I love art! Paintings, sculpture, theatre, music, literature, movies — you name it. I also have a soft spot for ghost stories, especially those set in a haunted house. It’s a classic for a reason! El Artista: A Spanish Haunting combines my love of the arts, ghost stories and, of course, Halloween Horror Nights (HHN).
You’re about to travel back to 19th-century Spain and follow in the footsteps of a tortured artist, Sergio Navarro. He’s primarily a painter, but he’s also a sculptor, woodworker and writer. He decides to seek inspiration in La Casa Creación, an isolated Spanish manor. That sounds like heaven to me, but unfortunately it turns out to be quite the opposite for poor Sergio. That’s because the manor is haunted by a whole horde of ghosts. When Sergio starts to bring his creations to life, they use his art as a portal into our world. By the time Sergio realizes what’s happening, they’ve started to possess him, too.
Read on for more details about El Artista: A Spanish Haunting at HHN.
An Original Artist’s Story
HHN has created haunted houses based on some of the most infamous Latin American legends, including last year’s Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America and Fiesta de Chupacabras in 2022. What’s unique about this house is it’s a completely original story focused on a character from Spain. “The character of Sergio Navarro was one of the very first morsels that came into my brain,” show director Ramon Paradoa shares. “So the idea of this tortured artist in this old desolate manor in the middle of countryside Spain, that was kind of the kicking off point for me creatively.”
I asked Ramon if the character of Sergio was somewhat autobiographical. “I see quite a bit of myself in Sergio,” he admits. “The idea of losing yourself in your art and the price that you pay as a creative. Is there a part of Sergio that knew what was going to happen when he started to become haunted by these ghosts, but the paintbrush was flowing, and he felt the creative inspiration coursing through?”
As a writer and a singer, I can definitely relate to getting lost in your art, though so far without any ghostly repercussions.
The Conservatory
The evil epicenter of the manor — and of HHN 2025 as a whole — is the conservatory. “The conservatory is the dark heart of the manor and that’s where the root of all evil kind of exists,” Ramon explains. “We’re playing into the idea that the roots of horror derive from this stained-glass conservatory. And there’s a greater sense of evil that ties into the origins of our fears. And that grows and spirals, spreads its tendrils from within that conservatory.”
Elements of the conservatory are coming to life throughout this year’s event, starting with the Origins of Horror scare zone at the front of the theme park. You’ll see artists against a stained-glass backdrop carving sinister statues that hint at the terrors in several of this year’s haunted houses. You’ll also encounter characters from El Artista: A Spanish Haunting, including possessed gargoyles.
The Façade
You can see the looming entrance to La Casa Creación long before you enter, a hauntingly beautiful, wisteria-draped structure with a gothic colonial feel. “We wanted the presence of the manor to feel overwhelming,” Ramon shares. “So naturally, the scale of this façade is massive. We wanted people to feel intimidated by the manor and engulf people in that visual right off the bat. They’re going to hear ghostly whispers. They’re going to hear Sergio’s voice as they see his open journal on a stone bench as he’s preparing you for what you’re about to experience.”
The House
You’ll enter the foyer and go down a dark, creepy hallway to the artist studio, where you’ll first see Sergio in the flesh and witness ghosts begin to menace him. “Part of the whole story is seeing his paintings come to life from within his art studio,” Ramon notes. “We’re going to see the ghosts start to create physical vessels for themselves, using pages out of the books that he’s written, along with some of his painting canvases.”
As you enter the conservatory, the horror escalates as topiaries, gargoyles and stained glass come to life. You’ll then go through a beautiful courtyard, where the wisteria has a mind of its own. The wisteria represents a specific ghostly resident (more on that later).
It soon becomes apparent that Sergio’s artwork has merged with the house, and the house has merged with his art. “There is a library scene where the walls are starting to blend with the pages in his writings, and his reality is starting to change and crumble before his very own eyes,” Ramon shares.
If that weren’t twisted enough, you’ll then enter an underground crypt where you’ll discover that Sergio wasn’t the first artist lured to the manor. Faced with that horrifying revelation, Sergio succumbs to the darkness and joins the other ghosts to become part of the permanent collection.
The final scene is called The Masterpiece. I won’t reveal what you’ll face, but let’s just say it’ll paint your nightmares for years to come.
The Sights
This eerily artistic house is a feast for the eyes. “We really push the envelope on how we achieve ghostly effects in a haunted house and explore new things as well,” Ramon says. “So, when it comes to the paintings coming to life, they’re [guests are] going to physically see the hands of ghosts stretching paintings. They’re going to see characters that are on the canvas of the paintings disappear from the canvas and then pop up right next to them. They’re going to see performers physically bursting through the canvas of the paintings to jump out and scare us. We’ll have shadows walking along walls. And then for the first time ever, guests will see a ghost walking through a wall.”
You’ll see wisteria growing throughout the house, a manifestation of a talented florist who came with her family to find creative inspiration and instead fell victim to the house. “She’s almost trying to warn Sergio along the way,” Ramon says. “We’ll also encounter her family, including her husband, who was a Spanish soldier that went off to war. Her two children are mischievous and are playing tricks on us in the haunted house as well.”
There’s also beautiful stained glass throughout the house, but it’s not just for decoration. It hints at the horrors to come. But much like Sergio, you won’t be able to resist venturing further into the sinister manor.
So keep your eyes peeled, assuming you aren’t too terrified to keep them open.
The Sounds
As you travel throughout the manor, you’ll hear Sergio narrate his journal, documenting what he’s experiencing. You’ll also see his physical journal in various spots.
In addition to Sergio’s narration, music plays a big role in this house. “There is one song in particular that guests will hear in different moments of the experience,” Ramon says. “And in my mind, this song is almost like Sergio’s theme song, and the song is very somber, but it’s hauntingly beautiful, too. And it really kind of ties into his story. The music becomes more chaotic as the experience progresses and things get a little bit more out of control for Sergio.”
The Smells
When I think of HHN smells, they’re typically pretty horrific. This house is the exception. You’ll enjoy wonderful floral aromas in certain areas, though you may be too scared to stop and smell the roses…err…wisteria. The library is also permeated by that wonderful old book smell, which might be a bit hard to appreciate in the midst of a surreal nightmare.
The Hidden Horrors
It wouldn’t be HHN without Easter eggs! Some of Sergio’s paintings were inspired by dark visions of the other original nightmares that await you at HHN 2025, including some feral felines.
There are many kinds of flowers in this house, but keep an eye out for poppies in particular. IYKYK.
Look for ghostly apparitions and physical manifestations all around you, including above you.
What about this storyline draws you in? What are you most excited to experience in this house?