Universal Horror Unleashed

Universal promised a new kind of fear with Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas, and after finally stepping inside, I’m here to spill it on exactly what we thought so you know before you go. Tucked inside the expanding playground of Area15, this year-round haunt delivers a dose of Universal’s signature scares. It is billed as being complete with movie-level sets, clever effects, and creatures that know exactly how to catch you off guard. It’s not just another haunted house; it feels like walking into an extended HHN maze that never has to pack up and go home. Keep reading to hear about how our visit went, what stood out, and whether it’s worth making the trip to Vegas for some screams. Or if you just want to see how the houses ranked, you can jump to the TLDR here.

We made a trip out to Las Vegas just for Horror Unleashed! It doesn’t take much to get me to Vegas as it happens to be one of my favorite cities in the world. I have been to Omega Mart and other businesses that operate within Area 15, so when they announced that is where the year-round haunt would be coming from Universal, I was stoked. I have a familiarity both with Halloween Horror Nights and with Las Vegas so from its inception this venture has always felt like a lil gift just for me.

Before we dive into the experience itself, let’s talk about expectations. Most of you reading this have probably attended HHN in the past, or at least know what HHN is and how it operates. I would highly recommend not applying those same expectations to this new experience. This is an entirely separate entity. I had chosen to keep my expectations low UNTIL I saw a team member preview YouTube video and then got really excited! I do still feel like I had appropriate expectations, but the atmosphere within Horror Unleashed does feel quite underwhelming compared to what I am used to each fall. There is very little use of fog, very little (perhaps no) use of smell, no use of water scares, and very little to no use of animatronics. While that is a choice and is ok (so many folks find that to be a turn off), I do think it could upset people if their expectations were set a certain way based on past HHN experiences, or they just have a certain expectation of horror event atmosphere. I will say that overall we did find atmosphere lacking, but I do think even with that, the story was really obvious. You immediately understand you are situated within a Universal horror warehouse where things have gone amuck.

When we entered, we were greeted somewhat confusingly by staff members with phones to take our photo. Unfortunately it was not explained what this photo was for, and we learned after the fact it was for a purchasable photo. I genuinely thought it was similar to how Disneyland takes your photo when you enter and was not really caring what I was doing in the photo - that was my bad. After you pass through security, you get scanned in and are let free within an entry hallway. Overall the set design and space is very grand feeling. The first thing you see when you enter is a (hopefully not on break) witch soaring through the skies above you. Just past that first welcome it the huge boiler bar which is genuinely massive and a very smart move as an entrance piece. We immediately found seats at this boiler bar and ordered a round of cocktails. Pro tip, one of the top drinks when ordered triggers an activation at the bar. I really thought this was fun and well thought out in terms of a Vegas haunt immersive experience, and I really wish there were more of these easter eggs to be found (and maybe there are? Let me know in the comments if there are!) but that was the only one we experienced during our time. I hope they add more of these as time goes on.

While we were at the main bar, we were able to watch roaming actors doing various scares. I don’t want to spoil too much, but I will just recommend grabbing a seat at this main bar and using it almost like a seat within an interactive theater. You can of course get up and speak with all the roaming characters and become part of the story and this is a major part of the experience. I can definitely see how more introverted folks could feel this forced interactivity being such a large part of the experience would be a letdown, because otherwise there isn’t much going on in the main space. While it is visually appealing, the space relies on small acts and improv interaction rather than jump scares (although there may or may not be some of that).

After meandering through a more narrow space of the warehouse, you are greeted by the option of turning left in the Premiere House, right towards Scarecrow The Reaping, or ahead towards Jack’s Alley Bar. We opted for the bar which also has a couple of themed drinks (surprisingly delicious) on a really beautiful menu! All of the details really are gorgeous throughout the space and it is obvious that a lot of thought went into each element. You can ask staff and they will alert you of the showtimes for the day, as there is only one main show. Just before the main show we caught a bloody tap dancer and then a juggler! Apparently these were both somewhat new, and I overheard they do plan to continually add and rotate the entertainment staff that roams the warehouse. The show begins in the bar itself, so you will ideally want to be situated in the main table area there, cleverly the show demands the audience to follow them into a second space. Very smart of Universal to do this, as it not only keeps the audience engaged but it also helps with flow of traffic. If you go at a low attendance day or a non-peak time, your odds are fairly high of being able to participate in the show if you want to. The show was fine with Vegas talents really shining, albeit the stage layout is a bit tough to see from all angles, and Jack and Chance do meet for a photo but when we were there, they were only allowing about 10 people total that opportunity. If you do want a photo just be more prepared than I was, and know that if you miss it on one show, they seem to run every 90-ish minutes.

