Halloween Horror Nights 33 officially starts August 30th – and with the year’s most highly anticipated event just around the corner, the holiday’s presence is being felt throughout the parks. From newly erected trusswork and lighting rigs to the merchandise reveals happening at select stores across Universal Orlando Resort, the imminent presence of HHN33 is undeniable.
While Universal has been steadily feeding guests and fans of the event information about this year’s event like an IV drip since April when the dates were officially announced, the one thing we’ve unsurprisingly heard little about is what this year’s Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store will be, or how the brilliant minds at Universal Creative plan to execute this year’s theme.
What we do know, however, is that several themed props have appeared at the All Hallow’s Eve Bootique in Islands of Adventure. Within this carefully crafted atmosphere, guests are surrounded by run-down props and broken show pieces from the Hudson Pier, a pier carnival that evokes thoughts of a 1950s Coney Island gone wrong. With hot dog carts and pipe organs set within this small shop, as well as plenty of creepy clowns smiling at you from all angles, there’s no shortage of carn-evil fun lurking within the doors of the All Hallow’s Eve Bootique.
Most notably, however, is what’s sold within. While Universal Orlando Resort has chosen the Bootique as one of its premier locations for Halloween Horror Nights merch reveals, the shop also features a special photo package that guests can purchase at the check out counter.
For many seasons now, each seasonal Tribute Store has featured the visages of guests who have purchased the privilege to have their image featured in some way, shape, or form on a themed prop that is put on display in the Tribute Store throughout the season.
And while photo packages of past have been directly tied to the theme of the season’s Tribute Store – with the VHS tapes of the Mega Movie Rental Store from summer of 2024 or the Comic Books from 2023’s HHN Tribute Store coming to mind – this year’s props for purchase are a little more unusual than usual.
At this point in the year, Universal has offered four different prop items: the “Crate of Flavour” (featuring “Real” meat in a box!), the can of Cretaceous Oil (A multipurpose oil used for dishwashing but NOT CARS.), a can of Llama Beans (Now with special Ham and Pineapple lumps!), or a box of Earl’s Coffee Beans (A unique blend of over 20+ nuts and legumes (and coffee).).
While having a variety of props to choose from in this photo package isn’t unheard orconsidering the Tribute Stores of past, Universal is only offering 50 of each item in total; once a particular item has sold out, it’s “gone forever,” as the advertisement states. Once each of the 4 items are sold out, Universal plans to restock with new item options for guests purchasing the photo package.
This photo package can be purchased at the All Hallow’s Eve Bootique at Islands of Adventure, the Five and Dime at Universal Studios Florida, or the Tribute Plaza at Universal Studios Florida. In addition to receiving your prop item at the end of the Halloween Horror Nights season – conveniently shipped to you! – guests opting into this unique seasonal experience also receive a Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store poster. This 24″x36″ poster will be sold in the All Hallow’s Eve Bootique, as well as the Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store and comes as a standard or 3D poster, for 18 or 20 dollars respectively.
Featuring The Curator, as well as an assortment of demons, creatures, and nightmarish images, this poster is an impressive piece of Halloween Horror Nights Artwork that fits seamlessly in with both the design elements seen thus far from HHN33 as well as the comic book style seen last year with Tribute to Terror, the exclusive Halloween Horror Nights comic book that was sold in the Tribute Store last year.
At 89.00 for the photo package, this year’s options are sure to fly off the shelves – and once they’re gone, they’re gone! Guest will need to be mindful of what’s available this year, and if you see an item you want to have your pictures featured on for this year’s Tribute Store, don’t hesitate to buy it! With a limited quantity of each item and no announcements as of yet what the next set of items will be, this year has an added element of urgency to it for those who are serious about having their image featured in the Tribute Store.
