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Halloween Horror Nights XX at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando revealed

By Domenik Jost
Published: August 26, 2010 at 12:49 PM
This morning, Universal Orlando revealed more details for Halloween Horror Nights XX at Universal Studios Florida. The official Halloween Horror Nights website now features a very freaky intro which foreshadows this year's event, which is about Fear himself. He is the Master of everything Halloween Horror Nights has ever been and will become. His weapons: Chaos, Death, Sacrifice, Mythos, Vengeance. His pawns: a clown, a storyteller, a caretaker, a director, an usher...and you.

"Everything we have done for the past 19 years, everything we have learned, leads to this moment," said Jim Timon, senior vice president of entertainment for Universal Orlando Resort. "This year's Halloween Horror Nights is not about the past. It is about the future." As much as the number 20 signifies an anniversary year, this years Halloween Horror Nights is not an anniversary event.

Mike Aiello, Show Director of Universal Orlando Resort gives us a glimpse at this year's event and the future of it:

This year's event will feature eight new haunted houses and six new scarezones, plus two live shows.

The eight all-new haunted houses are:

  • Horror Nights: The Hallow'd Past: Halloween Horror Nights. The name brings with it millions of tales, each filled with thousands of screams. Now, you have the opportunity to travel into a realm where Horror Nights isn't just an event, but a reality.
  • The Orfanage: Ashes to Ashes: Ashes to ashes, forever now dust. For years she has existed in the shadows, never getting her due. Misunderstood by all around her, she has had enough of her playthings at the Good Harvest Orphanage - now is the time for vengeance. This burnt-out shell contains the souls of the forgotten and the lost who all scream one name: Cindy.
  • Hades: The Gates of Ruin: Hades bids you welcome. Make your way into the Underworld, and come face to face with the most terrifying creatures of legend as you cross through the Gates of Ruin.
  • Psychoscarepy: Echoes of Shadybrook: The truth, as they say, is far stranger than fiction, and in this instance they happen to be correct. Although Shadybrook's doors have indeed been closed for the last 15 years, the place is still very much alive with all of the criminally insane souls that have ever walked its halls.
  • Havoc: Dogs of War: Ten years ago, the Shadowcreek Enterprise was tasked with developing an elite corp of soldiers. They succeeded. Through an inhalant that includes a compound of testosterone, adrenaline, and other anesthetics, Shadow Creek's latest run of volunteer test subjects are ready for inspection. The project name: HAVOC. The subjects are known simply as the Dogs of War.
  • Catacombs: Black Death Rising: During a plague of Paris and Marseilles in 1534, thousands died due to an undisclosed viral outbreak. A group of doctors took it upon themselves to quarantine the most infected citizens of the city. They had no way of knowing that the townspeople would betray them, sealing them into their doom. They have been unable to escape for almost 500 years. Now that the dead inside have found a way out, they are rising to take their centuries old vengeance on any living being that dares to enter the Catacombs.
  • Zombiegeddon: The United States government has re-taken the continental United States, and is actively engaged in clearing the remaining infested pockets of Canada. The government also licenses and sanctions private companies to capture "un-live" subjects and use them as practical targets during these training sessions. Dozens of independent training consultant "companies" spring up, promising the best training that money can buy...and then there's ZAP...The Zombie Awareness Program.
  • Legendary Truth: The Wyandot Estate: The Spirit Seekers have come up with a machine that actually gathers spirits toward it. The group has decided to do a live broadcast from inside one of the most reportedly "haunted" sites in the entire United States, The Wyandot Estate, built in the 1920s in Carey, Ohio by the entrepreneur Malcolm Wyandot and his wife Lydia. The house has been rumored to be haunted since Malcolm brutally killed 13 dinner guests and his wife Lydia before committing suicide on October 30, 1929. The team is about to get more than they bargained for as the murdered hear their call and answer with terrible violence.

The six new scare zones are:

  • HHN: 20 Years of Fear: Step into the shadows of the last Twenty Years of Fear. Move toward the lantern, and encounter the most frightening characters of Halloween Horror Nights past.
  • Fear Revealed: The souls of Chaos, Death, Sacrifice, Mythos and Vengeance - He created them and gave them terror. Each with a part to play, they fulfilled their tasks. Their malice provided him bone, their rage gave him blood, and their terror fulfilled his soul. What has been 19 cycles for some have been eons for him. He's waited patiently for the final piece, and now on the 20th cycle... he is revealed.
  • Zombie Gras: This Mardi Gras parade has gone severely off course. Infected by the North American zombie infestation, the undead walk among us, searching for their next meal.
  • Esqueleto Muerte: Revel in the seductive taunts of Death as you wind through a glowing skeletal nightmare.
  • Saws 'n Steam: Enormous trenches in the earth's crust have opened below its vast oceans, exposing them to intense heat. Steam power is essential to the inhabitants of New Yorkshire, but diminishing oceans have put the city in jeopardy, forcing the citizens to evil lengths. Beware upon entering the city, as the water in your body is now a coveted resource. And the citizens will stop at nothing to get it.
  • The Coven: The Cult of the Raven has unsettled spirits, and its Sirens are screaming throughout the witches' realm. As you creep past their obelisk, beware their spells. For those who don't believe will be condemned to death.

