Halloween Horror Nights 2023

• Halloween Horror Nights 2023 Touring Plan
• How to Get Early Admission to Halloween Horror Nights 2023 at Universal Orlando
• Insider’s Guide to Halloween 2023’s Exclusive Food and Drinks at Universal Orlando Resort
• Insider’s Guide to Halloween Horror Nights 2022 Tickets
• Insider’s guide to Halloween Horror Nights 2023 Extras: Express Passes, RIP Tours, and More

The details for 2023’s Halloween Horror Nights have yet to be revealed. In the meantime, please enjoy 2022’s information!

It’s never too early to start panicking for the nation’s premier Halloween event: Halloween Horror Nights 2022. On these pages, you will find all the information and insider secrets you need to survive the terror – as well as our very best expert advice on how to save time and money as you face your worst fears.

Orlando Informer is proud to provide our readers with the world’s most popular guide to this year’s Halloween Horror Nights event. Just like the entire OI Universal Center, our information is comprehensive, obsessively updated, and completely free. We hope you will use all the wisdom we’ve gained over the years to make sure your family’s HHN trip is one night you will never want to forget!

Once you’ve read through our complete overview of Horror Nights, use the navigation links at the top or bottom of the page to learn so, so much more.

Skip to: Overview | Haunted houses | Scare zones | Shows | Hotel experiences | Rides | Tribute Store | Merch | FAQ

Halloween Horror Nights 2022 – overview and explanation

Think you have what it takes to survive the biggest names in horror and venture through original, twisted nightmares?

Now in its 31st terrifying event year, Universal Orlando Resort’s Halloween Horror Nights puts you right into some of the most pulse-pounding moments in horror history. During the day, you can experience the fun and excitement of Universal Orlando’s two amazing theme parks (and water park!). But on select nights from September 2 through October 31, 2022, the streets of Universal Studios Florida come alive with hordes of horrifying mutants, monsters, and maniacs. That’s right – all throughout the night, you’ll be completely immersed in the worlds of The Weeknd, Universal Monsters, and Michael Myers’ Halloween.

With 30 years of experience to draw from, nobody creates a more nightmarish Halloween event than Universal, filled with truly original scares and authentic horror-movie moments. You can explore frightening haunted houses, each remarkably themed and detailed by Universal’s designers and special-effects wizards. You’ll make your way through multiple scare zones, where gory and grotesque creatures lurk around every turn. If you need a break from the scares, enjoy spectacular live shows. And you can experience many of the park’s most exciting rides and attractions.

Halloween Horror Nights is an 11-time winner of Amusement Today’s “Best Halloween Event” Golden Ticket award. Tony Timpone, editor of Fangoria magazine, said, “After visiting scream parks all across the US for the last 20 years, I can easily say that Universal’s is the best in the business… Halloween Horror Nights is the ultimate Halloween experience.” And the 31st edition of this must-see event promises to bring to life the ultimate in scares past, present, and future.

What are this year’s Halloween Horror Nights dates?

Halloween Horror Nights 2022 runs from Friday, September 2 through Monday, October 31. That’s a grand total of 43 event nights, making it the most ever – and there’s always the possibility that Universal tacks on even more dates, which they have done in both 2018 and 2019. Remember, you can secure discounted single-night tickets from us!

Here’s what the full breakdown of 2022 Halloween Horror Nights dates looks like:

Sept. 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30Oct. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

Halloween Horror Nights 2022 event nights begin at 6:30 PM and (for the first time in the event’s history) end at 2:00 AM.

Do I need a separate ticket for Halloween Horror Nights?

Yes! Halloween Horror Nights is a separately-ticketed event, which means, one way or another, you need to pay for admission. Please know that purchasing a ticket to visit Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure during the day does not get you into Horror Nights automatically – the opposite of other popular Universal annual events, such as Mardi Gras.

Conversely, keep in mind that purchasing admission for HHN does not get you into the parks during the day.

