FULL GUIDE (With Reviews) to Halloween Horror Nights 2025 at Universal Orlando Resort

When it comes to horror, Universal Orlando Resort knows how to do it big. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to help navigate every spooky, scary inch of Halloween Horror Nights 2025.

What is Halloween Horror Nights?

Halloween Horror Nights is a separately-ticketed annual event that takes place at Universal Studios Florida each year. This year’s event includes access to 10 haunted houses, 6 scare zones (or street experiences), and live entertainment around the park.

Some attractions will be open during the event, though their availability is subject to change. During Halloween Horror Nights, you can ride the Revenge of the Mummy, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, Transformers: The Ride-3D, and Men in Black Alien Attack.

Between rides, scares, and shows, food and beverages are available for purchase throughout the event, including alcoholic options. When entering the park after 5 p.m. for the event, no outside food or drinks are allowed. However, you are allowed to bring one sealed bottle of water per person. You can also bring an empty water bottle to be filled for free at any of the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines in the park.

How Scary Is It?

Just like with horror movies, how scary this event will be depends on your response to frightening situations. The characters in Halloween Horror Nights are not allowed to physically touch you, although jump scares and sudden appearances are very common. These unexpected scares, paired with eerie sounds, smells, and gore, can be uncomfortable for some guests. The haunted houses and scare zones, in particular, are built to be immersive experiences, so the effects can be overwhelming. If bloody scenes or gory horror flicks don’t freak you out, the scenes at Halloween Horror Nights shouldn’t be too scary for you.

However, Universal recommends that children under 13 not attend, as it may be too intense for them. Additionally, costumes and costume masks are not allowed at Halloween Horror Nights. Leave the event outfits to the pros.

Dates & Ticket Information

Dates

Halloween Horror Nights 2025 operates on select dates between August 29 and November 2.

This year’s select dates are:

• August: 29, 30, 31 

• September: 3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17, 21, 24, 25, 28
• October: 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 12, 15, 16, 19, 22, 23, 26, 29, 30
• November: 2

Tickets

Single night tickets start at $89.99 per person. If you plan on attending more than once, buying the multi-night Frequent Fear passes will save you money compared to purchasing individual tickets. To compare the prices of last year’s Halloween Horror Nights, see our Full 2024 Guide.

The ticket cost varies per date, with the highest price of $135 on two Saturdays in October.

• $90: September 16, 17, 24, 25
• $94: September 28; October 1, 2
• $96: October 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23
• $97: September 21
• $100: October 29, 30
• $101: October 5, 19, 26
• $105: November 2
• $111: October 3, 10, 17, 24
• $113: October 31
• $119: September 26, 27
• $120: November 1
• $125: September 19, 20; October 12
• $126: October 4
• $131: October 25
• $135: October 11 and 18

Express Passes & VIP Experiences

Express Passes

An Express Pass will allow you to skip the standby line and queue in a separate area for haunted houses and other attractions. It won’t eliminate the wait, though it will often reduce it by a significant amount. You can only use the Express Pass once per house or attraction. Express Passes start at $189.99 per person.

As a note, the Express Passes for the Frequent Fear Passes are all sold out for 2025.

VIP Experiences

R.I.P. Tours

Think of R.I.P. Tours like a VIP tour, Halloween style. These add-on tours include:

• VIP Entrance to Halloween Horror Nights
• Guided walking tour (Behind the Screams, as detailed below)
• Priority VIP Entry to the haunted houses
• Express Unlimited pass to rides during daytime park hours and Halloween Horror Nights
• Pre-tour appetizer reception
• Tour souvenir credential
• Valet parking
• Reserved show seating during the tour

R.I.P Tours start at $439.99 per person.

Behind-the-Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tour

With Behind-the-Screams, guests get an exclusive, lights-on peek at some of the haunted houses. You can choose between three or six houses to tour. These tours include:

• Behind-the-scenes looks at three or six haunted houses
• Photo access to select houses during the tour
• Exclusive souvenir pin
• Buffet-style lunch (for the six-house tour only)

Theme park and Halloween Horror Nights admission is not included or required to participate in the tour. These tours start from $99.99.

Premium Scream Night

Before Halloween Horror Nights 34 began at the end of August, Universal held its second Premium Scream Night. This event, scheduled for August 28, completely sold out partway through the month. The ticket prices increased closer to the event date, starting at $375 and ending at around $415 per person.

