There are three Magic Shots available at the Disneyland Resort just for Halloween time!
Guests can take a cute fall photo in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. The border of the photo features fall leaves. Another Magic Shot in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle allows guests to look like they are holding Halloween Mickey balloons.
Over at Disney California Adventure, guests can get a fun Magic Shot with dancing skeletons! That shot is at the end of Hollywood Boulevard.
There is still time to plan your Halloween Disneyland visit! Contact me for a free vacation quote. I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are complimentary, and I’d love to help you plan a spooktacular vacation.
The spot is the Fairytale Garden area of Magic Kingdom. Merida used to have her meet and greet there but the tapestries that decorated the space are now gone. Walls and scrim are now up as the space is transformed into Casita Madrigal from “Encanto”.
The green shade has also been removed from above the meet and greet stage. We’re assuming a new “Encanto”-inspired shade will be installed.
The Merida meet and greet has not been permanently removed. She now meets guests at the Liberty Square gazebo.
The new Mirabel meet and greet is scheduled to open on September 15. Bruno is also scheduled to join the Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade that day.
Mirabel Meet & Greet
“A Special Greeting
Step into the courtyard outside of Casa Madrigal. Mirabel is eager to make new friends and knows that everyone is important and needed just as they are.
About Mirabel
Loving and genuine, Mirabel will do anything for her family. She’s proud to be part of the amazing Madrigals and knows each one is special in their own way—including her.”
Are you excited for a Mirabel meet and greet at Disney World?
If you’d like to plan your next Disney trip, contact me for a free vacation quote! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are complimentary, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation.
WandaVision Spinoff Agatha Gets New Title and Release Date
Marvel is shuffling its release schedule once again with new dates for ‘Agatha’, ‘Echo’, and ‘XMen 97.’ According to the Hollywood Reporter, in addition to a new release date, Agatha: Coven of Chaos is now titled, ‘Agatha: Darkhold Diaries‘. This would be the third name for the WandaVision spin off, which started with the title ‘Agatha: House of Harkness.’
In addition to the name change, Marvel is undergoing a massive shuffle of its calendar by pushing “Agatha” from early 2024 to later in the year. The ongoing SAG/AFTRA and WGA strikes combined with new strategic direction from Disney are the major cause for the changes in release dates for “Agatha” and other shows. Disney is trying to leverage these Disney+ launches into more of an event rather than releasing one series after another on the streaming service.
Earlier this year’s Disney CEO Bob Iger explained that Disney would scale back on both Marvel and Star Wars. Iger expressed concern that the massive amount of shows was hurting the brand. “Marvel is a great example of that. They had not been heavily involved in the television business before, and not only did they increase their movie production, but they also ventured into creating numerous TV series,” Iger explained. “However, this strategy ended up diluting focus and attention.”
With Agatha moving into late 2024, Marvel is shifting other productions as well. ‘Loki‘ season two will be the only Marvel show to arrive this fall, debuting on Disney+ on Oct. 6. The animated show ‘What If…?‘ will premiere around Christmas Day. ‘Echo‘, Hawkeye spin-off, was originally announced to premiere on Nov. 29 but has now moved to January of 2024. ‘X-Men ’97‘, the animated series was originally planned for a fall 2023 debut but will now premiere in early 2024.
Additionally, ‘Ironheart‘ first introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, originally was supposed to premiere this fall, but has since fallen off the schedule entirely. While ‘Ironheart’ has finished shooting it cannot be completed due to the strikes. Also effected by the strikes was ‘Daredevil: Born Again’, which halted mid-production because of the work stoppage.
Agatha Harkness is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in “Fantastic Four” #94 in 1970. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, Agatha Harkness is a powerful witch with a long and complex history in Marvel Comics.
In the comics, Agatha Harkness is often portrayed as a mentor and ally to various Marvel superhero teams, particularly the Fantastic Four and the Scarlet Witch. She is a centuries-old witch with extensive knowledge of magic and the occult. She has served as a teacher and guide to the Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff), helping her understand and control her magical abilities.
