Pontianaks, zombies, classic fan-favourites: What to expect at Halloween Horror Nights 10

Pontianaks, maggot-filled food and undead zombies are just some things visitors should brace themselves for at the 10th edition of Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) from Sep 30 to Nov 5.

Jumpscaring its post-pandemic return, it will feature three original haunted houses and two scare zones. There will also be a laser-tag challenge, a themed dining experience and a peek behind-the-scenes where visitors would need to pay extra. 

HHN will run for 19 event nights, where 13 are peak nights and six are non-peak nights.

To the uninitiated, the Haunted Houses consist of various rooms that visitors have to navigate through from start to finish. During the journey, they can expect all manners of (non-contact) jumpscares, scare actors and animatronics. Loud banging, flashing lights, mist and spurts of water will also be observed at these houses.

Killustrator: The Final Chapter takes visitors through the various works of Killustrator, a “lonely and crazed” manga artist who is “completely obsessed” with HHN.

Beyond the artists’ doodles and drawings, visitors can expect to see his works take a physical form as they duck underneath walls, turn tight corners and endure snarls, screams and loud banging.

Veteran HHN fans can also look forward to seeing elements from past editions of HHN making their appearance in the haunted house.

Operation: Dead Force takes visitors into a “secure, undisclosed location” that houses the “Special Forces Against the Dead”, a special force of mutant zombies dedicated to fighting regular zombies.

Here, visitors can immerse themselves with the horrors of loud sirens and alarms, seemingly undead zombie soldiers and go through wreckage and rubble that give off a zombie apocalypse vibe.

The Hospitality of Horror is a “restored” mansion that lures visitors in with its luxurious exterior. As visitors venture through the haunted house, the mansion’s secrets will slowly be revealed.

Visitors can expect to be jumpscared by monstrous looking hotel staff as they journey through the hotel’s rooms and halls.

The horror will not only be contained within the Haunted Houses but to open areas as well. Scare Zones are areas where scare actors will roam about and visitors will have to navigate past them if they wish to head to another location. Much like their Haunted House counterparts, the main purpose is to scare visitors that they come across. 

The Dark Zodiac is a scare zone that takes a twist at astrology – where dark versions of the different zodiacs will roam about.

A Southeast-Asian classic, the pontianak will enter a modern medium as influencers livestream their attempt to hunt the ghost in the Hunt For The Pontianak scare zone.

On top of haunted houses and scare zones, visitors can pay extra for other activities such as laser-tag, a themed dinner experience and a behind the scenes look of HHN. These activities require admission tickets and must be booked separately.

Visitors who want to turn the tables can consider the Escape the Breakout laser-tag challenge. Set in a facility for the “world’s deadliest criminals”, visitors are grouped into teams as they shoot “inmates”, navigate rooms and solve puzzles to escape during a breakout. The laser-tag challenge will cost an additional $38.

Die–ning with the Dead combines a Halloween-themed meal with a “comedic” performance by the “Spirit Medium” and his Henchmen as they look for a “MissFortune”. The dining experience will cost an additional $105. Visitors can take a look at the menu on the Resorts World Sentosa website.

Monsters & Manifestations offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Haunted Houses. Visitors will be guided through the technical and sensorial effects of the scare houses, everything from the illusions and mirrors down to the scents used. There will also be a performance at the end.

Tickets cost $78 for peak nights and $68 for non-peak nights per person.

More backstory on the haunted houses, scare zones and additional activities can be found on RWS’ website.