Premium Scream Night included access to the Halloween Horror Nights houses and scare zones at a limited capacity, as well as shorter wait times, free parking, and some food and non-alcoholic beverages. If you’re interested in maybe attending the event, if it’s held again in 2026, be sure to check out our review of this year’s sold-out event.

Deathly Afraid Necklace

Any guests who would prefer less interaction or scares on their Halloween Horror Nights adventure can purchase a Deathly Afraid necklace. For $20, you can buy these lanyards and light-up necklaces to limit interactions in the common areas and scare zones. You can flip the light on and off to change your experience. However, the necklaces do not apply in the haunted houses.

HHN Stores

Tribute Store

Each year, the Tribute Store receives a different theme, tying it in to the Halloween Horror Nights lore (though the Tribute Store usually has its own interconnected story, not necessarily related to the event-wide theme). This year, the store is located where Sahara Traders usually is located, in the New York area of the park. As an immersive shopping location, this year’s guests will explore the abandoned Museum of Antiquities, where an ancient evil was unleashed. This retail location is one of the places where you can purchase Halloween Horror Nights merchandise.

All Hallows Eve Boutique

At All Hallows Eve Boutique, it’s Halloween all the time. This shop, located in the Lost Continent area of Universal Islands of Adventure, is always spooky, but updates its theming to reflect seasonal events, such as Halloween Horror Nights.

Early Entry – Stay and Scream

Note, this is not to be confused with Universal’s “Stay, Scream and Save” hotel and Halloween Horror Nights package deal.

Guests attending Halloween Horror Nights only need tickets to the special event to attend. But if you have daytime park admission for that day as well, you’ll be brought into the “Stay and Scream” area while the daytime guests leave the park. These areas allow you to skip the queue to enter the park with the other Halloween Horror Nights guests at 6 p.m.

Another bonus is that Stay and Scream also provides guests with early entry access to the haunted houses before the event officially begins. Sometimes guests are permitted entry as early as 5:15 p.m. Here are this year’s entry times:

• Fallout — 5:15 p.m.
• Five Nights at Freddy’s — 5:15 p.m.
• WWE Presents: The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks — 5:15 p.m.
• Dolls: Let’s Play Dead — 5:45 p.m.
• Grave of the Flesh — 5:45 p.m.
• Gálkn: Monsters of the North — 5:45 p.m.
• El Artista: A Spanish Haunting — 6 p.m.
• JASON UN1V3RSE — 6 p.m.
• Terrifier — 6 p.m.
• Hatchet & Chains: Demon Bounty Hunters — 5:45 p.m.

For guests who want early access but don’t want to do an entire day at the park, you can also purchase a Scream Early ticket. Starting at $60, these add-on tickets (in addition to the Halloween Horror Night ticket) allow you to enter the park after 3 p.m. That way, you can enjoy some of the attractions before the park closes and still take advantage of the early haunted house access.

Opening Scaremonies

Before each Halloween Horror Night can commence, there must be an opening scaremony. This year, these scaremonies are narrated by the artist trapped in El Artista: A Spanish Haunting, Sergio Navarro. That original house is directly tied into the event-wise theme of The Conservatory. Navarro issues dire warnings to the guests who await entrance as beings from the Origins of Horror ominously look on.

Check out our full Opening Scaremonies video below:

Houses

We personally visited and reviewed each haunted House at HHN 34. For the individual reviews, click the links embedded in each section.

Dolls: Let’s Play Dead

Are you ready to play? In Dolls: Let’s Play Dead, you enter the world of Lyla as one of her dollies. Unfortunately for you, Lyla’s idea of fun is less Mattel and more sadistic. From the perspective of her toys, you watch Lyla wreak havoc on her playthings as she grows into a violent serial killer.

El Artista: A Spanish Haunting

Travel back in time to 19th-century Spain and spend some time with artist Sergio Navarro. In El Artista: A Spanish Haunting, Navarro has moved into The Creation House, which, unbeknownst to him, is haunted by evil spirits. Those spirits begin inspiring his artwork, and the evil creeps in. Visitors can see this disturbing shift for themselves and the madness that overtakes Navarro.

Fallout

Five Nights at Freddy’s

Along the same lines as Fallout, Five Nights at Freddy’s also became a massive video game franchise that inspired a live-action version. The film came out in 2023 (with a sequel coming soon), and this year Universal debuted the Five Nights at Freddy’s house. Here, you enter the world of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, where the animatronics are a little too lifelike as they lurk in the dingy halls of this once-buzzy pizzeria.

