Welcome back Main Streeters. Last Thursday I covered the start of a multi part series on the rare OFF TMSM adventure I embarked on at neighboring Universal Studios. Look alive because I’m going to be taking you through a review of two more haunted houses from this year’s Halloween Horror Nights (HHN), and we’re going to find out exactly what happens to fairy tales at Universal Studios. First up, Slaughter Sinema.
Since HHN 28 was a giant throwback to the 80’s this particular haunted house was one of the original concept houses. That means it wasn’t tied to any particular movie franchise, like Halloween or Poltergeist were, and Universal had creative control of what the style and feel of the house would be like. As you make your way in the queue line to the entrance, it’s very reminiscent of an 80’s drive in movie. There is an old 80’s car parked outside that clearly looks like something ominous took place in it, and even a giant drive in screen giving you some glimpse in to the horror that awaits you inside. Universal really took the campy 80’s B-movie genre and kicked it up a notch with the trailers you get to watch while you wait, and it’s actually a nice departure to have some entertainment instead of just a winding queue where people are doing their best to not pass out from heat stroke. When you enter the house it’s like walking through different movie sets where the trailers you watched outside have gone wrong and everyone is mangled and murdered, and you’re next. There are some really off the wall concepts like Pumpkin Guts, and Amazon Cannibals. There is a particularly gruesome deadly barber scene that would make anyone who has an aversion to blood queasy. Overall the set was a really cool concept, in terms of scare factor, I give this house a 4 of 10. Maybe I’m just a hard critic, but I need to be screaming my lungs out to give a house a 10 of 10.
Next up on the tour de fear was Scary Tales – Deadly Ever After. For this house experience, take everything you know about Happily Ever After and chuck it out the window. This is not your warm and fuzzy fairy tale, this is the stuff of childhood nightmares. This house is also one of the original story concepts, so there was no limit to the crazy alternate storylines you will witness. However, you get a small taste of the stories as you walk down a long corridor with banners overhead showing you the wicked witch, humpty dumpty, and the big bad wolf. The horror doesn’t end there. The storyline of this experience is that the Wicked Witch of the West has taken control of the realm of fairytales and has trapped beloved storybook characters in cruel alternative fates. As you turn the corner to enter the house from the corridor, the Wicked Witch in all her glory is perched above you and when you least expect it, she flies. Major cool points for technical wizardry. Overall, I give this house a 5 of 10 with the weight of my score on concept alone, the scares weren’t strong, but the horror of what could happen when your favorite fairy tales are turned into monsters is really captured through house.
That’s it for this week, but you’ll want to mark your calendars, because next Thursday I’ll be covering the house everyone is talking about. We’re going to the upside down friends, with a review of Stranger Things.
Until next week!
Erika is excited to be on the TMSM team and where Disney Parks are concerned, you won’t catch her dead on It’s a Small World. If she asks to ride that, this is a clear indication that she is in danger and you must send help. You will, however, catch her performing Random Acts of Disney (R.A.D’s), park hopping with her amazing group of impressively talented and kind friends (usually in some themed attire), hanging out by The Haunted Mansion, and ugly crying during fireworks… then begging for a Mickey Premium Bar to eat her feelings…this is a judgment-free bio.
Otherwise, Erika works for the State of Florida and is actively involved in her community. Erika believes in empowering others and spreading kindness to people from all walks of life. Erika also makes custom designed Disney inspired ears, etched glass, gifts, and accessories. You can check out, like or follow her work on FB, which also links to my shop’s Instagram: www.facebook.com/imagineering.emporium. She looks forward to getting to know everyone and sharing the magic of Disney!
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