Friday the 13th will be extra scary this year as Universal Studios Hollywood kicks off their annual Halloween Horror Nights event. We were able to take a sneak peek at three of the new mazes and share some thoughts and photos below. Then we’ll round up the rest of Universal’s Halloween attractions for the 2019 event!
“Ghostbusters”
Ghostbusters which has entertained generations with its comedic and frightening tale of four paranormal investigators on their quest to eradicate supernatural threats from creating chaos throughout New York City is celebrating its 35th anniversary. Guests will have the opportunity to live the action and terrifying scares they have seen in the hit film when it comes to life at Universal Studios’ “Halloween Horror Nights.”
https://youtu.be/bLUlma8Sam0
In the maze, guests will follow in the footsteps of Ghostbusters – Peter, Ray, Egon, and Winston – as they venture through artfully recreated scenes from the film, including the firehouse, New York Public Library and the Temple of Gozer, as an army of ghoulish spirits, hideous specters, and ectoplasm-dripping phantasms attack from every corner. As you dive deeper into the maze, you will come face-to-face with an array of paranormal creatures, from the voracious Slimer to the all-powerful Gozer the Gozerian in its ultimate destructor form, also, face the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man to survive the night.
We joined Universal Creative Director John Murdy for a tour of the Ghost Busters maze construction. It’s really coming together to be something special and VERY different than previous Horror Nights offerings. Whatever you do folks, don’t cross the streams . . .
John was proud to show off their first true comedy maze. While many of the haunted houses in the past have included humorous bits, this maze will deliver famous lines and gags from the iconic Ghostbusters films and is not designed to terrify as much as it is to put you into the action of the film.
The fun will start before you ever enter the maze. The Taxi Cab ghost and Louis Tully in fully possessed mode will be interacting with guests in the queue. And if you follow Universal on Twitter, you might just get a special gift from Louis if you know the secret code.
Don’t worry horror fans, the Universal team has quite a few scares planned for you as well. How about venturing inside the containment field filled with New York’s nastiest spirits! There are lots of gee wiz special effects in this maze as well.
And at the climax of the maze guests will come face to face with a two-story-tall Stay Puff Marshmallow Man! We weren’t allowed to take photos of it . . . but was AMAZING!!
The Ghostbusters maze is incredibly detailed and the sets are substantial and movie quality in many areas. While you’ll rarely have time to stop and smell the roses during the actual event, there are lots of little things to read and explore in this attraction.
And, of course, you’ll meet Slimer . . .
Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together – mass hysteria.
“Killer Klowns from Outer Space”
Based on the cult 1980s film favorite, the “Killer Klowns from Outer Space” this maze will transport guests to the sleepy small town of Crescent Cove, taken over by a pack of murderous clown-like creatures. Those who dare to venture in will be lured by the sweet smell of cotton candy and ice-cream and find themselves in an otherworldly circus tent where they’ll come face-to-face with the crazed klowns and their sinister, side-splitting antics.
As you make your way through the Big Top Space Ship, guests will witness diabolical klowns making cotton candy cocoons from unsuspecting victims and will realize the joke’s on them as they are next to become a gooey snack. From one shrieking klown to the next, the maze will lead guests through the doomed community of Crescent Cove to an eerie amusement park closed for the season. Trapped in a terrifying funhouse full of killer klowns, you will be left screaming as there’s no stopping this twisted three-ring circus.
We took a quick walk-through of this maze as well and found it to be over the top with color and whimsy, as well as some terrifying visuals. We’ve left the most gruesome images to your imagination, but wanted to share a few teases:
Nowhere is safe. The Klowns can be lurking anywhere . . .
“Creepshow”
Inspired by the 1982 cult classic movie and Shudder’s all-original anthology series this new maze “Creepshow” will scare the creep out of guests.
