Entertainment

Halloween Horror Nights 2024 Kicks Off Tonight at Universal Orlando

Published

2 years ago

August 30, 2024

Orlando, Fla. – Let the horror commence… Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort opens tonight, unleashing a new slate of frights and nightmare-inducing terror upon guests. Running 48 select nights now through November 3, the world’s premier Halloween event is back for its 33^rd year with 10 all-new movie-quality haunted houses and five spine-chilling scare zones inspired by cinematic greats and eerie original stories created by Universal Orlando’s Entertainment team. And in-between the screams, guests can enjoy an energetic live show, fuel up for the next round of scares with delicious food and beverage items inspired by the event’s haunts, shop the latest merchandise at the highly-themed Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store, and so much more.

See below for an overview of the terrifying experiences that await guests at Halloween Horror Nights 2024:

10 CHILLING HAUNTED HOUSES

As guests brave this year’s lineup of 10 frightening haunted houses, they will:

need to silence their screams as they enter a terrifying post-apocalyptic world in “A Quiet Place,” where they will follow the Abbott family as they try to escape monstrous creatures with a sharp sense of hearing – ready to hunt down anyone who dares to make a sound;
be transported to New York City in “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” where fans will team up with Ghostbusters new and old to protect the city from a second Ice Age as the vengeful spirit of Garraka threatens to freeze everyone to death;
travel deeper into a paranormal dimension of tortured souls and demonic entities as they follow in the footsteps of the Lambert family in “Insidious: The Further;”
find themselves in the center of the ultimate battle between two unexpected alliances of classic female Universal Monsters – Saskia Van Helsing, Bride of Frankenstein, She-Wolf, and Anck-Su-Namun in “Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines;”
scream their way through six original haunted houses created by the twisted minds of Universal Orlando’s award-winning Entertainment team, including:
- “Slaughter Sinema 2,” where guests will head to the Carey Drive-in for a B-movie horror marathon full of spaghetti westerns, grindhouse gore and more;
- “Goblin’s Feast,” where hordes of bloodthirsty goblins, orcs, hobgoblins, and witches welcome new visitors to their village for dinner;
- “Major Sweets Candy Factory,” where guests join a field trip to a candy factory, only to realize the free samples have transformed the kids into candy-coated killers;
- “The Museum: Deadly Exhibits,” which will transport guests to the new folklore museum, The Rolling Stone, where there is evil lurking within, ready to destroy everything in its path;
- “Monstrous: The Monsters of Latin America,” home to the blood-sucking Tlahuelpuchi, owl-faced witch La Lechuza and bone-ripping El Silbón who can’t wait to prey upon guests;
- and “Triplets of Terror,” where guests will celebrate the Barmy triplet’s birthday and soon realize they celebrate by recreating their family’s horrifying murders.

FIVE TERRIFYING SCARE ZONES

This year’s event will introduce two new hosts of horror, SINIST3R and SURR3AL, who are reigning the streets of Universal Studios Florida and unleashing the horror that awaits within five scare zones. As guests navigate the park, they’ll try to evade hordes of menacing scareactors stalking their every move as they:

choose a path between SINIST3R, the manifestation of visceral horror, or follow SURR3AL, the incarnation of unearthly terror in “Duality of Fear;”
brave the gloriously gory homemade torture devices ‘til they are put out of their misery in SINIST3R’s renaissance faire, “Torture Faire;”
get caught in an otherworldly hellscape in “Demon Queens,” where four merciless queens loyal to SURR3AL rule;
wander onto private property in “Swamp of the Undead,” where they are surrounded by zombies borne from the bodies of other brave trespassers;
escape a terrifying gauntlet of Blumhouse characters in “Enter the Blumhouse,” including M3GAN, sinister sadists from The Purge and Black Phone, and more.

ALL-NEW ENTERTAINMENT, SINFULLY DELICIOUS FOOD, AND IMMERSIVE RETAIL EXPERIENCES

In between the screams, guests can enjoy:

Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus – an energetic live show featuring a new nightmare set in a dark circus, full of pyro and aerialists to the beat of rock rhythms;

an all-new highly-themed Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store where guests can shop the latest Halloween Horror Nights merchandise as they are transported to the back alleys of New York City where an ancient evil has been unleashed;
an all-new food & beverage menu inspired by this year’s haunts, including items like Pork Carniceria (“Monstrous: The Monsters of Latin America”), Mini Stay-Puft S’mores (“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire”), Abbott’s Farm Corn Chowder (“A Quiet Place”), and fan-favorites like Twisted Taters.

