User:Farquaadhnchmn/HHNF

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Halloween Horror Nights is one of the largest Halloween events in the U.S., presented annually at Universal Orlando Resort.

Contents

[edit] History

Halloween Horror Nights began at Universal Orlando in 1991 under the title "Fright Nights" but was re-christened Halloween Horror Nights the following year, advertising it as the "second annual." It began as a 3 night event but has since evolved into a 19-night scare-a-thon spanning late September through October 31. In the past, event nights were also held for November 1 and 2, depending on the calendar days since Friday through Sunday were the prime event nights. An occasional Wednesday occurs during what scare-actors (the park's hired actors whose job is to scare people through a given role) dub "Hell Week", known for its large crowds and the increase of alcohol related incidents.

From 1991-2001, the event was held at Universal Studios Florida. Halloween Horror Nights moved to Universal's Islands of Adventure (IOA) in 2002. In 2004, the park experimented with a dual park format, which opened parts of both parks. Guests were funneled through backstage areas and the soundstages, where most of the haunts are built. In 2006, the event made a return to Universal Studios Florida.

Each year's event, though unique, has certain characteristics in common with other years. These include haunted houses, shows, scarezones, event icons, and event phrases.

[edit] Haunted Houses, Shows, and Scarezones

"Horror Nights" began in Orlando with one haunted maze and various musical and magic acts. That number has since grown to include seven houses, a new version of the Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure with each year, and several new and imaginative set pieces.

The haunted houses are the signature attractions at the event. The houses are located in various places in the park, including soundstages, attraction queue lines, and sometimes in the attractions themselves. For example, the former Kongfrontation building, currently home to the Revenge of the Mummy, was actually used as a scarezone/party zone complete with live actors. Guests were allowed onto the previously closed floor of the attraction which was a re-creation of 1976, New York City. In 2005, Poseidon's Fury was converted into a haunted maze and remained closed during the day. The JAWS Attraction also utilized actors in several scenes for one event.

Scarezones are strips of the park redressed to appear ominous or threatening (even in some cases, entertaining.) Perhaps most intriguing is the use of an open space, and the tactics necessary to produce a scare in such an environment. The chainsaw has always been a staple, and scare-actors make use of the area around them with frightening result. Scarezones were first utilized during HHN IV.

Starting during HHN II and continuing since, the event has featured Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure, based on the characters from the movie. It also normally features at least one other show based on the theme of that year's event. The event also held the Festival of the Dead Parade annually, starting with HHN VI and continuing until the event moved to Islands of Adventure.

[edit] Event Icons

Halloween Horror Nights Sweet 16 Event Icons in front of ScreamHouse: Resurrection
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Halloween Horror Nights Sweet 16 Event Icons in front of ScreamHouse: Resurrection

Over the years, Halloween Horror Nights has amassed a slew of "icons"- characters with large back stories that have often involved the event's theme, houses, or scarezones. Predominantly they have been used for promotional materials and merchandise.

The first unofficial mascot was the Cryptkeeper, from TV's "Tales from the Crypt", a series popular at the time of his first event appearance: "HHN V: Curse of the Cryptkeeper"

The Cryptkeeper returned the next year, but didn't return after as the series had been cancelled. Universal would then begin to create and use original mascots starting with HHN X.

  • Jack Schmidt - The first, original character developed by the creative team. Schmidt is an evil clown and mass murderer who spent years on the circuit of sideshows, luring small children and women to their deaths through his circus acts. He was first used during HHN X
  • Albert Caine - More commonly known as "The Caretaker", he was a surgeon turned mortuary owner who experimented on the sick or poor to steal their souls. His haunted maze was "Screamhouse" and "Screamhouse Revisited" from HHN XII and XIII.
  • Paulo Ravinski (Paolo back in HHN 13)- More commonly known as "The Director", he is a snuff film director whose passion was making movies where realism went beyond special effects. Commercials featuring the character and the tune "You Oughta Be in Pictures" were used to advertise HHN XIII. The Director could be found in the "All-Night DIE-In" maze and also hosted his own show for the event, Infestation.
  • Elsa Strict - More commonly known as "The Storyteller", she is an old lady who introduced guests to the world of "Terra Cruentes", a whole world ruled by an evil monarch known as the Terra Queen. Not much was given to her in regards to back story, seeing as a conflict between the advertisement and creative staffs prevented her from seeing much attention beyond the promotional materials. She was seen murdering a young man in the television adverts through various ways, including a bed of nails, and in a stage show at Halloween Horror Nights 16, pulling out his tongue with clamps.

