Our final haunted house was Madlands: Caged Cannibals, an original Halloween Horror Nights creation set inside an abandoned zoo that has been taken over by violent cannibal factions. The attraction takes inspiration from the former Griffith Park Zoo in Los Angeles and the concept of urban exploration, where people investigate abandoned buildings and forgotten locations. This inspiration can be seen throughout the house, with decaying animal enclosures, damaged signage and environments that feel as though they've been left untouched for years.

One of the most interesting things we discovered was the number of hidden references to Universal's history. Several batteries scattered throughout the attraction feature names inspired by classic films and attractions. Near the beginning, there's a PowerTime Fusion Battery, referencing the Mr. Fusion device from Back to the Future. Elsewhere, a Mega Loan-On Shock battery references the Megalodon shark and Jaws, while a New Life Re-Animating Battery pays tribute to Frankenstein. We also spotted the letters FN91 on one of the batteries, a reference to the original Fright Nights event in 1991.

There were plenty of clever practical effects to discover too. Rather than relying on a traditional loud popper effect for certain scares, the creative team uses carefully timed lighting to achieve a similar impact. Other sections feature rattle bars that performers can operate to create sudden bursts of noise and movement. We also learnt that the mulch covering parts of the floor is actually made from shredded tyres, allowing Universal to reuse the material across multiple Halloween events.

Another detail we loved was discovering how the attraction's signage follows the same directional layout as the zoo map guests encounter near the entrance. It's a subtle touch that helps the location feel believable, even though most people would never notice it while being chased through the darkness. The house also features a reused bat prop from the Jungle of Doom: Expedition Horror scare zone at Halloween Horror Nights 32 in 2023, demonstrating how Universal can repurpose older scenic elements in completely new environments.

Perhaps the most surprising fact came from the final scene, where our guide revealed that approximately 14 gallons of theatrical blood were used to create the gruesome environment. For comparison, we were told that the Terrifier house from the previous year used around six gallons. It's an astonishing amount of blood, and seeing the scene with the lights on made us appreciate just how much work had gone into creating such an over-the-top finale.