Friday, October 19, 2012

2012 Blogger Virtual Zombie Walk



On October 6, Mulder and I visited Universal Studios – Orlando for Halloween Horror Nights 22.This was the first time in many years that there was no theme for the event.  There were also no “No Scare Zones”. The streets were a free for all of vampires, witches, twisted trick-or-treaters, grim reapers, asylum escapees wielding chainsaws and ZOMBIES!!!  They’d pop up randomly or slither out of the dark and scare the crap out of me.  I loved it!

The main draw for me was,  AMC’s The Walking Dead – Dead Inside and Alice Cooper’s Nightmare. Both of the houses were excellent. Well, it is Universal, not the Kiwanis Haunted House in Chester’s barn, so I expected nothing less than exceptional.  Right?

Living 1.5 hours away from Orlando is one of the few perks of living in Florida. I’m not a huge fan of “The Mouse” but Universal, Islands of Adventure, Sea World, House of Blue and Hardrock Live, kick ass. Halloween Horror Nights is a highlight of my usually dismal year.  (Not attending last year was horrible!)Being an honorary zombie and having the third season of The Walking Dead coincide with HHN, made me damn near giddy to be going this year. (I have a very nice boss.)
Someone (thing?) was in here

Original Psycho Poster

Stilt Walking Skeletons
The Car for Sophia
    There are seven “houses” this year ~ 
  • The Walking Dead
  • Silent Hill
  • Alice Cooper - Welcome To My Nightmare
  • Penn & Teller New(kd) Vegas
  • Dead End
  • Gothic
  • Universal's House of Horrors
I only knew that Silent Hill was a video game and a movie but I hadn’t a clue what it was about.  A nice girl behind me in line filled me in.  The house wasn’t scary and I guess you had to be into the game and/or movie(s). The pyramid head guy was just stupid.  Since I’m around psycho nurses all day, those in the house were just more of the same.

 Now, Universal wants to make sure that you get in the spirit of things by selling spirits of all types and alcohol content at about every 20 steps you take within the park.  By the time I got to Universal’s House of Horrors, I had enough “spirits” in me to do a seance with the original inventor of beer.  So, I’m just gonna say – Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, Wolfman, still look great in black & white after all these years.  None of them could’ve scared me if they all came up and kissed me on the mouth.

Roasted turkey legs and popcorn abound, as do glow-in-the-dark and light-up hats, necklaces, bracelets, shirts – you name it, they have it lighting up and/or glowing.  You have to turn your light up stuff off when you go in the house or on a ride so it’s kind of annoying.  But you’ll have that skull necklace collecting dust for many years to come and that’s what counts!

I’ll give you a rundown of the rest of the houses and the Bill & Ted Show.  We missed the magic show (probably was buying beer!).  Basically, I’ll give you my impressions of the houses because you are kinda herded through like cattle and there is A LOT to take in while being accosted by the "scareactors".  My picture taking was erratic,  to say the least.  No photography is allowed in the houses. I did not go on any rides because I went on the Harry Potter ride in Islands of Adventure that morning.  My daughter lied and told me it really didn’t actually move . The bitch!.

Penn & Teller New(kd) Vegas ~ A 3-D walking experience, it’s silly and funny but only a wee bit scary. Very colorful! It’s good to go to this one in the middle of the others for a different experience,  I think.

Alice Cooper ~ Lot's of "jumpers" in this one. It was chaotic and fun, like Alice!

Dead End ~ A decaying mansion full of everything you'd expect in a haunted house.  When not being scared by "jumpers", seeing the attention to detail like dusty antimacassars and Victorian furniture, period dress, is impressive.

Gothic ~ Probably my favorite house after The Walking Dead.  A "Cathedral" setting with gargoyles - both on the ground and in the air! - candles, effective lighting and it was the biggest.  Our treat was seeing "the changing of the gargoyles" at the end of the house!

Trapped With Rats In A Coffin
The Walking Dead ~ It gave me chills!  I actually touched the "Dead Inside" door!  Fantastic zombies and artifacts from the show.  Some crazy zombie killing was going on in Dale's camper.  The hospital, the department store, the barn and scads of "walkers".  Also, Teddy Bear Girl was "greeting" outside.  LOVED IT!

Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure is a tradition at HHN.  While Bill & Ted are a bit dated, the show always skewers pop culture in hysterical fashion.  This year's show was no exception.  Seeing a show is also a nice break from the "scareactors" or jumpers, as I call them and it gives you a chance to catch your breath, while being able to drink your beer without spilling.

I don't work for Universal nor to I promote Florida tourism but if y'all ever plan a trip to The Sunshine State, come in October.  It's not as hell-hot as August, the Snow Birds haven't come back yet and you can visit Universal's Halloween Horror Nights!  (Make sure you spring for the "Fast Pass", it's well worth the extra money.) 

