It’s only March, which is pretty early for Universal Orlando to even begin mentioning Halloween Horror Nights. We’re still full swing in Mardi Gras, still have the Summer Concert Series and Rock the Universe to go before we even get to Horror Nights.
Universal has already pitched a ticketing survey this year, just a couple of weeks ago, just as they did in 2011. They just pitched a video today, explaining what Halloween Horror Nights is. If you’ve already been, you already know what the event is all about, but what about those people who have never been? This video perfectly showcases the fear you can expect from the event.
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando:
Does this video look familiar to you? Universal Orlando used the same video last year in their advertising for the event. However, let me point out the video was posted in July. The only part of the video that has changed is the beginning at the end. The HHN 21 logo and dates for last year’s event have been removed. This is a basic video just to get people excited about the event. It’s not even really a teaser either. It doesn’t give us any hints to this year’s event or theme, but it did make me look at the calendar. Just about six months until Horror Nights!
I would like to point out something interesting though. It’s only March and Universal is already got Horror Nights on their lips. Surveys… Videos… what’s next? Last year we saw the earliest house announcement ever in the history of the event. Universal announced we would get “The Thing” as a house in July. Could we see Universal teasing the event longer? It seems like they’re about to start! Could we see a bigger event? On the other hand… this could just be an April fools joke. After all, we’re just a few days away. Doing it on the 1st would be way too obvious.
RUMOR ALERT! The following text is pure rumor. Universal has not announced any official details regarding Halloween Horror Nights 22. These are just speculations and does not mean they will be at the event.
Here are a few of the rumors that we have heard about this year’s event:
- Duality (Two sides to every story)-Like last year’s lady luck, there was two sides to the event. It was ever changing as luck is prone to do. This year, each house, zone and show will have two sides.
- Two park event (One park geared towards kids, one geared towards adults)-This is one that’s been circulating around. It’s been said that Seuss Landing can never again be used for HHN. It’s also been said that WWOHP Can’t be used for HHN. Though if the park is open, those areas must be open. So how to get around it? Make an upcharge Halloween event for kids that involves trick or treating, special shows, and all kinds of characters you don’t see normally. Sound familiar?
- Two icons-In addition to the two events, we’ve heard each event will have an icon. One sweet and innocent, the other the complete opposite
- Two headed icon-Like two sides of a coin, this year’s icon could have two sides. Much like Lady Luck.
- Sequals to previously used houses-This is something that’s been done before, but who wouldn’t like a Scary Tales 4, or a HR Bloodenguts 2?
- Evil VS Good as a theme-It would be fitting that 2012 would see a final showdown between good and evil…and it’s all bad for us humans
- Extreme House-Why not? Alone is coming back (we hear) to Howl O Scream for a third year, and the price will raise again…so why not have Universal level the playing field?
- 22 tales of Stephen King-We kid you not. It’s been around for a long time that Stephen King books were being looked at for houses. It was on a survey one year and it was even rumored to be closer to happening than most thought. King just wouldn’t give his blessing. It could happen this year, with everything from houses, shows and scare zones having a King theme.
- HHN goes until November-Halloween falls on a Wednesday this year, no one really is going to go in the middle of the week, right? So why not extend the event until the weekend after? It was also on a survey
- No Express with your Frequent Fear Pass-Also on a survey. The good folks at HHN want you to come back night after night. They also want those that come on certain nights to shell out a little more money than you would coming the entire run of the event. So how do they remedy that? Don’t offer Express on the Frequent Fear Passes. If you want to skip the lines, you have to do like everyone else…pay through the nose
- Penn and Teller-Yes, on another survey, and pretty much confirmed by Penn and Teller. The guys are huge in the magic world, and their brand of magic borders on the dark and demented side. It’s a perfect fit.
- Midnight Syndicate-Yes, this poor rumor keeps surfacing. I have reasons to keep surfacing it, though I can not disclose it. The band is in talks to release a new album this year with a….classic…feel to it. I seem to remember back in 2008 hearing that word come from the lips of a creative member while we were doing a show live on the air. Now lets analyze. If we are going to get sequels…and Midnight Syndicate is working on a “classic” album…it could stand to be said that we could get a bunch of houses that are sequels to classic movie houses…hmmm
We still have a long way to go boys and girls, and more rumors will surface!
For more information about Halloween Horror Nights, visit http://universalorlando.com/hhn.
