It’s the most wonderful time of year! I attended the opening night of Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights and have rated all the mazes from child’s play to most terrifying. Find out which mazes had the most to offer!
After 26 years of operation, you’d think Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights would stop surprising guests with jump scare after jump scare, but somehow they’ve topped themselves with a platter of mazes that will scare anyone and everyone who attempts to walk through.
There are nine mazes at the park this year and they range from original stories like Tomb of the Ancients to classics like The Exorcist and Halloween. While you walk to and from each maze, you’ll encounter five scare zones filled with actors who will not only jump at you but follow you until you’ve walked out of their territory, an experience that has given me chills even days later.
If you’re planning a trip to Universal Orlando during the 2016 Halloween season, we hope this guide helps you decide which mazes you’ll put yourself through!
Krampus
This was one of the most anticipated mazes of the night, and while I was dreading this experience, it turned out to be the least scary of them all. Maybe it was the fact that I was so distracted by the set and the maze’s decorations, but the scare actors didn’t feel all that terrifying. And as for Krampus? I honestly don’t even remember him. But hey, if you’re scared by this whole concept, maybe this one will get you!
Tomb of the Ancients
One of the park’s original mazes is also one of the most well done sets. Walking through this maze, it’s as if you’ve been transported to an ancient burial ground, and you have to move vines and other random hanging objects out of your way to get to the end.
There is no particular scare actor that jumped out at me, but this one is a blast to walk through. Fellow maze-goers thought this one is the scariest of them all, and maybe that’s because when you think it’s over it is most definitely not.
Ghost Town: The Curse of Lightning Gulch
This original maze has a creative concept, but the execution could have been a tiny bit better. The whole idea is that you see a ghost of someone who’s died, and then in the next room you walk into the moment they were killed.
I was so frightened by the scare actors with missing hands and horrible deaths that I barely noticed any of the ghosts I was supposed to see before them, so while I missed most of the ghosts in Ghost Town, you can bet your frightened butt that this particular maze gave me major goosebumps.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
What is a horror event without chainsaws? Every single year I attend this event I end up falling down at least once, and this year was no exception. Being cornered by scare actors with chainsaws is absolutely horrifying, and this maze is definitely one for the books. If you’re frightened by loud noises that tease your imminent death, then you may want to sit this one out.
Pro tip: If you put the smallest person in the front of your group, then they will fall to the floor first and you’ll know exactly when the next chainsaw is coming for you. I know this from personal experience of going first in my group at every one of these mazes.
Halloween II
Michael Meyers is at it again in this insanely long maze where he is everywhere. No matter where you turn you’ll run into another psychopath trying to kill you — you won’t have a chance to catch your breath after the last spook. This was one of our favorite mazes last time and this year it’s one of the scariest experiences of Halloween Horror Nights.
Exorcist
In designing this maze, one of the challenges Universal faced was making this maze interesting because — in case you didn’t know — most of this movie took place in a single room. What they came up with was brilliant: You walk into the house, and when you enter the room for the first time, you’re taken through several hallways that act as breakers, to bring you back into the room where more horrible things are happening.
The really sickening thing about this maze is that there is vomit all over the walls and the sounds they use are of actual people vomiting. Oh, and they added in an extra foul odor to the maze to take advantage of your five senses. If you get queasy from the sight, sound or smell of puke, then you’ll definitely want to wait outside.
Lunatics Playground 3D: You Won’t Stand a Chance
This, ladies and gentlemen, is my favorite maze of the year. Lunatics Playground is an original concept by Universal, and it’s executed so well, that I’m still getting chills just thinking about it again.
The 3D aspect of this maze makes it horrifying. What’s real? What’s actually popping out at you? What direction are you even walking? These are the questions I asked myself while walking through the bright neon blacklights and spinning hallways. And yes, I literally mean spinning because the first hallway you walk through is inside a rotating tunnel.
Be sure to stick closely to your group for this one because you’ll have to move so many pieces of confetti and streamers out of your way to get to where you’re going, you’ll probably get tangled in them and lose your friends forever.
American Horror Story
The maze we’ve all been waiting for, right? As a fan of the show, I was excited about walking through this maze and seeing what they had to offer, and they did not disappoint.
While the American Horror Story maze doesn’t offer scares from every single season, they do offer some of the scariest characters from Murder House, Coven, Freakshow and Hotel. There wasn’t just one Twisty but several, and you’ll find yourself running into him more times than you want as you walk through room after room styled after each season.
And this is the first maze in Horror Night history to actually have actors re-play iconic scenes from the inspired show/movie — an effect that made it even more entertaining. Heads up: Watch out for Dandy. He’s one Hell of a scary brat.
The Walking Dead
No matter how many mazes you decide to do this year at Halloween Horror Nights, end it with a bang with The Walking Dead. This maze is by far the scariest of them all, and I’m not sure if that’s because its walkers are insanely well done, or because it’s the sheer amount of them.
You’ll walk through iconic sets and locations from all six seasons, and at the very end you’ll want to be on your toes. There are moments when you’re surrounded by dummies… but also scare actors. Trying to tell the fake ones from the real ones is terrifying enough, but then you realize you’re in a mirrored maze, so there’s no way to tell what direction to go other than the path of other scared people in front of you. All we can say for this maze is: Good luck.
Halloween Horror Nights is open select nights through October 31!
Be sure to buy your tickets soon if you want to experience the scariest night of the year!
And if you’re willing to dish out a little extra cash I highly recommend the R.I.P. Guided Tour. At an insanely worth-it four and a half hours long, this tour gives you priority access to all nine houses, the scare zones, and reserved seating for Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure. Shoutout to our tour guide Randy, who guided me for the second year in a row! Although fair warning: If he’s your guide and you scream often and loud he’ll definitely make you go first.
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