Happy Howl-O-Ween

Busch Gardens is one of the major tourist attractions for the City of Williamsburg. It’s close proximity to the College also makes it one of the many exciting things to do off campus. Although it’s a bit expensive, the park shows its appreciation for William & Mary students with an annual event around their Halloween themed feature: Howl-O-Scream. The amusement park opens up their fall season to W&M students and faculty at a reduced price of $21, which is about a third of what a ticket would usually cost.

“It was a Monster Mash”

Werewolves, crazed-clowns, and chainsaw wielding maniacs chased my friends and me around the park. Busch Gardens goes over the top to create the spooky atmosphere. The decorations ranged from jack-o-lanterns, webbing, to an eerie song continuously playing in the background.

“It was a graveyard smash!”

There were haunted houses scattered all over the park, which were filled with costumed creatures lurking in the shadows. However the part that I enjoyed the most was riding the roller-coasters. It had been nearly ten years since I visited Busch Gardens as a kid in elementary school, and I was more fearless then than I am now. The speed, twists, turns, and drops of the roller-coasters had me unnerved.

“Clown-Crypt-Keeper”

Most of the rides have cameras that usually photograph you at the most suspense filled part of the ride. There were multiple pictures of me contorting my face in a scream as my friends gleefully laughed as our roller-coaster plummeted down a drop of over a hundred feet.

My friends and I outside the Haunted Houses

Busch Gardens Day is one of the most anticipated days of the year for William & Mary students, especially for those who are thrill seekers and Halloween enthusiasts. It’s also amazing to see the Williamsburg community supporting the students of the College by offering the lowered admission price. This was definitely a great memory for my senior year!

The Transylvania Twist