Agatha Harkness is known for her distinctive appearance, often depicted as an elderly woman with white hair and traditional witch attire. She is a character who straddles the line between hero and antagonist, depending on the storyline and her motivations.
Agatha Harkness gained renewed popularity and recognition with her appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). In the Disney+ series “WandaVision” (2021), Agatha Harkness was portrayed by actress Kathryn Hahn. In the show, she played a significant role in the story, acting as a mentor to Wanda Maximoff (the Scarlet Witch) while also serving as a source of mystery and conflict.
Her character in “WandaVision” helped explore the complexities of magic and grief within the MCU, making her a memorable addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
‘Agatha: Darkhold Diaries‘ stars Kathryn Hahn and Aubrey Plaza who return to Westview for an encore performance as the purple magic wielding witch. I guess we will just have to wait a little longer to see Agatha back in action. Are you excited for the upcoming Marvel shows on Disney+? Do you think Disney is smart to space out this content and push release dates to make Marvel and “event” again? Share your opinions in a comment on this article.
Destination D23 Announces Evening at EPCOT Event for All Expo Attendees
D23 is hosting a special Evenings at EPCOT event for all Destination D23 Expo Attendees on September 9th, 2023.
Read on for full details of the event!
(Amy Smith, Photographer)
We do have one more very special surprise that we are excited to share with you… on Saturday, September 9, all Destination D23 attendees are invited to an Evening at EPCOT with D23!
At the conclusion of the day’s final presentation, EPCOT: Always in a State of Becoming, we are excited to invite all Destination D23 badge holders to head over to EPCOT for an evening celebrating the magic of possibility. Starting after 5 p.m., you’ll have plenty of time to make your way to EPCOT, have dinner, and then join us for our special surprises.
Admission to EPCOT after 5 p.m. will be provided for all attendees who have not already arranged tickets and park reservations for EPCOT that day (just make sure to have your Destination D23 badge with you all evening). If you have additional questions about your existing theme park tickets, please check with Guest Relations at Walt Disney World Resort or call (407) 939-1289. Guests under 18 years of age must have a parent’s or guardian’s permission to call. Visit here for more information.
Again, please stay tuned for more details on admission and special surprises for this event that will be announced during Destination D23. You can visit this page for more updates as additional details are shared.
So, here’s to Destination D23! While you may not know what other surprises and enchantment you will discover at this incredible Disney fan celebration, we can share that it will be quite an adventure—one we’ll take and make together. See you there!
(Please note, this event is exclusive to attendees of Destination D23 presented by Lug)
Haunted Mansion’s ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ Holiday Overlay Returns to Disneyland for 2023
The Haunted Mansion’s ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ holiday overlay has returned to Disneyland! Every year this overlay is installed for the Halloween and Christmas holidays.
From the outside of the attraction all the way through the ride, Haunted Mansion has been transformed into Tim Burton’s ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas.’
A Sandy Claws scarecrow and multiple spooky jack-o-lanterns decorate the grounds outside the entrance of the mansion. The mansion itself is decked out in black and white bows, garland with skulls, and a large wreath with a countdown to “XMAS”.
The theming continues into the mansion. Guests get their first encounter with Jack Skellington in the stretching room. He is dressed as Sandy Claws. The portraits in the stretching room have also received an updated look.
Guests will see multiple characters from the film in the loading area of the ride.
Continuing through the ride, you’ll see every room has been transformed. Zero can be seen at The Endless Hallway with a pile of bones. Nightmare Before Christmas-themed tarot cards decorate Madame Leota’s séance room.
A new gingerbread house is on the table in the ballroom. This year’s display is modeled as a mausoleum for “Von Ginger,” who is ready to share his fruitcake with the ghostly partygoers.
The mansion’s attic is now filled with presents from Sandy Claws. Guests will see Sandy Claws once again in the graveyard; this time with a sack of gifts.
