It was a dark and stormy night … A cast of young women followed along a path of dim, flickering lights, a faint eerie melody drawing them beyond tall iron gates. They lock arms, pulses pounding, breathes held. Dark figures lurk behind them as ominous shadows grow just footsteps away. Six Buccaneers cheerleaders enter. But how many will last the night?
Well, actually, it was a pleasantly clear and mild Florida-October night. Also, fortunately, all six of our heroes survived, but not without a blood-curdling scream or two.
Last weekend, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders faced "the Curse" at Howl-O-Scream inside Busch Gardens in Tampa. The team braved their way through the park's popular attraction, which this year features an all-new haunted house, roaming slash mobs and interactive experiences to test their skills when it comes to fighting through a mob of the undead. Not your usual Friday night.
For the seventh consecutive year, courageous members of the squad took on the terrifying experiences of Howl-O-Scream. They braved through Dead Fall, escaping the grasp of ghosts of long lost memories, longing to drag their unsuspecting guests into their world. The team also survived hordes of Slash Mobs roaming the sidewalks and slinking through Busch Gardens' 300 acres of fright.
As always, after enduring plenty of hair-raising and lump-in-your-throat moments, the Cheerleaders were ready for more, anxious to find out what haunts and scares are in store for next year's event.
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders had a wonderful time at Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream," said Tara Battiato, the Buccaneer's cheerleading manager. "It is an annual event that the team looks forward to every season. The haunted houses and scare zones were better than ever! We look forward to continuing the relationship with Busch Gardens for many seasons to come."
Howl-O-Scream 2014 runs through November 1 and is open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Operating hours are 7:30 PM to 1:00 AM on all event nights. For more information, visit HowlOScream.com or call 1-888-800-5447.
