Halloween Horror Nights Review: A Disappointing Experience at Universal Studios
This year, Halloween Horror Nights marked its 34th anniversary by featuring haunted attractions inspired by popular franchises like Friday the 13th, Terrifier, Five Nights at Freddy’s, and Fallout. I had the opportunity to attend the event with my colleagues Lance Vlcek and Andrew Hatfield from JoBlo Horror Originals. Our main focus was on experiencing the Jason Universe maze, given our shared love for the Friday the 13th series.
Regrettably, our visit to Halloween Horror Nights turned out to be quite underwhelming. Despite the company, the evening fell short of our expectations. The long wait times deterred us from exploring the Terrifier Haunted House, which had a staggering 200-minute wait. Even the Five Nights at Freddy’s Haunted House had a wait time exceeding 100 minutes. However, our determination to encounter Jason Voorhees led us to endure a 140-minute wait for a brief walkthrough of the house. The repetitive nature of the experience, with Jason constantly popping out, left much to be desired compared to other haunted houses we had visited.
Following a lengthy wait for food, we decided to visit the Fallout attraction, which had a relatively shorter wait time of 70 minutes. Despite its unconventional theme for a haunted house, the design and costumes were commendable, featuring recognizable elements from the franchise. The most frustrating aspect of the event was the extensive wait times, exacerbated by the lack of engaging distractions or thematic elements in the queue lines.
The exorbitant prices for Halloween Horror Nights tickets, which start at over $100, coupled with additional costs for Express Passes and RIP Passes, further added to the disappointment. The steep prices for expedited access to attractions highlighted the necessity of such passes to fully enjoy the park's offerings. As standard ticket holders, we found it challenging to experience a significant portion of the event due to the prolonged wait times.
Ultimately, the highlight of our evening was riding The Mummy, a year-round attraction not exclusive to Halloween Horror Nights. This unexpected preference underscored our overall dissatisfaction with the event and its offerings. Despite the opportunity to visit another haunted house, our group opted to leave early, feeling drained and disenchanted by the experience.
If waiting in long lines without engaging distractions is your idea of fun, Halloween Horror Nights may appeal to you. However, supporting local haunted attractions may offer a more immersive and fulfilling experience compared to the commercialized approach of larger theme parks. Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights seemed to prioritize profit over quality, resulting in a lackluster and disappointing experience for attendees.