Towards the end of the ride, guests can see Oogie Boogie who is ready for riders to spin his wheel of holiday tricks and treats. And a smaller version of Sally says goodbye to guests as they exit the ride.
Do you enjoy the holiday version of Haunted Mansion at Disneyland?
Ready to plan your fall visit to Disneyland? Contact me for a free vacation quote! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are complimentary, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation.
Disney World’s ‘Once Upon A Wish Party’ Celebrates 150,000th Disney Wish
Walt Disney World recently celebrated Make a Wish kids and their families with the ‘Once Upon A Wish Party’. During that time they also celebrated the 150,000th Disney wish!
The ‘Once Upon A Wish Party‘ is one of Disney’s largest wish granting events. This year, Disney hosted more than 50 wish kids and their families. Guests were able to do meet and greets with many Disney princesses, which is a popular wish via Make-A-Wish.
The celebration proclaimed wish kids as royalty for the day and had them meet more than 30 Disney princesses and characters. They also had a tea party in Wonderland and danced at a royal ball. Disney Publishing gave out an array of books while shopDisney delivered Disney Princess dresses, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse ear headbands, wands, tiaras and much more to surprised families.
This year was extra special for Mikayla, the 150,000th Disney wish. Mikayla—a 17-year-old from Palm Beach Gardens who started her battle with cancer three years ago—wished to perform at Disney, and she did so in royal style by singing a few Disney classics, including “Beauty and the Beast” alongside Belle and The Beast.
Disney and Make-A-Wish have had a strong bond over the last four decades with Disney being the largest wish granter in the world for Make-A-Wish. Leslie Motter—Make-A-Wish America President and CEO—added that “as the number one wish granter for our organization, Disney is helping deliver joy when it’s needed most.”
Dig into these Pumpkin Spice Treats at Disneyland for Fall 2023
It’s fall and that means guests can enjoy all of the delicious pumpkin spice treats at Disneyland! Whether you want a tasty pumpkin spice beverage or a scrumptious pumpkin spice dessert, there’s something for everyone.
Hungry Bear Restaurant in Disneyland Park (Available Aug. 29 through Nov. 9; mobile order available)
Pumpkin-spiced Donuts: Warm and fluffy donuts tossed in pumpkin-spiced sugar and served with orange cream cheese dip and hot-buttered rum sauce
Lamplight Lounge in Disney California Adventure Park (Available Sept. 1 through Nov. 9; lunch and dinner only)
Pumpkin Crème Brûlée with Palmier PTB (New) (Plant-based)
Wine Country Trattoria in Disney California Adventure Park (Available Sept. 1 through Nov. 9)
Pumpkin Bundt Cake: Pumpkin-flavored cake filled with dulce de leche and cream cheese frosting finished with chocolate stem and mousse leaf
Cappuccino Cart in Disney California Adventure Park (Available Sept. 1 through Nov. 9; mobile order available)
Pumpkin-spice Latte at The Coffee House
Disneyland Hotel (Available Sept. 12 through Oct. 31)
Pumpkin Cookie Shot with Milk (New)
Grand Californian Great Hall Cart in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa (Available Sept. 1 through Nov. 5)
Cookie Box: Pumpkin Mickey sugar cookie, raspberry-filled cookies, and chocolate chip cookies with chocolate candies
Grand Californian Great Hall Cart in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa (Available Sept. 1 through Nov. 5)
Pumpkin Ale Hard Float: Elysian Brewing Night Owl Pumpkin Ale with maple ice cream and seasonal garnish (New)
Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream in Disney California Adventure Park (Available Aug. 29 through Nov. 9; mobile order available)
Pumpkin Cheesecake: Marble pumpkin cheesecake with a brown butter crumble topping drizzled with a house-made Ballast Point Pumpkin Down beer caramel sauce (New)
Ballast Point Brewing Co. in Downtown Disney District (Available Sept. 1 through Oct. 31)
Pumpkin Down Float: Vanilla ice cream with the Ballast Point Pumpkin Down beer
Ballast Point Brewing Co. in Downtown Disney District (Available Sept. 1 through Oct. 31)
Pumpkin Spiced Jack-O-Lantern Macaron: Jack-O-Lantern macaron with pumpkin spiced ganache
Kayla’s Cake in Downtown Disney District (Available Sept. 1 through Oct. 31)
Pumpkin Blooderscotch Cannoli: Cannoli shells filled with pumpkin and butterscotch chip cannoli cream served with whipped cream, a red caramel “blood” drizzle, and a sugar knife (New)
Naples Ristorante e Bar in Downtown Disney District (Available Sept. 1 through Oct. 31)
Ready to plan your fall visit to Disneyland? Contact me for a free vacation quote! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are complimentary, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation.
