Photo courtesy Universal
Halloween Horror Nights officially starts TONIGHT! This is, of course, the big horror event of the season that all gore fans have been waiting for, but did you know that Universal is adding other experiences to their Halloween celebration this year?
Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle
On select nights September 14 through November 15, guests within Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure will be treated to a brand new light projection show on Hogwarts castle. Using state of the art special effects, this show will feature the darker side of magic and magical creatures, including encounters with Dementors, Aragog, Thestrals, and even the Dark Lord himself. Only by casting the complicated Patronus spell (apparently using drones!), will guests be spared from certain doom! On these nights, guests will also have the misfortune (opportunity?) to come face to face with Death Eaters in a green fog seeping throughout the village.
If you’re looking for spoilers, Attractions Magazine posted a video from the Hollywood version of the show. You can watch it below.
Stranger Things at Cabana Bay
Also during the Halloween Horror Nights season, guests at Cabana Bay Beach Resort will encounter a pop-up Stranger Things experience. Details won’t be revealed until later today, but we do know that it will include photo opportunities with select characters.
Personally, I love Stranger Things and am excited to see another experience added to Universal Resort. However, I admit I have some doubts that this is going to work at a resort. Not all guests are going to want to experience the Upside Down. Will these guests be given the opportunity to avoid the experience? I assume a high percentage of guests staying at Cabana Bay during Horror Nights made their reservation prior to this announcement. Will they be pleased by the addition or upset that their family friendly resort is now part of a horror themed event? If it’s just a photo opportunity, it probably won’t be a big deal. But if it’s anything more intense than that, I anticipate some guest complaints.
