Every year in September and October, Universal Orlando transforms its usual playful facade into a ghoulish theme park with a singular mission -- to scare the bejeezus out of its guests. And once again they've succeeded.
Halloween Horror Nights 26 opened over the weekend, and thousands of horror buffs poured into the park to experience nine haunted houses, five terrifying scare zones, and two live stage shows. There's something for everyone -- even those who regularly avoid watching horror films and TV shows (ahem, this girl).
Leatherface having some fun grinding up a victim in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre House
Sid Werthan
New this year are three original haunted houses and six based on pop culture: American Horror Story, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Exorcist, Halloween II, The Walking Dead, and Krampus.
If you can only visit one house, make sure it's American Horror Story . This writer has only seen a couple of episodes from the creepy FX series, and ironically one of those scenes made it into Universal's haunted house (hint: it involves a bed at the Hotel. Cue spine tingling shiver now). This particular house, or maze, contains sequences from the first season of the series, "Murder House," as well as "Freak Show" and "Hotel." Without giving too much away, the creators did an excellent job of transforming the show from the small screen into a terrifying live-action experience.
This maze is a must-see for AHS fans and non-fans alike
Universal Orlando
Another highlight from HHN26 is The Exorcist . The 1973 film was the first horror movie to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. There are two types of people who enter this maze: those who've seen the movie and those who haven't. It's difficult to gauge who gets more freaked out by this haunted house, which centers on a 12-year-old girl who is possessed by a demon and the priests who try to drive the evil force out of her body. Yes, there's vomit. Yes, there's head spinning.
"The Exorcist" haunted house doesn't disappoint
Universal Orlando
In what's become a HHN staple, The Walking Dead is another one of the highlights of the annual event. It's always one of the most popular mazes and features scenes from seasons one through six of AMC's zombie series. Untold stories from the previous years are included in the house, which centers on favorite moments from the beginning of the show until now.
The walkers
Universal Orlando
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is based on the iconic slasher film from 1974. The maze follows the actual ground plan of what would have been the homestead house. There are a lot of leather faces. And a lot of chainsaws. Another slasher favorite is Halloween II , a sequel to the 2014 maze, which tells the rest of Michael Meyers' story. The horror comedy Krampus is also featured at HHN26. What makes this one stand out is that it's a Christmas maze with gingerbread men, elves and more. It's quite detailed, and be sure to look in the kitchen sink for a little bit of a laugh.
Leatherface attacks
Universal Orlando
Eager guests enter the Halloween II maze
This year's mascot is Chance, billed as the right-hand woman of Halloween Horror Nights legend Jack the Clown. She is featured in original maze Lunatics Playground 3D: You Won't Stand A Chance . This is the only 3D maze of the lot, and it takes participants into a trippy, neon nightmare that you can't wait to escape. HHN26 show director Patrick Braillard told members of the press during the event's opening night on Sept. 16: "She was taken and locked away, and that was the biggest mistake they could have made, because for Chance, getting locked away wasn't a sentence. It was a joy. They locked her in a confined area with 400 potential victims. There's a problem with that. Chance is going to break out." The disorientating house follows Chance as she takes over the asylum with a bunch of maniacs.
Chance is sure to creep you out
Univeral Orlando
Another original maze this year is Tomb of the Ancients . One of the defining features is the detritus that hangs from the ceiling that participants must constantly brush out of their faces as they walk through small pathways under low ceilings while trying to avoid monsters and creatures who lunge out of the darkness. "If you're claustrophobic, you're going to have a problem with this maze," Braillard warned. "It is one of the most impressive environments that we've ever had in our tenure."
The third original haunted house is "Ghost Town: The Curse of Lightning Gulch." The creators revisited a story from 2004, which centers on miners and settlers who found gold but didn't realize it was cursed. Everybody got caught up in gold fever and died, and guests get to see what happens when they set foot in the ghost town.
Vamp '55 scare zone
Universal Orlando
In addition to the nine haunted houses, there are two live stage shows: the popular Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure , which focuses on pop culture bits and lots of sexy dancing, and Academy of Villains House of Fear . There are also five scare zones that have been described as haunted houses without roofs. Be on the lookout for "Survive Or Die Apocalypse" in New York, "Chance in Hell" in Avenue of the Stars, "Vamp '55" in downtown Hollywood, "Dead Man's Wharf" in San Francisco and "Lair of the Banshee" in Central Park. "These five environments are also joined by roaming hoards of chainsaws," Braillard pointed out. So if you don't like chainsaws, you're in trouble.
Experience Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood through Oct. 31.
A sea monster from Dead Man's Wharf, one of the scare zones
Sid Werthan