Universal's Horror Unleashed Scares Up New Thrills in Las Vegas

In the past few years, Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights has grown from a three-night event to a major attraction that takes over the theme parks for several weeks. Now, the company has taken the concept a step further by launching a year-round horror experience called Universal's Horror Unleashed, which opened in Las Vegas earlier this year.

According to the show director Nate Stevenson and Vice President of Entertainment Art & Design TJ Mannarino, Horror Unleashed offers a more immersive and focused haunted experience compared to the theme park version. Instead of navigating through various IPs and attractions, the Las Vegas event is entirely dedicated to creating a creepy, immersive prop warehouse setting where guests can interact with the terrifying characters.

The ability to have unique conversations with the actors has been a highlight for many guests, reminiscent of Universal's popular FanFest Nights earlier this year. Additionally, Horror Unleashed allows for longer stays in the haunted houses, with guests entering by party rather than a continuous line. This creates a more personalized experience, as evidenced by the Scarecrow: The Reaping house, which was five times scarier than the Horror Nights version.

With the expansion to Las Vegas and plans for a second location in Chicago, it's clear that Universal is doubling down on providing horror fans with more options to get their thrills year-round.