Don’t miss these Pumpkin Spice Treats at Disney World this Fall 2023
Pumpkin spice season is upon us! Guests will want to try all of the pumpkin spice treats they can get their hands on at Walt Disney World. Take a look at what is available and where you can find it!
Jack Skellington Éclair: Pumpkin cream éclair (New)
Amorette’s Patisserie in Disney Springs(Available Sept. 6 through Oct. 31)
Donald Candy Corn-Chocolate Piñata: White chocolate piñata filled with pumpkin-spiced marshmallows and crisp pearls (New)
The Ganachery in Disney Springs(Available Sept. 6 through Oct. 31)
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bomboloni: An Italian doughnut stuffed with pumpkin cheesecake filling (New)
Vivoli il Gelato in Disney Springs(Currently Available)
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bombashake: A milkshake made with pumpkin and cheesecake gelato, caramel sauce, and a Pumpkin Cheesecake Bomboloni on top (New)
Vivoli il Gelato in Disney Springs(Currently Available)
Mickey Pumpkin Cheesecake: Pumpkin cheesecake-chocolate-ginger torte with almond crumble
World Premiere Food Court, Intermission Food Court and End Zone Food Court (mobile order available) in Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, and Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort (Available Sept. 1 through Nov. 30)
Mini Pumpkin: Pumpkin mousse, caramel, dulce crunch, and chocolate décor (New)
Good’s Food to Go and The Artist’s Palette (Available Sept. 3 through Nov. 30; mobile order available at The Artist’s Palette) in Disney’s Old Key West Resort and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
Chicken Adobo Nachos: Blue corn tortilla chips with grilled chicken adobo, toasted pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, roasted corn pico, and a zesty pumpkin cheese sauce finished with a cilantro-lime crema and yellow corn tortilla strips (Gluten/Wheat Friendly)
Landscape of Flavors and Everything POP Shopping & Dining (Mobile order available) in Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and Disney’s Pop Century Resort (Available Sept. 1 through Oct. 31)
Pumpkin-Hazelnut Tart: Chocolate tart shell filled with hazelnut ganache and spiced pumpkin cheesecake garnished with chocolate décor and candied pumpkin seeds (New)
Centertown Market in Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort(Available Sept. 1 through Nov. 30; mobile order available)
Pumpkin Napoleon: Pumpkin diplomat cream, spiced diplomat cream, and dark chocolate (New)
Le Petit Café in Disney’s Riviera Resort(Available Sept. 3 through Nov. 25)
Pumpkin-Hazelnut-Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake: Pumpkin cheesecake with hazelnut-chocolate swirl, vanilla whipped panna cotta, and a milk chocolate pumpkin coin
Primo Piatto in Disney’s Riviera Resort(Available Sept. 1 through Nov. 24; mobile order available)
DOLE Whip Sampler: DOLE Whip and vanilla soft-serve with pineapple wedge, pumpkin and salted caramel soft-serve with caramel sauce and caramel crisp pearls, and pistachio soft-serve and purple cheesecake soft-serve with roasted salted pistachios (New)
Swirls on the Water in Disney Springs (Available Sept. 1 through Oct. 31)
Apple Cider Slush with Pumpkin Soft Serve: Apple cider, pumpkin soft-serve, and an apple slice (Non-alcoholic) (Alcoholic version available with Fireball Cinnamon Whisky) (New)
Swirls on the Water in Disney Springs (Available Sept. 1 through Oct. 31)
There’s still time to plan your fall visit to Disney World! Contact me for a free vacation quote. I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel and my services are complimentary.
