The Bottom Line
Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights takes the prize for the scariest, most gruesome annual Halloween theme park experience in Southern California. Famous slasher movies are reenacted by dozens and in some case hundreds of replicate villains. They don't have the largest number of mazes, but they are definitely the most gruesome, and the Terror Tram, which takes you on a walk through the Crystal Lake Campgrounds to the Psycho House, is one of the most unique Halloween experiences around. Some, but not all of the park rides remain open. This is a separate ticket from the day pass.
Pros
- You get to walk through actual horror movie sets at night.
- Hundreds of scary villains with chainsaws chase you.
- Movie-themed mazes
- The goriest mazes around
- You get a workout running from monsters.
Cons
- The goriest mazes around - not for the feint of heart or stomach
- Long lines
- Not appropriate for children under 13 - Seriously! Don't bring them!
- Did I mention gory, gruesome and violent
- Hundreds of scary villains with chainsaws chase you
Description
- Address: 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608
- Dates: Sept 21, 22, 28, 29 Oct 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 18,19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 2012
- Hours: 7 pm to 1 or 2 am depending on the day
- Prices: Vary, separate from daytime admission. Front of the Line, Day/Night combo and VIP Tickets available. Online discounts of $5 to $25 off General Admission for certain days.
- Website: www.halloweenhorrornights.com/hollywood/
- Parking: $10 after 3 pm, preferred $20
- Metro: Red Line to Universal City, free shuttle to Universal Studios Hollywood
- Discounts: Online advance discounts
- Note: Guests are not allowed to wear costumes
- Tip: If you don't want the chainsaw clowns to chase you, don't run!
Guide Review - Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights - Hollywood
I don't know how Betsy (gocalifornia.about.com) talked me into going to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood. I hate slasher movies, blood, gore and things jumping out at me. So, since I know that I am biased in this regard, I recruited a couple 18-year-old friends to come along. Watching them run screaming from chainsaw-wielding clowns and pigs turned out to be highly entertaining.
Halloween Horror Nights has been increasing their number of mazes to compete with other local theme parks, and their warped set decorators do the most realistic job recreating sights, smells and atrocities from famous films. The mazes change every year, but as a rule, you should head to the most gruesome one first before the lines get long.
The mazes include graphic special effects of actors stabbing, sawing, slicing and eating the body parts of other actors and realistic dummies, (including a couple being stabbed having sex when I was there). This is not for kids!
There are special shows created for the event and popular rides like Transformers, The Simpsons, The Mummy and Jurassic Park are running, but the highlight for me was theTerror Tram, which also gets revamped every year. On our visit, the tram dumped us off on a path through the Friday the 13th campground; Norman and Mother Bates awaited us at the Psycho house and multiple Freddy Krugers leap out from theWar of the Worlds crash set. The dead and dying abound. For 2012, for the first time, visitors will have a chance to stop and take photos in front of the Psycho House instead of being forced past by staff.
Buy your tickets in advance because the event does sell out. People start lining up around 5 pm for gates to open at 7. If it's in your budget, I highly recommend getting Front of the Line Passes to avoid waits of 40 minutes or more. Since the Tram is one of the most popular attractions and the lines get really long, I would head there first. On Thursdays and Sundays, the Terror Tram closes the line at 10 pm.
Check the FAQs on the website for early bird discounts at CityWalk venues with your Halloween Horror Night ticket.
View Halloween Horror Nights Photos
Halloween Horror Nights has been increasing their number of mazes to compete with other local theme parks, and their warped set decorators do the most realistic job recreating sights, smells and atrocities from famous films. The mazes change every year, but as a rule, you should head to the most gruesome one first before the lines get long.
The mazes include graphic special effects of actors stabbing, sawing, slicing and eating the body parts of other actors and realistic dummies, (including a couple being stabbed having sex when I was there). This is not for kids!
There are special shows created for the event and popular rides like Transformers, The Simpsons, The Mummy and Jurassic Park are running, but the highlight for me was theTerror Tram, which also gets revamped every year. On our visit, the tram dumped us off on a path through the Friday the 13th campground; Norman and Mother Bates awaited us at the Psycho house and multiple Freddy Krugers leap out from theWar of the Worlds crash set. The dead and dying abound. For 2012, for the first time, visitors will have a chance to stop and take photos in front of the Psycho House instead of being forced past by staff.
Buy your tickets in advance because the event does sell out. People start lining up around 5 pm for gates to open at 7. If it's in your budget, I highly recommend getting Front of the Line Passes to avoid waits of 40 minutes or more. Since the Tram is one of the most popular attractions and the lines get really long, I would head there first. On Thursdays and Sundays, the Terror Tram closes the line at 10 pm.
Check the FAQs on the website for early bird discounts at CityWalk venues with your Halloween Horror Night ticket.
View Halloween Horror Nights Photos