Unused Mascots:

  • Eddie Schmidt - Jack's chainsaw-wielding, horror movie-loving brother. He was meant to be used for the event in 2001, but ultimately was dropped due to the September 11, 2001 attacks, deemed to be too extreme at the time.
  • Cindy Caine - The young, equally-insane daughter of The Caretaker. She was dropped from the 2002 event due to a number of then-recent kidnappings. The main theme for Scream House: Resurection for HHN 2006, were The Caretakers' followers looking for Cindy. During HHN rehearsals the followers would yell Cindy's name asking people if the had seen her, but producers dropped the idea on employee preview night when guests were confused as to who Cindy was.

Eddie has returned for Orlando's 2006 event. Also, Eddie made an appearance in the Horror Nights Nightmares house in 2004.

[edit] Islands of Adventures

When the event moved to Islands of Adventures for HHN XII and the years after, new opportunities arose along with new complications. Every island of the park was to be converted into a scarezone with its own house. However, Seuss Landing is used with express permission from Audrey Geisel, widow of Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss), who approved of its construction and the attractions within and has rights over what occurs during the events. It is said that the park was restricted to simply darkening this section of the park and playing the music backwards. Strobe lights and fog were inserted in some sections, but under no circumstances could characters be seen in any ant-thetical manner. In fact, actors were strictly prohibited up until 2005, when the park put cloaked characters in the streets on Friday and Saturday nights only.

Marvel Superhero Island was first used as a scarezone in 2002. In its incarnation, "Island Under Siege" it would be taken over at night by the Marvel villains. The Superheroes were either dead or had been defeated, while Carnage, Scream, the Punisher, an army of chainsaw gangs and several scarred police officers roamed the streets. Flamethrowers, broken-down cars, and junkyard debris littered the streets. The main attraction was "Maximum Carnage", Carnage's haunted maze. The island came under fire for its portrayal of the heroes. Several props implying that well known superheroes had died upon them inside the Maximum Carnage attraction were used. The portrayal of villains was perhaps another. For whatever reason, Universal has not focused the island on its Marvel heroes since, and instead used the area as a generic cityscape with bikers, mutated residents of a toxic spill, and more innocuously, a party zone with stilt walkers dressed as Dracula and Frankenstein.

[edit] Event Phrases

Each year, except for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th, Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights has had its own unique subtitle and/or marketing slogan.

  • Fright Nights - Dying for a good Halloween Party?
  • HHN 5 - The Curse of the Crypt Keeper
  • HHN 6 - Journey into Fear
  • HHN 7 - Frightmares (You'll never sleep again)
  • HHN 8 - Primal Scream (The last scream you'll ever hear)
  • HHN 9 - Last Gasp
  • HHN 10 - Not afraid of the dark? You don't know Jack...
  • HHN 11 - I.C.U. / Jack's Back
  • HHN 12 - Islands of Fear (Your time has come.)
  • HHN 13 - The Director will see you now.
  • HHN 14 - What's your breaking point?
  • HHN 15 - Tales of Terror (No one will live happily ever after)
  • HHN 16 - Sweet 16 (Horror comes home)

[edit] Fright Nights (1991)

Fright Nights started all Halloween Horror Nights off. The event featured only one haunted house, but many shows special to it.

Houses[1]

  • Dungeon of Terror (Jaws Queue) - Travel through a roadside haunt of gore and terror.

Shows

  • Beetlejuice Dead in Concert! Featuring the Ghostbusters! (New York Library)
  • Chainsaw Massacre (New York Streets)
  • Dr. Death (New York Streets)
  • The Human Pincushion (New York Streets)
  • Magical Mania (New York Streets)
  • Madame Kuszel - Gypsy Fortune Teller (New York Streets)
  • Cobra Woman (New York Streets)
  • Dragon Breath (New York Streets)
  • Starshower (Hollywood)
  • Paul Revere & the Raiders (Hollywood)
  • Monster Mardi Gras Costume Contest (Hollywood)
  • Prince Dragon (Amity)
  • Iron Belly (San Francisco)
  • Dr. Frankenstein's Theater Featuring Mistress of the Night, Frankenstein and Dracula (Beetlejuice Stage)
  • The Human Impaler (San Francisco)
  • The Gravediggers (World Expo)
  • The Pendragons (Animal Actors Stage)
  • Universal Science Band (World Expo)
  • Beetlejuice Graveyard Tours (World Expo)

[edit] Halloween Horror Nights II (1992)

Halloween Horror Nights II featured the introduction of two staples of the event: Robosaurus (at least for the early years) and Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure. Also, although this event was named the second, the original was not Halloween Horror Nights, but Fright Nights. During this event some of Universal's rides and attractions were given scarier names and back stories to go along with the theming.

