Universal Halloween Horror Nights Universal Studios Orlando, FL    orlando.halloweenhorrornights.com

This year (2018) I went to Universal Orlando for Halloween Horror Nights and it was quite a trip.  I have heard about this event for years and finally got there. It might be due to the fact they tackled Stranger Things that actually lured us down there. I have never been there so there was a lot to see in a short time. I will mainly review their Halloween attractions instead of the regular park but I will say the Harry Potter attractions are the most impressive things since Disney and their attention to detail is unstoppable. Other impressive rides are Kong and the Poseidon's Tomb for the details and water and fire stunts.

They had many haunted rides and it took buying fast passes at 60 bucks a pop to see them all in one day. We were in the park all day and stayed in the park when it switched over to Halloween Horror Nights at 5pm because we had our tickets and waited in the Simpson's area. They let us in at 5:30 and enter the first attraction.

Slaughter Cinema

This attraction was our first ride and our first taste of Universal style rides. The sets were well done and were similar to Hollywood sets or theatrical style decor, with tons of details and working props. This attraction took you through bedrooms and arcades and various other movie inspired slashed film backdrops, with lots of blood and gore with actors popping out throughout ride. We learned that actors don't touch you and keep their distance. We also learned there are attendants and security positioned throughout the ride sort of breaking up the suspension of disbelief. They also hurry you along if you are moving too slow, which was also very strange from the many other haunts I have attended. My favorite part of this ride was the working arcade you wander through which felt like one out of an 80s roller rink.

Seeds of Extinction

This attraction was another small walk through that was supposed to be the end of mankind by a meteor attack. This one was a dark maze of camo netting and dark rock walls with various gillie suit creatures with growling sounds jumping out at you. I don't remember anything remarkable about the set or creatures and it was overall forgettable.

Dead Exposure Patient Zero

The third attraction we attended was a outbreak style walk-through that was supposed to make you feel like you were part of an epidemic. You start out going into a chain link compound and past monkey cages and into a subway car and through many other science inspired laboratory sets. I liked the subway car but thought they should have it on hydraulics. I have seen this theme done so much better at other haunts and this also was a forgettable haunt.

Trick or Treat

By this time we met up with our other friends and now there was four of us going through Trick or Treat. My friends were excited for this ride as well as my girlfriend because they love the movie so much. The set design was great, with a realistic suburban neighborhood adorned with Halloween decor. You would walk through houses and into back yards and past familiar characters from the movie. There was blowing sheets from back yard clothes lines and ghost style decorations peppering the properties. I enjoyed this ride but felt hurried by the overseeing attendants located throughout the attraction. It you weren't walking quick enough they would hurry you along, which is kind of annoying, especially when you are paying to see what they are hurrying you by.

Halloween 4

I have loved the Halloween series since I was a kid and have followed Mr. Myers through the years. This attraction started very strange in that you go through a random door by some office right into Haddonfield. The sets were good and once again you navigate in and out of houses and neighborhood streets all the while Michael Myers comes after you. An alternative name for this haunt could have been the many Michael's, because there were like 15 of them... ha they must of broke the bank on William Shattner masks and jumpsuits.

Poltergeist

We entered this Haunt directly into a rainy suburban backyard and went right into the possessed house. There were many familiar movie scenes and clips and actors portraying movie characters. I liked the sets and felt they did a good job imitating the movie. My only critique would be at the end they have the girls silhouette in the TV, but I felt they could have used stretching fabric to make it appear 3d.

Scary Tales

This attraction is based on famous fairy tales and the opening scene was an Oz style witch on a castle. I loved the scenes of castles and forests and various other backdrops of fairy tales. They also used sound activated costumes for their actors and colorful witches and monsters. This was probably my favorite of all the haunted houses at universal.

Carnival Graveyard Rust in Pieces

The set decor of this house was pretty cool, since they used old signs, rides and artifacts of defunct carnivals. They, of course, used clowns and other actors to scare and terrify, but from that perspective, I have also seem this subject done better elsewhere.

Blum House Happy Death Day and First Purge

I never saw Happy Death Day but they had many versions of the cartoon-faced killer popping out of every scene over and over like Michael Myers in the Halloween walk through. The sets were built like normal rooms in a house and college dorms ect. The first purge was a purge ghettoish neighborhood style with murders around every corner to scare you. There were city style streets with chain link fence and red brick walls. I liked the purge recordings and siren but probably enjoyed the movies more then the walk through haunt.

Stranger Things

This series is what got us here in the first place. The sets and props were top notch and done really well. They also had actors and actresses done up to look like people in the series. They tackled the house with Xmas lights and the upside down world complete with the lab and the destruction afterwards. They put a girl who looks like 11 at the end to scare you and that part was cool. If anything they created a real life wax museum for die hard Stranger Things fans.