Hot Butterbeer Comes to Universal Orlando Resort

Starting today, November 21, Universal Orlando Resort began serving hot Butterbeer to guests at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. They were generous enough to offer some of the first Leaky Cauldron and Three Broomsticks visitors complimentary cups of the new beverage. Get all the details below about this new addition...

Guests have tried it cold, frozen – and even as an ice-cream flavor. Beginning today, November 21, 2014, Universal Orlando Resort will now offer hot Butterbeer at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. To celebrate this new addition, some of the first guests at Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley and Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade were surprised with complimentary cups of the new drink.

Courtesy Universal Orlando

Hot Butterbeer is a smooth, hot beverage reminiscent of shortbread and butterscotch served year-round with a whipped topping. In The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, it will be served at Leaky Cauldron, The Hopping Pot, and The Fountain of Fair Fortune. In The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, it will be available at Three Broomsticks and Hog’s Head Pub.

Since the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade in June 2010, millions of Butterbeers have been sold each year at Universal Orlando. It has quickly become a guest favorite and appears as a popular drink in the Harry Potter books and films.

-Larissa Mrykalo

Chicago's Admiral Theater Celebrates Sixth Year of 'Night of the Stripping Dead'

Prepare yourselves, boils and ghouls, for the "Night of Stripping Dead" is coming. Celebrating their sixth year, the Admiral Theater will once again be providing spooky (and sensual) entertainment for Chicago's adults. The event originally began as a one night event, but became so popular that it now spans three terrifyingly sexy evenings.

According to the Admiral himself, "Wicked Wednesday will include Witches, Zombies and Mummies. Terrifying Thursday will host more Zombies and offer $1000 for the best Sexy Zombie Stripper. Freakshow Friday will no doubt be the most Thrilling of all with Freaky Features and Ghoulish surprises!" The performances will span from October 29th at 9 p.m. through November 1st at 6 a.m.

If you're 18+ and in the Chicago area, be sure to snag your tickets before they return to the grave for another year.

-Nowal Massari

Travel Channel Presents 2014's Ten Best Halloween Attractions

The Travel Channel just enlisted the expertise of a panel of advisors to come up with ten of the best haunts in the country. Our own Paranormal Pop Culture Expert and host and co-executive producer of Travel Channel’s "Paranormal Paparazzi," Aaron Sagers, was one of the contributors. Also included on the panel were, Lead Investigator for "Ghost Adventures," Zak Bagans; Author, TV Personality, and Paranormal Expert, Jeff Belanger; Video Project Manager, TravelChannel.com, Arthur Hsu; and, Owner, HauntWorld.com, HauntWorld Magazine and Halloween Productions, Larry Kirchner.

Drum roll please! Here are the ten haunts that made the 2014 Travel Channel's Best: Halloween Attractions...

Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor – Long Beach, Calif.
The Queen Mary was built in the early 1930s as a luxury trans-Atlantic ocean liner, but was pressed into military service to carry troops during World War II where hundreds died in and around the ship. This Halloween, the haunted ship is offering its Dark Harbor tours with four new attractions – the Soulmate maze, the B340 maze, Voodoo Village and Monster Midway, which features a freak show, a mechanical monster and a new ride, the Sinister Swings. Travel Channel’s “Ghost Adventures” recently did a lockdown investigation aboard the Queen Mary for the show’s season 10 premiere, uncovering chilling paranormal evidence. So keep your eyes open, because those ghostly apparitions you see may not just be another special effect.

Haunted Attraction Highlight: Field of Screams, Mountville, PA

BY LARISSA MRYKALO

On a clear and chilly October eve, fellow Paranormal Pop Culture writer, Dr. Spectre recently joined me for a trip to Lancaster County Pennsylvania's Field of Screams. There are several of these haunted attractions to choose from these days so standing out is key, and Field of Screams does not disappoint in that department. Set in a cornfield at 191 College Ave, Mountville, PA, four different but equally creepy haunts awaited us...as well as terrifying clowns, chainsaw-weilding maniacs and a mini carnival atmosphere with food and games.

We tackled all four of the haunts but the beauty is, you can pick and choose if you don't want to do all of them. I highly recommend going for it, especially if it's your first time. I won't be going into lots of detail about what awaits...that'll spoil all your fun.

We decided to start with the Frightmare Asylum and were welcomed by some delightfully disturbed patients. They were nothing compared to the sadistic doctors and nurses that couldn't wait to admit us permanently. Tons of visual, olfactory (yep, smells), auditory and tactile experiences awaited us not only in the asylum but the other attractions as well.

