Halloween Horror Nights - Orlando - 10/05/08

[SummerInFL]

Phil and I made the trek to Orlando to check out Halloween Horror Nights, the theming this year was especially appealing to me because the idea of Fairy Tales gone wrong just sounds so cool. Helps that my favorite story of all time is Alice in Wonderland and they had a TON of Wonderland goodness (which you'll see later.)

Should you wish to see all the photos I took last night, please visit HERE.

I want to note that I've never been to Universal prior to this night, so it was interesting to see how one of Disney's biggest competitor's handles a theme park.

After finding our spot in the Dr. Suess parking area, I was pleasantly surprised to see the movable walkways leading to City Walk.

City Walk had their own performers walking around for the holiday, most on stilts, it was a neat touch and started the event off well for us.

As we hadn't eaten dinner yet we sat outside at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville and enjoyed the evening breeze. Phil had a taste for wings, luckily they had just what he was looking for.

After we headed over to the Universal entrance and they had Bloody Mary BLARING over the speakers, set the tone really well, was very creepy.

I think the best part was the Scare Zones and the streetmosphere characters they had walking about, I definitely yelped more for them than any of the haunted houses. LOL

Our first course was through the Asylum to Wonderland, JUST loved it, of course, the dark twist to the characters were just fabulous.

Queen of Hearts

Alice

Even the White Rabbit was kind enough to let me give a kiss.

The Mad Hatter was wicked creepy, I loved it.

While waiting in line for The Hallows I saw the scariest thing all evening.

Barney...

The Hallows description per the map...

Samhain, The Hord of the Underworld, has trapped the souls of the damned..and now they call to you.

It was ok, in this house we kind of got stuck in between scares, because it was SO crowded people in front or behind us kept getting jumped at, it was funny to watch though! LOL

Then stopped by Men In Black and had fun with that, it's like Buzz Lightyears mixed with Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin. The theming was excellent!

We skipped over The Simpsons because the wait time said 10 minutes but the guy at the door said it was really 90 and it just hadn't updated yet. So we said we would come back, but we ran out of time.

While the queue lines were longer than the Macy's Day parade route, they did give you the option of texting for a choose your own adventure fun while waiting in line.

The next house we went into was "Dead Exposure" which consisted of zombies and strobe lights. I am afraid of two things, zombies and Bloody Mary, so this one was terribly frightening for me. LOL There was one scene we had to walk through with dead bodies hanging from hooks and the zombies would run in and out of the swinging bodies scaring you, they got me really good in there, I couldn't leave fast enough. LOL

Enter a realm where the flash of a camera reveals horrors beyond comprehension as the city becomes overrun with hordes of bloodthirsty zombies.

Next up was Bloody Mary herself, I was so scared to do this one but it was so disappointing, they showed Bloody Mary once as you walked in the door and she appears and disappears in a mirror. The rest was just people jumping out of brokens windows and mirrors, for the key house of the event Phil and I both thought it wasn't very impressive and I so wanted to like it too.

The only way for Dr. Mary Agana to face her deepest fear -death- is to watch the light of life leave your eyes as your soul leaves your body.

Next we checked out Doomsday, which is based on the film.

The Reaper's virus ravages the populace, leaving those left behind after the plague to survive by any means necessary. Based on the blockbuster Unversal Pictures release.

I liked it, they had guys with chainsaws and for those that have seen the movie, the guy who sings at the concert at the end of the scare, singing on a stage. Otherwise it was people with bats and various instruments trying to attack us. LOL

This next one, Interstellar Terror, I really liked as well, it was set in space and people were beyond creepy in it.

The first manned spacecraft to leave our solar system has returned...but with an alien artifact on board that has devastating effects.

The Skoolhouse was probably my favorite scare zone next to Wonderland, it had these little children in masks running around freaking me out. LOL

We had wanted to catch at least one show so we stopped by and saw the magician, Brian Brushwood. He did all of 2 tricks and showed some freaky video, so we were a little disappointed. He was fairly funny though and I'm sure, given more time, he would have been much more impressive.

Our last house and the one I was looking forward to the most, was next on our list. The sign said 10 minutes but it was a good 30-45 before we got in, I didn't care, it was worth it.

