As you may have noticed, most of our articles in the last week have mentioned Halloween in one way or another, that’s because the most lucrative time of year for theme parks everywhere is just about to scream into a park near you. Universal Studios Hollywood has long been at the top of the heap for bone-chilling scares with their Halloween Horror Nights, let’s take a look at the lineup for 2018. Then we’ll take you into the park for a quick photo update. Five, four, three, two, one . . . SCREAM!
Halloween Horror Nights 2018
Universal has now announced all of their mazes for the 2018 season. There are some fun surprises ahead in this list of popular franchises and classics as well.
Stranger Things
We’ll launch with the new haunted attraction I’m most looking forward to this year – Stranger Things. Yes, this maze is based on the popular Netflix show that keeps me from being able to sleep at night. The following images released by Universal look like they’ve created something really amazing.
This property is so powerful that Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Singapore are all partnering with Netflix to bring “Stranger Things” to each of the “Halloween Horror Nights” events. Universal promises that we’ll be able to experience the Upside Down as well as iconic scenes, characters and environments from season one of the series.
This slideshow of Stranger Things images make this haunted house look like a real winner:
TIP: Get in line now. 😉
Poltergeist (inspired by the 1982 classic)
OK, so maybe THIS is the maze I’m most looking forward to. I saw this film when I was a kid in the 80s and it scared the crap out of me. I think the scene where the clown doll wraps around the little boy’s neck is the reason I’m afraid of clowns to this day.
It was brilliant filmmaking for its time, a classic supernatural horror film which changed what audiences expected from a scary movie. I hope they frame the maze much like the film – more psychological than gore. It would be a much-needed change of pace from the blood and guts soaked mazes Horror Nights is known for.
“The maze will lure guests to the Freeling family house built atop a cemetery where malicious ghosts threaten the lives within. From the underground graveyard to ghostly apparitions, guests will come face to face with infamous scenes from the film, including the iconic flickering TV screen, menacing Beast from beyond and pool filled with floating corpses. As guests cross into the ‘light,’ they will find themselves surrounded by a surreal landscape of vanishing walls, floating furniture and a creepy clown with a menacing smile. In a rush against time, guests will be forced to make it back to the world of the living or forever be trapped…”
The First Purge
This isn’t the first time Universal has flirted with the Purge. There’s just something about this franchise which plays very well for Horror Nights.
Murder, mayhem and pandemonium are alive and well every year as the annual Purge grips the country, suspending all police, fire and emergency services for 12 consecutive hours as law abiding citizens are transformed into anarchists. Inspired by The First Purge—the movement that began as a simple experiment, this terrifying new “Halloween Horror Nights” maze aligns with the film in establishing the motives that launched the country into chaos.
“The First Purge” maze will reimagine the movie’s premise, greeting guests with pure unadulterated fear as it brings to life the turmoil spawned by vigilantes. It will place guests at the heart of a controversial sociological experiment empowered by the New Founding Fathers of America’s (NFFA) desire to purge the nation of all hatred and crime by, ironically, permitting crime to take place as a means of ridding society of all ills.
Trick ‘r Treat
So . . . THIS may be the maze I’m most looking forward to this year. Really. When I heard that Uni was planning to do a maze on one of my all time favorite horror films I was over the moon. This movie, which was a direct to video sort of a film, has humor, heart, and plenty of scares. It’s absolutely a cult classic (if you haven’t seen it, make a point of tracking it down).
Based on the critically-acclaimed and fan-favorite movie directed by Michael Dougherty, the “Trick ‘r Treat” maze will transport guests to Warren Valley, Ohio on Halloween night to celebrate the holiday’s dark traditions. Recreating some of the anthology’s most iconic scenes, the disturbing new maze invites brave thrill-seekers to become entwined within the secrets of this sleepy suburban town.
Guests will experience some of the film’s most grisly scenes and encounter hauntingly familiar characters. They will meander through Mr. Kreeg’s infamous house, watch as college students viciously transform into bloodthirsty werewolves and dismember the town, as well as come face-to-face with Sam – the spirit of Halloween – who readies to punish those who break the holiday’s tradition.
The Horrors of Blumhouse: Chapter Two – Truth or Dare and Unfriended
While this isn’t the maze I’m most looking forward to, it is one that I think fits nicely into the event. Jason Blum of Blumhouse seems to be a favorite of Halloween Horror Nights. His mazes are always fun and I have no reason to believe that this one will be any different.
“The Horrors of Blumhouse: Chapter Two” maze takes guests on a terrifying journey that begins at the entrance to a dilapidated movie theatre, where a compilation of horror films play out in real life. In Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare, guests will succumb to an ancient curse that has been unleashed by a group of unsuspecting college students….forcing them to play a game where the stakes are life and death. In Unfriended, guests become pawns to a supernatural entity that has invaded a chat room. Drawing inspiration from Blumhouse Productions’ infamous opening title sequence, the final feature will lure guests into a creepy old house to answer desperate cries of help…only to discover that they have actually entered a paranormal world where real-life nightmares threaten to trap them forever in misery.
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
Wow, this is really a powerhouse year folks. The Halloween franchise has of course been featured before. This time it’s Halloween 4. Plenty of material to keep your nerves on edge. And that iconic music will be blasting.
“Based on the fourth installment in the classic slasher series created by John Carpenter, the mazes will transport guests to the suburban town of Haddonfield, Illinois on Halloween night where Myers has escaped Smith’s Grove Sanitarium and is hungry for revenge. This time, he relentlessly stalks his niece Jamie as his next victim, stopping at nothing to kill her.
