Alice has stopped running from the Queen of Hearts and started acting like one. At Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's Howl-O-Scream, running on select nights through Oct. 31, the reworked haunted house Shadows of Wonderland: Reign of Madness recasts the fairy-tale heroine as the event's new tyrant, dragging her old nemesis through the courtyard in chains before announcing an execution of her own.
A Dethroned Queen and a New Villain
Busch Gardens hosts Howl-O-Scream on select nights from Sept. 11 through Oct. 31, 2026, according to the park's official event page. Shadows of Wonderland is returning for its third year, with a revised storyline. Main St. Magic reports that Alice, rather than the Queen of Hearts, now controls Wonderland and serves as the central villain.
The park's attraction description sets up the reversal through a confrontation in Wonderland's courtyard: Alice brings the Queen of Hearts there in chains and presents herself as the figure in power. The scenario recasts the familiar heroine as an authoritarian ruler, a sharper break from the traditional story than a simple change in scenery.
Where the House Ranks Among This Year's Frights
Shadows of Wonderland remains one of the event's returning haunted houses, with its identity built around a twisted version of the Alice story. This year's change is less about introducing a new setting than about shifting who controls the world inside it.
Alongside Wonderland is Anaconda: Fear Has No Escape, an all-new haunted house Busch Gardens says slithers into this year's lineup. The park describes it as an abandoned jungle movie set where guests search for a missing film crew, with the line between the set and reality blurring the deeper visitors go into the Amazon rainforest recreation.
The Rest of the Lineup, and a Lingering Count
Beyond Wonderland and Anaconda, the returning lineup includes Stranglewood Estate: RePossessed, Circus of Fear: Killer Encore, and fan favorites Raven's Mill and M.A.R.S., as noted by Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Guides describe the event's haunted houses, scare zones and shows in different ways, while the Tampa Bay Date Night Guide states there will be five haunted houses this year. Beyond the haunted houses, the park's attractions page describes frightful scare zones, roaming hordes and some of Florida's wildest rides running after dark.
Tickets, Timing and Who Should Skip It
What Florida's Ride Oversight Covers
For readers asking about safety oversight before the Halloween season, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says it generally oversees amusement rides statewide but exempts large parks with more than 1,000 employees and full-time inspectors from its inspections. The agency says temporary rides require permits each time they are moved or set up, while permanent rides are permitted annually, scheduled for semi-annual inspection and required to have insurance plus an annual compliance and nondestructive-testing affidavit on file.
Howl-O-Scream events start at 7 p.m., though gates open at 5 p.m. for those who want to get settled in early, according to Busch Gardens. The park lists any-night tickets starting at $48.99. Its attractions page also carries a clear warning for anyone considering a visit: Howl-O-Scream is intended for a mature audience because of its intense content.
Bringing back Wonderland rather than debuting an entirely new concept gives this year's event a familiar anchor while the villain swap changes the meaning of one of its most recognizable storylines.
