Tag Archives: Thrillz

Sky’s the Limit at Cirque Vertigo at Busch Gardens

Posted on by
Reply

If you missed Cirque Vertigo last week at Busch Gardens’ Real Music Series during the park’s 60th Anniversary, don’t panic! It is coming back at the end of the Real Music series. This highly popular limited engagement was a packed house at each show. For those who miss the touring Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus for all its death-defying acrobatics, then you are in for a treat! Returning for the final week of Real Music Real Masters series, Cirque Vertigo featuring the famous Wallenda Duo March 11-16. As none of the Real Music Real Masters shows run on Sunday, for those of us whom work Monday-Friday, make sure you catch the show on Saturday at either 11:30 or 1:30. Seriously, this show fills up faster than Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. And with good reason. It’s a limited run and is an absolutely spectacular extravaganza.

I cannot mention enough the importance of picking up a FREE show ticket (that essentially means you have A seat) before the show. The show WILL FILL UP. I imagine that the second run of the show will be even more popular because of all the Twitter and Instagram activity during the first run. So, you have a few weeks to plan your next visit.

At approximately 45-minutes, this is a long theme park show, but it is high impact the whole time. Cirque Vertigo has it all–comedy, acrobatics, audience interaction, and adrenaline pumping music! The show opens with a hilarious monologue and giant ball-spinning act by the emcee. This is a great transition from arriving at the theatre to the show because some tensions were high with the chaotic loading of the theatre. Comedy is a great way to calm down those who may be frustrated that they didn’t get the seat they hoped they would get. Throughout the show, the emcee proves audiences with some laughs between the balancing and acrobatic acts. Although much of his humor is self-deprecating, there is no question that he has some great talent for balancing large objects, Chinese yoyo tricks, and more.

The first act involves spinning lights lots of mindblowing balancing acts. All are fascinating to watch! As the lights fly by, the trail left behind the lights displays the Real Music series logo. This act is a combination of light spinning and gymnastics. Following the light spinning, another acrobat brings out a huge wire frame cube and spins and balances it. Pretty sure that cube was taller than the performer. By far the most impressive routine in the opening was the balancing act on the silver cylindrical shapes. As I am not a circus performer, I am not certain of the proper name for those elements of the act.

The second act takes extreme hula hooping to the next level! I have difficulty just hula-ing with one hoop let alone dozens! The first part of the routine involves juggling hula hoops in a fantastically choreographed routine followed by hula-ing dozens and dozens of hula-hoops.

The third act takes you to the sky as the silks falls from the ceiling and the acrobat ascends! Silk routines are among my favorite at Cirque or Circus shows. There is an incredible beauty to how the acrobat moves up and down the silks. It is clear where the show got its name because of all the vertically aligned acts that reach for the sky. More so than the other acts, this one stands out as aerial interpretive dancing–an experimental ballet suspended above the stage.

Act four starts on the ground, then towers to the rafters. The same acrobat that balanced the giant cube before is back with a different geometric shape. This time, he impresses the audience with incredible feats of balance and movement with the ring. There is literally nothing that this guy can do with the ring. Personally, my favorite routine was spinning on the round and rolling around the stage in it. Following the ring routine, the next acrobat stacks chairs more than 30ft in the air (maybe even higher) and does a handstand! Phenomenal! Such a magnificent display of acrobatic prowess.

The fifth and final act before the finale features the Wallenda Duo! I’ve seen trapeze routines, high-wire acts, and other circus staples, but I’ve never seen a circus act like this one before. With a vertically aligned bar suspended from the trusses, the Wallenda Duo mesmerizes the audience with a gravity-defying routine act that will hold you in suspense as death-defying acts are on display before your very eyes. No CGI, no fly system, no safety net–just world-class acrobats that are (if I remember correctly) fourth generation circus performers.

You do not want to miss a single epic moment of Cirque Vertigo!

Visit the Busch Gardens website for more information on this and the other exciting acts coming to the Real Music Real Masters series!

Advertisement

SeaWorld Christmas Celebration 2018 Review

Posted on by
Reply

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again, no theme park does Christmas better than SeaWorld! From the food to shows to lights, SeaWorld Christmas is a spectacular event. With so much to see and do, you’ll want to experience it multiple nights in order to make sure you create memories that will last for a lifetime. Although I’ve attended Christmas Celebration in the past, it is so magical that I just love experiencing it again and again. Perhaps you are like me in that you attend as many theme park and resort events at possible at Christmas, but if you can only select one for you and your friends/family, then I highly suggest SeaWorld Christmas Celebration!

