Final Details of HHN 25 Released

Those who wanted nightmares before bed yesterday got them in the form of all of the final details being released for the 25th Anniversary of Halloween Horror Nights. As previously discussed, this will be the largest Halloween Horror Nights in the history of the event. 30 nights, 9 houses, 5 scarezones, and 2 shows. Enough of the speculation, it’s time to dive in.

Houses

Previously, we posted the information about the first four houses. The same day that article posted Universal Orlando HHN Creative Director, Michael Aiello, tweeted out the 9 houses would only have 5 based on intellectual properties (movies, TV, etc.) and there would be 4 originals. That is huge seeing every year there seems to be more and more houses on IPs like “From Dusk til Dawn” and “Dracula Untold” that promote upcoming movies and TV shows. The 5th and final house based on an intellectual property brings back an old favorite, “An American Werewolf in London.” This house, which came to the event in 2013, was ranked the #1 house by many that year. The house this year will be similar to that of 2013 but there a couple of new surprises according to Aiello in a tweet on the Horror Nights account.

The 4 original houses this year are going to feature some themes that have been previously seen in different years at Horror Nights. For instance, the first original house is called “Body Collectors: Recollections.” The Body Collectors will be at their third HHN event (HHN 15 – the first HHN event I went to in 2005 and HHN 18 in 2008). The maze will be set in the Shadybrook Asylum set in the late 1800s where those assistants in the asylum bring guests to the Collectors for their Terra Queen. There will also be a massive snowstorm taking place while you are in the asylum making it a tough decision to brave the storm or brave the terror inside the house.

The second original house will be called “RUN!” Some have tweeted out the possible location of this maze being set in the Disaster! extended queue. This maze is themed off of a game show in the 1980s where the participants (guests to HHN in this case) are forced to face “The Reapers.” They are unique assassins with one goal: “Slaying the hell out of you.” The episode guests are being filmed in an arena inside the derelict confines of the HellGate prison.

“Asylum in Wonderland 3D” was the third original house announced for the event and not many details were given about this one. It will be based off of the 2008 scarezone similar to that of the Disney film “Alice in Wonderland.” Guests will be dropped into a sadistic, psychedelic wonderland, according to Aiello via Twitter.

The final original house will be “25 Years of Monsters and Mayhem.” The title basically says it all as guests will walk through scenes from past Halloween Horror/Fright Nights events. Forsaken, Nightingales and more. Remember the size of “The Walking Dead” maze last year? The 25 Years house will be at the same size if not bigger than that one. And it’s all presented by that evil clown himself, Jack!

Scarezones

Hollywood will feature a scarezone full of icons. As it has been seen in the park, the main icons of HHN past not named Jack (The Usher, The Caretaker, The Director and The Storyteller) will roam the area with special kill moments. New York will feature a scarezone called “Psychoscareapy: Unleashed” where the inmates of Shadybrook Asylum have crashed into the streets and it will be complete chaos with them looking for costumes…any volunteers?

Avenue of the Stars will feature “ScaryTales – ScreamPunk,” where classic fairy tale get a sinister twist in the steampunk world. The Central Park portion of Universal Studios will be known as “Evil’s Roots.” In this scarezone, guests will face their darkest fears will take root here with evil fairies, humanoid bats, scarecrows and more horrors. San Francisco’s scarezone will be the “All Nite Die-In” where the local drive-in has been closed for years after murders took place one night during a double feature. It will be “lights, camera, carnage” at the location dubbed by locals as the die-in.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Halloween Horror Nights without hordes of chainsaw wielding folks. They will be roaming in areas where the scarezones are not so you have to be on the look out for them. Based on the information above, be on your toes over in Springfield and World Expo.

Shows

It wouldn’t be Halloween Horror Nights also without those two rad dudes, Bill S. Preston, Esq. and Ted “Theodore” Logan aka Wyld Stallyns, will be bringing their comedy schtick to the Fear Factor Live stage as per tradition. The show is always a fun poke at all the pop culture topics. I really hope they somehow find a way to work in Donald Trump running for president and being fired by the parent company of the parks, NBCUniversal.

The second show will be known as “The Carnage Returns.” Here, Jack the Clown will be taking HHN back in a blaze of “murderous mayhem” with his army of followers and his companion in carnage, Harley Quinn Chance. They will “celebrate the kill” along with the Maniacs across from Mel’s. That last bit of information means that the show will take place over at the location of the Makeup show instead of over in the Beetlejuice stage.

Rides

Certain rides are open every year during the event and this helps the HHN faithful determine where the mazes will be set up. This year, only 5 rides will be open: Transformers, Rip, Ride and Rock-It, Revenge of the Mummy, Men in Black: Alien Attack and The Simpsons Ride. Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem and the Diagon Alley sections will not be open as there were rumors indicating the two possibly be.

There you have it. HHN 25 is now ready and Jack will be waiting for you with his Maniacs. Halloween Horror Nights will start on September 18th and be open for 30 select nights between then and November 1st. Tickets for the event can be purchased at many different places including the parks, Publix, online, etc.

Happy Nightmares!