Capturing the essence of the original film that touted, “the most fun you’ll have getting scared,” a new generation of horror has risen from the dead, the five frightening fables featured in the maze include:
- “Father’s Day” – Years ago Nathan Grantham, the cruel patriarch of the wealthy Grantham family, was murdered by his long-suffering daughter on Father’s Day. Now Nathan’s maggot-infested corpse has risen from the grave to take revenge on his inheritors…and finally claim his Father’s Day cake.
- “The Crate” – An unlucky janitor finds a long-forgotten shipping crate under the stairs of a science hall in a small east coast college. Little does he know, the crate contains a ravenous beast that’s been hibernating for over a hundred years…and it’s just woken up.
- “They’re Creeping Up On You” – Eccentric billionaire Upson Pratt lives in a hermetically sealed “germ proof” penthouse apartment in Manhattan but he still has a bug problem. When a citywide blackout cuts his power, Mr. Pratt’s pest problem is about to get a whole lot worse.
- “Gray Matter” – Ritchie Grenadine, an alcoholic former factory worker, unknowingly ingests a strange mutagen after guzzling a can of cheap beer. Now an alien fungus has taken over his rundown apartment and his body…creating in him an insatiable hunger that can’t be quenched by his favorite ale.
- “Bad Wolf Down” – The surviving members of a decimated American army platoon in the North of France during World War II are holed up in a small village jail awaiting the German army to overwhelm them. The clever lot, however, have an ace up their sleeve that the German’s won’t expect; the men are all werewolves and tonight is a full moon.
We have a few photos to share from the Creepshow construction as well. It’s a surprisingly fun and well-constructed maze. You’ll transition between terrifying comics . . .
And here are the rest of the upcoming mazes . . .
Halloween Horror Nights Mazes 2019
There’s something for everyone this year as Universal adds some 80’s kitsch and a bit of humor to the blood and gore you’ve become accustomed to:
“Us”
Based on the horror film blockbuster, Us, from filmmaker Jordan Peele, the “Us” maze will place guests at the heart of this living nightmare where they quickly realize they are their own worst enemy.
The journey begins in the year 1986 as guests follow in the footsteps of the young girl they first meet as Adelaide Wilson as she innocently ventures through a mirror funhouse at the Santa Cruz boardwalk and has a fateful and traumatic encounter with her tethered doppelgänger, an event that will forever alter both of their lives. The experience will then transition to present day, thrusting guests into the chaos of “The Tethered” uprising as they emerge from their tunnels to murder their privileged doubles in a nationwide coordinated act of rebellion. This new maze will surely put you in the center of a living horror movie.
“Stranger Things”
Inspired by seasons 2 and 3 of the critically-acclaimed series, this year’s chilling maze will pick up where last year’s maze left off, continuing the suspenseful storyline where a mysterious entity terrorizes the small town of Hawkins, Indiana, and delving even further into the parallel universe, referred to as the Upside Down. The maze will also parallel the hit show as it leaps forward to 1985, taking guests on a terrifying excursion through portions of “Stranger Things 3,” which is now streaming on Netflix.
“Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man”
On the heels of last year’s successful “Universal Monsters” experience, this all-new horrifying maze, “Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man,” delves deeper into the Universal Monsters’ lore. Loosely based on Universal’s 1943 horror movie of the same name, this reimagined tale for the 21st century takes guests on a terrifying journey that bears witness to a deadly confrontation between these two horror icons and the epic battle that rages between them. Guests will follow in the footsteps of the Frankenstein Monster, lured by exotic music towards a nearby gypsy camp while desperately seeking sanctuary from a mob of angry villagers determined to destroy him. It is within the gypsy encampment that the Frankenstein Monster meets The Wolf Man and where the madness begins as guests are led along a path of destruction through the murky Moors, to a creepy cemetery and into the smoldering ruins of Castle Frankenstein and its icy cellars beneath.
“House of 1000 Corpses”
The terrifying “House of 1000 Corpses” maze brings to life the movie’s offbeat roadside tourist attraction, Captain Spaulding’s Museum of Monsters and Madmen, and introduces guests to some of the country’s most infamous serial killers, including Dr. Satan, a demented surgeon who has gone mad.
