Dead Man’s Pier: Winter’s Wake is an original house at Halloween Horror Nights 31 and is a sequel to the 2016 scare zone Dead Man’s Wharf.
The official description reads, “In a New England fishing village, undead fishermen emerge from the waves to seek their revenge. You and your scream squad may have escaped their hooks in the scare zone. Now they’ll reel you in and drag you under.”
The scare zone from HHN 26 centered around Dead Man’s Wharf, a memorial for the crew of the lost Annabel Lee. It was populated by mutated fishermen and divers, whose bloated corpses were covered in coral, algae, and other deep sea detritus.
The house is inspired by a short story from former HHN creative director Blake Braswell entitled “Fisherman’s Sonata.” It follows Sophia, who meets a strange captain on the pier of Dead Man’s Wharf. She has come to cast her violin out to sea, but the captain beseeched her to perform one last time. Her song attracts the attention of the Captain’s gruesome crew, and carnage ensues after the ship crashes into the pier. Listen to Lora Sauls narrate “Fisherman’s Sonata” here.
Dead Man’s Pier: Winter’s Wake
Video Walkthrough
Review
One word: WOW.
This may already be the greatest Halloween Horror Nights house in the history of the legendary event. I have honestly never emerged from the first run of a house with a group, all simultaneously looked at each other, and in unison agreed that a house was the best we had seen.
It’s so thoughtfully constructed, with intricate multi-level sets that are visible from multiple scenes, creating a connected vista across the entire house. The scares are well-thought-out too, offering some creative concepts. It feels like the designers put all of their heart and soul into this one, pulling out every trick from the past 30 years of Halloween Horror Nights.
With a gripping plot and incredible design, Winter’s Wake is already the house of the year in 2022.
Location of Dead Man’s Pier: Winter’s Wake
The entrance for Dead Man’s Pier: Winter’s Wake is in New York between the Tribute Store and Race Through New York with Jimmy Fallon.
Halloween Horror Nights 31 at Universal Orlando Resort runs select nights from September 2 – October 31.
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