While Halloween Horror Nights icon Jack the Clown takes over Worldwide Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas, he leaves Universal Studios Orlando in the hands of *Terrifier* slasher Art the Clown for a bloody good time. and essentially, Art feels like this year’s master of scaremonies at the 34th Horror Nights, between having the most extreme house and roaming around his Clown Cafe. But unlike the West Coast version of HHN, which boasts primarily movie/TV franchise frights, *Terrifier* isn’t the only draw here, as this year’s slate of IP houses is perfectly balanced by original concept horror houses.
io9 recently visited Universal Studios Orlando-tickets for access were provided for review purposes-to see how this year’s HHN and Halloween offerings stack up. One of the key takeaways we found is that the Orlando park has just so much to offer for Halloween in comparison, between a much stronger version of Horror Nights, the Universal Monsters dominating at Epic Universe, and the introduction of a family-friendly *Scooby-Doo*-themed spooky season event at Volcano Bay. It really outshines the West Coast park in Hollywood, California, to make the most out of the fall-based festivities.
Galkin: Monsters of the North and Othre Original Houses
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The best house at the event, as so frequently enough happens with the East Coast, is Galkin, an imaginative original story inspired by Norse monsters and demons. From the start you’re transported away from humid Orlando and into a chilly village invaded by grotesquely horrifying creatures.The monster design is stunning, and the scares are unexpected as you’re transfixed by the sets-the distraction gives the “scareactors,” Universal’s official term for its fightful performers, time to prey on you. the scale is just next level, as you go from mountain terrains to a village with a tall, burning wicker man (not *actually* burning, but just simulated with clever lighting). This was the one I wanted to go through over and over again.
We’ve also got to give *El Artista* a shout-out as the other heavy hitter at this year’s event. Following an artist on a creative retreat in a very haunted house driven to madness, it felt like we were on a EuropeFor those unfamiliar with the *Five Nights at Freddy’s* (FNAF) fandom but remember childhood visits to Chuck E. Cheese, the experience begins with seeing the animatronic band performing their in-universe show. Orlando’s FNAF house excels at establishing the story for newcomers, effectively setting the stage even for those who haven’t seen the Blumhouse film or played Scott Cawthon’s games.As a fan of the film, I particularly enjoyed the showcased Henson animatronic puppetry and the nostalgic pizza aroma. it truly felt like a childhood nightmare come to life, reminiscent of dreams of being chased through a child casino.
The Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza pop-up in Orlando was also a standout, surpassing the West Coast version.While the Hollywood location offered a basic, social media-driven experience, Orlando curated a menu inspired by the FNAF franchise. The pizza topped with spaghetti and meatballs,surprisingly,proved to be a perfect refueling meal. They even included nods to the film’s character Mike with his breakfast sandwich, and their cupcake, filled with cannoli, was superior to its Hollywood counterpart. A real Freddy Fazbear’s takeover of the Monsters Cafe, instead of the Minions, might have appeased horror fans.
Halloween Horror Nights 2025: Frist Impressions of the New Scare Zones
Volcano Bay Nights
After-hours access to the water park with a Halloween twist is an inspired idea, but it ended up feeling like there was room for improvement. You’re invited to enjoy the tropical weather as the Scooby-Doo gang investigates the mystery of the Ghost Clown, which feels like the perfect summerween concept. Though, that’s the extent of the spooky offerings. We wanted more Halloween fun, like spooky Scooby-Doo inspired food and drinks if the theme was going to stick to the Hanna-Barbera cartoon. We did love that, at the end of the event, guests can participate in unmasking the Ghost Clown.
What makes Volcano Bay Nights’ inclusion in the fall offerings valuable is the chance to have a more family-friendly Halloween option, and it should definitely go all in on that. There are so many awesome gateway horror characters in the Universal catalog we’d like to see join the scooby gang in other spooky-zone areas, like SpongeBob with friends facing off with the hash-slinging Slasher or the Flying Dutchman, or some ’90s Casper fun. Just put the Universal Monsters on a tiki trip!
Epic Universe’s Dark Universe
One of the things I was hoping for was…