Halloween Horror Nights 2018 channels its inner ’80s child

Universal just announced more details about Halloween Horror Nights 2018. Are you ready to be scared by iconic ’80s frights?

This year’s Halloween Horror Nights 2018 is going to be bigger and scarier than ever. With everyone eagerly anticipating the Stranger Things maze, Universal just announced even more details about this favorite Halloween event. This year marks the first time HHN will have 10 haunted houses.

While the exact theme of the 10th haunted house wasn’t revealed, Universal did state that the ’80s will be a predominant theme. From cult classics to huge slasher films, the horrors from the 1980s will haunt your dreams. What could fans expect from these new additions?

The nation’s best Halloween event, Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights, Photo Universal Orlando Resort

Thinking back to the top ’80s frights, there are many possibilities for a 10th haunted house. Chucky is a popular Universal property. That evil doll has spurred many a nightmare for some people. In the Horror Make-up Show, a Chucky doll has a place on the stage. It is quite possible that Chucky could get his own haunted house.

Although many horror characters, like Jason and Freddy, became popular in the 1980s, it would be interesting to see a more psychological haunted house. The Stranger Things addition shows that the mental scare can be extremely scarier than the over the top gore. Many of the Stephen King films played into that mind scare. Maybe a new haunted house could prey on those fears.

Universal has numerous horror properties that could be worked into these haunted houses. Instead of focusing on current horror franchises, like SAW, HHN is looking to change up the Halloween favorite. Quite possibly, the older, yet extremely creepy, characters are way more frightening than today’s creations. I still have nightmares about Johnny Depp getting sucked into the bed in the Nightmare on Elm Street movie.

Overall, this year’s haunted houses have a pop culture focus. The idea that the ’80s are new again is intriguing. While I hope that the leg warmers, neon shirts, and big shoulder pads never make a comeback, that cultural reference is quite entertaining.

Also in the recent Universal announcement, the theme park said that the scare zones will feature punk, material girl and metal head vampires. I mean, for some people, Madonna was pretty scary. This year’s most frightening memory could be the earworm that stays with you days after leaving the theme park.

Now, it is quite interesting that this year’s HHN theme focuses on the ’80s. Last year’s event said goodbye to the fan favorite Bill and Ted show. That film, although late ’80s, was a cultural phenomenon. With these new scare zones and themes, Bill and Ted would have fit in well with this year’s focus.

Halloween Horror Nights fans will have to wait a few more months to get their ’80s fright on. More details on Halloween Horror Nights 2018 will be revealed in the coming months.

Next: Best haunted houses prey on phobias

What 1980s frights would you want to see at this year’s HHN? Please don’t let there be a Rick Astley song reference. Those songs are just too scary.