Danny Elfman Announces Limited Engagement Halloween Concert

Courtesy IMDB

This fall, "Danny Elfman's Music From the Films of Tim Burton" will be hitting Los Angeles for a limited two show engagement. The concert will feature original songs from all 16 of Burton and Elfman's cinematic collaborations, with Elfman himself performing iconic songs from "The Nightmare Before Christmas," where he acted as the singing voice for Jack Skellington. 

The orchestral performance will feature suites from Edward Scissorhands, Batman, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland, Beetlejuice and more. The concert itself will be conducted by John Mauceri and will feature a 45 person choir, an 87 piece orchestra and will feature film clips and the artwork of Tim Burton. 

This will mark Elfman's second U.S. performance since 1995, with the first being the Oingo Boingo farewell tour at the Universal Amphitheater. Elfman will be taking the stage on October 31 (Nokia Theater) and November 2 (Honda Center) after performing in sold out shows across seven countries. Starting at $55, you can get your tickets through AXS.com, Ticketmaster or you can call (888) 929-7849 or (800) 745-3000 to secure your seats! Last years Elfman-less program sold out in a matter of days, so snag your tickets ASAP and enjoy the show!

-Nowal Massari

'Star Wars' Struts Into New York Fashion Week

Images courtesy Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images

Some out of this world fashion debuted today during New York Fashion Week. From wild and playful designer, Rodarte, came five really beautiful and deliciously nerdy gowns featuring iconic "Star Wars" images/characters.

C-3PO, Yoda, Luke, Tatooine and the Death Star were represented and would look gorgeous on any Princess. Not sure how much these dresses cost but a girl can dream, right? Check them out individually (after the jump) and let us know what you think!

-Larissa Mrykalo

'The Walking Dead Escape' Zombie Obstacle Course Infects the Nation

The virus has spread! But in this case, it's a good thing. Ever since its San Diego Comic Con debut in 2012, "The Walking Dead Escape" zombie obstacle course (based on the comic book and TV series) has attracted hordes of fans and now it's expanding to other cities. The tour of terror begins on April 24 in Baton Rouge, LA and finishes up at Petco Park in San Diego, right where it began in 2012.

"Walking Dead" Creator, Robert Kirkman discusses the course's success with Entertainment Weekly:

The Walking Dead Escape is something that’s been an absolute massive hit for us. It was immensely popular at New York Comic Con and San Diego Comic Con, and now we’re going wide with it. It’s a fun way to spend the afternoon, especially if you’re a big 'Walking Dead' fan. It’s an experience unlike anywhere else. You can live the kind of things you see in the comics and show and go to a place and get chased by zombies. Or go to a place and watch your friends get chased by zombies. And nobody gets eaten, which is the best of both worlds!

So how does the brain-child of the series handle the course? Kirkman reveals, “I go very slowly through it. These are slow zombies. You can run your way through it and do really well, or you can take your time and maneuver your way through it. You can use your muscles and you can use your brain.”

Have you ever navigated the obstacle course? Would you be brave enough to try it out this year? Check out the dates and cities below and be sure to let us know if you'll be attending!

Tour Locations and Dates:
Baton Rouge, LA – April 24th at Baton Rouge River Center Arena
Houston, TX – April 26th at Reliant Stadium
Miami, FL – May 3rd at Sun Life Stadium
Tampa, FL – May 10th at USF Sun Dome
Jacksonville, FL – May 17th at EverBank Field
New Orleans, LA – May 24th at Mercedes-Benz Superdome
Atlanta, GA – May 31st at Philips Arena
San Diego, CA – July 25th and 26th at Petco Park surrounding Comic Con 2014

-Larissa Mrykalo

Demeter and Elvira Offer Three New Fragrances

Our own temptress and writer, Nowal.

The folks at Demeter Fragrance Library are the masters of unusual colognes. Recently they released Zombie for Him and Her, which we previously reviewed. Surprisingly not disgusting for being modeled after the scent of the walking dead, that cologne is rich and earthy scented, with a hint of mildew.

While those may not be for everybody, Demeter and Mistress of the Dark, Elvira, have teamed up to bring three devilishly sexy scents into your lives. If you're a little apprehensive after checking out their kooky colognes, rest assured, I've tested all three and guarantee there's something for everyone.

