HHN vets create an original Halloween experience with ‘Orlando Forum of Fear’
Two of the former masterminds behind many of the mazes at Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights have teamed up with The Orlando Forum to offer a new, original maze and dinner show on International Drive titled “Orlando Forum of Fear.”
UPDATE – 10/02/20: “Tunnel of the Damned” is now open six days a week from 7 p.m. – midnight! Food and beverage options are available until 2 a.m. each night.
The story takes guests through The Mass, a paranormal entity that has taken over the island of Manhattan and turned its residents into zombies. Over the next 30 days, “Tunnel of the Damned” will reveal two additional chapters of the “three-act play,” encouraging guests to come back again for new scares.
The experience will open on Oct. 1. Hoping to fill a void left by much of this year’s Halloween offerings canceling due to COVID-19, Orlando Forum of Fear aims to please all fans of Halloween, while adhering to CDC guidelines for public safety.
The main attraction will be the haunted maze, designed and executed by Patrick Brailard and Kim Gromoll, both formerly behind many of the most iconic mazes at HHN. The maze, recommended for ages 13 and up, will feature 20 masked actors and wind 480 linear feet through the venue. During its run, the maze will transform from the “Tunnel of the Damned” to the “City Overtaken,” and conclude with “Apocalypse” – offering fans a reason to return and experience something new.
Tickets are available at TunnelOfTheDamned.com, and start at $17.95 for a one-time pass, $24.95 to visit as many times as you like in one night, and $69.95 for a season pass that allows you to visit the haunt any time you like during the run of show.
You can check out our preview of the experience, as well as an interview with the creators in the video below:
In addition, haunt fans can experience the Orlando Forum’s dinner show entertainment in a new way with “The Dark Séance: A Haunted Dinner Experience.” The show, hosted by medium “Claire Voyant,” will transport diners into a Victorian-era library as they reach out to dearly departed souls and hear tales of terror from the world’s most famous historical evils.
The dinner experience is recommended for ages 16 and up only, and will have multiple seatings throughout the night starting at 6 p.m. Special midnight seatings will also be available for those of strong will. Included will be a three-course menu with an entrée choice of beef, chicken, salmon, and a vegetarian dinner, with a “surf and turf” upgrade option. Tickets to “The Dark Séance: A Haunted Dinner Experience” are priced at $87.50 and can be purchased through Eventbrite.
Kids won’t be left out, however, as special Kids Nights will be offered on select dates from 5-7 p.m. During these nights, the haunted maze’s effects will be turned down for kids ages 7-12 and their accompanying parents or guardians. There will also be outdoor Halloween activities for kids, and attending in costume is encouraged – though face coverings and social distancing are required.
The outdoor bar and Purgatory Patio in front of the Orlando Forum will serve as a “safety zone” before or after going through the haunted maze.
In regards to COVID-19 safety, all employees, including those acting in the haunted maze and dinner show, will wear gloves, face shields and masks – all incorporated into their costuming. Social distancing will also be implemented, and scareactors in the maze will frighten guests from at least six feet away.
Physical distancing will be implemented by only allowing entry into the maze with those in your immediate party. Seating at the bar, on the patio, during the dinner show, and waiting spots at the box office and restrooms will be configured a minimum of six feet apart. Increased sanitation procedures will also be in effect during the attraction’s run. All guests will have their temperature taken prior to entry, and guests with a temperature above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit will not be admitted. Face masks are required to be worn by guests at all times, except for when seated and consuming food or beverages.
For more information about the Orlando Forum of Fear, which kicks off on Oct. 1, check out Facebook.com/TheOrlandoForum and @OrlandoForumOfFear on Instagram.
