Just in time for Halloween, the Gold Key Adventurers Society podcast shares their experience at the premier haunted attraction in America- Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida. Find out more about the terrifying good time they had in the fog, how you can beat the lines to get into as many attractions as possible, where to find haunted fun outside of the parks at Universal Orlando Resort, and a little bit of exciting news about the year round haunted attraction coming to Las Vegas courtesy of Universal.
Why do we love Halloween Horror Nights so much?
Halloween Horror Nights is the ultimate attraction for fans of horror movies, Hollywood special effects, or just a scary good time. For the past 32 years, fans have dared to enter the fog and explore haunted mazes themed after popular movies, television shows, and original concepts of terror. Along with these haunted houses, guests encounter scare zones, where ghouls and ghosts (or scareactors as they're officially called) take over the streets of Universal Studios park to jump scare attendees between mazes. On top of that, you'll find the twisted Nightmare Fuel stage show, and creative food and drink offerings paired to the mazes to help immerse you in the terror.
It's a world class show
The best thing about Halloween Horror Nights is it's the best in the business. With mazes, costumes, and special effects designed and constructed by Hollywood special effects artists, set designers, and the biggest names in horror movies, this is as close as you can get to living the movies.
Highlights from Halloween Horror Nights 2023
Mazes inspired by pop culture
Some of the houses with the most buzz at this year's event are based on recent horror hits, including an encounter with Vecna in the Stranger Things 4 house, avoiding the Clickers while surviving in the post apocalyptic world of The Last of Us, or facing an ancient evil in The Exorcist: Believer. Bringing the campy fun this year is Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count. One of our favorite mazes every year features classic Universal Monsters, and 2023 is no different. Universal Monsters Unmasked goes back to the very earliest horror movies, featuring the Phantom of the Opera, The Invisible Man, and Quasimodo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Original concepts in terror
The original houses are every bit as good as the ones based on movies, and sometimes even better. A highlight of our trip was YETI:Campground Kills, where an enraged,abominable monster stalks a campground looking for revenge. Blood Moon:Dark Offerings transports you to a colonial era village overrun by bloodthirsty moon worshipers, while The Darkest Deal gives you a look at what happens when a bluesman's deal with the devil suddenly goes bad.
For the first time ever, Halloween Horror nights features a maze based on an extinct theme park attraction. Inspired by the racing roller coaster of the same name, Dueling Dragons:Choose They Fate gives guests a chance to pick their favorite dragon, and then see what happens as these magical beasts race toward a duel to the death.
Terror between the mazes
Scare Zones
Between haunted houses, guests head into the fog to brave the Scare Zones. These areas of the park are themed to different terrifying concepts, and feature scareactors who roam around administering jump scares to unsuspecting guests. Scare Zone themes in 2023 include vampire hippies, a haunted 1930s shipyard, an expedition into the jungle of doom, twisted incarnations of the signs of the zodiac, and a malevolent dark carnival.
Food and Drink
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It's important to make sure you have plenty of energy when your adrenaline kicks in. Around Halloween Horror Nights you'll find some incredible food options, themed to the various mazes to help fully immerse you in the terror. Some of our favorite options include The Last of Us Ravioli- distributed at a ration center in cans with military style labels, this ravioli features cordyceps fungus (mushrooms) growing out of the top of the can. Chucky is serving up Nashville style Fried 'Till The End Popcorn Chicken-served up in a popcorn bucket. In honor of Oddfellow's twisted carnival, Dr. Oddfellow's CarnEVIL Hot Dog features a Kool-Aid marinated pickle and fun-fetti style hot dog bun. As weird as it sounds, this hot dog was one of the highlights of the night!
Beating the lines, and beyond the parks
There are plenty of great ways to beat the lines and visit as many mazes as possible in one night. The ultimate option is the RIP Tour, a guided experience that provides front of the line access to mazes. Also helpful are Express Pass, and taking advantage of the early entry "Stay and Scream" areas. Listen to the podcast episode for all the details on these time savers!
If you're looking for more scares outside the park gates, check out the Dead Coconut Club in Universal's CityWalk, where classic Universal Monsters have taken over a popular bar and made it just a little spooky. At Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Chucky's Twisted Playground gives guests a chance to star in a twisted Chucky adventure with a series of immersive, larger than life selfie sets featuring the original murderous doll.
Ready to listen to the episode?
You can download episodes of The Gold Key Adventurers Society on Apple Podcasts, or anywhere else you find your favorite shows. To listen to the latest episode, click HERE.
Learn more about The Gold Key Adventurers Society Podcast:
If you’d like to send the Gold Key Adventurers Society a message or ask a question, send an email to goldkeyadventurers@gmail.com, and the gang might share your message on the air!
Thanks to Outer Vibe for the use of their song Hoka Hey off of the album Hoka Hey as the intro and outro of our show. For tour dates, merch, music and more, check them out at https://www.outervibe.com.
You can subscribe to the Gold Key Adventurers Society on iTunes, Spotify, Podbean, or your favorite podcast app. Remember, life is short and the world is wide-so go have an adventure!
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