Gálkn: Monsters of the North

Another of Halloween Horror Nights original houses for 2025 is Gálkn: Monsters of the North. In this Nordic story, guests must survive the shaman and the horde of beasts loose in the fjords. When you’re in a remote village in the snowy wilderness, there isn’t much you can do, except run.

Grave of Flesh

Welcome to your final resting place, Halmouth Cemetery. Well, you won’t be doing much resting, though. As you enter your grave here, you discover that the underworld is full of flesh-eaters who will ceaselessly hunt you down. You could say that in Grave of Flesh, you are in grave danger.

Hatchet and Chains: Demon Bounty Hunters

In the Old West, where the veil between Hell and earth is thinned, demons are running rampant. That’s where demon hunters Hatchet and Chains come in. This reformed demon and supernatural chain combo will chase these demons as you try to stay safe in the Hellish wild west that is Hatchet & Chains: Demon Bounty Hunters.

Jason Universe (Stylized as Jason UN1V3RSE)

At Halloween Horror Nights, every night is Friday the 13th. In Jason Universe, you see Jason donning his famous hockey mask and terrorizing the campers at Camp Crystal Lake once again. With these campers, you’re certainly going to have a memorable summer—if you survive.

WWE Presents: The Horrors of The Wyatt Sicks

Get ready for some horror, WWE style. At WWE Presents: The Horrors of The Wyatt Sicks, you walk through the twisted world of the Wyatt Sicks. Here you’ll meet characters such as Uncle Howdy, Huskus the Pig, and Abby the Witch, among others. Will these ne’er-do-wells take you to the mat, or can you make it to the final bell?

Terrifier

Art the Clown is a maker of mischief and misadventure. In his haunted house, the Terrifier is on a rampage. Featuring scenes from the three films in the franchise, Art can’t wait to show you his work. If you need a preview of how gruesome this house is, you can take either a wet or dry path to witness Art’s big finale.

Scare Zones and Street Experiences

Unlike the haunted houses, scare zones are sections of the park where scare actors walk freely amongst guests. These areas include up-close scares in immersive environments.

Club Horror

Location: San Francisco or E on the event map

Guests are free to dance the night away at this street experience. At Club Horror, you can leave the screams behind. Just enjoy the music and good times.

Masquerade: Dance with Death

Location: Hollywood or B on the event map

In the Masquerade: Dance with Death scare zone, you’ll attend a ball surrounded by bloodthirsty vampires. It is when their masks come off that they take their next victims, so watch out for maskless vamps.

Mel’s Die-in Zombies

Location: Hollywood or C on the event map

For longtime guests of Halloween Horror Nights, the neon Mel’s Die-in sign has been a years-long tradition. However, aside from last year’s annual passholder merchandise tie-in, there hasn’t been anything else to it. This year, however, the Mel’s Die-in Zombies experience has added zombified servers to tempt you with not-so-scrumptious eats.

Mutations: Toxic Twenties

Location: New York or F on the event map

Walk into the 1920s neighborhood and you’ll quickly discover a radioactive accident zone. After the ooze sprays over the residents of the neighborhood, they are overtaken by all kinds of unexpected changes in Mutations: Toxic Twenties.

The Cat Lady of Crooked Lane

Location: Central Park or D on the event map

As you enter The Cat Lady of Crooked Lane scare zone, you’ll encounter anthropomorphized cats walking on two legs, just as they did when they were human. Be on the lookout for the person who did this to unsuspecting children approach the creepy, decrepit cabin.

The Origins of Horror

Location: Front of the park or A on the event map

In The Origins of Horror zone, guests encounter evil beings who have broken free from The Conservatory. These gargoyles and other monsters are on the hunt for more victims as they roam the streets.

Live Entertainment

Death Eaters

If you head to Diagon Alley at Halloween Horror Nights, the Death Eaters are back! The Death Eaters descend upon Carkitt Market in search of “The Boy,” a.k.a. Harry Potter. They are more than happy to duel anyone in the mood for a fight, or demand the guests pledge their fealty to Voldemort himself.

Food & Drinks

One of the best parts of a successful Halloween Horror Nights event is the event-exclusive treats. These can be found throughout the park at event-specific food spots and select year-round eateries.

