Halloween Horror Nights And Dates

Halloween Horror Nights is an annual Halloween event that occurs at Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Singapore. Universal Studios remains operational during the day and transitions to Halloween Horror Nights at night. The event features haunted houses, "scare zones" and live entertainment, many of which utilize Universal's characters and other licenses.

History

Halloween Horror Nights began at Universal Studios Florida in 1991 under the title "Fright Nights" but was renamed "Halloween Horror Nights" in 1992, advertised as the "second annual". Halloween Horror Nights began as a three night event but has since been extended to include up to 24 nights.

From 1991–2001, the event was held at Universal Studios Florida. Halloween Horror Nights moved to Universal's Islands of Adventure in 2002. In 2004, the resort experimented with a dual-park format, which connected and utilized parts of both parks. In 2006, the event made a return to Universal Studios Florida.

Halloween Horror Nights officially launched at Universal Studios Hollywood in 1997, although the park had featured Halloween attractions in 1986 and 1992. For 2001 to 2005, Halloween Horror Nights went on hiatus at Universal Studios Hollywood and returned in 2006. While the Hollywood location shares similarities with the Orlando event, much of the two events is coordinated separately with their own design teams and attractions.

Halloween Horror Nights XI, coming so close after the events of September 11, 2001, caused Universal to make many changes to tone the event down. Any gore was scrapped from the event and blood was replaced with green "goop". The names of several houses, scare zones, and shows were changed. The original icon character "Eddie" was scrapped. Edgar Sawyer was conceived as a demented, chainsaw-wielding horror movie buff that had been disfigured by a fire. He was supposed to be a threat to previous icon Jack and the tagline "No more clowning around" was used and even seen on early advertisements and merchandise. Eddie was ultimately removed from the event before it began, although still appearing on that year's logo and merchandise with the official "I.C.U." tagline. As a hurried replacement, Jack would return along with a line of merchandise bearing the tagline "Jack's Back." Eddie's back-story was changed to his name being Eddie Schmidt and being Jack's younger brother. He later appeared with the other icons at Halloween Horror Nights XIV in Horror Nights Nightmares, and with his own house for Halloween Horror Nights XVI, Run: Hostile Territory.

The Universal Entrance Decorated for Halloween Horror Nights 17
The Caretaker was not the original icon for Halloween Horror Nights XII. Cindy, the daughter of mortuary owner Paul Bearer, was originally the icon of the event. In the event's premise, every land would be ruled over by her "playthings". Unfortunately, after several child abductions in the area, the Cindy concept was abandoned and her father Paul Bearer morphed into Dr. Albert Caine aka The Caretaker. Cindy would eventually appear in image in 2006's Scream House Resurrection, as a live character in 2009's Shadows of the Past, alongside her father, and finally featured in 2010 in her own house, "The Orfanage: Ashes to Ashes".

For 2007, Universal acquired the rights to use New Line Cinema's characters Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees and Leatherface (and including their own Chucky) for Halloween Horror Nights, Universal Studios Hollywood used the characters for a second year in 2008. In 2010, Hollywood again used the characters Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees, in their newer incarnation following franchise reboots.

2010 marks the 20th installment of the event at the Orlando park, titled "Twenty Years of Fear", featuring the embodiment of Fear itself as the event's icon.

In 2011, Universal Studios Singapore began their Halloween Horror Nights events.
Event Icons

Halloween Horror Nights has amassed a number of characters, known as icons, some being original creations and some using licensed characters. These icons usually had elaborate back-stories that involved the event's theme, houses, or scare zones. Predominantly they have been used for promotional materials and merchandising. The first unofficial icon was Crypt Keeper, from the TV series Tales from the Crypt, a series popular at the time of his first event appearance (HHN V). The Crypt Keeper returned the next year for one of the houses, but was not featured in the advertising campaign. After the Crypt Keeper, the event continued for four years without an icon. Halloween Horror Nights has had an icon, and in some cases multiple icons, every year since, excluding Halloween Horror Nights XIV. These icon characters include Jack the Clown, the Caretaker, the Director, the Storyteller, Bloody Mary, the Usher, Fear and Lady Luck.

