An article concerning Halloween Horror Nights XIV article written by Erin Anderson:
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Don't miss this year's Halloween Horror Nights; every year is an original creation.[]
Imagine your worst fear or your most terrible nightmare has come to life. Imagine you are forced to live in a world that has been turned upside down and twisted into a kind of of terror that can only be found in movies and bone chilling ghost stories. You may believe this type of dread could never actually exist, but it does at Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights. Every October, guests can venture over to Universal Studios and enjoy a wide variety of haunted houses.
Only one month after the event is over and most people are planning their Thanksgiving dinner, a group of men and women known as the design team at Universal Studios begin to plan next year's Halloween event, their idea of trick-or-treating for college students and adults. These men and women pull ideas from popular horror movies, books, and other trendy methods of fear. No matter how many times a guest has experienced Halloween Horror Nights he/she will not see a repeat of past haunted houses or scare zones. The design team is committed to innovation.
Along with the design team working year round, another group of usually overlooked people are the actors. These aspiring actors are the most critical part of Halloween Horror Nights because they interact with the guests. When the actors arrive at Universal for a night of scaring about one to two hours before the park opens, they have to change into costume and spend an hour having the necessary makeup applied. Each actor works forty-five minute shifts all night, which equals approximately four and a half hours of popping out from behind corners and screaming in guests' faces. To help the actors not lose their voices from screaming, many recordings are made of screams and other loud, chilling noises.
In addition to sounds and sights, smells are also incorporated into the haunted houses. As the Director of Art and Design for the Entertainment Division, TJ Mannarino explained that Universal works with companies around the United States who simulate smells which can be blown into a room. These smells add even more atmosphere to each menacing abode.
This year, Halloween Horror Nights' seven haunted houses and four scare zones cover both Universal Studios as well as Islands of Adventure. While walking from one haunted house to the next guests who are already petrified are forced to pass through scare zones. These zones, strategically placed around the park, are basically outdoor haunted houses. Actors dressed to fit into the bizarre words carry chainsaws and wear blood-curdling prosthetic face masks in order to get a scream out of an unsuspecting wanderer.
However, frightening each haunted house and scare zone may be, there are many safety precautions the design team takes in order to ensure every guest is scared but safe. One major aspect of the safety comes from the security guards who are on the design team, helping the artists plot each scare zone in secure areas and plan out each room in the haunted. A few rules set down by the park also help to make sure the actors and the guests are safe. They implement the following rules: no touching the characters, no touching the guests, and guests are not admitted into the park if they are wearing costumes.
If any of the haunted houses contain stairs the design team will create an alternate route and several extra rooms for the folks who many not be able to trek up the flight of stairs. What did Universal's design team not think of?
Each and every haunted house and scare zone is unique in its own eerie way. When asked which one was his favorite, TJ Mannarino put in plain words he did not have a favorite, "if any of you have children... well, it's hard to pick your favorite child". At Universal Studios they take scaring extremely seriously. So, if you think you are daring enough to relive your worst nightmares, if you believe you cannot be scared, test the spine-chilling haunted houses and the horrifying scare zones at Universal Studios.
PHOTO CAPTION 1, FIELD OF SCREAMS: The design team paid special attention to the scare zones this year, making them the scariest yet.
PHOTO CAPTION 2, DINNER FOR TWO: This is just a sample of the elaborate set design that is part of the Halloween Horror Nights event.
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