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Halloween Horror Nights canceled at Universal Orlando due to coronavirus pandemic

Updated  July 25, 2020 12:24pm EDT
Theme Parks
FOX 35 Orlando

Universal Orlando cancels Halloween Horror Nights

Halloween Horror Nights will not be held at Universal Orlando or Universal Studios Hollywood this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Halloween Horror Nights will not be held at Universal Orlando or Universal Studios Hollywood this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood have made the difficult decision to not hold Halloween Horror Nights events this year," Universal wrote in a press release. "Universal Orlando Resort will be focusing exclusively on operating its theme parks for daytime guests, using the enhanced health and safety procedures already in place. Universal Studios Hollywood continues to face ongoing business restrictions and uncertainty around its opening timeframe." 

While Universal says the decision will be disappointing for the thousands of fans who flock to the event each year, they hope to bring the thrills and chills back in 2021. 

"This pain will be temporary. HHN is forever... and will come again," the Twitter account for the event tweeted on Friday. 

“I think after a really long spring and summer, people were looking forward to normalcy, their tradition of going to Halloween Horror Nights, and it’s just one more tradition that we are all going to have to give up for 2020,” said Seth Kubersky, theme park blogger for TheUnofficialGuides.com.

RELATED: 'Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party' canceled amid coronavirus concerns, Disney says

The annual event is known for its haunted houses, scare zones and chainsaw-wielding "scare-actors." 

This would have been Halloween Horror Nights' 30th year.

“There are several things that I’ve had canceled this year that I’m very sad about, that I miss, but at the same time, I mean, I get why,” said Brandon Teeling, Orlando resident. “This virus is not going to go away anytime soon.”

Walt Disney World recently canceled its annual Halloween event, "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party." 

Universal Orlando reopened with new safety measures in place last month after being shut down because of the pandemic. 

On Friday, the Florida Department of Health reported another 12,444 cases of coronavirus bringing the statewide total to 402,312.