Universal detailed its Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood plans at Midsummer Scream, and the throughline is small IPs moving fast. Art the Clown returns in three controlled deployments: a Terror Tram takeover built around an original storybook and metal Christmas covers from Ice Nine Kills, a dedicated photo op, and a character encounter. Nikki from Curry Barker's Obsession joins as a character experience two months after the film premiered, the kind of deal that only closes that fast with an independent creator. And Slash scored the Killceañera house with an original song the villain lip-syncs, delivering exposition as a ballad so good fans are already asking for it on Spotify. The takeaway for operators is to build the event bones and hold the budget placeholder, so the hot IP can plug in late.
Elsewhere at Midsummer Scream: Hollywood adds its first Unmasking the Horror daytime tour at $20 for two houses, Winchester Mystery House drops the linear haunt for an open festival format, and Six Flags Magic Mountain adds Final Destination plus a werewolf maze from a Knott's Scary Farm designer, cross-park design work the old corporate structure never allowed.
Meanwhile, Six Flags opened 2027 pass sales one day after earnings, with regional Gold passes, Prestige passes, dining as bundles, and all-season Fast Lane pricing that runs $600 at Knott's and $2,000 at Cedar Point. Entry stays cheap because the strategy is repeat visitation.
Finally, SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica, and Discovery Cove return to a single president, 23-year company veteran Brad Gilmore, reversing the 2023 split.
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