By Jordan Coates, Editor in Chief
Every Halloween, hundreds of people flock to Orlando to subject themselves to scare zones, haunted houses, and monsters. However, few stop to think what is behind the scenes of all this horror. After 19 years of scares, the mysteries of Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights: 20 Years of Fear are revealed.
For 24 nights this fall, Universal Studios will turn into a frightening realm where guests must watch their every move and confront their fears. The mastermind of Horror Nights has reigned for many years, and this year, fear himself is taking form and emerging to terrorize all he has created. In a Q&A with the creative team behind Horror Nights, they revealed that this year will be original, combining past and future frights. Fear represents chaos, death, legend, sacrifice, and vengeance. This year guests can expect shaker cans, lots of new futuristic chainsaws, and none of the monsters will be victims, all aggressors.
“We have done things differently and more frightening than we have ever done before,” said one of the creative directors.
In order to make Horror Nights especially scary, they need the most eccentric employees. This is no problem according to the creative directors who said hundreds of people camp outside of the studio early in the morning to get a good place in line for the casting at six. They interview people with such questions as, what their favorite Halloween candy and costume is. They might ask them to scream, or to act out a scary moment from a movie. This year, men and women both agreed to shave their heads for one of the haunted houses. The creative directors assured that this year guests would not laugh, but they would scream and maybe even cry. They shared a story from opening night, in which a zombie was very excited to have made her first guest pee her pants.
This year there are eight all-new haunted houses, six scare zones and two live shows. The haunted houses are more than just houses; they are detailed stories with very horrific endings. Horror Nights: The Hallow’d Past, is a terrifying house filled with spooks and screams from the last two decades. A stroll through this house is a stroll through a haunting memory lane. The Orfanage: Ashes to Ashes is now “forever dust”. At the request of fans, Cindy is here and tired of her old playthings. Guests may dare to enter this orphanage, full of lost and angry souls. Crossing into Hades: The Gates of Ruin, guests can take a look at the extravagant Underworld, forcing guests to come face to face with terrifying creatures from the legend. The doors of Psychoscarepy: Echoes of Shadybrook, have been closed for the last 15 years, but this year the doors are open and it is alive with the souls of the criminally insane.
The inspiration behind Havoc: Dogs of War comes from Shadowcreek Enterprise, who ten years ago, developed an elite corps of soldiers. The latest run of volunteer test subjects are ready for inspection and their project name is HAVOC. The most infected citizens of the plague in 1534 have been imprisoned for almost five hundred years, but now they have found a way out and are taking vengeance on any living being that dares to enter the Catacombs: Black Death Rising. In an effort to clear out the remaining infested pockets of Canada, the United States government has licenses to sanction companies to capture “un-live” subjects and use them as targets for training sessions. Among the many training companies, there is ZAP, The Zombie Awareness Program. Only in Zombiegeddon it might be hard to tell who is alive and who the zombies are; beware. Finally, a live broadcast of a machine created by spirit seekers to gather spirits will show in one of the most haunted sights in the United States, The Wyandot Estate. The house is rumored to be haunted since the owner Malcolm brutally murdered 13 dinner guests, resulting in his wife’s suicide. More guests are now invited in, but the murdered have also heard their call and are answering with agonizing violence in Legendary Truth: The Wyandot Estate.
As guests attempt to survive the houses, they will have to fear the streets. In the scare zone, Halloween Horror Nights: 20 Years of Fear, the closer guests come to the lantern, the more frightening characters from horror nights past will be revealed. in Fear Revealed, the souls of Chaos, Death, Sacrifice, Mythos, and Vengeance are taking on their roles in full force. They bring with them the ultimate piece to this haunting puzzle; he, fear himself, is revealed. In a more festive atmosphere, zombies infected by the North American infestation are celebrating Zombie Gras, searching for beads and their next meal. Death taunts guests in the skeletal nightmare that is Esqueleto Muerte. Because huge trenches have opened in the earth’s crust exposing intense heat, steam power is essential to the inhabitants of New Yorkshire. However, the diminishing oceans have put the city in jeopardy. The city is now in danger; the water in anyone’s body is now a coveted resource, and the citizens in Saws ‘n Steam will stop at nothing to get it. In the last scarezone, The Coven, sirens scream through the witches’ realm as the unsettled spirits of The Cult of the Raven cast their spells.
Horror Nights also provides two shows, the hilarious party of Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure and The Bizarre Magic of Brian Brushwood: Menace and Malice. As the night turns dark, Universal will transform into this haunted realm, sure to show guests a promising time of fun and fright. Halloween Horror Nights is still inviting victims in on October 20-24 and 27-31. Prices and tickets vary and are on sale now.
The creative directors shared their love for Halloween and thrill in being scared and promise what they have created this year will live up to that enthusiasm. The excitement in their voices and fear in their eyes make this seem all very plausible. On a final note, the directors urged guests to partake in this night of fun and said they should know, “they are technically only safe on the sidewalks.”
