Halloween takes on a frightening persona at Unviersal Studios Halloween Horror Nights. Celebrating 30 years of sinister scare zones, terrifying haunted houses and live entertainment designed to make your skin crawl, Halloween Horror Nights 2021 reserects the creatures from your nightmares. Here’s our guide to handling the horror.
Halloween brings us all the fun of jack-0-lanterns, costumes and trick-or-treat bags filled with candy. It also brings creepy witches, spooky ghosts and machete-wielding villains like Michael Myers frightful enough to induce blood-curdling screams from even the bravest souls. At Universal Studios Florida’s premier Halloween event, you’ll find the latter in abundance. Never go alone.
Enter the Scariest of Scare Zones
Universal Studios Halloween events don’t just scare you—they assign terror by zones! This year, there are five scare zones lurking around the park: Crypt TV, Seek & Destroy, Gorewood Forest, Lights Camera Haction: Eddie’s Revenge and 30 Years 30 Fears.
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Watch your back in Seek & Destroy where a ruthless alien cyber regime takes over New York turning humans into fuel. Then, watch Jack the Clown’s evil brother Eddie Schmidt’s horror film. It comes to life with live monsters.
With Halloween Horror Nights 2021 marking 30 years of hanging out with the walking dead, 30 Years 30 Fears makes sure you revisit the dreaded monsters of the past.
Don’t Miss the Universal Studios Halloween Shows
Assuming you survive the scare zones, there are a couple of shows you’ll want to catch. The terrifying Marathon of Mayhem: Carnage Factory comes to life in Universal Studios’ Lagoon.
New this year, Halloween Nightmare Fuel ignites Halloween Horror Nights with fire, pyrotechnics along with an aerial performer.
Of course, there’s the ever-present show on the streets as scare actors keep a watchful eye out for their next victims.
Haunted Houses for the Bravest Souls
If the scare zones and shows aren’t enough to scare the pants off of you, the haunted houses will do the trick. There are 10 to choose from: Revenge of the Tooth Fairy; Case Files Unearthed: Legendary Truth; Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House; Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives; Texas Chainsaw Massacre; Beetlejuice; The Wicked Growth: Realm of the Pumpkin; Puppet Theatre: Captive Audience and Halloween Horror Nights Icons: Captured.
I’m not sure which sounds the most terrifying. But, Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House brings you face to face with The Tall Man, the Bent-Neck Lady and the Ghost in the Basement. From one unsettling room to another, screaming is likely. Then again, knowing the Bride of Frankenstein lives is extremely disturbing.
HHN30’s Halloween Horror Nights Icons: Captured resurrects the most murderous of original characters who join forces to form the Hell of Fame. A fright fest like none other, you’ll encounter the infamous Jack the Clown with all of his spine-tingling personas along with The Storyteller, The Caretaker and other characters waiting in the wings.
More Horror from the Big Screen
Celebrating HHN30 means bringing back classic horror from the big screen. Of course, that makes this year’s event one of the most terrifying in history. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre made its debut on the big screen in 1974. Now, Leatherface returns alongside Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights legend, Beetlejuice.
This sinister lineup will have skin-crawling coast-to-coast from Universal Studios Florida to Universal Studios Hollywood.
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Horror in the Kitchen
Universal Orlando Resort’s chefs bring terror to the kitchen at this year’s event with intriguing dishes like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre-inspired Severed Ribs. Also on the menu, Poison Tea Party: An iced tea and lemonade-based rum punch inspired by The Haunting of Hill House.
Beyond the Horror
Additional rides running during HHN30 Universal Studios Halloween include the Revenge of the Mummy coaster. You’ll plummet in total darkness plagued by swarms of beetles and an army of mummies. Men in Black Alien Attack lets you take aim at the scum of the universe. Or, spend some time in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
What You Need to Know
The recommended minimum age for Halloween Horror Nights is 13. Sorry little ones, this is the stuff of nightmares. Mickey’s No-So-Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World is a better bet.
As for crowds, Universal Studios Halloween is as popular with locals as it is with tourists. As a result, weekend nights are the busiest. If possible, plan to go midweek for fewer crowds. And, of course, the closer to Halloween, the bigger the crowds.
Also, in efforts to combat the continuing pandemic surge, HHN30 will place vinyl dividers between scare actors and guests in haunted houses. Masks are encouraged by not required.
All the Ticket Details
Halloween Horror Nights Orlando 2021 runs on select nights from September 3 through October 31.
Remember, HHN tickets are separate from general theme park admission tickets. You’ll need a regular park admission ticket if you want to take advantage of early entry to Halloween Horror Nights.
There are multiple ticket options. Choose from single night tickets, frequent fear passes, express pass and more. Also, annual passholders receive additional discounts. R.I.P. Tours offer another unique way to experience the park’s fear fest. To get the latest news and complete details regarding pricing visit Universal Studios Florida’s website.
Tip: If you’re staying at one of the Universal Orlando Resort properties, you can take advantage of the priority entrance gate until 8 pm to get into the event faster.
Finally, if you need a break for an hour or so from all the horror mayhem, most HHN passes include admission to CityWalk’s clubs. Take a break and refuel. Then head back in for more chills and thrills.
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