Haunt Guide: Halloween Horror Nights Orlando

Table of Contents

What is Halloween Horror Nights?

Halloween Horror Nights is Universal Studios Florida’s annual haunt event, featuring haunted houses, roaming monsters, and live entertainment, from some of the most popular horror films, television, and other forms of media.

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida operates select nights in September and October. Sadly, there are no November dates for the 2022 season. Keep in mind, while rare, Universal has added additional nights before.

The event is a separately ticketed event, and due to the intense nature of the event, guests under 13 are not recommended to attend.

Halloween Horror Nights Orlando entrance archway
© Social Horror

When is Halloween Horror Nights?

Halloween Horror Nights will be operating for 41 select nights from September 2 through October 31.

Sept. 2-4, 7-11, 15-18, 21-25, 28-30

Oct. 1-2, 5-9, 12-16, 19-23, 26-31

Purchasing Tickets to Halloween Horror Nights

Guests can purchase tickets at https://www.universalorlando.com/hhn/en/us/tickets or at the ticket booths outside both Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme parks.

Unlike Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Express and RIP Tours do not include admission, and must be purchased as an separate add-on.

We’ll provide you with an easy list of all ticket options below:

    • General Admission – Prices vary $73.99-$104.99 plus tax (includes admission into the event)
    • Universal Express – Prices vary $119.99-$189.99 plus tax (includes one-time priority access to all haunted houses, participating rides, does not included seated show; but does NOT include admission)
    • RIP Tour – Prices vary $299.99-$429.99 plus tax (includes guided tour with separate RIP entrances into all haunted houses, complimentary valet parking, pre-tour reception in Cafe La Bamba with light bites and cash bar, Universal Express Unlimited for all participating rides, and reserved seating for seated shows)

Multi-Night Tickets

    • Rush of Fear Pass – $129.99 plus tax (includes admission to all September event dates)
      September 2-4, 7-11, 15-18, 21-25
    • Rush of Fear Pass with Universal Express – $429.99 plus tax (includes admission to all September event dates PLUS Universal Express access for all participating rides and haunted houses)
    • Frequent Fear Pass – $179.99 plus tax (includes admission for 27 select nights)
      Sept. 2-4, 7-8, 11, 15, 18, 21-22, 25, 28-29
      Oct. 2, 5-6, 9, 12-13, 16, 19-20, 23, 26-27, 30-31
    • Frequent Fear Pass with Universal Express – $509.99 plus tax (includes admission for 27 select nights PLUS Universal Express access for all participating rides and haunted houses)
    • Frequent Fear Pass Plus – $219.99 plus tax (includes admission for 36 select nights)
      Sept. 2-4, 7-9, 11, 15-16, 18, 21-23, 25, 28-30
      Oct.2, 5-7, 9, 12-14, 16, 19-21, 23, 26-31
    • Frequent Fear Pass Plus with Universal Express – $599.99 plus tax (includes admission for 36 select nights PLUS Universal Express access for all participating rides and haunted houses)
    • Ultimate Frequent Fear Pass – $324.99 plus tax (includes admission for all 41 event dates, free regular parking after 5PM)
    • Ultimate Frequent Fear Pass with Universal Express – $819.99 plus tax (includes admission for all 41 event nights, free parking after 5PM, and Universal Express access for all participating rides and haunted houses)

Event Add-Ons

    • Behind-The-Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tour – Prices vary $79.99-$109.99 plus tax (includes a guided tour of 3 select haunted houses during the daytime before event; admission into Halloween Horror Nights or Universal Studios Florida not required)
      – Prices vary $129.99-$159.99 (includes a guided tour of 6 select haunted houses during the daytime before event; admission into Halloween Horror Nights or Universal Studios Florida not required)
    • Scream Early Ticket – $35 plus tax (includes after 3PM admission into Universal Studios Florida; does not include admission into Halloween Horror Nights and must be purchased separately)
    • Scareactor Dining Experience – $54.99 plus tax (includes buffet dinner at Louie’s Italian Kitchen inside Universal Studios Florida, special scareactor photo opportunities, digital download of photos taken during the dining; does not include admission into Halloween Horror Nights and must be purchased separately)
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Hotel and Ticket Packages

Guests can choose to bundle their hotel accommodations and tickets to enjoy Halloween Horror Nights and the Universal Orlando Resort Theme Parks.

    • Standard Hotel and Ticket Package – Prices vary: call to book (877) 801-9720 (includes a 5 night hotel stay at a Universal Orlando Resort hotel, 3-Park 5-Day Base Tickets to all three theme parks; once per day, single night admission to Halloween Horror Nights, $75 Stay, Scream, and Save Discount, and Early Park Admission to all three theme parks)
    • Florida Resident 2-Night Ticket and Hotel Package – Prices vary: call to book (877) 801-9720 (includes a 2 night hotel stay at a Universal Orlando Resort hotel, 3-Park 2-Day Park to Park Florida Resident ticket to Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and Universal’s Volcano Bay on the same days, single night admission to Halloween Horror Nights, $10 Stay, Scream, and Save Discount, and Early Park Admission to all three theme parks)
    • 1-Night Ticket and Hotel Package – Prices vary: call to book (877) 801-9720 (includes a 1 night stay at a Universal Orlando Resort Hotel and single night admission to Halloween Horror Nights)

Discounts

Annual and Seasonal Pass Members can save admission into the event (visit https://purchase.universalorlando.com/uorapvalidator/ to purchase discounted tickets and packages)

    • General Admission – Prices vary $67.99-$104.99 plus tax (includes admission into the event)
    • Passholder Hotel and Ticket Package – Prices vary: call to book 866-PASS-4-FUN (includes hotel accomodations, single night admission to Halloween Horror Nights, commemorative pin, and more)

Haunted Houses

There are a total of 10 haunted houses for Halloween Horror Nights 2022 at Universal Studios Florida.

