Had a tour this afternoon through Universal's costuming department with a couple of creative types, T.J. Mannarino (director of art & design for entertainment) and Susan Moore (design manager for art & design). As you would expect, folks are sewing like crazy in there in prep for Halloween Horror Nights. Below are two examples of works in progress, with the artist's concept on the left. Oh, and this is the first time the public has seen these, gentle Theme Park Ranger readers.

This is one we'll call "Tree," and he's part of the American Gothic scare zone. Peg stilts will give him height in the Production Central area of Universal Studios -- the area I call "donkey alley" because of the nearby Shrek attraction. If you're thinking a tree is out of place in that location ... well, not any more ... Universal has added some there.

This is the queen of hearts, as will be seen in the "Asylum in Wonderland" area, which will be along Hollywood Boulevard upon entering the park. This costume won't be distressed/dirtied up like so many of the HHN ensembles ... but she WILL have the ax and headdress on opening night, Sept. 26.

Somehow, Halloween has landed on my front burner today, so here's a roundup of upcoming theme-park doin's that build up to Oct. 31.

Wandered around earlier this afternoon looking for Universal's Halloween Horror Nights billboards. Have to say the one in the Fairbanks stretch of Interstate 4 made me think "dead man's curve." Haven't seen any at night yet, but above is a Universal-provided shot that's freakin' me out a little.

Universal has officially introduced its Bloody Mary icon, and you can read a lot about it at www.halloweenhorrornights.com/orlando. We're looking at eight new haunted houses (Mary has her own) and six "scare zones." The latter sound very creative. Bill & Ted and Rocky Horror are back ... plus Brian Brushwood's show has expanded into his own gig. First night is Sept. 26 at the Universal Studios park.

After the jump: SeaWorld's Halloween Spooktacular and Mickey's Not-So-Spooky Halloween Party at Disney's Magic Kingdom.

Billboards for Halloween Horror Nights are going up Thursday, Aug. 28, Universal Orlando says.

Naturally, they think they're going to be scary. Actually, the press release uses words like "creative," "provocative" and "larger-than-life." The billboards also promise to introduce "a new face behind the horror" for the event, which kicks off Sept. 26 at Universal Studios.

Universal says there will be 80 billboards in the Orlando area. After the jump, a list of prominent locations.

More details about this year's Halloween Horror Nights are being released by Universal Studios. Today we learn that Brian Brushwood, an "extreme" magician who participated in last year's Freak Show, will be the star of his own show. Among the sklls he displayed in 2007 were fire-eating (including "the human candle" trick) and various stunt piercings (tongue skewering, nail up through nose and out through eye, a little number called "the human crazy straw.")

In other words, stuff from the Don't Try This at Home, Kids file.

He's pictured here with another member of his act, Mr. Happy Pants.

Halloween Horror Nights doesn't begin at Universal Studios for a couple of months, but the hiring process is already under way. Click here for audition dates and more info.

Last year I sat in on  some of the try-outs, and while I have no guaranteed methods for getting hired, I did pick up a few tips.

1. The more available you are during the run of HHN, the more attractive candidate you are.

2. The audition calls continue for several weeks, therefore your odds are better if you go sooner rather than later. I went late in the process last year, and many hires had already been made, so they were down to looking for very specific types and positions.

3. Show some personality. It's not the time to be timid.

We've not set off our first July 4th firecracker, and yet, here's breaking news about Halloween Horror Nights. Tickets are now on sale for the event within Universal Studios. There are 23 dates:  Sept. 26, 27, October 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31 and Nov. 1.

A one-day pass costs $69.99, but you can go the "Frequent Fear Pass" route for the same price and get in 13 select nights -- any Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday night PLUS the opening weekend (Sept. 26-27).  For the record, that $5.05 more than the 2007 rates.

There will also be Florida resident discounts for advance purchases through a Coca-Cola promotion that saves customers $33 on Sunday-Thursday, $25 on Fridays, $10 on Saturdays. It pays to have a plan! And Universal warns that popular dates (Fridays, Saturdays) tend to sell out.

HHN events start at 6 p.m., after the park closes. There are deals to upgrade from a day at the park. See www.halloweenhorrornights.com for details.

So, Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios is a wrap.

And next year, the park has a Simpsons ride opening.

