Universal Horror Unleashed, the first-ever year-round horror experience created by Universal Destinations and Experiences, is now open in the AREA15 District in Las Vegas.
Set in an abandoned production warehouse filled with haunting stories and characters, the new experience will take guests on a terrifying journey through four haunted houses, four themed areas with live entertainment, and a selection of food and cocktails.
“Today marks an exciting step in our expansion into new markets as we officially welcome guests to Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas,” said Page Thompson, President, New Ventures, Universal Destinations and Experiences. “Horror Unleashed will provide unique character interactions that will thrill fans of both horror and immersive entertainment.”
Each haunted house features dedicated show moments with deeper storytelling that places guests in the midst of horror.
- Face the dust storms of the Midwest in Scarecrow: The Reaping, an original story that will take them back in time to a dry, barren 1930s farmland ravaged by farmers and taken over by horrifying inhabitants arising from the land: bloodthirsty scarecrows bent on revenge.
- Take a journey through the 1974 horror masterpiece in the The Texas Chainsaw Massacre haunted house, placing them in the footsteps of the victims as they face horrifying iconic scenes and characters. Guests will come face-to-face with Leatherface and every member of his deranged family and their victims, as the terrifying sound of chainsaws haunts them at every turn.
- Face cinema’s most feared icons in Universal Monsters, where horror legends have broken free from the silver screen to stalk unwitting victims. From the shadowy halls of Castle Dracula, to the sandy tombs guarded by The Mummy, to the crackling lab where Frankenstein and The Bride still draw breath – this haunted house resurrects the most legendary monsters of all time in one continuous nightmare.
- Descend into demonic possession in Blumhouse’s The Exorcist: Believer, and find themselves deep in the shadowy woods where best friends Katherine and Angela mysteriously vanish – only to be discovered days later with no memory of what happened. From there, the terror builds room by room as the girls’ disturbing transformation unfolds, going from the hospital to the girls’ homes to witnessing the actual exorcism as everyone is surrounded by supernatural chaos.
Four Themed Areas
Each immersive area will place guests in the center stage of horror, offering opportunities to interact with characters for a deeply engaging experience:
- Kill Vault – Surrounded by rusty knives and machetes, the eerie characters at Kill Vault – from a strange surgeon to psychotic slashers – are lurking in the shadows attempting to lure their next victim as they interact with everyone in sight.
- Prop Graveyard – Here, the line between inanimate and alive blurs, as guests face a supernatural collection of unsettling dolls, dismembered mannequins and other haunted objects from abandoned film sets that seem to move as guests walk through.
- Dead Storage – Echoing the grandiosity of Universal’s earliest horror productions, Dead Storage will envelop guests in a shadow-filled sanctuary with forgotten set pieces and eerie relics that have been reclaimed by night-dwelling creatures – vampires, a werewolf in mid-transformation, and others that emerge without warning.
- Jack’s Alley– Set in a twisted dark carnival atmosphere, guests will face Jack The Clown’s evil maniacs and a group of malicious jugglers, dancers and fortune tellers as they perform for their lives, during the Jack & Chance: Stay or Slay Show.
Guests can also dine on a variety of themed shareable bites and specialty cocktails in designated areas, including:
- Rough Cuts, where guests can feast on carved small plates as they witness a variety of show moments, electrifying performances and interact with characters to learn more about their haunting backstories. Dishes include Ears (fire roasted yellow corn, citrus aioli, grated cotija cheese, crushed Hot Cheetos, tajin, micro cilantro) and Shoulder (torta al pastor, marinated pork shoulder, fresh pineapple, avocado, lettuce, and pickled onions).
- Premiere House, a tapas bar featuring the horrors of Blumhouse and serving a variety of signature cocktails and a selection of delicious shareable bites set amid an eerie atmosphere filled with movie props and twisted décor representing some of Universal’s most recent Blumhouse horror films. Dishes include Broiler Bread (garlic-herb stuffed pumpernickel roll, fiery smoked paprika cheese sauce), the Texas Chainsaw Flatbread (sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, spicy tomato sauce) and The Crow’s Nest (bourbon BBQ chicken lollipops, fried rice noodle nest, arugula, sesame seeds).
- Boiler Bar, equal parts hellish spectacle and welcome reprieve with a monstrous flaming machine nestled in the heart of the venue, it offers guests a perfect vantage point for those seeking momentary respite while remaining immersed in the action and enjoying craft cocktails.
- Jack’s Alley Bar, serving themed specialty cocktails as guests enjoy acrobatic performances and more in a circus-like hellscape where the deranged Jack the Clown and his impishly evil sidekick Chance reign.
After exploring the warehouse, guests can visit the all-new retail location to purchase Horror Unleashed merchandise, including apparel, collectibles, jewelry, accessories, and more.
Universal Destinations and Experiences hired acclaimed Las Vegas-based street artist Krie for a one-of-a-kind mural on the exterior of the building. Known for his bold, large-scale graffiti work across the city, the mural brings the story of Universal Horror Unleashed to life while also serving as a love letter to the city.
Guests looking to dive deeper into the terror can now purchase the “Haunted High Rollers” VIP Experience Package. During this three-hour elevated horror experience, guests will enjoy an all-access pass to the dark side in true Las Vegas style and with next level storytelling, including priority access to Universal Horror Unleashed for up to six guests, unlimited haunted house access via a priority VIP Lane, a personal VIP host, access to a special VIP food and beverage menu, artist meet and greets with private VIP performances, exclusive discounts on merchandise and more.
We were recently invited for a preview of the experience and shared our Review.
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