30 Years of Fear – A History of Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights: 1999 (Imhotep Becomes an Icon, The First 3-D House, and More)

Katie Francis

Updated on:

hhn-ix-featured

30 Years of Fear – A History of Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights: 1999 (Imhotep Becomes an Icon, The First 3-D House, and More)

Welcome back to 30 Years of Fear – A History of Halloween Horror Nights. We’re starting to get into the real core of the event, where it really began to have an identity. This year brought back an Icon and set the stage for the underlying story of Halloween Horror Nights.

1999 – Halloween Horror Nights IX: Last Gasp

What do Imhotep and Norman Bates have in common? According to Halloween Horror Nights lore, they were both working under Adaru, the fictional Sumerian god of Fear (remember him? It’s been a while).

hhn-ix-last-gasp-promo-atlanta-constitution-2271090
Image source: Atlanta Constitution
hhn-ix-map-uo-4201283
Image source: Universal Orlando

Pictured above is a map of Halloween Horror Nights IX. The park (and event) certainly look a lot different now. The event held steady at 19 nights and approximately $42 per ticket.

The Icon

hhn-ix-arch-uo-6850167
Image source: Universal Orlando

Imhotep expanded on the idea of an Icon beyond what had begun with the Cryptkeeper. Not only was he featured heavily in all marketing and displayed on the arch medallion (pictured above), a story was created to tie Imhotep in beyond his own house.

hhn-ix-logo-6235438

The Story

As the legends go, Imhotep was resurrected by Adaru and then wreaked havoc at Halloween Horror Nights. He drew guests into the mind of Norman Bates and revitalized the Classic Monsters to new horrific heights.

The Houses

Doomsday

Even back in the ’90s, people loved a good zombie apocalypse. Doomsday brought this concept to the underground. Playing on the fear of the general public, this house was set post-Y2K.

hhn-ix-doomsday-concept-art-uo-1046466
Image source: Universal Orlando

In the abandoned subway, zombies thrived, searching for their next victim.

hhn-ix-doomsday-concept-art-2-uo-1432390
Image source: Universal Orlando

A sanctuary held a cult formed by the collapse of society as we know it. Those who survived passing by the hooded demons would bear witness to their sacrifice.

Insanity

Guests entered the fictitious Fairvale Sanitarium hidden within Soundstage 22. This is also the Sanitarium where Norman Bates is held for the neighboring maze, Psycho: Through the Mind of Norman Bates (and Fairvale being the fictional Californian town where “Psycho” takes place).

hhn-ix-insanity-concept-art-uo-6624625
Image source: Universal Orlando

Inside, guests for both mazes would enter into the lobby of the sanitarium but took separate doors from there. The idea was to immerse guests in the concept of insanity, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the mind.

hhn-ix-insanity-concept-art-2-uo-6841397
Image source: Universal Orlando

Through the facilities, guests encountered inmates as well as figments of their imagination, such as the larger-than-life Tarot cards seen in the concept art above.

Psycho: Through the Mind of Norman Bates

“Psycho” has made appearances at the event throughout the years, and 1999’s version of the house took you into the mind of Norman Bates himself. Once you entered the sanitarium, you entered through Imhotep’s portal into the mind of Norman Bates. Disorienting effects such as spinning walls were used to emphasize Norman’s instability.

hhn-ix-psycho-concept-art-2-uo-2716946
Image source: Universal Orlando

A room full of giant knives, wittily named “Sharp Memories,” gave a glimpse into the psyche of the psycho. Scareactors in all black lurked within the mirrored blades to jump out and spook guests.

hhn-ix-psycho-concept-art-uo-3655741

The finale featured the famous shower scene. Scareactors, including Norman Bates, hid amid the various bloodied curtains for a final fright.

hhn-ix-psycho-mind-of-norman-bates-construction-blueprints-5451435

For a fun behind-the-scenes look, these blueprints show the construction plans for the maze before it was built.

The Mummy

This house took guests into the tomb of Imhotep to face curses and otherworldly terrors. Housed in the extended queue for Earthquake: The Big One, guests entered through a temple into the depths.

hhn-ix-the-mummy-concept-art-2-uo-6902806
Image source: Universal Orlando

Guests came face to face with many mummies within The Mummy, including the eponymous Imhotep.

hhn-ix-the-mummy-concept-art-uo-6175401
Image source: Universal Orlando

In the Embalming Room, a figure dressed with the mask of Anubis performed a twisted version of the removal of organs typically done before mummification.