Scare Zones

The streets throughout Universal Studios Florida are filled with many monsters, creatures, and other entities, all with simple goals to scare the heck out of you.

There are a total of five scare zones for 2022’s event, and includes:

    • Horrors of Halloween – Encounter The Pumpkin Lord and all his devious subjects.
    • Scarecrow: Cursed Soil – Reap the wrath of scarecrows who will stop at nothing to harvest their souls.
    • Sweet Revenge – Experience a terrifying 1950s Halloween parade-gone-wrong alongside bloodthirsty trick-or-treaters.
    • Graveyard: Deadly Unrest – Venture through an ominous Halloween thunderstorm within a ghastly cemetery.
    • Conjure the Dark – Escape an evil sorceress bringing forth an army of ravenous monstrosities.

Live Entertainment

Universal Studios Florida will offer two live shows for Halloween Horror Nights.

2022’s live entertainment includes:

    • Halloween Nightmare Fuel: Wildfire – the sequel to last year’s fan-favorite “Halloween Nightmare Fuel” show featuring the world-famous performance group, The Fuel Girls – highlighting a new Dreamer in the depths of a new nightmare set to a heart-pounding metal, rock and electronica score.
    • Ghoulish! A Halloween Tale – an all-new show taking place in the Universal Studios lagoon that follows the Grim Reaper on the undertaking of what happens beyond the grave – all set to eerily-remixed music by some of today’s most iconic artists. 

Merchandise

Universal Studios Florida will once be offering its unique Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store, located in the Theme Park next door to Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride.

    • For the first time ever, the scares taking root in the streets of Universal Studios Florida will bleed into the theme of the Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store with a collection of incredibly detailed environments inspired by the iconic Halloween haunts featured throughout the event. Guests will shop the latest Halloween Horror Nights merchandise and treats as they venture through a Pumpkin Patch, Cemetery and Witch’s Cottage – eventually making their way to the final room – an elaborate Halloween festival set in the same town as the store’s neighboring scare zone, “Sweet Revenge.”

Food and Beverage Offerings

If you’re dying to eat some delicious food such as pizza fries or imbibe on some concoctions, Universal Studios Florida has plenty to offer as they have food and drink tents scattered throughout the park.

Information for 2022’s food and beverage offerings will be announced at a later date.

Rides and Attractions

No theme park experience is never complete with some of Universal Studios Florida’s most popular rides open during Halloween Horror Nights.

The following rides will be open weather and maintenance permitting (Note: most rides close early):

    • Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
    • Revenge of the Mummy
    • Men in Black: Alien Attack
    • Transformers: The Ride-3D
    • The Simpsons Ride (Only when capacity is needed)

Tips and Tricks

Stay and Scream

If you’re already going to be visiting Universal Studios Florida during the day, make sure to take advantage of one of the stay and scream areas. These let you check in starting around an hour before regular park closing (typically 4:00PM).

As we mentioned earlier in the guide, if you are not visiting Universal Studios Florida for the daytime, we suggest you purchase the Scream Early ticket. With that ticket, which costs $35 plus tax, you’ll be able to get admission to the park starting at 3PM, and you can either choose to do a few of the rides or shows before the Stay and Scream areas open up as the park transitions for Halloween Horror Nights (don’t forget that admission into HHN is still required on top of the Scream Early ticket).

The best place for you to start out is at the New York area as some of the most popular houses end up being in those soundstages. Springfield is also a great second choice if the houses in that area interest you. There is also a third stay and scream located at Richter’s Burger that lets you into The Horrors of Blumhouse.

Universal Express

If you can swing it, you absolutely should buy Universal Express for at least one night if you’re only visiting for a night or two. Even if you buy the Frequent Fear pass we’d still say to buy it with the Express add-on. It will make your life a lot easier.

Recommended Order

We always start with the soundstage houses right and hustle as quick as possible to whichever ones open first. You have to play a little by ear but if something doesn’t look open after you go through the first hour or two, run over to the Kid Zone houses which should by this point be a walk on after flushing the stay and scream people. After hitting these up go over to the MiB houses if they’re open otherwise head over to the Fast & Furious area and go for that house.

Keep track of anything that hasn’t opened and go for that next. You’ll be sore and tired already but even without Express you should be able to get through a majority of the houses before the first show of the night starts. If possible, try to see the first show. Later shows get extremely packed and you’ll waste a lot of time waiting around for a seat.

After all that take a break, get some food and drink.

The last hour of the night the houses will once again empty out and that’s when the second part of your HHN marathon starts.

Additional Resources