ORLANDO, Fla. — SeaWorld Orlando is bringing the scares in a new way with its first-ever Howl-O-Scream.

The after-hours event made its Orlando debut Friday, becoming the latest Halloween-themed offering in Central Florida.

For its inaugural event, SeaWorld tapped former Halloween Horror Nights creative Patrick Braillard to serve as creative director and help craft the themes and storylines for the houses and scare zones.

Even though Howl-O-Scream is new to Orlando, it’s been around at other SeaWorld parks for years, including Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and SeaWorld San Antonio. Some elements from those events were used for reference, but Braillard says the houses and scare zones for the Orlando event offer something new.

"The interiors are completely different," Braillard said. "The stories are completely different. I did try narratively to tie together a couple of the former house characters and weave those into what we're doing."

SeaWorld Orlando's Howl-O-Scream has four haunted houses with different themes, from a cursed pirate ship at Captain's Revenge to a lost research facility at Beneath the Ice. The other houses include Dead Vines and Water's Edge Inn.

The event also features four themed scare zones: Sea of Souls, Frozen Terror, Deadly Ambush, Witchcraft Bayou. And beware, with the heavy fog used in these zones, the performers seem to appear out of nowhere.

Many of the houses and scare zone share a connected theme that Braillard hopes visitors notice as they make their way around the event.

"In Frozen Terror you meet similar characters to what's in Beneath the Ice," Braillard said. "Witchcraft Bayou will lead you into Dead Vines and Sea of Souls leads you into Captain's Revenge."

Beyond the scares, Howl-O-Scream offers two live shows. "Sirens' Song" takes place outside in the Wild Arctic area of the park. The show features music and dancing as the sirens share their story. Inside the Nautilus Theater, visitors will find "Monster Stomp," a high-energy show that features singing and dancing in a Broadway-style production.

SeaWorld also has a themed experience for the event. Over in Waterway Grill, there's Poison Grotto which not only features specialty drinks but also an aerialist above the bar. Other themed bar experiences include Tormented, Longshoremen Tavern and Sirens' Last Call.

And for those who are not big into scares, SeaWorld is selling a "No Boo" necklace for $15. The necklace lets the performers know that you don't want to be scared. However, it can't be used in the houses.

A couple of attractions — Mako and Infinity Falls — are running during the event.

Howl-O-Scream is intended for mature audiences. However, the park will host its family-friendly event, Halloween Spooktacular, during the park's daytime hours starting Sept. 18. The event features character encounters and trick-or-treating.

SeaWorld is offering a number of ticket options for Howl-O-Scream. A single-night ticket, if purchased in advance, starts at $41.99. There's also a ticket for those who want to experience Howl-O-Scream in Orlando and at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.

SeaWorld Orlando's Howl-O-Scream runs select nights through Oct. 31.

For more information, visit howloscream.com/orlando.