This overview and review of Halloween Horror Nights Orlando will have you ready to face the 2023 season
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort officially kicked of the 2023 season last evening. The 32nd installment of the event has brought about 10 amazing houses, 5 immersive scare zones, epic entertainment, and some really good food and drink offerings.
I was able to experience all of the houses and scare zones, as well as try pretty much all of the food, as part of a media event hosted by Universal Orlando last evening. If you have never been to Halloween Horror Nights, or are wondering how this years event stacks up against previous years, than this guide and review is for you!
Spoiler Alert: This review will contain details about the houses and scare zones for this years Halloween Horror Nights, including some short videos and photos taken inside the houses.
Ticket Options
Lets get started with a review of your ticket options for Halloween Horror Nights. This is a specially ticketed event, so if you have a day ticket to Universal Studios Florida or a Universal Annual Pass, you cannot use that ticket or pass to enter the event. If you are a Premier Annual Passholder, you will have one Halloween Horror Nights ticket included in your pass this year, but that ticket is only good for the following dates:
You do not need to get any type of voucher to use your free ticket on one of the above nights, you can just show up and scan your annual pass. You will want to monitor the calendar carefully, as if you try to attend Halloween Horror Nights on a night other than one of those listed above you will not be able to enter the event using your pass.
If you do not have a ticket from your premier pass you can choose to purchase a single night ticket or one of the multi-night tickets. The multi-night tickets are a great way to ensure you can take your time exploring the event, take in every detail, and run through your favorite house more than once.
you must select your first night when you purchase, and you will not get any extra credit or refund for unused nights
To help you get the most out of your visit and avoid standing in line, you can also purchase add-ons to your admission tickets:
Halloween Horror Nights Express Pass: skip the regular lines one time at all haunted houses, plus at participating rides and attractions.
This is an add-on to your event ticket, both Express Pass and an event ticket is needed to access the event and use the Express Pass entrance
R.I.P. Tour: Provides Priority V.I.P. entry to haunted houses and participating park attractions (once per house, based on itinerary) while on tour with the R.I.P. Guide.
Guests will also get Commemorative R.I.P. Tour credential, lanyard and button, Complimentary Valet Parking, Pre-Tour Reception in Cafe La Bamba, Access to exclusive cash bar locations, Universal Express Unlimited ride access, and Reserved seating at select event show(s) during the tour.
Note the R.I.P. tour does not include admission to Halloween Horror Nights; you must purchase an event ticket and an R.I.P. tour to access the event and the tour.
Scream Early Ticket: admission to Universal Studios Florida theme park from 3:00PM until 5:00PM on the same day as the 2023 Halloween Horror Nights event ticket. This will allow you to get in line early for at least one house, often enabling you to enter a house before the rest of the guests gain entry to the park!
If you have an annual pass or a day ticket to Universal Studios Florida, you do not need a Scream Early Ticket to use this option, your pass or day ticket will provide access to the Scream Early holding areas.
Houses
Now that we have gotten the ticket options out of the way, lets start digging into the houses! In my humble opinion, NO ONE does a haunted house better than Universal. The lineup of houses this year at Universal Orlando Resort include a total of 10 houses, 5 based on existing intellectual property and 5 that are totally original for the event.
I was able to do all 10 houses on opening night thanks to the R.I.P. tour. I cannot say enough good things about this tour-you literally skip the entire line and enter the front door of each house! Your guide also provides details of the story of each house before you enter (big shout out to Kristie, you were AMAZING last night!), allowing you to enter with an understanding of the backstory behind what you are going to see.