57 Scare

Food:

• Pizza Skull – $9.99

Avenue Bites

Food:

• African Lentil Coffin – $8.99

Black Cat Lounge

Beverages:

• Cat’s Meow – $17
• Ragamuffin Mocktail – $9
• Zazzler – $18

Bridge Fanta Bar

Beverages:

• Deadly Nightshade – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving
• Phantom Punch – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving
• Strawberry Morgue-arita – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving
• Strawberry Morgue-arita Mocktail – $9

Cursed Carnival

Food:

• Death by a Cheese Stick – $10.99
• Freakishly Long Corndog – $12.49

Dolls: Let’s Play Dead

Food:

• Lyla’s Temper Tantrum Tendies – $10.99
• “Mom., Cut the Crust Off” PB&J – $7.99

Beverages:

• Blood Orange Screamsicle – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving
• Toy Box Cider – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving

El Artista: A Spanish Haunting

Food:

• Artist’s Palette – $7.99
• Grilled Gambas al Ajillo – $12.99
• Pan con Tomate – $7.99

Beverages:

• No-Boos Brew (Zero proof) – $9
• Sinister Sangira – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving

Fallout

Food:

• Cram Tots & More – $12.99
• Pickle Bucket Baked Chicken – $11.99
• Yum Yum Deviled Eggs – $7.99

Beverages:

• Dark – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving
• Quantum Mocktail – $9
• Radaway Mocktail – $13

Five Nights at Freddy’s

Food:

• Cupcake – $12.99
• Mike…Eggs Benedict – $9.99
• Why Not Have Both Pizza & Pasta – $14.99

Beverages:

• Chica’s Sour Lemon Tang Mocktail – $9
• Foxy’s Strawberry Soda Mocktail – $9

HHN Bar

Beverages:

• Dead Man’s Hand – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving
• Deadly Nightshade – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving
• Pack Mule – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving
• Phantom Punch – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving

Jason Un1v3erse

Food:

• Camp Bloody S’mores – $7.99
• Elotes – $8.49
• Spiral Sausage – $11.99

Beverages:

• Blood Orange Mocha Mocktail – $9
• Crystal Lake Coffee – $16

New York Fanta Bar

Beverages:

• Deadly Nightshade – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving
• Lavender Mist – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving
  • New Amsterdam gin, lime juice, lavender syrup and Fanta Chucky Punch
• Lavender Mist Mocktail – $9
• Phantom Punch – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving

San Francisco Fanta Bar

Beverages:

• Deadly Nightshade – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving
• Phantom Punch – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving
• Pineapple Potion – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving
• Pineapple Potion Mocktail – $9

San Francisco Pastry Co.

Food:

• Sins of the Gourd Tart – $7.99

Terrifier – Clown Cafe

Food:

• Abracadabra Sunflower Glasses – $7.99
• Bloody Popcorn – $10.99
• Sienna’s Burnt Angel Wings – $11.99

Beverages:

• Clown Cafe Juice Mocktail – $9
• Starry Night Spritz – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving

The Cat Lady of Crooked Lane

Food:

• Birria Beef Walking Taco – $14.99
• Flamin’ Hot Birria Ramen – $15.99
• Fritos Vegan Walking Taco – $14.99

Beverages:

• Berry Scary – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving
• Sour Puss – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving

Twisted Tater Chips

Food:

• Twisted Tater Chips – $9.99

TODAY Cafe

Food:

• Graveyard Salted Caramel Brownie – $6.99
• Pumpkin Seance Mousse – $6.99
• Toxic Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake – $7.99
• Ube Eclipse of the Bat – $6.99

WWE Presents: The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks

Food:

• Huskus’ Muscle Man Slop – $14.99
• Ramblin’ Rabbit Fried Carrot Cake – $8.99

Beverages:

• LET ME IN Mocktail – $9
• Light the Way – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving

World Expo Fanta Bar

Beverages:

• Deadly Nightshade – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving
• Fizzy Fright – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving
• Phantom Punch – $18 for 20 oz. souvenir cup | $14 for souvenir refill | $14 for 12 oz. single serving

Croissant Moon Bakery – Islands of Adventure

Food:

• Pumpkin Seance Mousse – $6.99
• Witches Demise Cookie – $6.99

Toothsome – CityWalk

Food:

• The Vampire’s Kiss Shake – $18

Merchandise

There is a ton of spooky merchandise available during Halloween Horror Nights. In addition to the merchandise for the event itself, there are also many franchises represented. For a complete list of the merchandise available this year, with prices, check out our full guide.

