Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation – Full Movie Guide

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation is the third movie in the popular animated Hotel Transylvania film series. It was released in 2018 and directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, who also directed the first two movies. The movie is full of fun, laughter, friendship, and colorful animation, making it a favorite for kids and families.

The movie is produced by Sony Pictures Animation and features many famous voice actors, including Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg, Kevin James, Steve Buscemi, Kathryn Hahn, and Jim Gaffigan.

In this part of the series, Dracula and his monster friends go on a summer vacation — but things take a twist when Dracula falls in love with someone unexpected.

Main Characters and Voice Cast

• Dracula – Voiced by Adam Sandler. He is the owner of Hotel Transylvania and father of Mavis. In this movie, he tries to relax but ends up falling in love.
• Mavis – Voiced by Selena Gomez. Dracula’s daughter who organizes the vacation to help her dad unwind.
• Johnny – Voiced by Andy Samberg. Mavis’s human husband.
• Ericka Van Helsing – Voiced by Kathryn Hahn. The mysterious ship captain with a secret plan.
• Professor Abraham Van Helsing – Voiced by Jim Gaffigan. The legendary monster hunter and main villain.
• Frankenstein (Frank) – Voiced by Kevin James. Dracula’s close friend.
• Murray the Mummy, Wayne the Werewolf, Griffin the Invisible Man, and other monsters also return in this fun sequel.

What Is the Story About?

The movie starts with a flashback to 1897, where Dracula and his friends are being chased by the famous monster hunter, Abraham Van Helsing. Dracula escapes, and Van Helsing promises to destroy all monsters one day.

In the present day, Dracula is feeling lonely. He misses his wife and has not found love since her death. His daughter Mavis sees that her dad is stressed and unhappy, so she decides to surprise him with a vacation.

Mavis books a luxury monster cruise ship called the Legacy so the whole monster family can enjoy a relaxing trip. Dracula, Mavis, Johnny, their son Dennis, and all their monster friends go on board for a summer adventure.

On the ship, Dracula meets the ship’s captain, Ericka, and instantly feels a “zing” — the magical love connection that monsters feel when they meet their true love. However, Ericka is hiding a secret. She is actually the great-granddaughter of Abraham Van Helsing, and her mission is to destroy Dracula and all the monsters.

As the cruise travels to different fun places — including the Lost City of Atlantis — Dracula tries to win Ericka’s heart, while Ericka secretly plans her attack. But as she gets to know Dracula, she starts to see that he’s not a bad guy. She begins to question her family’s mission.

Meanwhile, Mavis becomes suspicious of Ericka and tries to protect her dad. Funny things happen all through the trip, especially with the other monsters — like Frank getting seasick, Murray partying, and Wayne’s werewolf pups causing chaos.

In the final part of the movie, Van Helsing uses a magical object called the Instrument of Destruction to try and destroy all monsters during a huge party in Atlantis. But Dracula and his friends fight back using… dance!

Yes, music and dancing become the weapons to save the day, showing that joy and unity are stronger than hate.

Key Themes

The movie shares some important life lessons, even while making you laugh:

1. Love and second chances: Dracula thinks he’ll never fall in love again. But love surprises him when he least expects it.
2. Don’t judge others by the past: Ericka learns that just because her grandfather hated monsters, it doesn’t mean they’re bad.
3. Family and friends are everything: Mavis and her dad show how much they care for each other. The group of monsters shows true friendship.
4. Have fun and enjoy life: The cruise is full of dancing, parties, and games. It reminds us to take a break sometimes and have fun.

Animation and Style

The animation in Hotel Transylvania 3 is colorful, bright, and very smooth. The character movements are bouncy and exaggerated, which adds to the comedy. The movie uses fun visuals to show different places like an underwater volcano, tropical islands, and the glowing city of Atlantis.

The monsters have fun new looks for summer, like Hawaiian shirts and sunglasses. The animation team also did a great job designing the cruise ship with pools, buffets, and even a dance floor for monsters.

Music and Soundtrack

The music in the film plays a big part, especially in the final scenes. Some of the popular songs used include:

• “Macarena”
• “Party Time”
• “I See Love” by Joe Jonas and Jonas Blue

The songs are fun, upbeat, and fit perfectly with the vacation vibe of the movie.

The ending dance battle is one of the most loved parts of the film. Monsters and humans dance to defeat evil, showing the power of music and joy.

Reception and Box Office

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation was a big hit. It was released in July 2018 and earned over $528 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film in the Hotel Transylvania series at the time.

Audiences loved the humor, family message, and fresh vacation setting. Critics gave the film mixed to positive reviews. Many praised the visuals and fun, though some felt the story was simple. But for kids and families, the movie was a success.

It also received nominations at several award shows for its animation and voice acting.

Where to Watch

As of now, you can watch Hotel Transylvania 3 on:

• Netflix
• Amazon Prime Video
• Apple TV
• Google Play Movies

DVD and Blu-ray versions are also available in stores and online.

Fun Facts

• The idea for this movie came after director Genndy Tartakovsky went on a family cruise and thought, “What if Dracula went on one?”
• The word “zing” was used in the first movie to describe love at first sight. In this film, Dracula zings again, something he never expected.
• This was the first movie in the series where Adam Sandler also helped produce the film.
• Ericka Van Helsing is a new character introduced in this part, and she became very popular with fans.

Final Thoughts

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation is a funny and heartwarming film. It continues the story of Dracula and his monster family in a fresh way by taking them out of the hotel and onto a summer cruise. With great animation, fun music, silly jokes, and a sweet love story, it’s perfect for a family movie night.

Whether you are a longtime fan of the series or watching it for the first time, this movie will leave you smiling. It reminds us that everyone deserves love, even monsters — and that sometimes the best adventures happen when you step outside your comfort zone.