Halloween Horror Nights 2025 at Universal Orlando Resort – Complete Insider’s Guide

Halloween Horror Nights 2025

• Halloween Horror Nights 2025 Touring Plan
• How to Get Early Admission to Halloween Horror Nights 2025 at Universal Orlando
• Insider’s Guide to Halloween 2025’s Exclusive Food and Drinks at Universal Orlando Resort
• Insider’s guide to Halloween Horror Nights 2025 Extras: Express Passes, RIP Tours, and More
• Insider’s Guide to Halloween Horror Nights 2025 Tickets

It’s never too early to start panicking for the nation’s premier Halloween event: Halloween Horror Nights 2025. On these pages, you will find all the information and insider secrets you need to survive the terror – as well as our very best expert advice on how to save time and money as you face your worst fears.

Orlando Informer is proud to provide our readers with the world’s most popular guide to this year’s Halloween Horror Nights event. Just like the entire OI Universal Center, our information is comprehensive, obsessively updated, and completely free. We hope you will use all the wisdom we’ve gained over the years to make sure your family’s HHN trip is one night you will never want to forget!

Once you’ve read through our complete overview of Horror Nights, use the navigation links at the top or bottom of the page to learn so, so much more.

Skip to: Overview | Haunted houses | Scare zones | Shows | Hotel experiences | Rides | Tribute Store | Merch | FAQ

Halloween Horror Nights 2025 – overview and explanation

While we await details about Halloween Horror Nights 2025, explore the information below on 2024’s frightful festivities.

Think you have what it takes to survive the biggest names in horror and venture through original, twisted nightmares?

Now in its 33rd terrifying event year, Universal Orlando Resort’s Halloween Horror Nights puts you right into some of the most pulse-pounding moments in horror history. During the day, you can experience the fun and excitement of Universal Orlando’s two amazing theme parks (and water park!). But on select nights from August 30 through November 3, 2024, the streets of Universal Studios Florida come alive with hordes of horrifying mutants, monsters, and maniacs.

With 33 years of experience to draw from, nobody creates a more nightmarish Halloween event than Universal, filled with truly original scares and authentic horror-movie moments. You can explore frightening haunted houses, each remarkably themed and detailed by Universal’s designers and special-effects wizards. You’ll make your way through multiple scare zones, where gory and grotesque creatures lurk around every turn. If you need a break from the scares, enjoy spectacular live shows. And you can experience many of the park’s most exciting rides and attractions.

Halloween Horror Nights is a 12-time winner of Amusement Today’s “Best Halloween Event” Golden Ticket award. Tony Timpone, editor of Fangoria magazine, said, “After visiting scream parks all across the US for the last 20 years, I can easily say that Universal’s is the best in the business… Halloween Horror Nights is the ultimate Halloween experience.” And the 33rd edition of this must-see event promises to bring to life the ultimate in scares past, present, and future.

What are this year’s Halloween Horror Nights dates?

Halloween Horror Nights 2024 runs from Friday, August 30 through Sunday, November 3. That’s a grand total of 48 event nights, making it the most ever – and there’s always the possibility that Universal tacks on even more dates, which they have done in both 2018 and 2019. Remember, you can secure discounted single-night tickets from us!

Here’s what the full breakdown of 2024 Halloween Horror Nights dates looks like:

Aug. 30, 31
Sept. 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19. 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29
Oct. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31
Nov. 1, 2, 3

Halloween Horror Nights 2024 event nights begin at 6:30 PM and closing times vary.

Do I need a separate ticket for Halloween Horror Nights?

Yes! Halloween Horror Nights is a separately-ticketed event, which means, one way or another, you need to pay for admission. Please know that purchasing a ticket to visit Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure during the day does not get you into Horror Nights automatically – the opposite of other popular Universal annual events, such as Mardi Gras.

Conversely, keep in mind that purchasing admission for HHN does not get you into the parks during the day.

If you plan on attending this event, we highly recommend purchasing your tickets in advance. It would be heartbreaking to arrive at Universal Orlando while getting psyched for the night to start, but then tickets are sold out. Tickets purchased online can be printed at home, so you’ll be able to walk directly to the turnstiles.

How busy will Halloween Horror Nights 2024 be on ____ night?

Since this is the most common question we receive, we wanted to answer it right away. Here are what we think will be some of the best nights to visit Halloween Horror Nights:

Sept. 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 15, 18, 19, 25, 26
Oct. 2, 31

Here are what we think will be some of the busiest nights to visit Halloween Horror Nights:

Aug. 31
Sept, 1, 7, 14, 21, 28
Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26
Nov. 2

To put it more generally, like any theme park event, Saturdays are the busiest. That means, on the other hand, Wednesdays and the first two weeks tend to be some of the least-crowded nights.

