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COMPLETE GUIDE: Universal reveals final Halloween Horror Nights houses, scare zones and shows

Event begins Sept. 3 at Universal Studios

ORLANDO, Fla. – Universal Orlando on Thursday announced the final details for Halloween Horror Nights.

The event begins Sept. 3 and will include 10 haunted houses, five scare zones and two all-new shows based on everything from horror greats to haunting original houses.

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Up until this point, Universal had only released details on a handful of haunted houses, including “Halloween Horror Nights Icons: Captured,” Netflix’s “The Haunting of Hill House,” “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “Beetlejuice” and “Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives.”

All the other details, including scare zones, and live entertainment have been kept under wraps.

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Halloween Horror Nights is celebrating its 30th year this fall and leaders are bringing back some original icons to the event, including Jack the Clown.

See descriptions of the new haunted houses, scare zones and shows below.


Haunted houses

Welcome to SCarey: Horror in the Heartland

Welcome to SCarey: Horror in the Heartland (Universal Orlando)

Some of the most haunting original stories from Halloween Horror Nights over the years have been set in the mysterious town of Carey, Ohio, and this year, “Welcome to SCarey: Horror in the Heartland” will combine these stories and bring them to life once again in a first-ever haunted house that pays homage to the event’s 30-year history. Guests will be transported to the shady township of Carey and enter familiar settings that will leave fans shrieking from nostalgia and horror. Expect everything from the ghastly cave of vampires from The Hive, the decrepit attic of Dead End and the disturbing Meetz Meats human deli from Leave it to Cleaver, they’ll find no escape from the evil of Carey once and for all.

Case Files Unearthed: Legendary Truth

Case Files Unearthed Legendary Truth (Universal Orlando)

In “Case Files Unearthed: Legendary Truth,” guests will step into the well-worn shoes of the infamous Boris Shuster, who is the elusive private eye investigating the supernatural as he endlessly searches for clues to a series of strange occurrences throughout New York City. Falling further into the shadowy, dark world of the paranormal, guests will face an overwhelming onslaught of ghouls, poltergeists and terrors, all while trying to solve the biggest mystery of them all.

Puppet Theatre: Captive Audience

“Puppet Theatre: Captive Audience” at Halloween Horror Nights (Universal Orlando)

The demented side of puppetry and theatre will take center stage in “Puppet Theatre: Captive Audience.” Guests are transported to San Francisco’s abandoned Grandeur Theatre in the early 1900′s. They’ll find the Pasek’s Puppet Troupe trapped within its ruins in the midst of rehearsing for their next grisly performance. With a fanatical need to entertain any captive audience, the troupe has turned to transforming trespassers into living puppets who are dismantling and sewing them back together as life-sized marionettes for additions to their horrific encore.

The Wicked Growth: Realm of the Pumpkin

The Wicked Growth: Realm of the Pumpkin (Universal Orlando)

The beloved tradition of Halloween has more sinister roots waiting to be unearthed and as the grower of this ritual, the Pumpkin Lord is preparing for his yearly human harvest in “Wicked Growth: Realm of the Pumpkin.” Lured in by the familiar sights and sounds of the holiday, guests will find themselves trapped in an endless maze of traditional Halloween domains, including a dilapidated haunted house, an ominous graveyard and even a wicked witch’s cottage that is all overrun by ruthless creatures engulfed in ghastly pumpkin growth. They’ll follow the ceaseless vines as they twist and turn right into the Pumpkin Lord’s lair, where he eagerly awaits new victims and is never truly satiated.

Revenge of the Tooth Fairy

Revenge of the Tooth Fairy haunted house (Universal Orlando)

Returning from a run last year, “Revenge of the Tooth Fairy” will entice guests to uncover the darker ritual behind an innocent childhood tradition. Long ago, parents struck a bargain with vicious, goblin-esque tooth fairies to protect their children from these evil creatures who crave pearly whites. All children must give up their baby teeth or pay a gruesome price. Guests will step into a heinous realm of blood, teeth and gore, where these fairies extract their toothed bounty by force and the only way out is to hold in their screams and keep their mouths shut.


Scare zones

30 Years, 30 Fears

30 Years, 30 Fears Scare Zone (Universal Orlando)

The most infamous characters from past Halloween Horror Nights scare zones will reunite to take over the Avenue of the Stars in “30 Years, 30 Fears.” Guests will enter a gory reunion where the past has come back to haunt them with creatures of blood and bone, beastly monstrosities and chainsaw-wielding fiends lurking around every corner.

Lights, Camera, Hacktion: Eddie’s Revenge

Lights, Camera, Hacktion Eddie's Revenge Scare Zone (Universal Orlando)

Eddie Schmidt, Jack the Clown’s diabolical brother, is returning to Halloween Horror Nights to film a gory Hollywood sequel in “Lights, Camera, Hacktion: Eddie’s Revenge” – except this time, the monsters are real. Vampires, evil clowns, creatures from the watery depths and other horrific beings from events past will roar on the scene where guests will make their short -- and painful -- cameo.

Gorewood Forest

Gorewood Forest Scare Zone (Universal Orlando)

The heartless and iconic Terra Queen is back and her wicked plans to remake the world in her terrifying image will take root in Central Park, transforming it into the grisly “Gorewood Forest.” Guests will find nowhere to hide from her menacing minions as they harvest fresh blood to feed her ever-growing power.

Seek and Destroy

Seek and Destroy Scare Zone (Universal Orlando)

In “Seek and Destroy,” guests will find themselves in a New York dystopia where a ruthless alien cyber regime led by The Controller, who has taken over and is relentlessly scanning the city streets for humans and turning them into fuel. With the regime’s loyal followers hiding in the darkness, endlessly hunting for new victims, guests must either join them or be destroyed.

Crypt TV

Crypt TV (Universal Orlando)

Inside “Crypt TV,” a dark universe of monsters that reside on screen and in their pockets will come to life. In this nightmare world that’s overtaken San Francisco, creatures of all shapes and sizes exist, including The Look-See, the Sunny Family Cult, Harclaw and Miss Annity. Now, they’ve been brought to life in a world of fear that will engulf any guest who enters.


Live shows

Marathon of Mayhem: Carnage Factory

Marathon of Mayhem: Carnage Factory (Universal Orlando)

Universal said the brand-new nighttime lagoon show will transform the expansive Universal Studios lagoon into renowned visions of fright, highlighting some of the top names in horror and Halloween Horror Nights history that are featured in this year’s event.

Halloween Nightmare Fuel

Halloween Nightmare Fuel show at Halloween Horror Nights (Universal Orlando)

The fiery new show will feature nocturnal creatures, aerialists of the night and frightful fire performers that are all set to pulse-pounding rock, metal and electronica music.


Universal does have a variety of fear passes that allow guests to visit the event on multiple nights. Pass prices start at $129.99.

Universal said due to popular demand, event nights are expected to sell out and tickets should be purchased in advance.

Click here for tickets and information on Halloween Horror Nights.

Click here to learn more about Universal Orlando’s health and safety protocols during the event.

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