Wallpapers

Desktop Wallpaper, Universal Studios Florida, 2006. The desktop wallpaper for HHN 18’s “Tales” featured elements from “Fractured Tales” and “Asylum in Wonderland.” Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 18 website,  © 2015 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

Desktop Wallpaper, Universal Studios Florida, 2006. The desktop wallpaper for HHN 18’s “Nightmares” featured elements from “Interstellar Terror,” “Dead Exposure” and “Doomsday.” Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 18 website,  © 2015 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“Psycho Path: The Return of Norman Bates,” Universal Studios Florida, 2006. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 16 website,  © 2015 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“Harvest of the Souls” scarezone, Universal Studios Florida, 2006. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 16 website,  © 2015 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

Desktop Wallpaper, Universal Studios Florida, 2008. The desktop wallpaper for the “Myths” of Halloween Horror Nights 18 featured elements from “Body Collectors: Collections of the Past” and “The Hallow.” Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 18 website,  © 2015 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“Run: Hostile Territory,” Universal Studios Florida, 2006. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 16 website,  © 2015 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

30 Days of Halloween Horror Nights:  What’s Your All-Time Favorite House/Maze?

This was a tough call.  After much deliberation, I’m going with Halloween Horror Nights XIV’s “Hellgate Prison.”   It was a close contest, though, and “Hellgate” narrowly edged out “Demon Cantina,” “Ghost Town,” “Deadtropolis” and “Winter’s Night: The Haunting of Hawthorn Cemetery.” Here’s the reason why I ended up choosing “Hellgate Prison:” atmosphere.  From the moment one entered the queue line, the house let you know it was there.  With grainy, black-and-white news footage playing and the domineering voice of Warden Robert L. Strickland booming over the crowd, waiting to enter Hellgate felt like a prison sentence in itself. Once inside the house, the jailhouse cast really played their roles well.  “Hellgate Prison” was the first (and only) house where a scareactor made me gasp in disbelief.  I don’t remember the exact phrasing, but the inmate at the entrance made it quite clear what the prisoners would do to a “new fish” such as myself. Lastly, “Hellgate Prison” was memorable as it was my first exposure to the effect that I refer to as “Old Sparky:” an electric chair-bound prisoner who realistically twitched and convulsed as he was being put to death.  While this character has since appeared in other HHN houses (“Psychoscareapy: Echoes of Shadybrook” springs to mind), I will always remember how brutally realistic and graphic this electrocution sequence felt at the time. What’s your all-time favorite HHN house, and why?  Leave us a comment on Facebook! Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 16 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

30 Days of Halloween Horror Nights: Which Standalone HHN House/Maze Would You Most Like to Get a Sequel?

“Ghost Town” was a fantastic house.  Not only did it have an interesting backstory, but the house was fantastically detailed, down to the memorable smell of stables and horse manure.  From the Universal Orlando press release, here’s the description of “Ghost Town:”

“Strangled by gold fever, the violent town of Lightning Gulch disappeared in a fierce thunderstorm that swallowed up the settlement and all its ill-fated souls. Today there is no trace of the Gulch… except when vicious storms range, once again revealing all of the buildings and the tortured ghosts that lurk in its streets, saloons, and alleyways. Still desperate to protect long lost treasure, these wretched spirits remain blinded by the lust for gold and enraged by greed.”

Sounds pretty great, right?  Who wouldn’t love to see Halloween Horror Nights make a return trip to the long-forgotten ghost town of Lightning Gulch? What HHN house leaves you craving more?  Leave us a comment on Facebook or join our conversation on Twitter! Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 14 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

30 Days of Halloween Horror Nights: What’s Your All-Time Favorite Zombie-Themed House or Scarezone?

Set in the zombie-infested ruins of a modern-day city, “Deadtropolis” featured one of the coolest scenes in a haunted house that I have ever seen: Progressing through the crumbling city, you wind up in the subway.  To get through the room, one had to walk through an old, abandoned subway car.  As I walked into the car, strobe lights kicked on and made everything  feel like slow motion.  From the subway car windows, (what seemed like) dozens of grabby zombie hands shot in, blindly grasping for anyone inside. It was a simple effect, but it was original, well-done and incredibly memorable. Do you have a favorite House (or scarezone) of the Dead?  Leave us a comment on Facebook! Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights website, circa 2004, and is  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Flesh Wounds,” Universal Studios Florida, 2007. On this date in 1973, the fictional events of the 1974 film “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” occurred in Newt, Texas. In the film, a news report relates the recent discovery of vandalism and grave-robbing at a Plano County cemetery.  A group of young people set out to see if any of their family’s graves have been desecrated.  Along the way, they encounter a number of strange characters and eventually fall prey to a family of psychotic murderers.  The most notable of this family, Leatherface, is a hulking brute of a man who carries a chainsaw and wears the faces of his victims as masks. “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” was followed by a number of sequels, including a 2004 “reboot” of the franchise.  Leatherface and his family made their Halloween Horror Nights debut in 2007’s “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Flesh Wounds” (Orlando) and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Back in Business” (Hollywood).  The franchise also returned to Hollywood in 2012’s “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Saw is the Law.” Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights website, circa 2007, and is  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“H. R. Bloodengutz presents Holidays of Horror,” Universal Studios Florida, 2011. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 21 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

