First look: 2024 Halloween Horror Nights opening night

Welcome to Orlando, where there is an event that features beheadings, astral projection and puppets in back-to-back-to-back breaths. Yes, Halloween Horror Nights is back at Universal Studios theme park with 10 fresh haunted houses.

It’s the 33rd edition of the scare fest, so look for threes references (triplets, 1933, etc.). But there are new twos, too, including HHN icons named SINIST3R and SURR3AL and two new backstage house areas.

For your browsing pleasure, we’re sharing glimpses of all 10 houses, presented in the order you’d find the entrance to each maze if you worked clockwise from the park’s entrance. (Hitting every house in one evening was possible due to the R.I.P. tour provided to members of the media on opening night.)

Monstrous: The Monsters of Latin America

Where: Entrance near Despicable Me Minion Mayhem

What we saw: Grieving women and children in peril and an abundance of blood amid Spanish architecture and an abundance of blood.

Why we screamed (with delight): Wow, the screeching owl figure (said to be a shape-shifting witch) left an impact.

A Quiet Place

Where: Music Plaza Stage

What we saw: A rural cabin setting and, unusually, American Sign Language in keeping with the films’ hush-hush theme. Universal hopes folks will stay silent (good luck) for effect while walking through, but there are plenty of sound effects, some subtle, some rattling. It also begins with total darkness, another sensory deprivation. We kind of missed the screams and giggles as a coping mechanism.

Why we screamed: Out of nowhere, a man making clanking noises somehow. More cowbell?

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

Where: Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon

What we saw: Scenes from the 2024 “Ghostbusters” installment with a chance of snow, a demon god and a second ice age. There was a welcome blast of air-conditioning and scores of mini Pufts.

Why we screamed: Not the scariest of houses, but it was visually appealing and a pleasant surprise overall.

Insidious: The Further

Where: New York Public Library facade (left)

What we saw: This house, featuring moments from five “Insidious” movies and beginning with a very big door, has a deserved early reputation as the scariest of 2024. More scares per square foot than any other, and it’s populated with bizarre-looking, lurking characters. There are multiple unnerving rooms with ghostly creatures and scare actors lurking. It’s pretty relentless but that happens with a tortured souls theme.

Why we screamed: “How can we still be in here?” said a woman behind me. It felt like an eternity.

Triplets of Terror

Where: New York Public Library facade (right)

What we saw: Grown-up triplets – Melody, Harmony and Junior – re-creating murderous scenes from their childhood. Happy birthday! It’s not in the story, but this house is sort of a revenge tale for all the children in peril in HHN33 houses.

Why we screamed: There’s a scene where visitors might be tempted to call the ASPCA but then snap out of it when they realize (a) it’s fiction and (b) the human body count of the event. (Again: Fiction.)

Major Sweets Candy Factory

Where: Fast & Furious: Supercharged

What we saw: It’s a prequel to the 2022 Major Sweets scare zone. Although many characters are comically portrayed, this is not a light-hearted maze revolving around children in peril, plus blood and guts. Eventually, we get startling loud mechanical noise – it’s a factory, after all. The big red button prompts a physically icky moment.

Why we screamed: The thought of being a chaperone on a field trip.

Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines

Where: Men in Black (left)

What we saw: This is an all-female house from creation to completion, and a little bit of a shout-out to Dark Universe, the land at the under-construction Epic Universe, set to open next year. The goth setting and classic monster theme set you in a black-and-white mood except for blood and innards. But it ain’t pretty with multiple beheadings.

Why we screamed: Wow, that’s a lot of guts.

Goblin’s Feast

Where: Men in Black (right)

What we saw: Creative costuming and a green theme as an array of goblins celebrate their Thanksgiving. It’s clear very early that the main entree is people.

Why we screamed: The creatures get bigger and bigger, and some get very, very close. Close enough to say, “Hey, nice makeup.”

Slaughter Sinema 2

Where: Men in Black

What we saw: A loud-but-fun sequel to a 2018 HHN house and a love letter to Universal Studios events and attractions. You don’t expect to see elves eating children or pole-dancing mummies in the same location. A big shark puppet goes with the “Blood and Chum” segment.

Why we screamed: Those pesky jesters from “Mardi Gras Murders.”

The Museum: Deadly Exhibits

Where: Simpsons Ride area

What we saw: A striking embodiment of spreading, shiny rot and exhibits come to life, if you can call it that, in a realistic museum setting.

Why we screamed: Cleverly costumed scare actors blend in and then lurch, prompting classic backtracking in the conga line.

What else

There are five scare zones, including two featuring the icons, plus one filled with Blum House characters, making it much easier to find Megan this year. There’s a stage show called “Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus” and a bloated full menu of themed foods, including a Red Door potato treat.

Halloween Horror Nights is an after-hours, extra-ticket event held on select evenings through Nov. 3. For tickets or more information, go to halloweenhorrornights.com .

dbevil@orlandosentinel.com