Original Haunted Houses Thrill At Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood [REVIEW]
In Southern California, there are plenty of options when it comes to haunted houses, but not all of them can offer the option of walking through actual film sets. Halloween Horror Nights has access to cool IPs, great scare actors, and haunts like the Terror Tram that allow you to walk past set pieces from War of the Worlds, Psycho, and this year, Jordan Peele's NOPE.
I was excited for this year’s Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood after hearing they’d be putting on three original haunted houses, as well as an interesting collaboration with The Weeknd, and they absolutely did not disappoint. Below I’ll rank my favorite haunted houses from this year, as well as share my comments on some other entertainment, drinks, etc.
1. La Llorona: The Weeping Woman
What Universal says: You and your scream squad remember the tale of the woman who drowned her children, and then herself. Once a childhood fable, she’s back to terrify once again. This is no nightmare. This is La Llorona.
My thoughts: I’m a sucker for a good folktale, and everyone knows the devastating story of “La Llorona.” This haunted house is NOT based on the 2019 Linda Cardellini film, The Curse of La Llorona. I am obsessed with this haunted house. I could have walked through it over and over again. The costume design and makeup for the weeping women is beyond creepy, and the set pieces are really, really impressive. There are also a bunch of giant animatronics that I did not at all see coming - and their interaction with scare actors took it to the next level. DO NOT sleep on this house.
2. The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare
What Universal says: Prepare to enter the macabre mind of The Weeknd in this haunted house as he stalks your squad through the surreal nightmare of his After Hours music. A slasher carving a smile at an otherworldly rave. Bandaged maniacs performing extreme plastic surgery. A grotesque mannequin masquerade. His nightmare is now yours.
My thoughts: I was kind of surprised when they announced this collaboration, but I shouldn’t have been. The Weeknd is such a weirdo, and that is so beautifully evident in this haunted house. Not only is his music perfectly paired with the jarring imagery, but it’s scary, and even has a twisted sense of humor. This is definitely a standout maze from this year, and I hope Universal keeps doing stuff like this in the future.
The After Hours Nightmare Bar is another The Weeknd touch, and it features snacks, cocktails, and some cool photo ops. Bonus - if you have the express pass you can get yourself into the VIP section of this bar, with shorter lines.
3. Scarecrow: The Reaping
What Universal says: At an abandoned, Depression-era farm, vengeance takes root.The scarecrows are avenging the ravaged land. In this all-new haunted house, the only harvest that will be reaped is your scream squad.
My thoughts: Ranking these first three choices was really hard, because I was incredibly impressed with each of them. This one may have been the scariest for me. It is a bit reminiscent of the "Pumpkin Eater" haunted trail at Knott’s Scary Farm, but more vicious. You’d be screaming and moving away from one scare actor, look to your left, and another one was coming at you.
4. Halloween
What Universal says: Gather your friends, and visit Haddonfield, Illinois, where Michael Myers is about to don his mask, and embark on his first brutal spree. Silent. Merciless. Relentless. He’s the embodiment of pure evil. You don’t want to go alone as you go back to where it all began.This year, step into the original 1978 horror classic, Halloween.
My thoughts: Sometimes a haunted house based on an IP can be boring, since you know what set pieces to expect. However, this one is so jam-packed with Michael Myers appearances, that it would be difficult to be bored. Fans of the original film (like myself), will love this house, which also features actors reenacting brief but memorable moments from the movie.
5. Universal Horror Hotel
What Universal says: A 1920s Hollywood hotel, once the hunting ground of its infamous, serial killer owner, has been turned into a modern-day haunted hotel. Now he’s back from the dead. Your first stay will be your last.
My thoughts: The really cool thing about this haunted house is that there is a full narrative. It made me think of "B340," an excellent maze at the (sadly) now-closed Queen Mary Dark Harbor event. Of course, it also makes me think of H. H. Holmes (who was played by Evan Peters in the Hotel season of American Horror Story). You’re in a beautiful, vintage hotel, but the further into the building you go, the more you learn about the hotel’s dark history, and the serial killer who lived within it.
