We hadn't even begun to think about Halloween yet—until Universal Studios announced a seasonal attraction that begs park goers to "come play with us."
A series of mazes based on Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of The Shining will make an entrance (à la an ax through the door, of course) during Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood, as well as its counterpart in Orlando.
The maze will find visitors venturing through the iconic Overlook Hotel in the midst of Jack Torrance's descent into insanity. Though Universal doesn't specify which iconic sequences will make it into the maze—fingers crossed for that frisky bear suit man—it does promise the chance to see some of the film's memorable moments come to life. Here's the theme park's full description:
“The Shining” maze at Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights will provide guests with a unique opportunity to relive some of the film’s most iconic, and sinister, moments. While venturing through the eerie Overlook Hotel, guests will be thrust into the hotel’s tragic history of murder and madness, bearing witness to caretaker Jack Torrance’s spiraling descent into insanity. Nightmarish visions will come to life in this macabre maze, overwhelming guests with the “shine” of the murderous, ghostly entities that lurk around every turn – all while trying to escape the wrath of Jack Torrance as he violently succumbs to the hotel’s paranormal forces.
Universal is no stranger to licensed properties for its haunted houses and mazes; past TV and cinematic tie-ins include The Walking Dead, The Purge, Halloween, Freddy vs. Jason, American Horror Story and The Exorcist. But for many, The Shining is on a whole other level, whether attributable to Stephen King's psychologically terrifying writing or Kubrick's ability to forever burn images of pale twins and a bloody elevator into our brains.
No other Halloween Horror Nights details have been release yet, but you can expect it to return in September. In the meantime, here's a teaser for The Shining-inspired experience.
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