Speaking of days and times, let’s quickly chat about tickets! This is a much different operation than Horror Nights in that you choose not only a day but also an entry time. This is because Horror Unleashed is paced entry! This is very exciting, in my opinion, as it means no detested line of people being herded through. The house operators literally have a stopwatch that they maintain and they put through your party and your party only. Is this a perfect system? No, it is not. Because they cannot control how quickly or slowly you will walk, or how quickly or slowly the folks behind you will walk. We did end up merging parties in 2 of the 4 houses we went through. This to me is not a complaint, as I would never expect them to be able to fully control that, but merely just me letting you know to perhaps expect it! We waited no more than 5 minutes per house, and we went on a Friday at a 4:20 entry. They did let us in a few minutes early. We noticed an uptick in wait times around the 7pm mark, but it was still not anything too wild. The houses DO shut down for about 15 minutes per every hour, so you can expect to not only have the chance of waiting in line with other folks, but also needing to wait for the talent break to be over. I was told they do mini shows in the entrances when they are on break, but unfortunately that seemed to not be the case when we were there and there was just a security staff member standing there. While you do have an entry time, they do not give you a time limit so if you really want the most bang for your buck, I would recommend choosing an earlier entry time and lingering throughout the evening to soak everything in.

We did get the GA ticket that only allowed for 1 run through each house and we did 2 houses followed by a food break, then the other 2. This felt like good pacing, but I will talk in just a bit about whether that ticket type was the correct choice. The houses currently in Horror Unleashed are Scarecrow The Reaping, The Exorcist Believer, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Universal Monsters. They all have insanely impeccable set design. I was slightly bummed they did not use their full ceiling height, but there are some impressive builds to height. The lighting was gorgeous inside of these sets, and it is really something those folks should be proud to have in the world. I have previously been through both The Exorcist and Texas Chainsaw and felt I knew what to expect for each. Wrong! Texas Chainsaw really disappointed me at Horror Unleashed, coming in at my least favorite. I felt it was really lacking anything interesting or original, which it DID have when it was just in Hollywood. The Exorcist ended up being really fun with a better set build than it did in Hollywood, and ended up being my second favorite currently at Horror Unleashed. I had heard Scarecrow was the scariest, also wrong. But that one does have an insanely fun theatrical moment in the center of the house which was a core memory which made it special. And the star of the show, Universal FINALLY gave me a Monster house to remember. The campiness, the storyline, the set design, the costuming, the amount of FUN I had within this. I am so glad I saved this one for last, and I am so glad Universal finally delivered the kind of haunt I want from the makers of the monsters themselves. I have heard some people don’t like the Universal Monster house to which I say, what more could you possibly want? The houses here are the star of the show (as they should be). I will note that Horror Unleashed felt less jumpscarey than Halloween Horror Nights, both because of the lack of atmosphere and scare zones, and also just because I think there were less elements within the houses to scare you. For me, that isn’t a negative necessarily, and I do think it allows it to be more accessible to a wider audience and provides more longevity for this kind of year round attraction. If you have friends on the fence about attending a haunt with you, maybe try this one and sell it as a Vegas friend weekend that just so happens to include a couple of hours at Horror Unleashed!

We did make a reservation for the Blumhouse “Premiere House” restaurant. One of the things I was most looking forward to was Universal FINALLY giving me labeled vegan options! There is a labeled option at the Rough Cuts eatery which is more of a grab and go casual dining experience situated within the main warehouse area which would allow you to still be in the mix of it all while you enjoy your food. We did not eat here, as we were too full from the other options. What a welcome problem to have inside a Universal property! Currently the vegan option at the casual eatery is a plant-based sausage sandwich, but I haven’t seen it ordered so I am unsure of size or quality, but if given the chance I will return and try it. Just to note, they do not allow take away or for you to bag up any leftovers. The Premiere House is a large space separated by garage doors which they also have available to rent for weddings or corporate events. Definitely more of a restaurant vibe than the rest of the spooky warehouse. This is currently outfitted under the Blumhouse banner with 3 photo ops inside (M3GAN, The Purge, and Black Phone). M3GAN also came out and did her dance from the first film and was around for photo opportunities. This menu has 4 or 5 labeled vegan options, with a vegetarian burger option that can easily be veganized. Honestly impressed all the way around with the variety of options and the actual quality. The prices of the drinks are normal or maybe just under average for Las Vegas, and I feel the cocktails are of a slightly higher quality than they are within the parks. I would say the food is slightly better quality at Horror Unleashed as well. In the spirit of Universal branding, they had a burger bun stamped with Jack’s face, Jack on the flatbread tray, and one of the salads came with a syringe for the dressing. I hope they are able to cycle out the photo ops or maybe even the overall theming of this restaurant to keep it fresh and fun! You can see menu options and pricing above in the image carousel, if you are curious.

