Halloween correlates celebration and superstition. With horror films continuously developing, Halloween has developed as a response with costumes and haunted houses themed after the artistic climate. The release of movies like “The Purge” and TV shows like “American Horror Story” has created a maze of information for this generation. Universal Studios has made a reputation for itself by becoming one of the best studios for special effects and makeup. Universal Studios used this to their advantage and in 1991 created Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando, Fla. They set out to incorporate all of Universal Studios’ horror films into their mazes.

A real life american horror story

When the notorious show “The Walking Dead” made its way to the screen, it also made its way to Halloween Horror Nights. After this maze made its introduction, the event skyrocketed because of so many dedicated fans and Universal Studios’ ability to turn the show into a reality with their realistic makeup skills. Their main attraction back in 2012, The Walking Dead Tram, made horror fanatics lose their minds. The maze did so well they brought it back every year after that, including in 2016. Though the maze is still seen at the event, it is no longer the main attraction and has switched location from the tram to a regular maze throughout the theme park.

“The Walking Dead” and “Chainsaw Massacre” have become the “grandfathers” of this event, but there are upcoming shows and movies that have come to compete. Shows and movies like “American Horror Story” and “The Purge” crept their way into higher status as the main attractions. “American Horror Story,” currently six seasons strong, incorporated three seasons into their maze including Murder House, Freak Show and Hotel.

Incorporating this successful show was wise on Universal Studios’ part because they focused on three key seasons. Murder House is what “American Horror Story” began with and Hotel is the latest completed season. They added Freak Show because of the rampant phobia of clowns. When focusing on Freak Show in the maze, the main clown “Twisty” came to scare more than any other character in Freak Show. Their setup could not become more accurate when relating back to the seasons, from makeup to actors playing conjoined twins.

Experts of fright

The Purge starts up the whole event with the gates opening to the public and sirens going off to warn everyone the event has begun. The chills and anxiety fill the atmosphere when The Purge’s known annual rules begin to play. The actors begin to come out from all areas of the park with chainsaws and the frightful fun begins. Though The Purge does not have a set maze in the theme park, there are scare zones where fans are forced to deal with them.

The event incorporates the newest movie,“The Purge: Election Year” exceptionally well, with the bloody Statue of Liberty and killer presidents running around. The “founding fathers” did everything right from their scare zones to the Purge tunnel with House music and strobe lights to set the anticipation and scare that envelop them.

As Halloween arrives, makeup and costumes rise as cornerstones of the holiday. Halloween Horror Nights crew members have become experts when it comes to the upcoming scares. Universal Studios did their research when knowing what truly scares people and now give the fans the mazes they want. Fans can now decide if they are up to challenge of surviving the awaiting horror.