Howl-O-Scream is SeaWorld San Diego’s after-dark Halloween event. It runs on select nights from Friday, September 11 through Saturday, October 31, 2026. The park keeps the Howl-O-Scream name for 2026. For this edition, SeaWorld has added two new haunted houses, three new scare zones and two new “vile vignettes” (short staged scenes). The new houses are Area 64: MotherShip and I Know What You Did Last Summer: The Final Catch.
This event suits teens and adults who want a full night of scare content, not a family daytime festival. SeaWorld calls it intended for a mature audience and does not recommend it for children under 13. It is a separately ticketed event, so a regular daytime ticket does not cover it. Entry starts at 6 p.m. and the event begins at 7 p.m.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: SeaWorld San Diego
- Dates: September 11 to October 31, 2026
- Event nights: Select nights (check the park calendar)
- Haunted houses: 6
- Scare zones: 8
- New for 2026: Area 64: MotherShip and I Know What You Did Last Summer: The Final Catch haunted houses
- Ticket: Separate ticket (not included with daytime admission)
What’s new for 2026
Two of the six haunted houses are new. Area 64: MotherShip is a prequel to the park’s earlier Area 64: Alien Outbreak house and is set 30 years before it. It is built around an 80-foot-long, 16-foot-tall mothership facade, which the park describes as the largest show scene by volume it has created. I Know What You Did Last Summer: The Final Catch revisits a massacre on a fateful July 4th.
Three scare zones are also new: Overgrowth, Terrors of the Deep and Ripper Row. Two of the five vile vignettes are new as well: Card Shark and Dolly Delightful: Recalled.
Haunted houses and scare zones
The houses are the two new ones above plus four returning ones. Circus of the Damned 3D is a clown house that uses 3D effects. Simon’s Slaughterhouse is set in a meat factory. Deathwater Bayou: Awakening takes place in a cursed New Orleans swamp. Nightmare Experiment: Sweet DreamzZz is set in an asylum and pharmaceutical testing facility.
The eight scare zones put actors out in the park’s walkways. Overgrowth has mutant plant experiments in an overrun greenhouse. Terrors of the Deep has sea beasts and eldritch horrors at the docks. Ripper Row is a Jack the Ripper street scene. The returning zones are Red Moon Revelry, All Hallows Harvest, Deadly Toys, The Graveyard and Carnival of Chaos.
The vile vignettes are small staged scenes along the way. Card Shark is a dockyard smuggler offering high-stakes games. Dolly Delightful: Recalled is a vengeful recalled doll with deadly toys. Misfortune, Dark Magic and Summon the Spirits return. Coverage of the event also mentions live performances, dark speakeasies and themed bars, but specific show names and menus were not listed in the sources we found.
Daytime and family activities
Howl-O-Scream is a nighttime event, and the official page describes it as intended for a mature audience. We found no announced family trick-or-treat trail or kids’ daytime program tied to the event, so check the park calendar before you plan around one.
The event starts at 7 p.m., and guests with event tickets can enter from 6 p.m. Combination tickets pair a daytime visit with an event night, which lets you spend the day at the park and stay for the scare content. Daytime park hours vary by date, so confirm them on the park calendar.
Tickets, passes and Fast Lane
Prices on the official ticket page are listed as ranges by date. Single-night tickets run from $45.99 to $99.99. Any Night admission starts at $68.99 and the Unlimited Scream Pass starts at $112.99, which covers unlimited select nights. Pass Member single-night tickets are listed at $36.99 and group tickets for 15 or more at $40.99.
Combination tickets are listed at $105.99 for Day plus Night on specific dates and $149.99 for Any Day plus Any Night. Prices do not include parking, taxes or fees.
The event is separately ticketed, and annual passes and Fun Cards are not valid for entry. Tickets are date-specific and non-transferable. The park states that discounts are not available at the gate, so buy in advance on the SeaWorld San Diego site. The ticket page refers to “Evil Upgrades” but does not detail what they include or cost, so check that page before you buy.
Tips for your visit
Check the park calendar for your date, since the event runs only on select nights. Dates that fall on weekends, especially in October, are likely to be busier. Arriving at 6 p.m. gets you into the park an hour before the event officially starts.
Costumes are not permitted, so dress in regular clothes. San Diego evenings near the water can be cool in the fall, so a light jacket helps. Wear comfortable shoes for the walking between houses and scare zones. The park does not recommend the event for children under 13, and children under 18 are admitted without discounted rates. Parking is not included in ticket prices.
Explore more: every theme park Halloween event for 2026, by state.
Howl-O-Scream 2026 at SeaWorld San Diego FAQs
When does Howl-O-Scream 2026 start and end?
Howl-O-Scream 2026 at SeaWorld San Diego begins on Friday, September 11 and ends on Saturday, October 31, 2026. It runs on select nights only, so check the park calendar for the dates you want.
Is Howl-O-Scream included with park admission?
No. It is a separately ticketed nighttime event. Annual passes and Fun Cards are not valid for entry. Guests can enter from 6 p.m. and the event starts at 7 p.m.
Is Howl-O-Scream too scary for kids?
SeaWorld describes the event as intended for a mature audience and does not recommend it for children under 13. Parents of younger children may prefer to visit the park during the day.
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Photo: Nirajkasar / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.