It’s time to step back into your nightmares… Halloween Horror Nights has returned to Universal Studios Florida! Although last year was mostly void of screams the HHN creative team has made up for lost time with a spectacular return to the scares. There’s plenty of Halloween goodness to go around, so let’s see what’s happening this year at HHN.
Since last year’s extremely modified daytime Halloween Horror lite, fans were dying to once again fully experience the nightmares only Universal can conjure up. The event, now in its 30th year, has brought together ten terrifying haunted houses, six sinister scare zones, two all-new exclusive shows, and some delicious snacks in between it all. Thanks to Universal Orlando, we were there opening night to take it all in! Let’s get started before I change my minds and run back home in fear…
Safety First: Universal installed clear vinyl dividers in key locations of all the haunted houses to allow for safer interactions between scare actors and guests. But the safety precautions don’t really impact the scares.
Here’s a look at this year’s haunted house lineup…
Halloween Horror Nights Icons: Captured
For the first time ever, the murderous clan of original HHN characters has joined forces to form a monstrous Hell of Fame, terrifying and torturing at every turn. You’ll encounter Jack the Clown, The Storyteller, The Director, The Caretaker, Chance, and many more all in one house. Who’s the evilest of them all? That depends on when you visit.
There aren’t too many jump-scares in this one, but there’s a LOT of detail! This house is an easy choice for revisiting to soak up the set designs and bask in HHN royalty… oh, and that delicious popcorn scent pumped into The Usher’s theater area! Take your time walking through and wave hello to Jack for me!
Beetlejuice
Bringing the classic Tim Burton film to life, this is the feel-good house of 2021. Beetlejuice hosted the first Universal Halloween event in 1991, so it’s only fitting the Ghost with the Most has his own house for the 30th year!
After walking through a spinning striped tunnel, you’ve essentially entered into the film. Each room superbly recreates scenes from the movie— including creepy creatures in the waiting room, the Deetz’ attic with Adam’s town model, Dante’s Inferno… and you can’t help but dance through the dinner scene, complete with a monster shrimp cocktail and the Banana Boat song blasting! Beetlejuice pops up in his various forms throughout the experience, and Lydia Deetz is there – as she also finds herself “strange and unusual”.
This house is definitely more fun than spooky-scary; a wonderful walk-through of a fan-favorite [and a welcome respite for scaredy-cats]!
Netflix’s Haunting of Hill House
Welcome to Hill House, a structure more alive than its ghostly inhabitants. Inside these walls echo the haunted footsteps of those trapped here for all time.
You’ll enter the decaying mansion, filled with dark hallways, long-dead residents, and the infamous Red Room. The special effects and recreations here are impressive, and will have you questioning if those ghouls from the series are actually real…
If you haven’t already, I recommend binging this show before visiting this house (which is easy to do once you start episode 1!). You’ll appreciate much more of the rooms and props, as well as the scares. This is one I cannot wait to revisit again and again!
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Everything’s [bloodier] in Texas… this house combines story elements from both the 1974 and 1986 Texas Chainsaw Massacre films, with Leatherface and the rest of the cannibalistic Sawyer family hunting around every corner. The infamous HHN scent of decay can be found here and based off of that, you can imagine what the sights are like. This isn’t for those with weak stomachs!
The Wicked Growth: The Realm of the Pumpkin
The Pumpkin Lord is preparing for his annual human harvest. You’ll find yourself lured in with the classic sights and sounds of Halloween, including a haunted house, a graveyard, and a wicked witch’s cottage… all overrun by terrifying creatures, leading up to the ruthless Pumpkin Lord’s lair.
This house surprised and impressed me the most, with the classic symbolism of Halloween, the scent of pumpkins, the witch’s cottage, incredible special effects, and the Pumpkin Lord himself… I’m just so in love with it. There’s also are some really good scares here – the first real scream they’ve gotten out of me!
Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives!
This house takes place after the Bride has survived an explosion at Frankenstein’s castle. Sadly, Frankenstein’s Monster did not survive, so she’s attempting to bring him back to life so they can be together. Easier said than done, as the Bride needs the blood of Dracula’s brides to resurrect her love…
Those spooky brides are sure to give you some real jump scares!
Revenge of the Tooth Fairy
When you think of the Tooth Fairy do you think of sparkles, puffy dresses, magic wands, and shiny coins? Well, you’re in for quite a surprise. This goblin of a Tooth Fairy is murderous and SCARY.
As you enter through a pop-up storybook with narration booming from above, you’ll discover a little boy named James who chose not to give over his teeth – and his entire family will pay the ultimate price.
