Universal Studios Hollywood Announces Holidayz in Hell Maze for Horror Nights

Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal City, CA

Yes, folks, it IS April, but for those who plan Halloween events, it’s never too early to start thinking about the spooks. So it comes to no surprise to haunters and haunt fans that news is already unfolding about this upcoming Halloween season, and earlier this week, the unveil came from Universal Studios Hollywood, which announced its second maze for Halloween Horror Nights: Holidayz in Hell! This fan favorite scare zone last year (our favorite) has been reimagined as an original maze—a refreshing offering, since the vast majority of Horror Nights mazes are based on intellectual properties.

Joining the recently announced Stranger Things maze (which will feature scenes from season 2 and season 3), Holidayz in Hell will be a part of what promises to be another star-studded line-up. But it really is great to see something a little more creative—even if the scare zone last year rehashed a lot of old scare zone theming—since it tends to yield a less formulaic maze experience. The scare zone had a twisted sense of fun and horror last year, and we hope it carries that same crazed spirit this year!

(Image courtesy of Universal Studios Hollywood.)

From the press release:

Universal Studios Hollywood Sends Guests on a Tour of the Underworld for a Nightmarish Version of Everyone’s Favorite Seasonal Celebrations in the All-Original Halloween Horror Nights Maze, “Holidayz in Hell”

Universal City, CA – From New Year’s Eve to Valentine’s Day, from Easter to the Fourth of July and from Thanksgiving to Christmas, Universal Studios Hollywood adds a demented twist to life’s biggest moments in the all-original Halloween Horror Nights maze, “Holidayz in Hell.”

Inspired by the popular scare zone of the same name, the “Holidayz in Hell” maze will feature an original score by Electronic Music Artist and Producer Figure and offer guests new reasons to dread the holidays.  A tortured Tunnel of Love, inhabited by a crazed Cupid on a quest for hearts to break or take will make this Valentine’s Day anything but romantic; an unhinged Uncle Sam will create a sinister July 4th killerbration; treacherous turkeys will gobble, gobble an unsuspecting family; and a sick Santa will adorn Christmas Trees with human body parts, with many other milestone killer holidays.

Ah, the Holidayz from Hell have arrived. 

Those who survive the Holidayz need not let down their guard just yet as a creepy Christmas-themed scare zone with additional frights awaits to fill beating hearts with holiday fear.

In addition to the music of Figure, who previously created a series of original sounds for Halloween Horror Nights, guests can expect to hear a new rendition of their favorite holiday tunes, remixed to accompany this hellish new maze.

"Halloween Horror Nights" at Universal Studios Hollywood begins Friday, September 13, and brings together the sickest minds in horror to immerse guests in a living, breathing, three-dimensional world of terror. Featuring an all-new slate of unrivaled film production quality mazes and frightful scare zones uniquely themed to today’s most definitive horror properties, “Halloween Horror Nights” will taunt, terrorize and torment guests with spine-chilling haunted attractions as part of Southern California’s most extreme Halloween experience.

Updates on “Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios Hollywood are available online at Hollywood.HalloweenHorrorNights.com and on Facebook at: “Halloween Horror Nights – Hollywood,” Instagram at @HorrorNights and Twitter at @HorrorNights as Creative Director John Murdy reveals a running chronicle of exclusive information. Watch videos on Halloween Horror Nights YouTube and join the conversation using #UniversalHHN

---

In other news, Universal also recently announced a brand new attraction for 2020, themed after The Secret Life of Pets. Joining the Despicable Me attraction and Super Silly Fun Land, The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash! ride will provide a “fully-immersive” experience, with guests assuming the roles of stray puppies joining the cast of the hit movie in looking for a forever home. The attraction will be situated in the home of the old Globe Theater, which has been demolished to make room for the new, incoming ride.

From the press release:

Universal Studios Hollywood Takes Guests on a Whirlwind Journey through New York City in an All-New “The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash!”

Ride Inspired by Illumination’s Worldwide Blockbuster Movie, Opening in 2020

Universal City, CA – Adoption day is the ultimate rite of passage for every animal seeking a home, and it’s now the inspiration for Universal Studios Hollywood’s lively new ride, “The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash!,” opening in 2020 based on Illumination’s 2016 global blockbuster and upcoming sequel, which answers the question, “What do your pets do when you’re not at home?”

In this all-new fully immersive experience, guests will assume the roles of stray puppies as they join a familiar cast of leading characters from The Secret Life of Pets — Max, Snowball, Gidget, Chloe and Duke, along with a host of other animal friends — on the ultimate quest of finding forever homes.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring another exciting Illumination movie-based ride to our guests,” said Karen Irwin, President and COO, Universal Studios Hollywood.  “The Secret Life of Pets:  Off the Leash!’ will capture the essence of the popular film and invite our guests to live vicariously through some of their favorite characters as they embark on a one-of-a-kind experience only available at Universal Studios Hollywood.”

The innovative adventure will blend live, dimensional and animated characters with hyper-realistic media as guests zip along a track aboard ride vehicles through bustling New York City streets towards the Pet Adoption event and the ultimate happy ending:  forever homes.  Along the way, guests will face an array of challenges and meet up with fellow animal pals eager to help guide them toward their destination.

“The Secret Life of Pets:  Off the Leash!” will be located adjacent to the popular “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” and “Super Silly Fun Land” attractions.

Illumination’s The Secret Life of Pets 2, the next chapter in the franchise, arrives in theaters June 7, 2019.