Talk:Howl-O-Scream

Clean-Up

This article is going to need a major clean-up if it's going to be kept. One example of it getting cleaned-up is that the info in the article should be revised and rearranged so it dosen't look sloppy. I really don't think rearranging the info by year was a good way for the creator of the article to start it. Also, Some typos are in the article, Which isn't good and should be corrected immediately. Article really needs a major tidy-up at once.--Universal Studios Number 1 Fan (talk) 23:59, 9 January 2008 (UTC)

There's also the fact that I worked for BGA in 2000, when it was still Busch Gardens Tampa, and the event was not named "Howl-O-Scream" until that year--I was a consultant on the project, and edited the Busch Bulletin employee newspaper. "Spooky Safari" ran in 1999, and while it was not a parkwide event, was publicized similarly, because it was all that was going on that year. The article as written makes it seem like it was part of a larger event. Reading it more closely, in fact, the whole thing reads remarkably similar to the style of the production idea notes written by one of my fellow consultants in 2000. I can't recommend merging, cleanup, and fact-checking strongly enough. P.F. Bruns (talk) 08:57, 15 March 2008 (UTC)

Yes, this article does need clean up. I'm trying to help with it right now. Any help would be appreciated. It's a work in progress, and there's a lot left to do. It's really too big of a topic to be delted or merged with anything else. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 132.170.34.166 (talk) 04:04, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

I work at the park and worked every night of the 2007 event, so I was attempting to correct some misinformation and maybe add a little more regarding the 2007 and upcoming 2008 events, but one user keeps undoing my additions and changes without explanation. It's very frustrating when you're just trying to help improve the article. Is this his own personal article? I don't want to get into an undo-war with him, but some of the information is inaccurate. 71.180.139.228 (talk) 11:35, 21 August 2008 (UTC)

I've redone the blurbs for each attraction to reflect the fact that they all occurred in the past, and reworded them to remove second-person pronouns ("you," "your," "you're," and the like) in a vain effort to make them look less like they were copied out of the park guide maps and show programs. More rewriting to make them look less like advertising copy is still very much needed. A neutral standpoint is needed also, since several of us have actually worked the event itself. Ideally, there would be a paragraph or so on each event delivered by a non-employee of the park. P.F. Bruns (talk) 01:38, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

Siamese

This article uses the term "siamese" which should probably be changed to "conjoined". —Preceding unsigned comment added by Unimath (talk • contribs) 02:12, 21 November 2008 (UTC)

I'll fix it.--Snowman Guy (talk) 20:05, 23 November 2008 (UTC)

Split Proposal

I propose that the list of annual themes be split to another page. Unimath (talk) 02:14, 21 November 2008 (UTC)

I Agree.--Snowman Guy (talk) 05:06, 21 November 2008 (UTC)

That depends on why you're splitting it. Is it just because it's too long? That's a good reason, but a list article like the one you're proposing will receive a great deal of scrutiny if nominated for deletion, and it may just end up being merged back again because a list of the theme just might not be considered notable. Consider cutting the section down and summarizing as an alternative.--otherlleft^{No, really, other way . . .} 19:38, 29 November 2008 (UTC)

Standardization of Haunted Attraction articles

WikiProject Halloween is facilitating a discussion about the format and quality of articles about haunted attractions. If you would like to weigh in with ideas to improve these articles overall, please join the discussion and share your thoughts.--otherlleft^{No, really, other way . . .} 12:51, 2 December 2008 (UTC)

Edit & Improvement 8/2017

Re-wrote first two paragraphs of lead to align with other similar pages. Placed appropriate links. Remaining long paragraph needs attention. Oddjob84 (talk) 16:59, 2 August 2017 (UTC)

This article is decidedly non-encyclopedic, and borders on promotional. I am currently in the process of consolidating the unnecessarily long listing into tables, as is done with similar attractions. Oddjob84 (talk) 13:14, 4 August 2017 (UTC) Added three summary tables, converted existing table to collapsing, moved up in article.  Done Oddjob84 (talk) 20:20, 4 August 2017 (UTC)

Now working to copy edit the Year-by-Year section. This section is almost completely lacking references, those which exist are primary sources, and the section in general is promotional rather than encyclopedic. The new section will be posted this week. Oddjob84 (talk) 23:15, 8 August 2017 (UTC) Done

