Universal Studios Orlando Halloween Horror Nights HHN

By James | Last updated December 29, 2023

This page may contain compensated affiliate links. Please read the Disclaimer for more information

Universal Studios Orlando Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) is consistently voted “Best Halloween Event“ by Amusement Today in their Golden Ticket award. This event is not recommended for children under the age of 13 and costumes and masks are not allowed.

In 2020 Universal took the decision to cancel the event as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Halloween Horror Nights returned in 2021 and celebrated 30 years with the new tagline “Never Go Alone”.

Our top tip for saving on Universal Studios Orlando Halloween Horror Nights tickets

For the best prices, you will want to compare a few sites. Tickets are available through Universal Studios authorized ticket reseller Undercover Tourist and the official Universal Studios site. It’s definitely worth comparing the prices of all the sites as often the resellers are cheaper!

Universal Studios Orlando Halloween Horror Nights runs at Universal Studios (not Islands of Adventure) between September and October. Sometimes Universal add additional dates as they don’t have the event every night throughout September and October. It’s worth checking dates with Universal before booking.

Regular park visitors must exit the park by 5 p.m. and the Halloween attraction opens each night at 6:30 p.m. Unlike previous years, closing time is not until 2 a.m. every night.

Halloween Horror Nights is a separately ticketed event and is not included with regular admission. Note that the normal free parking after 6 p.m. is not available on Halloween Horror Nights.

Halloween Horror Nights Scream Early upgrade allows you to enter the park between 3 and 5 p.m.

What happens at Universal Studios Orlando Halloween Horror Nights

If you are already in the park prior to 5 p.m. then you can take advantage of Universal’s “Stay and Scream” arrangement. There are holding locations at Today Cafe, New York or Central Park where you can wait until around 6 p.m. when you can head for selected haunted houses in the areas of KidZone, World Expo, and New York, giving you a head start on guests arriving at the main gates.

Special themed ultra-realistic “house” mazes and scare zones “streets” are set up to frighten the guests along with live entertainment. Universal recruit thousands of extra staff called “scare actors” who dress up as mutants, monsters and zombies to roam the darkened streets.

The houses are indoor sets often recreating scenes from horror movies whereas the scare zones and street experiences are outside spaces connecting different areas of the park (and hence easier to escape from if you find the experience too intense).

Halloween Horror Nights is in marked contrast to family-friendly Walt Disney World, SeaWorld and Legoland Halloween celebrations and is not for the faint hearted. If you are an ardent fan of horror movies you will probably “enjoy” it, if that is the right word?

Some children may find some of the attractions too intense. Note that there are no children’s ticket prices and like all “adult” Halloween theme park events, no costumes or masks are allowed. If you arrive in a costume or mask you will be turned away at the gate.

Universal gradually releases information about their Halloween Horror Nights over a period of several months, usually starting in June.

Universal Studios Orlando Halloween Horror Nights Rides

Some of Universal Studios other attractions usually remain open during Halloween Horror Nights including:

  • Transformers: The Ride-3D
  • Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
  • Revenge of the Mummy
  • The Simpsons Ride
  • Fast & Furious
  • Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts

Shops and restaurants in Diagon Alley are also open.

The normal daytime Express Passes and those given to Universal Resort Hotel guests are not valid during Halloween Horror Nights. You need a separate Halloween Horror Nights Express Pass to give you front of line access to the rides, houses and scare zones.

Universal Studios Orlando Halloween Horror Nights Houses and Scare Zones

Each year Universal introduces new haunted house mazes and street scare zones. Usually they have ten houses, five scare zones and two live shows.

The ten houses for 2024 include: These will be listed when they become available.

Note that guests on Electric Convenience Vehicles (ECVs) need to transfer to a standard wheelchair to visit the haunted houses.

There are the five Scare Zones/Street areas (location in brackets) in 2024: These will be listed when they become available.

Universal Studios Orlando Halloween Horror Nights Shows

Universal has announced that there will be two live shows in 2024: These will be shared once available.

Halloween Horror Nights 2024 Dining Experience

The Halloween Horror Nights Dining Experience this year is at… To be confirmed nearer the time. You can enjoy an all-you-care-to-eat themed dinner buffet from 5 p.m. plus photo opportunities with Halloween scare actors.

 

Price is $54.99 per person plus tax on select nights and reservations are required.

