Inside Sunway Lagoon’s Nights ofFright 11
26 October
By: Zhu Chenrui
Editor: Zheng Yuhan
Official poster from Sunway Lagoon Theme Park
As the opening riff of Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” tore through the speakers, smoke swirled, and spotlights flashed red over Sunway Lagoon’s entrance. The crowd roared — then screamed — as Malaysia’s biggest Halloween festival, Nights ofFright 11, officially opened its gates.
For the next few hours, the park would be transformed into a living nightmare orchestrated by a single figure: The Puppeteer.
A Festival Where Fear Takes Centre Stage
Running every Friday to Sunday from Sept 26 to Nov 2, 2025 (7.30 p.m. – 11.30 p.m.), Nights ofFright 11 marks the eleventh year of Sunway Lagoon’s signature Halloween event.
This year’s edition features eight haunted houses, three scare zones, a haunted theatre, and more than 300 costumed performers lurking around every corner.
Official map from Sunway Lagoon Theme Park
The one of creative directors behind it, John Gullidge, in an interview with Vulcanpost, says the aim is to blend global horror with Malaysian flavor, “We always try to give it, a local touch — something audiences here can recognize and fear.”
The festival’s tagline — “The Puppeteer Pulls the Strings” — fits perfectly. Giant wooden puppets flank the entrance, their glowing eyes welcoming guests into the Puppeteer’s twisted carnival of screams.
Opening of Nights ofFright 11 (Photo by Sunway Lagoon Official)
Lights, Camera, Terror: Horrorwood Studios
Among the eight haunted houses, Horrorwood Studios: Final Fright catches my attention.
The experience begins in a long corridor lined with statues of classic horror characters — masked killers and supernatural villains. Visitors walk through as if entering a
gallery of nightmares. The twist? Not all of them are statues. Hidden among the figures are live actors who suddenly move, breathe, or whisper, blurring the line between lifeless display and lurking threat.
The atmosphere carries an unexpected sense of epic scale — more like stepping into a cinematic monument than a simple haunted house. Inside, the maze divides into
several zones, each recreating scenes inspired by legendary horror films. Flickering projectors, soundtracks, and interactive NPCs bring these moments to life, turning the audience into participants in an ever-shifting film of terror.
As a horror enthusiast, I found it exhilarating — not just frightening, but reverential. Horrorwood Studios feels like a love letter to the genre, celebrating decades of horror storytelling while making you part ofit.
Entrance of Horrorwood Studios (Photo by Tourism Malaysia)
Local Legends Come Alive in “Karak”
If Horrorwood Studios is cinematic, Karak: The Kampong Killers is chillingly local.
Based on the real urban legends of Karak Highway, the haunted house takes visitors through a fog-shrouded kampong, past abandoned huts and flickering oil lamps. The jump scares hit closer to home precisely because they feel plausible.
NST described it aptly as “a terrifying reimagining of Malaysia’s deadliest urban legend.” They weren’t exaggerating — it’s a haunted house that makes your skin crawl even after you step outside.
Entrance of Karak: The Kampong Killers (Photo by Sunway Lagoon Official)
Queues and the Price of Fear
The event’s popularity comes at a price — patience.
Each haunted house easily racks up 30-minute waits, while fan favourites can stretch beyond an hour.
Nazirul, a local visitor, commented on Klook that The Super VIP Pass is 100% worth it if you want the full Nights ofFright experience without long waits or hassle.
Long queue before Karak: The Kampong Killers (Photo by Zhu Chenrui)
Without the Quack Xpress Pass, it’s nearly impossible to experience every attraction in one night. The fast-lane ticket adds to the cost but saves valuable time. In my opinion, it’s worth every ringgit if you want the full experience.
Even the park’s normal rides draw heavy crowds. I queued for over an hour for a one- minute rollercoaster — short but electrifying.
Behind the Screams
Putting together Nights ofFright is no small feat.
Sudden Impact Entertainment chairman and CEO Lynton V Harris, one of the event’s mastermind, reveled to Malaymail that 300 scare performers work nightly, supported by make-up artists, choreographers, lighting designers, and sound technicians.
Scare performers walking around the park (Photo by Tourism Malaysia)
Between attractions, scare actors prowl the walkways, never breaking character. A “death ” even photobombed my selfie.
The writer posing with a scare actor. (Photo by Zhu Chenrui)
It’s this dedication that keeps guests immersed. Even outside the haunted houses, performers remain in character — whispering in queues, pacing in shadows, and turning ordinary pathways into theatrical horror sets.
The Business of Fear
Beyond entertainment, Nights ofFright 11 drives serious foot traffic to Sunway City’s night economy.
Hotels, food stalls, and transport services see a spike in visitors every Halloween season. Social media buzz — especially on TikTok and Instagram — helps transform fear into free publicity.
The event has become a yearly ritual for many Malaysians, mixing adrenaline, laughter, and friendship. The blend of Western horror tropes and Southeast Asian folklore gives the festival its unique identity.
Crowds in Nights ofFright (Photo by Zhu Chenrui)
Final Curtain
By closing time, the last echoes of Master of Puppets fade under the Puppeteer’s crimson archway. Strangers trade stories of what scared them most, laughing between gasps.
That’s the secret of Nights ofFright 11: fear becomes shared joy. You scream together, recover together, and remember it together.
Mengenai kami
Nadi Bangi adalah portal akhbar makmal Program Komunikasi Media, Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). Sebarang pandangan atau kandungan yang disiarkan tidak mewakili UKM. Ditubuhkan dengan objektif untuk menjadi suara warga kampus, Nadi Bangi menyajikan laporan berita, rencana khas, serta pandangan kritis berkenaan isu semasa yang berlaku di dalam dan luar kampus.