And last night, the Simpsons aired its annual Treehouse of Horror episode.

The TV show featured an E.T.-based vignette, not to mention Flanders' "Heck House."  Who doesn't want to see this synergy?

A ghoul can dream, right?

Attention, Universal passholders who haven't had enough Halloween Horror Nights. There is a special deal on advance tickets for this Friday and Saturday. It's $25.95 plus tax, per person, per event night. Not a bad deal, even for wusses like me.

There are additional benefits, including early admission (5 p.m.) to Universal Studios, early entrance into two haunted houses (Camp Blood, The Thing) and two rides (Jaws and Men in Black), and the 2007 Passholder souvenir.

You can also add the HHN Express (front-of-line access) for another $35.99 (plus tax, per night) for these evenings.

More information? Call 1-866-PASS-4-FUN or visit the Horror Nights site.

As you might have seen on the new "Inside the News" feature, I am not the bravest of Halloween Horror NIghts soldiers. However, since we recorded that segment, I am no longer a HHN virgin. And I've lived to tell about it.

There's a bigger piece in the works about the haunted houses at Universal Studios, so for now, I'm just going to give some hints about the two stage shows that are the least Halloweeny.

If there is a consensus about this Universal event, it's that the "Bill & Ted" shows are much beloved. They've been around 16 of the 17 years of Horror Nights. I would call it good clean fun, but it's just not that clean. Heck, the first five minutes has ready-for-HBO language followed by sluts and abs. All to the delight of the crowd Saturday night.

Halloween Horror Nights kicks off next Friday at Universal Studios, and the place is beginning to look scary in that freaky clown sort of way. The Carnival of Carnage theme is carried throughout, effectively from what we can see so far.

The entrance features a ferris wheel with a Jack symbol in the center. This gateway is even more photo-worthy than usual. I mean, have you ever walked up to Universal Studios without someone posing here? More scenes after the jump.

We're two months away from Halloween but only about four weeks away from Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando. Our Sentinel colleague Scott Powers has a story today about new offerings and strategies Universal will use to try to keep lines shorter (more houses, more shows).

You have several options and offers to enhance your HHN experience. The single-night price is $64.95. You can buy online at halloweenhorrornights.com, print out your own tickets and go straight to the gate.

Or for the same price of $64.95, you can get the Frequent Fear Pass which admits you to the event on 13 nights beginning Sept. 28 OR 29, plus Halloween, plus every Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday of its run.

Meanwhile, there's a Florida resident offer that involves the UPC from Coca-Cola products. It knocks about $30 off the price but must be purchased 24 hours in advance. And there are various offers for Universal's annual passholders.

There's a new theme-park publication in the works, and you could be a writer for it, too. Well, provided you know how to write well. And, of course, that you love the theme parks here and attend them often.

Former newspaper editor and publisher Matt Roseboom and Disney blogger Ricky Brigante are teaming up to publish, "Orlando Attractions Magazine," an every-other month publication (in the beginning, anyway) devoted to themed attractions here in the theme-park capital of the world.

I could go off on a why-in-the-HalloweenHorrorNights-didn't-anybody-think-of-this-before tangent. But, given my contractual obligations to a certain old-media publication at 633 N. Orange, I'll just whistle, scratch my head and offer up a Goofy-worthy "gwash!" instead.

Universal Orlando is trying to scare up actors and performers for its Halloween Horror Nights. This includes singer, celebrity lookalikes, stilt walkers and motorcycle riders for features including the Bill and Ted show and the new Rocky Horror Picture Show inspired presentation.

Click here for audition dates and requirements for certain roles. For instance, stilt walkers must appear in "stilt walking attire" and must not weigh more than 190 pounds. Talk about scary: They are going to weigh you at the audition. But on the plus side, it's not B.Y.O.S. -- they provide the stilts.

And motorcyclist candidates (Aug. 8) must complete a skills test that includes an obstacle course.

The audition hot line is 407-224-7622.

As Scott Powers reports in today's Sentinel, Universal has added big-screen creepies Freddy Krueger, Jason and Leatherface to its Halloween Horror Nights lineup. My gurgling gut tells me that this will increase my already high freak-out factor when it comes to this event.

You know what would be even freakier? Universal invited real-life scary folk to "host" nights of the event or make appearances.

Like Paris Hilton. ...