Scary Tales: Once Upon a Nightmare: Wind your way through twisted fairy tales where princesses don't get saved, children don't escape the woods, and there is no escape from the rabbit hole!

It had such great scenes! They had another Alice in Wonderland scene with Alice on the tea party table, trying to share the intestines of the White Rabbit that she had hacked up on the table.

Then in the Wizard of Oz scene there was corn rows and scarecrow was running around and he had Dorothy skewered on a post and he was eating her brains at one point.

There was a Cinderella scene where the Wicked Stepmother had Cinderella in the stocks and had chopped her foot off, all the while holding that foot in her hand, showing she got the glass slipper.

There were a bunch of others but those were the most memorable to me.

At the exit again they had more characters, Bo Peep who decided her sheep looked a lot better on her walking stick and Red who wanted to bring her Grandmother something to eat.

Excuse the hair, it was the end of the night and I was exhausted. LOL

I did take some video, but they didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped but you're welcome to check them out.

This one is of the Wicked Witch who was talking to people as they were leaving the park.
MOV09224 videos from amusement parks videos on webshots

This is the entire walk through of Scary Tales, although it's mainly of the couples backside in front of us, the sounds are worth a listen anyway. LOL
MOV09221 videos from amusement parks videos on webshots

And this was taken as we were walking out through the Asylum in Wonderland scare zone.
MOV09223 videos from amusement parks videos on webshots

Overall we had an ok time, I think the waiting in line for the majority of it was what killed us, so next time we will probably opt for the Horror Express and by pass the lines. I'm just disappointed that we just didn't have time to ride the attractions that were open because we spent most of the evening waiting in lines!! LOL

The End!

[larasound]

Cool TR Summer!

[PretzelSouls]

Nice photos!

[albino_pygmy]

Love reading your trip report as you experienced Universal and HHN for your first time, glad you had fun

[mikeland]

Thanks for the great TR, Summer! HHNt doesn't look as scary in your report.

[SummerInFL]

Originally Posted by mikeland

Thanks for the great TR, Summer! HHNt doesn't look as scary in your report.

Thanks because I kill em with kindness.

[saveFerris]

I didn't understand the "texting" thing about deciding your level of adventure. Can you explain?

[SummerInFL]

Originally Posted by saveFerris

I didn't understand the "texting" thing about deciding your level of adventure. Can you explain?

Sure, I apologize that I wasn't really clear on that. While waiting in line you could send a text message and take on a choose your adventure type game while waiting that was related to the haunted house you happen to be in at that time. We did one of them and it was fun and it served it's purpose of passing the time.

[aimster]

I can't believe you'd never been to Universal before this!

[Villains Fan]

Great pictures Summer...I love the pictues of the characters from Asylum in Wonderland. It's fun to see a gory twist to something .

[WheresMickey]

Nice report!

[kcnole]

If that picture of Simpsons was taken at the time it said ten minutes, unless the ride was broken down, that line really does only look like a ten minute line.

You should really give Universal and IOA a shot one day on a regular day. My pass just recently expired and I'd be really sad, except that we can't afford to make the trips right now anyway, not with a one year old, but I've been probably 6-7 times in the past two years and had a great time each and every time I've gone.

[SummerInFL]

^Oh we will, it's just with the small amount of time we really only had time to focus on the event and not the park itself. I was really sad we couldn't do more and knew I wanted to come back at least once.

[albino_pygmy]

With this year's event, I'm not sure how anyone's able to do all the houses and shows in one night without an express pass, let alone do all that and still have time to squeeze in several attractions. Would you be back for another night of HHN this year, Summer, or would your next visit be just to the parks during the day? Either way, I can't wait to read about your next trip to the parks

[SummerInFL]

Originally Posted by albino_pygmy

With this year's event, I'm not sure how anyone's able to do all the houses and shows in one night without an express pass, let alone do all that and still have time to squeeze in several attractions. Would you be back for another night of HHN this year, Summer, or would your next visit be just to the parks during the day? Either way, I can't wait to read about your next trip to the parks

Unfortunately we won't be back this year, October is a busy month with all the trips to WDW we have planned as well as regular Halloween stuff on top of that. I agree about the express pass though, Phil and I said when we go again we are getting the Express, I'm not waiting in those lines again. LOL

I have other trip reports that you might like, just check my signature.