Universal Halloween Horror Nights 2022

Gizmodo looks at the full roster of Universal Halloween Horror Nights in Florida alongside The Weeknd Nightmare and some of the events not based on movies sound like they’d make good movies, or indeed RPG one-shots. They certainly have more backstory than a three-minute walkthrough with people in masks jumping out at you needs: several have actual short stories attached.

(edit: And there are different stories at Hollywood.)

Spirits of the Coven

Guests will be invited to a lively 1920s speakeasy, but something sinister is brewing beneath in “Spirits of the Coven.” A coven of seemingly beautiful flapper witches will lure those who enter into a hidden brewing area. Once they’ve ensnared their victims, they’ll reveal their haggish true form and turn guests into a witch’s brew. They’ll be cackling; everyone else will be screaming.

Bugs: Eaten Alive

While touring a 1950s home of the future, guests will be swarmed by hordes of revolting insects after a pest control system failure unleashes them. Many-legged horrors, growing, mutating and laying eggs in human hosts will worm their way into the deepest of fears. Those who dare enter will be dropping like flies in “Bugs: Eaten Alive.”

Fiesta de Chupacabras

The mountains of Latin America are filled with many wonderful traditions. In one tiny village, they pay tribute to the legendary creature Chupacabras with an annual fiesta. In “Fiesta de Chupacabras,” there’s more to the legend than meets the eye. And in this colorful village, the streets are lined with the crimson blood of visitors.

Hellblock Horror

They too do time for their crimes. In “Hellblock Horror,” guests will have to survive visiting hours in a secret penitentiary that houses treacherous monsters and fiends of all kinds that are hellbent on taking over and destroying the world. The interdimensional power core containing the inmates has failed and the monsters are breaking out of their cells, allowing them easy access to guests, and the exit.

Dead Man’s Pier: Winter’s Wake

There’s nothing charming about this ghostly New England fishing village. A phantom sea captain is summoning undead fishermen from their watery grave, a grisly crew with rotting, barnacle-encrusted bodies. Guests may have escaped their hooks in the “Dead Man’s Wharf” scare zone in 2016 – now they’d better batten down the hatches before they’re reeled in and drug under in “Dead Man’s Pier: Winter’s Wake.”

Descendants of Destruction

Deep in the subway tunnels below an abandoned, toxic city, mutated humans fight for survival in “Descendants of Destruction.” The deeper one goes, the darker their fate. In the fading light of the poisoned depths, hideous creatures who’ve long ago left their humanity behind prey on all who try to make their way through the darkness.

Horrors of Halloween

The Pumpkin Lord, the spirit of Halloween, has returned to take over this year’s event, summoning hordes of fiendish creatures including demons, ghosts and witches. Terror has taken root.

Scarecrow: Cursed Soil

At an abandoned farm, scarecrow sentinels have risen from the crust of the earth to hunt souls and seek revenge. They’ll harvest the screams of those who dare enter this dilapidated barn.

Sweet Revenge

The sweets from Major Sweets’ candy company have turned these 1950s kids into crazed killers. With pint-sized costumed maniacs roaming the streets, Halloween will be a night of trick or treat mayhem.

Graveyard: Deadly Unrest

On All Hallow’s Eve, a dark storm descends upon a cemetery and awakens long-dead spirits. These specters rise from their graves to capture souls for all eternity. No one living can escape them.

Conjure the Dark

An evil sorceress has entered twisted stone ruins and called forth monstrosities from dark dimensions. This Halloween, blood will feed her army of the night.

Halloween Nightmare Fuel Wildfire

The show that sparked a firestorm last year is ablaze with a new nightmare. Guests can get fired up to the beat of metal, rock and electronica as pyro and aerial performers return to reignite fears.

Ghoulish! A Halloween Tale

As darkness falls, a ghost story becomes reality as guests go beyond the grave in a spectacularly spooky show on Universal Studios’ lagoon, featuring huge water screens and sinister music.

And at Hollywood, an Us/Nope double bill, a shall-not-be-named tie-in, and:

“Killer Klowns from Outer Space” traps guests in a frightening funhouse of murderous clown-like creatures based on the cult classic of the same name.

“La Llorona: The Weeping Woman” features the legend of La Llorona who comes to life to terrorize the living as she mourns the children she murdered.

“Scarecrow: The Reaping” finds Mother Nature’s retribution against homesteaders for the sins of their past will be carried out by the farmland’s scarecrows who have remained mute witnesses –- but are now guardians reaping vengeance.

“Universal Horror Hotel” sees the building’s original owner, who was executed years ago for his dastardly deeds, haunt guests who must escape his vengeful spirit or risk becoming permanent residents themselves.

Award-winning hip-hop dance crew Jabbawockeez brings an all-new, high-energy show nightly to this year’s event.

All-new scare zones will challenge guests as they navigate the darkness from one terrifying house to the next:

“El Pueblo del Terror” is an extension of “La Llorona: The Weeping Woman” as guests who exit the haunted house discover there is no escaping La Llorona, along with other supernatural characters from Latin America’s most frightening myths.

“Sideshow Slaughterhouse” turns New York Street into a battle zone as carnies from a seedy sideshow go on a murderous rampage.

“Clownsawz” features a demonic troop of clowns who band together to terrorize guests with chainsaws as they enter the park.