An article concerning Halloween Horror Nights: Tales of Terror written by Eric Grimmer from the Central Florida Future:
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Once again, frightful event is bigger, nastier than previous years[]
Orlando has seen its fair share of creepy old people. But thanks to Universal Orlando, the bar has been raised. This year's Halloween Horror Nights mascot is The Storyteller, a twisted take on a usually kind face of an elderly woman. The character is a perfect match for the new theme, "Tales of Terror." And, as with most successive Halloween Horror Nights, it is also the most expansive year yet, with seven haunted houses, four scare zones and two shows.
Haunted houses include: Body Collectors, a body dismemberment plan where workers break down bodies into their specific parts; Demon Cantina, a normal seedy border-town bar, except this one is frequented by vampires; and The Skool, a '20s style schoolhouse run by its pint-sized maniacal students.
When many think of Halloween and horror in general, they often expect to see cases detailing the supernatural and events that usually don't happen in reality. Halloween Horror Nights strives to do the exact opposite. That is the job of T.J. Mannarino, director of art design, who helps to design the haunted houses.
"We strive to re-create new environments," Mannarino said. "We take places you know you're already scared about, with characters you're already scared about, and twist it." Trying to come up with new themes and scares for its haunted houses is one of the hardest things, Mannarino said.
If any house, theme, or scare seems repeated, core fans of Halloween Horror Nights are sure to jump on it. With that in mind, Halloween Horror Nights has new twists for its returning patrons. One of those twists is the Terror Mines, a different kind of haunted house. Instead of the house being slightly illuminated, it is pitch-black. It is the job of the guests to light the way through the terror. One out of every few visitors is given a helmet with a flashlight on it, like the miners. In this haunted house, dubbed the first of its kind, "you are an integral part of the environment," Mannarino said.
Another new aspect is the addition of a detailed and rich back story to the Tales of Terror. Each haunted area has a back story. All of the haunted houses, scare zones and its characters work together to serve the High Priestess Queen, who sits on high on the Terror Throne. Poteintial guests interested in the story of the queen and her minions can read it at www.halloweenhorrornights.com.
However, according to Mannarino, it is not necessary for a memorable experience at Halloween Horror Nights. If early indications are any predictions, this year's Halloween Horror Nights is sure to be a success. John Mertz, senior coordinator of public relations, is working his sixth year at the event and has also been attending it as a guest every year. This past weekend, the opening was "the busiest opening weekend I've ever seen." According to Mertz and Mannarino, early guest feedback has been extremely positive.
Desiree Goguen, 20, and Haim Asher, 21, are two such guests that are very happy with this year's version of Halloween Horror Nights. Anyone who happens tours on a haunted house with Goguen will soon know all too well the fear and terror these houses can instill. With her bloodcurdling screams and propensity to latch onto any guest who happens to be walking in front of her, "no one is safe," Goguen's escort for the evening, Asher, said. According to the pair, the avant-garde Terror Mines and the gruesome Body Collectors are the scariest houses of them all.
The goal of Halloween Horror Nights is to "create characters, environments, and attractions that you can't see anywhere else," Mannarino said. With its latest twisted additions and its tradition of terror, the 15th installment of Halloween Horror Nights will surely be a frightening success.
Article Link[]
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2856&context=centralfloridafuture