Comcast has introduced the second location for Universal Horror Unleashed, the brand new year-round leisure expertise that’s principally a everlasting Halloween Horror Nights, earlier than the primary has even opened! This submit shares particulars concerning the new HHN-like attraction–plus our commentary about viability, comparability to DisneyQuest, and extra.
The second location for Universal Horror Unleashed will probably be an indoor venue in Chicago, chosen for its massive inhabitants and fame as one of many nation’s main locations for tourism & leisure. The upcoming venue will probably be positioned on Chicago Avenue on the former Tribune Distribution Center, located between the River North and West Town districts.
Horror Unleashed will mark Universal’s first branded expertise within the Midwest. Expanding the Universal Horror Unleashed model, the corporate’s immersive horror leisure expertise, is reportedly a key pillar of Universal’s broader progress technique to succeed in new audiences, in new markets, via new and authentic ideas.
“Universal Horror Unleashed delivers on our promise to create highly immersive and terrifying horror experiences that connect with fans year-round,” stated Page Thompson, President, New Ventures, Universal Destinations & Experiences.
“We’re excited to bring this bold concept to life in Chicago, a city known for its vibrant culture. We’re grateful for the city’s support as we convert this dormant site into a unique attraction that showcases our storytelling expertise and ability to deliver mind blowing experiences that shatter guest expectations.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome Universal Horror Unleashed to the City of Chicago,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson stated in an announcement to NBC 5 Chicago. “This is exactly the kind of creative, high-impact investment we’re working to attract—one that brings new life to a vacant site, creates hundreds of jobs, and cements Chicago as a must-visit destination for entertainment tourism.”
According to the town, the expertise is predicted to generate greater than $1 billion in financial impression for the town, together with greater than 400 everlasting jobs, together with scareactors, make-up artists, prosthetic artists and extra.
“Universal’s decision to make such a significant investment in Illinois is a testament to the state’s unmatched entertainment sector, renowned workforce and strong infrastructure,” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker stated in an announcement.
“Universal choosing Illinois didn’t happen by accident—we were proud to support this project through our EDGE incentive program, which has helped fortify a positive business climate that draws world-class companies to the state. I look forward to seeing this iconic brand come to life along the Chicago River as it creates hundreds of jobs and generates more than $1 billion in economic impact.”
Construction on Universal Horror Unleashed is predicted to start in early 2026, based on the City of Chicago, following design finalization and allowing. The Midwestern outpost of Universal Horror Unleashed is slated to open in 2027. Here’s idea artwork launched by Comcast for Universal Horror Unleashed in Chicago:
Horror Unleashed combines Universal’s experience within the horror style with next-level storytelling to ship a memorable visitor expertise. The year-round idea will ship immersive, horror-centric leisure that goes past the theme parks, bringing distinctive environments and scares to friends. The horror may even lengthen to the meals and beverage choices, with themed craft cocktails and bites, in addition to a retail location with distinctive collectible merchandise and extra.
The announcement comes on the heels of different key developments for Universal Destinations & Experiences, together with the current opening of Epic Universe at Universal Orlando Resort, the primary Universal Horror Unleashed Las Vegas that opens in August 2025, the 2026 launch of Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas, and plans for a brand new theme park and resort within the United Kingdom — Universal’s first in Europe, slated to open in 2031.
The first Universal Horror Unleashed location was introduced in January 2023 and is ready to open later this yr in Las Vegas on August 14, 2025. Tickets for Universal Horror Unleashed Las Vegas are actually on sale now at UniversalHorrorUnleashed.com.
Our Commentary
It’s shocking and reassuring that Universal is already greenlighting a sequel to Horror Unleashed even earlier than the Las Vegas location has opened. This suggests a excessive diploma of confidence within the challenge, like when a tv present will get picked up for its subsequent season earlier than the earlier one has even debuted. That makes me, as a viewer, extra inclined to look at as I do know it’s more likely to be good (and assured to not finish on an unresolved cliffhanger–however that’s not likely related right here).
Tickets for Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas went on sale again in mid-February, so the corporate would have a number of months of gross sales information to assist this determination. Still, these items don’t occur in a single day, so the Universal Horror Unleashed location in Chicago has in all probability been within the works since not less than round that point.
One solely practical risk is that Universal at all times supposed upon opening a number of areas of Horror Unleashed, and that they’re essential (or not less than desired) to dilute growth prices. I’m considerably skeptical of that clarification. This isn’t like Jollywood Nights or another single-site occasion that advantages from that kind of scaling. I’d hazard a guess that the largest prices listed below are the bodily venue and working prices.
Given how effectively the Halloween Horror Nights model travels, I truly wouldn’t be stunned if there’s solely slightly overlap between the ideas within the Las Vegas location and the Chicago one. Enticing the diehard followers to go to each branches would possibly outweigh the financial savings in cloning the idea. I don’t actually know, although–I don’t purport to be an skilled on this.
I point out all of this as a result of it’s not a foregone conclusion that Universal Horror Unleashed goes to be a hit. It’s straightforward to take a look at ticket costs for the Las Vegas location and conclude that Universal goes to make a ton of cash; it’s simply as straightforward to conclude that they want these costs to cowl prices, and it’s going to be exhausting to keep up that momentum.