Before we get into the shows (which are largely unchanged from previous years), I want to talk about the food. Oh, and speaking of food, you’ll want to treat yourself to the sampler lanyard (5 or 10 items) for all the delectable food and drink cabins. My invitation to the media event came with the 5 item sampler, but I can see the advantages of the 10 item option if you plan to attend multiple nights or are there with another person or group. As far as the 5-item lanyard, my friend Dani and I were able to share it and had plenty to eat and drink. Prior to setting out into the park, the SWO public relations team provided many food and drink items for us during the media mixer. My favorite is the s’mores waffle cone! Absolutely delicious. We also had the Christmas dinner and candied popcorn. Out in the park, we had the donut pulled pork sandwich (not included in the sampler), brisket macaroni and cheese, and chicken and waffles! Yes! Chicken and waffles, you heard me. For drinks, we had the Jingle Juice. All the speciality beverages I saw were hot (just FYI). For a cold beverage, there are options but they are not the specialty drinks.

We attended Clyde and Seamore’s Countdown to Christmas, Winter Wonderland on Ice, and Shamu’s Christmas Miracle. Unfortunately, we did not attend O Wondrous Night because of scheduling conflicts. Of course, we also enjoyed the Sea of Trees show on the lagoon that runs throughout the evening. Clyde and Seamore’s show is always hilarious!! You are in for a laugh for sure. Since we were attending during the same showtime as O Wondrous Night, it wasn’t terribly packed but was nicely filled. Largely unchanged, this show is pretty much the same as it was last year, but it is still such a fun show and will have you laughing the whole time. One of my favorite parts of the show is actually the pre-show when the audience all joins together to sing familiar Christmas songs and carols. Although it is a show geared towards the younger members of the audience, there are jokes and references for us adults to chuckle as well. At one point, one of the trainers forgot his line, and there was a comedically self-aware moment. And the Frozen jokes were great. New for this year were some meta jokes about the stores in the mall. So incredibly funny! Poor Blockbuster haha. Do yourself a favor and sit down for a heaping helping of laughter and merriment as Clyde and Seamore Countdown to Christmas!

Winter Wonderland on Ice returns this year! Arrive early for the preshow! Enjoy the beauty of the violin as a fantastically talented violinist plays Christmas music as you wait for the show to begin. Much like the Christmas on Ice show at Busch Gardens, this show features many talented figure skaters in beautifully choreographed skating numbers to your favorite Christmas songs. To be honest, I still prefer the Busch Gardens show, but those skaters are at the park year-round so they can put more time into the show design. That being said, with SeaWorld placing the show on the water’s edge, the exquisite Sea of Trees can be seen behind the ice stage. Since the show is outdoors, SeaWorld is able to integrate some lite pyrotechnics in the show! As a figure skating hobbiest, I have a high degree of appreciation for these shows. I love watching the movements and picking out the ones that I am able to do! Note: I still have a long way to go haha. Bayside Stadium is packed for this show, so make sure to arrive early.

The Christmas Village at Port of Entry is always a treat! With special a’cappella groups, the Christmas village train set, and of course, you can meet Rudolph and Friends! This is the area where you can also enjoy hot chocolate, eggnog, craft beer, and cookies! Located near the Christmas Village is Santa’s Base Camp where you can meet the big man himself. With many places to sit down and relax, this is a great place to slow down and take in the smells and songs that make this “the most wonderful time of the year.” I came across the most adorable plushies, once of which is a promotional item! I saw a Shamu with a Santa hat and a Santa Sloth!! There is also a hedgehog and other cuddly plushy animals that will be hard to resist.

Merry Christmas!

Ryan is a screenwriting professor at the University of Tampa and works in creative services in live themed entertainment. He’s also published prolifically on theme parks and produced a peer-reviewed study. If you like this article, check out the others and FOLLOW him!

Follow him!

Twitter: RLTerry1

Instagram: RL_Terry

Movies: R.L. Terry ReelView

Scream-A-Geddon 2018

Posted on by
Reply

You’ll want to experience the horror again and again. Scream-A-Geddon, located in Dade City, Florida is definitely worth the drive. No question. If you’ve ever wanted to visit one of those haunted house or Halloween events that you find in all those shows on The CW, then visit the houses and offerings of this “horror theme park.” With five exceptional houses, including a haunted trail, plus zombie paintball, and the fact you can make a homemade s’more over the open camp fires, this is by far a don’t-miss local haunt in Central Florida.

