Facing The Exciting Haunted Houses at Universal Horror Unleashed

Universal Horror Unleashed has officially descended upon Las Vegas, and we were lucky enough to attend an earlier preview on Monday! Located at AREA15, just across the freeway from the strip, this new horror experience brings the spine-chilling spirit of Halloween Horror Nights to the desert. Golden State Ghouls was on the scene to face the four terrifying haunted houses and explore the eerie themed areas.

The Haunted Houses

Horror Unleashed features a solid lineup of fan-favorite haunted houses, and we were thrilled to see some familiar frights. One of the most impressive aspects of the whole experience was the dedicated space for each maze. Unlike some events where sound bleeds between attractions, each of the four houses at Universal Horror Unleashed had its own section, allowing the audio, lighting, and queue area to fully immerse you in the theme before you even stepped inside. This thoughtful design truly helped set the scene and build a unique sense of dread for each haunted house.

Universal Monsters: This house was our absolute favorite of the night. It masterfully brings horror’s most iconic monsters to life, from the crumbling mausoleum of Van Helsing to the shadowy halls of Castle Dracula. We loved seeing these legendary creatures in their element, especially the thrilling scene where we came face-to-face with Frankenstein’s Monster. This maze felt like a best-of-hits from the previous Universal Monsters houses at Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood, and it was a perfect blend of classic scares, beautiful sets (we’d like to move in, please), and detailed storytelling.

Universal Monsters maze entrance — Entrance to Universal Monsters Haunted House, Courtesy of Universal Horror Unleashed

Scarecrow: The Reaping: A highly-rated fan favorite from both Universal Studios Hollywood and Florida, this house lived up to its reputation. Inspired by the historic Dust Bowl era, it takes you into a dry, barren farmland overrun by terrifying, bloodthirsty scarecrows. The entry with its massive farm facade was incredible and set the perfect tone for the horrors within. We especially loved the corn maze at the end. An effective and disorienting scare that had us power-walking (no running!) for the exit. This was our second-favorite maze of the night.

Scarecrow: The Reaping haunted house entrance — Entrance to Scarecrow: The Reaping Haunted House, Courtesy of Universal Horror Unleashed

Blumhouse’s The Exorcist: Believer: Based on the latest installment of the iconic film franchise, this house was a lot of fun. The terror builds room by room as you witness the disturbing transformations of the possessed girls. While it was mostly the same as the 2023 Halloween Horror Nights haunted house, it felt slightly less impactful than the original version. That being said, the queue area was a great prelude to the main event and kept us entertained while we waited.

The Exorcist Believer Haunted House Entrance — Entrance to The Exorcist Believer Haunted House, Courtesy of Universal Horror Unleashed

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: If you’re looking for the scariest haunted house of the night, this is it. This maze takes you through a linear sequence of the original 1974 horror masterpiece. You’ll follow in the footsteps of the victims, facing iconic scenes and characters, from the fateful stop at the Texan cemetery to a horrifying encounter with Leatherface himself. Every member of his deranged family makes an appearance, making for a truly unsettling experience.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre haunted house entrance — Entrance to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Haunted House, Courtesy of Universal Horror Unleashed

Themed Areas

The themed areas are set in an abandoned production warehouse, providing a unique backdrop for horror. These zones are home to the food and beverage locations and offer plenty of opportunities to interact with the roaming characters and enjoy electrifying performances.

the vampire queen at universal horror unleashed — If you’re lucky, you may meet the Queen of the Vampires; Golden State Ghouls

Jack’s Alley: A twisted dark carnival with acrobatic performances and specialty cocktails at the Jack’s Alley Bar.
Kill Vault: Surrounded by rusty knives and psychotic slashers, this area also features Rough Cuts, where you can eat “chainsaw” carved small plates.
Prop Graveyard: The line between inanimate and alive blurs as you face a supernatural collection of unsettling dolls and dismembered mannequins from abandoned film sets. We know how much I love dolls…
Premiere House: A tapas bar featuring the horrors of Blumhouse, with signature cocktails and shareable bites in an eerie, movie-prop-filled atmosphere. We loved meeting M3GAN here!
Dead Storage: A shadow-filled sanctuary with vampires, werewolves, and other night-dwelling creatures lurking among forgotten set pieces. Make sure to look up in this area.
The Boiler: A central, hellish spectacle offering a perfect vantage point for a momentary reprieve with craft cocktails under a monstrous, flaming machine.

the boiler bar at universal horror unleashed — The Boiler: The Unsettling Centerpiece of the Event; Golden State Ghouls

Universal Horror Unleashed brings a unique and exciting new layer to the horror landscape. The haunted houses are a thrilling mix of classic and contemporary horror, and the themed areas create an immersive, party-like atmosphere. Whether you’re a long-time Halloween Horror Nights veteran or a newcomer to the horror scene, this event is an sbsolute must-visit. Get tickets and more information on the Universal Horror Unleashed website.