On the topic of security, I guess I can’t really complain about there being “too much” security staff. However, I’m going to anyway. Obviously we went on JUST the second weekend of operation, so you really do just need to staff up until you can gauge actual business needs. All of the reasons are completely valid, they are just getting acclimated, they aren’t sure how many to expect, etc etc. BUT this did contribute to loss of immersion and lack of atmosphere. There were just groups of staff huddled together literally all over the footprint.

Situated just before the exit door is the merch shop. I really appreciated that there was just one large merch shop as I tend to feel really overwhelmed in the parks themselves with merch spread out across the footprint. This was nice to take your time, look around, and decide within one space. I did note that each wall still had the classically Universal touches with really elaborate displays and a unique selection of merch. I will add my commentary to people feeling confused by the amount of Chucky and Bates Motel merch offered at this shop, as neither property have any tie-in to Horror Unleashed. I think a lot of folks don’t have the means to make it to HHN on the coasts, and this is their chance to get Universal licensed merch. Let them.

I have seen a lot of people wondering how much time to expect to spend there! I guess that depends what kind of fan you are, and how attached you are to value for money. If you get the GA ticket that only allows for one run through the house, I do think you should plan on about 3-4 hours at those earlier entry times, maybe plan for more if you think the wait times could be long. But there really isn’t much to do after 4 hours spent in there even as a fan and someone who was trying to stretch her time! I would recommend getting the ticket that allows for multiple runs through the houses, as I think that stretches the value and increases your odds of being happy with your experience. BUT and this is a big but, I think all of the tickets currently offered are low value for the money you are spending. Yes, they are amazing sets, but essentially what you are paying $89+ for is access to this space in which you will need to spend even more money to spend more time within. And yes, HHN is a similar model, but think of all you have access to! Many more houses, food, drink, merch, photo op options included in that price point. I don’t think the price needs to come down significantly to make sense, but I would really only recommend this right now to people who have the disposable income. It isn’t THAT special for what you are required to pay (and especially if you are coming from out of town).

Should you stay or should you go? That is entirely up to you, your budget, and what you find value in. I do think Horror Unleashed is incredibly fun and a very unique add-on to your Las Vegas trip. I was so happy to finally meet Jack! And the details are INSANE. As a haunt fan first and foremost, I am always happy to see a push for year round haunting, particularly at this caliber. I do think there are things to be ironed out, but if you have the budget then I highly recommend checking it out. I’m not sure how sustainable the business model will end up being, but for however long it lasts, I’ll be there!

TLDR

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TLDR 〰️

Boo’s Review:
Overall Haunted Attraction Rating: 4
Atmosphere Rating: 3
Vegan Food Rating: 4.5
Costume & Makeup Rating: 4
Scare Actor/Cast Rating: 4
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 5
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 2
Value for Money Rating: 2

Individual Attraction Name: Scarecrow The Reaping
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 3
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 5
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 5
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 2

Individual Attraction Name: The Exorcist Believer
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 4
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 5
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 4
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 2

Individual Attraction Name: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 3.5
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 5
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 4
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 2

Individual Attraction Name: Universal Monsters
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 4.5
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 5
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 5
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 1.5

Killer K8’s Review:
Overall Haunted Attraction Rating: 4
Atmosphere Rating: 3
Vegan Food Rating: 5
Costume & Makeup Rating: 4
Scare Actor/Cast Rating: 4
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 5
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 2.5
Value for Money Rating: 2.5

Individual Attraction Name: Scarecrow The Reaping
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 4
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 4
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 5
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 3.5

Individual Attraction Name: The Exorcist Believer
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 4
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 3.5
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 4.5
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 3.5

Individual Attraction Name: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 3.5
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 4
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 3.5
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 2.5

Individual Attraction Name: Universal Monsters
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 5
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 5
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 4.5
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 3