Horror-fied Attraction[2]

  • Tramway of Doom (Kongfrontation) - Darkman haunts New York
  • Terror Underground (Earthquake) - A blood-filled tour.
  • Voyage into the Unknown (Back to the Future) - A deadly voyage.
  • Alien Forest (E.T. Adventure) - Escape from a ghoulish forest to an alien world.

Haunted Houses

  • Dungeon of Terror (Jaws Queue) - A cast of ghouls haunt the halls of this dungeon.
  • The People Under the Stairs (Soundstage 23) - A trip through a cryptic movie set.

Shows

  • Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure (Wild West Stage)
  • Robosaurus (New York Streets)
  • Carnival of Horror (Hollywood) - A one-night costume contest.
  • Thunderdome (Hollywood Streets) - An evil army and its barbaric queen terrorize guests.
  • The Pendragons (Animal Actor's Stage) - A magical act by this team of illusionists.

[edit] Halloween Horror Nights III (1993)

Haunted Houses[3]

  • The Slaughterhouse (Nazarman's) - A blood-filled house.
  • The Psycho Path Maze (Bates Motel) - Enter into the Bates Motel and relive the horror.
  • The People Under the Stairs (Soundstage 23) - A haunted house where the walls are alive.

Shows

  • Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure II (Wild West Stage)
  • Robosaurus (New York Streets)
  • Hex-Maniacs (New York Streets) - A magical show featuring illusions, including a cremation.
  • Human Blockhead (San Francisco)
  • Crossbows of Death
  • Burn and Bury (Animal Actor's Stage) - Traveling burial show.
  • Rock Inferno Featuring Herb Williams and Gibraltar (Hollywood) - Ghouls dancing and rocking out the night.


[edit] Halloween Horror Nights IV (1994)

Halloween Horror Nights IV marked the first use of a scarezone at Halloween Horror Nights. The scarezone was created to centralize the scare-actors to create better scares and safer environments. Also, this marked the last time Robosaurus would appear at the event for twelve years.

Haunted Houses[4]

  • The Bone Yard (Boneyard) - Guests enter the catacombs of an excavated insane asylum.
  • Dungeon of Terror (Earthquake) - The guests are poised to become the newest victims of the dungeon.
  • The Psycho Path Maze (Bates Motel) - Guests check in to the Bates Motel, but may leave like Mrs. Bates.
  • Hell's Kitchen (Nazarman's) - Guests are chased by demonic butchers.

Scarezones

  • Horrorwood (Hollywood) - This centralized scarezone featured the Chainsaw Drill Team, The Lizzie Borden Band and Axe Corps, and many others.

Shows

  • Bill and Ted Meet Timecop (Wild West Stage)
  • The Devil and His Showgirls (New York Streets) - A satanic musical revue.
  • The Price is Fright (Animal Actor's Stage) - Beetlejuice hosts the wildest game show in the world.
  • Robosaurus (New York Streets) - The monstrous machine.

[edit] Halloween Horror Nights V: The Curse of the Cryptkeeper (1995)

Halloween Horror Nights V marked the first use of an icon at Halloween Horror Nights: The Cryptkeeper. The Cryptkeeper added a new sense of horror to the Dungeon of Terror.

Haunted Houses[5]

  • Cryptkeeper's Dungeon of Terror (Earthquake queue) - In a maze with no escape, guests are posed to become the next victims.
  • Universal's House of Horrors (Soundstage 23) - Guests meet Hollywood's horror film legends which are back from the grave.
  • Terror Underground: Transmit to Torment (Nazarman's) - A journey through the subways of New York with creatures of the underground.

Scarezones

  • Midway of the Bizarre (Amity) - A ghoulish carnival.
  • Horrorwood Blvd (Hollywood) - Scareactors abound.

Shows

  • Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure IV (Wild West Stage)
  • Rock of Ages (New York Library) - A rock-and-roll revue with crypt jams.
  • The Price is Fright (Animal Actor's Stage) - Beetlejuice hosts the wildest game show in the world.

