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Planning a trip to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando

Planning a trip to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando (updated)

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I always get a little flurry of emails and messages as soon as I mention Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort, so recently, I’ve been keeping a note of the kind of things that people ask me, so I can bring together an FAQ for planning a trip to this brilliant event. I’ve collated a ton of advice here, with everything from picking the best dates to information on tickets and some tips on attending the event itself, so if you’re going to be heading to Universal Resort Orlando over the next few weeks, or are maybe even considering booking a trip for next year, here’s everything you need to know about planning a trip to Halloween Horror Nights.

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Halloween Horror Nights 28 at Universal Orlando

Experience Halloween Horror Nights 28 at Universal Orlando Resort, Florida

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If you’ve hung around these parts before, you’ll know that I’m a massive Halloween Horror Nights fan. It’s the world’s biggest and best Halloween event, and I’ve just returned from Orlando after visiting this year’s HHN (spoiler: it’s AWESOME). I’ve got a whole new post coming soon with loads of information if you’re planning a trip to Halloween Horror Nights, including an explanation of all the different tickets and passes (and also a review of the beautiful new Aventura Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort), so for this one, I’m just going to concentrate on the actual event. Get your big boy pants on, then, because it’s time to find out what it’s like to experience Halloween Horror Nights 28 at Universal Orlando Resort, Florida! Read more

Houses and scare zones at Halloween Horror Nights 2018

Houses and scare zones at Halloween Horror Nights 2018

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If you don’t know much about Halloween Horror Nights, it’s an annual event at Universal Orlando Resort (2018 is the 28th year, which is why you’ll see the hashtag HHN28 used a lot on social media), where for a limited time, the streets come alive with murderous, terrifying characters, or ‘scareactors’, haunting scare zones around the park and also inhabiting individual mazes (haunted houses). Inspiration for the scare zones and houses is taken from modern and cult classic horror and sci fi films and TV shows, plus you’ll find incredible original concepts inspired by various eras or genres of films. Visitors can walk through the scare zones - areas of the park taken over by terrifying, realistic characters and walk through the incredibly detailed and realistic mazes. Want to know more about the houses and scare zones at Halloween Horror Nights 2018? Here’s everything you need to know!

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All the news from Universal Orlando Resort, Florida

All the news from Universal Orlando Resort, Florida

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Hola! Well isn’t this weather nice? I was actually in Athens this weekend, working for Cruise International, and the weather here in the UK was actually hotter when I landed. Crazy. Anyhoo, I’ve been storing up all the news from Universal Orlando Resort for a while now, so whether you’re interested in breathtaking new rides (in which case, may I direct you to my Fast & Furious - Supercharged post here), beautiful new accommodation options or big fat gorgeous doughnuts, you’ve come to the right place. Grab a cuppa and settle down to read my exciting roundup of everything new at Universal Orlando Resort, Florida.

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Fast & Furious - Supercharged at Universal Orlando Resort, Florida

Fast & Furious - Supercharged at Universal Orlando Resort, Florida

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Recently, I told you all about my amazing Saturday Night Takeaway adventure, and promised to update you on some of the new openings and gossip from Universal Orlando Resort, Florida. While we were in the park, we were really lucky to be given a sneaky peek behind the scenes at an incredible new attraction (and also the opportunity to eat ALL THE DOUGHNUTS at the fab new Voodoo Doughnuts on Universal’s CityWalk - more news of this very soon). The new Fast & Furious - Supercharged at Universal Orlando featuring the stars of the movie franchise as well as breathtaking original vehicles, is due to open very soon and promises an action-packed ride experience. Here’s what I learned…

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My Saturday Night Takeaway adventure and how you can holiday like you got a place on the plane!

My Saturday Night Takeaway adventure (and how you can holiday like you got a place on the plane!)

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What an exciting week it’s been! In my head, I’m still at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida in the audience at the live finale of Saturday Night Takeaway, laughing at Dec, Scarlett and Stephen’s rowing race at Volcano Bay, boogying to Craig David, learning dance moves with Jason Derulo and singing the Friends theme with The Rembrandts. If you don’t follow me on social media (and if not, why not?!) you might have missed the exciting news that last week I was lucky enough to fly out to Orlando for a behind the scenes sneaky peek at the Saturday Night Takeaway live finale. My Saturday Night Takeaway adventure began when I joined the lucky place on the plane ticket winners and boarded a specially chartered Virgin Atlantic flight to Orlando. As you can imagine, the atmosphere on board was pretty electric, Stephen Mulhern and Scarlett Moffatt were milling around, chatting to the winners and the gorgeous, glam Virgin cabin crew were on hand to make sure we were all safe and looked after.

