- Sep 12, 2019
- 217
- 267
I went down 2 weeks ago. Meant to write a review sooner but life got in the way. I’ll rank the houses from my least favorite to favorite.
10. House of a thousand corpses.
So full disclosure I have not seen either version of the movie. I did read a quick summary before entering the house. I have no doubt my lack of seeing the movie hurt this house. So the story of the house was lost on me. Costumes were really cool but I had a lack of scares. It was a nice change of pace from Bloomberg.
9. Nightingales
Honestly this house was pretty forgettable. What I remember most was the facade outside...so that doesn’t bode well for the house itself. The cast did seem to be giving it their all.
8. Universal Monsters
Oh it hurts me to put this house here. Especially since this was the house I was most excited for. I think they tried to do too many monsters. I would have liked for them to pick just a few monsters so we could spend more time in each monster’s story. As it is you are weaving in and out of so many different stories that it feels very disjointed. For example we are with Frankenstein for one room and a turn. I will give major props to the woman playing the bride she has got some pipes on her with that shriek of a scream she let out. Also I got zero scares. This was a theme for the night. Just bad spots in line all night long. I think the house would have been better if they just picked 3 monsters.
7. Stranger Things
Last year’s house was so good! This year was a disappointment. Like monsters I think they tried to do too much combining seasons 2 and 3. Why not just do season 3? I liked that they started this house off where the last left off. Thought I would see way more demidogs. The women they get to play Nancy look just like her. But we walked through the bus and no actors were there. Also where was Alexi and his slurpee?? And no Murray?? Come on. The giant mind flyer at the end saves the house, as does never ending story music.
6. Killer Klowns
Unlike house of a thousands corpses we did watch killer klowns before the event. This house was just fun. They did a great job recreating the movie from the shadow puppets, to the ventriloquist Dummy, to the spaceship. The costumes were great. But again, not scary. I think those costumes make it very hard for the actors to get a good scare. So very fun house but not scary.
5. Graveyard Games
The set design was fantastic. Maybe the most detailed of any house this year. The atmosphere was incredible because of that. But I wanted to see more ghosts! I wanted them around every corner and in all different forms.
4. Depths of Fear
Got my second best scare of the night in this house. I thought the effects were really cool throughout with the video screens and the mirrors to make it look like you were very high in the air. The costumes for the monsters were really cool as well.
3. Yeti
Told my wife as we were about to enter “I want it to be cold and I want to see snow” well check and check. I am a sucker for feeling like we are outside when we are inside. The Yetis were huge and going through the logger camp was fun.
2. Us
I had the least expectations for this one. Just didn’t know how well the film would translate to a house. Having the music play as you walk in sets the atmosphere and the familiar facade is waiting for you along with the Jeremiah sign guy. Got my best scare of the night as the tethered husband cane at me with a bat and that spot on howl from the movie. Hands down the scariest house of the night for us. The sets were dead on. Felt like walking through the film. A great surprise.
1. Ghostbusters
I went back and forth as to which was my favorite house and ultimately landed here. Is it scary? Not one bit. Is it a ton of fun? Hell yes! A ton of fun from start to finish. The music, meeting Jeanie, the library ghost, slimmer, the proton blasts, meeting all the guys, all our favorite characters are here, and the effects are awesome. Wished I just could of stayed in some rooms for a while and just watched. It was everything I wanted out of a ghostbusters house. They checked all the boxes, and hit all the nostalgia. If it had been scary it would of been the perfect house.
Scarezones
I don’t even bother with these anymore. They are not scary and you might as well rename them SelfieZones. They are just an area to walk through for me to get to the next house.
Marathon of Mayhem
I guess I’m spoiled by Disney’s nighttime shows but this did nothing for me. I wasn’t expecting story telling on Disney’s level but I kinda wanted some sort of narrative. As it is it’s just music from some of the IPs and a few scenes projected as well. Meh. I do applaud Universal for branching out and giving a new attraction though.
Overall
It was a fun time. We did 14 house runs doubling up on Monsters, Depths, Graveyard, and Ghostbusters. But scary? No. The least scary year since I have been going. But what the event lacked in scares it made up for in fun houses.
I don’t know if I’ve become desensitized to it (I only go once a year) or if I just know where the scares are coming from in Horror Night houses, or if I was just constantly in the wrong place in line all night, but very few scares for me this year. I also know where the actors hide and I can’t help myself but to peek around the corner and lock eyes with Nancy from Stranger Things-so of course she’s not going to jump now.
