Common has been a fixture on the earth of monster films for the reason that Nineteen Thirties, bringing fictional creations just like the Wolf Man, Dracula and the Invisible Man to the massive display screen.
These well-known monsters have been a mainstay at Common Orlando Resort for the reason that park opened in Orlando in 1990, exhibiting up in sights just like the “Horror Make-Up Present” and the Revenge of the Mummy curler coaster.
It solely is smart that Common would drive full-throttle into the world of haunted sights by turning its total park into one. Common Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights started as a three-night occasion in 1991 (hosted by none apart from Beetlejuice himself) with only one haunted home.
Now in its thirty second yr, Halloween Horror Nights will run for a record-breaking 44 nights from Sept. 1 by way of Oct. 31, and if you wish to get the socks scared proper off your ft, it’s important to plan forward. Standard dates, together with opening weekend and Halloween, promote out early. It’s essential get your now if you happen to don’t need to miss out.
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All through the occasion’s two-month run, visitors can expertise a extra sinister facet of Common Orlando. The occasion is held at the hours of darkness of night time after Common Studios Florida closes to daytime visitors, and the haunted homes, out of doors scare zones and reside exhibits function a terrifying counterpart to the family-friendly enjoyable that Common is in any other case recognized for.
There is no such thing as a minimal age requirement for Halloween Horror Nights, however because of the intense nature and excessive gore, the occasion just isn’t really helpful for kids underneath the age of 13. In case you are contemplating bringing youngsters, use your finest judgment on whether or not or not they’re prepared for this occasion.
Right here’s every part that you must know earlier than exploring the darker facet of Common Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights.
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2023 Halloween Horror Nights dates
This yr, Halloween Horror Nights will happen on choose nights between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31. The occasion is open each night time of the week besides Mondays and Tuesdays. The one exception is Oct. 31, which does fall on a Tuesday this yr.
The occasion begins at 6:30 each night time and sometimes operates till 2 a.m.
Haunted homes
There will probably be 10 haunted homes at Common’s Halloween Horror Nights this yr, although just one has been confirmed to date. Homes are normally a mixture of unique ideas dreamt up by the menacing minds at Common and popular culture horror favorites like “Halloween,” “Stranger Issues” and “Beetlejuice.”
The homes are scattered all through the park. The Common Orlando app features a map of the place they’re within the park. Some are in overflow queue areas for rides, some are in actual, working soundstages, and others are in giant tents that don’t look practically as scary on the skin as they do on the within.
To date, Common has solely introduced certainly one of this yr’s homes — a home impressed by everybody’s favourite killer doll, Chucky from the “Kid’s Play” franchise.
Scare zones
Along with the haunted homes, Common creates a sequence of out of doors scare zones all through the park. This yr there will probably be 5 scare zones, and there’s just about no method to get across the park with out going through the scare zones head-on.
“Scareactors” (it rhymes with “characters”) roam across the scare zones searching for unwitting victims to frighten, however they aren’t as scary as the homes. They’re extra more likely to shoot you an evil glare or comply with behind you a bit too carefully. Nonetheless, additionally they received’t hesitate to rev a chainsaw proper in entrance of you in the event that they assume it’ll make you leap.
Like the homes, every scare zone has a unique theme, although none have been introduced but for this yr’s occasion.
Tickets
for this yr’s occasion begin at $79.99 per individual, plus tax. Halloween Horror Nights is a individually ticketed occasion, so this doesn’t get you daytime entry to the parks.
Should you do have a daytime ticket (or annual cross), Common normally retains small sections of the park open the place you’ll be able to have a drink and chunk to eat whereas they “flip” the park for that night time’s festivities.
You’ll have the chance to be one of many first in line for the homes when the park reopens for the night. In previous years, you might additionally pay a bit further so as to add on a “Scream Early” cross to get into the parks earlier than the gates open to different HHN visitors.
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Should you plan on visiting a number of occasions all through the occasion, Common additionally gives multinight passes.
