# Busch Gardens' Removes Halloween Props due to Guest Complaints



## HalloScream (Jul 31, 2011)

Over the weekend in the Virginia Gazette, their was a picture of several severed heads from Busch Gardens' Howl-O-Scream event in Williamsburg. A few posted that they were offended by the severed heads in light of the recent events overseas with ISIS. When I say a few I mean like 6-7 people. Due to these complaints, Busch Gardens today decided to take down all severed heads that it uses in Howl-O-Scream. 

I go to this event every year. I'm very upset, as are alot of other park goers, that Busch Gardens' gave in so easy to a small group of complainers. This is a Halloween event; totally separate from ISIS. I wish they would grow some balls and move on. 

http://http://wavy.com/2014/09/17/busch-gardens-pulls-gory-display-amid-complaints/


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## 22606 (Aug 11, 2008)

Link not working... That is absolutely pathetic. These companies need to grow some backbones, not give in to appease a few feeble-minded morons who think that the world revolves around them and their say is all that matters.


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## jdubbya (Oct 4, 2003)

While I'm not a big fan of political correctness, whatever that may be, I think BG made the right decision. The head props may have been inoffensive to most but in light of the recent atrocites in the Middle East, props like this could trigger a lot of emotions and complaints. Better to be proactive than put up with a lot of crap from others. i'm sure the severed head props won't be missed by many. I remember not putting out a Don Post head on a stake prop years ago after the first publicized beheading of an American in Iraq. I didn't do it to avoid complaints, but I just thought it was in poor taste given the event. I felt better having not used it. JMO.


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## Spats (Sep 21, 2006)

The Halloween after September 11, 2001, there were a few news stories (opinion pieces) that asked if Halloween should be cancelled that year.

People were afraid, scary costumes and fake blood might trouble people, etc.

They even found a few people who vehemently agreed that yes, Halloween should be cancelled.

It wasn't.

After weeks of being afraid, angry, worried and stressed, people went out in spooky outfits and attended parties. They collected and gave candy. They watched horror films and read holiday books, listened to creepy music and had fun.
They turned their fears into entertainment, just like we do every October, because they needed a break.

Don't get down when a few raise a ruckus. Don't be upset when worried merchants overreact. 
Halloween is waaaaaay too profitable for businesses to hinder it, at least not much.

A few years from now, when someone decides that skulls are taboo, or ghosts, blood, witches, etc., this severed head thing will be long gone from memory.

And the new outrage, whatever it will be?

Like the green of spring and the fruits of summer, it too shall pass, carried away by the gray winds of Autumn.


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## thinkhalloween (Feb 27, 2011)

*ticket prices??*

funny how they don't react the same way when people complain about ticket prices


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## Screaming Demons (Sep 15, 2008)

Why stop at bodyless heads? Are there any headless bodies at Busch Gardens? That's the other obvious half.

Every thing about a haunted house is offensive. Where do you draw the line?


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## The Real Joker (Sep 8, 2008)

Screaming Demons said:


> Why stop at bodyless heads? Are there any headless bodies at Busch Gardens? That's the other obvious half.
> 
> Every thing about a haunted house is offensive. Where do you draw the line?


The headless bodies are most likely wondering where their heads went off to.


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## HBHaunter (Jun 14, 2014)

They should send me the heads for proper disposal


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## HalloScream (Jul 31, 2011)

http://wavy.com/2014/09/17/busch-gardens-pulls-gory-display-amid-complaints/

correct link


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## Berserker (Sep 4, 2012)

Once again simple-minded extremely small interest groups get corporations to bow and bend to their every will. 6 people complain and yet 1000's enjoy it. I am so sick of these ***** douchebags complaining about anything and everything. If you dont like something ,don't go, don't look....but please don't ruin it for everyone else. 
Selfish ******, the lot of them.


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## obcessedwithit (Jul 13, 2009)

That sucks................ people it is HALLOWEEN. I am going Oct 3rd. hope they don't decided to remove all the scare


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## Col. Fryght (Oct 23, 2012)

I guess I will be in the minority on this one. I have never considered "severed heads" to be family appropriate. And while hostages are actually having their heads cut-off, I think that their removal from an American tourist attraction is a reasonable reaction. Now, what people do on their own private property is up to them. But a multi-million dollar venue does not need a protest to spring up over "severed heads", especially when be-headings are occurring to Americans and our allies.


