Earlier this week Universal Studio Hollywood announced a new attraction for its iconic theme park – “The Walking Dead Attraction”
The Walking Dead will be a year round, 365 days operating, haunted maze attraction. The Walking Dead has been a recurring maze theme at both Hollywood and Orlando’s annual Halloween Horror Nights events. But this doesn’t seem to be a re-hash of any of those.
Universal is promising an all new “no-holds-barred” immersive experience with greater sets, more intense makeup, and fully animatronic figures.
This is a bold promise considering last year’s Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights maze “The Walking Dead Wolves Not Far” was, in my opinion, one of the best realizations of the series in an attraction format (Learn more in our full Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood 2015 coverage special).
This new attraction reunites the successful duo of “The Walking Dead” Executive Producer Greg Nicotero and Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood Director John Murdy – a team that’s proven time and time again they can bring The Walk Dead to “life” at Universal Hollywood.
This news puts me in a bit a quandary for 2016 haunt season. Earlier this year my Catacombs of Halloween Horror Nights co-host Quint and I had decided to use our usual Hollywood HHN budget for something different this year to be revealed later. After having visited Universal Hollywood 3 times last year, it seems like a good time for a break – from traveling that is, if I could I’d be at both Universal Locations every weekend.
But this new attraction just might be enough to pull me back to the park at least once this year. Here’s the ever growing list of things drawing me back:
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opening in April. I’m not what you’d consider a huge Harry Potter fan by any means, but I am curious to see how the Wizard World came out in Hollywood. I’m also wildly curious to what’s making everyone sick on the new 3d version of the ride.
- Duff Gardens. I’ve only been to Duff Gardens in Hollywood twice and only had 2 Duffs. I don’t call that enough to make an informed decision on how it compares of Orlando. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
- Kong 360. I’ve been on Kong 360 a few times, but with “Skull Island: Reign of Kong” it might be time for another coast-to-coast special report.
- The Walking Dead. I’m a huge Walking Dead fan. For some, that’d be the only reason to go.
- The Halloween Horror Nights Connection. I’m a huge Halloween Horror Nights fan. Greg Nicotero and John Murdy are heading this up on the heels of one of my favorite Mazes of 2015.
I’m not sure whether to say this announcement couldn’t come at a “better time” or a “worse time”. “Worse time” in that I pretty much set my fall travel budget up for 2016 already, but this won’t be the first (nor the last) trip to SoCal that gets added on a whim. “Better time” in that I’m fully behind every project Universal Studios puts out in both parks and can’t wait to see each and every one of them. The fact that it’s a property I’m a huge fan of just makes it better.
“The Walking Dead Attraction” is set to open summer of 2016. Is a NEOZAZ pilgrimage on the horizon for the Fall of 2016? No plans yet, but I’d say it’s more than likely.
