October has come to an end, and what better way to remember Halloween than with the popular seasonal event: Universal Halloween Horror Nights, an event with bizarre mazes, suspenseful music, and scary clowns roaming the park. Along with these jump scares, there were long lines and immersive sets that sparked many discussions. On these nights, the excitement was high when entering the park, but some will quickly come to realize that the lines would be one of the scariest things there.
The first haunted house was Poltergeist, located in a hot parking lot structure. On a Saturday night, the wait time was almost an hour and a half, but on a Friday night, conveniently no wait. While the set of the haunted house was visually stunning and did the movie justice, the actual scares were minimal. Nicole Almaguer, a senior, commented on this house, “Poltergeist was my least favorite, the long line, the heat, and the predictability ruined it.” Many of the visitors in line were buying water as there were staff members selling various things throughout the line.
One unexpected surprise was WWE: The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks. With a short 15 minute wait and going in with low expectations, I was surprised. With tons of jump scares, amazing sets, and overly energetic scare actors, it left me impressed. Dominguez shared the same opinion, “The scary actors were more hidden and in unexpected places, which helped make it more scary for me.”
Considering that the Terrifier house averages an 180 wait time, it’s not impossible to avoid it. Easily 30 minutes can be spent in line instead if you prioritize that house first. I honestly loved this house because of the visual effects, but due to the lack of jumpscares, it felt more like a walkthrough of movie scenes. Still, I think my short wait time made it an enjoyable experience for me.
However, one thing that stands out is the smell, making the house more immersive. Of course, everyone has their own opinion. Camila Dominguez, a junior who also attended, speaks of her experience of the Terrifier house, “While the design of the house was amazing, it wasn’t as scary as I imagined it would be. I suppose it was just underwhelming for how people would react and describe it.”
From there, the Terror Tram: Enter the Blumhouse made its appearance. This attraction stands out for its unique approach, as it gives visitors a break to sit, but drops you off in mini mazes with Blumhouse characters. Although the path isn’t as frightening, it was creatively done, and my heart was racing from that suspense.
But this can be debated among people. Dominguez shared her take, “My favorite moment was walking through the Terror Tram path. Being chased by the scare actors definitely scared me, but it was also funny at times.” I agree, while it wasn’t scary, it was one of the funniest moments. But overall, it did feel reused and overcrowded, so if you’re short on time, you might want to consider skipping this.
Then there were two other haunted houses that shared the same vibes, Scarecrow and Jason. These stood out because they told a story. Rather than focusing on jumpscares, they told an eerie story and it was a change of pace which made it a bit more enjoyable.
One of the main attractions of HHN is the Five Nights at Freddy’s house. This house was truly immersive, from the animatronics to the dark, eerie pizza parlor setting, it felt like you were entering the FNAF universe. Almaguer said it best: “FNAF gave me nostalgic flashbacks to when I was a kid playing with my sister.”
Vanessa Pineda, a senior, agreed, “It wasn’t really scary, but it was the one I was looking forward to the most, and I was not disappointed.” The line was long, but the creative set design and details in every little thing made it worth the time. This brings up the debate on whether or not HHN is about terror or atmosphere and presentation.
Looking back on these nights, there were definitely some flaws in this event. The crowds were intense, especially on a Saturday when the sidewalks were shoulder to shoulder and the lines were racking up time. You could easily get overwhelmed and frustrated, but on a Friday night, the crowds were manageable, and you still wouldn’t be able to avoid the long wait times unless you planned well.
Some had different views, Jacob Tello, a freshman, argues “not as scary as I expected I won’t go again.” Ultimately, the experience is worth it when going with the right people. Almaguer sums it up perfectly, “100% go with friends.” HHN is exactly the situation where going with friends can make or break the night.
Overall, Halloween Horror Nights lived up to the hype. Not every house was terrifying, but of course, it’d offer something new and unique, like the detailed sets, immersive stories, and interesting uses of lights and sound. If you plan to visit, one tip is to have a game plan which the Universal Studios app can help guide you. On the app look at the wait times, start with your top priority houses and take breaks when needed. HHN can offer something for everyone, scary or not. It’s always fun to experience it. If students want more specific information about the houses or what’s offered, it can be found on the Universal Studios website or app.