Desktop Wallpaper, Universal Studios Florida, 2007. On this day in 1939, fictitious mass-murderer Thomas Brown Hewitt, better known as “Leatherface” from the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” film series, was born in Texas. The original “Texas Chain Saw Massacre” film focused on a group of teenagers who met their ends at the hands of the sadistic Sawyer “family.”  While several members of the family took part in the murders, the majority of the “dirty work” was performed by a gibbering hulk of a man, the then-unnamed Leatherface.  The character’s most notable features (and the root of his nickname) were his gruesome patchwork flesh masks, which he is never seen without. The original film, “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” (1974), was followed by several sequels and was eventually “rebooted” in 2003.  In this reboot continuity, the character’s origins were revealed and he was given the name of Thomas Brown Hewitt. Leatherface made his Halloween Horror Nights debut in 2007’s Carnival of Carnage events: Orlando’s “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Flesh Wounds” and Hollywood’s “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Back in Business” houses.  He returned for the same Hollywood house in 2008, and followed that up with his most recent appearance in “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Saw is the Law” (2012). Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights website, circa 2007, and is  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“The Forsaken,” Universal Studios Florida, 2011. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 21 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“The People Under the Stairs: Under Construction,” Universal Studios Florida, 2006. On this date in 1939, prolific horror/thriller author, director, actor and visionary Wes Craven was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Craven’s filmography reads like a “Best Of” list of horror: Not only did he write and direct “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984), but he was also responsible for “The Last House on the Left” (1972), “The Hills Have Eyes” (1977), “Swamp Thing” (1982), “The Serpent and the Rainbow” (1988) and the “Scream” quadrilogy, among others. Several of Craven’s films and characters have directly featured at Halloween Horror Nights events, including Freddy Kreuger (“A Nightmare on Elm Street: Dreamwalkers” and others) and the Ghostface killer from Scream (Hollywood’s 2011 event and Orlando’s “All Night Die-In: Take 2”).  HHN II included a house based on “The People Under the Stairs” (1991), and was later revived in 2006’s “The People Under the Stairs: Under Construction.” Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights website, circa 2006, and is © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“Grown Evil” Scarezone, Universal Studios Florida, 2011. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 21 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.  

“Fright Yard” Scarezone, Universal Studios Florida, 2004. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 14 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“Leave It To Cleaver,” Universal Studios Florida, 2009. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 19 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“The Spawning,” Universal Studios Florida, 2009. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 19 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“HHN 13” Desktop Wallpaper, Islands of Adventure, 2003. A desktop wallpaper featuring the Icon for Halloween Horror Nights 13, The Director. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 13 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.  

“HHN 12: Islands of Fear” Desktop Wallpaper, Islands of Adventure, 2002. A desktop wallpaper featuring Halloween Horror Nights 12’s official Icon, The Caretaker. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 12 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.  

“HHN 15: Tales of Terror” Desktop Wallpaper, Islands of Adventure, 2005. A desktop wallpaper featuring the Icon for Halloween Horror Nights 15, Elsa Strict, aka “The Storyteller.” Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 15 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.  

“Run: Hostile Territory,” Universal Studios Florida, 2006. A desktop wallpaper from “Run: Hostile Territory,” the sequel to 2001’s “Run.”  This house served as an introduction to the 2001 event’s Icon, Eddie. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 16 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.  

“SAW,” Universal Studios Florida, 2009. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 19 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“Alice Cooper’s Welcome to My Nightmare,” Universal Studios Florida, 2012. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 22 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“Silver Screams,” Universal Studios Florida, 2009. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 19 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“AMC’s The Walking Dead – Dead Inside,” Universal Studios Florida, 2012. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 22 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“Horrorwood Drive-In” Scarezone, Universal Studios Florida, 2009. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 19 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“Universal’s House of Horrors,” Universal Studios Florida, 2012. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 22 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“The Wolfman,” Universal Studios Florida, 2009. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 19 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“Apocalypse: City of Cannibals” Scarezone, Universal Studios Florida, 2009. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 19 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.  

“Gothic,” Universal Studios Florida, 2012. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 22 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.  

“Lights, Camera, Hacktion!” Scarezone, Universal Studios Florida, 2009. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 19 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“Vampyr: Blood Bath,” Universal Studios Florida, 2007. Halloween Horror Nights 17’s “Vampyr: Blood Bath” was a sequel to the popular 2004 “Castle Vampyr” house.  “Blood Bath” was set in a modern-day nightclub/rave, where vampires feasted on unsuspecting humans.  The house was notable for its use of space: guests entered the house near the “Kitty Kat Klub”  in USF’s New York Street, ran through an uncovered section of “Sting Alley,” and then completed the house in the “Nazerman’s” location.  While the usage of outdoor space was an interesting idea, it also proved troublesome during Florida’s frequent rainstorms. “Vampyr: Blood Bath” was also the last house to ever occupy Universal Studios Florida’s “Nazerman’s” location, as it was converted into a Starbucks Coffee and Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream shortly thereafter. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights website, circa 2007, and is  © 2012 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“Chucky: Friends ‘Til the End,” Universal Studios Florida, 2009. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 19 website,  © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“ScreamHouse Resurrection,” Universal Studios Florida, 2006. The background story of Albert Caine, aka “The Caretaker,” mentions his penchant for grave-robbing and experimentation on the dead.  Hence, the shadowy rows of Saint Louis Cemetery-like vaults that are visible in this official Halloween Horror Nights “Sweet 16” wallpaper. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights 16 website,  © 2012 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“7” Scarezone, Universal Studios Florida, 2011. In addition to our daily posting of photos and video, we’ll also offer various other kinds of media from time to time, including desktop wallpapers.  The above image comes from HHN 21’s “7” scarezone.  Click the image for additional wallpaper sizes. Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights website, circa 2012, and is  © 2012 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

“Dracula: Legacy in Blood,” Universal Studios Florida, 2009. The house as described in the Halloween Horror Nights 19 guidemap:

“Vlad Dracul has chosen you – now you must decide whether to join the Dark Prince in everlasting life or reject his offer and suffer for all eternity.”

Wallpaper is from the Official Halloween Horror Nights website, circa 2009, and is  © 2012 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.