If you're the type to race to your local Starbucks (SBUX) to get a Pumpkin Spice Latte come Sept. 1, browse TJ Maxx (TJX) and leave with armfuls of Halloween decorations, and generally feel happy the moment the temperature dips below 80, it's highly likely that one of the spooky annual theme-park events could also be on your to-do list.
Disney's (DIS) bringing back Mickey's Not-So-Scary event this year, a delight to those who have missed out on it the past two years due to covid restrictions.
For 2022, Disney promises "a ton of Halloween activities and food, including Disney's Not-So-Scary Spectacular fireworks show, a Hocus Pocus Villain Spectacular, which is a celebration at the Cinderella Castle stage, a Mickey's Boo-To-You Halloween parade with a ton of fan-favorite Disney characters, and the Cadaver Dan's Barbershop Quartet," per TheStreet's Zigi Kaiser.
If you like a little more fear in your Halloween night, Universal Studios' (CMCSA) Halloween Horror Nights is known for dishing up one scream after another with its ever-changing haunted-house lineup.
Kicking off on Sept. 2, the featured houses include one created by musician TheWeeknd called After Hours Nightmare, one themed after slasher-film classic "Halloween" and another dedicated to classic Universal monsters like the Mummy, Dracula, and the Wolf Man.
Some of us, however, have been holding our breath for a very different kind of update from Universal. And this week, we got it.
Universal Hollywood Welcomes a Special New Store
Whether you've been a longtime fan of all things Nintendo (NTDOF) since the Nintendo Entertainment System days, or your kids are permanently glued to their Switches, you're probably going to want to a pay a visit to Universal Citywalk to see its brand-new Super Nintendo World store when it opens its doors.
Universal Studios Hollywood tweeted an image of the new storefront on Sept. 1, promising that the new shop is coming soon.
Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Orlando showed up in the comments as well, making a point of expressing its jealousy.
Super Nintendo World, which first opened in March 2021 in Universal Japan, has since been announced for Universal Hollywood with an opening date of early 2023.
Theme-park blogs have noted that construction on the new attraction seems to be progressing well, as reported by Theme Park Tribune earlier this year.
While Universal Hollywood has already added Nintendo merchandise to its Feature Presentation store in the park, the Super Nintendo World store obviously will be devoted fully to Nintendo properties, such as "Super Mario Bros.," which is also what all the rides inside Super Nintendo World are themed on (so far).
Universal also promises that Super Nintendo World locations will come to Orlando (in 2025) and Singapore.
But if you'd rather not wait for next year, Japan just reopened its doors to solo international travelers, so book yourself a ticket and get over there. You can watch a full tour of the park with Nintendo superstar designer Shigeru Miyamoto right here.