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Our Halloween Horror Nights GoPro movie

Our Halloween Horror Nights GoPro movie

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If you’ve read my top ten tips for visiting Halloween Horror Nights, you’ll know that we had a fabulous trip, and this time - thanks to Dixons Travel - I get to truly share it with you as we made our first GoPro video! Yes, there was some jerky camera work (and rather a lot of screaming) but I’m actually really proud of our Halloween Horror Nights GoPro movie. GoPro have an excellent editing app called Quik that’s simple to use and allows you to edit your movie, blend clips together and add music too.

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My top ten tips for visiting Halloween Horror Nights

My top ten tips for visiting Halloween Horror Nights

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So you already know that we’re all Halloween crazy, and last week - a dream come true - I got to take Mr E and Sam to Universal Orlando Resort, Florida to experience the amazing Halloween Horror Nights 27. I don’t want to be one of those people who give all the good bits away before you even get there, so I’m not going to go into huge detail about everything you’ll find at HHN27, just in case you’re due to visit. If you’re tempted to attend next year, though - and you really, really should - here are my top ten tips for visiting Halloween Horror Nights, plus a couple of my awful blurry pictures - you’re welcome!

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Halloween Horror Nights 27 event 2017

Halloween Horror Nights 27 and news from Universal Orlando Resort, Florida

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If you saw my post about Halloween Horror Nights last year, you’ll know that Erica and I absolutely loved it. If you don’t know much about the event, the easiest way to describe it is that the entire Universal Studios site is transformed into a living horror film, with five different scare zones: themed areas populated by roaming hordes of terrifying characters (or scareactors), as well as live shows and - the main event: nine mazes - incredibly detailed themed haunted houses filled with terrifying live scenes and actors, based on some of the most famous and blood-curdling horror films in history. Read on, to find out more about Halloween Horror Nights 27.

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The pool area at Sapphire Falls

What’s it like to stay at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando?

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Well let me tell you… As a HUGE fan of the styling and atmosphere at Universal Orlando’s Cabana Bay, I wasn’t sure that another Universal Orlando resort could steal my heart, but from the moment we were greeted with a smile at the main entrance of Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal, we were smitten. The resort has a Caribbean theme and is light, airy and very tropical. The main entrance is huge and beautifully styled too:

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Halloween Horror Nights

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando

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A while ago, I told you about the media event for Halloween Horror Nights, during which I was scared half to death by Michael Myers, if you remember. After much anticipation, last week it was finally time to visit the real thing at Universal Orlando Resort to experience the terror in person. I took my friend Erica (from the Edinburgh Food website, Foodinburgh) for moral support, and while we were there, we were lucky enough to experience the brand new Loews Sapphire Falls hotel as well as some great new dining (and some old favourites) at Universal CityWalk (more of this later), but for now, brace yourself, it’s show time…

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Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights: a terrifying sneak peek

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This week, Mr E and I travelled to the lovely Soho Hotel in London (have you been there before? It’s SO funky! Plus we saw beautiful Kate Beckinsale chatting away with a couple of mates in the lobby and she gave me the most gorgeous smile). Anyway we were in London to find out more about Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando, Florida.

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It’s beginning to look a lot like… Grinchmas!

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I am SO busy at the moment it’s ridiculous. I’ve taken on a huge project with a really short deadline, but I’m absolutely loving it, although everything else has completely gone out the window: the laundry pile is overflowing from the basket, and don’t get me started on the ironing. No Christmas cards have been written, very few pressies have been purchased, and to add insult to injury, Charlie is learning to drive, so I’m living in a permanent state of ‘OMG I’m so busy!’ mixed with ‘oh god, he wants to go driving again - my poor nerves’. My Dad is also in hospital having had a hip replacement. So… yes, I’m feeling lucky and stressy and busy busy busy! One thing I really must do, though, is tell you about Grinchmas and my AMAZING trip to Orlando last week to visit Universal Orlando Resort and experience their magical 2015 Holidays Celebration.

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Dressing for long haul flying

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I’m off to Universal Studios in Orlando tomorrow to experience their incredible holiday celebrations, including Grinchmas, which I’m especially excited about (I’m going to interview the Grinch!). Unlike most regular travellers, I actually don’t really mind flying, especially when it’s Virgin Atlantic, and as a tireless plotter and planner, I adore packing and getting ready to fly. Read more

Learning about holidays in Kissimmee at Pennyhill Park

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Ah, meetings. Inevitably I get invited to quite a few, but when an invitation pops into my inbox to come to a meeting AT A GORGEOUS HOTEL AND SPA? Well, naturally, I’m all over it. So this is how I came to be enjoying the gorgeous spa at Pennyhill Park in Surrey. The lovely chaps at Kissimmee, Florida, invited me and a few fellow travel folks to The Spa to hear more about the area and meet with some of the representatives from the area.

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