EXCLUSIVE HALLOWEEN EXPERIENCES AT UNIVERSAL ORLANDO’S HOTELS

To complete the ultimate Halloween Horror Nights getaway, the horror will expand to all Universal Orlando hotels with Halloween-themed lobby décor – including a web of sinister roots and pumpkins that have taken over the lobby and the Swizzle Lounge at Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort; creepy driftwood structures and spirits from the dead sea haunting Universal Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites; the transformation of Loews Sapphire Falls Resort into a dark seaside gothic manor, and alien overlords have descended upon Universal Aventura Hotel. Guests will also enjoy spooky photo opps and specialty drinks during their stay, in addition to other benefits including access to a dedicated Halloween Horror Nights entrance gate exclusively for Universal Orlando hotel guests for faster entry into the event, plus free transportation to Universal Orlando’s theme parks and Universal CityWalk before and after the scares.

Halloween Horror Nights tickets and vacation packages that include one-night admission to the event – along with hotel accommodations at a Universal hotel and theme park admission to all three theme parks – are on sale now. For more information about Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights 2024 and to purchase tickets, visit www.universalorlando.com/Halloween.

Entertainment

‘SPAMALOT’ Joins Dr. Phillips Center’s 2026-27 Broadway in Orlando Season

Published

5 days ago

August 10, 2026

FNN NEWS

Tony Award-winning musical will play Walt Disney Theater Nov. 3-5, 2026

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is expanding its 2026-27 Broadway in Orlando season with the addition of SPAMALOT, the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, scheduled for Nov. 3-5, 2026, at Walt Disney Theater.

Inspired by the classic comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, SPAMALOT brings Monty Python’s distinctly British humor to the stage through a comedic adventure following King Arthur and his quest for the Holy Grail.

The production comes to Orlando following a celebrated 2023 Broadway revival at the St. James Theatre, directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes.

Monty Python Comedy Comes to Orlando

Described as “lovingly ripped” from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the musical features British royalty, flying cows, dancing girls, shrubbery and the Lady of the Lake.

The 14-time Tony Award-nominated musical features well-known numbers including “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,” “The Song That Goes Like This” and “Find Your Grail.”

SPAMALOT features a book and lyrics by Eric Idle, with music by John Du Prez and Idle.

Cast Announced for Orlando Production

The cast features Major Attaway, whose credits include Aladdin, as King Arthur; Sean Bell (Harmony) as Sir Robin; Chris Collins-Pisano (Forbidden Broadway) as Sir Lancelot; Ellis C. Dawson III (Hamilton) as Sir Bedevere; Leo Roberts (Les Misérables) as Sir Galahad; Amanda Robles as the Lady of the Lake; Blake Segal (Mary Poppins) as Patsy; and Steven Telsey (The Book of Mormon) as the Historian and Prince Herbert.

The company also includes Lindsay Lee Alhady, Delaney Benson, Jack Brewer, Connor Coughlin, L’ogan J’ones, Graham Keen, Claire Kennard, Ben Lanham, Nathaniel Mahone, Maddie Mossner, Emilie Renier, Mark Tran Russ and Meridien Terrell.

Creative Team

The production’s creative team includes scenic and projection designer Paul Tate dePoo III, costume designer Jen Caprio, lighting designer Cory Pattak, sound designers Kai Harada and Haley Parcher, and wig designer Tom Watson.

John Bell serves as music supervisor, with Jonathan Gorst as musical director and conductor.

Derek Kolluri is associate director, Michael Fatica is associate choreographer and casting is by Geoff Josselson, CSA. RCI Theatricals serves as general manager, and Jeffrey Finn is the producer.

Tickets on Sale Now

Single tickets for SPAMALOT are on sale now through Dr. Phillips Center.

Performances: Nov. 3-5, 2026
Venue: Walt Disney Theater at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
Location: Orlando, Florida

Tickets and additional information are available through the Dr. Phillips Center website.