If you plan on attending this event, we highly recommend purchasing your tickets in advance. It would be heartbreaking to arrive at Universal Orlando while getting psyched for the night to start, but then tickets are sold out. Tickets purchased online can be printed at home, so you’ll be able to walk directly to the turnstiles.

How busy will Halloween Horror Nights 2022 be on ____ night?

Since this is the most common question we receive, we wanted to answer it right away. Here are what we think will be some of the best nights to visit Halloween Horror Nights:

Sept. 4, 7, 8, 11, 15, 18, 21, 22, 28, 29Oct. 5, 12, 19, 31

Here are what we think will be some of the busiest nights to visit Halloween Horror Nights:

Sept. 16, 23, 30Oct. 1, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29

To put it more generally, like any theme-park event, Saturdays are the busiest. That means, on the other hand, Wednesdays and the first two weeks tend to be some of the least-crowded nights.

Will there be early access to Halloween Horror Nights?

If you have the opportunity, be certain to take advantage of early access to Halloween Horror Nights when offered. Throughout the entire event, it is typically available to any guest who has daytime admission to Universal Studios Florida and can get inside the turnstiles before 5:00 pm. See our full guide to early access for everything you need to know on this front.

What if you can’t get early access? We suggest getting to the event early – line up at the front gates at least an hour before opening (especially on a weekend night). It may still be light out and the atmosphere may not have fully kicked in, but if you want to see the houses with the shortest possible wait, getting there early is your best option.

If you arrive to the event later than expected, there is still some hope for short lines. Many of those early birds start getting tired and leave the park well before the event ends, so you’ll start to see the wait times drop down the later it gets (keep in mind that, on many dates, Halloween Horror Nights is open until 2:00 am). While this option may not be as ideal as using HHN early access, it’s better than planning on arriving at 8:00 pm and leaving by 11:00 pm.

Will Diagon Alley be open during Halloween Horror Nights 2022 event nights?

We think it will, yes, although we always need to wait on official confirmation from Universal, of course. But for the past six events, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley has been accessible to guests during the scare fest, allowing visitors to ride Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts and check out all of the various wizarding shops. Just don’t expect the area to have any decorations – or seasonal alterations of any kind – up, whether it’s open or not. Also, note that Gringotts does close early.

What is the Halloween Horror Nights 2022 theme?

A theme for this year’s event has not yet been announced. Last year’s theme revolved around longtime HHN icon Jack the Clown.

How many haunted houses and scare zones will there be?

For the fourth time in a row, there is going to be an absolutely mammoth 10 haunted houses – the biggest lineup in Horror Nights’ entire existence. Universal has also confirmed a grand total of five scare zones and two live shows, which has been the standard number of each for the past few years. Keep scrolling for details on each of those elements.

What are Halloween Horror Nights 2022’s haunted houses?

Although there are shows, scare zones, and plenty of terrifying activities as part of Halloween Horror Nights, the haunted houses are the primary attractions for the event.

HHN haunts are best described as “movie-set quality” recreations of fantastic and fearsome locations. Sometimes referred to as mazes, each house is indoors, often set up in the unused queue area of a daytime attraction or one of the Universal soundstages. These haunts rely on every effect you can imagine to scare you, including hideous creatures, blood-curdling sound effects, loud music, tight passages, strobe lights, air bursts, mirror effects, and, of course, very elaborate – and, in many cases, very gruesome – props and set decoration. In general, guests are sent through the houses in a steady flow (sort of like a conga line, versus being “pulsed” through in small groups), and, once inside, each maze is typically a three-to-four-minute experience.

Throughout much of the event’s history, the haunted houses’ themes have been original creations. However, in more recent years, Universal has started basing more and more of its Halloween mazes on third-party licenses (often referred to by fans as intellectual properties, or IPs), such as AMC’s The Walking Dead or, more recently, Netflix’s Stranger Things. So far, this year’s lineup sports four IPs.

The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare

Journey into the mind of The Weeknd and immerse yourself into the creative inspiration for his first album, After Hours. This house will be divided into three sections – a club, hotel, and metro tunnel. You’ll be surrounded by familiar scenes from previous music videos while a soundtrack of six The Weeknd songs is the set to your adventure. Featured songs include “In Your Eyes,” “Heartless,” “Blinding Lights,” “Save Your Tears” (solo version), and “Too Late.”

