I Guess We’re Talking About Halloween Horror Nights

It’s hard to believe that we’re just about six months away from the beginning of Halloween Horror Nights 28. As of right now I still don’t have my Universal Pass having let it lapse out back in December. I was hoping to rectify this during Mardi Gras when they are running their 15-month promotion but that isn’t looking likely.

Regardless, I will be in attendance at Halloween Horror Night and plan to renew my pass around that same time.

With just around six months remaining until opening night, the internet is abuzz with the rumors of what is to come. As are former scare actors based on some of my bar top conversations with them. Perks of being a bartender, people like to talk.

There is talk that there will be 9 mazes featured in Orlando with 7 of them being Intellectual Property with the 2 remaining being original content houses. There is minor talk of a possible 10^th house but let’s stick with the 9 for now to keep things simple.

It’s looking like the worst kept secret of 2018 will be that Stranger Things will in fact make it to Halloween Horror Nights this year. With Season 3 of the show officially announced, it would only make sense to use HHN to promote it. While the first Season dropped in July of 2016, the second season saw a late October release in 2017. Makes sense to repeat this for 2018 so why not hype it up a little?

I, for one, have not watched the show but I know that I will in anticipation of seeing it in maze form. Get those “ratings” Netflix. I tend to finish what I start so obviously I’d watch a third season after binge-watching the first two.

Smart move.

The series will be marketing the same time that HHN amps up their advertising to it’s a win-win for both. There’s great potential for Netflix to advertise the maze on its own platform, potentially reaching a whole new audience for the Horror event.

There’s also some heavy buzz surrounding John Carpenter’s The Thing which has appeared before in 2007 and again, albeit updated, in 2011. The talk is stemming from some unusual Facebook activity. The page for Universal Orlando Resort ‘liked’ The Thing very recently on Facebook. HHN is notorious for dropping hints all over the place and this seems like an obvious one. Unless they’re throwing us off.

I really wouldn’t put it past them.

Next comes talk of American Horror Story. I would imagine that when the property came about two year ago, there were contracts signed for some longevity, especially with the houses receiving wildly positive reviews.

The talk of 2018 is that the AHS house this year will focus solely on the current, seventh season, Cult. I haven’t personally seen this one yet so I’m not sure what to think. I don’t know if I like the idea of one season dominating a house. I saw this in Hollywood with Roanoke and I hated it. Granted I was ultimately disappointed with everything about Hollywood’s event so there’s that.

There’s also talk of full devotion to the Asylum season which I don’t fully understand as it was my least favorite of the seasons. I could see Freak Show or even Roanoke (if done properly) but still, there’s so much material despite the need for repetition after having covered all that’s available.

We’ll see.

Then comes the little scare-zone that could. One of the best I have seen in my three years of attending HHN was Trick R’ Treat which is now heavily rumored to be converted into a maze. Frankly, it could return as a scarezone and I’d be perfectly okay with it as it was utter perfection. The attention to detail was unparalleled and I couldn’t get enough. It was a hard one to photograph but I didn’t care, I loved it.

Give me a Trick R’ Treat house and that’s where I’ll be living for the duration of the event without question.

There are some light rumors of Nightmare on Elm Street (let’s not, please) and a return of Blumhouse- either a mash up of films or one based on its upcoming Halloween sequel. I was disappointed with what they did with Blumhouse this past year so I’m hesitant to be excited about it. It was very clear that something changed at the last minute and properties were removed in favor of adding The Purge and Insidious.

This resulted in The Purge being present in not one but THREE areas of the event last year: Horrors of Blumhouse, The Purge scare-zone and the Alters of Horror Zone. It felt cheap and lazy and insulting. This stemmed off of some budget issues that I talked about in my previous rumors post.

Fine, but don’t it again.

I don’t care that we’re getting a new Purge movie this year. It’s a lazy concept. I said it.

The idea of a house based on the remake of IT is still floating around and I will continue to STRONGLY encourage it.

Please?

Though, I’ll be honest, with the sequel to the smash horror hit being released in 2019, it would almost make sense to wait until then.

OR

Bring is a Neibolt house similar to the pop-up that found its way to Los Angeles as a teaser for the movie’s release. I didn’t get a chance to experience it when I was out there and I regret it terribly. If done right, bringing the experience back with all new additions for 2019 wouldn’t be a problem at all.

The original movie scared the crap out of me and who knows how I’d react to Pennywise being inches away from me.

Who knows.

You might actually scare me this year HHN!

Last rumor I want to address is what’s to come of live entertainment with the demise of Bill & Ted. I’m going to go ahead and say it’s safe to assume that fan-favorite Academy of Villains will be returning. The reasoning is purely selfish because I’ve had the opportunity to become close with the cast and I absolutely adore them. The talent and dedication is out of this world and I admire them greatly. Hell, it’s part of the reason I’ve been doing dance workouts, because I love dancing and they’ve inspired me.

Anyway, there’s been some talk of a possible comedy-show taking over the Fear Factor stage to be hosted by SNL’s David S Pumpkins. In reality, Bill & Ted parody the character and the talent is there to portray him- I’m looking at you Thibodeau…

So when does it all begin? Best guess for this guy is going to be September 14^th. Hours for September were recently posted for Orlando and the park will be closing weekends at 5pm starting on this date. This can only mean one thing- HHN time folks and the first night being that Friday.

Again, this is all speculation so please don’t hold me to any of this and I’ll certainly be updating as I hear more. Until then, I’m counting down the 190 days I suspect are left between now and the return of my favorite event of all time.