Central Florida News

Dr. Phillips Center Generates $227.6 Million Annual Economic Impact, Supports Nearly 2,500 Central Florida Jobs

Published

2 weeks ago

July 30, 2026

FNN NEWS

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts generated $227.6 million in annual economic impact, supporting 2,483 jobs and producing $13.2 million in state and local tax revenue, according to a newly released independent study by Tourism Economics.

The analysis, conducted by Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company specializing in economic impact and tourism research, measured the direct, indirect and induced economic activity generated by the arts center’s operations, performances, visitors and related spending throughout Central Florida.

The findings underscore the Dr. Phillips Center’s role as both a premier performing arts destination and a major contributor to the region’s economy.

“For more than a decade, we’ve seen firsthand how the arts inspire people, bring communities together and create lasting value,” said Kathy Ramsberger, president and CEO of Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. “This study confirms that our impact reaches far beyond our stages—supporting thousands of jobs, driving business growth, attracting visitors from around the world and helping position Central Florida as a more vibrant, competitive and connected region.”

Economic Impact by the Numbers

According to the Tourism Economics report, the Dr. Phillips Center generated:

$227.6 million in annual economic output
2,483 jobs supported across Central Florida
$70.8 million in total labor income in Orange County
$13.2 million in state and local tax revenue
$73.1 million in off-site spending by event attendees, performers and production crews
61,600 hotel room nights generated annually

The study highlights the ripple effect created by visitors attending performances, benefiting nearby hotels, restaurants, retailers and other local businesses.

A Global Destination for Arts and Entertainment

Now in its 11th year, the Dr. Phillips Center welcomes more than 910,000 guests annually, attracting visitors from all 50 states and more than 80 countries.

Since opening in 2014, the venue has hosted:

More than 6.2 million guests
More than 6,200 performances and events
Programming presented 99% of the year
Venue occupancy rates ranging from 82% to 97%

The center has become one of the world’s busiest performing arts destinations while helping position downtown Orlando as a leading hub for arts, culture and entertainment.

Community Investment Beyond the Stage

In addition to its economic impact, the Dr. Phillips Center continues investing in arts education, community outreach and cultural programming throughout Central Florida.

According to the organization, it has:

Served 935,920 students and community participants
Supported and hosted 202 regional arts organizations
Received support from 24,085 donors
Benefited from $256 million in philanthropic contributions since its inception

Through partnerships with schools, nonprofit organizations, community groups and touring productions, the center continues to expand access to the performing arts while strengthening the region’s cultural and economic vitality.

Looking Ahead

Eleven years after opening, the Dr. Phillips Center continues to demonstrate that investment in arts and culture produces measurable returns through tourism, employment, education and community engagement.

As Central Florida continues to grow, the independent analysis reinforces the performing arts center’s importance as both a cultural landmark and an economic engine for the region.

Additional information about the economic impact study is available through the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

Entertainment

Blue Man Group Orlando Launches $25 Kids Ticket Offer at ICON Park Through Dec. 31

Published

1 month ago

July 6, 2026

FNN NEWS

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — Families can enjoy Blue Man Group Orlando for less this summer and fall thanks to a new ticket promotion that allows children to attend performances for $25 with the purchase of a full-priced adult ticket.

The limited-time offer is available for online purchases through Dec. 31, 2026, making one of Orlando’s newest live entertainment attractions more affordable for families.

Special Kids Ticket Offer

Under the promotion, guests who purchase a full-priced adult ticket may purchase a children’s ticket for $25.

The offer is valid for performances:

Monday through Thursday
Fridays at 5 p.m.

The promotion is not valid for:

Saturday performances
Sunday performances
Fridays at 8 p.m.

New Orlando Production at ICON Park

Blue Man Group opened its new resident production at ICON Park in May inside a custom-built theater located along Orlando’s International Drive entertainment district.

The production blends music, comedy, technology and audience participation, while featuring many of the signature moments fans expect from Blue Man Group alongside new material created exclusively for the Orlando production.

Global Entertainment Phenomenon

Since debuting in 1991 at New York’s Astor Place Theatre, Blue Man Group has entertained more than 50 million people worldwide through resident productions and international tours.

The show continues to expand with performances in Orlando, Las Vegas, touring productions across North America and an upcoming tour in Japan.

Blue Man Group is owned and operated by Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group.