Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights 2024: Why the mazes are the secondary attractions

Between dodging the chainsaw-wielding weirdos and trying to not to get eaten by giant space aliens, there’s a moment of peace, calm and — dare I say it? — serenity that overcomes me each time I stroll through Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios.

And the best way to describe the reason why, I guess, is it’s because I’m with my people.

Horror movie fanatics.

Sure, Halloween Horror Nights is a great place to get your seasonal dose of jump scares — indeed, perhaps the best place on the West Coast — during the ever-elongating Halloween season.

Yet, what really draws me back time after time to this famed studio lot/amusement park at this time of year is the chance to gather with a frightening number of other people who can tell you the plot for each installment in the “Final Destination” franchise and discuss the pros and cons of all the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” flicks. And here I thought I was alone.

But there are tens of thousands just like me — and they all seem to descend each year upon Halloween Horror Nights, which runs on select nights through Nov. 3 this year. (Buy your tickets in advance; the event routinely sells out. Find more information at universalstudioshollywood.com/hhn/.)

One of the people who shares my affinity for horror flicks is my daughter, Grace, who just turned the big 1-6 and wanted nothing more than to celebrate her Sweet 16 with all the ghouls and monsters featured (and attending) this year’s Halloween Horror Nights.

Yup, I’m one proud papa.

So, of course, I took her — again — which clearly puts me in the running for best dad on the planet. (Or the worst. I’ll let you decide.) All I know is that my daughter seemed mighty happy to be back among, well, our people. And I got some priceless hugs and smiles.

Attending Halloween Horror Nights is not unlike going to the big game. Everybody flies their colors — only instead of sports gear representing teams and players, their tees tout their favorite villains.

There is no doubt that Chucky — that wisecracking, knife-wielding, red-headed doll from those awesome “Child’s Play” flicks — is the people’s choice for King of Terror Town. We saw, by far, more Chucky shirts (including the one my daughter was wearing) than any other movie monster memorabilia during our visit, easily outdistancing the merch from “Scream,” “Beetlejuice” and Michael Myers (from “Halloween,” not “Austin Powers” fame).

The whole shebang feels rather like a convention — a horror movie con — filled with fun conversations and debates with the other people standing in line to enter the mazes.

For an event that celebrates destruction, bloodshed and terror with such glee, Halloween Horror Nights actually offers a really cool, mellow vibe. Part of that comes from the ease with which people find common ground here. It’s a stark contrast to discussions in the checkout line at Safeway, say, or on social media — the latter is a particularly scary and unforgiving place as the presidential election and Halloween seasons collide every four years. Shudder. Sign me up for another run through the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” maze instead, please.

Speaking of mazes, Universal is offering eight ghoulish haunted houses/mazes in 2024, inspired by some of the most popular horror movie franchises and other bloody good topics.

You’ll find maze themes including Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (inspired by the most recent film); Insidious: The Further (watch out for the “red-faced demon”) and The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy (yes, that Weeknd — the one with only two e’s). There’s A Quiet Place (shhhh); Dead Exposure: Death Valley (zombie time!); and Monstruos 2: The Nightmares of Latin America (muy aterrador). And also, Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines (a little history served up at the birthplace of the horror movie); The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Legacy of Leatherface (it’s a pretty impressive legacy, especially if you take that “Next Generation” chapter out of the mix); and the Terror Tram: Enter the Blumhouse (featuring M3GAN and other Blumhouse butchers).

Our colleagues in SoCal did a great job ranking all eight of the haunted houses. I agree with many of their sentiments on the list, although I’d flip their No. 1 and 2 titles, preferring the storyline and special effects in the one focused on the “A Quiet Place” series — which accounted for the second best horror film released in 2024 thus far — over what my daughter and I saw in the Chainsaw house. Plus, there was a really weird smell in the latter that left us wondering what Leatherface has been eating.

Oh, wait. I know what Leatherface has been eating.

Outside the haunted houses is where the real fun is had, as you dodge menacing creatures through several scare zones on your way to try out the cocktails at The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy Bar. (We recommend the Out of Time raspberry ginger cola mocktail). Feeling hungry? Treat yourself to a Halloween-themed goodie like the Mini Stay Puft S’more, featuring that adorable little “Ghostbusters” marshmallow man — who you greet with “awww” and then eat.

It’s a ghoulish good time, for sure. And we can’t wait to hear what themed mazes Universal Studios will host in 2025.