I'm going to preface this by saying I was absolutely humbled in the most exhilarating way possible at Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas. 

Over the summer, Universal Horror Unleashed opened at Zone 2 of Area 15 in Las Vegas, amplifying the already fascinating and uncanny world that Zone 1 established. The Universal Horror Unleashed campus spans a massive warehouse complete with in-world lore. The space used to be a prop warehouse for classic Universal films, but a dark presence caused accidents and unexplainable instances so dire that they were forced to shut down. Recently, because our world is an actual horror movie, the warehouse was reopened, old ghosts and all.

True to form, the entire campus pays respectful homage to its Universal roots. Almost immediately, there are props significant to the traditional Universal monster lineup, like a chandelier and chair set reminiscent of The Phantom of the Opera, or a scaled set used for the 1999 iteration of The Mummy. And that's all to set the stage for the Universal Monsters haunted house.

Universal Horror Unleashed is home to four haunted houses. Outside of Universal Monsters, there's Blumhouse's The Exorcist: Believer, a house based on 2023's The Exorcist: Believer film, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre house, and the Halloween Horror Nights original haunt, Scarecrow: The Reaping. These houses are each a celebration of different aspects of excellence in the world of Universal Horror- classic, modern, long-standing franchise, and original stories.

Here's the thing- I LOVE horror movies. I'm fine watching the most gruesome things on earth from the safety of my cozy blanket at home. Unfortunately, I absolutely crumbled within the first few scenes of the Universal Monsters house. I burrowed my head into safe shoulders and couldn't bear to look up at the scare actors or set pieces. The atmosphere is isolating; even though we were there on a busy night and we knew other people were moving around, the twists and turns of the track kept us isolated and on edge. The sound design is absolutely impeccable; when I wasn't hearing my own heart beating like a drum, I was fully in the world of monsters. Everything down to the way the air feels stale and dangerous and entirely immersive. It was terrifying and more than I could have asked for. 

Thankfully, if you're like me and were lovingly referred to as a "cheap scream", there are regular shows and character meet and greets that aren't as high octane. QR codes throughout the warehouse have show times so you can plan your evening accordingly. Universal does appear to be very diligent in offering its performers breaks and time to recuperate, which I appreciated. The shows that occur throughout include some really beautiful choreography, small mini-scare scenes, and even a flying vampire. 

But, 'tis the season, and with the winter solstice brings three key mythological haunts of the holidays in Krampus from Germany, Grýla, the troll from Iceland, and Kallikantzaroi Greek goblins. The trio have movie-quality detailed costuming and lead a lantern-lit winding procession to three individual photo opportunities. Uncostumed staff were quick to help with photos, which always makes it easier when you're genuinely intimidated by the massive mythical monsters.

With Krampus and Kin comes a worthy feast, and so, to really bring my heart rate down continue the lore of late, we visited one of the several restaurants inside Universal Horror Unleashed. There are several bars and restaurant areas throughout the experience, but we stopped at the Premiere House sit-down location. Premiere House has constant movie clips playing, so you get to play the muted game of "what's that scene from?" with whoever you're with. This restaurant also houses appearances by M3gan and, as of late, The Grabber from The Black Phone. For The Grabber's photo opp, they had the snow-covered phone booth from this year's The Black Phone 2. It was an absolute horror girlie delight to see The Grabber pull up a chair and join guests, staring them down while holding his axe. See, this I could handle. Frankenstein's monster jumping out at me? That's where I fall apart.

We were in the holiday spirit with Krampus, his Kin, and the frosty scene, so we had a seasonal dessert called Krampus's snow globe. There's a tableside element that makes this one a total showstopper. The menu has a fantastic sense of meta moments in its macabre theming, with pizza skulls and a salad where the dressing comes in a syringe. As a pro tip, get an order of The Cook's Chili Fries to share. Their chili is award-winning, and frankly, this has no right to be as good as it is. 

Krampus & Kin is a limited attraction and runs through January 3, 2026. If you're able to visit in time, I do highly suggest grabbing Krampus's Snow Globe, if not for the pageantry, for the instant nostalgia of gingerbread and spices over the holidays. Universal Horror Unleashed is open year-round and tickets start at $49 per person. There are discounts for locals with ID, students, and military. For the amount of time you could spend here, that sticker price is frankly worth it. 

Are you braver than me in the face of monsters? Is it embarrassing I admitted how scared I was? Roast me in the comments, I kind of deserved it. But also tell me if you're adding this to your Las Vegas hit list!