ORLANDO, Fla. — Universal opened the new Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store for previews on Thursday, giving some fans a peek inside.
What You Need To Know
- Universal has unveiled the new Halloween Horror Nights Tribute
- This year's theme of the store ties into the haunts around the event
- There are four themed rooms: a pumpkin patch, cemetery, witch cottage and a Halloween festival
- RELATED: Universal Orlando reveals full lineup for Halloween Horror Nights
The store kept the movie theater facade used for the summer Tribute Store earlier this year, but it’s received some new colors—black and orange—as well as a Halloween-related images on the marquee.
For this year’s event, the theme of the store ties into the nearby Sweet Revenge scare zone. And there’s also a dark ride theme incorporated throughout the store.
As the story goes, the “cursed” Tribute Theater was acquired by the town’s mayor who decided to turn the venue into family-friendly “Halloween adventure.” The backstory can be pieced together from newspaper clippings in one of the poster marquees outside the store.
At the entrance of the store, there’s a a control panel for the “haunted dark ride” along with pages from the ride’s user manual.
The rest of the store is divided into four themed rooms: Pumpkin Patch, Spooky Cemetery, Witches Cottage and Halloween Festival. Each room features decorations, props, and merchandise.
Here’s a look around the Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store, which has opened for Team Member and passholder previews.
— Ashley Carter (@AshleyLCarter1) September 1, 2022
The first room is themed to a pumpkin patch. pic.twitter.com/5QHTOOXyYX
The first room, the Pumpkin Patch, features jack-o-lanterns, large corn stalks, and merchandise themed to the Pumpkin Lord.
If you follow the “ride tracks” on the ground, it will lead to the next room, the Spooky Cemetery, which is set in the Hollow Hills Cemetery. The features blue lighting as well as monuments and tombstones. A head also periodically pops out from behind the graves in the room.
The second room in the Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store is themed to a cemetery. pic.twitter.com/FYEetclIdL
— Ashley Carter (@AshleyLCarter1) September 1, 2022
Following the cemetery is a hallway that depicts the inside of a mausoleum, with epitaphs and photos.
The hallway leads to the Witch’s cottage which features a cauldron, potion bottles and a large oven. This room has a cart with specialty snack items on display.
The next room takes you inside a witch’s cottage. This room also has specialty treats. pic.twitter.com/R2jWj44npd
— Ashley Carter (@AshleyLCarter1) September 1, 2022
The final room is Haunted Hollow Hills, where a Halloween festival is underway. It’s set up like a town square, with banners and lanterns hanging overhead. And the check-out counters in the room feature store facades.
And the final room takes you to Haunted Hallow Hills, where a Halloween festival is underway. pic.twitter.com/QVIiBPqkV2
— Ashley Carter (@AshleyLCarter1) September 1, 2022
Keeping with the dark ride theme, the exit of the store features signs for Eerie Emporium!, a merchandise stand with “spooky keepsakes, treasures and memorabilia.” The stand features T-shirts, cups and other items that are not fore sale.
Just outside the exit of the Tribute Store, Universal added a photo op with the electric chair from the former Monsters Cafe.
The electric chair from Monsters Cafe is now available as a photo op outside the Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store. #HHN31 pic.twitter.com/RjNsjinsgx
— Ashley Carter (@AshleyLCarter1) September 1, 2022
Even though the Tribute Store is themed tied to Halloween Horror Nights, it will be open during regular park hours.