It’ll be fascinating to see whether or not Chicago is kind of viable of a location than Las Vegas. On the one hand, there may be not the identical regular stream of vacationers and conference cliente. On the opposite hand, there’s so much much less competitors for leisure eyeballs and {dollars}. This is to not say Chicago is missing for issues to do. To the opposite, it’s certainly one of America’s few “real” cities, and there are a number of choices.
Frankly, I want this selection existed again after we had been in faculty. Instead, we noticed a number of Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks and Bulls video games (not the Bears–too costly and I hate the Bears). We additionally went to Second City steadily, museums sometimes, and ate usually (the 2 main meals teams–Portillo’s and pizza).
If this existed then, we might’ve added Universal Horror Unleashed to the common rotation. I’m positive a number of different individuals our age would’ve completed likewise, as would vacationers to the town. Chicago additionally does a number of conference enterprise, however that is actually removed from McCormick Place.
It’s value declaring that Disney tried a regional park idea in Chicago…and failed miserably. In addition to Walt Disney World, there was a DisneyQuest in Chicago and it was short-lived, closing in 2001 (pre-9/11) after solely being open a pair years. Unlike the Walt Disney World location, that was not terribly dated at its demise. The timeline can also be eerily comparable, with Disney greenlighting the second DisneyQuest earlier than the primary had even opened.
Chicago has additionally seen a ton of amusement parks and themed venues (eating places and experiences) come and shut through the years. As a lot as I really like Chicago, I’m undecided if it’s the place I’d goal for a tourist-dependent and dear vacation spot like this. Other main Midwestern cities a bit farther to the south, and even New York, appear to be superior selections. But then once more, I’m only a dude with a weblog who can write no matter.
Presumably, Universal has precise professionals who do feasibility research and different evaluation to find out the viability of a location; they in all probability dominated out the alternate options and arrived on Chicago for good motive (hopefully not only a tax incentive). It’s additionally in all probability truthful to say that Disney did the identical with DisneyQuest, as did the numerous corporations which have shuttered their very own themed leisure venues in Chicagoland through the years.
It’s not simply DisneyQuest that struggled. Even highly-regarded regional parks and leisure experiences have struggled, and it’s an infamously troublesome market to crack. It nonetheless pains me that I by no means acquired to do Star Trek: The Experience. The Void was a number of enjoyable, broadly praised, and had nice areas…till it went belly-up.
Critical darling Meow Wolf enjoys a cult following, but it surely’s reportedly slashing workers. Area15 cancelled its plans for an Orlando outpost. It’s been radio silence from Level99 at Walt Disney World since that announcement, which doesn’t essentially imply something (third social gathering tasks don’t get the identical breathless updates as Disney-owned ones), however it’s barely regarding in mild of the foregoing.
My worry is that there was a number of frothiness concerning the viability of regional parks and leisure expertise popping out of COVID, and several other corporations mistook pent-up demand for the brand new regular. As the United States now settles into what precise demand appears like for journey and leisure, there could be additional contraction of the marketplace for such experiences. Here’s hoping we’re unsuitable about that, although.
Ultimately, it’ll be fascinating to see the long-term demand for Universal Horror Unleashed. With the regular stream of vacationers, conventioneers and college students, there’s in all probability the marketplace for this kind of factor in Chicago. The demographics in all probability aren’t as favorable as in Las Vegas, however the competitors additionally isn’t as fierce.
There’s additionally the truth that Universal Horror Unleashed is just not low cost by experiential leisure requirements. Sure, it’ll be cheaper than seeing Caleb Williams flop and Ben Johnson show he’s not Mr. Galaxy Brain, but it surely received’t be cheaper than Second City or numerous different choices in Chicago. (Did I point out that I hate the Bears?!)
Regardless, Universal Horror Unleashed is yet one more instance of Universal doing one thing new and bold because it appears to develop its footprint within the points of interest business. While loads of ideas like this have failed through the years, hopefully this isn’t certainly one of them. Both the Universal and Halloween Horror Nights manufacturers are extremely highly effective, and the latter ought to journey effectively exterior of Hollywood and Orlando.
My hope is that Universal swings for the fences with this and shakes up its HHN method. But actually, I’ll be fairly glad even with a extra everlasting and high-budget model of Halloween Horror Nights. Some of the current homes which have clearly had “Netflix money” have been phenomenal from a themed design perspective, and I look ahead to seeing what Universal Creative can do when given the sources.
Even in the event you couldn’t care much less about Universal Horror Unleashed (and I do know that’s lots of you), we must always all be cheering for it to work out. If this or the kiddie park in Texas find yourself being smash successes, that may virtually definitely end in Disney taking a recent take a look at the regional park or leisure idea. It’s unlikely we’ll see DisneyQuest 2.0 or Disney’s America, however we might lastly get one thing within the Midwest or Northeast or Heartland!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Universal Horror Unleashed coming to Chicago? Are you excited for this everlasting horror attraction within the Midwest? Think this will probably be a hit–just like Halloween Horror Nights? Would you wish to see Universal Creative push the envelope with this, or follow the tried and true method of HHN, however with higher polish? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Any questions we may also help you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!