Read our full analysis here.

The Horrors of Blumhouse

The Horrors of Blumhouse takes inspiration from the classic Blumhouse productions slasher films – The Black Phone and Freaky. Your heart will be racing as you run from the Blissfield Butcher and attempt your escape from The Grabber.

Read our full analysis here.

Universal Monsters: Legends Collide

Within Universal Monsters: Legends Collide, visitors are caught in the center of Dracula, The Mummy, and The Wolf Man as they fight one another for the amulet that will free them from their curse. The battle will unfold around you as a victor emerges from the fight and escapes their frightful fate.

Read our full analysis here.

Halloween

Michael Myers returns to Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights for the first time since 2018. Travel back to 1978 where it all began with the classic story of Halloween. Michael Myers has begun his hunt and it is a race to escape his grasp. You never know where he may be while you travel through iconic scenes from the film.

Read our full analysis here.

Bugs: Eaten Alive

This house focuses on one of the basic fears many of us share – our fear of bugs! It’s a simple concept, which means it will likely translate into a fun house. Set in a 1950s theme, guests will walk into a futuristic home and see that a number of things have gone terribly, terribly wrong for this family. Once you cross the welcome mat, the infestation grows increasingly worse and becomes a nightmare to exterminators and bug-fearers everywhere.

Read our full analysis here.

Descendants of Destruction

The concept is simple: it’s the end of the world, and people have been forced to move into subway tunnels and adapt to subterranean life underneath New York City. However, the underpass is filled with humans-turned mutants lurking around every corner, awaiting to feast on anyone that crosses their path. Enter if you dare and try not to become dinner.

Read our full analysis here.

Fiesta de Chupacabras

HHN has a history of incorporating “Day of the Dead” – esque elements over the years, but nothing that has overtly referenced the holiday as this house does. The Day of the Dead is a holiday steeped in tradition, primarily in Mexico but with traditions throughout Latin America. It’s patterned with motifs like skeletons and bright colors, juxtaposing the sadness and grief associated with death with the joy and beauty we find in life.

The Chupacabra is a small legendary creature that hops around like a kangaroo, usually has a mix of scales and fur, and sometimes even has spines down the back. The hallmark of the chupacabra is its vampiric behavior of draining the blood of animals. The high concentration of these sightings in Latin America has turned the chupacabra into a sort of icon and a celebration for this blood-hungry creature has arrived at Halloween Horror Nights 2022.

Read our full analysis here.

Dead Man’s Pier: Winter’s Wake

Be wary of the ocean and the secrets it holds. Fishermen who have been lost at sea have returned and are seeking for landlubbers to join them in the depths below.

Read our full analysis here.

Hellblock Horror

This Big House holds mysterious creatures who are desperate to escape once the power goes out. The fate of humanity is in your hands and you are left in the dark to fight your way to destroy the core of the prison.

Read our full analysis here.

Spirits of the Coven

Step into the 1920s where Prohibition is in full swing. You have been enticed to enter a speakeasy surrounded by beautiful flapper witches. Suddenly, their true form is revealed and you have become their prey. Try to escape without becoming part of their next spell.

Read our full analysis here.

What are Halloween Horror Nights 2022’s scare zones?

Stopping you mid-breath as you walk between attractions, scare zones are essentially outdoor haunted houses set up in open areas around Universal Studios Florida (for example, in the street area of New York, right in front of Revenge of the Mummy). The decorations and effects are usually not quite as elaborate as the houses. However, there are still many tricks employed to get screams out of guests – and the “oversized” aspects of some zones, allowed by their position outdoors, often make them as thrilling as the average haunt. This is particularly true for the ghastly part of you that likes to watch other people scream their heads off!

Horrors of Halloween (Production Central) – The Pumpkin Lord is back and more frightening than ever. His summoned ghosts, demons, witches, and more beckon guests to go against their better judgment and enter Halloween Horror Nights. Step into the haunts and delights that the 31st year has to offer. The giant, scaffolded “Halloween Horror Nights” sign from 2021 has returned to welcome guests.

