I have a complicated relationship with Halloween. On the one hand, I love candy, and dressing up in costume is a lot of fun. On the other hand, though, I am very easily scared and avoid anything mildly frightening at all costs.

So when I was asked to spend an afternoon experiencing Universal Studios Singapore Trick or Thrills Halloween activities — featuring its first-ever Halloween Horror Nights Exhibition — I was a bit hesitant, worried my scaredy-cat self wouldn’t be able to handle it.

But after I looked more at the event lineup (and was told I could bring my boyfriend along with me for moral support), I felt that the event seemed like the perfect balance between sweet and scary, so I decided to go for it.

Candy and characters

My favourite part about Halloween has always been the unending flow of sweet treats and the fun of seeing people all dressed up.

So I was thrilled that we were beginning our afternoon with some of Universal’s beloved characters while getting candy from Candy Ambassadors, who are stationed all over the park, as part of the Trail of Treats.

We watched Count von Count, Cookie Monster, and Abby Cadabby from Sesame Street cruise down the streets of the park’s New York zone, as part of Sesame Street Candy Cavalcade, a new Halloween meet-and-greet.

We also got a chance to strike some kung fu poses with Po from Kung Fu Panda, catch a selfie with Illumination’s Minion Monsters, and rock out with Poppy, Branch, and Guy Diamond from DreamWorks' Trolls.

If seeing everybody dressed up as something else other than themselves makes you want to join in the fun, you’ll be glad to know that you can actually stand a chance to win prizes such as attraction tickets, retail and dining vouchers just by doing so.

Simply 1) take a picture in your Halloween costume, 2) post it on Instagram with the hashtag #TrickorThrillsatUSS, and 3) tag and follow @RWSentosa.

Only public profiles are eligible, and winners will be notified on Instagram.

There is also a chance to win the daily costume contest happening in-person at Universal Studios Singapore. Candy Ambassadors in the New York zone will be on the lookout for the best Halloween costumes, and if your costume stands out, you could win an instant prize.

Guidelines for costumes and the terms and conditions of the contest can be found here.

Minion snacks

In between the meet-and-greet photo sessions, we took a break to grab some food, because there’s always time for a snack.

The new Minion Monsters Bites food cart sells a wide assortment of tasty and photogenic snacks designed after the Minions, including the Dracula Minion Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich, Evil Minion Puff, Minion Monsters Swiss Roll, and more.

“He looks sneaky!”, my boyfriend remarked of the Minion Monsters Swiss Roll.

Die-ning With The Dead

After taking lots of photos and getting our trick-or-treat candy, we headed over to KT’s Grill for some dinner at the immersive Die-ning With The Dead experience.

The decor of the restaurant really added to the spooky Halloween feeling, and the staff were all decked out and in character as well.

The set dinner is available as either a three- or four-course meal, consisting of one starter, one or two main courses (depending on which dining package customers opt for), dessert, and a special Halloween drink.

It was both of our first times trying escargot, so that definitely made the dining experience even more unique. I particularly enjoyed the gnocchi in the Swamp Stew, while my boyfriend’s favourite dish was Foot In The Grave.

The meal also included an interactive element — several “monsters” paid us a visit at our table, and presented us with a severed head on a plate.

Halloween Horror Nights Exhibition

After enjoying our spooky dinner, we made our way over to the Halloween Horror Nights Exhibition.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the much-anticipated Halloween Horror Nights event takes a different form from previous years. This year, park goers can enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at how past Halloween Horror Nights were ideated, planned, and carried out.

I was a little anxious as we followed our guide into the exhibition area, as I wasn’t sure how haunted house-like it would be.

“Is it as scary as the actual Halloween Horror Nights?”, I worriedly asked a team member. She assured me that it’s more informational, with background context, but added forebodingly that since the exhibition is about Halloween Horror Nights, there would be elements of horror within it.

I was relieved to find that most of the exhibition was indeed informational, with text, videos, and props showing how the past nine years of Halloween Horror Nights came to be, and revealing the making of some of the infamous haunted houses, scare zones, and shows.

Even as someone who has never been brave enough to actually go to Halloween Horror Nights, seeing all of the year-round hard work and creativity that was put into the creation of them each year gave me a deep sense of admiration for the people behind the scenes.

Some of the props freaked me out a little, but the most frightening parts were near the end of the exhibition: the clown room and the Pontianak.

When we made it out of the exhibition, I breathed a sigh of relief. It definitely wasn’t nearly as scary as the actual Halloween Horror Nights, but that was more than enough for me for sure.

Do note, though, that the exhibition may be too intense for some guests, and is not recommended for guests under the age of 16.

Entry to the Halloween Horror Nights Exhibition must be booked in advance here.

After Dark

By the time we came out of the exhibition, the sun had set, and the darkness gave the park a whole different vibe.

We headed over to the Universal Monsters Scream Alley, which looked vastly different (and way creepier) than it had during the day:

Every Friday and Saturday evening, guests can encounter the Universal Monsters — Wolfman, Dracula, Frankenstein, and Bride of Frankenstein — amidst the fog of Scream Alley.

Scary Sleepovers at Equarius Hotel

For those who want to enjoy all of the Halloween festivities that Universal Studios Singapore has to offer across multiple days, Equarius Hotel is offering several Halloween Scary Sleepovers.

Book the 2D1N Scary Sleepover Package starting from S$298++. The package includes a Halloween-themed room stay at Equarius Hotel, a scare package with two Halloween masks and treats, and complimentary parking.

Or, book the 2D1N Scary Thrills Package from S$398++, which includes the same perks of the Scary Sleepover Package, plus two Universal Studios Singapore Adult One-Day tickets.

For Mastercard holders, enjoy additional S$50 nett savings on all Scary Sleepovers when you pay for your booking with Mastercard, while stocks last.

More information on the Scary Sleepovers packages is available here.

A Halloween celebration for all ages

All of the Halloween activities and deals mentioned above, including the Halloween staycation packages at Equarius Hotel, are running from now until Nov. 7.

This year’s Halloween celebrations at Universal Studios Singapore are particularly good for families with younger children — or full-grown adult millennials like me who are usually scared of everything.

For thrill seekers, there are not only plenty of rides and photo opportunities in costume, but also a chance to learn more about the making of past years’ haunted houses.

More information about the Halloween line-up at Universal Studios Singapore Trick or Thrills is available here.

This sponsored article brought to you by Resorts World Sentosa made the author want to go trick-or-treating again.

Top photos by Jane Zhang.

Sesame Street ® and associated characters, trademarks and design elements are owned and licensed by Sesame Workshop. © 2021 Sesame Workshop. All rights reserved. Kung Fu Panda © 2021 DreamWorks Animation L.L.C. All rights reserved. DreamWorks Trolls © 2021 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved. Minions and all related elements and indicia TM & © 2021 Universal Studios. All rights reserved. Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2021 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.