PLEASE VISIT THE WONDERFUL BLOGGERS LISTED BELOW THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS YEAR'S "WALK", THANK YOU! 

Much THANKS! to Zombies Everywhere for hosting this year.
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Zombies Everywhere
[Retro-Zombie]
Halloween Blues
The Southern Northerner
Martha's Journey
Annie Walls
GingerRead Review
App'y Talk
Kweeny Todd
Jenny's House of Horrors
Bubba's Place
Fictional Candy
herding cats & burning soup
Author Sherry Soule Blog
Paranormal research Group Blog
Adult Urban Fantasy by Sherry Soule
Moonlight Publishing Blog
Candid Canine
Ghost Hunting Theories
Above the Norm
A Dust Bunny In The Wind
Faith McKay
Zombob's Zombie News & Movie Reviews
Flesh From The Morgue
The Living Dark
Some One Else's Cook
Stumptown Horror
Forget About TV, Grab a Book
Zombie Dating Guide
Strange State
The Paranormalist - Renae Rude
Idée Fixe
Random Game Crafts
WhiteRoseBud's Tumblr
Gnostalgia
Book Me!
Carmen Jenner Author
Sarasota Zombie Pub Crawl
Not Now...Mommy's Reading
Love is a Many Flavored Thing
Its On Random
Ellie Potts
Attention Earthlings!
Horror Shock LoliPOP
The Spooky Vegan
The Story In...
DarkSide Detectives Blog
Something wicKED this way comes....
Julie Jansen: science fiction and horror writer
Author/screenwriter James Schannep
The Zombie Lab
Creepy Glowbugg
Pickleope
Sharing Links and Wisdom
Midnyte Reader
This Blog Has A.D.D.
Carol's Creations
Jeremy Bates
Vanessa Morgan

14 blew out from under the bed:

Jeremy [Retro] said...

being afraid... of the dark places, scary places and which way too turn... this was a great zombie post...

Jeremy [Retro]
Oh No, Let's Go... Crazy

Lilia Tombs said...

Thanks for this post! I've wanted to go to HHN for a long time (damn my living in the UK). Those "houses" sound fantastic! I like Silent Hill, but I'm not sure Pyramid Head would be that scary in a fright fest like HHN - especially if you have no idea who he is, haha.

Lilia
Horror Shock LoliPOP

Unknown said...

I wanna go! This sounds like an absolute blast! Awesome site you have here, I'm a new follower, woohoo!
I'd love for you to stop by my Walk's
Carmen Jenner Author and Book Me! for a Short Story and Character Interview! Happy Shambling! =D

Akelamalu said...

That sounds like fun!

Pickleope said...

I'm very jealous. I want to see the Sophia car in person and touch the "Dead Inside" door. That sounds like heaven, AND you get to get drunk while doing it! AND there's a Bill and Ted show? That's awesome overload.

Ron said...

Great update on Halloween Horror Nights, Nitebyrd!

From your review, both Gothic and The Walking Death would have my favorites! LOVE that last photo of the rats in a coffin. Holy shit...that is one scary photo!!!

Next year I've gotten come back to Florida and do this with you, Sis!

X ya!

Vanessa Morgan said...

Here from the zombie walk. Those Halloween Nights are so fun. Unfortunately, they don't exist where I live (Belgium).

I'd love to have your opinion on my zombie post + there are several cool things to win as well (Amazon Gift Card, Halloween board game and a screenplay).

Jeremy [Retro] said...

i wanted to make sure you saw this, i am still gleaming ear to ear...

http://izombielover.blogspot.com/2012/10/retro-sunday-and-i-am-winner.html

Idee Fixe said...

Sounds like loads of fun... but that pic of the rats in the coffin is scarier to me than a Zombie Apocalypse! Have fun "walking"! Jet

Sherry Soule said...

I'm so jealous! I would love to visit that Walking Dead haunted house/maze. Thanks for sharing the zombie love. ;-)

Keep reading,
~Sherry
Please Check out My Books!

Jeremy Bates said...

Once I get back to the states, I'd love to get back down to Orlando. I have never been (nor am I inclined to visit)Disneyworld. I bet The Walking Dead and Alice Cooper was awesome. I don't suppose you snapped up any pics, eh?

Cheers

fangirlellie said...

i'm saving up so i can go next year. i keep hearing about it from friends! thanks for the extra bits!

BlacknickSculpture said...

It sounds like you had a blast! I have to clue my wife in about Universal's Halloween Horror Nights! She'd love it!

Anonymous said...

~laughing~
It is so good to read that you are having fun!
been thinking of you!