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## Terra (Sep 23, 2007)

The big mistake was the newspaper that thought, _"Hey, of all the pictures I could take of the park and plaster on the front page of my newspaper... I think the best one is of the severed heads." _They of all people should have known better. In this light it wasn't really the park's fault. 

This debate reminds me of the annual discussion of whether to use a hanging man prop. For my haunt, thought that it would be easier to just avoid things that would obviously offend some groups. But that is for each haunter to decide. Yes, it's stupid to be constantly offended by things that weren't intended to be - but on the other hand there are those people out there and who wants the hassle?

So, at least for this year - if I had any severed heads in the inventory - they'd stay in the box.


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## RCIAG (Jul 19, 2010)

I gotta agree w/Terra & the Col. 

I'm also not big on the Halloween PC Police either, but since this is big business we're talking about here, I can't say I blame them. I'm sure the rest of their set up will be fine & yes it was a bad choice of pics. They're in this for the $$$ & if this would hinder that, they're going to take things down or change things.

If it were someone asking to take EVERYTHING down, I'd be against it & I can't imagine their whole scenes are about beheading people, but I totally understand this.

There will always be someone that gets offended by this stuff, but this just feels different for some reason.


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## 22606 (Aug 11, 2008)

Arms, legs, noses, ears, eyes, etc. are not off-limits, I take it? Well, I guess that the Headless Horseman also has to go...


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## Oak Lane Cemetery (Sep 5, 2011)

Meh. Seems like it's just being done out of respect for the people being killed to me. No biggie, the severed heads will be back eventually. I'm going there tomorrow and I'm sure I won't even notice a few missing props out of all the other great displays and haunted houses they do. Thumbs up for them being willing to do that since I'm sure it would be on the minds of some people.


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## Jenn&MattFromPA (Sep 4, 2013)

I agree that we all have to decide for ourselves what our line of respect is - or isn't. Yes, it's true that everything we do at Halloween could be considered disrespectful of some people or some religions, but I'm personally okay with ignoring religious complaints. But I'm not okay with gory severed heads or dummy children eating body parts - so I don't put those in my yard. Just like I don't put potential "real names" on any of my tombstones. Call it superstition, call it respect - either way, I have my own ideas of what is appropriate & what isn't. But I know that others have THEIR ideas of that too, and what they do in their haunt is their decision and not for me to judge. 

However - when it comes to a public place/event like a theme park, I think it's the right choice to err on the side of tact & respect at times. I think those kinds of places can still find a zillion scary things to do without a few props going out this year, and like others have said, time will pass & they'll be "acceptable" again by the masses. 

If they had never put out the severed heads to begin with, probably no one would even notice that they were missing - but that they took them down after complaints is what makes us notice it. Sometimes it is true that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, but I'm sure in this instance it's the worry about the bottom line being affected that makes the decision.


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## IshWitch (May 19, 2006)

I have to agree! I've been to HalloScream many times in Tampa and a couple of times in Williamsburg. They both put on a great event. I am so sick of a few people getting their way over the majority. 
I agree that in light of present situations it is inappropriate, but I think they should've had enough sense to either not put it up or to replace them quietly without a big to do. 
We all have our preferences for our decorations and if someone doesn't like something they can just avoid it.



HalloScream said:


> Over the weekend in the Virginia Gazette, their was a picture of several severed heads from Busch Gardens' Howl-O-Scream event in Williamsburg. A few posted that they were offended by the severed heads in light of the recent events overseas with ISIS. When I say a few I mean like 6-7 people. Due to these complaints, Busch Gardens today decided to take down all severed heads that it uses in Howl-O-Scream.
> 
> I go to this event every year. I'm very upset, as are alot of other park goers, that Busch Gardens' gave in so easy to a small group of complainers. This is a Halloween event; totally separate from ISIS. I wish they would grow some balls and move on.
> 
> http://http://wavy.com/2014/09/17/busch-gardens-pulls-gory-display-amid-complaints/


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## DaveintheGrave (Feb 12, 2004)

How about severed animal heads instead? Oh, wait--that would be for Busch Gardens, Tampa.

Oh, just replace the heads with lighted Jack-o-lanterns. Now, THAT is what I call Halloween!


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## LadyMage (Aug 15, 2014)

I'm alright with them taking the heads down this year out of respect for current events. It's one set of decorations, not an entire celebration. I'm sure they'll make their way into future celebrations. I'm sure the event will be pretty awesome even without them.


