|08.28.08|

Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary...

If you live under a rock, you probably don't know that the Halloween Horror Nights: Reflections of Fear website has officially launched. All the information is out, and I must say that this year definitely looks like it'll be the best year we've seen. From the overly scary icon, Bloody Mary, to the detail put into the houses and scarezones, to the amazing website Universal has delivered - Reflections of Fear has taken the cake for "best looking year" to date. There's less than a month to find out if it delivers - but my educated guess is that it will, and then some.

For those unfortunate commuters that take I4 home each evening, you'll be spotting this on the drive.



Yep. That's one crazy billboard. Scary enough, I think, to make people start taking the "long way" home.

In case you are wondering what was in that box the Mary sent me - Screamscape posted a video of opening theirs, so I'll let you watch all the fun there. And just so that everyone is aware - the Reflections of Fear section on HHNvault has gone live. Keep an eye out for content and other goodies on this section throughout the event. I've been working on some other things here and there - but I'll get to that at a later time. Until then, enjoy the site.

Memorizing the T.C.E. Scale.

|08.27.08|

The key arrives tomorrow...

I awoke this morning with a loud bang on my coffin. Cautiously opening the lid, I discovered the FedEx man standing there with a package addressed to dR.fReAK. Curious, I opened the package only to find this.

Looks like our doctor's inherited jewelry box, eh? What's it doing in my lair, I ask? Well the real kicker is, we have to wait for tomorrow to find out. You see, that rusted old chain that bounds the box has a lock on it - and I'm not getting the key until tomorrow. Well played, Mary... well played.

You can see some other photos here, here, and here. Tomorrow is definitely going to be one hell of a day... all this waiting is paying off.

Waiting patiently.
-dR.fReAK

|08.20.08|

Shirts

It's officially August 20th, which means the ordering window for the 2008 HHNvault T-Shirts has come to an end. The response to the shirts this year has been remarkably overwhelming - we set a new record, which means we will be seeing that many more vaulters in the streets during the event. I would personally like to thank everyone who placed an order and showed their support for the vault. As I've said in the past, you are the reason why the vault exists - without the Horror Nights fans there wouldn't be a reason keep the site going, and as long as you're there for us, we'll be here for you.

I'll be keeping everyone posted on the status of the shirts including photos when they come in, and notice on when they ship. Until then, I'll see you in the vault.

Off to the shirt factory.
-dR.fReAK

PS - Add us on MySpace, we don't bite. Well - most of the time.
 

|08.19.08|

Crazy how time flies, isn't it? With just a little more than a month until the kick-off of Halloween Horror Nights 18, anticipation grows stronger and more and more information is being revealed. Over on the official Horror Nights site, it looks like our crazy little doctor has become even more demented than one would think - it's only a matter of time before something really twisted happens, but your guess on what that will be is as good as mine. I guess we can only wait to find out what happens to the good ol' doctor, and inevitably, our poor Private Investigator who has an appointment with fate. If you haven't been following this year's website updates and haven't subscribed to Universal's e-mail list - then you probably have no clue what I'm talking about. Never fear though, you can read up all about it on the forums.

Enough with my bickering - I just thought I'd chime in and let you guys know (if you happened to miss the flashy graphics and e-mails) that today is your last day to order a 2008 HHNvault T-Shirt. That's right - if you haven't done so already you have until the stroke of midnight to get that order placed.

I want to thank the 60-ish members that poked in and out of the HHNvault chat last night - I'll call all the ghouls out for another chat a little closer to the start of the event, just please - to whoever brought the wooden stake and silver bullets: be a little more considerate next time, just look at our demographic. Anyway, if you're in a chatty mood, the room is open 24/7 for all forum members (even when I don't wake the dead), and can be accessed directly from the link at the top of the forum.

QUICKGETASHIRT!
-dR.fReAK
 

|08.06.08|

Ahoy, Horror Night junkies - can you smell that? That's right, fear is in the air which can mean only one thing - Horror Nights is getting close. Every year us fans reach that point where the event is so painfully close that thoughts of it consume our every day lives. Thankfully we have the vault to help sooth our nerves - and on top of that, we have the Halloween Horror Nights website itself to give us a taste of things to come. For those that have been living under a rock - the website this year is taking us into an elaborate storyline that inevitably will carry straight into the event itself. But for those too impatient to wait, Universal has delivered us a little taste of things to come to wet your appetite. This concept art comes straight from the design team, and will be coming to life this season at the event. The description of the photograph as sent to us by Universal doesn't even hint at what house this is from... I guess things are a little more hush hush than usual this year...

