Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights attraction has been a big staple for the company’s three theme parks dating back to 1991 in Orlando (then called “Fright Nights”.) While during the day the park operates as normal (and on a side note, if you haven’t been on “Transformers: The Ride”, you’re severely missing out,) once the sun goes down the joy and smiles are replaced with frights and terrors.
I was lucky enough to be invited to preview one of the mazes for this year’s Horror Nights in Universal’s Hollywood park. The maze myself and a very few select colleagues were welcomed to was “Alice Cooper Goes To Hell 3D,” a marriage of Dante’s Inferno and the rock legend’s greatest hits.
“When I was talking to Alice early on in this project,” said John Murdy, Creative Director at Universal Studios Hollywood, “he had said that that thirteenth century poem inspired his concept album ‘Alice Cooper Goes To Hell’.” Couldn’t think of better inspiration myself.
Guests who are brave enough to enter the maze will find themselves trapped inside a literal waiting room from Hell, getting ready to accept their punishment. Said Murdy, “We wanted to get to the point of Dante’s poem, which is the punishment fits the crime, but do it with a contemporary twist.”
Once your number is called (the favorite seems to be 666,) the real fun begins as guests are taken on a trip through the seven deadly sins. For example, when you enter ‘Limbo,’ you’ll find a bunch demon children stuck in playpens. There’s also ‘Greed’, which according to Murdy and fellow designer Chris Williams, was based on hoarding, and features a nice little reference for Alice Cooper fans.
My personal favorite though? Vanity, which features a wonderfully designed set and make-up scheme that’s too good to spoil here.
“Alice Cooper Goes To Hell 3D” opens September 21st as a part of Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights.
