This year, Universal Orlando will be celebrating its 32nd year of Halloween Horror Nights, which will run for a record-breaking 48 select nights through November 4. HHN has ten houses this year to explore, from original properties full of references to HHN’s past to beloved properties likeStranger ThingsandThe Last of Us. If that’s not enough, this year also includes five scare zones, live shows, themed food and beverages, an overarching story that ties everything together, Death Eaters, and even David S. Pumpkins.
Universal has become the gold standard for Halloween-themed events in the theme park world, and after a third of a century of celebrations, Universal Orlando is once again proving why Halloween Horror Nights is an event worth going to. With ten different houses to check out this year, Halloween Horror Nights delves into the past of Universal itself, previous Horror Nights and the lore within, and explores some of the best existing horror properties today.
With so many scares and houses to dive into, let’s rank this year’s 10 houses at Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights.
10. Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate
Dueling Dragons (later known as Dragon Challenge), was a dueling two-track roller coaster. It was an opening-day ride at Islands of Adventure and ran from 1999-2017. The coaster—which was eventually replaced by Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure—had riders choosing between two different tracks, in what at the time was the only fully inverted dueling coaster in the world.
Universal keeps the spirit of this coaster alive for Dueling Dragons: Choose They Fate, in which visitors are stuck in a battle between two warlocks—one representing fire, the other, ice—who have been turned into dragons. Dueling Dragons has a lot going for it: massive dragons loom overhead, and the various fire and ice monsters that jump out at you have some of the most spectacular costume and makeup designs at this year’s HHN. However, the promise of different endings is a bit disappointing, as there’s not quite enough to differentiate the two paths enough to make visitors want to go through this multiple times. But the concept is a fascinating idea that we will hopefully see more of in the future, and fingers crossed Universal continues to keep their old rides alive in this matter.
9. The Darkest Deal
We’ve all heard the stories of musicians selling their souls for success, but The Darkest Deal does a fantastic job of bringing this to life in haunted house fashion. Guests follow blues musician Pinestraw Spruce, who trades his soul to The Collector for fame, and naturally, we get caught up in the redistribution of souls as well.
Throughout the maze, we see a series of performances by Pinestraw Spruce, from the beginning of his deal to the point where The Collector is pulling the strings. The Darkest Deal excels at telling a narrative story amongst the scares, and puts us in the shoes of Pinestraw Spruce, leading to a conclusion that sends us straight to hell. The blues-age musicians might not be the scariest monsters, but the evolution of Spruce and The Collector’s story is a fascinating way to tell this story.
8. Dr. Oddfellow’s Twisted Origins
This year’s HHN focuses on the character of Dr. Oddfellow, as his story weaves through the various scare zones and original houses. But Oddfellow’s presence is most apparent in Dr. Oddfellow’s Twisted Origins, where—as the name implies—we learn the beginnings of this evil ringmaster.
While Dr. Oddfellow’s Twisted Origins focuses on the icon’s horrifying circus, this house makes a tried-and-true haunted house concept feel fresh again. Twisted Origins often relies on bursts of surprising air, and frequent misdirection, making the guest think the scare is coming from one direction, then blindsiding them when they’re least expecting it, in a way that is quite effective. Considering how large Dr. Oddfellow’s grasp hangs over Halloween Horror Nights, Dr. Oddfellow’s Twisted Origins feels like an essential starting place for the haunts of HHN.
7. Universal Monsters: Unmasked
Of course, Halloween Horror Nights has to bring out the Universal Monsters, and Universal Monsters: Unmasked contains a curious collection of creatures, includingThe Invisible Man, The Phantom of the Opera, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Monster Unmasked goes into the Paris Catacombs, with sets that are remarkable, and with so many monsters represented here, this understandably feels like one of the longer mazes at HHN.
Unmasked does an excellent job of updating these monsters (some of whose Universal films were almost a century ago) into a more horrific scenario. One monster twists the spine out of a still-alive victim’s back, while Phantom of the Opera has been slicing the faces off people to make a new mask—and pinning some of these scraps of flesh onto the wall. While the lineup of monsters might not seem quite as threatening as maybe a Wolf Man or Dracula might, Universal Monsters: Unmasked smartly manages to pay homage to their legendary characters while bringing them into the modern day in a way that is quite unsettling.
6. Bloodmoon: Dark Offerings
While it might not have as strong of a narrative as some of the other original HHN houses, Bloodmoon: Dark Offerings makes up for it with some disturbing imagery and unnerving rooms. Focused on a colonial cult that murders those who don’t worship the Bloodmoon, right from the beginning, Dark Offerings is full of sacrifices and rituals that will make you want to convert to their beliefs, lest you become a human cornucopia.