Exploring Fear & 'The Walking Dead' At Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights

BY AARON SAGERS


The Halloween screams don't end after Oct. 31 for the creatures, and creature creators, at Universal Studios Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights. While you may be removing gooey fake blood, latex or fangs after a long night of candy corn and cocktails, the scares continue at the 23-year-old event in Central Florida.

Running through Nov. 2, Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) - which has a counterpart at the Universal Hollywood in California - has consistently ranked at the top of lists of best haunt. In fact, HauntWorld, a magazine for professional owners and operators of Halloween attractions, called it "simply the king of all Halloween theme parks."

And for a second year in a row, the "king" of haunts has partnered with the ruler of cable television, AMC's series "The Walking Dead," to create a zombie-ridden experience. Although this year the scream team has expanded to include park-wide "scare zones" where so-called "Walkers" from the show will terrorize guests as they explore the movie-set streets - and wander through scenes from the first three seasons of the mega-hit show. Also, "The Walking Dead: No Safe Haven" haunted house, or maze, allows those guests to visit the disturbingly accurate prison and town of Woodbury from the show.

'Game Of Thrones' & Ommegang Announce New Beer: Fire And Blood Red Ale

From the press release, the next beer in the "Game of Thrones"-inspired series is being readied for market, and the brew kettle at Brewery Ommegang is running hotter than ever. Brewery Ommegang and HBO jointly announce the third beer in their successful partnership, Fire and Blood Red Ale, will release in the run-up to the show's return to air in spring 2014. The new beer, inspired by House Targaryen, features a series of labels, one for each of the three dragons on the show: Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion.

Fire and Blood follows Iron Throne Blonde Ale (spring 2013) and Take the Black Stout (available now) in the hugely popular and unique partnership between the network and Brewery Ommegang. The first beer in the series, Iron Throne, flew off retail shelves and poured through tap spigots at an unheard of pace, leading to two additional brews. Just released (and at 2.5x the scale of Iron Throne), Take the Black is enjoying similar success as fans of great beer are getting into stores early to ensure they don't miss out. Timed for the launch of Season 4, Ommegang's Fire and Blood is sure to find interest at a feverish pitch.

Halloween Survey: Facts, Figures and Weird Costumes

Slutty Bacon? Courtesy: Tada

Well, it’s Halloween Eve and believe it or not, it’s not too late to wrangle up a costume. We thought this was a pretty interesting Halloween infographic to share with you and wanted to see if you agree. We’re suspecting that this holiday is pretty high up there on the favorites list for our readers but check out what this survey determined.

Featured in a blog from Tada, “In our pre-Halloween infographic, we've coupled trending Halloween costume search terms (both popular and strange) from our sister site Bizrate.com and a survey of 7,315 online shoppers.”

Here are some interesting facts that resulted from the survey:

* Generation Y counts Halloween as 4th favorite holiday (after Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year's); Seniors rank it last, in 8th place.
* 33% of seniors dislike Halloween so much that they opt to turn out their porch lights and go out to dinner.
* 4/5 of shoppers plan to celebrate Halloween (30% with gusto, 49% in a smaller way).
* 38% will be putting on a costume, while 15% won't wear one but will put one on their kid.
* Someone out there is dressing up as Slutty Bacon for Halloween.
* 70% will spend at least $25 on Halloween costumes; 85% will spend at least $10 on candy.

-Larissa Mrykalo

Dead Sexy Burlesque Presents 'Dead Sexy: Blood Moon'

They say that when Hell is full, the dead will walk the Earth. Well, this time they will shimmy and shake their way from Hades to bring you Dead Sexy Burlesque.

Under the light of the full Blood Moon and for one night only, New York's bloodcurdlingly bawdy Neo-burlesque will be resurrected at the elegant Duane Park. Dead Sexy: Blood Moon, is presented by Weirdbottom, along with the Burlesque Mayor of NYC, Jonny Porkpie and Jeremy X. Halpern.

According to Jonny Porkpie, host and creator, "There is only one full moon during the halloween season, and that is the blood moon. It is the time when the barriers between this world and the next become flimsier than a burlesque performer's silk g-string, and therefore the only time when Dead Sexy is able to cross back into the world of the living."

Porkpie also co-produced Dead Sexy weekly at The Crypt Cabaret from March 2013 until late July, when the show met a premature end after the venue shut down.

