The spine-tingling events coming to Halloween Horror Nights this year

Face your greatest fears this Halloween and have a scream of a time at the leading event in the calendar of terror – Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort.

If you are travelling with older children in your party (please note that Halloween Horror Nights is not recommended for children under the age of 13), or just love to be scared then pay a visit to Universal’s spine-tingling homage to all things terrifying. Back for its 28th year and with ten scary haunted houses to visit – the most to date – Halloween Horror Nights runs on a harrowing 34 select nights between 14th September and 3rd November and is sure to provide plenty of blood-curdling thrills to the brave souls who dare to be scared!

As the sun sets on the theme parks, prepare for things that go bump (or things that scream), in the night! Roam the park’s gruesome scare zones and step inside the movie-set quality haunted houses inspired by iconic horror films and TV shows, as well as some fearsome original creations from the brains at Universal that will leave you howling in terror!

Haunted Houses

This year’s event takes plenty of inspiration from the classic-horror stylings of the 1980s, so prepare to be haunted by the past! The popular Netflix sci-fi thriller Stranger Things is sure to prove a hit with terror-seekers; you will follow the plot of the show’s first series through the haunted house maze before stepping in and out of the realm of the Upside Down and being hunted by the scary Demogorgon.

Retrace your steps back to 1982, as ‘they’re here’ in the haunted house based on the classic MGM supernatural horror, Poltergeist. Experience all of the iconic scenes of the movie, before you prepare to cross over and step into the light…

Back this year with his own haunted house is Sam and his scary friends from Legendary Pictures’ Trick ‘r Treat. Last year they terrified guests in one of the scare zones, and proved so popular that this year they make a return in a whole-new horrifying way! Woe betide you if you don’t obey the rules and traditions of the Halloween holiday, as you will discover in this retelling of a cult Halloween film!

Alongside the haunted houses that are rooted in film and TV lore are some original creations dreamt up by the creative minds at Universal to tempt and terrify you in equal measure.

As a sequel to 2008’s terrifying zombie-filled fan-favourite Dead Exposure comes Dead Exposure: Patient Zero. It is Paris, 1982 and the undead are loose on the city’s streets. A vaccination is given to those unaffected – though the side effect is blindness. As you make your way through the eerie darkness you’ll be petrified by every noise as the flesh-eating horde of zombies hunt you down!

Life will never be the same again as you find yourself lost in a post-apocalyptic wilderness filled with carnivorous plant life after a meteor has struck the earth and decimated the human race in Seeds of Extinction. Decay has also set in over at Carnival Graveyard: Rust in Piece. Here the carnival has rotted and rusted away and all that remains is a twisted funhouse of macabre horror where all trespassers will pay with their lives at the hands of the revenge-filled carnival folk!

After you have been ‘entertained’ by the carnival it’s showtime over at the Slaughter Sinema. An anthology of hellish films await as homage is paid to the creature feature B-movies of the 80s; you’ll be hunted by werewolf bikers, deadly barbers try to give you a close shave, and aliens are keen to dine on human flesh! There will be plenty of screaming in the aisle as you flee from this film-feature fright-fest!

Scare Zones

Eerie scare zones filled with gruesome creatures are a massive part of the Halloween experience at Universal; and with five different zones to explore, you are sure to be in your petrified element! Read on to discover which terrifying creatures you will come face-to-face with as they rise from the shadows…

Face your nightmares as maniacal laughter surrounds you and the iconic killer doll Chucky roams the deadly toy fair, filled with terrifying playthings in the Revenge of Chucky zone. Childhood memories of the circus will never be the same again as you enter the realm of the cult-classic Killer Klowns from Outer Space, who cocoon their human victims inside sugary-sweet candy floss. Will you be able to escape their ray guns and live to tell the tale?

The horror keeps on coming at The Harvest scare zone, where it is not crops that are being reaped, but humans! You’ll have to flee the barn to survive the creatures lurking within. Don’t run straight into the Twisted Tradition zone though as you make your escape! Here in the forest of Central Park you’ll realise that everything has changed, as an ancient evil has risen this Halloween, transforming the landscape with decaying pumpkins fused with human flesh… You’ll run screaming to elude their deadly grasp!

There is no escape from the horror as you attend the party at the Vamp 85: New Year’s Eve zone. This is a New Year’s Eve bash with a difference – as you realise that the revellers have rather a taste for human blood!

Speaking of revelling, make sure that you see the Academy of Villains dance crew on their third-consecutive year at Universal, as they put on a spectacular high-energy show. Combining storytelling with creative dance moves, this is one show you’ll want to watch!

Dining at Halloween Horror Nights

If you have an appetite for terror you might want to grab a bite to eat before the horrors begin at the ticketed Scareactor Dining Experience over at the Classic Monsters Café, where you can enjoy an all-you-can-eat themed buffet and the chance to get a photo with the frightfully-costumed characters. You’ll need to reserve ahead to make sure that you aren’t disappointed, as this always proves a popular event!

Halloween Tours

There are a couple of special experiences that you might want to look into if you are a Halloween fiend! The RIP Tour takes you on a guided walking tour of the houses with other like-minded fans, as well a few other perks including front-of-the-line entry for each house.

If you are more interested in the behind-the-scenes aspect of the event, the daytime Behind the Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tour might be of interest, as you get the chance to see how the art and design team have transformed TV and film imagery into the terrifying haunted houses that guests will later be screaming their lungs out in!

What else is there to know about Halloween Horror Nights?

Don’t forget that there are also regular rides open at the park, even though the focus is on the heart-pounding horror element of the night. The best way to make sure that you fit in everything that you want to do, is to get to the park early and have a plan of the zones and houses you want to prioritise.

Remember, Universal operate a strict no-mask or costume rule, so don’t be tempted to dress up as your favourite horror icon, you won’t be allowed in.

Although the night starts at 6:30pm, Universal have been known to allow guests in from 6:00pm in previous years. For those guests with a regular day ticket as well as a Halloween Horror Nights ticket, Universal have, in the past, allowed them to remain in a special ‘holding area’ in the park and be among the first to enter. There is no guarantee this will apply this year, but it’s worth asking staff at the venue – as you might get the chance to enjoy more time in the park without queuing!

To date, only seven of the haunted houses have been announced, so keep an eye on the official Universal website or our social media channels for updates on the remaining three!

Halloween Horror Nights tickets are available to book with us at Debbie’s Villas. Give us a call on 01892 836822 for more information and prices.