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## James B. (Oct 8, 2009)

Likely this is some Christian group who are professional busy bodies who found the ISIS thing a perfect foil to mess with Halloween. Its like the complaints about TV content, 90% are generated from a single Christian activist group, it was proven the same people complained over and over again about the Janet Jackson boob during the superbowl. Hardly anyone one else said anything.


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## Pumpkinprincess (Aug 8, 2007)

I don't see taking down a few decorations as a threat on Halloween. Plenty of other ways to be scary.


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## Oak Lane Cemetery (Sep 5, 2011)

Pumpkinprincess said:


> I don't see taking down a few decorations as a threat on Halloween. Plenty of other ways to be scary.


Exactly. Well said.


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## StanFam3 (Oct 5, 2009)

I think it's ridiculous!!! My goodness folks... It's Halloween! This is the time of year to explore fears and chills, and sometimes blood and gore too. It's not real... It's make believe. Now, if BG had a "terrorists display", yeah, that would be too much I think.


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## annamarykahn (Oct 4, 2009)

so, lets all complain about the people that are complaining ... then busch gardens will remove them too

genius ... 

oh ... wait ... 

amk


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## stormygirl84 (Sep 4, 2009)

I think it's ridiculous that they immediately bowed to a handful of complaints. I mean, if it had been a LOT of people complaining (about anything, not just "offensive" decorations), then I could understand it, even if I didn't agree. But you can't please everyone. If there is only a small group of people being "offended" by something, then they need to either suck it up and deal with it, or not put themselves into that situation to be offended.

And if we're going to be pansies and remove all traces of things that could be construed as references to actual disturbing events, then they'd better take down all the pirate stuff over in the Ports O'Skull terror-tory. Remember the stuff that happened a few years ago with the Somali pirates? TOO REAL.

Oh, and all the stuff on Ripper Row needs to go, too. Serial killers kill people every day, we should not be making a mockery of it with Jack the Ripper!! TOO REAL.

Oh, and the Deadline haunted house. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, BUSCH?!? PEOPLE USE THE METRO EVERY SINGLE DAY. TOO REAL.

Come on, people, put on your Big Kid panties and get over yourselves.

By the way, I loved the comment about complaining about the ticket prices... $75 for a single day pass... Are they crazy??


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## stormygirl84 (Sep 4, 2009)

Here's a different article, since the Wavy one isn't working: http://hamptonroads.com/2014/09/props-removed-busch-gardens-howloscream

It sounds like these weren't even visitors to the park! They just saw photos from one of the haunted houses and complained to the newspaper (not Busch Gardens itself) about it. And Busch bowed to those complaints. Wow.


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## RCIAG (Jul 19, 2010)

You also have to remember this Virginia. Not exactly the bastion of liberal views (not yet anyway). Home to several large Naval bases & the SEAL team that took out Bin Laden (the in-laws house in Sandbridge is a neighbor to the SEAL base & it's ever so much fun to watch them on the beach), near enough to DC to be influenced by the global situations & fluctuations that go on there, & MD also home to several military bases.

I still can't give them crap for it. If it were a home haunt I'd say no way leave 'em, but BG is all about the bottom line & they don't wanna lose money.

Here's an article on Ripper Row, the current offering from BG in VA. I LOVE the graphic for it too, just simple yet effective. They're not pulling any punches I don't think, just being careful of their bottom line. Now granted their not on par with some of the haunts in this article:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/candacelowr...es-you-should-experience-before-you-di#ocre1l

But they're playing to a wider audience than those places. 

http://hamptonroads.com/2014/09/take-stab-howloscreams-ripper-row



> By Denise M. Watson
> The Virginian-Pilot
> © September 19, 2014
> 
> ...


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## stormygirl84 (Sep 4, 2009)

RCIAG said:


> You also have to remember this Virginia. Not exactly the bastion of liberal views (not yet anyway). Home to several large Naval bases & the SEAL team that took out Bin Laden (the in-laws house in Sandbridge is a neighbor to the SEAL base & it's ever so much fun to watch them on the beach), near enough to DC to be influenced by the global situations & fluctuations that go on there, & MD also home to several military bases.
> 
> I still can't give them crap for it. If it were a home haunt I'd say no way leave 'em, but BG is all about the bottom line & they don't wanna lose money.