The ghoulishly delightful show will feature a bevy of burly babes bumping and grinding as some of your most beloved beasties. You can expect to see Jo "Boobs" Weldon, The Maine Attraction, Little Brooklyn, Sizzle Dizzle, Trixie Little & the Evil Hate Monkey and Mr. Gorgeous disgrace and defile the stage. Joining them will be gravedigger Poison Ivory and musical guest Corn Mo., with Jonny Porkpie and Baron Von Weirdo conducting the fiendishly frisky festivities.

You can catch Dead Sexy: Blood Moon on October 18, with doors opening at 11:59 p.m. Tickets are available for online pre-sale for $10 until October 17, when pre-sale prices go up to $15. Tickets will be available for $20 on the day of the show.

-Nowal Massari

Sugar Skulls Add Flavor To Etsy

That sweet tooth of yours might kill ya, but you might as well enjoy the ride in deathly style. Over at the Etsy shop of Dem Bones, these hand-molded sugar skulls are a nifty product for your Halloween parties or just to add an extra "ooh" to your daily cup of Oolong. Made with 100% pure cane sugar, this particular box of 36 skulls (about one pound of the good stuff) costs $17. Each skull measures 1/2" X 1' and is slightly more than two teaspoons of sugar.

-Aaron Sagers

13 Paranormal Brews to Lift Your Spirits This Season

BY LARISSA MRYKALO

It's pretty staggering how many breweries have jumped on the paranormal hayride in the past few years. If you head into your supermarket or beer distributor to purchase your favorite brew this fall, you'll be overwhelmed with the hauntingly cool names and labels featured.

That's all well and good, and we're all for cool artwork, but are these concoctions any good for drinking? We've assembled 13 paranormally-themed brews that range from IPA to pumpkin stout and everything in between.

Give them a try and let us know if they were hauntingly delicious or should be buried in the ground. And if you've suggestions on some we've missed, let us know!

Demeter and Elvira Let You Smell Like The Mistress Of The Dark

Demeter Fragrances have teamed up with Elvira Mistress of the Dark, to bring you some sexy
spooky scents, just in time for Halloween!

First up is Elvira's Black Roses, which uses Thorny Stem Bulgarian Rose petals and red currants to create a deeply sexy, floral scent.

Elvira's Vamp has notes from the Dracula Orchid, Belladonna and Madagascar Vanilla to complete a dangerously enchanting fragrance.

Finally, Elvira's Zombie. With ylang ylang, red poppies and black vanilla bean, this perfume is sensual enough to rouse the dead.

These hauntingly dark scents are available now and start at $25. Get yours before they disappear into the dark.

-Nowal Massari

Walker Stalker Con Adds Two Big Names

Not too long ago, we announced that Jim Frazier and Eric Nordhoff of the "Walker Stalker Podcast" would be bringing listeners and zombiphiles the "Walker Stalker Con" this November in Atlanta. At the time of their announcement, the guest list was already pretty impressive, but now they've added two big names.

Joining the con will be Melissa McBride who plays "Carol" on The Walking Dead and crossbow toting Daryl Dixon, Norman Reedus.

The Walker Stalker Con runs (shambles?) from November 1-3 in Atlanta, GA. Get your tickets here before they're gone!

-Nowal Massari

'The Snacking Dead' Parody Cookbook Available This October

Courtesy EW

Zombocalypse preppers, put away those MREs. Clarkson Potter, the publishers behind cookbook parody 50 Shades of Chicken, are bringing us a parody of The Walking Dead in The Snacking Dead.

Inside the pages of this spooky parody, you can expect to find 50 delicious undead-themed recipes such as "Guac and Load Guacamole," "Sticky ribs," "Survivalist Hero," "Swedish Fleshballs"and "Cold Blooded ice cream sandwiches." The book also provides helpful tips and tricks for having to prepare tasty meals and treats in dangerous and extreme situations.

Author D.B. Walker (see what they did there?) has included a zombie tale to accompany the photos and recipes of the ghoulish goodies. This must have for foodies and zombiphiles is available for preorder now ($14.99 for the book or $11.99 for the Kindle version), and will be hitting the shelves on Oct. 29.

-Nowal Massari

Go For a 'Trek in the Park' This August in Portland

After finding the theater scene in Portland, Ore., a little lackluster, Atomic Arts co-founders Adam and Amy Rosko decided to boldly go where no other theater company had gone before.

After much deliberation, and continual viewing of the classic Kirk vs. Spock scene from "Amok Time," the brother-sister team decided to bring classic Star Trek to life in the parks of Portland, Oregon.

