Halloween Horror Nights
Orlando, FL
September 28, 2007 - November 3, 2007
Overall:
Once a year Universal Studios decks out their park with blood and guts galore to commemorate the holiday where candy is a must, Halloween. (Note: This is not for the weak.) This year is the Carnival of Carnage with all the classic murderous maniacs, so be prepared to meet Freddy, Jason, and Leatherface head on. Oh, and watch out for the guys with chainsaws. There are 8 haunted houses, 4 shows, and midway of the bizarre as well as all of the traditional rides offered year round.
Who's Who:
Everyone is there! This place is packed. I would say that the majority of the patrons are in their 20's and 30's. Some people are screaming their lungs out and others are cool as a cucumber. I think it all depends on how easily you scare.
Cost Factor:
The price of tickets depend upon the day of the week you go. Florida residents can get special rates. The cheapest option is to go on Thursdays and Sundays. There is also an option to buy a frequent fear pass for those days. Saturday is the priciest night to attend with Friday in the middle. Universal also offers an express pass for an additional charge where you can bypass all of the lines.
Atmosphere:
Employees are in full costume gear (no costumes for patrons allowed) ready to pounce on unsuspecting bystanders, and the smoke in the air definitely makes it easier for them to hide, so look out behind you. It is chalk full of energy even up to the very end. The music is blasting and the people are screaming! They must be havin' a good time though because most people don't head out of there until they shut the park down.
Tastey:
The food is typical theme park food. They focus all of their energy into the entertainment, so I wouldn't plan on eating anything exciting. Actually, I ate before I even got to the park. It's cheaper and tastes better. I wouldn't waste the time or the money.
Liquid Courage:
Boy oh boy! They are not stingy with the booze. There is practically a bar at every corner. A few select beers are offered at most of the stands. For select bars, there is hard liquor for those of you looking for something with a bit more kick. They even offer liquid shots as well as jell-o shots in a syringe. I recommend their signature drink in the souvenir cup. It's a bit pricey, but you can refill it at a discount. It's got flashing lights too!
Flirtability:
Although there are a lot of people there, most come in a big group of friends making one-on-one time extremely difficult. The environment isn't very conducive to flirting unless you can convince a hottie that you need to be protected. I wouldn't count on meeting anyone there. Have fun with your friends and save the romance for another night.
Funness:
If you loved to be scared or just love the props, this is definitely a place to check out. I think it's enjoyable regardless if you scare or not. The more people you can rally up the better. Theme parks always seemed more eventful with a bigger crowd. Everyone else must agree with me because this thing just seems to grow larger every year.
Insider Scoops:
Lines are long! Be prepared to wait. Most of the lines are at least 60 minutes for the haunted houses. Definitely check out Jack's Funhouse in clown-o-vision. Even if it doesn't scare you, it sure looks cool. If you're short on time, skip The Thing and Vampyr. The Thing is just plain boring and Vampyr is flat out confused (stick to one them in the same house please). If you're not willing to wait, regular rides have a wait time of less than 15 minutes. Or check out one of their four shows. I didn't have time to see one, so sorry, no recommendations here. Oh, and no smoking in line.
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1 comment:
Some added perspective as a long-time attender of HHNs:
Cost Factor:
Although I've never splurged, I've heard that the express passes are definately worth the money. In the old days, we'd find a friend that required a wheel-chair to help us get to the front of the lines.
Tastey:
I agree with Liz. I've never found Universal food to be worth the money so I'd suggest stopping at somewhere on I-Drive before entering the park for some eats.
Liquid Courage:
Having partaken of the adult-beverage options in the past, the syringe shots are entertaining to eat but certainly not effective for any kind of altered state. I've also stopped at some of the bars within the park and just didn't find there to be the kick you'd expect with premium prices you pay.
Flirtability:
Although not an obvious pick-up local, I disagree with Liz. I think standing in some extremely long lines and some obvious conversation starters (Have you gone to X house yet), there are a lot of flirtability possibilities. Also, I've gone with a crush in a large group of friends and found that it's a perfect opportunity to get up-close and personal time.
Insider Scoop:
Not being one for waiting in traffic, I always make sure to stop off at Margaritaville for a couple drinks before hand. Although not one to encourage drinking and driving, I definately recommend finding something to do for a half-hour to an hour after the park closes to avoid the inevitable traffic jam.
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