Black Gate

Last month I told you how I was hopefully looking forward to having another look at Universal Studio’s Halloween Horror Nights (HHN for you cool kids). I say “hopefully” because my last visit there three years ago pretty much put me off what had been one of my all-time favorite Halloween events. Lack of adequate crowd control, lousy foot-traffic patterns and an event that was way oversold, took what should have been thrilling haunted attractions and turned them into real nightmare for anyone not enamored of being pressed against a lot of other sweaty bodies in 93-degree-plus heat.

But this year’s offering was too tempting to pass up and I decided to give HHN 29 another go at the end of September. Now remember, Universal has been doing this for 29 years and with attractions themed off Stranger Things and Ghostbusters, anticipation was high.

So, how’d it go you ask?

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It’s been several years since my last foray into Universal Studio’s Halloween Horror Nights (HHN for you cool kids). I used to be quite a regular as you can imagine, being that Universal pretty much became what it is today as a movie company, based on tales of terror. There really didn’t seem to be a better place to celebrate my favorite time of year than by exploring an entire theme park designed by the masters or big-screen scares.

And that was entirely true for a long time.

Unfortunately, in recent years, even with a coveted VIP pass in hand, the ‘haunted houses’ were allowed to get so crowded that walking through them resembled a conga line which pretty much destroyed even my very willing suspension of disbelief. My last event was HHN 26 when I was packed into the incredibly elaborate and detailed houses so tightly that the only thing I got a good look at was the back of the tee shirt of the guy in front of me. It’s impossible to get into the spirit when instead of anticipating a wonderfully terrifying event, I felt like I was crammed in line for a Backstreet Boys concert. Sadly, I swore off HHN and focused my attention on the high-quality scares to be had here in my beloved home town.

But this year’s offering was too tempting to pass up and I’ve decided to give HHN 29 another go at the end of September

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I love it when ‘scary’ engulfs something one would normally not associate with the haunt industry. I’ve been to a haunted flea market, played haunted mini golf, and even been onboard a haunted cruise. And though the circus, or at least carnivals, have their own creepy vibe, spectacles like Cirque du Soleil have generally remained wholesome, light-hearted, family entertainment. Okay, there is that Zumanity show which brought a blush even to my pallid cheeks, but it exists only in Las Vegas, making it less unexpected.

But last weekend I attended my first ever, ‘over 18’ haunted circus event, complete with zombies, vampires and clowns. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Paranormal Cirque.

This honest-to-goodness traveling circus takes place under a ginormous black and red (what looks like) latex tent, kicking off your experience with a vaguely S&M vibe. The outer vestibule is like a mini haunted house populated by “freaks” who jump at you, scream at you, thrust chainsaws at you and generally prod you down the connecting hallway into the main tent with elevated seating on three sides of a center stage (ring?).

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