If you are looking for real thrills and chills this fall, then head out to Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights. The new level of terror features horror legends that come to life, plus a dangerously devilish dose of frightening favorites, from Killer Klownz to Flesh-Eating Freakz.
About Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights
Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights is an annual event that takes place at both Universal Studios Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood. The spookfest debuted at the Florida theme park in 1991 under the title "Fright Nights," but was later renamed "Halloween Horror Nights" the following year. The popular Halloween-themed event officially launched at Universal Studios Hollywood in 1997. In addition, to a name change, the event also morphed from being a three-night fest to a major bash that runs for up to 24 nights during the month of October. That's every Friday and Saturday over six consecutive weekends plus a few Thursdays and Sundays. These days Halloween Horror Nights is a hair-raising, all-out scare-a-thon, which features a seemingly endless array of the creepiest costumed characters and hauntingly horrific attractions ever seen at an American theme park.
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Orlando
Universal Studios Orlando is going all out in 2010 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Halloween Horror Nights. To mark the occasion, the park is renaming the event: "Halloween Horror Nights: Twenty Years of Fear." Guests can look forward to live shows that are filled with gory creatures, plus the usual fright worthy attractions, such as:
Scare Zones
Halloween Horror Nights' Scare Zones are extremely popular at the park, some of the highlights include:
- Zombie Gras: A parade of the undead searching for victims.
- The Coven: A tribute to "The Cult of the Raven" with witches and spells.
- Esqueleto Muerte: A glowing skeletal nightmare that guests walk through and hopefully make out alive.
- Saws 'n Steam: An area filled with Zombies with chainsaws, as well as earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters.
Haunted Houses
Halloween Horror Nights' haunted houses are not for the faint of heart. The goriest include:
- Hades: The Gates of Ruin: Take a walk through Hell and see the most terrifying creatures of the underworld.
- The Orfanage: Ashes to Ashes: Meet a little girl named Cindy from the Good Harvest Orphanage. She is misunderstood and neglected, and is she out for revenge.
- Horror Nights: The Hallow'd Past: This house of horrors is filled with Halloween Horror Nights' creeps and ghouls from the past 20 years.
- Legendary Truth: The Wyandot Estate: The haunted Wyandot Estate is where Malcolm Wyandot killed 13 dinner guest and his wife Lydia before committing suicide on October 30, 1929.
- Zombiegeddon: This haunted building houses dozens of zombies who are in training to round up new recruits.
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood
On the other side of the country, Universal Studios Hollywood is set to scare the living daylights out of its guests. The line-up for 2010 includes familiar freaky movie faces, including Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Chucky. Halloween Horror Nights will feature also five haunted mazes and six scare zones, including:
- Nightmare on Elm Street: Freddy returns with the "Never Sleep Again" maze based on the 2010 movie.
- Friday the 13th: The hockey mask wearing killer returns in a maze based on the 2009 film.
- Saw: The crazy "Game On" maze is based on the horror flick about a mass murderer who puts his victims through physical and psychological torture.
- La Llorona: This scare zone is based on the Mexican story of a desperate mother who killed her kids and then herself. It features the ghost of the distraught mom and the innocent children she snatches to replace her own.
- Klownz: A crowd favorite, this scare zone includes dozens of clowns carrying chainsaws.
- Lunaticz: This scare zone features runaways from an insane asylum, including Alex Atrophy, Betty Boil, and Lobotomy Linda who sports a bloody forehead.
- Freakz: Dozens of deranged freaks haunt the park's French Street. Look for a disgusting half-man, half-rat and a three-headed monster.
Other Scary Attractions
Other popular gory attractions at Halloween Horror Nights include the Terror Tram studio back lot tour, which features scares by Chucky, the doll who preys on young blood and a preview of the new King Kong 360 3D attraction. Also, back by popular demand, "Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure," the comedy with the Halloween theme will be running again in 2010.
A Word of Warning
Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights is not recommended for children under the age of 13 or individuals with heart conditions. While the park does not deny admission to young kids or visitors with medical conditions, keep in mind that the attractions are brutally scary and the movies that play while guests wait in line are rate "R" due to their violent scenes.
