" in Backwater Bayou, but the houses and scare-actors were great! Burger at Concession stand was awesome, as well.
Black Water Grave:
4/5
It's good for being a local affair, just don't expect Sir Henry's Haunted Trail/Pemberton Haunted Acres/Ominous Descent levels of budget. Other than that, night was great.
Dr. Grimley’s Haunted Trail:
4/5
First year at this event and it's awesome! Squiggles game was the best maze out of the bunch. Only complaint was that other than the mocktail stand, there wasn't much of a midway, and they used the general store/cafe of Sunsational Farms for food and some merchandise, instead. I think this event needs an escape room like Black Water Grave in Bartow, FL and Sir Henry's haunted trail in Plant City, FL have, and (maybe) an axe throwing game; like Sir Henry's Haunted Trail and Fear Reach Scream Park in Tavares, FL both have one.
Slaughterhouse - Horror House Nights at Port 27:
4/5
Went here on 11/2/25, Slaughterhouse was phenomenal. Only downside was the parking getting in and out. Other than that, one of the better haunted attractions that I attended this Haunt season.
Tales of Terror Haunted Attraction:
Originally 3/5; now 4/5
It's a bit rustic, and the only food offered was spooky treats and bags of chips. Did not have much of a midway, as well. Houses were fine, scare-actors were great. Second house was dark, and had some difficulty navigating parts of it. I attended the event on Friday, October 10th.
Update: After going to Fear Reach Scream Park on 10/30/25, I'm Bumping this place up one star. Just might come back for the Christmas haunt event.
Seaworld Orlando Howl-O-Scream
3.5/5
All 5 houses are a step up from last year, and noticed more Scare-actors and less statues. Need to work on their timing/positioning, though....
Fear Reach Scream Park
3/5
It was Fine/ok. One of the Scare-actors said to me in the first house, "Did you come here to get scared or not? Keep moving!" Personally felt that was very unprofessional to break character like that. Everything else was fine/ok, though. With this place clocking in at a 43 mile drive; vs. both Sir Henry's haunted trail and A Petrified forest being 37 Mile drives each; It's pretty obvious which Scream Park(s) that I'll be returning to next year, or 2027. Even Dr. Grimley's Haunted trail was a 57 Mile drive, and it was WAY BETTER than this.
This is a once and done experience, at best.
A Petrified Forest Scream Park:
3/5
Not bad for what you pay for. This scream Park is squeezed on a forested patch by a busy road, with a rather small midway that nevertheless, has a decent offering of food options. Not a Fan of parking in a shopping center parking lot to hitch a ride on a old school bus with uncomfortable wooden benches, but I've dealt with worse. If you live nearby, it's worth it. The drive distance to the parking lot for me is the same distance to go to Sir Henry's Haunted Trail (37 miles). Going to skip next year, might come back in 2027 if I move closer to this scream park.
To quote another reviewer: "Major props to bus driver Splatter. The only guy who gave energy in the whole event."
Ominous Descent Haunted Attraction:
3/5
Honestly, it was just ok. I hope they can move to a bigger venue in a couple of years, and add another house/trail.
Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights:
2.5/5
Only liked 1/2 of the mazes (5); the other 5 were Blah/not appealing to me. Also gets crowded REAL FAST, even on the Tues., Wed. and Thurs. they are open on. Recommend the "Stay and Scream" option, or buy an express pass or crowbar your bank account open to buy a group RIP tour at $390-$500 per person; or you could take out a small loan of about $3,500-$5,500 to purchase a private RIP tour. This is the most expensive Halloween event in Orlando that is not Mickey's-not-so-scary halloween party.
The Awakening at the Creek:
1/5
Just god-awful.
This was not worth the $20 that I spent on it. I've seen backyard haunts WAY better than this, like Lairs of Fear.
This is more of a neighborhood affair, punching well short and below of being a local affair. Need more lighting on both trails, also got run off the second trail by a chainsaw scareactor. Once and done for me.
The Awakening at the Creek, do better next year.
Haunt Season Christmas Edition:
Ominous Descent: Christmas nightmares
3/5
Went to the Christmas haunt event on Friday night(12/12/25); it was fine/ok, again. They didn't have any merchandise for the event, and the BBQ guy wasn't there, leaving only the sweet treats tent and no savory food options. Going to skip this event next year for both Halloween and Christmas and go to Black Water Grave/Tales of Terror/Sir Henry's/Pemberton's, instead.
Sir Henry's Haunted Christmas
3/5
Both trails and the hayride felt like a step down from last year. Also, only food options were Spooky eats and a shaved ice food truck. Everything else was as good as last year's event.
Pemberton Haunted Acres: Naughty and Nice
4/5
Honestly felt like the best Christmas Haunt event that I went to this very brief Christmas haunt season. Still had difficulty with the "laser swamp" in the Hillbilly Mayhem Holiday Massacre haunted maze; walked right into a low wall and heard a Scare-actor snicker at me, which was a bit unprofessional, honestly. Didn't have any difficulty with the Village of misfit toys haunted trail. The cowboy burger I had before going into the mazes was good, as well as the Cookie and banana bread I bought, as well.
There are 2 sections to this event: you enter through the 'Nice' section, with a "light tunnel" Giant Christmas tree, meet and greet with Santa and a movie projector playing Christmas movies. The 'Naughty section contains the haunted maze and the haunted trail, as well as the food hut, which sells burgers and hot dogs on the left side, and baked/sweet treats on the right side. A small booth sells merchandise for the event.