And the two live shows are:

  • Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure: Party on as those two most excellent dudes return to skewer the biggest names in entertainment and pop culture.
  • Brian Brushwood: Menace and Malice: Experience two realms of bizarre magic by one of the country's most outrageous illusionists.

Halloween Horror Nights runs September 24-25, September 30-October 1-3, 7-10, 14-17, 20-24 and 27-31. Tickets are now on sale for $74.99 plus tax. Florida residents can save up to $35 with advance online purchase. For tickets and event information, visit www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com/Orlando.

Also if you missed it, last week we revealed details about Busch Gardens Tampa's Howl-O-Scream 2010 event. Don't forget to keep up to date on the latest developments regarding the Central Florida Halloween events by following my special Twitter @CFL_Halloween and of course checking back here on Theme Park Insider.

Readers' Opinions

From Hermione Potter on August 26, 2010 at 3:17 PM
Yay! This will be my third year at hhn - I'm going the 24th and cannot wait!
I'm super excited because I may actually have a hook up for Mickey's Halloween trick or treating the next night as well :)
From Joshua Counsil on August 26, 2010 at 7:54 PM
Thanks for posting this, Domenik, though I don't feel the themes are very inspired this year.
From Anthony Murphy on August 26, 2010 at 8:31 PM
Love it!

Very creative!

Is Micheal Roddy still around? I love his videos going behind the scenes.

From luis gonzalez on August 27, 2010 at 1:14 AM
domenik is murdering this HHN coverage. HHN is my favorite event, and TPI has never really covered it as much as i would like, but this year has been really outstanding. great work children!!!! if anyone is going on oct 14, i will see you their!if your looking for me, im the sexy dude drinking some sort of beer.

WORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From Domenik Jost on August 27, 2010 at 9:02 AM
@Anthony

No sadly Michael isn't with Universal anymore. He was let go by Universal earlier this year.

I did yesterday evening get a chance to join a conference call with some of the creators of Halloween Horror Nights.

Here's what I thought to be most interesting and important information being talked about yesteday:

----

- All new technologies to be used at this years event including an open flame inside of a house which had never been possible before, and the return of queue line interactive text messages.


- Legendary Truth house concept was developed 2 years ago but was shelved due to not having enough time to develop the gags. The creative team wanted to develop more realistic gags like producing a ghost and other paranormal occurrences. Be on the lookout for those gags as you walk through this house. TJ Mannarino also shared that this house has an "opportunity to be not only a part of the event, but to become the event" and also revealed that possible in-park scenarios might be coming. If you want to know more about the backstory about Halloween Horror Nights be sure to follow www.LegendaryTruth.com.

From Domenik Jost on August 27, 2010 at 9:02 AM
- RIP & Unmasking The Horror Tours are returning.
^ Non-Private RIP Tour on a Non-Peak Nights will cost $150 per person.
^ Non-Private RIP Tour on Peak Nights will cost $175 per person.
^ Private RIP Tours on Non-Peak Nights will cost $1,500 per group.
^ Private RIP Tours on Peak Nights will cost $1,800 per group.
^ Unmasking The Horror Tour $75 per person.


- Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure returns for it's 19th year and Mike Aiello, who has written B&T for the last 9 years and directed it for the past 5 years, released a little bit of information about the story of what will be his last time working with the show. He revealed that the two main characters are facing replacement...in the story.


- What characters will return for this years event? "No creature is off limits," according to Mike Aiello. He also emphasized that although we will see icons and characters from the past, they won't be where we think they should be at. Characters that were previously in houses will roam the streets and the other way around. And what about this year's iconic character, Fear? The team said there are more details that will be released in the coming weeks but they did say that he (Fear) is an “all-encompassing” character and is bigger than past icons he controls but can also stand among them. TJ Mannarino added that, "the one thing that has been consistent (over the years) and that has been Fear. Fear has always been here, Fear is what we create every year, and Fear has been an element in whatever character/environment we create."


- "Zombies are very chic now. Zombies are last years Vampires." said Mike Aiello when asked about where the inspiration came from for the Zombiegeddon House.


- When asked about Rocky Horror not being a part of this years event, TJ Mannarino said that it "might come back in a few years or it might not. It all depends on what we (the team) feel is best for our audience and for our mix of content."

From 71.70.75.207 on August 28, 2010 at 6:03 AM
Sniff sniff...gonna miss Rocky Horror...always thought it was well-produced and acted. Maybe one day...till then...Don't dream it...Be it.

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