Universal Studios is bringing year-round chills to the entertainment capital of the world—Las Vegas—with Universal Horror Unleashed. For die-hard horror fans, October is never enough. While horror films have gone mainstream, the true enthusiasts crave something more immersive. This permanent attraction is designed to be that constant fix, offering haunted experiences every single day.
Haunted Houses
Like a Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) event, Universal Horror Unleashed features four haunted houses:
Blumhouse’s The Exorcist: Believer
Scarecrow: The Reaping
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Universal Monsters
From the moment you enter, you can feel the difference that a permanent setup makes. Unlike HHN’s temporary builds, these houses boast sturdier scene dividers, wider hallways, and massive set pieces that feel impossible to recreate in a seasonal event. The scares also feel more personal—often triggered by a foot pedal or motion sensor—making each encounter feel tailored to the moment.
Below, I’ve ranked the houses from my least favorite to my favorite. Keep in mind, there’s no “bad” house here—Universal went all out with set design, sound, and atmosphere.
Blumhouse’s Exorcist: Believer
Unfortunately, this house is a perfect example of a great build limited by its source material. The original Exorcist is legendary because of its unsettling atmosphere and disturbing tone. Believer, however, doesn’t hit those same fear notes, which impacts how the house feels overall.
That’s not to say it’s without merit. The set work is solid, and some of the creative staging—like a scene where you walk a loop around the actors that lets you view the action from multiple angles—shows clever design. The highlight for me is a moment where the floor appears to split open, revealing molten red beneath, with a scare actor contorting unnervingly in the corner. It’s visually striking and genuinely creepy.
However, pacing can be hit-or-miss. If you enter certain scenes at the wrong time, you might miss the key scare entirely. I also noticed several underutilized rooms, like children’s bedrooms without scare actors, and stretches of plain hallway with minimal activity. It’s not a bad house, but compared to the others, it doesn’t fully maximize its space or scares.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
As someone who loves the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, I was already predisposed to enjoy this one—I even grabbed a TCM T-shirt before leaving. The house is essentially a walkthrough of the movie from start to finish, beginning at the creepy nighttime gas station before dropping you straight into the Sawyer family’s twisted home.
One of the most memorable moments comes during the iconic sliding door scene. The first time I went through, I didn’t notice a scare actor quietly slipping into our group, so when Leatherface burst through the door, I thought he’d grabbed a random guest—it was an incredible scare. On my second run, I caught the setup, but it was still satisfying knowing what was about to happen.
The downside is that it’s the shortest house of the bunch, and after the first set piece, the scale of the rooms gets smaller. Many of the scares boil down to Leatherface leaping at you with his chainsaw, which, while fun, doesn’t leave much room for variation. That said, the queue is fantastic—complete with the movie’s famous opening narration, which is chilling to hear in person. If this house were longer and had a bit more diversity in its scares, it could easily have ranked higher.
Universal Monsters
Where TCM falters in size, Universal Monsters delivers grand scale and rich visual variety. This house feels like a love letter to classic horror icons, taking you from Dracula’s gothic halls to the sandy tombs of the Mummy. The makeup and costuming here are outstanding—every monster feels like they’ve stepped right out of the silver screen.
The crown jewel of this maze is the Frankenstein scene. Watching the doctor throw the switch, lightning crackling as the Monster comes to life, is pure theatrical magic. The lights cut out, the air fills with the sound of electricity, and when the room snaps back into view, the Monster is standing before you—it’s a thrill every single time.
Still, the house plays more like a “Greatest Hits” compilation than a cohesive narrative. It’s a series of cool vignettes rather than a continuous story. And while the Creature from the Black Lagoon is teased with a statue in the queue, he’s conspicuously absent when you actually walk through his lagoon scene—whether by design or due to technical issues, it’s a noticeable omission. Even with those drawbacks, the sheer fun factor and scale keep it near the top of my list.
Scarecrow: The Reaping
This house is the standout of Universal Horror Unleashed. Originally an HHN favorite, Scarecrow: The Reaping earns its reputation with relentless pacing, creative scares, and flawless atmosphere. You’re never more than a few steps away from a potential fright, and the design ensures there’s no “dead space” to break immersion.
