By Ashley Thomas. Posted September 25, 2015 at 01:35PM on “UO Close Up,” the official Universal Orlando blog:
In my opinion, Halloween Horror Nights is the best part of Universal Orlando (without the clowns—those are definitely in the “con” column for me). It’s the reason I wanted to work here, and the reason that I haven’t missed a single event in the past 12 years.
As part of my job, I get to develop and support some of the cool bonus experiences you can add on to your Halloween Horror Nights that really amp it up.
Unmasking the Horror Tour
As a true Halloween Horror Nights fan, I love the Unmasking the Horror Tour which includes:
- Daytime, lights-on tour of 3-6 of the houses (depending on if you do a single or combination tour) where you get a behind-the-scenes look into how the Art & Design team transforms the biggest names in horror into the event’s haunted houses
- These tours are SCAREACTOR FREE—no scares, no monsters, just pure appreciation of the year-long effort that goes in to creating these incredibly detailed houses. You’re welcome, HHN-is-too-scary crowd.
- Guests can take pictures on the tour. This is social media gold for the month of October (take THAT, pumpkin carvers!)
Did you know that many of the houses this year are taking various aspects of past houses/characters and combining them? For example, RUN: Blood, Sweat and Fears combines the RUN houses (they’ve been in two previous events) and puts the storyline in Hellgate Prison, which was a house featured in Halloween Horror Nights 14. I didn’t either! But that’s the kind of fun insider information you can get on this tour.
Halloween Horror Nights Scareactor Dining Experience
This is one of the new dining offerings this year. It includes an all-you-care-to-eat-buffet (four words: carving station and pie) and the opportunity for photos with Scareactors that guests will recognize from years past.
Since the event is at night, and the Scareactors are doing what they do best during the event—terrifying innocent bystanders—the opportunity to meet and get pictures with them in a well-lit restaurant is too good to pass up.
Halloween Horror Nights Express
One thing any regular attendee already knows is that this event is REALLY popular. To maximize your time, you can get an Halloween Horror Nights Express Pass to skip the regular lines at the houses AND participating rides and attractions. That “whoosh” sound is you flying through your night.R.I.P. Tours
Now. If you’re looking for the ultimate experience, I’d recommend the “blood-red carpet treatment”—And that means an R.I.P. Tour. Some of the perks include:
- Commemorative Halloween Horror Nights 25 lanyard and credential (it GLOWS IN THE DARK, you guys)
- Priority VIP entry into all of the haunted houses (this, for me, always excludes all clown-related houses but it’s okay to sit one out and talk to the Tour Guide about where other clowns might be lurking. In case you’re wondering, they won’t give you their light-up sword for protection even if you ask nicely).
- Reserved seating at Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure
At the end of the night—after hours of scares and actively avoiding Jack (is that just me?)—the valet parking benefit that’s included makes the R.I.P. Tour the best decision you can ever make. Ever.
The cool thing about these products, like Halloween Horror Nights itself, is that the design team’s creativity ensures the add-on experiences include new content and are different every year. (Unlike my adverse reaction to clowns, which is intensely consistent. Have you picked up on that yet?)
So, when you grab your Halloween Horror Nights ticket, check out the Upgrades. Now, if I could just find the “Remove all clowns” option…
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