The time has come. Universal Studios Singapore opens the gates to your worst nightmares. Halloween Horror Nights 12 has arrived, and with it, an army of twisted creatures, vengeful spirits, and terrible horrors lie in wait. But will you make it through the night, or will you become just another horror tale? Fear not, for we’ve experienced the night (and emerged unscathed), and we’ll arm you with the ultimate survival tactics. But remember, in the dead of night, fear is always one step behind. Are you brave enough to survive the terror that lurks within?
Ah, Halloween Horror Nights 12 (HHN) has finally unleashed its terrors onto Singapore, and I fear you are not ready for the gripping fear waiting to either paralyse you or send you running. Across 18 nights from now till 2 November, four haunted houses, three scare zones, three shows, and one chilling speakeasy experience will plunge you into heart-stopping terror. This experience is not for the faint of the heart (trust us, we’d know!), and we’re here to lay bare the tips and tricks you need to survive the night.
Haunted Houses
We all know that the past few HHN series have been incredible, with an extra spotlight on haunted houses inspired by popular shows and icons we all love – whether it was Stranger Things at HHN 8 or All of Us Are Dead and The Weeknd: After Hours Til Dawn Nightmare just last year! These haunted houses always receive so much love and attention as the sense of familiarity washes over us as pure, unadulterated fear takes hold at the sight of these moments brought to life before your eyes.
This year, we see another sinfully magnificent alliance between Netflix and Universal Studios Singapore as the show Sweet Home comes alive! Go through the entire experience as moments from Seasons 1 and 2 of the show are brought to our shores with eerily similar detail. The design and attention to detail in the sets and the characters (down to their make-up and styling) are absolutely impeccable. The characters even yell in Korean, as if you’re in that wretched place for real, blurring the lines between reality and imagination.
Another notable haunted house is the collaboration that shook the country: Jackson Wang and Team Wang design’s Under the Castle haunted house! A concept that first started with an escape room has seen a massive promotion, now being one of the most highly-anticipated houses of this year’s Halloween Horror Nights in Singapore! To be brutally honest with you, my mind blanked out through most of the houses from all the screaming, but you’ll love the gore and the details in the set (if you’re brave enough to open your eyes).
However, one that I think will resonate the most with us Singaporeans is Singapore’s Most Haunted: The Killings. And, oh, it completely destroyed me. Consider this the most eerie, sinister compilation of all the tragedy and horrific legends we’ve read and heard all our lives. Walk through some of the biggest superstitions and tales brought to life in the world of the undead. The scares in this one had my throat sore. Let that be your one and only warning.
And finally, the Cursed Scrolls: Dynasty of Darkness haunted house awaits your unholy arrival. This one redefined the meaning of haunted houses with its insane multi-sensory experience. In fact, you need to enter wearing chroma-depth 3D glasses for the full effect!
I never scare and tell, but you didn’t hear this from me – there will be a terrifying fur room where blood-stained fur surrounds you as you squeeze your way out; there’s a super cool laser room that paves your route onto the next part of your treacherous walk. Rather than scary, this one was actually quite an aesthetically pleasing walk, littered with jumpscares and interesting additions that make this house an unmissable one!
Scare Zones
There are three scare zones this year at HHN 12. And we wanted to leave before we even started.
This scare zone is another that will hit closer to home for all of us Singaporeans – The Lost Kampung. Watch Singapore’s most notorious entities and vengeful spirits brought to life in this chilling scare zone. They roam free and can’t wait to get their hands on you. The Pontianak, the Pocong, and so many more. Will you make it out alive, or will their terror grip onto you forever?
Beware of the scare actors chasing you, some of them on stilts, towering over you as you cower in fear in the Nether-land scare zone! This part of HHN, for the first time ever, transforms into an electric rave that will have you dancing and partying to the most killer beats. But you know who else loves to party? The undead. Party with them, or be their next party feast.
Finally, take on the Vampire Alley! Ah, vampires. Growing up with Edward Cullen and Bella Swan as my vampire role models meant that I wasn’t prepared for the cruelties I was about to witness. This one had me quaking in my boots, ladies and gents. This was terrifying and invoked some of the most blood-curdling screams Man has ever heard. But, oh, this is truly what HHN is all about because this was just a scare zone! Brace your hearts before you brave the immortals because they may never leave your side.
Shows
Three shows are set to give you a heart attack this HHN! But one of them is making a comeback after four years to give you the true taste of fear you’ve been missing. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to Dark Dreams!
The Dream Reaper is here to feast on the nightmares of the innocent. This hilarious yet spine-chilling show was so enjoyable, and I found myself asking for more by the end of it. The theatrics of the show are beyond anything you could imagine, making this a new-and-improved production that brings you some of the world’s greatest phobias. Spoiler alert: my phobia came to life in this show, and I was holding on to my friend for dear life the entire time. With an extended catwalk, watch the actors with greater closeness and interactivity (and fear).