[edit] Halloween Horror Nights VI: Journey Into Fear (1996)

Halloween Horror Nights VI marked the return of the Cryptkeeper, the icon from the previous year. The Cryptkeeper's house was his Studio Tour of Terror

Haunted Houses[6]

  • The Cryptkeeper's Studio Tour of Terror (Earthquake queue) - The Cryptkeeper leads guests through a monster-filled studio tour.
  • Universal's New House of Horrors (Soundstage 22) - A wax museum where the exhibits of Universal's classic monsters comes to life after a lightning strike.
  • Toy Hell: Nightmare at the Scream Factory (Nazarman's) - An abandoned toy factory where the toys are alive.

Scarezones

  • Midway of the Bizarre (Amity) - Sideshow acts, games, and a ghoulish carnival dominate this area.

Shows

  • The Cryptkeeper's Festival of the Dead Parade
  • Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure (Wild West Stage)
  • Welcome to My Nightmare (Hollywood)
  • Ticks, Treats, and Trances (Animal Actor's Stage)

[edit] Halloween Horror Nights VII: Frightmares (1997)

Haunted Houses[7]

  • Tombs of Terror (Earthquake queue) - A journey into a New Orleans cemetery with vampires, mutants, and maniacs with chainsaws.
  • Universal's Museum of Horror (Soundstage 22) - A museum where Universal's monsters come to life.
  • Hotel Hell (Nazarman's) - A trendy New York hotel, which is home to ghosts, phantoms and demented staff members.

Scarezones

  • Midway of the Bizarre (Amity) - Sideshow acts, games, and knife-wielding clowns dominate this area.

Shows

  • Festival of the Dead Parade
  • Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure VI: The Final Frontier (Wild West Stage)
  • Frightmares (New York Streets) - Ghouls and monsters in a rock-and-roll revue.
  • Abra-Cadaver (Animal Actor's Stage) - Evil magicians take volunteers from the audience for their demented acts.

[edit] Halloween Horror Nights VIII: Primal Scream (1998)

Haunted Houses[8]

  • Hell's High (Nazarman's) - A trip through a high school where a slasher film is being shot. However, when filming stopped, the villains kept going.
  • S.S. Frightanic (Earthquake queue)
    • Fear in First Class - An exploration of the staterooms and ballrooms, haunted by former passengers.
    • Carnage Crew - An exploration of the bowels of the ship and its crew.
  • Museum of Horror (Soundstage 23)
    • Chamber of Horrors - Guests meet famous Universal movie monsters like Dracula and The Wolf Man.
    • Unnatural History - Museum exhibit where present-day horror films come to life.

Scarezones

  • Midway of the Bizarre (Amity) - Sideshow acts and haunted games populate this area.

Shows

  • Festival of the Dead Parade - Annual parade showcasing the event.
  • Horrorpalooza - A musical review with characters from horror films.
  • Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure: Dial "E" for Excellent! (Wild West Stage) - Follow the pair through movies and television shows.

[edit] Halloween Horror Nights IX: Last Gasp (1999)

Haunted Houses[9]

  • Psycho... Through the Mind of Norman Bates (Soundstage 23) - Experience the chillingly violent images that torment Norman's soul. For heavens sake, DON'T GO IN THE SHOWER!
  • Insanity (Soundstage 23) - Revenge-crazed inmates are running the asylum!
  • Universal's Creature Features in 3-D (Nazarman's) - Put on your 3-D glasses, as some of Hollywood's worst nightmares literally jump off the screen of a neighborhood movie theater at Florida's first ever 3-D haunted maze.
  • The Mummy (Earthquake Queue) - Navigate the depths of a mysterious Egyptian tomb and face ancient priests who want to make you a permanent resident.
  • Doomsday (Earthquake Queue) - Go on a journey through the warped underground of New York City as the impending arrival of the Millennium brings out the worst in the city that never sleeps.

