Take a moment to enjoy the year round horror museum on your next visit to Universal Studios Florida – DePaoli on DeParks
If you’re anything like me, Halloween is never too far from your mind. Sure, we just got through Christmas and we’re right at the start of a new year. But that doesn’t stop me from thinking about next Halloween. One of my favorite events to attend each year is Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida. But even if you’re visiting the park during a different season, there’s an often overlooked year round offering that Halloween and horror fans should take some time to enjoy.
You may think I’m stating the obvious with “Universal Orlando’s Horror Make-Up Show”, but it’s a bit more specific than that. If you’re not familiar, “Universal Orlando’s Horror Make-Up Show” is one of very few attractions that remains since the opening of Universal Studios Florida. It has certainly been updated through the years, but the core concept of the show remains the same. It’s a great show that I like to check out when I visit.
But I’m more specifically writing about the museum that is part of the make-up show lobby. This entry space is primarily used as a holding area for guests as they wait to enter the live show. Although it does a great job simply creating a nice atmosphere while you wait, there’s also a lot of great content to take in for fans of horror.
I suggest checking the show schedule and arriving just as one of the performances begins. At that point, the lobby museum will be empty, and you’ll have plenty of time to roam around the displays by yourself or with very few others. There’s lots to check out from years of horror media.
If you’re a fan of the classic Universal Monsters movies, there’s plenty on display to make any fan scream with delight. From the earliest days of horror cinema, you can find masks, models, props and more. It’s worth taking the time to read the accompanying signage to learn about these classic movies.
Jack Pierce became a master of the craft as he created the iconic makeups for Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, The Mummy, and Wolf Man. Lon Chaney Sr. was known as the Man of 1,000 Faces. He not only acted in films including the role of Quasimodo in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and as the title role in “The Phantom of the Opera,” but he also designed the makeup for the horrific roles. For some shots of The Phantom, a wire device was used to tilt his nose upward causing him to bleed.
In the early days, makeup effects were much more crude and oftentimes painful. Boris Karloff’s costume and makeup as Frankenstein’s Monster was so heavy and uncomfortable that he sweated off 20 pounds during production on “The Bride of Frankenstein.” Due to the heavy boot lifts, Karloff developed back problems that plagued him for the rest of his life. Yet he still had to say, “The Monster was the best friend I ever had.”
Bela Lugosi may not have undergone as much discomfort for the makeup of Dracula, but he’s quoted as saying, “The role seemed to demand that I keep myself worked up to fever pitch, so I took on the actual attributes of the horrible vampire, Dracula.”
If you’re an Alfred Hitchcock fan like me, you’ll be happy to see item’s from the director’s masterpiece, “Psycho,” on display. This small tribute always makes me think back on another Universal Studios Florida opening day attraction, “Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies.”
You’ll find so much more from television including “The Munsters,” and movies like “Jaws,” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” There’s also a year round Halloween Horror Nights display for those of us who need a hint of spooky season even in the middle of winter.
If you’d like to see and learn more about Universal horror content, be sure and take your time inside the lobby of “Universal Orlando’s Horror Make-Up Show.” You won’t regret it.
Have you ever taken the time to spend there? Did you know this offering existed to this extent? Leave a comment and let me know about your experiences.
Jeff DePaoli is a producer and voiceover artist living in Los Angeles. He can be heard as the voice of Disney Trivia on Alexa as well as the host of “Dizney Coast to Coast,” the ultimate, unofficial Disney fan podcast. Get your FREE gifts of “America’s Hidden Mickeys,” “On the Rohde Again,” “Theme Park Comfort Kit” and more at DizneyCoastToCoast.com. DePaoli’s opinions are his own and do not necessarily represent Attractions Magazine.