I found all of the houses this year to be very well done, and recommend you see all of them. Like everyone, I did have houses that I preferred to others, but the ranking basically extends from great to excellent, and there are no houses that I would recommend you skip.
Details (and my thoughts) on the 10 houses, in order of my preference:
YETI: Campground Kills
This was actually my favorite house of the night. The original story line was great, the jump scares in the house were amazing, and I found the sets and theming to be very well done. In this house, you enter a campground deep in the mountains where peacefully campsites have been overrun by the formidable YETI. The legendary monster does not take kindly to the campers, and carnage ensues!
As a fan of the original Exorcist movie, I had high expectations for this house (even though it is not based on that original film but rather a new film that will be released next month). The house essentially serves as a living trailer for the new film, and is amazingly well done. The house takes the original creep level of the original film and elevates it to the new level. The theme song from the original film is even present in the house, which sent a shiver right down my spine.
The Darkest Deal provides a new twist on a timeless tale: a blues musician sells his soul for a chance at fame, and we watch as he makes the deal, rises to stardom, and then has to face the music as the devil comes to cash in on the deal. The story is well done, the jump scares are present throughout, the sets are amazing, and the scare actors really do a great job in this house.
I generally enjoy the houses based on the classic Universal Monsters, and this year provided one of the best. The monsters in this years house includes The Phantom of the Opera, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Dr. Jack Griffin, aka The Invisible Man. The new twist Universal places on The Phantom of the Opera is a nice touch, and the sets in this house are beautifully done. The actor playing The Hunchback was clearly having a ton of fun hanging off of an elevated area lunging down at us as we walked below. An amazing showing all around!
Bloodmoon: Dark Offerings
Fans of period horror films like The Village will really enjoy this house, which tells the tale of a colonial cult who worships the blood moon, and ends the lives of those who don’t. The sets in this house really make you feel like you have stepped back into colonial times, and this is one of the few houses in which you will want to be sure you look up or you will miss some great details occurring above you. This really is a creepy houses that brings together all of the great elements of classic horror.
I loved Season 4 of Stranger Things, and I really enjoyed this house. Many of my favorite scenes from the Netflix hit were present throughout, starting with the classic “Chrissy Wake Up” at the very beginning of the house. Vecna provides some great jump scares, and the sets throughout the house will make you feel like you walked right onto the set of Stranger Things.
I was really looking forward to hanging out with Joel and Ellie, and this house lived up to my expectations. The live actors playing the star characters did an amazing job, and The Clickers were as creepy in the house as they are in the hit video game and show. This is a must-do house for all Last of Us fans. We even managed to get a clip of Neil Druckmann, co-president of Naughty Dog, and Mike Aiello, Universal Destinations Senior Director of Entertainment Creative Development discussing how this house came to Halloween Horror Nights this year:
This is a super fun house that fans of classic Islands of Adventure will really enjoy. The house makes you feel like you are playing a real-life dungeons and dragons quest, and culminates in you needing to decide which path you will take. Each path has 2 possible endings, meaning the house has a total of 4 different endings for you to encounter! The sets in this house are AMAZING, and the costumes for the scare actors are some of the best I have seen.
Dr Oddfellow is the icon that brings all of the scare zones and various elements of Halloween Horror Nights together this year. If you are not a fan of clowns, this house may be extra intense for you since there are a TON of clowns throughout. We even get to catch a glimpse of Jack the Clown’s back story, which is the reason with Origins is plural in the title of the house. There are some really well done scenes in this house that are brought to life by some very talented scare actors.
Fans of the Chucky movies and TV show will really enjoy this house. Chucky has been invited to take a tour of a house that was made in his honor, but in typical Chucky fashion he decides to start murdering everyone to bring a bit more realism to the event. Chucky’s twisted humor is present throughout the house, and there are jump scares around just about every corner.
