Recent Halloween Horror Nights highlights take spotlight on new website
A new website presents highlights from the recent editions of Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, and it plans to expand to more years and events. Virtual Frights (www.virtualfrights.com) is now available to the public and free of charge.
Horror fans can see walk-throughs of the theme park’s haunted houses and scare zones from 2016 to 2019, including mazes devoted to “The Shining,” “Stranger Things” and “Friday the 13th.” The site includes passes through Revenge of the Tooth Fairy and Bride of Frankenstein Lives mazes that were among the attractions planned for this year’s HHN. The event was canceled in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Those two houses currently are available to regular day guests at Universal Studios.
Virtual Frights viewers have options regarding audio (creepy ambient vs original sound) and pace (from walk to run) in the virtual venues. The content includes videos produced by theme-park media, websites and bloggers, a news release says.
The site is produced by Philadelphia-based Pseudonym Productions, but the creators have Orlando backgrounds. Pseudonym president and creative director Sarah A.S. Elger formerly designed attractions for Universal Creative, and vice president Ricky Brigante was the owner of the Inside the Magic website, which covered Central Florida attractions. Pseudonym has been creating in-person Halloween events, alongside other immersive experiences. for four years, but the pandemic upended plans for one for the 2020 spooky season.
“Virtual Frights is our way of bringing home the spirit of the event by featuring the best versions of Halloween Horror Nights found online – along with our own unique interactive and immersive twists still to come," Brigante said.
The new site includes original characters called the Grin Reapers.
“The Grin Reapers are the real macabre minds behind Virtual Frights, always plotting new twisted tricks,” Elger said. “They like to remain in the shadows and will reveal themselves slowly.”
More event years and experiences are planned for upcoming weeks. including a curated history of HHN and other haunted attractions and Halloween events from other locations.
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