Scarezones

  • Midway of the Bizarre (Amity)

Shows

  • The Festival of the Dead Parade
  • Dead D'Illusions (Animal Actors Stage)
  • Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure (Wild West Stage)

[edit] Halloween Horror Nights X: You don't know Jack (2000)

Haunted Houses

  • Anxiety in 3-D (Soundstage 22) - Enter the 3-D virtual reality of The House That Jack Built, and find yourself trapped in a malfunctioning 3-D video game.
  • Total Chaos (Soundstage 22) - Wander through a top secret underground military base where captured aliens are on the loose and thirsting for blood.
  • The Fearhouse (Nazarman's) - Try and make your way through a carnival where mirrored hallways, darkened corridors and hideous creatures make your escape unlikely.
  • Universal Classic Monster Mania (Earthquake Queue) - Experience "reel" terror as classic movie monsters are transformed into hideously gruesome and grotesque abominations.
  • Dark Torment (Earthquake Queue) - After riding Earthquake, you'll descend to the labyrinths of a nightmarish underworld where hordes of evil demons torment you at every turn.

Scarezones

  • The Gauntlet (Boneyard)
  • Midway of Dr. Morose (Amity)
  • Apocalypse Island (New York)
  • Clown Attack (Hollywood)

Shows

  • The Festival of the Dead Parade
  • Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure (Wild West Stage)
  • Jacked Up (Animal Actors Stage)

[edit] Halloween Horror Nights XI: ICU (2001)

The cover of the event guide for Halloween Horror Nights XI
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The cover of the event guide for Halloween Horror Nights XI

Halloween Horror Nights XI was a touchy event. Coming so close after the September 11 terrorist attacks on the US, Universal hurried to change the event to tone it down so it would be for accepting among the society at that time. Therefore the original mascot "Eddie" was scrapped at last minute. He was Jack's demented evil brother who led mass gangs of chainsaws, which explains the extreme amount of chainsaws during XI. Eddie was replaced by the return of Jack. Taglines such as "Jack's Back" and “There's no more clowning around," were used. Anything graphic or violent was scrapped from the event, displaying no blood or any sort of gore. Names were changed left and right, everything from The Festival of the Dead Parade to the names of houses. Some original titles (which may still sound familiar) included "Bloodbath Underground" as what we knew as "Ooze Zone," modifications included red lighting being changed to green. "Scary Tales" was originally named "Terror Land," could you imagine a house at Islands of Fear named "Terror Land II?" "Nightmare Alley" was originally titled "Slasher Alley," and the most obvious change would be the Festival of the Dead Parade being renamed as "Nightmares on Parade."*[10]

Haunted Houses[11]

  • Scary Tales (Soundstage 22) - Enter an abandoned carnival attraction and find yourself in a nightmarish fairy tale world where there's never a happy ending.
  • Pitch Black (Soundstage 22) - A mysterious zone of darkness has appeared causing weird disturbances. It's up to you to investigate... if you dare.
  • Superstitions (Nazarman's) - Explore a hidden warehouse filled with ancient relics and urban legends that will have you believing in the supernatural.
  • The Mummy Returns: The Curse Continues (Earthquake Queue) - Based on the hit movie! Venture through a maze of tomblike corridors and dark caverns in the Temple of the Scorpion King, where danger lurks around every corner.
  • Run (Earthquake Queue) - Become a guest contestant in a diabolical new game where there are no questions, no prizes, and only one rule - try to escape without losing your mind.

Scarezones

  • Midway of the Bizarre (Amity)
  • The Unknown (Sunset Blvd.)
  • Nightmare Alley (8th Ave.)

Shows

  • Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure (Wild West Stage)
  • Dangerous D'Illusions (Animal Actors Stage)
  • Nightmares on Parade
  • Boogeymen (Pantages Theater)

[edit] Halloween Horror Nights XII: Islands of Fear (2002)

The cover of the event guide for Halloween Horror Nights XII
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The cover of the event guide for Halloween Horror Nights XII

In 2002, the event was moved from the Universal Studios park to its adjacent sister park, Islands of Adventure. The year's mazes revolved around the imaginations of Dr. Albert Caine, also known as The Caretaker. Dr. Caine would lure his victims to his Victorian Manor (Scream House) to operate on them and find their soul. Each island became an evil version of itself by nightfall, with Marvel Super Hero Island becoming over-run with villains and Jurassic Park falling prey to rampaging dinosaurs and angry mutant half-breeds.

The Caretaker was not the original icon for HHN 12. Cindy, the demented little daughter of mortuary owner Paul Bearer, was originally the icon of the event. In the event's premise, every land would be ruled over by her "playthings"- Spider-man's nemesis Carnage, Nightmare, the Treaks and Foons, and The Grinch. Unfortunately, after a string of child abductions in the area, Cindy was abandoned and her father Paul Bearer morphed into Albert Caine. Caine was portrayed by actor Bryce Ward for publicity and television appearances, and an elaborate Opening Scare-a-monies which featured a victim being tortured by snakes and scorpions.