With no time catch their breath, guests will venture to the chaotic home of the Firefly family, a sadistic clan of psychotic killers, where the psychosis deepens and the depraved thrive. It is a chilling journey into the netherworld of terror that weaves its way through a cavernous network of dark tunnels within the bowels of the house. Populated by the degenerate victims of Dr. Satan’s debauched operations, legions of tortured creatures shuffle about as Dr. Satan continues his twisted medical practice, eagerly awaiting a new installment of victims.
“Holidayz in Hell”
Inspired by the popular scare zone of the same name, the “Holidayz in Hell” maze will feature an original score by Electronic Music Artist and Producer Figure and offer guests new reasons to dread the holidays.
A tortured Tunnel of Love, inhabited by a crazed Cupid on a quest for hearts to break or take will make this Valentine’s Day anything but romantic; an unhinged Uncle Sam will create a sinister July 4th killerbration; treacherous turkeys will gobble, gobble an unsuspecting family; and a sick Santa will adorn Christmas Trees with human body parts, with many other milestone killer holidays.
Those who survive the Holidayz need not let down their guard just yet as a creepy Christmas-themed scare zone with additional frights awaits to fill beating hearts with holiday fear. In addition to the music of Figure, who previously created a series of original sounds for Halloween Horror Nights, guests can expect to hear a new rendition of their favorite holiday tunes, remixed to accompany this hellish new maze.
“Curse of Pandora’s Box”
Greed is the underlying theme of this all-new maze, resurrected from Universal Studios Hollywood’s vault of masterful storytelling that transports guests from the land of the living into the nightmarish netherworld of Hades. The scene begins with “Pandora’s Cabinet of Curiosities,” a dilapidated storefront set in modern times that is, nonetheless a reminiscent of a structure that belongs in the dark and dangerous back alleys of Victorian London.
Amid every occultist artifacts and forbidden relics known to man, the bizarre shop houses an all-consuming collection of evil trapped behind glass-encased cabinets, including a giant, ornate box inlaid with human bones and adorned with the silhouette of a mysterious woman clasping her body with skeletal arms.
As guests pass through the shop they will hear a faint, yet seductive voice echoing the words, “anything can be acquired, anything our hearts desire,” beckoning maze-goers to tempt fate, just as a cataclysmic earthquake erupts, shaking the shop and swinging open the ornate box to awaken a demonic voice whispering in a foreign tongue to “come inside.” Once Pandora’s Box has been opened and evil unleashed, it can never be closed again.
“The Walking Dead”
“The Walking Dead” which is a permanent daytime attraction is a real-life interpretation of AMC’s award-winning television series. To elevate its authenticity, Universal Studios Hollywood has partnered with “The Walking Dead’s” creative team, including visionary executive producer and director, Greg Nicotero and his special effects company, KNB Efx. Nicotero’s team, responsible for masterfully creating the show’s realistic decaying walkers, will construct prosthetics, utilize original molds and painstakingly apply paint and detailing to the attraction walkers.
“The Walking Dead” attraction is located within a custom-built structure, situated within an expansive building complex just inside the theme park’s main entry. Due to the intense nature of this experience, the attraction is not recommended for guests under the age of 13.
Jabbawockeez
The award-winning hip hop dance crew returns again this year by popular demand to entertain guests at “Halloween Horror Nights.” This universally recognized group is America’s best dance crew, for a new electrifying original series of performances, enhanced by spectacular multi-color laser projections.
Scare Zones
In addition to all the new mazes this year, there are five new scare zones: Fallen Angelz, All Hallow’s Eve, Christmas in Hell, Toxxxic Tunnel, and Spirits & Demons of the East. In case you didn’t get scared enough. Try to survive the night making your way throughout the park.
Fallen Angelz
Explore crypts packed with restless ghouls and escape angry skeletons that have taken over Main Street. If you think the aged statues are creepy, wait until you encounter the wraith who will be literally watching over you. You can also spread your own demonic wings while you’re here, but be sure not to antagonize the Angel of Death.
