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Fans of monsters and horror love visiting the Universal Orlando Resort during the fall to attend Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights. We recently talked about the upcoming haunted houses at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights including the brand-new Quiet Place haunted house.
But pretty soon, fans won’t have to wait until Halloween Horror Nights to get their fix of scary monsters. And this is because of the new upcoming Dark Universe!
See, remember when we talked about how Universal Orlando was adding a third park called Epic Universe? Well, one of the sections of the park is called Dark Universe. And we know monster lovers will love this section!
Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment
On this motion simulator thrill ride, you’ll be able to explore Frankenstein Manor. This is where Dr. Henry Frankenstein’s great-great-great granddaughter, Dr. Victoria Frankenstein, lives. (As you may recall, Dr. Frankenstein’s name was Henry in the 1931 film, instead of Victor as it was in the 1818 book by Mary Shelley.)
And like Henry, Victoria has brought her own creature (she would never call him a monster!) back from the dead. She also wants to rehabilitate all the other monsters (creatures?) in the village. In fact, she’s invited you and the other guests to see her try to tame Dracula himself.
But not surprisingly, things don’t go as planned; and the monsters themselves revolt. This includes, the Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Brides of Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Phantom of the Opera, and the leader of the revolt himself, Dracula.
Side note: while riding Monsters Unchained, look out for the Phantom of the Opera’s organ! It incorporates 14 individual flame points that shoot vertical flames (over 3 feet high!) which dance in sync with the organ music.
To ride this terrifying attraction, you’ll need to be at least 48” (122 cm) tall.
Curse of the Werewolf
Turn and swerve through the dark woods at 37 miles per hour as you try to avoid a pack of hungry werewolves! The family spinning coaster is the second of the two rides in Dark Universe. And the height requirement for the thrill ride is 40” (102 cm).
Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience
Darkmoor is the name of the village you’ll find in Epic Universe. And at the Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience, you can be made up like one of the monsters who call Darkmoor home! You can also temporary tattoos inside the store, which happens to be the former lab of Dr. Septimus Pretorius.
Character Meet and Greets
The village of Darkmoor is home to lots of memorable residents. Character appearances vary from day to day and may include:
- Frankenstein’s Monster and his Bride
- The Invisible Man
- Ygor
- One of The Hounds (aka the monster hunters who try to protect Darkmoor’s non-monster residents)
- A roaming musician
Das Stakehaus
At this cleverly named fast-casual restaurant, you can dine on burgers, ribs, kebabs, sandwiches, and more. Just be advised that the restaurant is located on top of ancient catacombs where legions of vampires live! During your meal, check out the artwork up in the restaurant, as you’ll see things from the vampires’ perspective. In other words, the vampires will be the heroes of the paintings!
The Burning Blade Tavern
Long ago, an angry mob upset about a certain Frankenstein in the village torched the old mill. Today, it’s a popular hangout for monster hunters. Menu items include wings, burgers, pretzels, bratwurst, and specialty beverages.
And as for the name of the tavern? It actually doesn’t reference its torching from years ago. Instead, it refers to the fact that the mill on top of the restaurant bursts into flames every 20 minutes!