Universal Orlando is known for transporting guests into their favorite movies, TV shows, and books. Over the years, Universal has even turned some of our favorite stories into attractions and experiences at Halloween Horror Nights.
During HHN Carnival of Carnage in 2007, Universal made the dream world of Freddy Krueger a reality in A Nightmare on Elm Street: Dreamwalkers; they also put us up close and personal with Mary Shaw and her dolls in Dead Silence: The Curse of Mary Shaw. Throughout the years, Universal took guests into the mastermind of Alfred Hitchcock with several “Psycho” influenced houses. Other popular houses featured in the epic event in past years have included SAW, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Doomsday, Friday the 13th, and many more. This year, Universal has brought to life Cabin in the Woods, An American Werewolf in London, Evil Dead, Resident Evil, and The Walking Dead.
Alongside these popular horror tales, HHN has also developed original concepts like the Body Collectors, which featured creepy, pale skinned men in suites who collected bodies for their own research. In Terror Mines, aliens dwelled in the mines waiting for unsuspecting victims. Leave it to Cleaver introduced us to Mr. Sam Meetz, a butcher who was after more than livestock for his shop. Other fan favorites include event icons Jack the Clown, The Caretaker, and the Director. This year, Universal brings us face to face with a serial killer on death row in Afterlife: Death’s Vengeance as well as Havoc Derailed, where guests have to escape a train full of genetically engineered maniacs.
Longtime fans of Halloween Horror Nights often credit the original concepts as the reason why HHN has become a world-renowned event, and each year many of these fans criticize HHN as they see more and more of the originality disappearing. On the other hand, Halloween Horror Nights also has a rapidly growing base of new fans, many of whom love the idea that the event is taking a page from its host, Universal Studios Florida, and letting guests experience some of the best horror stories popular culture has to offer.
This leads us to this week’s poll and the moment of truth (current tally will be revealed once you vote)…
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Note: You don’t have to sign into a social network to vote, that is just a feature offered. If you prefer to vote anonymously, click your selection in the poll and when you see the pop up, click “Keep vote anonymous”.
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Note: You don’t have to sign into a social network to vote, that is just a feature offered. If you prefer to vote anonymously, click your selection in the poll and when you see the pop up, click “Keep vote anonymous”.[/wptouch]
Last week’s polls:
Where have you experienced better guest service, Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando? With 331 out of 592 votes (55.9%), Disney wins — but honestly, I quite impressed that there was only a 10 point spread between the two resorts.
Which expansion project are you most excited for, AVATAR or Harry Potter? With 445 out of 515 votes (86.4%), Harry Potter wins.
Def orginals ips take 2 much money and 2 many restrictions. Less ip and better streets..
I love the original concepts. The Caretaker, Jack, the Director all awesome. The backstories and details they create are awesome. Plus it brings out people who love the event for the event and not all the people who are just hopping on the to latest popular fad. That said American Werewolf in London and Cabin in the Woods are up among my favorite houses ever.
I think both is good; it’s great to see horror characters you know and can identify but also a bit of creative originality helps make a good atmosphere.
I think you need to find a balance of both. I’d like to see a maximum of 3 ip houses. 5 original, 3 ip is a good balance to me. Maybe they can do the 2nd show based on another ip that’s currently hot. Bill and Ted is great, add another cool show based on a movie. Universal used to say “Ride the movies”, so ip experiences don’t really have to be houses in my opinion.
I don’t know, la Larona was good but the rest of the originals were terrible
Original
Movie and tv mixed a little bit of the original horrors
originals
Movies! I dig the concept of physically engulfing you into an environment. I felt I was in evil dead and stuck in the cabin in the Woods! Original content is always a plus but we all love movies and games and tv shows!
Diuliane Lima e Biancka Souza que tal moramos em orlando p ver a hora dp terro la No Halloween
I feel a deatheater/voldermort theme may be off in the future somewhere when diagon alley opens. I like that idea though. I love older scary movies, so.its fun to see the US take on those 🙂
half and half, the future of HHN is 5 ips and 5 originals. Will appease both new fans and old fans. Ips have a solid rate of getting people in the park so i doubt we will be having year anytime soon with less than one ip in it at all. While the originals can be awesome and truly awesome look at this year how an original concept like havoc is falling flat compared to something like an american werewolf in london or cabin in the woods. There is a balance that they will soon achieve that will most likely… Read more »
when there’s a good plot, it’s always good! like carnival of carnage wasn’t just about freddy leather face and jason, but jack hosted the whole thing. i guess it is better when hhn shows it’s creativity. However, Fear itself i felt like was a flop 🙁
The idea of original concept is nice. But the ideas and execution (nice pun) those concepts are poorly executed and conceived. A better creative staff might come up with better original concepts.
Halloween horror nights was atrocious last year. I’ve been to the Orlando event 4 times and loved it even though it pails in comparison to the L.A event. Last year was just lazy, I saw next to no ghouls etc roaming the streets, hardly any fog or atmosphere………the whole thing was an embarrassment, I was so disappointed.
The event desperately needs established characters like Freddy, Jason, Michael Myers, Chucky, Leatherface and Pinhead.