Your Guide to Halloween Horror Nights

Haunted houses at Universal bring some of your favorite scary stories and movies to life. They also create their own storylines "that have given birth to iconic characters over the years." Check out this year's haunted house lineup!

TIPS

• Start with the haunted houses in the back: Haunted houses in the front get crowded first! 

• Watch the movies: Before heading to the park, watch the flicks and television shows that inspired the haunted houses at Halloween Horror Nights

• Look for the details: Each house is meticulously designed with plenty of Easter eggs and references to the movie/show that the house is themed around... for example: the haunted attic at the Beetlejuice House, the Red Room at the Haunting of Hill House, and Leatherface, of course!

WARNING: Event may be too intense for young children and is not recommended for children under the age of 13. No costumes or costume masks allowed.

Beware when you enter the Scare Zones! The streets at Universal transform "into demented scare zones that are swimming with creatures and monsters that are birthed from the darkness like hellish demons [...] and the undead." Ask for a photo if you're feeling lucky; sometimes, the scareactor may stop and strike a pose... killer photo ops beware!

This year includes 5 different zones, including...

• 30 Years 30 Fears - more of a photo-op than an area meant to scare (but don't worry, you'll still get your scare on!)

• Gorewood Forest - Terra Queen is returning from her 2005 showing with the land of Terra Creuntus 

• Crypt TV - Officially launched in 2015, Crypt TV produces short horror videos meant for mobile devices... enter the San Francisco backlot and be prepared to be spooked

• Seek and Destroy - With a special New York theme, an alien overlord is in search of a fuel source; conveniently, he can make fuel from humans! 

• Lights, Camera, Hacktion: Eddie's Revenge: - Wreaking havoc and chaos, a studio in the process of filming a movie about HHN includes HHN icon Eddie Schmidt and his chainsaw

This year's live entertainment includes the Marathon of Mayhem: Carnage Factory and Halloween Nightmare Fuel. Marathon of Mayhem is a "terrifying show that comes to life in Universal Studios' lagoon" and Halloween Nightmare Fuel is a "new show igniting HHN featuring fire, pyro, and aerial performances." TIP: Download the Universal Orlando Resort mobile app for show times!

Universal Studios venues are serving up specialty food and drink items. Throughout the parks, you can elevate your HHN experience with themed specialty dishes and drinks inspired by this year's event. 

"The Food & Beverage team starts planning the HHN menu one year in advance. They look at what the event theme and haunted houses will be and see what cuisines and trends they can pair with the different themes and characters, while keeping quality top of mind and also looking at what fans are saying." - Universal Orlando team 

Some offerings this year:

• Twisted Taters: traditional and specialty flavors including ghost pepper and blood 'n' guts with chili and roasted red pepper queso (pictured above)

• Frankenstein Cupcake

• Shattered Glass Candied Apples

• “Carni”vore Smoked Wings: BBQ spice-rubbed and smoked for 3 hours

• Jalapeño Bacon Grilled Cheese: bacon-wrapped stuffed jalapeño poppers with cheddar cheese on countryloaf

• and more

For a full list of all the food and drink you can find at HHN, click here!

Florida in October is a great time to visit, and Florida at nighttime is even better! Pack light and dress comfortable, especially those that will be visiting the park during the day and staying through the night. 

Though you think you may be able to wear a costume... unfortunately, no costumes nor costume masks are allowed. Leave that to the scareactors!

Some helpful items to include on your packing list:

• Comfortable walking shoes

• Lanyard for each family member

• Umbrella / poncho

• Your favorite horror movie or villain t-shirt

How else will you remember getting the bajesus scared out of you without a visit to the Tribute Store? At the Tribute Store, you can find all kinds of merchandise including t-shirts, hats, lanyards, and other collectibles. You can also find some fun photo ops in there! Also open during daytime park hours.