The lore of the Dream Reaper doesn’t stop here. Watch him come alive at Night Terrors, a projection mapping where the Dream Reaper emerges from an abandoned fortress and commands evil spectres in this gorgeous projection mapping spectacle!
Another show is the Ocu.lar’s Rave, which is also the same spot as the Nether-land scare zone. Once the sun goes down, the DJ goes up and plays some of the most murderous beats to get you on your feet and partying like your life depends on it. Feel the twist with Tiger Soju Infused Lager and dance away with the undead in this incredible new experience!
Speakeasy Experience
Something special about HHN 12 is the newest kid on the block: the Viper Lounge speakeasy experience! Ah, yes! Brave the deepest depths of Universal Studios Singapore to uncover this secret speakeasy (hint: what starts with V and sounds sort of like ‘Viper’? I’ll leave it to you to crack my code and pick up the hints I leave behind! *cue evil laugh).
As you head in, you’ll find yourself transported to a world where you co-exist with vampires as they look for their next victim to transform into one of their own. In this immersive theatrical experience, do you dare to wine and dine, sip and slurp amid these immortals? Do you dare to venture into a scary zone where the vampires are watching your every move, interacting with you, smelling your blood? The Viper Lounge is one of the most unique experiences I’ve ever seen, and it’s such an incredible concept that aligns so well with Halloween Horror Nights.
Tips and Tricks
My biggest tip is to dress comfortably. You never know what the weather might offer (or the undead waiting to feast on your soul!), so be prepared to run (from the rain, duh! Or maybe…). Wear comfortable shoes and airy clothes so that you don’t suffocate from the heat while waiting in line. Speaking of heat, make sure to bring a portable fan, too. Whether you choose to wield it as a weapon or as a cooling friend, this is an essential that you cannot forget. Also, bring along a poncho, just in case even the sky gets so scared that it starts to… you know!
The queues are probably the most soul-wrenching part of the experience. Waiting for your turn as you enter on what, in hindsight, sometimes feels like a self-inflicted suicide mission also means that with every ticking second, you will have less time to explore the entire place. We know the tickets are rather expensive, which means you want to maximise every moment you’re in there, but you might want to consider spending a little more and getting express tickets that guarantee you a more productive time.
And what exactly is a productive time? Completing every single haunted house and scare zone, duh. But you can’t leave without riding the rollercoasters, can you? Especially the human and cyclone rides, which promise a whole new experience at night, with the wind blowing through your hair and a beautiful vantage point of the city lights (if you open your eyes!). The queues usually get shorter towards the end of the night, especially on non-peak nights, so, hopefully, you get to skip the queue and head straight to the ride.
This might be my biggest tip yet: bring along the right company.
You need to bring someone who’s just as scared as you are. The levels have to be the same! You can’t go with someone who is too brave, because they will probably abandon you. And going with someone too scared means that they’re going to be hiding behind the wall, paralysed with fear, and you’re stuck in there longer. I went with someone who was shaking in fear just as much as I was, and we held hands all the way, fleeing together and scolding the ghosts for scaring each other, saying, “why you scold my friend?” (sorry, actors!). And that was perfect.
You’re sitting here, reading about the horrors of Halloween Horror Nights 12, and for now, you feel safe. After all, you’re not really there. Yet. But don’t let the comfort of your screen fool you. The terror is real, and it’s waiting. But make no mistake, the horrors of Halloween Horror Nights 12 are all too real, and you’ve merely scratched the surface of what awaits. The fear, the adrenaline, the screams – they’re waiting for you in the shadows, and no amount of reading will prepare you for the reality.
So get your tickets now because at Halloween Horror Nights, the real terror begins when you think you’re safe.
Universal Studios Singapore Halloween Horror Nights 12
🗓️Date: Now till 2 November 2024
📍Location: Universal Studios Singapore, 8 Sentosa Gateway, Singapore 098269
💲Price:
- Halloween Horror Nights Ticket: from S$80 (S$80 for non-peak nights, S$90 for peak nights)
- Frights for Four: from S$480
- R.I.P Tour: from S$260
⏰Opening Hours: 7.15pm to late
Every scream, every shadow, every hair-raising moment is just a ticket away. Get your tickets now, gather your comrades, and step into the darkness because once you enter, there’s no turning back. For more information, check out Resorts World Sentosa’s official website or their Instagram and TikTok pages. Your glowing screen might comfort you, but can you really escape the darkness?
Visuals courtesy of Resorts World Sentosa.
