Orlando, July 25: It's hard to scare the bejesus out of someone in a haunted house while socially distancing, which may explain the decision by Universal to cancel its Halloween Horror Nights this year at its US theme parks.

The company said Friday it wouldn't be hosting the celebration of all things scary at its Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood so that it could focus on operating its theme parks for daytime guests under pandemic restrictions. Also Read | Assam Reports 1,165 New COVID-19 Cases Today, Total Count Reaches 31,086: Live News Breaking And Coronavirus Updates on July 25, 2020.

“We know this decision will disappoint our fans and guests. We are disappointed too. But we look forward to creating an amazing event in 2021," the company tweeted. Also Read | India-China Stand-Off: Ongoing Talks Led to Compete Disengagement at PP 14, 15, 17A, Says Report.

Halloween Horror Nights typically lasts more than a month starting in September, but it's planned for more than a year. Each haunted house is a small, temporary attraction, elaborately designed and themed, built with studious attention to details and populated with “scare-actors” who chase but never touch the thousands of patrons passing through each night.

Last month, Walt Disney World canceled its annual after-hours Halloween party at Magic Kingdom that typically begins in mid-August. Both theme park resorts, as well as others around the U.S., closed in March because of the new coronavirus. Universal Orlando reopened last month, and Disney World started welcoming back visitors two weeks ago.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)