The goal for the creators of Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America, one of the original content haunted houses in this year’s Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) at Universal Studios Florida, was clear: to immerse guests into a traditional Hispanic home, haunted by the nightmares passed on as cautionary tales from generation to generation.
Whether you grew up listening to these stories or are hearing about them for the first time, Universal Orlando Resort’s entertainment art and design team spared no attention to detail. From assembling an all-Latino cast to incorporating Spanish dialogue and training on the correct pronunciation of character names, the team brings an authentic monstruos experience to life.
As you approach the house, the charming, cozy exterior quickly gives way to darkness. The home unravels, and the monstrous lurking in the shadows begin to reveal themselves. In an episodic manner, you meet La Lechuza, a shape-shifting owl from Mexican folklore; Tlahuelpuchi, a vampiric creature also from Mexico; and El Silbón, a Colombian and Venezuelan legend, whose eerie whistle signals your imminent doom.
Originally introduced to HHN fans in 2022 as a scare zone at Universal Studios Hollywood (USH), these terrifying creatures became so popular that they got their very own haunted house in 2023, also in USH. This year, however, they’ve traveled to the east coast for the first time.
Kelly Malik, a show director leading the Entertainment Art and Design team, spent months collaborating with our USH partners to ensure Universal Orlando would reintroduce these stories in the most authentic way possible. “It was a very successful haunted house for [Hollywood’s] fans last year! I’m so grateful to have been a part of bringing these stories to the forefront for [Orlando] guests to enjoy,” says Kelly.
Behind the monstrously impressive house design and architecture is Manuel Cordero, senior scenic designer. With a master’s degree and decades of experience in set design, he’s been expertly designing environments and scenery for marquee events at Universal Orlando since 2006. To ensure every detail was just right, Manuel infused the house with authentic Latin American artwork and coloring, drawn from his Puerto Rican roots.
“People fall in love with our sets because they look so real,” Manuel says. “That’s what makes our houses so unique, the level of reality we strive for.” Manuel was so invested in getting it right that he even led a meeting to teach the rest of the team how to pronounce Tlahuelpuchi — breaking it down as “Tallaha,” from Tallahassee, and “puchi,” the nickname for a small, playful dog.
Costuming also plays a big a part in the story immersion. Enter Emily Blumenauer, costume designer, known for her expertise in horror and marquee projects. With a fashion design background and seven years at Universal Orlando, Emily’s passion for HHN began early: “I think my first time going to HHN was when I was about 15, and ever since then, I’ve loved it. I love being scared. I love scary movies. I love bringing all that to life.” For Emily, costume design goes beyond selecting fabrics and crafting mask designs — it’s about fully immersing herself in the folklore to be able to create wardrobe that is true to the origin of the story.
Now that the creative scene is set, it’s time to bring this house to life, with precise operational direction — leading the charge is Ramon Paradoa, show director. He works with scareactors every night, rehearsing and training them to embody terrifying characters. Ramon’s journey with Halloween Horror Nights started when he was cast as a scareactor (full-circle moment!), and after earning his master’s in directing and theater, he now shapes the nightmares guests will face. “I’ve been fortunate to grow and develop my career with this team,” Ramon shares. “It’s a pinch me moment every day.”
The team embraced the project with curiosity and responsibility. It was a journey of discovery for them, too, showing that there’s always room to learn and grow. “I think it’s important to recognize that even within the Latinx community, there’s so much to learn about different cultures,” Ramon says. “And as our guests start to uncover these stories, they’re going to be in for some real scares.”
Have you faced these terrifying legends yet? Make sure to check out the “Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America” house at this year’s HHN 33 — you can secure your ticket here!