Media Opening: USH-The Walking Dead Maze

[wrs28330]

On Tuesday 6/28, Theme Park Review was invited to attend the Media Preview for Universal Studios Hollywood's newest attraction. The Walking Dead is a new year-round daytime maze situated at the top of London Street next to Mel's Drive-In Diner, and is based off of AMC's television series The Walking Dead.

 

After a nice introduction from the Director/Executive Producer of The Walking Dead, Gregory Nicotero, a horde of 100 ravenous walkers approached the crowd and we were forced to enter the maze to escape their reach. I am happy to report that the permanent nature and rich detail were more than I was expecting following the closure of the comparable House of Horrors year-round maze. For fans of the show, many iconic scene are nicely brought to life with a surprising list of props that came right from the show. Visitors who have also attended the popular Halloween Horror Nights events will recognize the standard effects USH is known for in their maze design with the added benefit of permanent sets! These sets will last nicely for years to come.

 

The reactions I had as well as others I walked through with centered more around things looking "awesome" or "really gory", and not "scary". This is usually my concern with horror offerings featuring the undead. The most a zombie can do to you is stare, drool, and grunt. Compared to other Halloween monsters/creatures, zombies are inherently the least energetic and therefore the least threatening. My issue aside, the scare actors rely on the built-in hiding areas to startle unsuspecting guests. Small groups are let in every 15-30 seconds similar to HHN, but I only recall a few times where rooms were separated by hanging cloth/burlap/chicken fingers/curtains, which lead to a more seamless storytelling experience!

 

The Walking Dead attraction officially opens on Monday, July 4th.

 

A big thank you to Gail from the USH Media team for inviting us to attend! We wish the USH team a great summer season when The Walking Dead is in full swing and folks enjoy their Butterbeer from the newly opened Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

 

I am not yet dead.

William

 

USH Creative Director John Murdy met with folks outside of the new attraction located in the Upper Lot on London Street. If it weren't for the crashed helicopter above the sign, you wouldn't know there was a maze there! Just like the WWoHP airport bathroom entrance at USO!

A ruffian gang of survivors met us during the opening moment, and cheerfully invited us into the attraction.

The queue area is fashioned as the Harrison Memorial Hospital. Most importantly, it has ample indoor space with air conditioning!

Inside the maze.

A similar scene to the HHN maze, the use of a two-story room draws your attention away from the walkers who are ready to pop out from behind strategically placed hiding places.

Congratulations to Universal Studios Hollywood on their newest attraction! Come check it out, though I barely made it out alive to share this with you.

Edited July 1, 2016 by wrs28330

[Jew]

It looks like they went more for detail and recreating key scenes from the show over straight up scares. Can't wait to check it out.

[Hilltopper39]

I love the idea of permanent year round haunts at parks and wish that concept would catch on at more places. I don't watch The Walking Dead but this looks like a great walk through with incredible detail, I'd love to see a version of this make it's way to Universal Orlando.