Will there be early access to Halloween Horror Nights?

If you have the opportunity, be certain to take advantage of early access to Halloween Horror Nights when offered. Throughout the entire event, it is typically available to any guest who has daytime admission to Universal Studios Florida and can get inside the turnstiles before 5:00 pm. See our full guide to early access for everything you need to know on this front.

What if you can’t get early access? We suggest getting to the event early – line up at the front gates at least an hour before opening (especially on a weekend night). It may still be light out and the atmosphere may not have fully kicked in, but if you want to see the houses with the shortest possible wait, getting there early is your best option.

If you arrive to the event later than expected, there is still some hope for short lines. Many of those early birds start getting tired and leave the park well before the event ends, so you’ll start to see the wait times drop down the later it gets (keep in mind that, on many dates in the past, Halloween Horror Nights may be open until 2:00 am). While this option may not be as ideal as using HHN early access, it’s better than planning on arriving at 8:00 pm and leaving by 11:00 pm.

Will Diagon Alley be open during Halloween Horror Nights 2024 event nights?

For the past eight events, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley has been accessible to guests during the scare fest, allowing visitors to ride Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts and check out all of the various wizarding shops. Also, note that Gringotts does close early.

Keep your eyes peeled throughout the evening as guests encounter Lord Voldemort’s loyal followers, the ominous Death Eaters, lurking through London and into the shadowy streets of Knockturn Alley. These fanatic witches and wizards revel in the Dark Arts and will tempt guests to join the Dark Lord.

What is the Halloween Horror Nights 2024 theme?

For over 33 years, the screams of Halloween Horror Nights guests have been collected within the depths of Universal Orlando Resort, festering beneath the surface until now… they’ve birthed two horrifying realms of fear. This year introduces the guardians of those realms: SINIST3R, the overseer of physical pain, and SURR3AL, the overlord of psychological torment.

How many haunted houses and scare zones will there be?

Halloween Horror Nights 2024 features 10 haunted houses, five scare zones, and a live stage show. We’ll explore the details of this year’s lineup further in this guide.

What are Halloween Horror Nights 2025’s haunted houses?

While we eagerly await the reveal of the Halloween Horror Nights 2025 houses, check out the 2024 lineup below.

Although there are shows, scare zones, and plenty of terrifying activities as part of Halloween Horror Nights, the haunted houses are the primary attractions for the event.

HHN haunts are best described as “movie-set quality” recreations of fantastic and fearsome locations. Sometimes referred to as mazes, each house is indoors, often set up in the unused queue area of a daytime attraction or one of the Universal soundstages. These haunts rely on every effect you can imagine to scare you, including hideous creatures, blood-curdling sound effects, loud music, tight passages, strobe lights, air bursts, mirror effects, and, of course, very elaborate – and, in many cases, very gruesome – props and set decoration. In general, guests are sent through the houses in a steady flow (sort of like a conga line, versus being “pulsed” through in small groups), and, once inside, each maze is typically a three-to-four-minute experience.

Throughout much of the event’s history, the haunted houses’ themes have been original creations. However, in more recent years, Universal has started basing more and more of its Halloween mazes on third-party licenses (often referred to by fans as intellectual properties, or IPs), such as AMC’s The Walking Dead or, more recently, Netflix’s Stranger Things.

Insidious: The Further (New York)

Guests’ journey into Insidious: The Further begins as they step through the iconic red door, where many of the tormented spirits and demons from the franchise await – determined to ensnare humans and steal their souls. Fans will come face-to-face with The Red-Faced Demon, who will attempt to lure them into his lair; the grim KeyFace, hoping to lock his victims in this dark dimension; the ghastly and dangerous Bride in Black; and the vengeful spirit of the Man Who Can’t Breathe. As guests make their way through the haunted house, they’ll go from red door to red door – traveling deeper into a dark and timeless astral world where they must evade this collection of sinister creatures at every spine-chilling turn, or their souls will be trapped here…forever.

Read our announcement here.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (New York)

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will transport fans of the film franchise to New York City, where the Spengler family teams up with the original Ghostbusters, who are now at the helm of a top-secret research lab for their ghost-busting enterprise. With the daunting discovery of an old relic that has set free the vengeful spirit of Garraka, who threatens to freeze everyone to death, Ghostbusters, new and old, must join forces to protect their city and save the world from a second Ice Age.