I always enjoy the storybook setups at HHN, and this one is no different! Disclaimer: If you suffer from dentophobia, you may have a hard time walking through this one…
Welcome to SCarey: Horror in the Heartland
The small town of Carey, Ohio, has been a recurring location throughout HHN’s history of original houses. Bad things happen there, filled with horrifying tales of the paranormal and supernatural, this house combines them all. With vampires from The Hive, the attic of Dead End, Slaughter Sinema, human deli butchers from Leave it to Cleaver, and many more, it’s rather difficult to keep track of what’s coming after you! One thing is for sure, I won’t be visiting the town of Carey anytime soon.
Puppet Theatre: Captive Audience
You enter through San Francisco’s dilapidated Grandeur Theatre of the 1900s, where puppeteers went absolutely mad and cut up their patrons before transforming them into their own petrifying puppets.
While the Grandeur was destroyed in the great earthquake of 1906, the puppeteers still reside there and are looking for even more victims… as you tour behind the creepy curtains and staging areas, you’ll encounter some sinister characters and tons of bloody body parts on marionette strings.
Cases Files Unearthed: Legendary Truth
The world of Legendary Truth is an evolving story from past HHN events. In this tale, hell has arrived on earth. You’ll step into one of Boris Shuster’s cold cases (the founder of Legendary Collective), as he’s on the hunt for poltergeists popping up around NYC. As you travel from the 1990s to 1940s and back again, you’ll encounter sinister spirits in a seedy apartment, an abandoned warehouse, and the Museum of Natural History, before escaping some deadly She-Devils at the Kitty Cat Club.
This is a great house for die-hard fans of the Legendary Truth series from HHN history! And scaredy cats, this one isn’t too bad with just a few moderate scares!
Scare Zones & Entertainment
With Scare Zones scattered throughout the park, there’s no safe space on the streets of Universal Orlando.
Crypt TV – the dark universe of Crypt TV has taken over San Francisco.
30 Years, 30 Fears – The most infamous characters from HHN’s past scare zones have reunited in taking over the Avenue of the Stars.
Seek and Destroy – A ruthless alien cyber regime conquers the streets of New York. Join them or be destroyed.
Gorewood Forest – The terrifying Terra Queen and her minions return after 16 years, taking root in Central Park.
Lights, Camera, HACKtion: Eddie’s Revenge – Jack the Clown’s diabolical brother, Eddie Schmidt, returns for this gory sequel taking place in the streets of Hollywood… except this time, the monsters are real.
Entertainment
Marathon of Mayhem: Carnage Factory – A brand new Universal Studios lagoon show made its premiere at Halloween Horror Nights. Jack the Clown lures guests into a trance, only to awaken inside an insidious factory. Frozen with fear, a nightmare machine extracts everyone’s deepest fears and projects them onto giant water screens, showcasing the notorious HHN icons and frightening scenes from Netflix’s “The Haunting of Hill House,” Universal Monsters classic movies, and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
Halloween Nightmare Fuel – Showing at the old Fear Factor theater, nocturnal creatures, aerialists of the night, and frightful fire performers come alive to the sounds of rock, metal, and electronica music.
To top it all off, Jack the Clown is lurking around every corner of the park… you’ll never know where he’ll pop up next!
My Top 10 Houses
While I enjoyed each and every house this year, there are some that truly stand out… and I must recommend you visit #5 through #1 at least once! Considering the creative set designs, storytelling, scare levels, and my high enthusiasm for all things Halloween… here’s my personal ranking of this year’s 10 haunted houses of 2021:
#10 – Puppet Theatre: Captive Audience
#9 – Texas Chainsaw Massacre
#8 – Welcome to SCarey: Horror in the Heartland
#7 – Bride of Frankenstein Lives
#6 – Revenge of the Tooth Fairy
#5 – Beetlejuice
#4 – Case Files Unearthed: Legendary Truth
#3 – Haunting of Hill House
#2 – HHN Icons: Captured
#1 – The Wicked Growth: The Realm of the Pumpkin
If you visit this year, I’d love to see your top 10!
This & That
An HHN vinyl album featuring the music of Midnight Syndicate will be available on September 14th. Even if you don’t yet possess a record player, the artwork alone is wonderful!
Passholders! Don’t forget to pick up your complimentary button, featuring an ADORABLY wicked Jack. (The HHN-themed AP car magnet will be available beginning September 9th.)
Halloween Horror Nights is running select nights from now through October 31st at Universal Studios Florida. Tickets are available now, starting at $70.99.
- Halloween Horror Nights Single-Night Ticket (from $70.99) Add $89.99 (that’s just the starting price, it varies by night) for one time Express at each haunted house
- Can’t get enough scares? Frequent Fear Passes are also now available, starting at $129.99
- Additional options and tours available on the ticket page
Craving even more Halloween Horror Nights? Have you seen this year’s immersive HHN Tribute Store yet?
Universal Orlando Update – Halloween Creeps & Passholder Perks