The future is video games, and both Disney and Universal are leveraging partnerships with Epic Games and the Fortnite video game to capture a new demographic at their theme parks. Last night was the opening night of Halloween Horror Nights, and Universal debuted an all-new scarezone featuring Fortnite. More specifically, Universal’s Halloween event used Fortnitemares, a seasonal event within the Fortnite game that introduces Halloween theming to the game. In this article, we wanted to explore how Disney and Universal are leveraging Fortnite to reach an all-new demographic for their theme parks.
Fortnite at Halloween Horror Nights and Disney Theme Parks
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- Universal’s Fortnitemares scarezone debuted with Halloween Horror Nights 35 on opening night
- Disney separately announced a new Fortnite integration with Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at D23 Expo
- Both companies are using Fortnite to court a younger, video-game-focused audience
Fortnitemares Scarezone at Halloween Horror Nights
In an opening night panel with invited media, Michael Aiello, Senior Director – Entertainment Creative Development – Universal Destinations and Experiences, talked about the Epic Games partnership. Aiello said the inclusion of Fortnitemares was a way for Halloween Horror Nights to “actively lean into a different demographic.” Ramon Paradoa, Show Director and Writer in Creative Development at Universal Orlando Resort, added that the “partnership with Epic Games is beautiful.”
Paradoa also spoke about the challenge of adapting a video game into a Halloween Horror Nights scarezone. Universal worked closely with Epic Games to build a space that stayed authentic to the Fortnitemares brand while still fitting naturally into the wider Halloween Horror Nights event. That balance shaped the creative decisions behind the scarezone.
The scarezone itself drops guests in from the Battle Bus as they search for an HHN Point of Interest. Reaching it means crossing Freaky Fields, one of four scarezones anchoring Halloween Horror Nights 35 this season. An approaching storm closes in around guests as they move through the field, mirroring the storm mechanic from the video game itself.
Disney’s Fortnite Integration at Hollywood Studios and Disneyland
Disney has its own Fortnite news this month. At D23 Expo, Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Games announced a new in-park and virtual activation with Fortnite. The update ties Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run to Smugglers Gambit, a new Star Wars island in Fortnite built with Lucasfilm. Guests who link their Disney account with their Epic Games account unlock a bonus mission briefing inside the attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland. Crates collected during that mission carry over as rewards inside Smugglers Gambit itself.
The connection runs in both directions. Progress made inside Smugglers Gambit also affects scoring back on the physical ride. It’s a link between the at-home game and the in-park attraction that Disney has not made before.
This is the first theme park integration under a partnership that stretches back further than most guests may realize. Disney announced a $1.5 billion equity stake in Epic Games in February 2024. The deal came with plans for a connected games and entertainment universe spanning Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Avatar. Fans would eventually watch, play, shop, and create across those franchises in one connected place. Smugglers Run marks one of the first times that vision has physically reached into a theme park attraction.
A Shared Bet on a Younger Audience
Universal and Disney are chasing the same audience with these two projects. Both companies are using an existing, massively popular game to pull in guests who might not otherwise prioritize a theme park visit. On our own recent HHN media tour, one young guest listed the Fortnitemares scarezone as their top priority. It was a clear endorsement of who Universal built the zone for.
Longtime Disney and Universal fans have been slower to embrace Fortnite showing up inside their theme parks. Even so, both companies are clearly betting that the payoff, a direct line to a massive built-in gaming audience, is worth it.
Keep Reading
- Smugglers Run x Fortnite Integration at Disney Parks, for full details on Smugglers Gambit and how the connected rewards system works.
- Disney Acquires $1.5 Billion Stake in Epic Games to Create Expansive Games and Entertainment Universe, for the original 2024 announcement that started the partnership.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!