6. The Horrors of Blumhouse
What Universal says: Step inside a new double-feature of Blumhouse horror. Your scream squad will find yourselves trapped between a frantic teen, and the ruthless serial killer she’s swapped bodies with in Freaky. Then, you’ll try to make a desperate escape from the dark basement of The Grabber before you become his latest victim in the terrifying, The Black Phone.
My thoughts: They really went all in on this "scream squad" thing, huh? HHN does a good job of blending iconic scenes from both Freaky and The Black Phone in this haunted house, which even has title cards as you walk through different parts of Freaky, just like in the movie. I felt like The Black Phone sections should have been scarier, but I can’t say what exactly they were missing, perhaps more scare actors in that horrifying mask?
7. Killer Klowns from Outer Space
What Universal says: If ever there’s a reason why people are afraid of clowns, this is it. The Killer Klowns from Outer Space have landed. And the joke’s on you if you let you and your scream squad end up as gooey, out of this world snacks in the Klowns’ cotton candy cocoons. These Killer Klowns won’t have you screaming with laughter - just screaming.
My thoughts: Don’t get me wrong, this haunted house is very cool. It’s just not that different, if at all, from last year’s Killer Klowns house. It is fun, though, with lots of neon, and clowns squirting you with water. It had quite the wait, and seems like a crowd favorite.
8. Terror Tram
What Universal says: Terror Tram is back and this year it’s taking you on a nightmarish trip through some Halloween traditions that are best left in the darkness. It all ends with a journey into the mind of Jordan Peele as you disembark and walk through the Jupiter’s Claim set from his thrilling, new hit film, NOPE, populated by The Tethered from Us.
My thoughts: It was so cool walking through the real NOPE set while being scared by scissor-wielding Tethered from Us. My biggest problem here is that they pushed you to move through too quickly. We didn’t have much time to take in the amazing set, let alone interact with the killers in red jumpsuits. I love taking a photo by the Psycho house, but this one usually ends up lower on the list, simply because with the walking, you can see things coming from a while away. So it’s never going to be as scary as the haunted houses. It's one of my favorites though.
9. Universal Monsters: Legends Collide
What Universal says: If you thought one Universal Monster was scary, how about three? Better summon your scream squad, ‘cause you’re about to get caught in the middle of an epic battle between The Wolf Man, Dracula, and The Mummy, together for the first time ever. Their mission: To find the amulet that will break their curse. And they’ll destroy anyone who gets in their way.
My thoughts: I don’t know if my expectations were too high, because I loved the Universal Monsters maze from last year ("Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives"), but this one just wasn’t it for me. Perhaps it wasn’t long enough? Because I do love the Universal Monsters mazes - I mean, I miss the one they used to have all the time. It felt short. I'm not sure if it actually was shorter than any of the other haunted houses, but it felt that way.
“El Pueblo del Terror” scare zone was definitely my favorite. It was an extension of the absolutely stellar “La Llorona” maze, and filled with supernatural characters from Latin American myths (and you know how terrifying they are!). The “Sideshow Slaughterhouse” had some really cool stilt walkers, like a plague mask-esque creature. Near the front of the park you’ll also encounter the “Clownsawz” scare zone, which, if you can guess, features a bunch of chain saw-wielding clowns.
Admittedly I never go to the Jabbawockeez show, not because I’ve heard anything bad about it, but I’d just rather spend all my time in the spooky areas. Speaking of, for the first time at HHN Hollywood, the death eaters were out in Hogsmeade - and it was amazing. They even had fun, little walkthroughs filled with fog and green lighting that led up to a deatheater casting spells.
For some fun cocktails, The Weeknd’s After Hours Nightmare bar has four great options, one of which comes with a giant, gummy frog, and another with a syringe. The Día de los Muertos area is in the plaza again, offering more food and drink options, and a really gorgeous place to hang out. There is also a great display for the tale of La Llorona that I recommend checking out.
For those that may have been slightly disappointed last season, you’ll be happy to know that Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood is back, and better than ever (or at least better than last year). The original haunted houses pack such a wallop, that if you have the money to get the unlimited express pass, I’d recommend it. You’ll want to go through many of these more than once.
Don’t miss some of the most creative haunted houses they’ve had in a while. Grab some tickets while you can, now through October 31.
