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Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood regains its highly coveted reputation as one of the best Halloween scare events in Southern California. The park has really upped the game in addressing issues from past visits. Popular franchises and original storytelling offers something for everyone at different levels of theme, creativity, legacy, and of course scares.
John Murdy and his creative teams have really outdone themselves for 2024. Eight haunted houses, one terror tram walk through, two shows, four scare zones, specality food, and exclusive merchandise bring together a memorable season. It’s time to brave the darkness and discover what lurks around the corners of Halloween Horror Nights 2024 at Universal Studios Hollywood!
Ghostbusters Frozen Empire is based on the latest entry of the classic film franchise released earlier this year. Guests walk in through the storefront of Ray’s Occult Book store answering the call about something spooky occurring in New York City. The Manhattan Adventurers Society reveals Hell is literally freezing over.
Wandering through the sewers lead to the Ghostbusters Paranormal Research Facility where growing danger ensues with a sinister painting coming to life and mini Stay Puft marshmallow men mess around with sensitive equipment. More encounters with familiar poltergeists lead you back to Ghostbusters Headquarters. Garraka builds up his powers, the Ghostbusters vehicle goes berserk, Slimer roams in his own trashy mess, and a final showdown with the main baddie.
A winning start to the evening with less scares and more gleeful recreation of sets, characters, and special effects of proton pack streams that fill the air. Faithful Ghostbusters fans will surely enjoy this outstanding creative trip.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Photo Gallery
You don’t have to be too familiar with this movie franchise to enjoy Insidious: The Further. Simply navigating through the dark and puzzling corridors between bedrooms and closets can be enough to cause distress. Fans of the movie series will get a dose of ecstasy identifying the various demons hiding in the dark. A surreal walk through endless blackness anchored by childhood innocence.
Insidious: The Further Photo Gallery
Being skeptical on horror movie studio Blumhouse taking over the one and only Terror Tram, we found ourselves satisfied enough with the end result. The experience begins with all the recognizable characters welcoming guests with wielding chainsaws in hand. Each world transition of a movie title cleverly begins with guests walking through a border lit facade of the Blumhouse logo. Taking advantage of the cleared out open space from the park’s 60th anniversary, M3GAN holds stages for mini-recreations of the evil robot doll’s movie kills.
The Bates Motel is the backdrop of Freaky with the Blissfield Butcher picking a fight with their counterpart. Across the way is a college rally for Happy Death Day full of baby-face masked killers. Next is a switchback of The Black Phone with The Grabber ready to show off his close-up magic trick. Very thankful of this new path through the Bates Hotel reversing the direction borrowed from the 60th anniversary. The Psycho House photo opportunity along with the uphill trek of a bloody Hollywood sign would have benefitted with a MaXXXine (2024) connection given how much that movie shot on location in the Universal backlot.
The War of the World set is no stranger to The Purge. Some slightly different lighting package keeps the oldie but goodie theme in formidable shape. I do miss the vertical joggers sprawled in this scene from a past season. The Terror Tram ends without a walk through the Jupiter’s Claim set from NOPE this season. Not sure if it’s budget related or logistics of pedestrian and tram traffic crossing over each other.
For those hoping for Five Nights at Freddy’s, there is a flat photo opportunity at the exit of the Terror Tram. Overall an enjoyable expanded scare zone riding on the novelty of walking through a portion of the Universal Backlot. Not as convoluted as expected and a fair flaire best of for Blumhouse fans.
Terror Tram: Enter the Blumhouse Photo Gallery
Dead Exposure: Death Valley was a delightful surprise to the original lineup at Universal not previous based on a movie franchise. A government experiment to create super soldiers goes horribly wrong and guests must find a way to survive and find a way out. Sounds simple enough. The chaos with foreboding mayhem, mystery toxin, mad primates, and zombie staff makes this both a fun, bright, colorful, and scary thrill. The theme consistently builds up with little breathing room and a cold refresh from the evening’s heat. Every corner a new turn into what lay ahead. A solid and repeatable haunted house.
Dead Exposure: Death Valley Photo Gallery
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Legend of Leatherface utilizes all nine films in the long running 50 year old horror movie franchise. Guests will follow the progressive stages of Leatherface’s transformation within the confines of the Sawyer family’s slaughterhouse. Quite a family reunion with gore-filled storage and hanging body parts. This is the most graphic haunted house of the evening not for the faint of heart.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Photo Gallery
The Weekend: Nightmare Trilogy awakens once again from 2022 to bring more dazzling and surreal music fantasy to life. Bigger and better, the eye-popping visuals will have you buzzing. Recreation of music videos and live performances will draw guests out of the darkness and into the light. Even the entrance facade brings the party to the queue before entry accompanied by a live performer. Music fans will rejoice at the imagination blending dance and horror into a radical realm of haunted funhouse.
