Halloween Horror Nights 2025 at Universal Orlando: Everything We Know So Far
Halloween Horror Nights 2025 is shaping up to be one of the biggest yet. Running from August 29, 2025, through November 2, 2025, with a Premium Scream Night on August 28, this year’s event features ten (10) haunted houses, multiple scare zones, live shows, and a whole lot of terrifying fun.
What Is Halloween Horror Nights?
Halloween Horror Nights is Universal Orlando’s premier Halloween event held on select nights every fall. It transforms Universal Studios Florida into a terrifying, immersive experience after dark. Guests walk through elaborately themed haunted houses based on horror movies, TV shows, and original concepts.
Scare zones filled with roaming monsters take over the streets between attractions. Live shows, specialty food, and merchandise complete the spooky, adult-oriented experience.
We’ve rounded up everything officially announced so far, and will keep updating this guide as new details drop.
New: The HHN34 Deathly Afraid Necklace
Universal Orlando has introduced a new feature for HHN 2025. The Deathly Afraid necklace is new option for purchase at select locations that guests will wear like a lanyard throughout the event. The Deathly Afraid necklace/lanyard offers a new way to manage the scares while attending Halloween Horror Nights. Guests who wear the necklace signal scare actors to approach with less intensity. It does not remove scares completely and does not work inside haunted houses. However, it functions in scare zones throughout the park and reduces the level of interaction. This option helps guests who want to enjoy the event without the full force of jump scares. Families with younger visitors and those sensitive to fear may find it especially valuable. The necklace makes HHN more accessible while preserving the atmosphere of the event.
But First (New): Universal Horror Unleashed Is Coming to the Midwest
Universal’s horror ambitions are going full‑throttle! After launching the first Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas on August 14, 2025—a 110,000 ft², year‑round, walk‑through haunt at AREA15 featuring four immersive houses based on Universal Monsters, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Exorcist: Believer, and Scarecrow: The Reaping—the experience is set to expand to the Midwest.
On June 26, 2025, Universal announced plans for a second location. Universal Horror Unleashed: Chicago will occupy a 114,000 ft² former industrial site at 700 W. Chicago Ave., along the River West corridor. With construction slated to begin in early 2026 and the grand opening expected in 2027, the venue will feature “terrifying mazes, themed bars, unique food and beverage offerings, and retail with exclusive merchandise.” The project will generate hundreds of jobs and an estimated $1 billion in economic impact.
RELATED: Click here to read about more Universal Orlando Holidays in our other Universal Orlando holiday travel guides.
🎃 Confirmed Haunted Houses at HHN 2025
1. Fallout
Step into the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout, based on the video game series and Prime Video show. You’ll journey through Vault 33, encounter ghouls, raiders, Maximus in T‑60 power armor, and try to survive the irradiated chaos of the Super Duper Mart.
2. Five Nights at Freddy’s
Freddy Fazbear is back! This house brings the 2023 Five Nights at Freddy’s film to life, complete with haunted animatronics, eerie pizza parlor vibes, and plenty of jump scares.
3. Jason Universe
One for the slasher fans: This Friday the 13th-inspired house takes you deep into Camp Crystal Lake, where Jason Voorhees stalks his prey through cabins, haunted woods, and a decaying lodge.
4. El Artista: A Spanish Haunting (Original)
Set in 19th-century Spain, this original house is dripping with atmosphere. You’ll explore a secluded manor where the tortured soul of a painter blurs the line between life and death—bringing his artwork to horrifying life.
5. Hatchet and Chains: Demon Bounty Hunters (Original)
A Western town is under siege by molten demons in this fiery original concept. Join two supernatural bounty hunters on a quest to stop the carnage as the town and its people literally melt around them.
6. Grave of Flesh (Original)
Enter your funeral. You’re pulled into the underworld where flesh‑eaters hunt you for eternity in a gruesome, eternal graveyard.
7. Dolls: Let’s Play Dead (Original)
Shrink down and become doll‑sized as you’re hunted by nightmarish toys—burnt, stitched, and twisted by a sinister little girl.
8. Gálkn: Monsters of the North (Original)
In a remote northern village, a wicked being resurrects with a horde of monsters inside the belly of the beast.
9. Terrifier
Step into the horrifying world of Damien Leone’s Terrifier films—guests will enter Art the Clown’s twisted funhouse and face a relentless level of gore true to the movies
10. WWE Presents: The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks
Guests enter a lantern-lit arena into the fractured minds of The Wyatt Sicks’ five twisted personas. Navigate through domains ruled by Uncle Howdy, Mercy, Rabbit, Abby, and Huskus, with The Fiend stalking the shadows.
🎃 Confirmed Scare Zones at HHN 2025
1. Origins of Horror
Step into the rotting heart of a decaying conservatory as Universal’s first scare zone of the year—The Origins of Horror—takes shape. It’s a gothic, walk‑through nightmare featuring twisted vines, monstrous crows, and eyeless gargoyles lurking in the shadows. This open-air terror promises an eerie prelude to the main haunted houses and sets the tone for the spine‑chilling nights ahead.