There are five Scarezones for you to explore this year. Since the actors in the scarezones rotate, I recommend walking through them multiple times since your experience will be different each time! The 5 scare zones for this year (again, ranked in my preference) are:
Vamp ’69: Summer of Blood
This is a REALLY fun scare zone that is located over in front of Revenge of the Mummy. A 60’s music festival has been crashed by a group of hungry vampires let loose by Dr Oddfellow, and things obviously take a bloody and twisted turn. The music playing in this area brings an extra element of fun to this area.
Dark Zodiac
This was a very fun and creepy scarezone, and the one that resulted in the most people running away while I was walking through last night. In this scare zone, Dr. Oddfellow uses his power to transform the zodiac signs into horrifying horoscope creatures. It is a super fun and well done scarezone.
This was a really fun scarezone that had so much going on I had to walk through it several times just to catch everything. In this scarezone, crates and cages that once held Dr. Oddfellow’s collection of creatures are now empty, and the creatures are out for blood.
Dr. Oddfellow’s Collection of Horror
This scare zone is the earliest installment of Dr. Oddfellow, and we encounter him as he is beginning to become immortal. Guests traveling through this scarezone are invited by Dr. Oddfellow himself to share in his immortality, but it of course is a trick that he is using to steal your soul!
Jungle of Doom: Expedition Horror
This scare zone really lived up to its name, as I found it to be the wildest of the 5. You are walking through an area in which Dr. Oddfellow has combined various elements of nature and animals to create some really twisted and bizarre experiments that result in a bevy of vicious (and hungry) jungle creatures who have eyed you up as the perfect snack.
The food and drink offerings are again plentiful at Halloween Horror Nights. We have detailed the menus at each area here if you want to review them in detail. I managed to try just about everything on the menu last night, and my favorite meal item was the Left Behind Ravioli (served in a fun The Last of Us themed ration can), and the hands-down best dessert item is the Yuri’s Favorite (Chocolate cake with peanut butter mousse and Reese’s Pieces).
I unfortunately was not able to catch the latest installment of Nightmare Fuel Revenge Dream last evening, but the reviews from those who have been able to check the show out have all been very positive. The show runs several times throughout the evening, and does fill up quickly so if you do not have reserved seating via an R.I.P. tour package I highly recommend you get to the arena early to ensure you can get a seat.
We were able to do all 10 houses and all 5 scare zones last night thanks to the R.I.P. tour that was provided as part of the media event hosted by Universal Orlando Resort. As a long-time Halloween Horror Nights fan, I was honored and humbled to be able to take part in this years event as part of the media, and want to thank Universal Orlando for their amazing hospitality.
New Nerf Action Xperience Planned for Pigeon Forge Tennessee
Nerf, the beloved toy and game brand by Hasbro, is gearing up to inject some excitement into Pigeon Forge.
According to a joint press release from Hasbro and Kingsmen Xperience Inc., a Nerf Action Xperience play center is slated to open along Pigeon Forge Parkway in the fall of 2024.
“For over 50 years, NERF has been committed to encouraging social active play, and we can’t think of a better way to bring this to life for our fans than opening this new NERF Action Xperience location,” said Matt Proulx, vice president of location-based entertainment at Hasbro, in the release. “With this brand-new family entertainment center, we’re proud to be executing on our promise of bringing unique, innovative experiences to our NERF players in Pigeon Forge.”
The over 29,000-square-foot indoor entertainment center features everything needed to realize the ultimate Nerf experience, the release said. That includes blaster battle zones, sports challenges, an obstacle course, a food and beverage area and a retail store, all in Pigeon Forge.
“We are very excited to open the NERF Action Xperience in Pigeon Forge next year,” said Corey Redmond, senior executive vice president of Kingsmen Xperience, in a press release. “Having spent some time getting to know the market over the last couple of years, and as part of our strategic rollout across North America, this Pigeon Forge site will be our second location after Garden State Plaza in New Jersey, and our first in a thriving tourist and holiday destination that is accessible to two-thirds of the U.S. population within a day’s drive.”
