Last year’s most disappointing feature of Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights had to be the exclusion of independent scare zones, in favor of having the entire park with roaming zombies to keep in with the theme of The Walking Dead.
While this was sure to please fans of the wildly successful show, those who didn’t follow it or those who were tired of the zombie genre in general might have been disappointed by the lack of variety in comparison to previous years. The roaming zombies also ran into problems when it came to make up and costumes. Given how many zombies were to be found, it was easy to spot a few whose makeup was either done poorly or did not look finished at all.
Upon entering Universal for this year’s Halloween Horror Nights, the first thing I noticed was the welcomed return of separate scare zones with a total of four themed areas. The variation and surprise, found in wondering what would be around the next corner, really added to the atmosphere. When it comes to the main attraction–the houses–this year presents a wonderful mix of new, old and original. For fans of old-school horror cinema, there’s a Halloween house based on the 1978 classic, John Carpenter film of the same name. On the newer side of things, there is a house based on the Alien vs. Predator franchise along with one finding inspiration from the new television series From Dusk Till Dawn. If you haven’t watched the show, yet, but have seen the 1996 film, it is still an enjoyable tribute to all of what made the film so memorable.
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Even the original houses this year have something to offer. While they usually lack much of a wow factor if they lack truly memorable source material, it seems like Universal really stepped up their game this year. Dollhouse of the Damned, in particular, was a wonderful spectacle of special effects and set pieces.
While students have the option of purchasing a Halloween Horror Night ticket from the UCF ticket center, I would recommend considering purchasing your ticket from the park itself. Passes sold through UCF are only valid for one specific night and from experience, that night tends to be one of the busiest. You do gain the advantage of being able to enter the park and experience its year round attractions, a few hours previous to the start of Halloween Horror Nights, but for a few dollars more, it may be worth it to attend another night. If you plan to purchase a ticket from the park, make sure to bring a can of specified Coca Cola products, so you’ll be charged Florida Resident Admission.