Sadly, as someone who has lived in the Williamsburg area my entire life, I know exactly what you mean about the conservatism. And I understand it (as much as any person with liberal leanings can understand it, anyway).

But again, these complaints weren't coming from visitors to the park. They came from readers of the _Gazette_. And the complaints were voiced to the _Gazette_ about the photos, not to Busch Gardens about the content of its haunt decor. Yet BG still took action and removed a very small detail in an otherwise "bigger picture" setting. And that's what bothers me.

Look, I do understand about the whole "bottom line" thing. But trust me, BG Williamsburg is NOT hurting for business. I sincerely doubt that a few complainers who _weren't even in the park to see this display_ were going to bring it toppling down. And again, it was a small detail in a haunted house that most people wouldn't even see, let alone make such a connection about. 

But because there was a photo that happened to have that one small detail posted in a newspaper, somebody reading the paper decided it was offensive and felt the need to complain. And that in itself is fine -we all have our pressure points, and we all perceive things differently. 

But you are never going to please everyone, and with an event such as Howl-O-Scream, where there are plenty of gory and disturbing images all around, to immediately remove a detail that someone finds offensive seems like an overreaction to me. (Even more so considering, once again, that the complaints came from _people who were not even visiting the park_.) And I find that troubling. We can't sterilize everything, and we shouldn't try to. If one small detail's offensiveness to a select few can cause that much of a reaction, what happens when it's something larger?

I guess what I'm trying to say is that this was an overreaction, on the part of both the readers who saw the photo and the park itself. Yes, fine, the _Gazette_ received complaints, and most likely pulled the offending photos. But for BG to step in and take it even further was unnecessary.

Do I think that this is going to "ruin" the haunt and the experience for people? Of course not. But I also don't think it would have ruined it to leave it as it was.

My husband and I are planning to go to Busch on Sunday, and I can't wait to see what new stuff they have out. I'm especially intrigued by the Wendigo Woods thing. I'll be sure to post photos when we get back!

(Oh, and for the record: Severed heads are really not out of place in the pirate haunt, anyway - are you people not aware of how Blackbeard's head was on display right here in Hampton Roads after his death?? Heritage, people! History!)


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## CherryBrandy79 (Nov 20, 2013)

I'm going to Busch Gardens to Howl-O-Scream on Sunday and I'm really excited!!! I feel that if your going to some place like that and know that they have a Halloween event, that is what you could run into. Kind of like and Enter at you own risk kind of thing. You shouldn't ruin something for everyone else, just because you came to a park and seen something that you didn't like. Do your research about when are visiting and if you think something could offend you then plan to go some other time!!!! Me personally....the more gore and scare the better!!!!


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## rockingthehomestead (Sep 1, 2014)

I don't have a strong opinion either way, but it could be that once a few people pointed it out, that was the only thing the managers at Busch Gardens could think about when they looked at it. If it began to bother them, they have every right to take it down. We all have the right to not decorate in ways that don't make us feel good. Whether they did it to appease a few guests, or to appease their own feelings after having the gruesome comparison made to them, they have the right to do it. It's their display. If you like severed head decor, you can always decorate with severed heads yourself, and tell the complainers to suck it.


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## Oak Lane Cemetery (Sep 5, 2011)

Was there tonight and didn't notice anything at all. There were still plenty of headless figures around, just no severed heads. Had a great time!


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## stormygirl84 (Sep 4, 2009)

Nightfisher said:


> Was there tonight and didn't notice anything at all. There were still plenty of headless figures around, just no severed heads. Had a great time!


And THAT'S why this whole thing is ridiculous.


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## Screaming Demons (Sep 15, 2008)

Nightfisher said:


> Was there tonight and didn't notice anything at all. There were still plenty of headless figures around, just no severed heads. Had a great time!


If there were headless figures, they had obviously been decapitated. I'm offended!


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## JLWII2000 (Sep 13, 2010)

I am so $%^& ing tired of the #$%& ing sensitivity police! They ruin absolutely everything....get the %^*& over it! It's not related to ISIS at all. This country and the workplace are hostages to these people and I'm so tired of it. We need to revolt against this sort of oversensitive BS!