Merchandise topics include:

• Blumhouse Merchandise
• El Artista: A Spanish Haunting Merchandise
• Fallout Merchandise
• Five Nights at Freddy’s Merchandise
• Friday the 13th Jason Un1v3rse Merchandise
• Halloween Horror Nights 2025 Logo Merchandise
• Halloween Horror Nights 2025 Never Go Alone Merchandise
• Lil’ Boo Merchandise
• Mel’s Die-in Merchandise
• Terrifier Merchandise
• Scare Zones Merchandise
• Universal Orlando Annual Passholder Merchandise
• Weekly Halloween Horror Nights Merch 2025 Magnets
• WWE Presents: The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks Merchandise

Where to Stay

In the Orlando area, particularly around Universal Orlando, there are plenty of hotel options. However, if you stay at a Universal Orlando Resort Hotel, several perks make your Halloween Horror Nights experience even more spooktacular.

One of the most significant advantages of staying on the property is access to the complimentary bus service. Universal Orlando hotels have shuttles bringing guests to and from the hotel to the parks, even for late-night events like Halloween Horror Nights.

Hotel guests who are not participating in Stay and Scream also have their own entrance to Halloween Horror Nights, so you can avoid some of the entry queue to get screaming sooner. This entrance can be found to the left of the Universal Studios Florida arch, near Hard Rock Cafe in CityWalk.

Please note that if you are staying at a Universal Orlando hotel that offers complimentary daytime Express Passes, they are not valid for Halloween Horror Nights. If you want to use an Express Pass for this special event, it must be purchased separately.

Staying on site can also continue the Halloween immersion since several hotels decorate for the season.

• Dockside Inn and Suites: Snap a photo with a spooky forest scene in the lobby at this Universal Endless Summer Resort.
• Hard Rock Hotel: A lobby setup is in place for a concert by a zombie band called the Night of the Living Shred.
• Loews Portofino Bay Hotel: Has a photo spot with a creepy carnival theme and a gate marquee that reads “Carneval Meraviglia” with creepy performers behind it.

Tips and Tricks

• Only a handful of Universal Orlando attractions are open during Halloween Horror Nights. These include: Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts, Revenge of the Mummy, Transformers: The Ride-3D, and Men in Black Alien Attack.
• Haunted house wait times are available on the Universal Orlando app.
• House queues are outside, so come prepared for weather changes.
• Scare Zones and Street Experiences may not have Scareactors walking around during inclement weather.
• Beverages are not allowed inside the haunted houses, but are permitted in line.
• Alcoholic beverages purchased in CityWalk may not be brought into Universal Studios Florida, so be sure to finish those before you get to the park.
• You cannot touch the Scareactors.
• If you have an Express Pass for the event, arrive early. Sometimes they open the gates before the posted time of 6:30 p.m.
• Universal Orlando Premier Annual Passholders can get a free ticket to Halloween Horror Nights. However, these tickets are non-transferable and can only be used on certain nights.
• Premier Annual Passholder valet parking benefits do not apply during Halloween Horror Nights.

Halloween Horror Nights Lore: Know Before You Go

What makes Halloween Horror Nights particularly special is the original lore explicitly created for the event. This lore informs many elements of the evening in one way or another. Here are some of the main pieces you may encounter during your visit this year.

Lil’ Boo

The adorable fan favorite jack-o’-lantern was used in Halloween Horror Nights 2017 in the Trick ‘r Treat Scare Zone. Then, in 2021, he went viral online and was dubbed Lil’ Boo. Now he remains a cute piece of Halloween Horror Nights lore and merchandise.

Sergio Navarro

Brand new for Halloween Horror Nights 2025, Sergio Navarro was introduced as part of the El Artista: A Spanish Haunting house. Navarro is a 19th-century tortured artist who, upon moving into La Casa de Creación or The Creation House, begins descending into madness. The house was riddled with the discontented spirits of artists past who came to the house for inspiration that then came upon Navarro, making his artwork twisted and eventually coming to life to roam the real world. The section of the house known as The Conservatory is said to be the root of all the evils for HHN this year.

In addition to being featured in his own haunted house, Navarro is also the narrator of the Opening Scaremonies.

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Amanda Finn