Halloween Horror Nights returning to Universal theme parks

ORLANDO, Fla. — After a pandemic-related absence of a year, Halloween Horror Nights are back with haunted houses based on the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “The Bride of Frankenstein” planned for Universal theme parks in California and Florida.

The company said Thursday that Halloween Horror Nights would return to Universal Orlando Resort on Sept. 3 and Universal Studios Hollywood on Sept. 9. Both celebrations of all things scary will last through Oct. 31.

Halloween Horror Nights were canceled last year at the California and Florida parks because of the spreading coronavirus — and the fact that it’s difficult to scare the wits out of someone while socially distancing.

A haunted house based on the “Beetlejuice” movie also will be at the Florida park. Universal said Thursday that it will announce details on other haunted houses at both parks in the upcoming weeks.

Each haunted house is a small, temporary attraction, elaborately designed and themed, built with studious attention to details and populated with “scare-actors” who chase but never touch the thousands of patrons passing through each night.