Here is the official press release:
For First Time Ever, Entire 101-Acre Theme Park Will Transform Into A Never-Before-Imagined Haunted Experience and Major Thrill Rides Will Operate in Complete Darkness
After 11 years at Universal Studios Florida, Universal Orlando’s famed Halloween Horror Nights will make a new haunted home at Islands of Adventure -- allowing the theme park’s five elaborately themed islands to transform into five separate, disturbing islands of fear.
Universal’s “scream team” of designers and entertainers will use the special content, atmosphere and physical layout of the park to create an entirely new Halloween event that immerses guests in the fright fest from the moment they enter the park until they leave, with no pause or escape in-between.
“Over the years, Halloween Horror Nights has become one of the largest events of its kind in the country. We see an opportunity to expand upon its popularity by creating an even more intense and unnerving Halloween experience," said Bob Gault, president and chief operating officer for Universal Orlando. "The design and layout of Islands of Adventure is a scare-maker’s dream come true. By utilizing the park's unique themed areas and thrill rides, we will be able to create scares and experiences that have been entirely unimaginable until now.”
Universal’s designers will create a one-of-a-kind netherworld where things that are known and loved by day within each of the islands will become distorted, twisted, nightmarish versions of themselves at night.
Mutant half-dinosaur/half-humans will stalk guests amidst the lush foliage of Jurassic Park Island. Lost souls and demons will inhabit a horrible world of fire and fear throughout the darkened corridors of the Lost Continent. Evil super-villains will reign supreme amidst the foreboding cityscape of Marvel Super Hero Island. The curved streets of Seuss Landing will become twisted pathways to unexpected places _and the comic environment of Toon Lagoon will become the stage for fiendish confrontations with childhood nightmares brought to life.
Within the islands, the thrills associated with the park’s most popular rides will also be intensified as riders navigate the eerie waters of Jurassic Park River Adventure under the cloak of darkness and attempt to dodge the creatures inhabiting the winding, twisting, dimly lit corridors of the Dueling Dragons queue line.
This year’s Halloween Horror Nights will also include five all-new haunted mazes, new live shows, including a new version of the popular “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure” stage show, and hundreds of stalking creatures and spooks created for their particular island and especially for this year’s event.
Tickets go on sale June 15 for Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, which runs for 21 select nights, beginning at 7 p.m., on Oct. 4 & 5, Oct. 10-13, Oct. 16-20, Oct. 23-27 and Oct. 29-Nov. 2. Tickets for weekend nights often sell out in advance and guests are advised to purchase their tickets as soon as possible.
Tickets may be purchased now at both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure theme parks, via Universal’s website at
www.halloweenhorrornights.com, or by calling 1-877-2FRIGHT (1-877-237-4448).
Regular admission to Halloween Horror Nights is $49.95 plus tax for out-of-state visitors. Tickets for Florida residents are $39.95 plus tax (advance) and $49.95 plus tax (day of event). Parking in the Universal Orlando parking structure is free of charge after 6 p.m.
Gory Getaway travel packages which include hotel accommodations and admission to Halloween Horror Nights, beginning at $109 per adult, are also available through Universal Studios Vacations at
www.halloweenhorrornights.com, or by calling (877) 237-4448.
The Universal Orlando resort destination (
www.universalorlando.com) includes two dramatically distinct and adjacent theme parks, the Universal Studios motion picture and television theme park and Islands of Adventure, Orlando's next generation theme park. Universal Orlando also includes CityWalk, a 30-acre dining, shopping, club and live-entertainment venue as well as premier on-site Loews hotels and world-class film and television production facilities.
Universal Orlando is a unit of Vivendi Universal Entertainment (
www.universalstudios.com), the film, television and recreation entity of Vivendi Universal, a global media and communications company.