2. Masquerade: Dance with Death
Masquerade: Dance with Death transforms the streets of Universal Studios Florida into a lavish, gothic ballroom teeming with masked revelers—and monsters lurking beneath the glamour. This scare zone places guests in the middle of a blood-soaked masquerade, where seductive dancers and aristocrats hide their true forms behind elegant masks. As the music swells and the night deepens, these masked figures reveal themselves to be bloodthirsty vampires, ready to strike. With richly detailed costumes and dramatic lighting, it’s a haunting fusion of beauty and terror that brings a deadly twist to the traditional masquerade ball.
3. The Cat Lady of Crooked Lane
The Cat Lady of Crooked Lane tells the unsettling tale of a mysterious figure who haunts a winding residential street. As guests trick-or-treat through this twisted neighborhood, they encounter her lair—a place where mischief turns to menace. The legend goes that the Cat Lady transforms children into feral felines, and now these nightmarish creatures roam the area, stalking anyone who dares to wander too close. Set in an eerie environment likely taking over Central Park, this scare zone blends Halloween folklore with feline horror in a truly unsettling way.
4. Mutations: Toxic Twenties
Mutations: Toxic Twenties brings a roaring ’20s neighborhood to a screeching halt after a radioactive disaster triggers grotesque mutations. In this scare zone, guests walk through a prohibition-era town where mobsters, flappers, and bootleggers have been horrifically transformed by toxic exposure. Neon glows, period jazz, and crumbling storefronts set the stage for chaos as mutated townsfolk lurch from the shadows. It’s a creative mashup of vintage style and post-apocalyptic horror, adding a glowing, twisted edge to this year’s scare zone lineup.
🧟♀️ Scare Experiences
Street experiences are a brand-new addition to Halloween Horror Nights 34. They’re different from scare zones, but not replacing them. These experiences feature roaming scareactors, custom lighting, and immersive sound design. Unlike fixed scare zones, they’re more fluid and performance-driven. Fans already have plenty of questions about this addition to HHN34. We’ll keep you posted when we know more.
1. Mel’s Die-In Zombies
Set outside Mel’s Drive-In, this 1950s-themed horror scene brings zombie carhops to life. Classic cars and neon lights glow eerily. Undead servers roam the area, serving scares instead of shakes. The vibe is retro but deadly. It’s Mel’s Diner like you’ve never seen it before.
2. Club Horror
Club Horror transforms the streets into a haunted rave with undead DJs. Flashing lights and pounding beats fill the air. Themed dancers and creepy clubgoers drift through fog. It’s part music festival, part monster party. You don’t walk through—you’re part of the show.
💀 Confirmed Shows at HHN 2025
1. Haunt-O-Phobic: A Ghoulish Journey
Haunt‑O‑Phonic tells a ghostly tale using water, projections, music, and lights—returning lagoon shows to HHN for the first time since 2022. The second show is still unannounced but promises more large-scale entertainment alongside haunted houses and scare zones. Both shows debut August 29 and run nightly through November 2, enhancing the overall HHN experience with immersive after-dark storytelling.
2. Nightmare Fuel: Circus of Decay
This high-energy show follows a cursed circus consumed by fire and twisted into a nightmare. Expect pulse-pounding music, fire effects, aerial stunts, and dark illusions. It’s the latest installment in the fan-favorite Nightmare Fuel series, continuing the legacy of fiery, adult-themed performances. The story centers on performers trapped in a decaying dreamscape where terror and temptation blur.
👻 What’s Still to Come
Rumors are swirling about the rest of the HHN34 announcements, but no official confirmations yet.
As always, we can also expect:
- Live shows with HHN’s signature over-the-top flair
- Roving hordes of scareactors for spontaneous frights
- Specialty food and drink exclusive to the event
🎟️ Tickets & Dates
- Event Dates: August 29, 2025 – November 2, 2025
- Premium Scream Night: August 28 (early access preview night)
- Ticket Options: Single-night admission, Express Passes, RIP Tours, and Frequent Fear passes are expected—though pricing and packages have not been fully released yet.
📌 Planning Tips
- Check back here often—We’ll keep this post updated as the rest of the lineup is announced.
- Buy tickets early if you know you’re going. HHN is hugely popular and often sells out on weekends.
- Consider Express Passes or a RIP Tour if you want to hit all the houses without waiting in long lines.
💀Halloween Horror Nights 34 (2025) FAQ
Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) is Universal Orlando Resort’s premier Halloween event, turning Universal Studios Florida into a nighttime celebration of fear. It features haunted houses, scare zones, live shows, themed food and drinks, and select attractions after dark.
This is not Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party—HHN is intense, terrifying, and designed for adult thrill-seekers.
