Walking through Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights, the streets are filled with zombies, ghosts and goblins. There are legions of evil ninjas, death reapers, witches, asylum escapees and zombies based on the TV show “The Walking Dead.”
Halloween Horror Nights is an annual Halloween event with locations in both Orlando and Hollywood. Silent Hill, Alice Cooper and Penn and Teller are some of the primary themes this year.
While the purpose of Halloween Horror Nights is to turn fears into reality, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy without the fear factor. The “permanent” attractions are still available, such as the Men In Black, The Simpsons and Despicable Me rides. There are also various performances, such as the 20 Penny Circus, a magic show with a dark sense of humor.
There is also Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure, a show that provides a comical satire of many of the public figures in today’s society, which includes a rap battle between President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney. While there is construction going on throughout the park, there is no shortage of entertainment or customers.
Markus Woods, 25, a fourth-year political science student from West Palm Beach, said he thought Halloween Horror Nights was interesting.
“My favorite part was the Dead End Haunted House,” Woods said. “I don’t scare easily, but inside the house, there were people hiding in crazy places, and I didn’t know where they were hiding or when they would pop out.”
Woods said he has been in the past, but “compared to previous years, it was not as scary, but it still had a fear factor.”
LaIke McNeil, 23, a fourth-year English student from Okeechobee, said she had a great time.
“I didn’t know that there were zombies and stuff running through the streets,” McNeil said. “When I turned around, this crazy lady was in front of me with a chain saw – definitely unexpected.”
McNeil said her friends dragged her to the event, but she is glad she went.
“I am not a big fan of haunted houses,” she said. “If I were to go again, I would definitely invest in the express passes. By the time we finished one thing, like two hours passed.”
Rashida Robinson, a third-year public relations student from Freeport, Bahamas, was a first-time attendee.
“The best part was watching grown men scream like little girls,” Robinson said. “One man ran and left his girlfriend behind.”