It’s that time of year again. Everyone is wearing black and orange, picking out the best costumes, watching scary movies on TV, carving pumpkins and being scared — it’s what Halloween is all about. The question is, are you ready to get scared beyond belief? Well, then, maybe it’s time you take a little adventure to Universal Studios Florida in Orlando to take part in Halloween Horror Nights as I did.
Every Halloween season since 1991, guests have had the opportunity to experience face-to-face contact with scary characters and creatures who roam around the park. Zombies and other demons sneak up behind people and growl right in their ears, getting right in their personal space to try to scare them half to death. There’s no hiding from these characters; they lurk everywhere.
Guests also have the chance to walk through eight different haunted houses based on horror franchises and scary stories: “The Walking Dead,” “Resident Evil,” “Havoc: Derailed”, “Evil Dead,” La Llorona, “The Cabin in the Woods,” “An American Werewolf in London” and “After Life: Death’s Vengeance”, a Universal Studios original. Since this was my first time attending Halloween Horror Nights, I was extremely excited to see “The Cabin in the Woods” and “Evil Dead” because I had previously seen the films and was terrified while watching them.
Each of the haunted houses tells a dark tale about horrible creatures accompanied with loud, disturbing noises. Instead of sitting at home and watching movies or TV shows, at Halloween Horror nights, you are actually part of the show as it all unfolds right in front of you with nowhere to run or hide. The “Evil Dead” haunted house was especially as real as the film was, as if you were living it yourself while possessed people are running after you.
Before entering, beware; you’ll never guess what awaits you once you walk through the doors. All the houses are equally terrifying, so be prepared for monsters, zombies and other ghoulish creatures popping out at every twist and turn. Statues and other objects started moving and had me shaking in my boots — literally. It was incredibly disturbing, and I jumped each time I saw one.
Universal Studios is completely transformed from a theme park to a full-out, over-the-top horror town with creepy Halloween decorations, from fake blood and guts everywhere to horrifying scare zones. This year’s scare zones are based on scenes inspired by “The Walking Dead.” There are small areas set up featuring horror scenes where you are guaranteed to encounter people dressed with insane props like chainsaws, axes, and body parts. The ghouls and zombies are spread out in the park, and, if you want to get incredibly scared, I recommend you visit them to get a good spook. All of that will give you a quick thrill while on your way to visit the next haunted house.
Halloween Horror Night is certainly fun; however, the downside is the long lines guests have to endure for all of the haunted houses, especially for the newest haunted one, “Evil Dead,” which was my favorite. I recommend going on any night but Saturday. But if you do choose to go on Saturday, then make sure to get there early so you can be one of the first people to go to the haunted house you want to visit.
Make sure to get the Florida resident discount if you qualify when purchasing tickets. Sundays through Thursdays is the cheapest time because the ticket is $42 compared to Friday when tickets are $53 and on Saturday when its $69. Regular admissions price is $91.
Your worst nightmares come to life as you make your way through the dark and scary streets. Overall, Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights is an amazing experience and if you love Halloween and have an appetite for getting scared, you will fit right in. Halloween Horror Nights will make your heart jump right out of your chest.
