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Universal Bans Their Own ‘Stranger Things’ Bag From Park, Forbids Guest Entry

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Posted on by Alessia Dunn
Stranger Things characters in front of the Halloween Horror Nights sign

Credit: Edited by Inside the Magic

If you are planning on visiting Halloween Horror Nights this year, be aware that there may be some items that cannot come in with you, including items that Universal Orlando Resort actually sells. (Confusing? We agree.)

At Walt Disney World Resort, guests are currently enjoying Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Much like you can hear in the name, this after hours event is not scary at all, and is made for all age groups.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party has recently encountered a sold-out audience; where guests can trick or treat, meet rare characters like Jack and Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas, marvel at the Boo to You parade, and enjoy the high-quality production of Hocus Pocus Villainous Spelltacular, the Cinderella Castle show which brings out the Sanderson Sisters, Dr. Facilier, Oogie Boogie, Maleficent, and more.

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Jack and Sally
Credit: Disney

Guests can also enjoy Jack Skellington as he introduces Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular firework show that has Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and the gang running through a haunted house.

Although this event is always very fun and adorable, if you are looking for real scares, Universal Orlando Resort is the place to be.

Halloween Horror Nights has been the premier Halloween event that the theme park resort has had to offer for 30 years, taking place primarily at Universal Studios Florida, and at times, Islands of Adventure as well. As we have reported, coming to Universal Studios on select nights from September 1 through November 4, Halloween Horror Nights is returning bigger and scarier than ever. With ten haunted houses and five scare zones, you won’t miss this event. In its 32 years of operation, HHN has been the biggest Halloween event of the year time and time again.

halloween-horror-nights
Credit: Universal Orlando

This year, the Stranger Things 4 house is among the most popular for guests this season, as it was heavily rumored to have come last year.

Stranger Things is one of the most popular TV shows on Netflix. Created by Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, AKA the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things follows Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and her friends Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Caleb (Lucas Sinclair), Will (Noah Schnapp), Max (Sadie Sink), and more as they battle monsters from the Upside Down as well as secret government organizations.

Vecna coming out of a wall in the Stranger Things 4 house
Credit: Universal Studios

The series reached its peak popularity after Stranger Things season four, which featured exciting new characters like Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) and Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) and iconic pop culture moments. Recently, we covered the fact that many iconic scenes that are included in the Universal Studios Orlando’s house are not in Universal Studios Hollywood, which has “ruined” the experiences for many. Read more on that here. 

The iconic series is likely coming to an end after season 5, so there will only be one more chance for Universal to capitalize off of the original series before it ends.

Eddie Munson in Stranger Things
Credit: Netflix

Earlier this year, David Harbour (Jim Hopper) said it’s “definitely time” for the Netflix series to come to an end, and recently added that he doesn’t want to be known only for his role in the show, while Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven) has said she’s ready to move on.

That being said, there are several Stranger Things spinoffs in development, and while we weren’t expecting any of the actors to return after Season 5, it’s still heartbreaking to hear Keery confirm that his time in the franchise will be over after the fifth and final season, which puts to bed any rumors that he and co-star, Maya Hawke, will return in their own spinoff series.

In the first episode of season 4, we can see that the episode is titled Chapter One: The Hellfire Club. The Hellfire Club is something Universal Orlando Resort has highly capitalized off of this Halloween Horror Nights season, by creating a backpack with The Hellfire Club logo on it.

Eleven attacking Vecna in the Upside Down in Stranger Things Halloween Horror Nights 2023
Credit: Netflix

The bag is sold at multiple locations on Universal Orlando Resort property, but there is one catch: you cannot ever bring it into the park again.

One Universal guest recently bought the bag and, when wearing it to the theme parks, was unable to make it past security. It seems that the small chain on the bag, which is how the bag was initially sold, made security refuse entry to one guest.

Bellagorgon (@bellaharveyy) Tweeted her experience with being rejected due to her Universal-purchased bag. She wrote:

@UniversalORL @HorrorNightsORL i bought a bag at your event that has a chain on it. i came in ALL of opening weekend with said bag i bought in the park. i am being denied entry into your event that i bought the bag at. please contact me this is wrong.

She continued, “lmfaoooo they’re telling me to buy another bag when i literally bought this $65 bag for the event. at universal. this is so DUMB i have all my camera stuff with me. WHY WASNT THIS AN ISSUE LAST WEEKEND.”

In the end, the guest did contact the CityWalk manager who said that this was not an issue, “UPDATE: city walk manager said this hasn’t been an issue. they are calling head of security and calling me back!”.

Bella posted a photo with the Stranger Things backpack in front of the Halloween Horror Nights entrance to share that she indeed made it in.

The following night, Bella seemed to have had made it in without issue.

and we made it in!!! ft all my stranger things merch

For those looking for a closer shot of the backpack, Bella also shared this Tweet before returning to Halloween Horror Nights the following evening.

can’t wait to go to hhn with my bag tonight lmaooo and if they give me issues im pulling up my conversation with universal bye

Although the issue did get resolved, it is a little shocking the have heard that security would reject a guest from entering the event and prompt them to purchase a new bag, when the bag they brought is from Universal Orlando Resort itself.

Hopefully, this issue does not happen again in the future with Universal Orlando Resort merchandise.

The Stranger Things 4 house is explained as, “Band together with your squad to resist Vecna’s gruesome curse as you take on the scariest season of Stranger Things yet.”

Halloween Horror Nights has been undergoing some controversy as of late due to guests inappropriately harassing and attacking performers. Read more on that here. 

Have you ever been turned away from a theme park? Why did it happen to you?

When visiting Universal Orlando Resort, Guests can enjoy attractions such as Rip Ride Rockit, MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack, Transformers: The Ride, and more. Visit Diagon Alley in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, where you can venture into Gringotts!  Islands of Adventure has some fantastic attractions like the new Jurassic World VelociCoaster, Jurassic Park River Adventure, The Incredible Hulk Coaster, Doctor Doom’s Fearfall, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, and more! Volcano Bay is also open for those who want to get their splash on. 

At Universal Studios Hollywood Guests can enjoy WaterWorld, The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, Super Silly Fun Land, Silly Swirly Fun Ride, Kung Fu Panda Adventure, Universal’s Animal Actors, Special Effects Show, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff, The Simpsons Ride, Studio Tour, Jurassic World — The Ride, Revenge of the Mummy — The Ride, Transformers: The Ride-3D, and more!

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