Houses

When the event first started as "Fright Nights", there was simply one haunted house, but as the event progressed the number has increased up to as many as eight different houses.

Scare Zones

Halloween Horror Nights IV was the first year to introduce a "scare zone", a name given to specific outdoor areas that feature theming and costumed characters with the intent of scaring people who walk through the areas. To get to certain areas of the park, it is necessary to travel through these scare zones.

Robosaurus in a show from Halloween Horror Nights 16

Live Entertainment

Halloween Horror Nights has featured several live entertainment shows; Recurring shows have included "The Rocky Horror Picture Show: A Tribute",[17] "Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure",[18] and Robosaurus.[19]

Rides

Several of the rides at Universal Studios remain operational during the event.[20] In past event years, some rides were re-themed for the event. (i.e. Kongfrontation became Tramway of Doom during HHN 2)

Commercials & Media

Universal's Halloween Horror Nights is known for its creepy advertisements and morbidly grotesque commercials. In 2010, The directors of Daybreakers (Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig) directed the Halloween Horror Nights 2010 commercial. There haven't been any official movies based on Univeral's Halloween Horror Nights, despite Universal Studios being known principally as a movie making business. A horror short was released to Youtube that is based on one of the haunted houses from Halloween Horror Nights 2010 called "Horror Nights: The Hallow'd Past". Despite not being officially released by Universal, it is considered to be the closest equivalent to a Horror Nights movie currently available



Need to know the exact date of Halloween this year? Halloween always falls on October 31st of each year.

Here's a chart that shows what day of the week Halloween is celebrated from 2011 - 2015.



2011                    Monday                  October 31, 2011

2012                    Wednesday             October 31, 2012

2013                   Thursday                 October 31, 2013

2014                   Friday                     October 31, 2014

2015                   Saturday                 October 31, 2015

Top Amusement Parks In The United States

Travelers that take along the entire family know that the kids love an amusement park.

In fact, lots of adults have a great time while they’re there too.

Between the rides, shows and tons of decadent goodies, a visit to an amusement park is usually a memorable experience.

• California

1. Disneyland is located in Anaheim and has been entertaining families since July 17th, 1955. It is the original theme park in the Disney Family and the only theme park that Walt Disney himself visited.
2. Legoland is not a theme park like any other. It opened in 1999 and is located in Carlsbad. There are plenty of exhibitions and attractions such asKnights Tournament, the Block of Fame, the Kid Power Tower and the Sky Cruiser. If you have little ones take them on the Safari Trek ride. These are just a few of the thrilling adventures your children will enjoy when you visit Legoland.
3. Other theme parks in California include, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Great America, SeaWorld San Diego and the infamous Universal Studios Hollywood. Most are located in various cities so check a map to see if it is feasible to visit.

• Florida Florida has a myriad of amusement and theme parks such as Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Downtown Disney, Epcot and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. These attractions can be found in Lake Buena Vista.Moving on to Orlando take in Aquatica, CityWalk Orlando, Discovery Cove, Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. There is also a theme park in Tampa, Busch Gardens Africa and in Winter Haven is Cypress Gardens.
• Georgia is home to two amusement and theme parks. In Austell you can thrill to the exciting rides at Six Flags Over Georgia or head over to Valdosta for Wild Adventures. Boasting over one hundred rides and attractions it is fun for the whole family. Also included are animals and a water park.

If you do your research, there is practically a Six Flags in every state of America. In Massachusetts it is Six Flags New England, Missouri has Six Flags St. Louis, Maryland is the host of Six Flags America and Illinois is home to Six Flags Great America.

Going to an amusement park with the family makes for an exciting and thrilling day for the whole gang. Find out if there is one near where you are vacationing.

Top 10 Beaches in America

No. 1: Caladesi Island State Park in Clearwater/Dunedin, Fla.