Spirits & Demons of the East
Sacred antiquities have just been shipped over from the Far East, and they didn’t come alone. Many of these artifacts were stolen from ancient temples and carry angry spirits with them. Now the spirits roam New York Street, looking to exact vengeance on anyone who would dare steal such sacred relics. Be careful out there, these powerful demons can look like anything, even innocent school children.
Christmas in Hell
You’ll likely feel a faint sense of relief as you exit the Holidayz in Hell maze, but it won’t last long. Navigate through the Christmas trees littering French Street and make your way through our twisted takes on many holiday traditions. A giant nutcracker may be looking for a skull or two to clamp down on. The Winter Witch and Jack Frost himself will be celebrating as well, and they may not take too kindly to you interrupting their festivities. And just when you think it’s over, beware of the New Year’s Baby. He’s… cranky.
Toxxxic Tunnel
Yes, if you wish to experience the mazes on our Metro Lots, you’ll have to get through the tunnel once again. This time, the warped and cartoonish members of a demonic custom car club have taken over, and they don’t plan on letting you get very far on foot.
All Hallow’s Evil
Halloween isn’t the only holiday that happens this time of year. The Celtic festival of Hop-tu-Naa is celebrated on October 31st as well. There’s also All Saints’ Day, followed by All Souls’ Day, and of course Mexico’s Dia de Muertos; all of which share this season with the centuries-old Gaelic festival of Samhain. Samhain celebrates our transition into the “darker” months at the end of the harvest season. The souls of the dead are thought to return home on this night and are welcomed with costumes and bonfires. Some say the costumes were actually intended to protect oneself from these otherworldly beings. Here’s hoping they’re relatively peaceful during your visit.
New Horror Nights Ticket Options
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood is just a few weeks away, the annual event starts on Friday, September 13 and runs through November 3 on select nights. Opening night and event dates are: September 13-15, 19-22, 26-29; October 3-6, 10-13, 17-20, 24-27, 31; and November 1-3, 2019. Advanced purchase is recommended as event nights will sell out and available for purchase here.
For those interested, the new R.I.P Tour offers groups of up to 12 a chance to be scared in style and features exclusive access to “Halloween Horror Nights.” With a VIP Guide by your side, R.I.P. Tour guests will be treated to unlimited Universal Express access to all mazes and attractions as well as reserved VIP seating at the Jabbawockeez show, private VIP trolley transportation to the backlot mazes, exclusive interactive themed photo ops and a special tour of the Universal backlot, gourmet buffet dinner at the exclusive VIP Dining Room & Lounge, access to various lounges for drinks and desserts, and complimentary valet parking.
New this year is an exclusive Fan Preview Night on Thursday, September 12, with limited tickets available. Fans get the chance to be among the first to explore this year’s 10 new mazes and be the first to post on social media with special themed photo ops. Guests attending the preview night will also receive a special commemorative credential and possibly see some favorite celebrities attending during the event’s red carpet premiere event. Get your tickets here for this special night before it sells out. Prices start at $69.
If you can’t get enough of getting scared, you can purchase a multi-night Frequent Fear pass. There are four different passes to choose from:
- Ultimate Fear Pass $299
- Fan Preview and Frequent Fear Pass $199
- Frequent Fear Pass $179
- September Pass $109
Make sure to visit https://hollywood.halloweenhorrornights.com/ for up to date info on Halloween Horror Nights and to purchase tickets and passes.
Will you be attending this year’s “Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios Hollywood? Do you like this year’s lineup of mazes and scare zones? Are you brave enough to take on the sickest minds in horror and immerse yourself in living, breathing, three-dimensional terror? Let us know in the comments!
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EDITOR NOTE: This article first ran on September 1st, 2019 and was updated on September 5th, 2019 with maze construction photos and behind the scenes tour info. If you are looking for more information on Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights, please bookmark this page. We will add additional details regarding this event as they become available.