Universal’s Creature Features in 3-D

Universal’s Creature Features was the first 3-D house to come to Halloween Horror Nights! Using special paint and 3-D glasses, designers added a whole new dimension to the house experience.

hhn-ix-creature-features-logo-hhnwiki-3901734
Image source: HHN Wiki

The use of 3-D isn’t scary in itself, but it is often disorienting, allowing scareactors to get the jump on distracted victims. As a bonus, the paint was also used around the park to add 3-D effects for those who hung onto the paper glasses.

hhn-ix-creature-features-photo-uo-8016757
Image source: Universal Orlando

The 3-D glasses resembled Frankenstein’s Monster, complete with stitching.

hhn-ix-creature-features-concept-art-uo-5579060
Image source: Universal Orlando

The concept art above shows the façade for Universal’s Creature Features, located in Sting Alley. The house itself starred Universal’s Classic Monsters and newer horror characters like Michael Myers in rooms designed to model scenes from the respective films.

The Shows

Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure

Bill and Ted face off against Dr. Evil after he stole the phone booth and left them stranded in time. Dr. Evil arrives at the Wild Wild West set to… film a movie. An evil movie, of course. Luckily, Austin Powers arrives with Bill S. Preston, Esq. and Ted “Theodore” Logan in tow.

hhn-ix-bill-and-ted-dr-evil-btonline-4762699
Image source: BillandTed.org

This year’s show features two versions of Keanu Reeves — Ted and himself. Keanu is on a mission to use the phone booth to prevent “Speed 2.” It also features timely digs at “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.”

hhn-ix-bill-and-ted-jerry-springer-btonline-3660133
Image source: BillandTed.org

In what may be the most succinct summary of the late ’90s, Will Smith and Michael Jackson had a dance-off, Buffy defeated a vampire Marilyn Manson, and Jerry Springer revealed that Dr. Evil is Bill’s father.

Deadly D’Illusions

As was typical back then, Deadly D’Illusions was a stunt show at the Animal Actor’s stage. Unlike 1998’s Cirque du Soleil-esque production, Deadly D’Illusions was unremarkable.

Festival of the Dead Parade: Season of the Witch

While the event map refers simply to the Festival of the Dead Parade, the marketing for the event, including newspaper advertisements, referred to it as “Season of the Witch Parade.”

hhn-ix-season-of-the-witch-orlando-sentinel-9182319
Image source: Orlando Sentinel

Imhotep had his own float in the parade as well.

Tricks or Treats: Dead Man’s Party

Dead Man’s Party was the signature rock ‘n’ roll show for Halloween Horror Nights IX.

hhn-ix-dead-mans-party-concept-art-uo-1144217
Image source: Universal Orlando

The stage design was similar to 1998’s, with the screaming face replaced by Imhotep.

The Scare Zones

Midway of the Bizarre

Midway of the Bizarre returns (again!) as the solitary scare zone. The parade route interfered with many scare zone locations, leaving many consecutive years with only one zone.

hhn-ix-midway-of-the-bizarre-uo-5074404
Image source: Universal Orlando

The entrance returned to a carnivalesque banner with themed planters.

hhn-ix-midway-of-the-bizarre-2-uo-5948718
Image source: Universal Orlando

Honorable Mention: Boo-ring?

A review from The Orlando Sentinel from 1999 posed a critique of Halloween Horror Nights with a line that many fans may find sacrilegious.

hhn-ix-review-mike-thomas-orlando-sentinel-8332923
Image source: The Orlando Sentinel

I think it’s safe to say that most of us would like to respectfully disagree with Mr. Thomas; it just isn’t Horror Nights without the chainsaws! (Though we do love lots of fog.)

We’ll see you next time when we take a look back at a year I’ve been looking forward to since the first article: Halloween Horror Nights X, featuring the introduction of Jack Schmidt.

For more Halloween Horror Nights history, check out the rest of the series below.

1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998

For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news, visit WDWNT.