Universal’s First Year-Round Horror Attraction
The world of horror has a new home. Universal Horror Unleashed is officially opening in Las Vegas at the newly debuting Area15 Zone 2, expanding on the decades-long success of Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights. This highly anticipated attraction is Universal’s first year-round horror venture, taking the best elements of the genre’s most horrifying franchises and blending them with new ideas to create a different kind of terror for every visitor.
According to Kim Scott, General Manager of Universal Horror Unleashed, the attraction’s arrival in Las Vegas has been an amazing journey. “This has been an incredible journey and amazing to bring year-round horror to the Las Vegas community, but more importantly, to the world and to all of our Universal Horror fans.” She explains that the concept began with the same creative minds behind Universal’s classic horror films, going all the way back to The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
“This has been in the works for over two years. We started early development, and for us it was something that was a passion project,” said TJ Mannarino, Vice President of Entertainment Art & Design. The team’s goal was to create an immersive and interactive experience for guests, and they strived to get visitors as close to the story as possible.
“This has been a long time coming, and August 14th is right around the corner, and we’re also really happy to be part of the AREA15 and the flagship property for AREA15 District. Fantastic, and what are you most excited for guests to experience when they step through the doors? Food and beverage for sure, and then just the experience. It’s a live production show from the moment you walk through the doors.”
A Diverse Lineup of Haunted Houses
To ensure the attraction provides a unique scare for every visitor, the creative team focused on a diverse lineup of experiences. “We make sure we touch on every kind of horror we can possibly think of. Because we know the same thing doesn’t scare the same person,” said Show Director Nate Stevenson.
- Universal Monsters: Horror’s most emblematic icons come to life, taking guests on a journey from the crumbling mausoleum of famed monster hunter Van Helsing, to the shadowy halls of Castle Dracula, the sandy tombs guarded by The Mummy and the crackling lab where Frankenstein and The Bride still draw breath.
- Scarecrow: The Reaping: An original story inspired by the historic Dust Bowl era of the 1930s, placing guests in a dry, barren farmland ravaged by farmers and taken over by horrifying scarecrows.
- Blumhouse’s The Exorcist: Believer: Based on one of the most terrifying installments of the iconic film franchise. The terror builds room by room as the girls’ disturbing transformation unfolds, taking guests from the hospital to the girls’ homes, to witnessing the actual exorcism surrounded by supernatural chaos.
- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Based on the 1974 horror masterpiece, the haunted house will bring to life the original film in a linear sequence, placing guests face-to-face with Leatherface and every member of his deranged family.
Themed Areas and Immersive Experiences
The themed areas at Universal Horror Unleashed are set in an abandoned production warehouse, placing guests in the center stage of horror with many opportunities to interact with the characters, plus electrifying performances. These are also home to the food and beverage locations.
- Jack’s Alley: Set in a twisted, dark carnival atmosphere, this themed area features acrobatic performances in a circus-like hellscape where the deranged Jack the Clown and his evil sidekick Chance reign.
- Kill Vault: Guests will be surrounded by rusty knives, machetes, and an array of eerie characters – from a strange surgeon to psychotic slashers – who are lurking in the shadows, attempting to lure their next victim.
- Prop Graveyard: The line between inanimate and alive blurs, as guests face a supernatural collection of unsettling dolls, dismembered mannequins and other haunted objects from abandoned film sets that seem to move as guests walk through.
- Dead Storage: This area will envelop guests in a shadow-filled sanctuary with forgotten set pieces and eerie relics that have been reclaimed by night-dwelling creatures – vampires, a werewolf in mid-transformation, and others that emerge without warning.
Food, Drinks, and the Future of Horror
Universal Horror Unleashed is a feast for the senses, with unique food and drink offerings that are as creative as the horror itself. Chef Julia Thrash, Vice President of Culinary at Universal Studios Hollywood, stated that the food and beverage offerings were a complete partnership between the chef and creative teams. “It’s actually been a complete partnership with our chef team that’s been boots on the ground here, and then the creative team from Universal Studios Hollywood. So it’s been a whole whirlwind of chefs coming together to create something pretty dreadfully amazing.”
In addition to the haunted houses, Universal Horror Unleashed offers a unique culinary experience that keeps you immersed in the horror. At the heart of the attraction, a space called The Boiler provides a brief reprieve from the terror, serving craft cocktails beneath a monstrous flaming machine. Meanwhile, the Kill Vault’s Rough Cuts serves up “chainsaw” carved small plates, and the Blumhouse-themed Premiere House is a tapas bar with signature cocktails and shareable bites surrounded by eerie movie props.