From the moment you enter the haunted grounds of Scream-A-Geddon, you will be faced with terrifying wandering scareactors standing in your way between you and the haunted houses and mazes. After confronting ghostly dolls and sinister clowns, you may have worked up quite the appetite. Good thing there are many food options. Of all the delicious “fair food” options, my personal favorite is the s’more kit. That’s right! Scream-A-Geddon offers many camp fires (not for warmth, it’s Florida haha) but for roasting marshmallows and making that quintessential autumnal treat. I had so much fun! Like, for real. I cannot remember the last time that I had the opportunity to make a real s’more with crispy graham crackers and an official Hershey bar.

After savoring every bite of my freshly made s’more, my friend Michael and I made our way over to the Zombie Paintball entrance! Taking the place of the former haunted hay ride, this is a premium offering requiring an additional nominal charge. But I assure you, it’s well worth it! We were ushered past the fair queue of guests to the bus and were greeted by the paramilitary commander who instructed us to take our seat on the bus. I was particularly excited about this opportunity because I had never shot a gun before. At least one that wasn’t attached to the shooting gallery at Magic Kingdom. Once seated, the bus began to take off. The commander informed us of our directions to kill the zombies before they overtake the town. With a great production design including set pieces from the former Haunted Hayride plus new additions and florescent paintballs, this attraction is highly interactive and immersive. It’s a not-to-be missed attraction at Scream-A-Geddon this year.

After taking-out more than a dozen zombies, we jaunted over to a new house for this year. Demon’s Revenge. Such an incredible haunted maze. Unlike the houses at HHN and HOS, the houses at SAG where you are on a figurative conveyor belt navigating the house, SAG only sends through small groups. This enables you to experience more scares without seeing them up ahead and the opportunity to get lost in the maze. Although it is ultimately difficult to get completely lost in the maze, there are plenty of twists, turns, and dead ends that you may encounter. Fortunately, whilst remaining in character, the scareactors will redirect you if you do stray too far from the path. The overall theme of Demon’s Revenge is an old church building that is now overrun with an evil witch’s coven. The costumes and effects are fantastic! You’ll find dragons, Poltergeist-like giant ghosts, and more in this claustrophobic labyrinth of narrow passageways and everything that goes bump in the night.

When we narrowly escaped the coven, and navigated our way out of the old church building, we walked over to test our wits against the Dead Woods. Unlike the simulated woods that are created at HHN and HOS, this horror attraction takes you through the woods–literally. Within only the stars and a glowstick as your source of light, you make your way down the dark pathways through a village inhabited by a cast of characters that typify hillbilly horror. Not one or two cabins in the woods await you, but several that you must pass through without becoming dinner–uhh, I mean asked to stay for dinner. Dead Woods returns for another year of effective scares! The concept of a haunted woods is something that I feel truly adds to the Halloween experience. Something about it feels like Halloween. It may have still been in the 70s or 80s as we braved the Dead Woods, but everything else about it screamed Halloween!

Another returning house this year is Infected: Ground Zero. But just because it is returning for another year of terror, that does not mean that you can plan for it to be the same. What IS the same, is the returning option for additional interaction with the scareactors. By opting for the glow necklace, you give the attraction permission to get up close and personal with you. This can be anything from a creepy body check to being placed in a body bad or even having your hair buzzed off to check for deadly spores (okay, you’re not really going to lose your hair). Another effective layout! Much like with the other houses, this one too feels like a legitimate maze. Be careful which way you go through this infectious diseases camp. You may find yourself face to melting-off-face with those who have already come in contact with the deadly disease.

Across the midway stands Blackpool Prison. A prison more notorious than Leavenworth, Alcatraz, or Shawshank. This prison is filled with the most vile of criminals, many of which are serving time for violent crimes. Like with Infected, this house is also an interactive one, when wearing the glow necklace. Enter if you dare, because you may not be able to break out of this prison. From the moment you enter the dark, dank prison walls, you will be confronted by ruthless and sinister prisoners. By wearing the necklace, you may also find yourself dragged into cells and forced to crawl through small openings in the walls in order to find the exit. In order to keep things warm at the winter, there is a furnace in which you may be thrown. One cell leads to another, with no end in sight. Terrifying imagery and scares await you around every corner, and where you least expect them. An A-class haunted maze experience.