Caladesi Island State Park as a “well-kept secret. Surrounded by a lush state park, few people in Tampa seem to know its whereabouts.” In picking this as the No. 1 beach, he cites its “powder white sand, warm, crystal-clear water and beautiful nature.”

No. 2: Hanalei Beach, Kauai, Hawaii

The rural shores of Hanalei Bay Beach, located on Kauai’s North Shore, are great for families and surfers alike. Surfing, swimming and walking are the best activities over here.

No. 3: Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Fla.

Siesta Key Beach is located on Beach Rd on Siesta Key Barrier Island. It is famous for its sand, which is made up of 99% quartz, and is soft, blindingly white, and always cool under your feet. The water here is beautiful and calm and It is fairly shallow near the shore.

No 4. Coopers Beach, Southampton, N.Y.

The rural shores of Coopers Beach, located on New York’s Atlantic Coast, are perfect for a summertime getaway. Swimming and walking are the best activities over here.

No. 5: Coronado Beach, San Diego

Coronado Beach is perfect for that classic lazy weekend on the beach and watching the sun set over the Pacific. Active beach goers can enjoy the great volleyball, tide pool exploration, and riding along the bike path, which is just south of the landmark Hotel Del Coronado.

Staying at San Diego beachfront hotels offers you the chance to enjoy the best in amenities as you go off and enjoy the many pleasures of the beach.

No. 6. Main Beach, East Hampton, N.Y.

The urban shores of East Hampton-Main Beach, located on New York’s Atlantic Coast, are great for families and surfers alike. Swimming, fishing, surfing and walking are the best activities over here.

No. 7: Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii

The remote, scenic shores of Hamoa Beach, located on Maui’s Hana Coast, are great for families and surfers alike. Fishing, Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Surfing, Swimming and Walking are the best activities over here.

No. 8: Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, N.C.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore is a fascinating combination of natural and cultural resources, and provides a wide variety of recreational opportunities. These dynamic islands provide a variety of habitats and are a valuable wintering area for migrating waterfowl. The park’s fishing and surfing are considered the best on the east coast.

No. 9: Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Fla.

Located on Florida’s Atlantic Coast, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park Beach boasts 1.25 miles of urban shoreline. Fishing, hiking, swimming and walking are the best activities over here.

No. 10: Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, S.C.

The remote, scenic shores of Beachwalker County Park, located on South Carolina’s Atlantic Coast. Fishing, Hiking, Swimming and Wildlife Viewing are considered as the best activities over here.

Top 25 Most Visited Tourist Destinations in America

The list includes the thundering falls of Niagara, it also features the harrowing water-chutes of Disneyland’s and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Seven of the 25 tourist attractions are amusement parks; Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, remains on top in the theme-park world. Tourists appreciate renowned art collections and sunny beaches in equal measure.

Many foreign visitors are interested in seeing the natural scenic attractions like the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks.

1.Times Square, New York City, N.Y

Times Square, the most bustling square of New York, is known for its many Broadway theatres, cinemas and super signs.

Times Square has all sorts of fun, exciting and informative tours to explore other parts of the city. You can Choose from walking, bike, bus, food, limo, TV, landmark, ethnic or water tours.

Times Square Alliance estimates an average of more than 2,000 pedestrians traversing a block of 7th Avenue during a 15-minute weekday period.

2. The Las Vegas Strip, Nevada

Las Vegas is the most popular tourist destination in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and entertainment.

Enticing over 31 million visitors,about 80 percent of the city’s total (39.2 million) visitors, a year with its million-gigawatt smile and globetrotting attractions, Las Vegas Strip is more than glitz and gambling. – [Source: National Scenic Byways Program]

3. National Mall and Memorial Parks, Washington, D.C.

National Mall & Memorial Parks contains some of the oldest protected park lands in the National Park Service.

Many of the nation’s iconic public landmarks are found in the 1,000-plus acres of the National Mall and Memorial Parks, including the Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson Memorials, and the Korean and Vietnam War Veterans Memorials.

4. Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, MA

Faneuil Hall Marketplace, one of the most popular tourist destinations, which gets 20 million visitors, encompasses four historic places in one location — Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, North Market and South Market, all set around a quaint cobblestone promenade where jugglers, magicians and musicians entertain the visitors.

There are more than 100 places to eat, shop and drink at this historic site.

5. Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Lake Buena Vista, FL

The most popular of Disney’s Florida attractions saw a 2.5 percent increase [17.1 million] in visitation compared with 2006, according to the TEA/ERA Theme Park Attendance Report.

How the Magic Kingdom has managed to maintain its charm and appeal over the years is a lesson in simplicity. It has stayed true to its original vision, a place where families could gather in a clean and safe environment to enjoy the time they spend together.

6. Disneyland Park, Anaheim, CA

Walt Disney’s original theme park features eight themed lands with classic Disney characters, favorite attractions, live entertainment, and parades.

With nearly 15 million visitors last year, the original Disney park, had a record season according to the TEA/ERA.

Currently the park has been visited by more than 515 million guests since it opened, including presidents, royalty and other heads of state.

7. Fisherman’s Wharf/Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco, CA

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) is a U.S. National Recreation Area administered by the National Park Service that surrounds the San Francisco Bay area.

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area, one of the top tourist destinations, which includes the famous orange bridge along with numerous other spaces throughout the Bay Area, draws 14.3 million visitors annually.

8. Niagara Falls, N.Y.

The Falls, which straddle the U.S.-Canadian border, have been a tourist mecca since the mid-19th century. With statistics from the Niagara Falls Tourism Bureau and Niagara Falls Brige Commission, visitors are approximated at 12 million a year.

9. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tenn./N.C.

America’s most visited national park is neither the Grand Canyon nor Yosemite. The natural beauty and the four distinct seasons enjoyed in the GSMNP is unmatched!

With more than 800 miles of protected trails, this natural wonder hosted nearly 10 million hikers, birders and drivers last year.

10. Navy Pier, Chicago, IL

Opened in 1916, this Chicago landmark on the shore of Lake Michigan has served as a campus and military training facility.

With 8.6 million visitors, From rides to restaurants, exhibitions to entertainment, shopping to dining cruises and tour boats Navy Pier has it all – in a location unlike any other!

11. Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Ariz./Nev.

Thirty miles southeast of Las Vegas lies the U.S.’s largest man-made lake and reservoir, a recreational mecca for boaters, swimmers, fishermen and naturalists attracts 7.6 million.

Lake Mead flooded a large area of desert, covering many canyons, several small villages and relics of ancient settlements.

Some more views of lake mead.

12. Universal Studios Orlando/Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando, FL

Like its rival Disney, Universal houses what ERA’s Christian Aaen calls a “destination complex” in Orlando, where two theme parks, Universal Studios Orlando and Universal’s Islands of Adventure, vie for 6.2 million thrill-seeking tourists.

13. SeaWorld Florida, Orlando, FL

Attendance was up one percent from the previous year for this watery theme park-one of several Orlando sites on our list. The TEA/ERA puts SeaWorld’s 2007 attendance at 5.8 million.

14. San Antonio River Walk, Texas

The Riverwalk is one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Texas and the greater San Antonio area has a world of fun and exciting things to do and see.

The San Antonio River Walk (also known as Paseo del Río) is a network of walkways around the San Antonio River, linking several major attractions one story beneath downtown San Antonio, Texas. Lined by bars, shops and restaurants.

The River Walk proclaims itself the “Number One entertainment destination in Texas,” with 5.1 million visitors a year.

15. Temple Square, Salt Lake City, UT

Temple Square is the most popular tourist attraction in the state with five million annual visitors. This ten-acre block located in the middle of downtown Salt Lake City is Utah’s number one tourist attraction.

The Mormon church’s headquarters are here, but Temple Square is more than just a destination for Latter Day Saints.

16. Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Penn./N.J.

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is a beautiful part of the Appalachian Mountains with all kinds of outdoors recreation available.

