The Universal Monsters are back at Halloween Horror Nights 2023 in Universal Studios Hollywood, and their masks are off! This house will see many iconic monsters, including the Phantom of the Opera, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and more.
Universal Monsters: Unmasked
Descend into the catacombs, where you and your squad will face a new horde of Monsters: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the Phantom of the Opera, the Hunchback of Notre Dame and the Invisible Man.
Review
Universal Monsters: Unmasked was, in a word, traumatic.
The entrance to the house is decorated to be a newspaper, with an animatronic talking skeleton to the left who begins telling the story as you enter Paris.
The walls are lined with skulls as guests make their way in. We loved feeling as though we were really entering the catacombs.
This was by far the scariest house of the event for us. There are some very “intense” moments, and — spoiler — there is a room full of “dead bodies,” each one hanging by a noose. You have to actually push through these swinging, heavy mannequin bodies to continue through the house. This offered an intensity and scare factor we remember from Halloween Horror Nights in years past, and haven’t felt for a while.
After pushing through the swinging bodies, you’re greeted by the Phantom of the Opera with a noose in hand, waiting for you. The lighting effect made it so this area was somewhat dark, but there would be an occasional flash of lightning where you could see the bodies. This moment was so good, we were physically shaking at this point.
After this, guests will come upon the Phantom playing the organ, with the dead body of Christine laying on a nearby set of steps. This is a beautiful scene, but his immediate turn and lunge at you from the organ is fantastic.
There’s also a torture chamber scene, where the legs are pulled off of a screaming victim and guests are sprayed with water for the “blood,” which is another nice touch.
One scene takes place above guests’ heads, where the Hunchback of Notre Dame is above and dumps a “boiling” pot of liquid down onto unsuspecting victims below.
If you don’t see well in the dark, you’re doomed after Dr. Jekyll transforms into Mr. Hyde. The transformation occurs in a blacklit room, giving the set an eerie glow. Once he transforms, you’ll trave through total darkness as Hyde’s voice taunts you. It’s a very creepy effect that disorients you as you’re lost in the darkness.
We think we might have frozen in this room during our section run through the house, because an attendant had to turn on a red light and direct us to the next room.
After this, Hyde can be seen ripping the guts out of a screaming woman, and you push through more “stuff in face,” this time being intestines hanging from the ceiling.
The scene with the Invisible Man is also great because it utilizes blacklight for his costume, so he can move about freely, but his robe and bandages are all you really see in the dark.
Overall, this house was perfectly done. It’s a beautiful and creative tribute to some of the Universal Monsters who are often overlooked. We think this is far superior to its Orlando counterpart, which has some memorable moments. Ultimately, this house reminds us of what Halloween Horror Nights is supposed to be like.
Walkthrough Video
Location
Universal Monsters: Unmasked is located on the upper lot across from Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count, past Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Flight of the Hippogriff.
Have you experienced this haunted house yet during your visits to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood? What did you think? Let us know in the comments.
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The post REVIEW: Encounter the Frights of Universal Monsters: Unmasked at Halloween Horror Nights 2023 in Universal Studios Hollywood appeared first on WDW News Today.