Hasbro’s strategic partner, Bright Play, is an operating subsidiary of Good Vibrations Holding Co. LLC, which is also set to bring to Pigeon Forge a Crayola Experience center. The 30,000-square-foot indoor family entertainment center will offer more than 20 hands-on attractions and a retail store featuring the world’s largest selection of Crayola products and souvenirs.
Blumhouse Brings Two New Live Entertainment Experiences to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood is getting two new live entertainment experiences this year! “The Purge: Dangerous Waters” and “Blumhouse: Behind the Screams” are coming to the spooky event starting September 7.
Acclaimed horror production company Blumhouse brings two new live entertainment experiences, “The Purge: Dangerous Waters” and “Blumhouse: Behind the Screams,” inspired by some of its blockbuster films, to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood. A trio of bone-chilling scare zones and the park’s signature Terror Tram, coupled with the terrifying line-up of eight haunted houses, round out this year’s screams, beginning on Thursday, September 7.
It’s been a decade since The Purge first declared all crime legal for 12 hours as part of the government’s annually sanctioned Purge and an iconic horror franchise was born. Now, for the first time, “The Purge: Dangerous Waters” takes the blockbuster film franchise into an entirely new environment…open waters, in an all-new live show.
It’s a race against time when a politician and his entourage escape to an island to avoid The Purge. Sanctuary is fleeting when the island is quickly overrun by Purgers and the hunt is on. Located in the WaterWorld venue and featuring adrenaline-filled action sequences, stunts, spectacular lighting and laser effects, high fall fire burns and massive explosions, “The Purge: Dangerous Waters” celebrates an evening of anarchy without thought of punishment or fear of retribution.
“Blumhouse: Behind the Screams” is an original concept that showcases a selection of Blumhouse horror films, including the highly anticipated films Five Nights at Freddy’s and The Exorcist: Believer, and fan-loving hits like M3GAN and TheBlack Phone. This unique experience breaks the fourth wall and invites guests to explore these films as they step through the silver screen for an up-close look at authentic film props, costume displays and terrifying character encounters.
More terror will come to life in three new scare zones designed to torment guests as they navigate their way through Halloween Horror Nights. These include:
“El Terror de las Momias” is a Latin-themed scare zone and an extension of the “Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America” haunted house that takes guests on a desperate attempt to escape an ancient army of unearthed mummies.
Located on New York Street, the “Toyz” scare zonedares guests to play in the toy box of terror where a wicked toymaker used dark magic to bring his evil toys to life.
A welcome wagon of “Ghostz,” featuring a horde of blood-soaked, chainsaw-wielding ghosts, gather at the entrance to Halloween Horror Nights to rattle nerves.
Will you be attending Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood this year?
There’s still time to plan your scary-fun trip! Contact me for a free vacation quote. I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are free, and I’d love to help you plan an epic vacation.
Disney World Refurbishment & Closure Schedule for September 2023
Refurbs and closures are a regular thing at Disney World. Luckily for guests visiting soon, there aren’t many attractions on the closure schedule for September.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is still under construction in Magic Kingdom and the new attraction won’t be opening until late 2024.
Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park is currently closed for refurbishment while Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon remains open to guests.
Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
Currently, the most work and refurbishment is happening at the Disney World Resort hotels. At Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, a new DVC tower is being constructed. The lobby as well as some of the room buildings at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa are being worked on. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – Kidani Village is undergoing refurbishment right now. Disney’s Beach Club Resort and Disney’s BoardWalk Inn are both also being worked on right now.
If you are planning on visiting Disney World this month, chances are good that none of the rides or attractions at the parks will be closed for refurbishment. You may want to steer clear of some of the resort hotels, however.
Ready to plan your next Disney World trip? Contact me for a free vacation quote! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are complimentary, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation.
