Prior to my attending Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights (HHN), I had vowed I would NEVER even entertain the idea of going. I had plans to send my husband and my sister-in-law, while I stayed back and watched the poolside movie.
I can honestly say that now that I’ve experienced it, I want to return every year!
Is it scary- yes. But you can also make it as scary as you’re comfortable with.
The Main Event
My fellow TravelEase advisor and I first attended a classroom training on Halloween Horror Nights, which included tips and insider info on the event, as well as the parks in general.
After training, we took a bus over to Universal Studios to utilize the “Stay & Scream” area, where you’re in the park prior to its opening for the evening’s event. You do need both a park ticket and a HHN ticket to access this area or you can purchase a “Scream Early” ticket. One of the biggest benefits of the Stay & Scream zone is being in line for the houses before they open. We chose to get in line for Stranger Things 4, as this house tends to always have a wait later in the evening, and it was a house we both wanted to experience. We were through this house and in line for our second before the park even opened to general ticket holders. Another common tip is to start at houses in the back of the park and work your way forward. The night we attended, peak wait times varied from 45 minutes to 90 minutes, though we’ve seen higher times posted. Universal does offer a paid express pass, allowing you priority entry into each house once, as well as the attractions that are open. The RIP Tour will also ensure you get to see everything.
Houses
There are 5 Haunted Houses themed in collaboration with some of the biggest names in horror pop culture, and 5 original content story Haunted Houses. The houses are dark, single file and close quarters. While scare actors are strategically placed within dark corners to jump out, I took comfort in knowing they couldn’t actually touch me. In most cases, I was able to look ahead and see where they were hiding- one example of how to tailor to your scare comfort level.
Scare Zones
The Scare Zones are another- you receive a map upon entry that highlights where they are located. Basically, if you see fog, it’s a Scare Zone. I felt more comfortable waiting for the fog to dissipate slightly before walking through, as I wanted to be able to see what was approaching. I also liked spectating a little first. At the end of the evening, we found we could skirt around the zones on the sidewalk- our air of exhaustion and disinterest seemed to keep the scare actors at bay. Again, the theming of these zones is phenomenal. The largest is a 60’s era music festival that was overtaken by vampires unleashed by Dr. Oddfellow. Another contains characters seen in the Twisted Origin House that have escaped into a 1940’s San Francisco shipping yard.
In between Scare Zones and sampling some amazingly themed treats, I was able to literally walk on to every open ride including Escape from Gringotts & Transformers the Ride: 3D.
By far, my favorite experience of the event was the Deatheaters in Diagon Alley. They were not hard to find and interacted with guests, including once startling me by tapping my shoulder from behind with their wand. At the start and end of their time wandering around, they do a little show on a small stage by the Escape from Gringotts ride.
The only thing we did not experience was the live show, Nightmare Fuel Revenge Dream- the crowd to get in was quite big. We were told that if we attended a later show, this would not be an issue, but we were just too tired.
Next time I attend, I will be sure to have a lower-key day prior to the event. I also would check out the Unmasking the Horror Tour. This tour does not require a park ticket and allows you to enter the houses during the day to be able to appreciate all the detail that goes into each of these meticulously themed houses. I do feel this would be a great tour for younger or anxious guests either in lieu of or prior to attending the evening event.
Halloween Horror Nights runs during September & October for 48 nights, Wednesday-Sunday, 6:30 pm-2 am. Reach out to a TravelEase Advisor today to book the ideal Universal Studios Orlando package for you!
Written by Travel Ease Advisor Donna Bereza