The Tickets
Halloween Horror Nights is a separate ticketed event, which means your general admission ticket does not grant you access to the event. Tickets and Express passes are available for purchase online, by phone, or by purchasing at the entrance of both parks. You can also purchase your Halloween Horror Nights ticket at the 4 hotels on Resort Property. Horror Nights Express does not need to be purchased but is strongly recommended, especially during busier nights (more on that later). Universal Express is not the same as Horror Nights Express, which means the benefit of complimentary unlimited Express that Universal’s hotels offer is not applicable for the event. Below is a breakdown of all prices for general admission, Florida resident discounts, Annual Pass discounts and more:
General Admission Tickets
$101.99
Park Ticket Add-on (Stay & Scream)
Sept 24, 27, Oct 1, 4, 7, 8, 11, 28, 29 or Nov 1 – $49.99
Oct 14, 15, 18, 21, 22 or 25 – $53.99
Sept 18, 25, Oct 2, 9 or 30 – $60.99
Oct 16 or 23 – $64.99
Sept 19, 26, Oct 3, 10, 17, 24 or 31 – $76.99
Florida Resident Pricing : 1 Day Ticket or Park Ticket Add-on
Sept 24, 27, Oct 1, 4, 7, 8, 11, 28, 29 or Nov 1 – $49.99
Oct 14, 15, 18, 21, 22 or 25 – $53.99
Sept 18, 25, Oct 2, 9 or 30 – $60.99
Oct 16 or 23 – $64.99
Sept 19, 26, Oct 3, 10, 17, 24 or 31 – $76.99
Rush of Fear
Advance Price
$83.99
Annual Pass Price
$72.99
Rush of Fear Express
Advance Price
$219.99
Annual Pass
$208.99
Frequent Fear Pass
Advance Price
$94.99
Annual Pass Price
$83.99
Frequent Fear Express
Advance Price
$234.99
Annual Pass
$223.99
Frequent Fear Plus
Base Price
$110.99
Annual Pass Price
$98.99
Frequent Fear Plus Express
Advance Price
$279.99
Annual Pass
$267.99
EXPRESS INFORMATION
Sept 18, 19, 24, 25, 27, Oct 1 or 7 – $69.99
Sept 26, Oct 4, 8, 14, 21, 28 or Nov 1 – $79.99
Oct 15 or 29 – $89.99
Oct 2, 3, 11, 18, 22, 25, 30 or 31 – $99.99
Oct. 9 – $109.99
Oct. 10, 16, 17, 23 or 24 – $119.99
Tour Information
RIP Tour – Starting from $139.99
Private RIP Tour – Starting from $1399
Unmasking The Horror Tour
Morning or Afternoon Tours Starting From $64.99 per person + tax
Morning and Afternoon Combination Tours Starting From $109.99 per person + tax
The Crowds
It will be busy, no matter what. Off-Peak Nights are less crowded, especially when the event falls on a Wednesday/Thursday. Sundays aren’t considered Peak Nights, but they can be rather busy. It is by far the most popular event at Universal Orlando. One of the busiest times during Horror Nights is “Hell Week”. For those of you who are new to the event “Hell Week” is the referred time when multiple schools have off in one calendar year in October. These dates often lead to increased ticket sales and an extremely busy night. This year, “Hell Week” falls on Oct 21-25.
Oct 16-18 can be expected to be a busy time too, as well as Columbus Day weekend.
If you find yourself attending on a Hell Week event night Express Pass is going to be your best friend.
The Game Plan
There are a few things you need to do before you even get to the park. First is obviously buy your tickets, and in some cases, Express Passes. Purchasing your tickets in advance (and we suggest doing so online) will save you time and money. Express Passes will allow you to skip the long lines at all open attractions ONCE per night. For those who can afford it, we highly recommend purchasing them. Buying in advance will also guarantee you entrance into the event. Halloween Horror Nights can sell out, and has sold out nights in the past, sometimes days before the day of the event.
