Scream-A-Geddon is back in full swing and comes back in 2019 with a fury to take the title of BEST scare park in the Tampa Bay area. The just might be challenging the throne.

Scream-A-Geddon is north of Tampa by Dade City and is a unique scare park in that they do not try to challenge the huge theme parks, but bring something unique and to it’s own to complement the major theme parks that will make you want to visit year after year. 2019 is no different.

As before Scream-A-Geddon will have 5 haunted experiences with 2 of them being interactive. This brings an element unheard of in the other places and is a major reason that people keep coming back and want to experience it year after year. Also returning is Zombie Paintball Assault, which proved to be very popular last year and is looking like it will be a mainstay at the park versus the haunted hayride it replaced in 2018.

The huge improvement that was eye-opening upon entering the park was the additions of Bonzo’s Beer Garden. Not only were the classic beers being represented like year’s past, but also many of the local craft brews around. There is also the addition of covered seating which added a nice taste for eating and drinking. This addition itself elevated Scream-A-Geddon to another level from the past few years.

When we come to Scream-A-Geddon, we are always worried about the haunted houses, so let us not stop and get the reviews underway. The ratings will be of 1 to 5 screams, 5 being the scariest one can achieve. I evaluated the ratings based upon a first-time visitor combined with my personal feel.

RAGE 3D  (3 of 5 screams)
Rage 3D is a fun house in 3D. It really is brightly lit and the scares are really hard to produce in such an environment. There is a lot of masterful deception in plane sight though, that will surely get to the first time visitor as well as the faint of heart.If clowns scare you …BEWARE!!!

DEMON’S REVENGE (4 of 5 screams)
This is my favorite house of 2018 brought back. The maze is masterfully done and the scares are properly placed. This is definitely one not to be missed and you will find that certain creatures just do not belong in a church. This is a must!!!!!

BLACKPOOL PRISON (4.5 of 5 screams)
This is the first of the interactive houses and by far the best. This has proven to be a visitor favorite since it’s debut in Scream-A-Geddon’s second year. The darkness is present and the scare actors do not give you time to catch your breath before you are onto the next part. As my friend Amy said “That place was INSANE, I did not even get one step in the door before I was gone!!!” One does not go to Scream-A-Geddon without visiting Blackpool.

DEAD WOODS (3 of 5 screams)
The outdoor trail has the potential to be the best haunted experience at Scream-A-Geddon. In it’s first year it was the most outstanding experience that I remember vividly. The problem I have found that as a repeat visitor it seems to be the exact same experience without much change. I also was not hearing the amount of screams through the trails like I do in the houses. Being outside in the darkness though is an eerie experience in itself.

INFECTED GROUND ZERO (2.5 of 5 screams)
This is the second interactive haunted experience that really missed the mark. The sights are there and a few scares are there, but the interactiveness seems forced and non coherent …  even predictable. This is one experience I love the maze and the house it goes through, but would love it more if it was overhauled in it’s scare experience.

ZOMBIE PAINTBALL ASSAULT (not designed as a scare element)
This up charge experience at Scream-A-Geddon replaced the haunted hayride and is very popular and fun. You go out on a combat designed school bus and shoot LIVE zombies with your paint gun. This is a lot of fun and if you love to shoot things, well worth the cost to do so.

There are also various foods and snacks as well as your smore making kit to make over the various fire pits around. New this hear is an ax throwing area for an additional cost. I found the people manning it are very nice, helpful, and will take the time to help you succeed in throwing that axe correctly and successfully.

Scream-A-Geddon did hit the mark this year to complement the big boys and is starting to become a big boy themselves. I have now pushed Scream-A-Geddon into the category of MUST every year and look forward to it each year during the scare season.