Lastly, Rage 3D was a new addition for 2017 and return with its killer clowns this year. The 3D classes truly enhance the experience of this house. The production design is fantastically colorful! But the surreal effects do not stop there. By far, this is the best clown horror house I have ever been in, and I’ve been to some great ones at HHN and HOS. Next level scary! Scary because you are a little disoriented the entire time, all the while clowns are jumping out at you. You even have to pass through a mirrored room with both fake and real clowns, and you never know which is which. Walls will fall in on you and you’ll have to walk through a spinning tunnel. The lighting and color effects are what impresses me most about this house. Of course, the clowns are nightmarish themselves!

There you have it! Now that you’ve read about it, you need to experience it for yourself. Visit Scream-A-Geddon‘s website for details and tickets!

Follow me on

The R.L. Terry ReelView (for films)

Twitter: RLTerry1

Instagram: RL_Terry

Checkout my book On the Convergence of Cinema and Theme Parks

Visit Scream-A-Geddon‘s website for details and tickets!

Howl-O-Scream 2018 Full Review

Posted on by
Reply

Howl-O-Scream is here, and there is #NowhereToHide from the hoards of zombies, killer toys, sociopathic butchers, and more! Opening this past weekend, Busch Gardens’ annual Halloween event kicked off with thunderous applause from all  the fiends that dared face the horrors of the six houses and scare zones. With some new additions to the HOS lineup, this year was screamtastic! From coasters with zombies to great food and drinks, Busch Gardens provides the best value for a large scale haunted event. Enter if you dare, but be warned that there are terrors around every corner and where you least expect them to be, including on Busch Gardens’ heart-heart-pounding coasters! Might just find yourself riding next to a vomit-inducing zombie. In her encore year, HOS also bids the queen of Death Water Bayou a ghoulish farewell. Select night from now until October 27th, you don’t want to miss a single epic moment of Howl-O-Scream 2018 at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.

The frights begin even before you enter the from gate. Wandering hoards of a variety of all that goes bump in the night will be your personal poltergeist. In order to make sure you make the most of your time at HOS, I highly recommend the front-of-the-line pass. Fortunately, my friend and I had them on opening night, and it allowed us to move about casually about the event. Even if you do not elect to get the front-of-the-line pass, you will most likely make it to all the houses if you begin right at start time. But, the best way to experience HOS is every night of the event with the season pass. With general admission prices well below Halloween Horror Nights, Howl-O-Scream provides park guests with the most band for your buck. I am often asked by my followers on Twitter which event is more fun or to compare the two, and I often reply with the cliche analogy of apples and oranges because both are fruit, yet unique. Whereas HHN has a much higher production quality, HOS has the better scares. At least, that rings true for my friends and me who attend both these events every year. We go to HHN for the familiar IPs and to HOS to get scared. After all these years, it is getting more and more difficult to startle or scare me. So scare factor is important when I attend a theme park or local haunt.

Entering the park from the Nairobi Gate (for the media event), I found myself in the Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) scare zone. The costumes were brilliant! Between the Mexican themed food, music, and the projections on the Moroccan Palace, it was truly an immersive scare zone to kick the opening night festivities off in a superb fashion. After celebrating the Day of the Dead with the inhabitants of that scare zone, my friend Dani and fellow Tweep Off of the Go were on our way to checkin to one of this year’s new houses Insomnia. Insomnia is in the location where Zombie Containment Unit used to be, and it’s a HUGE upgrade. In fact, Insomnia is in the running to be the most popular this year. In the Insomnia house, you are walking through a disturbing psychiatric hospital of the most bizarre nature. While touring this sinister place, you will encounter unimaginable terror around every corner. You’ll not only want to watch out for deadly patients but what lurks in the walls and ceilings. If you can make it out alive, you’ll have more to worry about than Freddy Krueger next time you go to sleep. Maybe it’s best if you never sleep again.

One of my favorite parts of Howl-O-Scream every year is the annual Fiends show!! Consistently irreverent and hilariously funny, this show is the highlight of my experience each year. I was especially excited for it this year because Universal canceled the Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure show. As much as I enjoy the macabre nature of the houses and scare zones, Fiends provides park guests an opportunity to laugh! This laughter is both immensely entertaining and it cleanses the pallet for continued enjoyment of the horrifying attractions. Join Dr. Freakenstein, Igor, their sexy pink nurses and all the rest of the fiends as they celebrate Dr. Freakenstein’s birthday number 666. The jokes are funnier, lewder, racier than ever—it’s the honor comedy show not to be missed. Fiends consistently delivers an incredible show that will hold your attention and cause you to possibly engage in uncontrollable laughter the entire time. Whoever writes the show, must have an amazingly fun time doing so! Dr. Freakenstein and Igor are equal opportunity offenders. No one is safe from their riffs and banter. Especially a certain orange-skinned individual with a terrible combover. So much eye candy at the show. Whether you’re looking for sexy pink female nurses, mesmerizingly beautiful vampires, hot shirtless male dancers, or totally rad mummies that can breakdance like no one’s business, you will find them in Dr. Freakenstein’s Castle.