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## annamarykahn (Oct 4, 2009)

lets set up a booth there and sell severed puppy and kitten heads! wouldn't that be better than "human" heads? i mean, who doesn't like kittens & puppies? 

wasn't there a time when dead baby jokes were all the rage? and society didn't crumble ... back when being pc (politically correct) wasn't in the vocabulary 

i wasn't a fan of dead baby jokes, hated them in fact, they were extremely tasteless ... 

ok, i'm starting to get off topic ... better stop ...

amk


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## Screaming Demons (Sep 15, 2008)

annamarykahn said:


> lets set up a booth there and sell severed puppy and kitten heads! wouldn't that be better than "human" heads?
> 
> ok, i'm starting to get off topic ... better stop ...
> 
> amk


Remember last year when Distortions cancelled their dog that looked like it had been run over by a car prop? Too many complaints.


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## c910andace (Aug 17, 2010)

Ahhh crap. I'm kinda scared for what is happening in the world. The feeling of "that's ridiculous" is kind of why the West is so hated. I'm so lucky that I am able to have an opinion rather than a reality. 

My father served, my nephew is in service, I am an American and I cannot fathom what life is like in an oppressed conflicted society. I am grateful that I have the chance to indulge in something as lovely as Halloween.


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## stormygirl84 (Sep 4, 2009)

I'm not saying that being offended by a severed head (decoration) is ridiculous. Not at all. It's understandable.

I'm saying the reaction to it was ridiculous. And the context of the situation was ridiculous.

I went to Howl-O-Scream last Sunday. I went through the infamous Pirate Cove haunted house. And you know what? It still had LOADS of bloody, headless bodies... Because the severed head itself IS offensive, but the decapitated body isn't? Um... What?

Also, PLENTY of headless bodies ALL OVER THE PARK. Oh, and the Monster Stomp show? Victim (in silhouette) is decapitated before the audience's eyes in the first 60 seconds of the show's opening. Yeah.

And THAT is what makes this ridiculous.

Readers of the _Gazette_ were offended by a photograph from a small portion of a haunt. They complained _to the paper_ about _the photo_. Busch Gardens responds by removing ONLY THE DECORATIONS THAT WERE FEATURED IN THE NEWSPAPER PHOTOGRAPH.

TELL ME how this is not a ridiculous situation.


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## mr_synical (Jul 24, 2007)

Headed (no pun intended) to BGW tihs weekend. Good to hear the props removal doesn't really affect the experience.


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## ironmaiden (Aug 5, 2003)

Sure is typical and PC to assume it is only "conservatives" who are offended and try to control others


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## BarryJ (Oct 17, 2009)

So Fox will be cancelling Sleepy Hollow now? It's the next logical step.


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## Countess No (Sep 20, 2014)

This is why people are freaked out by severed heads:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...oma-beheading-muslim-convert-police/16263941/

Police: Suspect in Okla. beheading was Muslim convert
Doug Stanglin, USA TODAY 3:32 p.m. EDT September 26, 2014

"A newly fired employee at a food processing plant in Moore, Okla., allegedly stabbed and beheaded a 54-year-old front office worker, police said Friday, according to local media.

Police said the FBI was asked for assistance in the case because of the "manner of death" of the victim and reports from co-workers that the suspect, 30-year-old Alton Nolen, had recently started trying to convert several employees to Islam."


My son's best friend just turned 18, and has to register for Selective Service. He is disgusted by the recent beheadings of American, British, and French citizens by ISIS in the ME. He is sort of scared to register, because he does not want to ever get drafted and serve.

I understand that many people aren't bothered or scared by the current state of the world. I understand that people here are 100% pro-halloween and not much bugs them. I am 100% halloween and not much bugs me about any part of halloween. I love halloween, and keep in my halloween lane. 


But there are people in the world that aren't jerks, Christians, douchebags, etc, that are sorta freaked out and scared by beheadings and such. I would never even have guessed that my son's friend was worried about ISIS and beheadings.

That being said, I would think that that people who attend a scary halloween event would see the severed heads in a fantasy haunt in context.


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## LairMistress (Jul 31, 2009)

I don't ever want to say "You shouldn't do that!" to someone, regarding their display, but I really don't like gore that involves murder. Zombies are gory too, yes, but they're not realistic. 

If I can see it on the news, or it can happen to me or my family members, I do not want to see it in a display. I wouldn't be offended, but I wouldn't be impressed. I can see how others would be offended by the heads, given the recent events, though.


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## Screaming Demons (Sep 15, 2008)

It's a very small act on my part, but to try and make up for BG removing their heads (an oxymoron, as one of the posters on the newspaper comments said) I plan to put out many more than I usually do this year.


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