Park attendees who enter Universal Studios Hollywood weekends the last week of September until the first week of November are in for a unique experience. 

Every Halloween, theme parks turn some of their normal offerings into Halloween-themed scary rides and attractions, as well as introducing some new attractions. Universal Studios Hollywood is no exception. 

This year's Halloween Horror Nights features six mazes, a terror tram and "scare zones," areas in the park filled with employees dressed in scary costumes.

Clowns, men on stilts and other scary creatures routinely jump out from the fog covering the park, but one of the scariest creatures featured are zombies during the park's studio back lot tour.

The "Terror Tram: Invaded by The Walking Dead" puts a spin on the normal studio back lot tour and is one of this year's main attractions. Instead of seeing the sets of popular movies, though, guests take a tram to an area invaded by zombies.

On the tram ride to the sets, attraction goers watch scenes from "The Walking Dead" television series. A few minutes in, park employees halt the tram and open its doors, much to the surprise of screaming park goers. People are ushered out of the cars and into the back lot, where zombies immediately attack. Many park goers run through the sets in hopes of getting away, only to run into more zombies.

After making it out of the back lot, people are ushered back in to the tram and return to the park.

The terror tram is a long attraction and well worth the short wait, only around 30 minutes. It closes before the other rides in the park, though, so make sure to do this ride early in the night.

One of the six mazes open during Halloween Horror Nights, Universal Monsters Remix: Resurrection, is open year round. The other five are not. They are: Insidious: Into the Further, Evil Dead: Book of the Dead, El Cucuy: The Boogeyman, The Walking Dead: No Safe Haven and Black Sabbath: 13-3D.

All the mazes have a long wait time, some as long as two hours, so it is unlikely park goers will make it into all six mazes. 

The Evil Dead maze starts in a small room. As park goers' eyes adjust to the light, many notice a name written repeatedly on the walls…in blood. The maze continues to highlight creatures people fear most.

Of all the mazes, Evil Dead has the most shock value. It is, however, shorter than some of the other mazes. After waiting in line for over an hour, it is a little disappointing that it doesn't last a bit longer.

The normal park rides also remain open dung Halloween Horror Nights. These rides have a very short wait, most less than 30 minutes. While it would be near impossible to visit all the mazes, it is easy to go on all the rides. Some of them are slightly different than normal, such as the Jurassic Park ride, renamed Jurassic Park in the Dark. 

In addition to the rides and mazes, Halloween Horror Nights also has scare zones. In these areas park employees are dressed as a variety of scary creatures that jump out and follow park goers around, trying to scare them. At times this is scarier than the mazes because it is unexpected and the employees were able to follow people for extended periods of time.

Prices for the event vary as there are many online deals offered for different nights.

Despite the long waits, Halloween Horror Nights is still an enjoyable event. It offers a unique way to see the park and enjoy both old and new attractions.

 

 

Reach Deputy Editor Hannah Madans here.