Next door to Fiends is The Black Spot pirate themed haunted maze. Likely in its final year, this is a house returning from the last few years  that invites park guests to enter into a treacherous land of pirates, sea creatures, treasure, and curses. One of my favorite things about this house is entering in through a pirate ship and encountering a massive rock skull. It may not be one of my favorite houses this year, but I do enjoy the themed design. The scares could use a little work, but the production design is solid. Personally, I prefer Dead Fall, which was in this location prior to Black Spot. Once we disembarked the pirate ship, we needed to head for our hotel—motel, rather. The journey would not be as simple as hailing a taxi or requesting an Uber. We had to make the journey on foot through the Deadly Toys scare zone. There is little more terrifying and creepy than that which is otherwise innocent, being twisted into something truly sinister. Chainsaw wielding teddy bears, possessed dolls, killer clowns, and more. Even the toy boxes are enough to strike fear in your mind. Once we escaped the clutches of the dolls, bears, and clowns, we arrived at our destination

Motel Hell is still my favorite house at HOS. Of all the houses, it is the most detailed and elaborate. If there was any one house at HOS that was of an HHN original house quality, it is Motel Hell. I feel that it is the strongest house for effective and consistent theming that works to transport you from a theme park to a rundown motel from the 1950s. Every room in this motel has something terrifying to offer the residents. And yes, it’s complete with that 1940s scratchy high pitched record music too. Something straight out of Insidious. Even though each room is unique, there is still a great deal of coherency in the design. You never feel that you have been taken out of the story. Underneath beds, in bath tubs, in dark corners, and behind the walls, it will feel that there is no way out of this hell. Just when you think it’s over, that’s when the scar actors will get you. In addition to being the best in design, it’s also the most fun house. Lots of horror tropes here!

Located across from Motel Hell is Busch Gardens’ first area to be recommended for 17 years of age and up. With no one checking IDs, I am not sure how this is monitored but I imagine that if someone under the age of 17 wonders in, they have been warned that this is a disturbing area. After all, you are in a meat market. Animals and humans too. There are elements of this scare zone that are not for the faint of heart. If you’re looking to get a great HOS photo, then the photo opportunities in Meat Market are for you. With several to choose from, there is a setting for every fiend. Simon’s Slaughterhouse is a new house for HOS this year that is recommended for those who are 17 years of age and older because of the disturbing and intense material. In this house, you may be separated from your group at the front entrance, which alone can increase the terror level. As you navigate this claustrophobic maze through a sinister slaughterhouse, you will encounter the sounds of meat being harvested, and I am not just talking animals.

If you emerge mostly unscathed from Simon’s Slaughterhouse, you’ll want to make your way to visit the excavation at Unearthed. Returning this year, Unearthed’s maze is modified and additional props are used. Instead of entering the house from the Gwazi platform and walking past that amazing animatronic tree that I’ve always found impressive, you enter in from the basement, so to speak. In order to find your way through the maze, you are given a flashlight. A nice touch! My friend Dani carried the flashlight for us so I could take pictures. Speaking of which, unless you have a lens with a wide-open aperture, photos in side the houses are actually difficult to take. Other than the entrance, the house is largely unchanged. Like Motel Hell, I find that this one has a solid production design, full of details. One of the things that I feel is missing from this house, that cold improve it, is a coherent story. When it was first revealed a few years ago, it has more of a story than it does now. Bringing that back, can assist in the over all experience of this house.

Standing between you and the park’s exit is the Hell on Wheels scare zone. I hope you’re not hungry or thirsty when approaching this scare zone. You see, a notorious gang has staked claim to the food and water supplies after an apocalyptic event. You cannot outrun these bad ass motorcycle gang members, and with #NowhereToHide, you are going to be on the run of your life. Lots of sliders in this area, and those sliders’ scares are always effective. Although we found ourselves in the front of the park, we still wanted to visit the Camp DOA scare zone in the back of the park. Dani and I also had a few scareactors that we wanted to find! We were also craving a pretzel dog from Pantopia. Dani has a friend who’s one of the scareactors in the Maniac Midway, and we missed her earlier when we rode Falcon’s Fury.