Of course I’ll be back next year, just hoping for some more fright in my Horror Nights.
10. House of a thousand corpses.
So full disclosure I have not seen either version of the movie. I did read a quick summary before entering the house. I have no doubt my lack of seeing the movie hurt this house. So the story of the house was lost on me. Costumes were really cool but I had a lack of scares. It was a nice change of pace from Bloomberg.
9. Nightingales
Honestly this house was pretty forgettable. What I remember most was the facade outside...so that doesn’t bode well for the house itself. The cast did seem to be giving it their all.
8. Universal Monsters
Oh it hurts me to put this house here. Especially since this was the house I was most excited for. I think they tried to do too many monsters. I would have liked for them to pick just a few monsters so we could spend more time in each monster’s story. As it is you are weaving in and out of so many different stories that it feels very disjointed. For example we are with Frankenstein for one room and a turn. I will give major props to the woman playing the bride she has got some pipes on her with that shriek of a scream she let out. Also I got zero scares. This was a theme for the night. Just bad spots in line all night long. I think the house would have been better if they just picked 3 monsters.
7. Stranger Things
Last year’s house was so good! This year was a disappointment. Like monsters I think they tried to do too much combining seasons 2 and 3. Why not just do season 3? I liked that they started this house off where the last left off. Thought I would see way more demidogs. The women they get to play Nancy look just like her. But we walked through the bus and no actors were there. Also where was Alexi and his slurpee?? And no Murray?? Come on. The giant mind flyer at the end saves the house, as does never ending story music.
6. Killer Klowns
Unlike house of a thousands corpses we did watch killer klowns before the event. This house was just fun. They did a great job recreating the movie from the shadow puppets, to the ventriloquist Dummy, to the spaceship. The costumes were great. But again, not scary. I think those costumes make it very hard for the actors to get a good scare. So very fun house but not scary.
5. Graveyard Games
The set design was fantastic. Maybe the most detailed of any house this year. The atmosphere was incredible because of that. But I wanted to see more ghosts! I wanted them around every corner and in all different forms.
4. Depths of Fear
Got my second best scare of the night in this house. I thought the effects were really cool throughout with the video screens and the mirrors to make it look like you were very high in the air. The costumes for the monsters were really cool as well.
3. Yeti
Told my wife as we were about to enter “I want it to be cold and I want to see snow” well check and check. I am a sucker for feeling like we are outside when we are inside. The Yetis were huge and going through the logger camp was fun.
2. Us
I had the least expectations for this one. Just didn’t know how well the film would translate to a house. Having the music play as you walk in sets the atmosphere and the familiar facade is waiting for you along with the Jeremiah sign guy. Got my best scare of the night as the tethered husband cane at me with a bat and that spot on howl from the movie. Hands down the scariest house of the night for us. The sets were dead on. Felt like walking through the film. A great surprise.
1. Ghostbusters
I went back and forth as to which was my favorite house and ultimately landed here. Is it scary? Not one bit. Is it a ton of fun? Hell yes! A ton of fun from start to finish. The music, meeting Jeanie, the library ghost, slimmer, the proton blasts, meeting all the guys, all our favorite characters are here, and the effects are awesome. Wished I just could of stayed in some rooms for a while and just watched. It was everything I wanted out of a ghostbusters house. They checked all the boxes, and hit all the nostalgia. If it had been scary it would of been the perfect house.
Scarezones
I don’t even bother with these anymore. They are not scary and you might as well rename them SelfieZones. They are just an area to walk through for me to get to the next house.
Marathon of Mayhem
I guess I’m spoiled by Disney’s nighttime shows but this did nothing for me. I wasn’t expecting story telling on Disney’s level but I kinda wanted some sort of narrative. As it is it’s just music from some of the IPs and a few scenes projected as well. Meh. I do applaud Universal for branching out and giving a new attraction though.
Overall
It was a fun time. We did 14 house runs doubling up on Monsters, Depths, Graveyard, and Ghostbusters. But scary? No. The least scary year since I have been going. But what the event lacked in scares it made up for in fun houses.
I don’t know if I’ve become desensitized to it (I only go once a year) or if I just know where the scares are coming from in Horror Night houses, or if I was just constantly in the wrong place in line all night, but very few scares for me this year. I also know where the actors hide and I can’t help myself but to peek around the corner and lock eyes with Nancy from Stranger Things-so of course she’s not going to jump now.
Of course I’ll be back next year, just hoping for some more fright in my Horror Nights.