Read our announcement here.

A Quiet Place (Music Plaza)

Silence your screams if you want to survive the terrifying, post-apocalyptic world. Like the Abbott family, you must keep quiet as you travel from the farmhouse to the woods, to the foundry. As soon as you make a sound, monstrous creatures who can hear the slightest noise, will hunt you down and silence you for good.

Read our announcement here.

Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines (World Expo)

Monster huntress Saskia Van Helsing teams up with The Bride of Frankenstein in a thrilling showdown against Dracula’s daughter, Countess Marya, and the She-Wolf. Together, they navigate a fierce battle of the bloodlines. Are you ready to confront the next generation of horror?

Read our announcement here.

Slaughter Sinema 2 (World Expo)

If you’re dying for a b-movie horror marathon, head to the Carey Drive-in. Scream through scenes from creature features, grindhouse gore, spaghetti westerns, and more.

Read our announcement here.

Goblin’s Feast (World Expo)

Welcome to the Goblin’s Feast Tavern. Visit the goblin village, where a lavish feast is being prepared for goblins, orcs, hobgoblins, and witches – and you’re the main course.

Read the announcement here.

Major Sweets Candy Factory (San Francisco)

You’ve been invited to chaperone a field trip to a candy factory. The deadly delicious treats turn the kids into sugar-fueled fiends.

Read the announcement here.

The Museum: Deadly Exhibit (Springfield)

You decide to visit the new folklore museum exhibit, The Rotting Stone, when an evil escapes from within, destroying everything in its path.

Read the announcement here.

Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America (Production Central)

With La Muerte as your guide, you’ll be begging for piedad from these three terrifying legends: Tlahuelpuchi, La Lechuza, and El Silbón.

Read the announcement here.

Triplets of Terror (New York)

You’re invited to the Barmy triplets’ birthday bash. But beware, they celebrate by recreating their family’s murders. Prepare for a gory gathering.

Read the announcement here.

What are Halloween Horror Nights 2025’s scare zones?

While we eagerly await details on the Halloween Horror Nights 2025 scare zones, take a look at the 2024 lineup below.

Stopping you mid-breath as you walk between attractions, scare zones are essentially outdoor haunted houses set up in open areas around Universal Studios Florida (for example, in the street area of New York, right in front of Revenge of the Mummy). The decorations and effects are usually not quite as elaborate as the houses. However, there are still many tricks employed to get screams out of guests – and the “oversized” aspects of some zones, allowed by their position outdoors, often make them as thrilling as the average haunt. This is particularly true for the ghastly part of you that likes to watch other people scream their heads off!

Enter the Blumhouse (San Francisco) – Run a terrifying gauntlet of Blumhouse characters. From The Grabber to M3GAN dancing into your nightmares, this is a new kind of horror. 

Torture Faire (New York) – Enter this Renaissance Faire, where only the bravest souls dare to face medieval torture devices. Can you endure the torment, or will you beg for mercy?

Swamp of the Undead (Central Park) – In the backwaters of Louisiana, zombies risen from the bodies of trespassers killed and dumped in a nearby bog are lurking. Are you ready to face the terror?

Duality of Fear (Production Central)– As soon as you enter Halloween Horror Nights, you must choose a path: the visceral horror of SINIST3R or the unearthly terror of SURR3AL.

Demon Queens (Hollywood) – Four merciless queens loyal to SURR3AL haunt this otherworldly hellscape ripped from the darkest corners of the mind.

What are Halloween Horror Nights 2025’s live stage shows?

Details about the 2025 Halloween Horror Nights show aren’t available yet but read on to discover 2024’s live entertainment offerings.

Halloween Horror Nights features unique and outrageous shows each year, typically the only time that attendees are allowed to sit back and relax. The headlining attraction here used to be Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure, but after an unbelievable 27-year run, Universal pulled the plug on the production in 2017 (you can read our full accounting of the reasons why, as well as a full-on retrospective of the show, in our in-depth feature).

Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus

The Fuel Girls have returned to continue the Nightmare Fuel tale, a show that has taken over the Fear Factor Live stage since 2021 with a storyline twisting and evolving over time. Set to upbeat electronic music, a new nightmare is set to debut. Below are the showtimes for Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus:

8:00 PM, 9:30 PM, 11:00 PM, 12:30 AM

What are Halloween Horror Nights 2025’s bonus experiences at the hotels?

Read on to learn about the 2024 Halloween Horror Nights hotel celebrations as we await the thrills of Halloween Horror Nights 2025.

