Universal Studios’ haunted house is turning fairytales into scary tales

Could your childhood fairytales have a sinister plot twist? Scary Tales: Deadly Ever After at Halloween Horror Nights could have you wanting a different bedtime story.

Fairytales have filled children with the notion of Happily Ever After. But, the real Grimm fairytales didn’t always paint such at pretty, idyllic, or jovial picture. Today, Universal Orlando Resort announced its final haunted house for Halloween Horror Nights 2018. Are you prepared for Scary Tales: Deadly Ever After?

Thinking about childhood classic stories, some of the storylines don’t necessarily have the most cheerful plots. Hansel and Gretel are almost eaten by a witch, Humpty Dumpy falls off a wall, and even Snow White is poisoned with an apple. While the final out coming might seem like happily ever after, one twist in the plot could have a totally different outlook.

Building on Universal Orlando Resort’s theme for this year’s Halloween Horror Nights, the final haunted house announcement preys on another childhood fear: fairytales. In this maze, a few classic stories face a horrific fate at the hands of the Wicked Witch of the West. Let’s hope that Toto is still safe in that basket.

According to Universal, The Wicked Witch of the West controls the fairytale realm and begins to torture storybook characters. Her cruel and horrendous alternative storylines are meant to brutalize these beloved characters. Can there be any escape from this sinister fairytale world?

The haunted house is said to be divided into three portions: revenge, toupee and splatter. Characters like Humpty Dumpty and Hansel and Gretel will be featured in this lurid bedtime story. These favorite characters will lose their jovial traits as they are controlled by The Wicked Witch of the West. Could the smell of rotten eggs or rotten candy tempt guests to embrace this horrifying fairytale world?

With all the haunted houses and mazes announced for Halloween Horror Nights 2018, the event will be Universal’s biggest and longest event to date. As extra dates were added to the schedule, fans are eagerly anticipating the annual event.

After looking at the complete line-up for this year’s event, the haunted houses, mazes, and scary zones have a different approach from years’ past. Instead of focusing on the gore and shock value of scenes from movies like Saw, these experiences try to get into people’s lingering fears. From vegetation overtaking humans to that abandon carnival ride, these fears don’t fade on November 1. The haunting, persistent notion that something or someone lurks around a corner remains with people.

Thinking about this year’s event, Halloween Horror Nights should draw even bigger crowds. While many people will buy tickets just to experience the Stranger Things haunted house, the less-gory approach could bring in people who were too scared to attend. For example, could a vampire DJ be insanely scary, or will it leave you thinking twice about your next night out?

Halloween Horror Nights 2018 runs through Sept. 14 through Nov. 3, 2018, on select nights. It is a separately ticketed event.

Will your bedtime story have a happy ending, or will your fairytales be Scary Tales: Deadly Ever After?