WOW. Two weeks later and we have a ton of new information, tweets, pics, and video for Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights. Some mazes have been revealed; The Shining, American Horror Story: Your Roanoke Nightmare and Ash Vs. Evil Dead. That’s three, yet there are 7 mazes total under apparent construction. We hit the park to grab you the latest news and info for todays update. Along the way we also collected the most prescient tweets from Creative Director, John Murdy’s Twitter feed, @HorrorNights, to offer even more detail.
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The Passport to Fear events are one-night, special ticketed meet-ups at the best haunts in southern California. We take you behind the scenes, introduce you to the creators of the haunted attractions you love, and march you to the front of the line. It’s a guided tour of terror sold only by HorrorBuzz.
Tickets to the four events are on sale NOW here on the site.
If you weren’t able to catch the amazing panel held at Midsummer Scream, you have no reason to fear. Our coverage of the Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights Panel at Midsummer Scream is right HERE.
Here is an interview done with John Murdy and Chris Williams by our partner site, MUSE at Midsummer Scream JUST after the panel.
Okay let’s get started.
@HorrorNights catches us up
Here we recap Murdy’s tweets that don’t relate to specific mazes but that answer some pressing questions.
So what’s been going on? Well The Shining is finishing up scenic and going into props and dressing. Took a stroll through it today…
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 22, 2017
Unfortunately I don’t have a specific date for the next announcement yet (pauses for HHN fan groans to cease) so you have to hang in there.
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 22, 2017
I have to say your memes on the subject of waiting for announcements are hysterical. Very creative. Keep it up. I’ll get you info when I can
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 22, 2017
Of course we have Midsummer Scream coming up soon. People always ask me to do Q&A at those things but I rarely do…however…
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 22, 2017
I will answer questions at Midsummer Scream from the Twitter fans. So tweet me any question you want…I’ll pick some to answer at the show
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 22, 2017
I’ll also make sure to credit each person with their twitter handle, etc. on screen during the presentation. So you’ll be quasi-famous-ish
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 22, 2017
I usually leave all ticket related question to the sales team (cause you know…I’m the Creative Director) but wanted to clarify some things
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 27, 2017
There will be Frequent Fear multi-night pass available when general tix go on sale. I believe in August. Also a day/night combo ticket
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 27, 2017
We’ll be doing Early Entry like we did last year (where we open some mazes early). I’ll tweet all the details when we get closer to opening
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 27, 2017
Tip: If you can, you should buy your tickets early. The presale is for the first two weeks (they sold out last year). Be ye warned!
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 27, 2017
I see I have to answer more ticket questions. Yes there will be front of line tickets on sale in August. Those always sell out (buy early)
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 27, 2017
I know you’re all waiting for more maze announcements. Me too (and I’m not gonna jinx it this time). As soon as I green light you’ll get it
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 27, 2017
Started off the morning sampling maze scents. Now diving into video preproduction for all the video content we have to create for the mazes
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 28, 2017
As for the announcements…HHN tickets will go on sale this Tuesday. General tix, Front of Line tix, Frequent Fear tix and…
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 31, 2017
RIP Tickets…yes the VIP tickets for HHN are back! I know a lot of you have been asking for that. We heard you.
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 31, 2017
To state the obvious (but based on your tweets, maybe not so obvious) we still have more maze announcements to come in the days/weeks ahead
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) August 3, 2017
UPPER LOT
We wander the upper lot to find that framing has progressed on the new structure near the entrance of the park. Still the glitz, glamour, and the show continues despite the construction and the impending creep of Halloween Horror Nights construction.
This looks like it will be a pretty detailed building a lot like the updated Hollywood Deco look that took hold of the entrance during the park’s major renovation.
MAZE 4 Waterworld Queue
It was confirmed by Murdy, through the @HorrorNights twitter account, that a maze will be taking up residence in the Waterworld queue again. This week we ran by and got shots of it peeping over the construction walls.
Parisian Courtyard
In the Parisian Courtyard we see maze construction really heating up as the facade for a yet-to-be-revelaed maze comes to life.
Terror Tram
We hopped aboard the Studio Tour for pics and, of course, to check on any Terror Tram progress. While there really wasn’t anything visible yet, Murdy did tweet…
Doing final prep for a complicated film shoot I have to do on Monday for the Terror Tram video. Shooting off site and on property.
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 22, 2017
LOWER LOT
Let’s loop down to the lower lot for the news from down below.
Starway
Sections of the Starway are coming to life, slowly, in sections. About half of the new escalator additions are up and running with the others only a few weeks away.
COOL! Escalator guts!
The Shining • Maze #2
The progress of the Starway makes it only slightly easier to try and get pics for you of The Shining maze. To say we are excited about this maze is an understatement. As stated before, the maze begins and ends in the hedge maze featured in the film. First verdant and green, then in the end, icy and frozen.
Jurassic Park Queue Maze
The mystery continues as we observe the nameless and beautiful facade in the Jurassic Park Queue take shape. Below are pics, tweets, and a video ride-by.
The yet-to-be-named maze over by JP is also finishing up scenic and is in props and dressing. Pretty far along now…
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 22, 2017
BACKLOT
On to the Backlot area of the park. Here three separate mazes are under construction, two of them have been named, American Horror Story and Ash Vs. Evil Dead.
Ash Vs. Evil Dead
This is awesome, er, I mean groovy. The Ash Vs. Evil Dead maze is situated where last years Krampus was on the back lot. Finally Ash is back!
“By the pricking of my thumbs…something wicked this way comes…” (knocks wood)
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 27, 2017
Ash Vs Evil Dead, the 3rd maze to be announced for HHN 2017, is of course based on seasons 1 and 2 of the Starz TV show Ash Vs Evil Dead
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 27, 2017
The maze is being constructed right now on the Metro set area of the Universal movie backlot…where Krampus was in HHN 2016
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 27, 2017
Of course Chris and I are huge fans of the Evil Dead franchise and the show so we’re thrilled to be bringing Ash Vs Evil Dead to HHN 2017
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 27, 2017
So perfect that we enter the trailer to start the maze off. We hope there will be more to this entrance though as this clever entrance struggles to upstage the black tent behind it.
Maze 2
The unnamed second maze, sitting where Freddy Vs. Jason was last year, is now getting its facade. We have roughly a month and a half until opening night and we are expecting the announcements to come quick now.
Maze 3: American Horror Story: Your Roanoke Nightmare – Backlot
Yes, we are excited for American Horror Story: Your Roanoke Nightmare. But MAN! we really wish we were going to get Asylum. Murdy we will be keeping you to your tease about using those ideas for mazes in the future.
Make up is in full swing. Saw sculpts for Piggy Man and The Butcher from AHS Roanoke and some characters from Shining today.
— Horror Nights (@HorrorNights) July 22, 2017
And that is that folks! MAN what an update. Three mazes announced, four to go plus the Terror Tram theme and scare zones all coming within a month and a half. Things will begin to move quick now.
If you want the best possible night at any haunt, we suggest you join us for our PASSPORT TO FEAR nights at the best haunts in California. We have planned VIP nights at Knott’s Scary Farm, Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor, Six Flags Magic Mountain Fright Fest, and Friday the 13th and the Winchester Mystery House!