The outdoor segments are particularly impressive. Instead of relying on mirrors to fake depth, they craft environments that genuinely feel expansive—vast cornfields, abandoned farmland—without sacrificing the sense of danger. Scare actors attack from every angle, sometimes in rapid succession, keeping you constantly on edge.
The finale is perfection: a chaotic chase-out scene through the cornfields, murderous scarecrows lunging as you scramble for the exit. It’s pure adrenaline, and it’s the one maze I immediately wanted to do again. If you’re only able to repeat one house, make it this one—it’s the most complete and satisfying horror experience in the lineup.
Scare Zones & Scare Actors
The one thing I wanted from Universal Horror Unleashed became a reality the moment I stepped inside: total immersion. My only requirement was that the entire building be themed—no disconnected “scare zones”—and that’s exactly what I got. The only unthemed space is the gift shop, and honestly, I couldn’t be happier about that.
If you’re like me, you love diving into the lore behind Horror Nights and its attractions. I’m not just talking about the IP houses, but the original, one-of-a-kind concepts that Universal crafts each year. Universal Horror Unleashed does something special for us lore fanatics—it actually encourages interaction with the scare actors.
At traditional Horror Nights, scare actors in scare zones tend to stay silent, focusing entirely on startle scares. But here, if you’re bold enough to approach the shadowy figures lurking in the corners, they’ll engage with you. Sometimes they’ll curse you with a dramatic “fate of DEATH!!! DUN DUN DUUUUUN!” Other times, they’ll deliver a full-on exposition dump: telling you the story of the Prop Graveyard, explaining how the cursed creatures arrived, or warning you what not to do if you cross paths with one of the monsters.
It’s a brilliant touch that I 1000% recommend trying if you visit, because it makes every guest’s experience unique. And if you can, swing by the info booth—the woman there has an incredible gift for storytelling and can paint the entire picture of how this twisted place came to life.
Shows
During my visit, the main performance took place in Jack’s Alley—a twisted game show where Jack forces two unlucky contestants to compete for their lives. After the game, “accomplices” from the audience decide whether the contestants are spared or not. (Spoiler: they’re not.)
If you’re a long-time Horror Nights fan, you’ll recognize Jack. He’s a returning icon who’s previously hosted the Tram and led the rope-drop ceremony. I love Jack because he’s the perfect mix of frightening and hilarious—breaking the tension with dark humor while still feeling dangerous. His show blended dancing, acrobatics, comedy, and a touch of stunt work.
That said, I found myself wishing it leaned more into the horror side of things. The atmosphere is great, but a few more intense moments—something bloodier, creepier, or more shocking—would have taken it from a fun intermission to a must-see headliner.
Outside of the main show, there were smaller performances sprinkled throughout the venue. Right outside the bar in Jack’s Alley, I caught the tail end of a stunt performance, and inside the Premiere House I stumbled upon the M3GAN dance routine—which was just the right mix of unsettling and bizarre.
Chances are, you’ll see most of these acts without even trying, especially if you stop for a drink or take a break from the houses. They’re fun palate cleansers between scares, and I appreciated that Universal resisted the temptation to go too “Vegas” with flashy burlesque acts. This is, after all, a year-round horror attraction—and they’ve kept it true to that theme.
Food, Drinks, and Merch
Universal usually delivers when it comes to themed food, drinks, and merch—but at Universal Horror Unleashed, they’ve really outdone themselves on the drink front.
Food
While there’s a variety of options, the main meal selections—salads, BBQ, sliders—are tasty but fairly standard. Where the menu really shines is dessert. The Haybale was a standout: pecan kataifi rolled to resemble a haybale, topped with butter pecan ice cream, pecan crumble, and caramel sauce. Simple, but absolutely delicious—I was tempted to loop back in line for seconds. The brisket sliders deserve an honorable mention too: juicy, smoky, and just the right amount of messy.
