Between dodging the chainsaw-wielding weirdos and trying to not get eaten by giant aliens, there's a moment of peace, calm and – dare I say it? – Serenity that comes over me each time I stroll through Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios.
And the very best strategy to describe the explanation is because I'm with my people.
Horror movie fanatic.
Sure, Halloween Horror Nights is a fantastic place to get your seasonal dose of jump scares – even perhaps the very best place on the West Coast – in the course of the ever-lengthening Halloween season.
But what at all times draws me back to this famous studio lot/amusement park this time of 12 months is the chance to assemble with a shocking variety of other individuals who can let you know the plot of every a part of Final Destination. franchise and discuss the professionals and cons of every Texas Chainsaw Massacre film. And here I believed I used to be alone.
But there are tens of 1000’s like me – and so they all seem to return to Halloween Horror Nights yearly, which this 12 months takes place on select evenings until November third. (Buy your tickets prematurely; The event is frequently sold out. For more information, visit universalstudioshollywood.com/hhn/.)
One of the individuals who shares my affinity for horror movies is my daughter Grace, who just celebrated her sixteenth birthday and wanted nothing greater than to have fun her sixteenth birthday with all of the ghouls and monsters at this 12 months's Halloween horror were seen (and were there). nights.
Yes, I’m a proud dad.
So after all I took her back, which definitely puts me within the running for the very best dad on the planet. (Or the worst. I'll let you choose.) All I do know is that my daughter seemed very blissful to be amongst our people again. And I received some priceless hugs and smiles.
Attending Halloween Horror Nights isn’t unlike attending the massive game. Everyone shows off their colours – except as a substitute of sports gear representing teams and players, their t-shirts represent their favorite villains.
There's little doubt that Chucky – that hilarious, knife-wielding red-headed doll from those great Child's Play movies – is the people's selection for King of Terror Town. We saw by much more Chucky shirts (including the one my daughter wore) than another movie monster memorabilia during our visit, easily outselling “Scream”, “Beetlejuice” and Michael Myers (from “Halloween”) merchandise. ) “Austin Powers” fame).
The whole shebang feels more like a convention – a horror movie convention – filled with fun conversations and debates with the opposite people waiting in line to enter the mazes.
For an event that celebrates destruction, bloodshed, and terror with a lot joy, Halloween Horror Nights actually offer a extremely cool, mellow atmosphere. Part of that is as a result of the benefit with which individuals find common ground here. It's a stark contrast to the discussions at, say, the checkout line at Safeway or on social media – the latter a very frightening and unforgiving place because the presidential election and the Halloween season collide every 4 years. Shudder. Please sign me up for one more run through the Texas Chainsaw Massacre maze as a substitute.
Speaking of mazes, Universal is offering eight spooky haunted houses/mazes in 2024 inspired by among the hottest horror movie franchises and other rattling good themes.
You'll find maze-themed like Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (inspired by the newest film); Insidious: The Further (look out for the “red-faced demon”) and The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy (yes, that Weeknd – the one with only two E’s). There's a quiet place (shhhh); Dead Exposure: Death Valley (zombie time!); and Monstruos 2: The Nightmares of Latin America (muy aterrador). And also Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines (a little bit of history served on the birthplace of horror movies); The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Legacy of Leatherface (it's a fairly impressive legacy, especially when you ignore the Next Generation chapter); and the Terror Tram: Enter the Blumhouse (featuring M3GAN and other Blumhouse butchers).
Our colleagues in Southern California did a superb job evaluating all eight haunted houses. I agree with lots of their sentiments on the list, although I’d swap their #1 and #2 titles and like the plot and computer graphics within the title that focuses on the “A Quiet Place” series – which made up the second best horror Movie released thus far in 2024 – about what my daughter and I saw within the Chainsaw house. Plus, there was a extremely weird smell within the latter that made us wonder what Leatherface ate.
Oh, wait. I do know what Leatherface ate.
Outside of the haunted houses, there's quite a lot of fun as you dodge menacing creatures through multiple scare zones in your strategy to cocktails at The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy Bar. (We recommend the Out of Time Raspberry Ginger Cola Mocktail). Are you feeling hungry? Treat yourself to a Halloween-themed treat just like the Mini Stay Puft S'more, featuring the lovely little Ghostbusters marshmallow man that you simply greet with “Awww” after which eat.
It's definitely a scary good time. And we are able to't wait to listen to what themed mazes Universal Studios will host in 2025.
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