You can still get your fix of Halloween themed food and drinks including vegan options at various locations in the park. As well as trusty favourites like Pizza Fries and Twisted Taters there are some wonderfully named dishes including:

  • Pepperoni Pizza Skulls — skull crust stuffed with pepperoni and mozzarella cheese
  • Fried Zombie Brains — tempura battered cauliflower florets
  • African Lentil & Potato Sambusa Coffin — lentils, carrots, onion and potato in a pie dough coffin
  • Spicy Fried Chicken “Offals” — crispy fried chicken
  • Maggot-Covered Cheese Dog — battered beef hot dog with mozzarella cheese and puffed rice cereal
  • Witches Spell Cauldron Stew — green chilli and shredded chicken stew with skeleton cornbread
  • Coconut Yuzu Eyeball — coconut moose with prickly pear eyes
  • Spoiled Angry Bear Meat — savoury hot cheetos and white cheddar cheese flavoured marshmallows

At the butcher inspired Meetz Meats stand, everything is served in meat trays just like you would see on the fresh meat counter in your local store, right down to the cellophane wrapper.

Don’t forget that Universal CityWalk is also open with a large range of restaurants and bars including Voodoo Donuts with their “Chucky” donut and The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen with their Black Magic Milkshake.

Universal Studios Orlando Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store

Now in its seventh year, the Tribute Store is a combination of Halloween themed walk-through attraction, quick service eatery and retail gift store selling themed merchandise. It is usually open every day during normal park hours and each evening during the actual Halloween Horror Nights events.

For 2024 the series of themed rooms are decorated as a pumpkin patch with ghoulish jack-o-lanterns , a cemetery with macabre animatronics, a mausoleum, a witch’s cottage and a Halloween festival. A track motif on the floor leads you from room to room.

Like last year, the final room contains plenty of themed food items including a Mummy Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Ball, Ghost S’mores Macaron, Coffin Chocolate Brownie and Lil’ Boo Pumpkin Bowl Cake. The range of themed snacks are priced from $4.50 up to $16.00.

The Tribute Store first opened in 2015 as part of the 25th celebrations of Halloween Horror Nights bringing together props and memorabilia from past years. It was located in the soon to shut gift store of the Twister… Ride It Out attraction.

It returned the following year but this time in the Macy’s shop façade next to the Revenge of the Mummy roller coaster and has been there ever since. Instead of looking to the past it started to showcase the current houses with props and merchandise inspired by the associated films and TV series.

The store grew in 2019 with the addition of a third room and then a fourth in 2020.

Universal Studios Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 2024 Ticket Prices

This is a separately ticketed event. Weekend tickets tend to sell out first so it pays to purchase your tickets in advance rather than just turn up at the gate particularly if you are planning on going on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night. Latest prices available at Undercover Tourist and Universal’s site.

It is always cheaper to buy in advance online. There are no child ticket prices as it is not recommended for children under the age of 13.

Some years ago, if you were visiting the park during the daytime then you used to be able to buy an “Add-On” upgrade ticket which gave you Halloween Horror Nights admission on top of your regular daytime admission at a discounted price but this offer is no longer available.

Today you have to buy a separate Halloween Horror Nights ticket irrespective of whether you have a day ticket.

If you are planning on making more than one visit then you can buy a variety of Frequent Fear Passes which give you access on multiple dates.

The “Rush of Fear“ is the cheapest option and gives you up to 17 nights during the first 3 weeks. The ultimate ticket is the “Ultimate Frequent Fear Plus“ which gives you every single night.

Halloween Horror Night Express passes are also available. An Express Pass allows you to bypass the line once on each haunted house and ride/attraction. You can also get a combined Fear Pass and Express Pass.

Florida residents can often get a discount on a single night admission and Annual Passholders can also get discounts depending upon the day of the week.

Unless stated otherwise, all Halloween Horror Night upgrades also require a regular Halloween Horror Nights admission ticket.

If you wanted to purchase a standard day ticket, we can save you money below.

Discounted Tickets

Universal Studios Orlando

Head over to our tickets site to save money on advance tickets to the Universal Studios Parks. We have some of the best discounts available today. Beat the gate prices and reduce your holiday costs.

Universal Discount

Universal Studios Orlando Halloween Horror Nights Single Night Ticket

Standard single evening admission to Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios.

Universal Studios Orlando Halloween Horror Nights Scream Early Ticket

Separate Halloween Horror Nights admission for the same day is required and not included.

Universal Studios Orlando Halloween Horror Nights Express Pass

Halloween Horror Nights Express Pass allows you to bypass the regular lines at the haunted houses and participating rides and attractions (one visit per house, ride or attraction).

Prices vary by date.

Halloween Horror Nights Rush of Fear Pass

Visit Halloween Horror Nights multiple times during first three weeks (first 17 nights).

Valid on select nights only between September 2 and 25.

Halloween Horror Nights Rush of Fear Pass including Express Pass

Visit Halloween Horror Nights multiple times during first three weeks (first 17 nights) and bypass the regular lines at the haunted houses and participating rides and attractions (one visit per house, ride or attraction).

