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[title]Halloween Horror Nights is back for its 33rd year, operating for another terrifying 48 nights from August 30 through November 3. Despite its tagline warning to “Never Go Alone,” last year was my first-ever trip to the event, and I went by myself. It was all worth it to bring you, dear reader, this comprehensive guide to Universal Orlando Resort’s Halloween Horror Nights, which we have updated with new information for 2024, including information on tickets, dates, the theme, rides and more.
I’m the first to admit I can be a little bit of a scaredy cat. Regardless, as a fan of all things spooky and a fan of Universal Orlando, I knew I had to check it out. The event is often regarded as one of the premier Halloween events in the country (and a popular destination for Halloween in Miami), for good reason: It includes original Universal content and also brings beloved spooky season titles like A Quiet Place, Ghostbusters and Insidious to life.
Based on my first-look experience of Halloween Horror Nights, I absolutely love this event. Year after year since 1991, the dedication to theming, incredibly talented scare actors and movie-quality set design make this a must-do for fans of haunts and Halloween—and 2024 is no different.
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What are Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando?
Halloween Horror Nights is the nation's leading Halloween event, featuring haunted houses, scare zones, unique spooky food specials and entertainment throughout the park.
Dates
Halloween Horror Nights runs on select days from August 30 through November 2, 2024.
What dates will be the busiest?
Weekends are the busiest days to visit, specifically Saturday nights. The event is typically more crowded at the start and end of the season as people try to visit as soon as possible or for one last trip of the year. September is the best month to go to avoid larger crowds that typically fill the park during October as Halloween approaches.
Tickets
Single-night event tickets range from $83 to $123, depending on the date. For an additional cost, visitors can purchase an Express Pass that will allow them to skip regular lines and wait in an abbreviated queue one time at each haunted house. Express Pass pricing is also date-based and ranges from $160 to $250.
For guests looking to spend more for convenience, the park also offers RIP tours starting at $420 per person. These tours give groups of six guests the ability to skip both the standby and express queues and enter directly into the houses. Multiple parties will be combined during an RIP tour unless you opt for a private experience, which costs more. (Note that the pricing for both the RIP tour and Express Pass does not include Halloween Horror Nights admission and an event ticket is required in addition to these add-ons.)
If you’re a local or just on a longer trip, consider taking advantage of either the Rush of Fear or Frequent Fear passes, which offer the ability to return for more than one night. The price per night breaks down into a great value, which is perfect for the biggest fans of the event.
What is the Halloween Horror Nights theme for 2024?
This year, park icon Dr. Oddfellow takes a break from his sinister circus as Halloween Horror Nights leans into its Hollywood horror side. Rather than focus on one theme that's woven throughout the experience, 2024's edition amps up its offerings with 10 all-new movie-quality haunted houses and five spine-chilling scare zones inspired by cinematic greats and eerie original stories created by Universal Orlando’s Entertainment team.
How many scare zones are in HHN 2024?
There are five scare zones at this year's HHN:
- Enter the Blumhouse: Escape a terrifying gauntlet of characters from the legendary Blumhouse horror production house. Expect sinister sadists from The Purge and Black Phone, M3GAN dancing into your nightmares and more.
- Duality of Fear: Upon entering the Halloween Horror Nights gates, 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.
Are there safe zones at Halloween Horror Nights?
In addition to the scare zones, there are other, less scary experiences throughout the park to enjoy. This year, guests can find "Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus," an aerial and pyro-centric live dance show.
The Tribute Store is also a can’t-miss stop to break up the terror. This all-new, highly themed shop takes guests through the dark alleyways of New York, where an ancient evil has been unleashed.
Rides
After 5:30pm, theme park attractions close to daytime guests. But, if you need a break from the scares, some of the regular rides stay open during Halloween Horror Nights. They include Transformers 3-D, Revenge of the Mummy, Jurassic World and the Simpsons Ride. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is also open this year, including the Forbidden Journey and Flight of the Hippogriff, but without Death Eaters. Do note that availability is subject to change.
