Review: Halloween Horror Nights (Universal Studios Hollywood)

Alright!  One of my favorite times of the year is taking the trek out to Universal Studios in Hollywood for their annual Halloween Horror Nights extravaganza.  After transforming the theme park from a boring daytime adventure, you’re transported to a place full of famous horror icons, stilt walking clowns, and overpriced cold churros.  This being my 6th year at the event, I’ve seen mazes built around the likes of Nightmare On Elm Street, Friday The 13th, and even My Bloody Valentine.  Would this year top previous years, or would it make me regret paying $25 for preferred parking?  Let’s take a look at the 6 mazes from worst to first:

Universal Monsters Remix:  Ok – of course this one would end up on the bottom of the list, but I do have to eat my words a little or at least nibble on them.  The dubstep music wasn’t as distracting or annoying as I previously thought, but overall the maze just isn’t that scary.  There’s the Wolf Man and Chucky and a DJ/dancing girl combo in the middle of a strobe effect club scene.  Maybe if they had a zombified version of Rerun from What’s Happening come busting out some pop-locking moves, I would have enjoyed it more.

*oops, I crapped my pants*

The Walking Dead – Dead Inside:  Well, this one hurts.  If you’re a fan of the TV series or the comic, chances are you walked out of this one shaking your head.  And if you were one the many to stand in the 2 hour (yes….2 hour) wait to see this, you most likely felt the need to punch someone in the face afterwards.   Continue reading

News: Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights Bringing Back ‘La Llorona’ With A New Maze!

I keep telling and telling people – if you haven’t been to Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights in LA, you need to go!  It’s unlike anything I’ve ever been to regarding haunted houses and it always ups the ante each year with new mazes and attractions. Yesterday, it was announced that they’re bringing back one of my favorite mazes from last year, ‘La Llorona’ for the sequel ‘La Llorona: Cazadora de Niños’ or translated in english,  ‘Weeping Woman: The Child Hunter’.  Based off of a widespread legend in Mexico, Puerto Rico, and South America – the new maze will tell the haunting story of ‘La Llorona’, a beautiful girl named Maria from a poor village who desperately sought to win the affection of a rich nobleman. Rejected and grief stricken, she drowns her children in a river. Overcome with anguish, she drowns herself in a bitter end. According to legend, Maria’s tormented and distressed spirit wanders the earth, eternally piercing the night with mournful cries, “My children! Where are my children?” ― giving rise to her name, ‘La Llorona’ or ‘The Weeping Woman.’

*ay dios mio!*

As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, it takes a lot to creep me out and last year this maze creeped me out!  Just ask my wife who I clung to like a frightened child (probably just ruined my rep typing that).  Joining ‘La Llorona’ this year for the spooky fun is also the return of Alice Cooper with his new maze ‘Alice Cooper Goes To Hell 3D’; the very first ever maze revolving around the popular video game Silent Hill, ‘Welcome To Silent Hill’; and the grandaddy of them all right now…..a maze based off of the enormously popular tv show The Walking Dead called ‘Walking Dead: Apocalypse’. Now keep in mind also that there are still two more mazes to be announced (c’mon Exorcist maze, c’mon Exorcist maze), so it’s only going to get better.  So get off your ass and get to Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights this year!  Here are the dates and tickets will be going on sale soon (I highly recommend springing for the Front Of The Line tickets):  September 21, 22, 28, 29 – October 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 2831.  Ticket prices coming soon here.

*be afraid….be very afraid*