During the cool (well, you know, cool for Florida) fall nights, Universal Studios transforms into the scariest destination in Orlando. Halloween Horror Nights is home to multiple haunted houses, scare zones, and so much more. Here are three reasons why Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Orlando is a MUST DO!

  1. Amazingly themed haunted houses – Halloween Horror Nights has some of the absolute BEST haunted houses around. In years past, they’ve been the home for The Walking Dead, Saw, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Purge, Us, Stranger Things, Ghostbusters, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, and House of 1000 Corpses. Outside of these licensed houses, they also have original houses that are terrifying! In 2019 we saw Yeti: Terror of the Yukon which transported us to the logging camp that had been overrun by vicious creatures. I’m pretty sure I screamed the most in this haunted house because the snow made it seem brighter, and those Yetis were INTENSE! They also brought back the Nightingales, but this time we were transported to ancient Rome in Nightingales: Blood Pit. If you are more into things that go bump in the night, then Graveyard Games would have been right up your alley. The level of detail that Universal puts into their houses really bring the horror to life.

  1. Scare Zones – As if the haunted houses weren’t enough, there’s also the scare zones. Think you’re going to take a leisurely walk through the park on your way to the next haunted house? WRONG! These zones are all uniquely themed and spread out throughout the park. The Zombieland 2: Double Tap scare zone was a lot of fun. Rumor has it that a Bill Murray zombie was even walking around. There were various signs reminding partygoers of the “rules” of Zombieland. Like rule #3: Beware of bathrooms. Seeing people open the port-a-potties, and being scared by a zombie was hilarious.

There was also the Viking Undead scare zone where brutal warriors have risen from the dead, and are looking to quench their bloodlust. They were even roasting a human for their Viking feast! From 80s video games in the Anarch-cade to the Rob Zombie Hellbilly Deluxe to the super creepy Vanity Ball, there was plenty of scare for everyone!

  1. Exclusive night show and food – Now I know this is technically two things, but we can’t NOT talk about them! Halloween Horror Night’s Halloween Marathon of Mayhem was a nightly show held over Universal Studios’ lagoon. Now, I love me a good show and I legit watched this one several times each night we attended. The music was energetic and highlighted the best of their houses like Ghostbusters, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Stranger Things, and of course, Universal Monsters. The water projections were mind blowing. To make the show even better, guests had plenty of snack options… like the Ghostbusters Proton Pack that had Slimer popcorn. There was also Starcourt, straight from the mall in Hawkins, Indiana! Stranger Things food options included Eleven’s Waffle Sundae, the Demo-dog, and The Upside Down Burger.

Halloween Horror Nights 2020 is going to be even bigger and better as they celebrate 30 years of scares! Starting Thursday, September 10th, guests can enjoy the screams and thrills of HHN30 most Wednesday-Sunday nights. Is Halloween Horror Nights on your list for 2020? If so, let’s talk! JessicaM@travelwiththemagic.com