HHN typically runs on select nights from early September through Halloween (and often into early November). The event usually starts around 6:30 PM and runs until 1:00 or 2:00 AM, depending on the night.
Yes. HHN requires a separate ticket—daytime park admission does not include entry to the event.
You can choose from:
Single-night tickets
Frequent Fear Passes (multi-night passes)
Express Passes (skip the regular lines for haunted houses and rides)
Day/Night combo tickets are also available if you want to visit Universal Studios Florida during the day and stay for HHN.
At Universal Studios Florida only. Islands of Adventure and Universal’s Volcano Bay do not participate in HHN.
Yes, select attractions remain open during the event, including:
Revenge of the Mummy
Transformers: The Ride-3D
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
Men in Black: Alien Attack
Ride availability can vary by night, so check the Universal Orlando app for the most up-to-date list.
HHN is not recommended for children under 13. There are no child-specific areas or family-friendly activities.
While Universal does not enforce a strict age requirement, parental discretion is strongly advised. The scares are intense, performers will target guests of all ages, and there’s blood, gore, loud noises, strong themes, and strobe lighting throughout the event.
No. Costumes and costume masks are not permitted at HHN, for safety and security reasons.
Feel free to wear Halloween-inspired clothes, but nothing that resembles a costume or could conceal your identity.
The main attractions at HHN include:
Haunted Houses: Elaborate walk-throughs themed after horror films, original stories, or TV shows.
Scare Zones: Themed outdoor areas with scareactors roaming freely.
Live Shows: Often edgy, dark-humored performances (e.g., “Nightmare Fuel”).
Food & Drinks: Seasonal treats and Halloween-themed menus.
Merchandise: HHN-exclusive apparel, mugs, posters, and collectibles.
Yes! Universal’s hotels offer vacation packages that include HHN admission. Staying onsite also gives you access to:
Free shuttles or water taxis to the park
Early Park Admission (during the day)
Exclusive hotel guests-only entry gates for HHN on select nights
Hotels closest to Universal Studios Florida include:
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort
Universal’s Aventura Hotel
Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
Absolutely. The app gives you:
Wait times for houses and rides
Showtimes and scare zone locations
Mobile food ordering
A digital map (crucial in the dark!)
In a word: intense.
Fog, strobe lights, loud music, chainsaws, jump scares—you name it. The scareactors will approach you, but they will not touch you. Likewise, you’re not allowed to touch them.
HHN is a high-energy event with a party atmosphere, especially on weekends. Alcohol is sold throughout the park and things can get a bit rowdy.
Costumes or costume masks
Weapons, toy weapons, or props
Outside food or beverages
Flash photography or videography inside houses
Touching the scareactors
Lines for haunted houses can reach 60–120 minutes each on busy nights. If you want to do everything, especially on a weekend, Express Pass is often worth the splurge.
Another option: Stay & Scream, which allows early access to the houses from inside the park before general entry begins (with the right ticket combo).
Stay & Scream is your VIP ticket into Halloween Horror Nights before the official scare-fest begins—no more waiting outside! For 2025, Universal Orlando has completely overhauled the experience. Here’s how the new system works:
How It Works Now
Wristband pick-up starts at 3:00 PM, at convenient locations like Lombard’s Seafood Grill, Minion Café, or Villain-Con Minion Blast. Wristbands validate your early access.
Roam the entire park freely. Gone are the days of standing in cramped holding areas—now you can explore, grab food, shop merch, or even hit a ride before the night kicks off.
Early access to haunted houses begins before the official 6:30 PM start. Popular houses like Fallout or Terrifier may open as early as 4:00 or 5:15 PM—giving Stay & Scream guests the first jump on entry.
Why This Upgrade Is a Game-Changer
No more crowds in holding areas—you’re already out there, exploring and enjoying the park.
More efficient use of time—shop merch, fuel up, or even tackle attractions before the nightmares begin.
Strategic advantage—hit the most popular haunted houses early to save precious minutes (or hours) later.
Pro Tips for HHN 2025 Stay & Scream
Arrive before 3 PM to secure your wristband and enjoy the extra hours.
Scout your must-hit houses ahead of time and plan to take them down during this early window.
Eat and shop early—the merch and food lines during the actual event can get wild.
Treat it like the ultimate pre-party—no waiting, just immersive, strategic fun before the main event.
Arrive early—lines start forming well before gates open.
Start in the back of the park to avoid the initial crowd surge.
Eat before you arrive or plan on eating in non-peak hours.
Go on a weekday if you want a less crowded experience.
Stay hydrated, especially on hot nights.
Conclusion
Halloween Horror Nights is a must-do for horror fans, thrill-seekers, and anyone looking for a totally different experience at Universal. It’s not for the faint of heart—or for very young children—but if you love spooky season, it’s one of the most iconic Halloween events in the world.
Click here to explore Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights at the official site.
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