HHN 12 was the year documented in the Travel Channel special "The Art of the Scare" , produced by Lightship Entertainment. It documented the mazes, special effects, and the overall feel of the event. Even today, Travel Channel airs the special during October.

Haunted Houses[12]

  • ScreamHouse (Soundstage 20) - There's something disturbing about this small town mortuary. The bodies just don't want to stay dead - and they don't want YOU to leave!
  • Project Evilution (Triceratops Discovery Trail) - Deep within the jungle, top secret genetic experiments have gone horribly wrong, creating hideous mutants half human, half dinosaur... and all evil.
  • Fear Factor (Thunder Falls Terrace) - Imagine a place where your greatest fears become reality. Feel your way through absolute darkness in room crawling with insects, snakes, spiders, worms, rats and more.
  • Scary Tales II (Popeye Queue) - Step into the pages of the grimmest fairy tales ever told, where nobody lives happily ever after. In fact, nobody lives.
  • Maximum Carnage (Carnage Warehouse) - Venture into the labrynth-like secret hideout of the malevolent Carnage, an insane criminal with incredible alien powers, who's bent on mindless destruction.

Scarezones

  • Port of Evil (Port of Entry)
  • Boo-Ville (Seuss Landing)
  • Island of Evil Souls (Lost Continent)
  • JP Extinction (Jurassic Park)
  • Treaks and Foons (Toon Lagoon)
  • Island Under Siege (Marvel Super Hero Island)

Shows

  • Town Square of Tortured Souls (Port of Entry)
  • Fountain of Evil (Lost Continent)
  • Studio 666 (Lost Continent)
  • Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure (Toon Lagoon Amphitheater)

[edit] Halloween Horror Nights XIII: The Director will see you now. (2003)

The cover of the event guide for Halloween Horror Nights XIII
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The cover of the event guide for Halloween Horror Nights XIII

For its 13th year, the event's theme was based on the evil mind of the Director, a film creator who often did short snuff motion pictures in which his victims died on camera. The mazes were all "sets", and the Director himself hosted his own stage show. The event's commercials featured a cover of the song "You Ought to Be in Pictures."

Haunted Houses

  • ScreamHouse Revisited (Soundstage 20) - Something is drawing you back to this haunted Victorian manor, where ghostly apparitions and gory corpses try to make sure you never leave again.
  • All Nite DrIvE-In (Soundstage 20) - Enter a deserted drive-in theater that showed nothing but slasher films. Peek behind the screen and you may find yourself on the set of the Director's latest "slashterpiece."
  • Psycho Scareapy (Jurassic Park Discovery Center) - Get ready for a dose of shock treatment as the inmates are running the asylum. If you think you have any hope of escaping, you really ARE insane.
  • Jungle of Doom (Triceratops Discovery Trail/Camp Jurassic) - Face the curse of bloodthirsty zombies after trespassing on the ancient Burial Ground of Lost Souls, where even the pounding of tribal drums can't drown out your screams.
  • Funhouse of Fear (Thunder Falls Terrace) - Nothing is what it seems in this mind-boggling maze of optical delusions and maniacal clowns that will have you running for the exit. Too bad there isn't one.
  • Ship of Screams (Popeye Queue) - This aging cruiser liner was found adrift at sea without a soul on board. Now its decks are roamed by a ghostly crew and passengers. Will you be joining them?

Scarezones

  • Port of Evil (Port of Entry)
  • Immortal Island (Lost Continent)
  • Boo-Ville (Seuss Landing)
  • Night Prey (Jurassic Park)
  • Hide & Shrieeek! (Toon Lagoon)
  • Toxic City (Marvel Super Hero Island)

Shows

  • InfestStation (Enchanted Oak Stage)
  • Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure (Toon Lagoon Amphitheater)

[edit] Halloween Horror Nights XIV: What's Your Breaking Point? (2004)

Female demon
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Female demon

In 2004, Universal pushed for the event to take place in both parks, albeit in condensed forms. The event's houses were sprawled mostly in Universal Studios Florida; however guests entered through Islands of Adventure and could visit Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure, the Disorientorium house, the Marvel Island party zone, or pass through Seuss Landing and Field of Screams to go to Universal Studios.