BRINGING NIGHTMARES TO LIFE – From the desk of a designer at Universal Orlando Resort, horror is coming to life. The blueprints and sketches by art and design teams have begun to take real shape as some of the more disturbing elements for the haunted houses at Halloween Horror Nights 18 are under construction. Halloween Horror Nights will return to Universal Orlando Resort for 23 select nights running from Sept. 26-27 through Oct. 2-5, 9-12, 16-19, 22-26, and Oct. 29-Nov. 1. Visit www.halloweenhorrornights.com for more information.

That's a beauty, I must admit. And to stop you goons from going crazy - the building definitely does say Mitre Square. History lesson (or a copy and paste from Wikipedia because I'm a lazy ass) for you guys: The south corner of the square was the site of the murder of Catherine Eddowes by "Jack the Ripper". Her mutilated body was found there at 1.45 in the morning of the 30th September 1888.

Take it as you may, but my feeling is that some ladies... or gentlemen we know have set up a new shop in good ol' Britain. It's going to be a great year, eh mates? Oh bloody hell... now I can't stop with the accent.

Cheers.
-dR.fReAK

PS - Only 2 weeks left to get yourself a 2008 HHNvault Shirt!
 

|07.03.08|

Greetings, Horror Nights junkies! Stopping in to share my new article that details a brief history on Universal's legacy of horror, where Horror Nights fits in to it, and the new exhibit that opened today in the Horror Make-Up pre-show at Universal Studios Florida. You can read the article by clicking here.

Keep checking back periodically as we have some updates planned for the not-too-distant future. Until then, grab a shirt, and kick back on the forums.

Reflecting my fears.
-dR.fReAK
 

|05.17.08|

It's that time of year again. The rumors are flying, the wind is stirring, and Horror Nights is kicking into gear. Before you know it, our favorite season will be here - which brings us to the thing all you vaulters need to get through the event alive - your 2008 HHNvault T-Shirt! The new design is in, and on sale now in our store! Shipping is included to the continental United States is included in the $20 price, and what good is an HHNvault shirt without glow-in-the-dark?

Please keep in mind that orders for the shirts this year will be ending a little sooner than normal - August 20th is our deadline, and the shirts will be shipping out in the middle of September, landing on your doorstep in time for Halloween Horror Nights 2008.

Check back within the next few weeks for periodic updates as we near closer to the 2008 season. Until then, grab a shirt and wander our forums. I'll be in my crypt if you need me.

Enjoying my beauty sleep.
-dR.fReAK
 

|04.08.08|

I’m just dropping in to share with all of you Horror Nights fans a bit of information that was just left on the vault’s doorstep. In what appears to be some extremely saddening news, we’ve been informed that as of now, management at Universal does not see fit to bring back the “Unmasking the Horror” behind the scenes tour for Halloween Horror Nights 18. While I can understand that it’s not something every guest visiting Universal would want to do, the behind the scenes tours have provided fans, ‘fraidy cats, and those just plain curious a closer, in depth look at the event. For three years now, the tours have allowed guests to take a look at the incredible detail put into the event, explore the haunted houses during the day with lights on, and as of last year even had them come face to face with the art and design team responsible for creating Horror Nights each year.

The good thing about this is that it’s only April – meaning there’s plenty of time to persuade Universal otherwise. If you would like to express your concerns and feelings about this decision – feel free to send an e-mail to not only Universal’s Guest Services team, but the VIP Tours department as well. They will both guarantee that your comments reach where they need to go. Guest Services can be e-mailed at guestservices@universalorlando.com, and VIP Tours can be contacted at viptours@universalorlando.com, or you can contact Guest Services by phone at 407-224-4233.

If you have experienced these wonderful tours, you know exactly what these tours mean for the event – and if you haven’t been lucky enough to go on one, that’s reason more to urge Universal to keep it going for years to come. While you're at it - discuss this on our forums.

VIVA LA UTH!

-dR.fReAK

PS - HHNvault now on MySpace!

|03.01.08|

I'm just going to pretend that updates didn't stop after the second week of Horror Nights last year. Here is where I'd usually insert a witty comment, but honestly it was a matter of the poor dR. having a plate full of tasks - including maintaining work on another large website out there in internetland. Nevertheless, it's that time again where the wind starts the blow and us ghouls turn a little in our crypts. While we still have six months to go, it doesn't mean that we can't say we are halfway there - because we are. Before you know it, blood will spill and our nightmares will be back to haunt us for the eighteenth time.

Over the next few months you will begin to see more things come into place throughout the vault - and in half that time you will see more and more activity emerge until the vault is creaking and the screaming in full swing as usual.

Until then, my friends - check with us for a few goodies here and there and remember;

Okay, I'm kidding.

-dR.fReAK