Guests will follow Myers as he escapes the mental hospital, encounters his first victims at Penney’s Gas Station and Diner, and wreaks terror on Haddonfield, all set to Alan Howarth’s ominous score. The maze will include horrifying scares by Myers in his classic featureless white mask and navy jumpsuit, with guests dodging his bloody knife at every turn. Halloween fanatics can expect a cameo by Myer’s psychiatrist Dr. Loomis and other famous characters from the film as they try to escape the bloodbath.”
Universal Monsters
After reading the description below, I’m very interested in this spin on the historic Universal Monsters . . . with music by Slash! Brilliant concept. It’s classic scares with a modern twist.
“At its core, “Halloween Horror Nights” is an extension of the horror film legacy originated by Universal Pictures and introduced to audiences in the 1920s…with a staple of classic Universal Monsters that dominated the silver screen, including Dracula, The Phantom of the Opera, Frankenstein’s Monster and The Wolf Man.
“Halloween Horror Nights” continues to pay homage to these creatures of the night in this new maze by reawakening more than a dozen of these iconic classic Monsters. The essence of the maze will underscore each of their unique attributes and reimagine them into terrifying modern day characters. At a glance, resurrected monsters will include The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, The Phantom of the Opera, Dracula, Dracula’s Bride, Frankenstein’s Monster, The Bride of Frankenstein and The Mummy, to name a few.”
Those are the big mazes, but there are three additional experiences worth noting:
Terror Tram: Hollywood Harry’s Dreadtime Stories
Although I’ve been disappointed in how the crowds are managed on this attraction for the last two years, I am very much looking forward to the return of Hollywood Harry . . . the serial killer clown. You already know how I feel about clowns. I’m terrified already. Hold my hand.
The uniqueness of the Terror Tram is that they load you at the Tram Tour station and then drop you off in a location on the lower lot (judging from construction in the area, we are assuming that it will be the same Bates Motel/War of the Worlds path as recent years). There’s something magical about walking past the Psycho house and through the wreckage of the War of the Worlds set. I just hope they’ll fix the horrible overcrowding issue where more people are dumped at the Bates Motel than there is capacity for.
The Walking Dead
Universal Studios Hollywood’s permanent attraction inspired by the AMC television series is there in the park all day every day. However, they do plus it up a bit for Halloween Horror Nights.
The Jabbawockeez
The hip hop dance crew returns with an all-new show created exclusively for “Halloween Horror Nights.” I’m sorry, but I just can’t get excited about this again. They were at Knott’s Scary Farm for years, then moved to Universal after the long-running Bill and Ted show was canceled. It just doesn’t seem to fit. Would love to see a Rocky Horror Picture Show Sing-Along or a pop-culture show as Knott’s does. But the dance crew will return for at least one more year.
Scare Zones
Trick ‘r Treat
This is likely to be the first scare zone you’ll encounter at Horror Nights (near the front of the park). Sam wants to make sure that you uphold the traditions of Halloween. Mess up and you’re in big trouble.
Holidayz in Hell
Kiss that cute Easter Bunny goodbye . . . this scare zone takes a sinister twist on your favorite holiday characters.
Toxxic Tunnel
Dangerous chemicals that have transformed underground workers into radioactive monsters ready for destruction. This scare zone is part of the pathway that takes you to the mazes on the backlot.
Hell’s Harvest
A dark pagan harvest festival fills the streets with voodoo dolls which are brought to life and looking for human sacrifices. Not sure what voodoo dolls have to do with pagans, but it’s Halloween folks. . . nothing really makes sense.
Monster Masquerade
I’m interested to see this scare zone on French Street. “The Danse of the Dead” masquerade ball is inspired by the Classic Universal Monster movies The Phantom of the Opera and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Most excellent.
Which Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights haunted attraction are you most looking forward to (choose up to three in the poll below)?
TICKETS
Tickets for all nights are available now, including the Ultimate Fear pass (which grants access throughout the event)
HHN runs September 14th through November 3rd on select nights.
Now, let’s take a quick jaunt around the park with Photo Matt, who had NEVER been to Universal Studios before!!! Was he living under a rock?!
Jurassic Park Now Extinct
Jurassic Park River Adventure thrilled and soaked guests from the summer of 1996 until last week. It has closed to be updated and rethemed to Jurassic World.
Matt took his first and last ride just days before the attraction closed. He loved it.
Unfortunately, we were asked not to shoot photos on the attraction.
Two LA locals, Chelsea and Devin, broke the ride record for “Jurassic Park – The Ride” by experiencing it 62 times in 13 hours. But Chelsea didn’t realize that Devin was also going to pop the question.
The engagement ring was a custom-made amber ring inspired by the Jurassic Park film franchise. Universal Pictures donated an official Barbasol can prop replica for the proposal.
Tram Tour
Matt was overwhelmed by the world-famous backlot tour. It’s the reason that the theme park exists and the unique differentiator of the park. It was also a chance for us to see some of the construction and work going on in the park.
There’s also construction going on behind Jurassic Park. Attraction construction? We shall see.
It was yet another hot day, but Matt appreciated the mist fans throughout the park.
Super Silly Fun Land
Matt was also enchanted with Super Silly Fun Land.
Springfield
Hogsmeade
You’ll have to forgive me, I distracted Matt in the Wizarding World and wanted to make sure he did the rides and ate at the Three Broomsticks. So we don’t have many photos of this amazing land. But we’ll be back soon with more.
Well folks, that’s our update for today. I’m fairly excited about the lineup of this year’s mazes for Horror Nights. Poltergeist, Stranger Things, Trick ‘R Treat . . . it sure does sound like an entertaining slate of thrills. Let us know your thoughts below.
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