The parks would close portions of each other, only keeping hit attractions operating, like The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk (roller coaster), and the Revenge of the Mummy (which had opened that year) during the event. The parks became so packed, that Universal opened designated closed sections on Saturdays and Sundays to alleviate crowd control, and began inserting actors throughout IOA to fill the dead space.

Names of the Haunted Houses
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Names of the Haunted Houses

Haunted Houses

  • Disorientorium (Carnage Warehouse)
  • Castle Vampyr (Soundstage 23)
  • Ghost Town (Soundstage 22)
  • Horror in Wax (Soundstage 20)
  • Deadtropolis (Earthquake queue)
  • Halloween Horror Night Nightmares (former Herc/Xena Showcase)
  • Hellgate Prison (Soundstage 20)

Scarezones

  • Point of Evil (IOA's Port of Entry)
  • Fright Yard (Backstage path between Lost Continent and New York)
  • Midway of the Bizarre (The former Boneyard)
  • Field of Screams (Backstage field behind Seuss Landing)

Shows

  • The Festival of the Dead Parade
  • Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure (Toon Lagoon Amphitheater)

[edit] Halloween Horror Nights XV: Tales of Terror (2005)

The Queen's Army gathers at Terra Guard Run
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The Queen's Army gathers at Terra Guard Run

In 2005, the event featured these attractions:

Haunted Houses

  • Terror Mines (Poseidon's Fury)
  • Cold Blind Terror (Soundstage 20)
  • Where Evil Hides (Soundstage 18 and 19)
  • Blood Ruins (Soundstage 22)
  • Body Collectors (Jurassic Park Discovery center)
  • The Skool (Thunder Falls Terrace)
  • Demon Cantina (Carnage Warehouse)

Scarezones

  • Terra Guard Run (IOA Port of Entry)
  • North Hollow (Toon Lagoon)
  • South Hollow (Peak-only Seuss Landing zone)
  • Cemetery Mines (Jurassic Park)
  • Blood Thunder Alley (Marvel Superhero Island)
  • Fire Pits (Lost Continent)

Shows

  • The Terra Throne - (Port of Entry Landing)
  • Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure - (Toon Lagoon Amphitheater)

2005 was an important year for HHN. Universal tied the event with an elaborate back story of how the land was ruled by an evil queen, and how each land worked for her. The story wove through each house and scarezone and depicted the roles of the various actors and how they worked for the queen.

As it went, the land of Terra Cruentus was a dark realm of middle-earthian and modern mythos. Guests entered through Terra Guard Run (Port of Entry at IOA), which was a melting pot of the people of Terra Cruentus. Characters from every island were featured, scaring guests as they entered. The Queen herself was a dictator who rode a motorcycle featuring wings and the head of a wolf/bull hybrid. She ruled from her Terra Throne, a twisted tree forged of blood and steel by the hard workers of the Cemetery Mines. Her source of power was a blade, called the Terra Throne Blade, which was used during human sacrifices, which were needed to satisfy her and continue her rule over the land. The blade was forged in the Fire Pits. The bodies of these sacrifices were given to the Body Collectors, who took them apart and kept only what could be salvaged. While the workers worked, the children of Terra Cruentus terrorized the Skool, especially around the Season of the Queen, a time of ritual in Terra Cruentus. While most of the realms worked, the realm of Iron Bone Gorge a.k.a. Blood Thunder Alley roared to life with passionate vice, as the demons inhabiting the world lured guests to celebrate the resurrection of the queen through drinking of the Bloodberry Wine and escaping to the local Demon Cantina, where guests could be terrorized by the vampiric assailants who drank there. Beyond "Maldakken Pass" (an area of vendors and derelict props) lay the "tests" of fear: Blood Ruins, Where Evil Hides, and Cold Blind Terror.

Each night of the event planted actors were brought up on the main stage (A.K.A. The Terra Throne) and then Sacrificed for the queen for their blood to make Blood Berry Wine. The actors were mutilated via special effects such as fake chainsaws and swords. If the crowd was not into it that night, actors were occasionally let go. Some guests panicked thinking it was real and asked the actors if they were "ok". On the final night the Terra Queen sacrificed herself.

The newest special effect introduced at HHN 15 was a new "helmet" technology. For the Terror Mines haunted maze, every 10th guest was given a hard hat with a light on it. As the guest and his group proceeded through the maze, the light would go out, change colors, strobe or stay normal. Sensors throughout the maze would designate what effect took place.

On busy peak nights, a portion of Universal Studios Florida was open for event-goers, which included a special chain link fence maze called Rat Run. On a platform above the maze stood Jack the Clown, heckling guests as they made their way through.