Another thing to make sure of before you arrive is to know the hours of operation, which will vary. It is beyond important to know what time the event closes, but more importantly, what time it opens! You must, must, MUST be there before opening; especially on peak nights if you want to accomplish everything. Doing this will get you through security quickly and into the houses pronto. Be forewarned: If you arrive late on any night, it may or may not take up to ONE HOUR just to get through security. That’s not the ticket booths or turnstiles, that’s just to pass the metal detectors. This is why it is so important to buy your tickets in advance and arrive early. For an event that only lasts 6-8 hours, you don’t want to spend up to two hours of it just getting into the park.
Once in the park, you will come upon you first fork-in-the-road – “Do I head towards the sound stage haunts, or hang a right and go towards Hollywood?”. Ultimately, the choice is yours. That said, we at Orlando United are seasoned Horror Night Veterans, so we have a good idea on what is the best course of action to take. The event can get very hectic, crazy, and beyond packed; and this is to help you have a great time during those instances.
Once you’re in the park and come to that first fork, make a right turn towards Hollywood. Many people head to the closest haunted house, which are located in the sound stages. This year, the Sound Stages will be home to 25 Years of Monsters & Mayhem, An American Werewolf in London, Freddy Vs Jason and Body Collectors: Recollections. Many people have attempted this route first, which ultimately is your choice. However we have come to realize that if you hit a sound stage first, you might get in to one quickly, but by the time you get out and go to the next one, the wait can be around 30 minutes. Once you head to the right you will pass through Hollywood, which brings you to your first scarezone Icons-HHN, with a few actors starting the scares. It’s important to pass through them quickly since it will be light outside, and the street experiences are at best at night. Once you pass through, head to your right towards Transformers and make way to Asylum in Wonderland 3D. The house is located in the Shrek theater and should have minimal waits. As soon you exit, head towards the KidsZone area of the park, where you will find your first two haunts; The Walking Dead and The Purge. To make things easier, you must go through the The Walking Dead first so you can avoid making your walk longer. When you exit The Walking Dead, the exit drops you off literally right next to the The Purge Entrance, so you can just walk right in to the next house. If you choose to do The Purge first, the exit takes you near Men in Black, causing a major hiccup in the ground attack. So again after you hit The Walking Dead, immediately hit The Purge. Once you exit, it will drop you off right next to Insidious. If done correctly, you just hit three houses within the first 30-45 minutes and you DIDN’T have to use express if you had them.
After exiting Insidious, you really need to be aware of your time. This can be a very difficult to maneuver, which can pay off or destroy an hour at least. As your leaving the area, you will continue on past Men in Black and towards Diagon Alley, where the Bill and Ted show will be located. Depending on the night’s crowds and how fast you accomplished the previous 3 houses, the show will either be starting, or starting soon. We recommend skipping the first show and heading straight towards Run, located in the former Disaster! queue.
If your visit is on a Peak Night and you invested in Express Passes, you probably will be using them for the rest of the houses. If you chose not to get passes, you still should experience shorter waits with this plan of attack. Just a reminder, that this guide is to help you achieve as much as you can in 1 night, not a guarantee of 30 minutes or less wait times. We are confident however that the Sound Stage houses will be lower than the others. As we stated earlier, the majority of guests hit up the Sound Stage houses first due to it’s proximity to the entrance, and how it’s right in front of their face. By now, those people will be traveling towards the houses you have already finished earlier.
One thing to remember about the Sound Stage haunts is that all three dump you into the same exit area, which is located in between the Hollywood Plaza stage and the Twister show building.
By now, the last 2 shows of Bill & Ted will be coming up. The later shows tend to be less crowded, and you’ll have a better chance at scoring a better seat. As you make your way towards the theater, take your time to enjoy the scare zones. It’s dark now so the atmosphere is much more conducive for a scary, good time.
Now would be a great time to hit up any houses you didn’t use your Express Pass for, or any favorites you wish to visit again. Again, after you finish the houses, you’re free to do what ever you want. Just make sure you use what time you have left wisely.