Scarecrow: Cursed Soil (Central Park) – Simple midwestern horror comes alive in Central Park. Flickering lanterns warn you to stay away from the suspicious scarecrows, but you’re lured in despite your instincts. Did you hear something rustling in the bushes, or was that just your imagination getting the best of you? These straw soldiers of the night are seeking their revenge.

Conjure the Dark (San Francisco) – What would Halloween Horror Nights be without witches? A stage, likely set up for sacrifices, serves as the focus of the scare zone. Runes, enchantments, and rockwork make up the dark aura in the scare zone. Can you decipher the runes in time to save yourself from her otherwordly army? In the most clear pairing of the season, this scare zone fits in fully with the Spirits of the Coven house.

Sweet Revenge (New York) – Too close to home? This scare zone is a Halloween carnival gone wrong. The elements that make up a happy Halloween festival — candy, parades, and music — are all turned on their head to be made rotten and evil. Major Sweets Candy Co. is at the root of this dark turn of events, supplying the local children with candy that has sparked a transformation into cold-blooded killers.

Graveyard: Deadly Unrest (Hollywood) – Creep quietly — don’t disturb the dead. See the darker side of Tinseltown through this beautiful, gothic-styled cemetery. Large mausoleums structured around daunting archways and pointed spires are a testament to the deceased. Can you escape the reanimated corpses set on your soul?

What are Halloween Horror Nights 2022’s live stage shows?

Halloween Horror Nights features unique and outrageous shows each year, typically the only time that attendees are allowed to sit back and relax. The headlining attraction here used to be Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure, but after an unbelievable 27-year run, Universal pulled the plug on the production in 2017 (you can read our full accounting of the reasons why, as well as a full-on retrospective of the show, in our in-depth feature).

Halloween Horror Nights 2022 – merchandise

House-specific merchandise

As each intellectual property house has been announced for Halloween Horror Nights, a related shirt and/or ornament has been released.

Lil’ Boo

He’s back, and he’s everywhere. After fans found the loveable pumpkin and named him in 2021, Lil’ Boo has returned with his own collection of merchandise. Options include hats, earrings, buttons, leggings, signage, and more. You can learn more about the origins of everyone’s favorite gourd here.

Dead Coconut Club

The party doesn’t just end at Halloween Horror Nights! The happy haunts continue into Universal CityWalk Orlando’s transformed Red Coconut Club – temporarily named Dead Coconut Club during the Halloween season. This overlay features Universal Monsters by incorporating these familiar faces into the decor and menu. You can read our full analysis here.

Halloween Horror Nights 2022 – FAQ

We’ve collected the most-talked-about topics and questions related to Universal’s popular annual event and deposited them all here for your horror education.

If, for whatever reason, you still can’t find the answers you’re looking for, we strongly recommend that you ask all of your questions in our OI Community Facebook group – with over 150,000 members, you’re going to find all sorts of expertise floating around in there.

Can kids attend Halloween Horror Nights?

This event is not Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Walt Disney World Resort’s annual kid-friendly Halloween bash, set at Universal Orlando; there is no trick-or-treating, and there are no characters dressed up in approachable outfits.

The single purpose of Halloween Horror Nights is to scare you – and, as such, Universal strongly advises that children under the age of 13 do not attend. We tell people that HHN is like a horror movie brought to life – if you like horror movies, you will love Horror Nights; if you don’t like them, you may not like this event.

Just for clarification, the “children under the age of 13″ statement is a guideline, not a policy, so you can bring your kids to HHN, and Universal will not ask for proof of age. However, be aware that if anyone in your party does not like the event and needs to leave early, Universal has the right not to refund used tickets or change the valid date. Since at least one adult will need to leave with an unhappy child, this could prove to be an expensive gamble.

Universal Orlando Halloween Events for Kids

The section above usually leads parents directly to this question: so what can I do with my kids during Halloween at Universal Orlando?