Over the past few years, Universal has been experimenting more and more with inserting exclusive tie-in experiences into its various hotels, and 2024 is no different.

This year, many Universal Orlando Resort hotels are joining in the Halloween hijinks with photo opportunities in their hotel lobbies along with themed bars, adding to the atmosphere of the season!

BONUS: Regular daytime attractions

During Halloween Horror Nights, there are quite a few of the regular attractions running – and since they take a backseat to the horror thrills and chills, they are often walk-ons.

• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
• Revenge of the Mummy
• Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts (closes early)
• MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack

(And, even better still, if you purchase an HHN Express Pass, it works on the rides in addition to the haunted houses.)

Halloween Horror Nights 2025 – Tribute Store

Discover more about the 2024 Tribute Store below as we eagerly await its transformation for Halloween Horror Nights 2025.

This marks the tenth year of the fan-favorite Tribute Store at Halloween Horror Nights, now a standalone experience and attraction in its own right. This year’s shop immerses guests in a dystopian city overrun by an ancient evil. From the outside, it appears as a graffitied shipping container flanked by scaffolding. Inside, fans will explore a series of haunted urban settings—from an abandoned warehouse to a creepy subway station and more—while shopping for Halloween Horror Nights merchandise and treats.

On August 28, the Tribute Store opened to Team Members and Annual Passholders, and the lines and crowds were a testament to just how eager HHN fans were for this iconic element to return. It started off back in 2015 (comparatively modestly), originally taking up residence in Aftermath, the gift shop attached to the now-retired Twister… Ride It Out attraction (which is today Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon). It was from its very first day a collection of all Halloween Horror Nights merch, but this original iteration was limited by the retail space it was temporarily borrowing; it came across as a Twister-dedicated store that was momentarily possessed by the spirit of Halloween. Even still, Tribute more than earned its name by also collecting a fairly large swath of props, both big and small, from events past, ranging from pieces that were mounted on the wall (say, Resident Evil’s dog puppets from just two years earlier) to larger items that took up space out on the floor (like the Terra Queen’s chopper from 2005).

It didn’t take long for the Tribute Store to evolve. Starting the very next year, in 2016, it took up residence in its now-customary home, in the Macy’s façade right next to Revenge of the Mummy, occupying two rooms that were designed specifically for the purpose. Initially, Universal would take its roster of various intellectual properties that formed most of that year’s haunted houses and divide them more-or-less evenly among these two rooms, but the arrival of Stranger Things in 2018 changed things up (just as the franchise did with practically everything else HHN). For the next couple of years, at least one room would be specifically dedicated to just one IP, with 2019 adding another variation to the mix by introducing a third themed area (the Tribute Store that year consisted of Ghostbusters-, Stranger Things-, and Universal Monsters-themed spaces). Now in its established four-room layout, the 2021 through 2024 iterations have broken this tradition with all the rooms in the Tribute Store designed in original theming, therefore excluding IPs.

HHN Tribute Store 2024 – photo gallery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Halloween Horror Nights 2024 – merchandise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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• Lil’ Boo Plush: $30
• Lil’ BooMug: $20
• Lil’ Boo Youth Tee: $25
• Badge Reels: $14
• HHN Ornament: $20
• Freestyle Cup: $28.99
• Wallet: $28
• Sling Bag: $40
• Pin Set: $19
• Button Set: $11
• HHN Fan: $18
• HHN Candle: $23
• Major Sweets Candy Jar: $30
• Major Sweets Shirt: $30

Lil’ Boo

He’s back, and he’s everywhere. After fans found the loveable pumpkin and named him in 2021, Lil’ Boo has returned with his own collection of merchandise. Options include hats, apparel, stickers, pillows, and more. You can learn more about the origins of everyone’s favorite gourd here.

Halloween Horror Nights 2025 – FAQ

We’ve collected the most-talked-about topics and questions related to Universal’s popular annual event and deposited them all here for your horror education.

If, for whatever reason, you still can’t find the answers you’re looking for, we strongly recommend that you ask all of your questions in our OI Community Facebook group – with over 150,000 members, you’re going to find all sorts of expertise floating around in there.

Can kids attend Halloween Horror Nights?

This event is not Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Walt Disney World Resort’s annual kid-friendly Halloween bash, set at Universal Orlando; there is no trick-or-treating, and there are no characters dressed up in approachable outfits.

The single purpose of Halloween Horror Nights is to scare you – and, as such, Universal strongly advises that children under the age of 13 do not attend. We tell people that HHN is like a horror movie brought to life – if you like horror movies, you will love Horror Nights; if you don’t like them, you may not like this event.

