Coronavirus cancels Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights
The COVID-19 outbreak forced theme parks to close or limit crowds
Universal Studios canceled Halloween Horror Nights at its theme parks this year.
The popular event was shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic, which has already forced public events throughout the country to operate at limited capacities or not at all.
“Universal Studios Hollywood continues to face ongoing business restrictions and uncertainty around its opening timeframe,” the theme parks, which has California and Florida locations, said in a statement. “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.”
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ORLANDO, FL - SEPTEMBER 14: A general view of the atmosphere during Halloween Horror Nights opening at Universal Orlando Resort on September 14, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images)
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Halloween Horror Nights let guests navigate haunted houses, scare zones and see live entertainment in late fall evenings after the traditional park closed. In 2018, Universal’s fourth-quarter revenue increased 3.5 percent to $1.5 billion, driven by record results from the events.
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Despite Universal’s Orlando parks being able to reopen in June with COVID-19 safety measures, California has not yet lifted its closure order for amusement parks as cases spike.
This week, the United States passed 4 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, with more than 147,000 deaths.