Universal's Horror Nights open for screams after absence

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — After a pandemic-related absence of almost two years, Universal Orlando Resort's celebration of all things scary opened for screams on Friday.

Halloween Horror Nights kicked off at the Florida theme park resort for a 30th year of disturbing haunted houses, live entertainment and celebrations of pop-culture scares.

Each haunted house is a small, temporary attraction, elaborately designed and themed, built with studious attention to details and populated with “scare-actors” who chase but never touch the thousands of patrons passing through each night.

This year's haunted houses are inspired by the movies, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," “The Haunting of Hill House," “Beetlejuice," and “The Bride of Frankenstein."

Halloween Horror Nights starts next week at Universal Studios Hollywood in California. The celebrations of all things scary will last through Oct. 31 at both theme park resorts.