Several of the hotels near Universal Orlando Resort are ready to celebrate the start of the Halloween season and the arrival of Halloween Horror Nights later this week.
Hard Rock Hotel
The first location to receive some fun Halloween decor is the Hard Rock Hotel. A section of the lobby is all set up for a concert by zombie band Night of the Living Shred.
The entrance to this themed area is framed with props to look like the backstage of a concert. Speakers, travel cases, and various pieces of music equipment are placed on either side of the walkway.
The items are covered with stickers that parody popular rock & roll phrases and real band logos.
For example, the box on the bottom of this display includes stickers with “Night of the Living Shred,” “Supscream,” “Rock N’ Roll Ghoul,” and more.
More stickers adorn the sides of the display. These include several sketch-style skulls, which appear to be the band’s main logo.
More speakers, boxes, and equipment are piled on the right side of the walkway.
All the windows on this side of the room have been decorated using temporary decals. The panes are now colored pale pink with the shadows of people, as though they are beating on the glass. Additional neon green handprints complete the look.
Posters for Night of the Living Shred adorn both columns. This one has the skull trio logo with the tagline, “Rock for Your Lives!”
This poster with a different skull logo advertises the live performance for “One Night Only.”
Additional posters include art of a green, zombie-like hand holding a microphone and “More Lights! More Sights! More Frights!”
A figure dressed as a zombie stagehand is attached to the side of one column. He appears to be in the process of finishing some light fixtures for the show.
This far corner has been set up as a photo-op. The members of the band are pictured on a backdrop, with more concert props on either side. There is a microphone stand in the middle for guests to pose with.
The right stack of props has another zombie figure popping out. This zombie is wearing a red bandana, black sunglasses, and a black vest.
A nearby sign has the Halloween Horror Nights logo and offers suggestions for how to pose with the backdrop.
One more zombie-themed display has been added in the middle of the lobby. This area is supposed to be a faux merchandise stand for the Night of the Living Shred concert.
The bottom has a red fabric background and displays for some of the band’s “merchandise.”
The set list for the concert includes Halloween puns on classic songs, such as Rot to Go, Smells Like Rotting Flesh, Uptown Ghoul, and Outbreak Your Heart.
Sections of the red fabric are accented with black hand prints and rips, as though a few zombie fans got a little too enthusiastic.
More fake merchandise is hung on the top of the display, including shirts, bags, and hats with the Night of the Living Shred logo.
Portofino Bay Hotel
Next, another themed photo-op has been added to the lobby of Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. In keeping with the hotel’s theme, this spot is decorated like a creepy carnival.
The display includes a worn metal gate surrounded by fog, with the figures of knife-wielding performers in the background.
The top has the name Carneval Meraviglia, or “wonder” in English. Specific letters in the second word have been illuminated with yellow lights to spell the word “Evil.”
The nearby sign again has the Halloween Horror Nights Logo with a brief description:
Ornate masks and costumes conceal terrifying killers stalking their entranced prey at Carnival Meravilglia, an Italian circus where sinister intentions lurk behind the spectacle.
Will you be the next volunteer for their dastardly dangerous circus acts?
Dockside Inn and Suites
The final Halloween decorations can be found at Dockside Inn and Suites at the Universal Endless Summer Resort. The lobby has received a spooky forest-themed photo op.
The background has a gnarled tree and a single orb light hanging from the tallest branch.
The smaller section across the front has the logos for both Halloween Horror Nights and the hotel.
Some subtle decals have been added to the Team Member doors behind the bar counter at Pier 8 Market.
The decals look like growing plants or vibes with glowing eyes in shade of red, green, purple, and blue.
Halloween Horror Nights 2025 is set to take place at Universal Orlando Resort on select nights from August 29 – November 2. Elsewhere in the park, the upcoming 2025 Tribute Store has received some more theming and some new Easter Eggs referencing previous years.
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.