Should you do need to benefit from the parks throughout the day and at night time, that embrace lodge lodging, park tickets and admission to Halloween Horror Nights. You possibly can even use your lodge keycard to entry a devoted occasion entrance just for lodge visitors.
Upgrades
Common gives quite a lot of add-ons and upgrades for Halloween Horror Nights. These embrace:
- Halloween Horror Nights R.I.P. Tour: That is Common’s play on a VIP tour for Halloween Horror Nights. Your skilled information will lead you to a precedence entrance at every home, sharing their in-depth information of the occasion alongside the best way. You’ll additionally get entry to a pre-tour reception with complimentary meals and a money bar, limitless Common Specific skip-the-line trip entry and a commemorative tour credential, lanyard and pin. Group and personal excursions can be found, and pricing begins at $299.99 per individual, which doesn’t embrace the price of your Halloween Horror Nights ticket.
- Halloween Horror Nights Behind-the-Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tour: Two sorts of individuals would profit from the Unmasking the Horror tour. Those that are too scared to go to the haunted homes at night time and those that need to dive deeper into the element of the homes. It is a lights-on tour that takes place throughout daytime hours. You possibly can select to tour three or six haunted homes, and costs begin at $119.99 per individual, plus tax, and $169.99 per individual, plus tax, respectively. Common theme park admission or Halloween Horror Nights tickets aren’t required for this occasion.
- Halloween Horror Nights Specific Move: Common additionally gives an HHN Specific cross that allows you to skip the standby line as soon as per night time on the haunted homes and choose sights, much like the daytime Common Specific cross. Wait occasions for the haunted homes can climb as excessive as 90 minutes on busy nights, so this add-on is properly definitely worth the cash. Pricing begins at $109.99 per individual, plus tax.
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Suggestions
Reside exhibits
Once we say that Halloween Horror Nights takes over your entire park, we imply it.
Apart from the haunted homes and scare zones, there are two reside exhibits, themed foods and drinks cubicles and unique Halloween Horror Nights merchandise. The Common Orlando app consists of occasions for reside exhibits. You sometimes need to arrive a minimum of half-hour previous to showtime to get a great spot.
get in early
When you have a daytime ticket, annual cross or the “Scream Early” add-on and a ticket for Halloween Horror Nights, you’ll be able to sometimes reap the benefits of what’s unofficially referred to as “Keep and Scream.” When the park closes for the day to common visitors, you’ll be able to keep contained in the park in designated “holding areas” to be one of many first in line for the haunted homes as soon as the occasion begins for the night.
Suggestions for scaredy cats
Should you sometimes do not do the haunted home factor, it’s possible you’ll be questioning if you happen to ought to even go to Common Orlando throughout Halloween Horror Nights. Should you aren’t fairly positive if you happen to can deal with it, there are nonetheless methods to benefit from the occasion.
As we talked about, the out of doors scare zones aren’t fairly as scary as the homes, so it’s a great way to tip-toe into the occasion. You can even spend your time taking part in carnival video games, consuming themed meals, driving curler coasters and watching the exhibits if you happen to want a break from the homes.
You can even guide the aforementioned “Behind the Screams: Unmasking the Horror” tour to see the homes throughout the day with the lights on and with out the leap scares. Seeing the homes with the lights on and getting the lay of the land, so to talk, might even provide the braveness that you must go to once more at night time.
Halloween Horror Nights merchandise
A lot of the merchandise is within the Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Retailer close to the Revenge of the Mummy coaster. The shop itself is a themed attraction, with a number of rooms full of props and decor that make it really feel like a haunted home with out leap scares.
You should purchase the requisite hats and T-shirts, together with specialty masks, artwork and memorabilia. There’s additionally a complete room devoted to spooky treats.
Unique characters
One of the vital fascinating issues about Halloween Horror Nights is the unique characters, that are properly developed and appear to seek out their manner into the occasion yr after yr.
A information of those characters and the tangled net of lore surrounding the occasion isn’t essential to get pleasure from it, however there are a selection of articles on that go “behind the screams” of the occasion if you wish to study extra.
We’ll report again after the occasion … if we survive.