Halloween is just around the corner, and with it come scares like you’ve never seen before. One company is diving headfirst into the spooky spirit with their famous Halloween Horror Nights. Universal is known for its eccentric haunted houses and scare actors, and in this article, I’ll give you my insight into my personal experience with these terrifying attractions since I absolutely adore Halloween—without spoilers for those who haven’t gone yet!
the haunted houses
I can’t start this article without talking about the main attraction: the houses. This year there was a wonderful selection to choose from, my favorites being Five Nights at Freddy’s, Fallout, and Friday the 13th. Granted, I did go through most of these houses with my eyes closed and practically falling to the floor at each scare, but the attention to detail was astounding. The only criticism I have is that some houses were too dark to fully appreciate the incredible artistry that brought them to life. Overall, I give the houses a 4.5 out of 5 and would definitely go through the Friday the 13th house again.
the scare actors
This is the second thing I have to mention. As soon as I entered the park, plenty of scare actors tried to get me (including a very attractive blonde guy in a medieval outfit and a beautiful woman on painfully high stilts). Their costumes were elaborate, and their makeup was flawless. Clearly, the budget was high this year, and the accessories elevated the experience even more. The actors inside the haunted houses were also perfectly styled to match the themes (and once again, I must admit there were several times when I completely buckled my knees in fear). Overall, I give the scare actors a well-deserved 5/5 for their hard work and amazing designs.
the lines
This was, unfortunately, my least favorite part of Halloween Horror Nights. I understand that people pay a hefty price for the Express Lane, but the number of people they let through from that line is wild. For example, one line was listed as 55 minutes long, but it ended up taking about 20 minutes more because of how many Express guests they allowed through. For every 10 people in the regular line, about 40 to 50 Express guests went ahead. The lines were painfully long for just a three-minute walk through a haunted house. I still had fun, but I really think there should be better regulation between the two lines. I give this part a 1/5, though sometimes the wait times were actually shorter than what the signs said.
the effects
While the effects technically fall under the haunted houses category, they deserve their own spotlight. Effects can be found everywhere around the park, from the music to the fog to the themed snacks and drinks. These little touches are what bring the park to life and fully immerse guests in the Halloween spirit. Overall, I give the effects a 4/5 because some areas, like the outside of the Harry Potter section, could have used a bit more atmosphere to match the rest of the park.
Overall, if I had to rate my entire experience at Halloween Horror Nights, I’d give it a 4/5! The only thing that really brought my score down was the wait time for the lines. Still, I highly recommend checking out this spooky event. It’s definitely worth it—and who knows, maybe I’ll go again before it ends!