Notice to interested editors: My intention is to rename this article to Howl-O-Scream, and do away with the disambiguation page of the same name. I am also in the process of bringing the Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Sea World San Antonio events into this page. There is no good reason for this page to exist as a "Tampa Bay" page only. The event itself is notable and requires a separate page, but if this is only about Tampa Bay, it belongs on that page, as is currently the case with the other two venues. As well, the obvious analog is Universal Studios, which has separate pages for each of its parks, but Halloween Horror Nights contains the event at all four Universal parks. Please comment here. If no negative feedback is received, the move will be in about two weeks. Oddjob84 (talk) 13:23, 4 August 2017 (UTC)

Prior to weighing in, please see the prior (2009) AfD discussion for some perspective. Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Howl-O-Scream (Tampa Bay) Oddjob84 (talk) 15:09, 9 August 2017 (UTC)

There being no comment, the move process has been initiated today. Oddjob84 (talk) 21:12, 11 August 2017 (UTC)  Done

References for later use

Howl-O-Scream Archives (3 parks)
Howl-O-Scream Williamsburg archives
Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Williamsburg
Who's better?
Who's better?

References

I say use 'em all!  — Myk Streja ^(beep) 21:39, 13 August 2017 (UTC)

Yes, they are here to use. However, they are refs which are for an as-yet unwritten section. Oddjob84 (talk) 23:49, 13 August 2017 (UTC)

Random comments

@Oddjob84: Why is there a reference at the end of the History section that is commented out? Does it need to go?  — Myk Streja ^(beep) 21:37, 13 August 2017 (UTC)

Further comments: Are the tables for the Event summaries done? Will there be tables for the haunted houses for the other two parks?  — Myk Streja ^(beep) 21:45, 13 August 2017 (UTC)

Regarding the "commented out" reference at the end of "History": No, it actually belongs there, but it screws up the page. Note reference #3, which has an a,b,c,d,e; this ref is the same as the one commented out. I was rushing through getting the page placed, and didn't have time to fix that one. The lead ref has to be first, and the commented out one is first. Once fixed, there will be an "f" in the string.Oddjob84 (talk) 23:39, 13 August 2017 (UTC)

The event summary tables are placed, and the one for Tampa Bay is done (excepting 2016). The Williamsburg table is as done as I can get it with the references I have. It needs research and refs, and neither are readily available. The San Antonio table is placed, but essentially empty. It needs research, as there is no info readily available. I will make tables for the other two parks' haunted houses if we can find anything on them. I came up empty so far. Jump in, there's plenty to do. By the way, all of this is in the to-do list above, but you may have to re-load your cache to see it. Oddjob84 (talk) 23:47, 13 August 2017 (UTC)

@Oddjob84: The "c-o" ref, I think I did as you wanted. If not, just revert my last edit. It gave an f in the string. Okay, I understand better where this is. I opened up the to-do list. The placement of the list is usually at the top just beneath the banners, but it's your baby. I overlooked it the first time through.

Found the website for Williamsburg Howl-O-Scream. Added it to the list above. Didn't want to mess with it until you approve the edit above.  — Myk Streja ^(beep) 03:48, 14 August 2017 (UTC)

@Myk Streja: Yes, the ref edit is correct. Now you have a new tool for your toolbox. That particular ref style is a lot neater than multiple repeats of the same thing. You can go ahead and move the to-do list, I'm new to those (I just got it from you), and am still experimenting. Oddjob84 (talk) 12:48, 14 August 2017 (UTC)

@Oddjob84: I've been using ref name for a while now. You're right, it is neater, but a pain if you do a section edit and forget the original ref in another section. I put the to-do under the banners where visiting editors can see it too.  — Myk Streja ^(beep) 19:33, 14 August 2017 (UTC)

NOTE TO ONCOMING EDITORS

I realize that “kid-friendly” might have not been the best words to put in the for template, but I don’t know what else to put there without making it way more or way less specific, so feel free to edit that part however you like. —Someone… somewhere… who is intrigued by Super Dave… Somewhereattheendofspace (talk) 03:54, 2 October 2022 (UTC)