What happens when you switch on the lights inside a horror maze?
The screams disappear, the monsters stop moving and suddenly the terrifying world designed to make you jump becomes a very different place. But after getting an exclusive behind the scenes look at SeaWorld’s latest horror attraction, I discovered that seeing how the scares work somehow made the experience even more enjoyable.
This week I headed behind the scenes at Howl O Scream to discover exactly what goes into creating a terrifying maze and what happens when you strip away the darkness.
How O Scream SeaWorld Behind The Screams
Howl O Scream at SeaWorld San Diego is celebrating its sixth year, and 2026 sees the event take inspiration from a major Hollywood horror franchise for the first time. The result is I Know What You Did Last Summer: The Final Catch, a new maze inspired by the iconic story of a group of teenagers whose terrible secret comes back to haunt them.
With SeaWorld sitting right beside the Pacific Ocean, the story’s connection to the sea feels particularly appropriate. And, naturally, there is a very angry fisherman waiting to remind everyone that some secrets refuse to stay buried.
I have experienced more than my fair share of scare mazes, although ironically I am currently so jumpy that I could probably frighten myself by walking past a mirror. Yet during my American Halloween adventure, I’ve noticed that the scares here often work differently from what I’m used to.
There is a huge emphasis on elaborate scenery, detailed sets and expensive production design. When you’re dealing with a major attraction at SeaWorld, every inch of the environment has been carefully constructed to transport you into another world.
Seeing the maze with the lights on gave me a completely different appreciation for it.
Lights On I know What You Did Last Summer Final Catch Maze
My journey begins at the fictional Southport Fish Packing Co, where the seaside theme immediately sets the tone. During the daytime, it looks almost innocent enough to make you wonder whether you’ve accidentally wandered into a very unusual fish market.
Once darkness falls, however, the atmosphere changes completely.
Flashing lights guide you inside before the environment transforms into something altogether more sinister. It doesn’t take long before you realise that this is no ordinary fish packing facility.
I Know What You Did Last Summer Movie Plot
For anyone unfamiliar with I Know What You Did Last Summer, the story centres around a group of teenagers who accidentally kill a man and dump his body into the sea. One year later, the past comes back to haunt them when the supposedly dead man returns.
The maze brings that story to life through its central villain, the mysterious fisherman, who becomes a constant presence throughout the experience.
He isn’t necessarily there to make you scream every few seconds. Instead, the attraction plays with the idea that he could be watching you at any moment.
Scare Maze Secrets
During my lights on tour, I could see exactly how some of those moments were created. Hooded mannequins lurk behind fabric and scenery, positioned carefully so that in darkness they can easily be mistaken for a real person.
Then there are the live scare actors, armed with fish hooks and ready to emerge from places you would never expect.
The clever part is that the maze constantly gives your eyes something else to concentrate on. You might be looking at an animatronic when an actor suddenly appears from somewhere else, or you might be staring at what appears to be a mannequin while wondering whether it could suddenly come to life.
Once you understand the mechanics, you start spotting the tricks. But strangely, knowing how the scares work doesn’t necessarily make them less effective.
If anything, it made me appreciate the choreography behind them.
One of my favourite things about a horror attraction is when it engages more than just your eyes and ears, and this maze certainly delivers on that front.
Multi Sensory Scares At SeaWorld San Diego
Inside the fish locker, the temperature drops and the smell of fish fills the air. It is wonderfully disgusting and incredibly effective.
There are bodies scattered across the ice, because apparently this is one fish market where absolutely nothing should be on the menu.
Then comes one of my favourite moments, involving an animatronic seagull enjoying a rather gruesome meal. Instead of swooping in to steal your chips, this particular bird is busy feasting on a dead policeman.
It is actually a clever distraction. The prop lights up and grabs your attention, creating the perfect opportunity for another scare to come from somewhere you aren’t expecting.
And because I clearly hadn’t had enough fun, I even got the opportunity to step inside some of the hidden areas normally occupied by the scare actors.
I waited patiently for someone to walk past so I could launch my own attack.
Sadly, nobody came.
Honestly, I was devastated. I had finally been handed the opportunity to become the monster in the maze and nobody volunteered to be my victim.
Perhaps that was for the best. I already have a reputation for frightening people without the help of elaborate costumes, animatronics or a fish hook.
Eventually, it was time to leave the maze and return to the real world.
Or at least I thought it was.
Because one final reminder made sure I didn’t forget the story I had just stepped into.
He knows what I did last summer.
And after seeing exactly what goes on behind the scenes, I’m beginning to wonder what else he knows…
