HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS

UNIVERSAL ORLANDO UNLEASHES THE LARGEST AND MOST INTENSE HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS IN ITS HISTORY

NEW LINE CINEMA’S FREDDY KRUEGER, JASON AND LEATHERFACE TO BE FEATURED IN JACK’S CARNIVAL OF CARNAGE

The cool October winds send a shiver down the spine. Jack, Clown Prince of Halloween, grins maniacally from the center of a giant Ferris wheel, beckoning you into his Carnival of Carnage – home to this year’s Halloween Horror Nights event. Once inside, you realize all is not right: curiosity becomes panic becomes fear becomes physical and psychological terror.

This year, Halloween Horror Nights 17 transforms into the most extreme, fear-filled event in its history with “Carnival of Carnage.” With its leading cast of modern day horror icons, guests will come face-to-face with New Line Cinema’s Freddy Krueger, Jason and Leatherface for the first time ever – and they will find the fear so real they will wish it were just a movie.

The Carnival of Carnage is so unprecedented that Universal Orlando is creating more haunted houses, more Halloween-themed shows — and adding more event nights — than ever before. And, of course, every carnival needs a clown. And when it comes to clowns, there is only one that is maniacal and twisted enough to be Ringmaster for the Carnival of Carnage. That would be Jack.

“This year, they’ve given me the show,” said Jack. “Fools! Wait ‘till you see what I’ve brought you! I’ll take you places you never knew you could go! They say show business is in the blood – but is it my blood or your’s?”

Halloween Horror Nights runs 23 nights this year and features eight all-new haunted houses – three of which are created around New Line’s Freddy Krueger, Jason and Leatherface. There will also be four new shows – more than ever before – including a show dedicated to Jack along with an even more excellent and irreverent version of “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure.”

“Our goal this year has been to set a new standard for horror – to create an event that will haunt you forever,” said Jim Timon, senior vice president of entertainment for Universal Orlando Resort. “We will put you in the same environment as world-class horror icons, we will exploit every weakness we can find – and we will not let you go until we’re done with you.”

EIGHT HAUNTED HOUSES

A Nightmare on Elm Street: Dreamwalkers – Stepping through the door of 1428 Elm Street, this suburban residence will bring guests face-to-face with the nightmare man himself, Freddy Krueger. Trapped in a walking dream state, guests will join Freddy’s victims as they relive their most vicious nightmares.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Flesh Wounds – Guests find themselves trapped inside the Hewitt family home. Terror awaits them at every corner as they realize they are hunted by chainsaw- wielding maniac Leatherface, and his family of freaks.

Friday the 13th: Camp Blood – Visitors take a tour of the abandoned remains of Camp Crystal Lake – the slay grounds of Jason Voorhees. There has not been an incident here for years, and Jason has seemingly disappeared. However, under the bright moon there seems to be something moving in the woods…

The Thing: Assimilation – This house celebrates the 25th Anniversary of John Carpenter’s horror/sci-fi classic with a sequel set 25 years after the incident at Outpost 31. Guests enter Outpost 3113, a research hub housing the government’s most classified projects. When a containment unit containing bio-hazardous evidence from Outpost 31 unexpectedly opens, someThing is let loose.

Dead Silence: The Curse of Mary Shaw – Based on the Universal horror film, the theatre space of the vengeful Mary Shaw is brought to life. The tortured ghost of the evil ventriloquist searches for fresh victims to create the perfect doll while an army of sinister puppets terrify guests.

Psychoscareapy: Home for the Holidays – Visions of sugarplums turn into horrific holiday nightmares for citizens living in Shadybrook Estates when a transport bus containing the most crazed residents of the now infamous local hospital overturns near their beloved neighborhood. Clawing their way out of the twisted wreckage, these crazed overachievers have come home for the holidays and their victims will hopefully be given the greatest gift of all:a quick death.

Vampyr: Blood Bath – In the dead of night, creatures of the netherworld gather at Club Vampyr. Located inside an abandoned industrial building, Club Vampyr has everything one would need to paint the town red, blood red, that is.

Jack’s Funhouse in Clown-O-Vision – Guests enter this Jack’d up funhouse that throws them laughing and screaming into an oversaturated world of color that appears to leap out at them. Winding twists and turns lead visitors on a seemingly unending maze featuring more crazed clowns than they could ever imagine. And before it’s all said and done:guests will know Jack!

SHOWS INCLUDE:

Jack’s Carnival Of Carnage – Join the clown master of the macabre and his assistants, Tiny and Chance, as they bring guests a terror-filled show. Hapless “contestants” take a chance and pick a card: Will they have the guts to survive Jack’s torturous, ultra-gory carnival games?

Freak Show – Jack’s Carnival of Carnage just wouldn’t be complete without a freak show. Guests will witness the gut-wrenching entertainment of the Enigma – a tattooed performer whose body is a canvas of torture. The most amazing and ghastly national acts will come together with one goal – to make guests squirm with excitement and repulsion.

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure – Bill S Preston Esq and Ted Theodore Logan return with an especially excellent Halloween adventure featuring a who’s who of notorious celebrity guest stars.

Halloween Horror Nights will run from September 28-29 through October 4-7, 11-14, 18-21, 24-28, and Oct.31-Nov. 3. Advance tickets and vacation packages are on sale now.

Halloween Horror Nights is a special ticket event and is $64.95 plus tax. Florida residents can save up to $30 off the full admission price of Halloween Horror Nights 17 tickets. For more information on discounts and travel packages, or to purchase tickets, guests may call 407-224-5500 or visit the event’s website at www.halloweenhorrornights.com. Event tickets are also available at the front gate of the theme parks and select outlets such as Publix Supermarkets and Ticketmaster. Because of the event’s popularity, tickets are expected to sell out and should be purchased far in advance.

Universal Orlando Resort (www.universalorlando.com). With Steven Spielberg as creative consultant, Universal Orlando has created the world’s most innovative theme park attractions based on pop culture’s most compelling films and stories.

Families will experience two world-class theme parks – Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure – a nighttime entertainment complex and magnificently themed on-site hotels. Universal Studios is a working film and TV production studio as well as a highly acclaimed motion picture and television theme park featuring attractions such as “Revenge of the Mummy—The Ride” and “Shrek 4-D.” Islands of Adventure is the world’s most technologically advanced theme park and features five uniquely themed islands that include Seuss Landing, Marvel Super Hero Island and Jurassic Park. Its marquee attractions include “Jurassic Park River Adventure” and “The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man.”

In addition to its theme parks, Universal Orlando Resort also includes CityWalk, a 30-acre nighttime entertainment complex that features restaurants, shops, clubs, a 20-screen cineplex and live-entertainment. The destination’s three on-site Loews hotels include the Portofino Bay Hotel, the Hard Rock Hotel and the Royal Pacific Resort.