Since we arrived in Pantopia before her friend came out, we took a moment to grab our pretzel dogs from that dope quick service location near Falcon’s Fury. I greatly appreciate Busch Garden’s for doing their best to include so many local horror enthusiast and actors who just want to have fun scaring and creeping out HOS guests. No matter if someone may not have the range of physical abilities as others. If you show an enthusiasm for a desire to scare the HOS guests, then Busch Gardens will do their best to accommodate and include you. After spending a moment getting scared by Dani’s friend who was hiding in the shadows in order to startle those who venture into the midway overrun by maniac clowns. Next we made our way over to Sheikra to catch one of my new friends I’ve met on Twitter (MisfitsUnmanaged) who is playing a cider smoking chain-saw wielding clown. But before we can get to Sheikra, we must pass through the Camp DOA scare zone. Located where the Wasteland scare zone used to be, this scare zone is a great interpretation of summer camp slasher horror movies. I love this quick story because it just goes to show how social media can provide an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals! Fortunately, the timing worked so that MisfitsUnmanaged was going to be coming out as Dani and I were in the Sheikra area. Lastly, I needed to see another friend of mine that I figure skate with who was playing a ghost-like zombie in the front of the park. Timing was perfect, we got to get our picture together!

Well, there you have it! A comprehensive review of Howl-O-Scream 2018 at Busch Gardens!  Although opening weekend has come and gone, you still have many more weekends to enjoy this event! With tickets starting at $39, it’s a fantastic value that gives you the most bank for your buck. I need to return to ride Cheetah Hunt and Skeikra with scareactors, but that just gives me even more reason to get the season pass so I can go back time and time again.

 

Follow me on

The R.L. Terry ReelView (for films)

Twitter: RLTerry1

Instagram: RL_Terry

Checkout my book On the Convergence of Cinema and Theme Parks

Halloween Horror Nights XXVIII Full Review

Posted on by
2

What an opening weekend! This past weekend saw the grand opening of Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights 28, and it has got to be the busiest weekend that I can remember in the last several years. Headlining this year’s HHN is Stranger Things and Poltergeist followed by eight other licensed and original IP houses. Boasting more houses than ever, HHN28 has got to be one of the best years yet. Although there is some disagreement on whether Stranger Things or Poltergeist is the best IP house or Slaughter Sinema or Scary Tales is the best original house this year, there is little (if any) disagreement on the level of attendance reaching epic proportions! Wait times for Stranger Things reached 150mins, and many other houses also had extreme wait times. Often, opening weekend tends to be less busy than the following weekends, but HHN fans were turning out in droves to attend Friday and/or Saturday nights. The energy level was incredible! Fans from all different age groups were all excited to enter the gates as the theme music from Stranger Things, Halloween, and Poltergeist filled the air. Armed with my Express Pass for Friday night and Rush of Fear HHN ticket, I was excited to meet up with my annual HHN crew for a night of frights and fun set to the beat of 1980s music and horror. One might even go so far as to say that this year’s HHN is an entertaining love letter to everything we loved about the 80s.

Prior to arriving at the archway, I just had get to the park. A lot easier said than done. There were so many horror fiends heading to HHN that the exit ramp from the 4 to the park was backed up to the driving lane. Not to mention the 40mph traffic all along I-4EB for miles and miles that I drove through. Once I finally got to the auto toll plaza for parking, I thought everything would move a little more smoothly. Nope. Although each of the toll booth holds two team members, from what I could tell, each booth had ONE–yes one–team member. After I finally parked, I looked at my watch and realized that nearly 45mins past from the exit ramp to the parking spot. Tip to Universal: please fully staff the booths to move cars through the plaza more efficiently. Once I made it to the archway, I had to pickup my tickets from the will-call kiosk. And just like usual, at the kiosk, neither liked my QR code nor my confirmation number. I encounter this problem every year. Any tips from those of you who do not have problems with the kiosk would be appreciated!

Finally, I was at HHN! Phew, what a process. But it was all worth it! One of my favorite things to observe is the variety of horror graphic T’s. So many different horror movies and fandoms represented. There is truly a sense of community at HHN. Maybe you don’t think about that at first because of the long standby (and even Express) wait times this year; but for those of us who love horror, this is the time of year (and the event) that we feel that we are not weird as characterized by popular culture at large. Even before I arrived, I had many fellow #FilmTwitter #Tweeps who hoped to see me, and I them, at the event. Unfortunately, I didn’t run into any of my Twitter followers at HHN this year, but I had a lot of fun following them, and reading what they thought about the different houses. Even though I did not end up meeting up with any of those I follow (or follow me) on Twitter, I felt connected to them through exchanging comments as we were all experiencing HHN at the same time. What I would like to see emerge from the Twitter and blogging communities as well as the #PodernFamily (podcasters) is to make an effort to connect in person as much as digitally. Perhaps many of us are covering HHN for our various media outlets; but at the end of the day, we are all there to have fun and should exhibit that same sense of community in person as we do through social media. Be social in real life!