With the constant chanting and praising, the red tint to every room, and the creepy worshippers, Dark Offerings is uncomfortable right from the get-go. Near the end, visitors have to walk through a chapel of sorts, and the churchgoers—who may or may not be real—makes for a horrific climax to this house. Bloodmoon: Dark Offerings has less of a direct story to it than other houses, but who needs a story when the house is this chilling?
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5. YETI: Campground Kills
A sequel to YETI: Terror of the Yukon from a few years ago, YETI: Campground Kills brings a family of yeti to terrorize a ground of campers in the 1950s. This is another Universal original house that is impressive in its scale, taking guests indoors and outdoors, as we see campers torn apart by the yeti family, leaving blood, limbs, and marshmallows in their wake.
The yeti costumes are undeniably stunning, and both monsters and scared campers get surprisingly close to visitors. While this certainly isn’t one of the more terrifying houses, it’s the vibe of YETI: Campground Kills that puts it so high on this list. Campground Kills—for lack of a better term—iscampy; so over-the-top and silly in its concept that it’s hard not to laugh and scream in equal measure.
4. Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count
Of all this year’s HHN houses, Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count has the most brilliant concept. Universal was working on their ownChuckyhouse, and when therealChucky found out that they weren’t killing actual visitors, he decided to take over, possess the dolls in the attraction, and rectify this murder-less house.
The structure of Ultimate Kill Count itself is a hilarious idea, as it begins as the mediocre Universal house, complete with a fake ending before an actor dressed like Chucky starts yelling at guests that the real Chucky isactuallyhere and killing people. Part of the fun of Ultimate Kill Count is seeing scared actors dying in horrible ways, all from wounds inflicted by a Chucky doll. For a brand that often falls into meta humor, Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count finds the perfect way to keep this spirit alive in this house.
3. Stranger Things 4
This year marks the third time Universal has done aStranger Thingshouse, and Stranger Things 4 proves that they’ve absolutely nailed how to fit an entire season’s arc into one house. Stranger Things 4 covers all the major points of the latest season, beginning with Eddie Munson trying to wake up a Vecna-captured Chrissy, to the battles between Henry Creel and Eleven, deep into the Upside Down.
Universal has done an exceptional job bringing this season to life, complete with “Running Up That Hill” needle drops, hideous Demogorgons, and some of the best acting in any house. Stranger Things 4 is recreating some of the most dramatic and iconic moments of Season 4, and the performers playing the multiple Eddies, Elevens, and others do these scenes justice—often putting the guest right in between memorable encounters. For those who loveStranger Things, this year’s house is worth doing twice, just to capture all the fantastic details that make this come to life.
2. The Last of Us
Probably this year’s most hyped house is The Last of Us, which is surprisingly based on the game and not the recent hit HBO show. The Last of Us takes visitors through the expansive Pittsburgh section of the first game, from Joel and Ellie crashing in a gas station after being attacked by humans, through the sewers, and finally through the suburbs. This is a massive section of the game to recreate, but Universal—working alongside Naughty Dog—has managed to make this come to life with perfection.
As someone who adoresThe Last of Us, this house is a remarkable location to explore. The care and consideration that has gone into the details here are nothing short of incredible, as eagle-eyed guests can find secret passages Ellie has crawled through, Joel’s backpack, several workstations for upgrading weapons, and even a fully-written out Ish letter for fans of the game and other brilliant additions to the sewer section. The inclusion of actors playing Joel and Ellie, and new dialogue recorded byTroy BakerandAshley Johnsonmakes the guest truly feel like the third person in Joel and Ellie’s journey. The Last of Us might not be as scary as the other houses, but for fans of the game or show, this is an unbelievable experience.
1. The Exorcist: Believer
While all the houses at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights are phenomenal in their own ways, The Exorcist: Believer is this year’s best house by combining the storytelling that Universal is so great at with these houses, and the classic scares you’d expect from a haunted house. This melding feels like everything Universal does right at Halloween Horror Nights—all for a film that hasn’t even come out yet.
Universal bills The Exorcist: Believer as a living trailer for the upcoming movie, where two 12-year-old girls are taken over by sinister spirits. Much of what makes The Exorcist: Believer such an effective house is the tricks you’d expect from a haunted house. The constant aural attack of screams, begging demonic voices, and the subtle use ofMike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells” make this a disconcerting walkthrough from the first moments you walk in. The Exorcist: Believer also feels claustrophobic in a way that other HHN houses don’t, as you walk too close to the demonic girls, often walking right next to them in haunting scenes from the upcoming movie. But Believer also knows how to use stillness to make the guest uneasy. Some of the most disconcerting rooms are where nothing is even happening, like when you walk through an oddly quiet bazaar, or see the iconicExorciststairs and just wait for something to come.
All 10 of Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights houses are worth checking out, but The Exorcist: Believer is a testament to everything Universal does so well at this event, from great theming, big scares, and the ability to tell an entire narrative through a haunted house.
