The Cat Lady has a roof, and 1920s set pieces now fill the New York area of Universal Studios Florida as crews continue preparing for Halloween Horror Nights 34.
The Origins of Horror (Minion Land)
Near the entrance to the park are tall trusses, which will later hold Halloween Horror Nights signage. This acts as the gateway to the first scare zone and the event in general, which has a conservatory theme. The first scare zone is The Origins of Horror, with this description:
Enter a decaying conservatory of twisted vines where artists carve tributes to Halloween Horror Nights 34. You’ll encounter monstrous crows, gargoyles and more.
For the first time, Minion Land is becoming a scare zone, with various fake stone structures. One stony platform with a wrought iron gate is directly behind the new trusses, in front of the Universal Studios Store.
The Cat Lady of Crooked Lane (Central Park)
In the Central Park area of Universal Studios Florida, leading up to Animal Actors on Location!, is The Cat Lady of Crooked Lane scare zone. Here is the zone’s description:
Travel down a spooky winding path to a mysterious home, where trick-or-treaters are transformed into feral felines. Be careful or you’ll be next.
Since our last update about the Cat Lady’s house, shingles have been installed, creating a roof. There’s a small square hole in the center of the roof, maybe for some kind of prop to be added later. The windows have been covered with black tarps inside.
There is also now a platform to the side of the house, joined to the porch in front. The wood-style platform is just under a thin doorway with hanging fabric — likely a scareactor entrance.
Across from the house is what has slowly become a decrepit home for cats. It’s now covered in vines and extra foliage. A giant ball of yarn sits on the roof, with strings coming out and looping through branches of a nearby tree.
Bottles of milk are also hanging in this tree.
The trees were already in the area and have been incorporated into the scare zone’s design.
Another ball of yarn is on the roof at the opposite end of the structure.
There are openings in the back of the structure with fabric and chains, to be used by scareactors during Halloween Horror Nights.
Mutations: Toxic Twenties (New York)
It’s now clear the park’s New York area will be home to Mutations: Toxic Twenties (although we still don’t know what’s going on with the Palace Theater Arcade). New set pieces in the area match the scare zone’s description.
In a 1920s neighborhood, a BuzzCon truck with radioactive cargo crashes into a mobster getaway car sending the city into toxic pandemonium.
Outside the Palace Theater Arcade is a stage with wooden shelves against a brick facade. On the shelves are some barrels and crates. A white sheet is across the back of the stage. There are openings in the sides big enough for actors to hide in.
The newsstand across from the stage is full of references and Easter eggs across its newspapers and magazines. The stand also appears damaged by toxic waste. The front opening and windows of the stand are blocked by white sheets.
Magazines at the stand include J.M. Society Topics, Ellis’ Journal For the Modern Woman, Paradoa’s Athletic & Sporting Annual Golf Edition, Colonel Collins’ Cat’s Meow, and The Current Hour. The magazines are all dated for October 1928.
There are retro boxes of salt water taffy chewing gum from Carey, U.S.A., a recurring Halloween Horror Nights location.
An issue of The Late Dispatch features the headline: “Toxic City! BzzzCon Industries Responsible?”
Motor accident caused by bank heist has resulted in spilling of multiple gallons of chemicals. BZZCON truck cargo supposed to be toxic.
Authorities warn residents of crash site to please stay in homes with the windows closed until street is cleared.
The American Daily News covers the same story: “Bank Heist Causes Pandemonium! Getaway Car Crashes Into BzzzCon Truck!”
“Gangster Chase Goes Wrong,” declares Ye Olde Herald.
Police suspect Diamond Joe Malone and his gang
Public defender missing amidst chaos in city – Diamond Joe suspected
The story continues with the Evening Edition of the Centennial Journal.
Rat Poison Causes Mutations!
Newest BzzzCon Product Has Monstrous Effects
Society Woman Returns From Abroad
Other candies include regular and “premium” chocolate bars and fine imported pastilles.
The stand’s damage provides a preview of what some of the mutated characters of the scare zone may look like when affected by the mutating toxins.
Further down the street are 20s-era cars and a florist stand.
The florist stand is outside the R.H. Macy & Co. facade. It has a pair of white trellises to the sides. Empty flower boxes are across the front of the stand.
Like the newsstand, there is toxic damage. The radioactive material appears to have eroded a hole through one of the flower boxes.
Next to Gramercy Park is a truck and a car parked directly in front of it. All the cars are surrounded by white “City Police Department” barriers connected by chains.
Another vintage vehicle is parked outside the entrance to Revenge of The Mummy – The Ride.
Halloween Horror Nights 34 Dates & Details
Halloween Horror Nights 34 at Universal Studios Florida is on select nights from August 29 through November 2. Tickets are available for purchase.
In addition to the scare zones above, there will be the Masquerade: Dance with Death scare zone in the Hollywood area.
This year’s haunted houses include the IP-based WWE Presents: The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Terrifier, Fallout, and JASON UN1V3RSE (Friday the 13th). The original houses will be Gálkn: Monsters of the North, Grave of the Flesh, Dolls: Let’s Play Dead, Hatchet and Chains: Demon Bounty Hunters, and El Artista: A Spanish Haunting.
Entertainment includes the new Nightmare Fuel: Circus of Decay stage show, “street experiences” Mel’s Die-In Zombies and Club Horror, and the Haunt-O-Phonic: A Ghoulish Journey lagoon show.
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