Valid on select nights only between September 2 and 25.

The Rush of Fear Access Passes can be upgraded to an Ultimate Frequent Fear Plus Access Pass on or before September 25.

Halloween Horror Nights Frequent Fear Pass

Visit Halloween Horror Nights every Sunday through Thursday plus first weekend (27 nights).

Valid on select nights only (excludes Friday and Saturday nights).

Halloween Horror Nights Frequent Fear Pass including Express Pass

Visit Halloween Horror Nights every Sunday, through Thursday plus first weekend (27 nights) and bypass the regular lines at the haunted houses and participating rides and attractions (one visit per house, ride or attraction).

Valid on select nights only (excludes Friday and Saturday nights).

Halloween Horror Nights Frequent Fear Plus Pass

Visit Halloween Horror Nights every Sunday through Friday plus the first and last Saturday (36 nights).

Valid on select nights only (excludes some Saturdays).

Halloween Horror Nights Frequent Fear Plus Access Pass including Express Pass

Visit Halloween Horror Nights every Sunday through Friday plus the first and last Saturday (36 nights) and bypass the regular lines at the haunted houses and participating rides and attractions (one visit per house, ride or attraction).

Valid on select nights only (excludes some Saturdays).

Halloween Horror Nights Ultimate Frequent Fear Plus Pass

Visit Halloween Horror Nights on any night and get complimentary regular parking after 5 p.m.

Valid on all 43 Halloween Horror Nights.

Halloween Horror Nights Ultimate Frequent Fear Plus Access Pass including Express Pass

Visit Halloween Horror Nights any night and bypass the regular lines at the haunted houses and participating rides and attractions (one visit per house, ride or attraction).

Valid on all 43 Halloween Horror Nights.

Halloween Horror Nights Scareactor Dining Experience

eet some of the scare actors, take photos and enjoy a dinner buffet including a non-alcoholic beverage at Louie’s Italian restaurant.

Halloween Horror Nights 2024 R.I.P. Tours

Universal normally offer VIP tours but for Halloween Horror Nights they had separate R.I.P tours, both private and non-private. R.I.P tours typically take around four hours.

The Non-private Tours include:

  • complimentary standard valet parking subject to availability
  • access to the R.I.P Lounge at Cafe La Bamba with light appetisers and desserts
  • priority VIP entry to R.I.P Tour haunted houses (one entry per house with the tour guide)
  • reserved seating at selected shows
  • Universal Express Unlimited™ ride access to all available regular park attractions (excluding haunted houses) at the end of the tour
  • access to exclusive cash bars

This tour does not include regular HHN admission tickets. Parties of 7 or more must book a private tour.

The Private Tours are for groups of up to 10 people and include all the same benefits plus:

  • the ability to customise your tour
  • My Universal 3-Day photo package

Again the private tour does not include regular HHN admission tickets.

There is also a daytime “behind the scenes“ tour.

The Behind-the-Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tours take place during the day (morning or afternoon, before the HHN event starts) and give you an overview of the whole event plus a “lights-on“ look at either three or six of the haunted houses.

This “upgrade“ is during the daytime and actually does not require a regular Universal Studios or a Halloween Horror Nights admission ticket as it is a completely separate event.

Premier and Preferred Annual Passholders can get savings on admission tickets and Frequent Fear passes.

Universal also offers a special “Gory Getaway“ packages at both their own on-site resort hotels and partner hotels.

Halloween Horror Nights Behind-the-Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tour

Daytime VIP walking tour of three or six of the haunted houses with the lights on. Tour lasts 2 1/2 to 3 hours for the three house tour and 5 to 6 hours for the six house tour.

Prices vary by date. Theme park and/or Halloween Horror Nights admission tickets are not required.

Halloween Horror Nights R.I.P. Tour

Guided VIP walking tour of Halloween Horror Nights with single front-of-line entry to each haunted house.

Prices vary by date. Individual parties of up to 6 guests. Private tours also available and required if more than 6 in the party. Separate event admission ticket required.

Halloween Horror Nights Private R.I.P. Tour

Guided VIP walking tour of Halloween Horror Nights with unlimited front-of-line entry to haunted houses.

Prices vary by date. Individual parties of up to 10 guests. Separate event admission ticket required.

Halloween Horror Nights History

Halloween Horror Nights started in 1991 as Fright Nights before being renamed to Halloween Horror Nights the following year. Today the event is celebrated at Universal Orlando, Hollywood in California, Singapore and Japan.

See the official Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights web site (opens in a new window) for further details.

Florida Theme Parks

Theme Park Ticket Guides