Drinks
For guests 21+, the drinks here are definitely the best that Universal has to offer. I tried a signature cocktail from each of the three bars (plus one extra at the Premiere House):
Jack’s Juice (Jack’s Alley Bar) – Tropical and bright, but for me it leaned heavily on mango nectar. Fun to sip, but I’d recommend asking for an extra kick if you like stronger drinks.
Artificial Intelligence (Premiere House) – My personal favorite. A lavender gin-based cocktail that’s refreshing, floral, and doesn’t try to hide the gin behind fruity flavors. It’s crisp and light, perfect for pacing yourself between scares.
Green Dread (Premiere House) – A theatrically themed drink “made with human tears” (at least according to the menu). It’s delicious but massive—served for up to six people. At $85, it sounds pricey, but split between friends it’s actually cheaper per person than the single-serve signatures. Definitely one for a group night… and maybe a rideshare home.
Severed Pear (The Boiler) – The showstopper for presentation. A smoked, spirit-forward cocktail served inside a tiny metal cage. Flavor-wise, it’s somewhere between an Old Fashioned and a fruit-forward whiskey drink—not too sweet, not overly boozy.
Outside of the signature list, the drink I heard the most chatter about was the Bloodsucker, which seemed to be a crowd favorite for those going off-menu. For non-drinkers or designated drivers, each bar has its own non-alcoholic signature, and the one that stole the show was The Phantom’s Espresso Martini at The Boiler—a rich, dessert-like mocktail with marshmallow fluff on top. I overheard people ordering it nonstop, some even swapping in rum to turn it into the “full experience.”
Merch
Merchandise quality is solid, but I wish there was more Universal Horror Unleashed-exclusive gear. While there are some pieces, much of the selection features properties not present at the event, like Bates Motel and Chucky. There’s plenty of Texas Chainsaw Massacre merch, but only a few Universal Monsters items and (from what I saw) no Scarecrow merchandise.
The UHU-branded pieces fit the venue’s grungy, torn aesthetic—like the hat I picked up—but the selection felt incomplete. I found a long-sleeve shirt and a tank top, but no basic T-shirt. Considering it was 112° outside when I visited, the lack of a short-sleeve option was unintentionally hilarious. Hopefully, we’ll see more unique, event-specific designs in the future—not just reprints from other Universal properties.
Future Expectations
With Universal Horror Unleashed set to run year-round, there are plenty of questions lingering in both my mind and the public’s. How long will it actually stay open—one year, two, or indefinitely? Will the houses be rotated, and if so, how? Would they close down entirely to swap them out, or handle it one at a time to keep the doors open? Could the scare zones change over time, or are they permanent fixtures? And beyond the sets themselves, will we see new drinks or shows introduced as the months go on?
Personally, I’d love to see a steady rotation after the first year—maybe one house swapped out each quarter. That would mean four new houses every year, giving fans a reason to return annually or even semi-annually. Vegas locals, especially, would benefit from that kind of variety, ensuring the experience stays fresh and worth revisiting without losing the core vibe that makes UHU unique.
(Interview Coming Soon)
Final Verdict
Universal Horror Unleashed is exactly what I hoped it would be—a fully immersive, year-round horror experience that captures the best of Halloween Horror Nights while offering a permanent, meticulously crafted environment. From the relentless thrills of Scarecrow: The Reaping to the sheer spectacle of Universal Monsters, each house delivers memorable scares, clever set design, and personal moments that make every walkthrough unique. The food, drinks, and interactive scare actors only add to the experience, creating an atmosphere that keeps you fully engaged from start to finish.
That being said, I’m excited—and curious—to see what the future holds. I hope to see more exclusive UHU merchandise, and I can’t wait for the Creature from the Black Lagoon to finally get his moment in Universal Monsters. With the full rotation of houses, potential new shows, and ongoing updates, I have no doubt this attraction will continue to evolve, giving fans plenty of reasons to return. I, for one, can’t wait to go back when it’s fully operational.
I HIGHLY recommend you check out Universal Horror Unleashed for yourself if you end up in Las Vegas.