(Twisted Tater has sense been added to the event)

Before I get into my brief review of each house, there is one other item of mention that I greatly missed at this year’s HHN. Twisted Tater. Yes. That spirally, starchy, fried goodness that has been a staple of HHN for what seems like forever. It was nowhere to be found. At least, I never found it nor did I see anyone post about it. Thankfully, my friend Dani and I had Twited Tater back during Mardi Gras, but we were both saddened that it was not part of HHN this year. Speaking of food, I do not feel that the selection of HHN food was as strong this year as it has been in the past. Yes, that Stranger Things cookie-like treat was popular on social media, but most of the HHN food seemed to skew towards sweets moreso than savory or starchy. In the future, aside from Twisted Tater returning, a nice balance of foods for any fix that an HHN guest may have, should be added. Oh yeah, Pizza-dogs need to return too! The fries just don’t do it. Speaking of fries, fresh cut fries would be a great addition to the food lineup!

Although it’s the houses that typically get the most attention running up to and during the event, after last year’s success of the elaborately immersive Trick ‘r Treat scare zone, the scare zones have begun to get an increased level of attention. Like with last year’s Trick ‘r Treat, it stands to reason that scare zones can definitely be used as a testing ground for future houses. The concept of testing an IP or concept for a house in a scare zone the previous year is not new, but it seems to be becoming more of the case over the last couple years. Scare zones this year are: The Harvest, Vamp ’85, Killer Clowns from Outer Space, Twisted Traditions, Revenge of Chucky, and I also count the annual chainsaw wielding clowns in Springfield.

The Harvest: Here you’ll encounter all the horrors you have ever feared were in your grandparents’ barn. I feel that this scare zone was a little weak compared to what is typically in this same area, but still a fun scare zone to get you in the mood for your night of horror. One of the best parts of the scare zone are the variety and amount of jack-o-lanterns! They are everywhere. It feels very much like Halloween!

Vamp ’85: Ring in the new year with 1980s vampires and music! Loved the small stage show! With many of the houses having roots in the 80s, this zone worked extremely well to continue that immersive love letter to the 1980s. Make sure to stay for the countdown but watch out for big haired vampires in flashy clothes!

Killer Clowns from Outer Space: My pick for favorite scare zone! Absolutely loved this scare zone, and I know you will to. Based on the cult classic, this scare zone has the best costumes and atmosphere. It successfully strikes that balance between horror and comedy, and works as a fun way to cleanse the pallet from the much darker areas of the rest of the park.

Twisted Traditions: Best part of this scare zone is the creepy church building! I walked though this scare zone a couple times, but unfortunately, I never felt that it actually accomplished what it set out to do. Only the church building is memorable. Couldn’t name one unique costume.

Revenge of Chucky: I was pretty hyped for this scare zone because I like the movies so much, but it was a bit disappointing. However, the interactive Good Guys display with Chucky was great! And that man baby you’ve probably seen on Twitter of IG was truly disturbing. I think it could have used a little more scare factor. Maybe even a Chucky jumping out at guests or something. It was okay, just not quite what I expected.

Now for what you really want to know about–the houses!

GET THE EXPRESS PASS even if just for one night, which is what I did. It is definitely worth the cost.

Poltergeist: MY FAVORITE HOUSE at HHN28! Such a successful translation from screen to live experience. All the moments from the movie that you want to see and experience are there! I wonder if real skeletons were used in the HHN house like in the movie, hence the curse and lore that follows Hooper and Spielberg’s movie to this day. You start in the back of the house in the pool then make your way through the infamous suburban home. The scares are perfectly effective and the production design is right out of the movie.

Stranger Things: This is likely the house that you may be looking forward to experiencing the most, as it is the other headliner house this year. The demogorgon will chase you throughout the house. All the scenes and locations from the show that you want to see are in the HHN28 house. And the lighting and special effects are spot on. From the living room with the Christmas lights to the Upside Dows, you will feel completely immersed in the world of Hawkins! The only negative criticism I have is the lack of live cast members. Yes, much has to do with an inability to cast kids in a house, but the absence was noticeable.