[edit] Halloween Horror Nights XVI: Sweet 16 (2006)

Promotional poster for Halloween Horror Nights Sweet 16
Enlarge
Promotional poster for Halloween Horror Nights Sweet 16

After four years at Islands of Adventure, the event returns to Universal Studios Florida on its "Sweet 16". The 2005 Horror Nights website was removed and updated with a teaser page on July 1, 2006. On July 10, the official 2006 Horror Nights site went live. The official press release of the event was made on September 1, 2006. The site was fully updated the same day, revealing the complete roster of houses, scarezones, and shows.

The mazes this year represent what are said to be the greatest houses in the event's history. Many fans worried this idea was a cost effective way of just rebuilding past houses, however with the addition of subtitles to each house's names, Universal Creative signified that these would be revamped versions with new characters, new effects, and possibly a whole new look. Previous icons such as The Storyteller, the Director, the Caretaker and Jack the Clown have returned for this year's event by making appearances in the mazes. Also returning are characters such as Eddie and Darkness, along with the Chainsaw Drill Team, a staple of earlier Horror Nights. The Drill Team acts like a military unit as opposed to recent years where chainsaw scare-actors wandered through specific areas of the park separately.


Haunted Houses

  • ScreamHouse: Resurrection (Soundstage 23) - Dare to tread among the eternally tormented souls of the Caretaker's victims.
  • PsychoScarepy: Maximum Madness (Soundstage 22) - Step inside Shady Brook Hospital where Jack is up to his deadly tricks.
  • All Night DrIvE-In: Take 2 (Soundstage 23) - Witness the vilest horror that has ever been spliced together by none other than the Director himself.
  • People Under the Stairs: Under Construction (Left tent in between Back to the Future and MIB Alien Attack) - Welcome to home-sweet-hell, a house so demented that even its incomplete walls bleed.
  • Dungeon of Terror: Retold (Jaws Queue) - Enter an old roadside haunt where the Storyteller's whispers call you deeper into hell.
  • RUN: Hostile Territory (Earthquake Queue) - When the lights go out, the voyeurs suddenly become the victims.
  • Psycho-Path: Return of Norman Bates (Right tent in between Back to the Future and MIB: Alien Attack) - Unlock the door into the macabre nightmares of pathological killer Norman Bates.

Scarezones

  • Deadtropolis: Zombie Siege (New York)
  • Harvest of the Souls (Sunset Blvd.)
  • Blood Masquerade (8th Ave.)

Shows

  • Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure (Fear Factor LIVE! theater)
  • Sweet 16: The Director's Cut (Studio Lagoon)
  • The Arrival (Hollywood)
  • Robosaurus (New York) (Oct. 12th - 31st)

Other

  • Horror Comes Home (Hollywood)
  • Chainsaw Drill Team (Touring the rear half of the park between Back to the Future and Beatlejuice, passing MIB and Jaws)
  • The Rat Lady (With accompanying band)

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Halloween Horror Nights I. hhnvault.com (2004). Retrieved on 2006-10-23.
  2. ^ Halloween Horror Nights II. hhnvault.com (2004). Retrieved on 2006-10-23.
  3. ^ Halloween Horror Nights III. hhnvault.com (2004). Retrieved on 2006-10-23.
  4. ^ Halloween Horror Nights IV. hhnvault.com (2004). Retrieved on 2006-10-22.
  5. ^ Halloween Horror Nights V: The Curse of the Cryptkeeper. hhnvault.com (2004). Retrieved on 2006-10-22.
  6. ^ Halloween Horror Nights VI: Journey Into Fear. hhnvault.com (2004). Retrieved on 2006-10-22.
  7. ^ Halloween Horror Nights VII: Frightmares. hhnvault.com (2004). Retrieved on 2006-10-22.
  8. ^ Halloween Horror Nights VIII: Primal Scream. hhnvault.com (2004). Retrieved on 2006-10-22.
  9. ^ Halloween Horror Nights IX: Last Gasp. hhnvault.com (2004). Retrieved on 2006-10-26.
  10. ^ [1]
  11. ^ Halloween Horror Nights XI: I.C.U.. hhnvault.com (2004). Retrieved on 2006-10-26.
  12. ^ Halloween Horror Nights XII: Islands of Fear. hhnvault.com (2004). Retrieved on 2006-10-26.

[edit] External links