Consider the following a guideline for how each year of Horror Nights usually unfolds.
April: The website refreshes with a generic page garnished with pictures of years past and a hodge podge of quotes from the press. In recent years, the page has featured the "HHN Archive," first crafted in 2006, revised for each passing year.
May: A vague teaser page is placed on the website. Rumors begin to swirl as construction on the mazes proceeds and the marketing material is finalized.
June to July: The event's theme is teased and fleshed out with a batch of web-page updates. Auditions are held. Construction continues.
August: Website updates continue and lead up to a press release, unveiled by Universal, confirming the teased theme. The website is updated, revealing the theme and the roster of scarezones, haunted mazes, and shows. Marketing begins with billboards, TV spots, and advertisement tie-ins with a variety of products and establishments (towards the end of August).
September: Marketing campaign goes into full force . Scarezone construction begins, but stagnates until after "Rock The Universe" transpires (typically, the second week of September). Employee night transpires. Changes are made accordingly, leading up to the event's opening.