The Weekend Photo Gallery
Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodline once again continues the fan favorite take of bringing classic Universal Monster characters to new life. An epic battle ensues as Saskia Van Helsing and the Bride of Frankenstein go up against Dracula’s daughter and her monstrous mavens.
The She-Wolf and The Mummy’s Anck-su-namun are not too far behind. A Universal Monsters experience is not complete without featuring original music by Slash. This year’s location is extra special being housed in the historic Soundstage 12 where many favorite horror movies have been shot such as Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), The Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954), and more. An all-female cast roaming the detailed catacombs and passageway will wet the appetite of classic horror fans.
Impressive to say the least to have the studio lend this soundstage to Horror Nights over production services even after major renovations. The construction of other soundstages on the lot may have helped. Not sure how long this beautiful relationship will last. But this haunted house doesn’t seem as lavish or take advantage of its wide open space as much as Universal Orlando does. Time will tell.
Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodline Photo Gallery
A Quiet Place was one of the biggest shockers of the evening considering the space this highly anticipated haunted house was taking over. Any previous remnants of building that occupied The Walking Dead or Rise of The Evil Dead was completely gutted out and virtually unrecognizable. This is truly an incredible transformation to be gladly placed in this season’s lineup.
All-new pathways, scares, talented actors, detailed puppetry, and faithful recreations of scenes from the first two entries in the franchise. Not only do the characters pop off the screen, they even incorporate sign language. We are curious if they are merely rehearsed or if the actors could actually communicate with guests to give that cherry on top extra detail. Fans of the films will be highly impressed and in awe what was able to be accomplished. If you were a fan of Universal’s past effort for Alien vs Predator haunted house, this will be right up your alley.
A Quiet Place Photo Gallery
Monstruos 2: The Nightmares of Latin America brings back new terrors to fuel your nightmares. There’s no safe place to hide, not even in your home or under the bed. Dare to walk alone and do not be tempted by sacks of gold coins otherwise the infernal rider El Charro will take your soul. Don’t turn your back on the devil dog El Cadejo or you’ll be lost forever in its glowing red eyes. Behave yourself or the boogeyman El Cucuy will snatch you away. There’s good reason why these Latin American myths and legends have grown in popularity over the years at Halloween Horror Nights.
Monstruos 2 Photo Gallery
All four scare zones remain in the Upper Lot. Chainsaw Punkz buzzes by your feet and gut with, you guessed it, wielding chainsaws. Skull Lordz blows flames overhead to light up the night. Murder of Crowz welcomes an adorably frightening newborn to the world of oversized stilt-walking birds. Muscular fusion of Mexican wrestlers and classic monsters bring to the ring Luchadores Monstruosos. An actual live wrestling match in the Universal Plaza would have added extra entertainment value to the robust mash-up.
Scare Zones Photo Gallery
The Purge: Dangerous Waters returns to the Waterworld stunt show arena with spectacular high-flying fireball of thrills. This year feels like it has more edge, more blood splatter, and a tighter pace packed with the kind of ruthless violence you’d expect from the world of The Purge. The stunt performers engulfed with more flame effects than the day time show takes advantage of the dark showtimes. The queue sets up the story well for the show and for those unfamiliar with the movie franchise. The one thing that seems to be missing are poster warnings of The Purge. This is a not to be missed show!
The Purge: Dangerous Waters Photo Gallery
Late Night with Chucky brings back the insults of everyone’s favorite dark humored killer doll come to life. This time he’s hosting his very own late night talk show inside the Dreamworks Theater. Unfortunately, the show’s guest star seems to be unavailable, so the audience gets to submit questions for Chucky to be answered via QR code. Albeit more controlled and less improv for this 7 minute show, it’s brief enough to get the idea behind the premise. It’s all over soon so guests can be on their way to enjoy the rest of the park and more shows can be played.
Late Night with Chucky Photo Gallery
Halloween Horror Nights 2024 truly is the best season the event has been in years. There are more meaningful live actors over static mannequins, masked and face characters cast very well as their on-screen counterparts and performed to the highest levels despite grueling temperatures, special effects such as smells and water is used sparingly, scare tactics feel refreshed and not overly repetitive, and each entertainment offering has an equal amount of give and take.
For anyone hesitant before about attending scare events, Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood is the place to be. Despite the huge crowds, ticket options range from Frequent Fear Passes to enjoy multiple nights, early entry will start access to select mazes, or Express passes will bypass the standby queue. Halloween Horror Nights is open on select evenings from now until November 3, 2024. For more information including ticket purchases, visit https://www.universalstudioshollywood.com