Just for clarification, the “children under the age of 13″ statement is a guideline, not a policy, so you can bring your kids to HHN, and Universal will not ask for proof of age. However, be aware that if anyone in your party does not like the event and needs to leave early, Universal has the right not to refund used tickets or change the valid date. Since at least one adult will need to leave with an unhappy child, this could prove to be an expensive gamble.

Universal Orlando Halloween Events for Kids

The section above usually leads parents directly to this question: so what can I do with my kids during Halloween at Universal Orlando?

For better or for worse, Universal really puts all of its energy into Halloween Horror Nights. The “for worse” part means the resort isn’t organizing anything for kids this year – at least, not in the size and scope of Horror Nights.

If you have young kids who want to celebrate the holiday, plan on taking them to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or SeaWorld’s Spooktacular. Personally, we recommend SeaWorld – its Halloween event is included with regular admission, and it’s a great experience, too.

Is Halloween Horror Nights too scary?

Are you not a horror fan, generally, but are still maybe, possibly interested in heading to the event? It turns out you should be – there’s more than enough to do here to warrant at least a one-night visit. We explore this possibility in-depth in our HHN guide for non-horror fans.

Will my kids get scared visiting Universal Studios Florida during the day?

This is the other popular question asked by parents with young kids. Because many of the decorations for Halloween Horror Nights are elaborate and large, it’s not possible for Universal to remove everything HHN-related during the regular daytime hours. This means, when touring Universal Studios Florida in September and October, you’ll occasionally come across stuff that looks like this:

The good news is that Universal doesn’t do a single thing during the day like it does during Halloween Horror Nights – not one scareactor, not one siren effect blaring, no sudden air bursts, nothing. So, aside from the oversized props spaced out in a few spots around the park, there is absolutely nothing to fear visiting Universal Studios Florida during the day. Honestly, most of the HHN props look more silly than scary in the bright sunlight.

Think the props will be distracting? Remind your friends that you’re visiting a working movie production studio, so everyone should expect to see miscellaneous props set out around the park!

Do I have to pay for parking at Halloween Horror Nights?

Throughout most of the year, Universal usually offers free parking after 6:00 pm. However, during Halloween Horror Nights, plan on paying full price – $32 for regular self-parking and $60 for preferred self-parking – until at least 12:00 am. Also, for Premier passholders, remember that the complimentary valet parking benefit is not available during HHN (you can read more in our complete insider’s guide to annual passes).

This is a good place to remind our readers that overnight parking is not allowed at Universal’s main parking garages. If you think you might need to do this, just plan a budget and get a room with Universal at either Cabana Bay Beach Resort or Endless Summer Resort for the night.

What if it rains during Halloween Horror Nights?

While Florida is called “The Sunshine State,” we see still see plenty of rain during the events duration in September and October. Definitely check the forecast before arriving at Halloween Horror Nights and consider bringing extra layers of clothing, as well as rain ponchos. Not only will this help you stay warm and dry, extra layers can also provide a psychological barrier between you and the roaming demon hordes.

Should you attend on a sunny evening, we suggest bringing a pair of sunglasses to wear while waiting in line to make the transition from the outdoor light to the haunts’ lack-of-light easier to adjust to.

Additionally, lockers are available for rent – see our complete guide to rental and ride lockers for more information.

If you happen to forget a light jacket or sweatshirt, don’t worry – Universal has plenty of Horror Nights apparel they can’t wait for you to buy.  Just be ready to pay around $60 for heavier clothing items, like hoodies.

Does Halloween Horror Nights take place at Universal’s Islands of Adventure?

For the most part, no, Islands of Adventure doesn’t have much, if anything, to do with Halloween – in fact, in most respects, you’d be hard-pressed to tell that the holiday was even going on.

There’s one key exception, however, and it’s a doozy: starting in 2019, a new seasonal projection-mapping show came to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade. Called Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle, it’s a celebration of all things dark and dangerous in Harry’s wondrous world, but the best part for Harry Potter and Halloween fans alike is the occasional preshow, which revolves around Death Eaters prowling the streets of Hogsmeade Village. While still not technically holiday-related, it’s nonetheless fun and just a tad on the spooky side.

All Hallows Eve Boutique is a Halloween-themed, seasonal gift shop in Lost Continent. You’ll be able to find Halloween Horror Nights merchandise and other seasonal goodies.

Want to learn more about Halloween Horror Nights?

That’s good because we have so much more to share. Follow the links at the bottom of this page to view our expert advice regarding admission, Express Passes, first-time visitor planning, and more.