Universal Studios Cancels Halloween Horror Nights Due to Coronavirus

This year was set to be a major event for Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights, as it would have been the celebration's 30th anniversary, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the amusement park has officially confirmed that this year's festivities would be cancelled. Sadly, this news doesn't come as much of a surprise, as the theme park typically begins making announcements about what horror movies will be honored with attractions each spring, with the pandemic preventing any announcements from being made, ultimately leading towards the decision that the event will be skipped entirely this year. The attraction will likely resume normal operations in 2021.

Halloween Horror Nights issued the following statement:

"Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood have made the difficult decision to not hold Halloween Horror Nights events this year. Universal Orlando Resort will be focusing exclusively on operating its theme parks for daytime guests, using enhanced health and safety procedures already in place. Universal Studios Hollywood continues to face ongoing business restrictions and uncertainty around its opening timeframe. We know this decision will disappoint our fans and guests. We are disappointed, too. But we look forward to creating an amazing event in 2021."

this pain will be temporary. hhn is forever... and will come again. pic.twitter.com/72uyzTWDXE

— Halloween Horror Nights (@HorrorNightsORL) July 24, 2020

This news is sure to come as a disappointment to fans, as Universal Studios revealed in the final days of last year's event how much they were looking forward to this year's festivities, which were set to kick off on September 10th.

"What began as a three-day event in Orlando in 1991 has become the world's premier Halloween event – Halloween Horror Nights," the event teased last fall. "Each fall, as the sun sets on days filled with thrills and the night awakens with a frightening chill, the most terrifying names in horror and pop culture take over Universal Studios Florida – forcing guests to come face-to-face with what scares them most. Elaborately-themed haunted houses based on everything from cinematic greats and cult favorites to original abominations created by the twisted minds behind the event come to life – each filled with so much detail, they rival movie sets. Hordes of menacing scareactors prey upon guests in various scare zones throughout the streets of the park. And when guests need a break from the screams, they can enjoy live shows and Universal Studios' most exhilarating rides and attractions."

Of the many different businesses that have been impacted by the pandemic, amusement parks have had one of the more difficult times attempting to resume business as usual. As anyone who has been to a theme park can tell you, maintaining six feet of distance between yourself and any other guest is largely an impossibility in any situation. The excitement at Halloween Horror Nights results in guests packed tightly in lines for hours on end, with the attractions themselves seeing fans brush up against a number of objects in humid conditions, which is essentially a recipe for disaster when hoping to prevent the transmission of a virus.

Stay tuned for details on Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights.

Are you disappointed by this news? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!