Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Orlando is not for the faint of heart (and is not recommended for kids younger than 13). It features 10 chilling haunted houses, 5 horrifying scare zones and fantastically frightening live shows.
Indeed, it is beyond my ability to withstand that much horror. But it is right in the sweet spot of SheBuysTravel contributor Chandler Wagner. That’s why I sent her to Orlando to report on the 2022 event and share her thrills at all those chills.
But first, the deets on the 2024 Halloween Horror Night (which was already under construction when I spent one day at Universal Orlando in mid-summer.
2024 Halloween Horror Nights Dates
This year, the event starts earlier than ever, with select dates from August through November: August 30-31; September 1, 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29; October 2-6, 9-13, 16-20, 23-27, 30-31; November 1-3. The event begins at 6:30pm each day, but ending hours vary by date.
Prices range from $83 to $123 per person depending on the date. A skip-the-line ticket is $140 to $240 per person. It entitles ticket holders to skip the line once at each of the haunted houses and participating rides and attractions. A sneak peak on Aug. 29 costs $350 a ticket. There’s also a VIP tour that starts at $370 and a behind-the-scene, lights=on tour that starts at $100 per person.
The event happens rain or shine. No refunds. The ticket can only be used by the person who bought it on the date for which it was purchased.
Note that Halloween Horror Nights is a separate ticketed event. You cannot enter the evening event with a daytime park ticket. Self-parking is free for Halloween Horror Night ticket holders after 6pm.
No costume masks, veils, long trains, live animals, swords or weaponry are permitted. You can read all of the costume rules here.
2024 Scares
Here’s how Universal describes the 2024 event:
“This year, a chilling new collection of horrifying experiences await guests, including 10 all-new movie-quality haunted houses inspired by cinematic greats and eerie original stories created by the twisted minds of Universal’s Entertainment team, and five scare zones filled with hundreds of menacing creatures who will reign the streets of Universal Studios Florida.
“And in between the screams, guests can enjoy an energetic live show, fuel up for the next round of scares with sinfully delicious food and beverage inspired by the event’s haunts, shop the latest merchandise at the highly-themed Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store, and enjoy some of Universal Studios Florida’s most exciting attractions.”
10 Haunted Houses
Here is the haunted house lineup for this year’s event:
- Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire: An ancient artifact has released a chilling new entity, Garraka. He’ll stop you cold. Only the Ghostbusters can keep you from getting iced.
- A Quiet Place: Make a sound and you won’t last long. Monstrous creatures will hunt you down as the world of the first two films comes to terrifying life.
- Insidious: The Further: Here, it’s not the house that’s haunted, it’s you as the Red-Faced Demon lures you into his lair.
- Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines: This is the all-female horror house, where Saskia Van Helsing and the Bride of Frankenstein go up against Dracula’s daughter and her monstrous mavens.
- Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America: With La Muerte as your guide, try to survive the night with three terrifying legends: Tlahuelpuchi, La Lechuza and El Silbón.
- Slaughter Sinema 2: A horror movie marathon at the Carey Drive-in.
- The Museum: Deadly Exhibits: A folklore museum’s newest exhibit, The Rotting Stone, has released an evil spirit that decays everything. And it’s coming for you.
- Major Sweets Candy Factory: You’re chaperoning a field trip to a candy factory when the free samples transform the kids into candy-coated killers.
- Goblin’s Feast: The feast is your flesh.
- Triplets of Terror: You’re invited to the Barmy triplets’ birthday celebration — recreating the murders of their entire family.
5 Scare Zones
A note to my fellow wimps: Don’t think that staying out of the haunted houses will keep you safe at Halloween Horror Nights. Just walking around the streets of the park requires you to traverse these scare zones:
- Duality of Fear: As soon as you enter the gates of Halloween Horror Nights, you must choose a path: follow SINIST3R, the manifestation of visceral horror. Or follow SURR3AL,the incarnation of unearthly terror.
- Demon Queens: Get caught in an otherworldly hellscape ripped from the darkest corners of your mind. Four merciless queens loyal to SURR3AL rule, surrounded by hordes of fanatical followers.
- Swamp of the Undead: In backwaters Louisiana, you unwittingly wander onto private property, where you’re swamped by zombies borne from the bodies of other trespassers who were killed and dumped in a nearby bog.
- Torture Faire: Come one, come all, to SINIST3R’s Renaissance faire with the devious theme of medieval torture. Brave the gloriously gory homemade torture devices ‘til you’re put out of your misery.
Our Intrepid Reporter’s Look at the Scares of Past Halloween Horror Nights
We sent Chandler Wagner to take a deep dive into the Halloween horrors of the 2022 event. Here’s her report:
As a first-time attendee at the 2022 Halloween Horror Nights event, my expectations were through the roof. As someone who loves a good scary movie, my fear of the unknown blended with pure excitement.
I was blown away by the theatrics and dedication of the scare actors as well as the beautiful scenery created by the Universal team. Not only was it a wonderful visual experience, but the extra passion and effort presented by the crew made for a memorable adventure.
What’s the Big Deal About Halloween Horror Nights?
Universal is known for its horror films. Universal Studios released its first horror film, “The Phantom of the Opera,” in 1925. From there, the studio went on to release some of the most well-known horror films in history, bringing to life characters such as Dracula, The Mummy and The Wolf Man.
In 1991, Universal brought the horror off screen and into the real world with the birth of Halloween Horror Nights. Since then, die hard fans have been gathering for that special time of the year when they get to become part of the experience!
The Universal team, which spends 365 days of the year planning for Halloween Horror Nights, is expected to wow us every year. And man did they wow me!