During the event, the lines are generally much shorter than during the day, as most guests are in line for the houses. Hopping on a ride is a great way to take a quick scare break before returning back to the horror!
How scary is it?
Each guest has their own ranking of which house scares them the most. While many of the houses utilize a lot of gore, much of the scare factor stems from jump scares and sudden noises.
Universal does not have an age limit for the event, but they do state that Halloween Horror Nights "may be too intense for young children and is not recommended for children under the age of 13." It is also important to note that the frights aren’t limited to the houses, the scare zones are spread across the park and scare actors roam about these areas as well.
While I was screaming through almost every house on my first pass-through, there was never a moment when I felt like I couldn’t finish the house. That being said, I did scream so much that I lost my voice almost completely after the first night. One thing to note: Scare actors are never allowed to touch you (or you them), so knowing there would never be any physical contact always made me feel a little better.
If you’re looking to alleviate some fear, try watching walkthroughs of the houses before visiting. It allows you to see what’s in your comfort zone and, while it may spoil some of the surprise factor, that could be a good thing for the fright-adverse!
Another option is to take the Behind the Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tour, a daytime, lights-on tour of either three or six of the haunted houses. This tour does not require theme park or event admission and pricing starts at $110 per person. It’s a great way for guests who are afraid of the regular experience to pull the curtain back on the elaborate houses, and a great way to dive deeper into the scenes and sets constructed for the year.
Opening hours
The event begins at 6:30pm and runs until 2am. Guests who either have a day ticket or purchase the “Scream Early” add-on can utilize early entry to get a jump start on tackling all the houses. You’ll need to be in the park by 5pm and then choose which Stay-and-Scream holding area you’ll wait in, depending on which houses you want to visit first.
Be sure to arrive early and get in line if you’re only visiting for one night or just want to cross a house off your list as soon as possible. Finally, guests of Universal Resorts get perks like access to a dedicated Halloween Horror Nights gate for faster entry into the event, plus free transportation to Universal Orlando’s theme parks and Universal CityWalk before and after the scares.
Are Halloween Horror Nights tickets cheaper for Florida residents?
No, Universal does not offer discounts for Florida residents for this event.
Halloween Horror Night 2024’s haunted houses
Here are this year’s haunted houses, listed in alphabetical order:
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.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Guests will team up with Ghostbusters new and old to protect the city from a second Ice Age as the vengeful spirit of Garraka threatens to freeze everyone to death.
Goblin’s Feast
Enter a goblin village, where a feast is being prepared for goblins, orcs, hobgoblins and witches. And you’re the main course.
Insidious: The Further
Travel deeper into a paranormal dimension of tortured souls and demonic entities as they follow in the footsteps of the Lambert family.
Major Sweets Candy Factory
Guests join a field trip to a candy factory, only to realize the free samples have transformed the kids into candy-coated killers.
Monstrous: The Monsters of Latin America
¡Ten cuidado! With La Muerte as your guide, try to survive the night with three terrifying legends: Tlahuelpuchi, La Lechuza and El Silbón.
Slaughter Sinema 2
Guests will head to the Carey Drive-in for a B-movie horror marathon full of spaghetti westerns, grindhouse gore and more.
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.
Triplets of Terror
You’re invited to the Barmy triplets’ birthday celebration. But their kind of party involves recreating the murders of their entire family.
Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines
Get caught in an epic battle as Saskia Van Helsing and the Bride of Frankenstein go up against Dracula’s daughter and her monstrous mavens.
Where to stay for Halloween Horror Nights 2024
During my visit, I stayed at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort which made the trip even better. Not only does the hotel offer easy bus transport to the parks but ;this year, a web of sinister roots and pumpkins has taken over the lobby and the Swizzle Lounge, which is offering themed drink specials, too. It's all pretty ideal for setting the mood for your trip and snapping a few photos.
Other Universal resorts get into the spirit too: Find creepy driftwood structures and ghosts from the Dead Sea haunting Universal Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites. At Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, expect a dark seaside gothic manor, and at Universal Aventura Hotel, alien overlords have taken over.