When it began, they were uncertain how people would react. The Star Trek fandom is notably huge, and nerds in Portland are particularly vocal when they feel their favorite nerdiverses are being mistreated. However, on the first run in July 2009, when he uttered the first line of the monologue as Captain James Tiberius Kirk, Adam says the crowd cheered wildly, and it was then they knew that they had made the right decision.

Cast of "Trek in the Park"

This August, after a five-year run and gaining a cult following, including a quick spot on hit show Portlandia, the bridge crew of the USS Enterprise will take its last voyage in the City of Roses.

When I sat down to speak with Portland's “Captain Kirk,” I asked him why they had decided to end the show after being so well received. Rosko stated that they had always planned on mirroring the five year mission mentioned in the shows prologue and always knew the order in which the shows would go. They also knew that they would end with "The Trouble with Tribbles," one of the most well known episodes in the Trek-verse to viewers and non-viewers alike.

'Walker Stalker Con' Comes to Life This November

Fans of The Walker Stalkers podcast, or zombiphiles in general, get excited!

Podcast creators Jim Frazier and Eric Nordhoff have announced that this fall they will be putting on their own horror/zombie convention, aptly titled "The Walker Stalker Con."

“Join us – James and Eric, from the popular Fans of The Walking Dead podcast – The Walker Stalkers. We want to put on THE BEST, most fan-centric zombie and horror-themed convention ever! We want this event to be over-the-top extreme fan-centric. You, the fans, will get great access to actors and celebrities like no other convention before at Walker Stalker Con 2013!! Be a part of something big! We will have tons of special guests, actors, filmmakers and celebrities from popular zombie, horror and sci-fi TV shows and films.”

The convention will take place November 1-3 at the Atlanta Convention Center, with the Westin at Peachtree Center acting as host hotel for the event. Guests of the Walker Stalker Con can expect the
exhibit hall to be full of make-up artists, vendors, comic book artists and much more.

While a full guest list has yet to be announced, some of the guests you can expect to see are Lauren Cohan (The Walking Dead), Judith O'Dea (Night of the Living Dead) , Lew Temple (The Walking Dead), Jose Pablo Cantillo, Tyler Chase, Adam Green (Holliston), Nick Gomez, Daniel Thomas May, Addy Miller, Vincent Ward, E. Roger Mitchell, Corrie English, Parker Wierling, Kylie Szymanski, Laura Ortiz, Larry Mainland, Joe Lynch, Sonya Thompson, William Sibley Hart and Moses J. Moseley, Mike Christopher, Leonard Lies, Travis Love, Theodus Crane, Jay Bonansinga, and Sonequa Martin-Green.

More guests are expected to be announced.

To make this Con come to (un)life, James and Eric have set up a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the convention, raise awareness about the Con itself and give sponsors and fans some extra
special goodies.

-Nowal Massari

Historical Haunt Hunt Offered During Comic Con

Steve Barton of Dread Central recently visited the William Heath Davis House in San Diego and has now, along with the San Diego Ghost Hunters and the Gaslamp Museum, organized a tour of the historical home during this years San Diego Comic-Con for those who prefer a little extra spookiness in our lives.

Barton explains:
“The William Heath Davis House is located just two blocks away from the Convention Center at 410 Island Ave., and it’s guaranteed to provide you guys with something truly real and frightening to do and talk about. Tours start on Thursday and will be held twice a day, once at 9:00 PM and then again at 12:00 Midnight. Admission is $60.00 per person WITH ALL PROCEEDS going to the upkeep of this truly historic building. Attendees are encouraged to bring cameras and recorders and take pictures. As many as possible. These flashlight tours can get extremely spooky as you’re not just gonna be sitting there listening
to a history lesson of each room. YOU will be conducting the investigation. YOU will be a part of this search through one of the most haunted and active areas in the world.

Then on Saturday night, July 20th, there will be an exclusive ALL ACCESS tour from Midnight until… well… whenever we finish. Please note that this special event will be very limited. Food will be served beforehand, and nerves will be shattered afterwards. This is NOT a walk-through with actors looking to pop out at you. This is THE REAL DEAL. The Exclusive Saturday Night Tour will cost just $100.00 a head, but that’s nothing considering the experience you are likely to have. Especially when it comes to the attic portion of the house, which will ONLY be open on the Saturday tour. The house becomes VERY active after 1:00 AM, and staff will be on hand to escort you out should the experience prove to be too much for you.”

So if you want to get away from the questionable Cosplay and get a
little creepy, make sure to grab your tickets today!

-Nowal Massari