Terrifying Haunted Houses
One of the top reasons people look forward to this special event, is the creepy haunted houses. They change every year. My favorite of the 2022 batch is Dead Man’s Pier: Winter’s Wake. We got to experience the amazing storytelling and set design skills of the talented crew at Universal. The most beautiful house of the lineup, it allowed us to explore a New England fishing village as the fisherman of a shipwrecked crew begins to emerge from the sea. See how a lonely fisherman’s widow plays her beautiful violin as she mourns her husband who’s been lost at sea. This house is a chillingly dazzling adventure.
And Those Scare Zones
The creep vibe doesn’t end when you walk out of a haunted house. Traveling between haunted houses means walking through the 5 sinister scare zones.
Each scare zone has its group of scare actors that are always one step ahead of you…or behind you! We walked past the terrifying creatures summed from the darkness by the Pumpkin Lord himself, scarecrows rising from the cursed soil, and candy-crazed-kids-turned-killers. All of them were well worth the screams!
Spooky Live Shows
The show for 2024 is Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus where you’ll be trapped in a thrilling spectacle of pyro and aerialists to the beat of pulse-pounding rock music.
Rides Too!
Universal is a theme park, after all. It wouldn’t be the same if there weren’t some thrill rides to provide a different kind of scare.
My favorite is also Universal’s most thrilling ride of them all: Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. For a little Halloween flair, click and hold the logo at the top of the screen for 10 seconds. When the keypad pops up, press ‘666’ and experience the horrors of Chucky as he talks to you through the whole ride!
SheBuysTravel Tip: Ride the rides early in the night. The event stays open late, but the rides may close earlier.
Is Everything Scary at Halloween Horror Nights?
If scary isn’t your thing, Halloween Horror Nights might be a difficult place for you. With scare zones weaved throughout the park, it’s hard to avoid a scare or two when getting from point A to point B.
Universal says the event is best suited for children 13+ due to the scary scenes, gore and intensity of the haunted houses.
Still, there are some tame areas to escape the horror. One of them is near Diagon Alley. This area is clear of scare zones, which makes it a great place to take a seat and remind yourself that all the scares are just for fun!
Nobody is required to enter the haunted houses, so if you are interested in going just for the scare zones, rides, creepy atmosphere, deliciously haunting treats and incredible live entertainment, then you can still have a fantastic, much less scary time.
You might want to ask yourself beforehand, “If I can’t make it through a mildly scary movie, is Halloween Horror Nights the place I want to be?”
Halloween Merch
The 2022 Halloween Horror Nights Event consists of well-thought-out and chilling merchandise. The clothing ranges from t-shirts, long sleeves, hoodies, jackets, hats and flannels. Each t-shirt has a unique design. Some sport the original Universal monsters such as Dracula, The Mummy, The Wolf Man, and Michael Myers.
The logo and designs have an old-school retro art theme that makes the merchandise seem less flashy. Which is my preference!
There’s also a large selection of water bottles, shot glasses, key chains, coffee mugs, collectible pins and so much more!
If you’re looking to build a collection of Halloween Horror Nights 31 apparel, this season’s merchandise selection is perfect.
Halloween Horror Nights Treats to Eat
There is no shortage of scary good foods and drinks around the park!
The Coconut Yuzu Eyeballs are a must try! They have a creamy pudding-like texture with a fruity sweet taste.
There are also fun treats like Pizza Skulls, African Lentil Coffins, Lil’ Boos Spicy Pumpkins and Meetz Meats 100% Ground Princess (aka a raspberry flavored rice crispy treat) that make the Halloween experience so much more exciting.
There are specialty spooky cocktails that you can purchase throughout the park as well! One of my favorites is the Electric Death. It is a gin cocktail with Bols blue curaçao, lime juice, BR Reynolds orgeat, simple syrup, pineapple juice and pimento bitters. It’s delicious, a fun color, and it lights up!
There is also a non-alcoholic mocktail called the Un-Tipsy Tiki. It consists of a blend of pineapple, orange and fresh lime juice, a splash of tonic water and orgeat.
Tips for Visiting Halloween Horror Nights at Universal
- Download the Official Universal Orlando Resort App for maps, wait times, show times and more. The app also features a new Halloween Horror Nights Trivia game where guests race against the clock (and other players) coast-to-coast in an interactive, multi-level mobile experience inspired by some of this year’s haunts.
- Purchase tickets in advance and use the Universal app to speed your entry and get you to the scares that much faster.
- If you’re looking for smaller crowds, consider visiting on weeknights or early in September.
- The best way to experience Halloween Horror Nights is with a stay at a Universal hotel. Hotel guests receive loads of exclusive benefits like the opportunity to get to the scares faster with access to a dedicated entry gate for the event.
- Keep the nightmares going with a selection of Frequent Fear Pass options that include the opportunity to experience the scares again and again.
- Take advantage of event upgrades to take the fear to the next level, including the guided Halloween Horror Nights R.I.P. Tour, which provides front-of-the line access to all haunted houses. The Halloween Horror Nights Express Pass is also available, which allows guests to skip the regular lines one time at all haunted houses, plus at participating rides and attractions.
About Chandler Wagner
Hello! I’m Chandler, a dedicated and hard-working individual with a burning passion for the world of digital marketing. As I embark on my journey to pursue a digital marketing career, I bring with me a robust work ethic and an unyielding commitment to growth. My insatiable hunger for knowledge and my unwavering determination to expand my skill set are my driving forces. I believe that in the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, the willingness to learn and adapt is just as valuable as experience. I am confident that my enthusiasm for digital marketing, my strong work ethic, and my dedication to continual improvement make me a promising candidate in this dynamic field. I am excited to connect with like-minded professionals, learn from their experiences, and contribute to the exciting world of digital marketing. Follow me on Instagram or LinkedIn.
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