The hairs on your arms are standing up straight. Your eyes are wide and alert. You’re creeping stealthily on your toes, but where are you? The terror striking streets full of maniac clowns and ravenous, drooling creatures thirsty for fright at Halloween Horror Nights Universal Orlando simply out-scare guests compared to the less chaotic paths of Busch Garden’s Howl O Scream.

Halloween Horror Nights includes nine shut-eye terror houses and five scare zones, themed accordingly to the television shows and or movies headlining the event. This years extravaganza includes features from the hit TV series American Horror Story and The Walking Dead, and popular movie classics The Exorcist and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The decor and back drops of the park change every year with the introduction and selection of new movies or television series. Busch Gardens keep the majority of their seven scare houses the same each year, with the exception of one or two. Their theme for this Halloween season is set to be Evil Encore; villainous dolls with the support of other beasts attempt to chase guests out of the park.

Busch Gardens uses their attractions within the park to lure guests to participate in scare games and frightful rides. Although they dress generic characters, the scarers’ screeches and the rumble and growls of their chainsaws will definitely send chills down your spine.

Cameron Laine, sophomore, has been to both Halloween Horror Nights and Howl O Scream with the intent of being “scared,” and “thrilled,” with the attendance of her best friends. She said, “both parks are fun, but Halloween Horror Nights is more suspenseful and unexpectedly scary.”

Although Florida residents are provided with guaranteed discounts, tickets for both theme parks can get pricey. Busch Gardens’ tickets are listed at $65.99 while Universal Orlando’s tickets are at highest $82.99 for Florida residents. The difference is significant, but Laine said, “Horror Nights is the only scare worth your time and money.”

Halloween Horror Nights captures most guests’ darkest fears through their advantage of television and movie propaganda. Guests are able to connect with their favorite horror characters and settings in one night. The facts are laid out plain and clear. The only way for you to decide is to visit both scare attractions and experience it first hand.

Don’t forget to look behind you and keep a calm composure when entering scare zones and haunted attractions!