For better or for worse, Universal really puts all of its energy into Halloween Horror Nights. The “for worse” part means the resort isn’t organizing anything for kids this year – at least, not in the size and scope of Horror Nights.

If you have young kids who want to celebrate the holiday, plan on taking them to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or SeaWorld’s Spooktacular. Personally, we recommend SeaWorld – its Halloween event is included with regular admission, and it’s a great experience, too.

Is Halloween Horror Nights too scary?

Are you not a horror fan, generally, but are still maybe, possibly interested in heading to the event? It turns out you should be – there’s more than enough to do here to warrant at least a one-night visit. We explore this possibility in-depth in our HHN guide for non-horror fans.

Will my kids get scared visiting Universal Studios Florida during the day?

This is the other popular question asked by parents with young kids. Because many of the decorations for Halloween Horror Nights are elaborate and large, it’s not possible for Universal to remove everything HHN-related during the regular daytime hours. This means, when touring Universal Studios Florida in September and October, you’ll occasionally come across stuff that looks like this:

The good news is that Universal doesn’t do a single thing during the day like it does during Halloween Horror Nights – not one scareactor, not one siren effect blaring, no sudden air bursts, nothing. So, aside from the oversized props spaced out in a few spots around the park, there is absolutely nothing to fear visiting Universal Studios Florida during the day. Honestly, most of the HHN props look more silly than scary in the bright sunlight.

Think the props will be distracting? Remind your friends that you’re visiting a working movie production studio, so everyone should expect to see miscellaneous props set out around the park!

Do I have to pay for parking at Halloween Horror Nights?

Throughout most of the year, Universal usually offers free parking after 6:00 pm. However, during Halloween Horror Nights, plan on paying full price – $27 for regular self-parking and $60 for preferred self-parking – until at least 12:00 am. Also, for Premier passholders, remember that the complimentary valet parking benefit is not available during HHN (you can read more in our complete insider’s guide to annual passes).

This is a good place to remind our readers that overnight parking is not allowed at Universal’s main parking garages. If you think you might need to do this, just plan a budget and get a room with Universal at either Cabana Bay Beach Resort or Endless Summer Resort for the night.

What if it rains during Halloween Horror Nights?

While Florida is called “The Sunshine State,” we see still see plenty of rain during the events duration in September and October. Definitely check the forecast before arriving at Halloween Horror Nights and consider bringing extra layers of clothing, as well as rain ponchos. Not only will this help you stay warm and dry, extra layers can also provide a psychological barrier between you and the roaming demon hordes.

Should you attend on a sunny evening, we suggest bringing a pair of sunglasses to wear while waiting in line to make the transition from the outdoor light to the haunts’ lack-of-light easier to adjust to.

Additionally, lockers are available for rent – see our complete guide to rental and ride lockers for more information.

If you happen to forget a light jacket or sweatshirt, don’t worry – Universal has plenty of Horror Nights apparel they can’t wait for you to buy. Just be ready to pay around $60 for heavier clothing items, like hoodies.

Does Halloween Horror Nights take place at Universal’s Islands of Adventure?

For the most part, no, Islands of Adventure doesn’t have much, if anything, to do with Halloween – in fact, in most respects, you’d be hard-pressed to tell that the holiday was even going on.

There’s one key exception, however, and it’s a doozy: starting in 2019, a new seasonal projection-mapping show came to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade. Called Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle, it’s a celebration of all things dark and dangerous in Harry’s wondrous world, but the best part for Harry Potter and Halloween fans alike is the occasional preshow, which revolves around Death Eaters prowling the streets of Hogsmeade Village. While still not technically holiday-related, it’s nonetheless fun and just a tad on the spooky side.

All Hallows Eve Boutique is a Halloween-themed, seasonal gift shop in Lost Continent. You’ll be able to find Halloween Horror Nights merchandise and other seasonal goodies.

Want to learn more about Halloween Horror Nights?

That’s good because we have so much more to share. Follow the links at the bottom of this page to view our expert advice regarding admission, Express Passes, first-time visitor planning, and more.

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