Halloween 4: With the highly anticipated Halloween (2018) releasing next month, Michael Myers once again returns to HHN! This is the third Michael house in the last few years with Halloween 1 and 2 with 3 being skipped since Michael is not actually in it. It’s a fun house for sure! And you get lots and lots of Michael. It’s been a while since I’ve seen H4; but from what I remember, this house does capture many scenes and elements of the movie. However, ultimately I feel that this house feels like more of a Michael Myers tribute than a “Halloween 4” house. This may be the case because HHN will be going on a Michael break for a while.

Trick ‘r Treat: In short, it works better as a scare zone than a house. That being said, it’s still a solid house with many of the scenes you want to see recreated. You’ll encounter Sam several times and you’ll get to see some of your favorite kills from the movie.

The Horrors of Blumhouse: If you need to skip a house for the sake of time, skip this one. Better than last year, but still (and according to most polls and reviews I’ve seen on Twitter) the least liked house at HHN28. At this house, you walk through Happy Death Day and First Purge. HDD was repetitive. Yes, I realize that is the point because the movie is a twisted Groundhog Day, but as a house it gets old quickly. And then The Purge movies just don’t translate well to a house, with the exception of the first one, which was more of a home invasion.

Scary Tales: My pick for best original house! From the moment you enter the Wicked Witch’s castle as she flies overhead, you will be completely immersed in the absolutely impressive production design that works perfectly around every corner. Each and every fairy tale was twisted beautifully. The effects were fantastic and the attention to detail was unlike anything I’ve seen in an original house before. What I find most interesting about the experience is that this house actually gets back to the original idea behind these tales in that most fairy tales were darkly cautionary stories told to influence a child’s behavior. Many are quite scary! So, this feels like an exaggerated version of how these tales were received back when originally written.

Slaughter Sinema: Close runner up to Scary Tales. Ever wanted to visit the world of those schlocky horror films of the 1980s??? Now is your opportunity to get inside the screen. Such a great house! While waiting in queue, you’ll get to watch trailers of some terrible, great horror movies. My personal favorite is Attack of the Swamp Yeti. The movies are so bad that I want to see each of them. Too bad that they are completely made up for this event. You’ll enter this house through an old drive in movie theatre then walk through each of the movies. There are some excellent kills and the production design is impressive!

Seeds of Extinction: Life after people! Visit an Arizona that is overrun by predatory plants and see you as their next dinner. A post-apocalyptic house is not entirely new, but this is a new twist on a past concept. We are used to being chased by zombies or creatures, but now you must fear plants. Some will eat you whole and others will shoot you with poisonous darts like the plants in Jumanji.

Carnival Graveyard: What is more terrifying than an abandoned carnival inhabited by hillbillies and killer clowns? Not much, haha. This house successfully combines the best of circus and hillbilly horror for one nightmarish house. Of all the original houses, this one is probably the most detailed. Even more than Scary Tales. The scares are so good! I like how the characters are extensions of the setting itself instead of feeling like their are just stuck in there to frighten us.

Dead Exposure: Ehh. This is a concept that has been done before, and like before, it fails to ever be truly scary. The idea is that you have been given an inoculation to prevent you from turning into a zombie after an outbreak at a facility. This shot is said to have nasty side effects such as disorientation. And on that, the house delivers in spades. The lighting design and special effects were so disorienting that I legitimately had trouble walking around to the point that is was annoying and not playful.

I did not experience Academy of Villains. And that is by choice. I felt like Harry Potter talking to Snape when he exclaims “how dare you stand where he stood…” That is how I felt because it’s now located in the stadium where Bill & Ted used to be. A horror comedy show that is built upon satire and parody is missing from the HHN28 lineup. If for no other reason, this show served as a means to take a break from the macabre and cleanse the pallet for more frights! I hope to see a show along these lines return one day.

Well, there you have it folks! A comprehensive review of Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights XXVIII. You definitely need to get out to HHN while it is going on. Fortunately for you, it just opened so you have several more weeks of HHN on select nights. With a variety of tickets and passes to choose from, there is a ticket for nearly every budget. If you can only go one night, I highly recommend getting the Express Pass. Otherwise, you may only make it to 2-3 or at the most 4 houses during your night.

Follow me on

The R.L. Terry ReelView (for films)

Twitter: RLTerry1

Instagram: RL_Terry

Checkout my book On the Convergence of Cinema and Theme Parks