This park preserves 40 miles of the middle Delaware River and almost 70,000 acres of land along the river’s New Jersey and Pennsylvania shores.

River-focused recreation is what draws nearly five million tourists to this Appalachian-ridge park on the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

17. Universal Studios,Hollywood, CA

Its official marketing headline is “The Entertainment Capital of LA,” though during the summer it is often advertised as “The Coolest Place in LA.”

Nearly five million star gazers and thrill seekers came last year to tour the sets of “Desperate Housewives,” “King Kong” and other Universal productions.

18. Metropolitan Museum, New York, N.Y.

Founded in 1870 (and moved to its current home in Central Park in 1880), the Met’s vast stores of art include more than two million works in its two-million-square-foot building.

It has a permanent collection containing more than two million works of art, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The museum is also home to encyclopedic collections of musical instruments, costumes and accessories, and antique weapons and armor from around the world.

Four and a half million visitors came to peruse some of the world’s greatest art collections, from American and European to Egyptian and the newly refurbished Greek and Roman Galleries.

19. Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii

Waikiki Beach is a legendary tourist zone on the south shore of Oahu in Hawaii. This iconic Hawaiian tourist destination, on the edge of the Honolulu neighborhood that shares is name, offers splendid views of the volcanic cone, Diamond Head.

With its droves of tourists, it also made Forbes Traveler’s list of over-hyped beaches. Upwards of 4.5 million sunbathers try to relax on its sands each year.

20. Grand Canyon, AZ

The canyon is one of the most famous tourist destinations in the USA and possibly in the world. TheGrand Canyon is a steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River in the U.S. state of Arizona.

It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park one of the first national parks in the United States. Tourists have arrived at a much quicker rate since the canyon achieved National Park status in 1919.

A horseshoe-shaped glass Skywalk, opened in 2007, allows the nearly 4.5 million visitors a chance to experience vertigo.

21. Busch Gardens Africa, Tampa Bay, FL

Busch Gardens is the ultimate family adventure park offering an array of fascinating tourist attractions based on exotic encounters with the African continent.

This Africa-themed park, which houses over 2,700 animals alongside the usual array of rides, restaurants and shows, attracts 4.4 million every year.

22. Cape Cod National Seashore, MA

Cape Cod National Seashore is made up of a number of beautiful beaches. It is a land of parabolic sand dunes, 19th-century lighthouses, shipwrecks, pilgrims, and piping plovers.

Sightseeing, trail and beach walking, swimming, historic building tours, fishing, and bicycling are all key activities that can be enjoyed here. The bicycle and hiking trails and sandy beaches enticed more than 4 million visitors last year.

23. SeaWorld San Diego, San Diego, CA

SeaWorld San Diego is one of the world’s premier marine adventure parks with 200 acres of world-class shows, thrilling rides and unforgettable animal encounters.

More than 4 million visitors explore the mysteries of the sea every year, with up-close animal interactions and exhilarating thrills.

24. American Museum of Natural History, NY

American Museum of Natural History, which attract 4 million visitors, has been one of the world’s preeminent science and research institutions, renowned for its collections and exhibitions that illuminate millions of years of the earth’s evolution, from the birth of the planet through the present day.

The AMNH’s 45 permanent exhibit halls contain a vast record of world history, from dinosaur fossils to the human genome.

The 18-acre campus is located in Theodore Roosevelt Park on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, and its popular overnight program gives eight-to-12-year-olds the thrill of “falling asleep in the darkened halls of one of the world’s most famous museums.”

25. Atlantic City Boardwalk, New Jersey

The Boardwalk (immortalized in the Monopoly board game) runs along the beach for four miles, skirting past casinos, hotels and shops, and connects with the Garden Pier, home to the Atlantic City Historical Museum and the Atlantic City Art Center.

Although boardwalks can be found around the world, they are especially common along the East Coast of the United States in North America, where they have many of the functions of a city street and are often tourist attractions themselves. It get 4 million visitors every year.