F.A.Q.
Q: Should I buy express passes or are they needed for the night I am going?
A: This is a question that is asked the most, and yes you should purchase them. They will ensure you are able to visit each house and attraction, as well as maybe visit some houses multiple times. Crowds are always heavy during the second half of the event and every weekend will be busy as well.
Q: Is it really that scary?
A: Depends on who you ask. Some love it, some get frightened. Only way to really tell if it’s too scary for you is to experience yourself. Everyone has a different tolerance for scares.
Q: What is there for food and drink?
A: Multiple stands are set up with food and drink throughout the park. Several of the larger restaurants that are usually open during normal business hours are also open, such as Fast Food Blvd. Also, for those that are 21 and up, there are plenty, and I mean plenty, of places to get a drink. If you’re drinking beer, you’re covered at most stands. If you’re drinking mixed, head over to Finnegan’s. All of the stands at HHN sell you basic, bottom-shelf alcohol but Finnegans sells middle to top-shelf for almost the same price, if not a dollar or two more. Also, always remember to drink responsibly.
Q: Whats the best house?
A: This can’t be answered. You will hear many people say anything in the sound stages as they are usually larger and in more controlled environment. But you must visit each house to voice your own opinion.
Q: Can I use my Express pass more than once?
A: No, you may only use Express once per attraction.
Q: If there was only one thing you could recommend to a first timer, what would it be?
A: Get there early, like 30 minutes before scheduled opening. You can lose up to two hours waiting in lines from the parking garage, security, ticket booths, and turnstiles. Yes, it can take that long sometimes so you have been warned.
Q: Should I use my Express the first time each time?
A: No, the general rule of thumb is never use an express pass for any house with waits of less than 20-30 minutes period! When in doubt, get in the regular line and once you can get a view of the wait in the switchbacks, then make your decision. If it looks like its going to be more than 30 minutes, and you’re on a time constraint, leave the queue and then use your Express passes.
Q: Should I get a Frequent Fear Pass?
A: Only if you see yourself making more than one visit during the event’s run.
Q: Can I touch a scare actor?
A: Absolutely not. Depending on the situation, it’s cause for ejection from the event
Tips & Tricks
- Purchase tickets and Express as early as you can to ensure you are guaranteed entrance into the event.
- Arrive Early. We can’t stress this enough.
- Wear comfy shoes. Seems silly to include, but you’d be surprised how much of an oversight this usually is to guests.
- Never use Express on waits of less than 20-30 minutes.
- Don’t waste time doing the rides; this is Halloween Horror Nights! If you don’t visit Orlando often and want to do everything, we recommend looking into the “Stay & Scream” option. This option allows you to spend a day at one of Universal’s theme parks, and enjoy the Horror at night. Check the Official Website for more info and pricing.
- If traveling in groups, be aware of your party’s needs. If you have people who may want to skip a certain haunt, make sure they know where you will exit out. Most houses exit in different places, sometimes even on other sides of the park.
- Most importantly, have a game plan. Having a game plan is CRUCIAL at Horror Nights; more so than any other event at a theme park.
- For those who are traveling from out of town, look into staying on-site OR staying across the street off of Major Blvd. The Double Tree and Hyatt are just across the street and affordable. A taxi ride is about $5-$7 and has many restaurants surrounding it.
- If you plan to drink, please drink responsibly. There will be mass amounts of law enforcement making sure no one gets disorderly. Also, don’t try to sneak in alcohol, the police will be looking carefully. Under-age visitors, this means you!
- Your Horror Nights ticket will get you into some of CityWalk’s clubs and bars for free. If you’re still ready to party, we recommend enjoying the nightlife that CityWalk has to offer.
We’ll be updating this guide throughout the event as we get a better idea on how crowds are this year. In the mean time, join the discussion on our forums for this year’s event. In the mean time, check out some pics from last year’s event!
