Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights tips for scaredy cats
You don’t have to like haunted houses to have fun at Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights.
We have our first Halloween Horror Nights theme for 2025.
“Five Nights at Freddy’s is coming in a whole new way to this year’s Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights in both Hollywood and Orlando,” the social media accounts for both events posted Sunday night. “More details coming soon.”
First a video game and book series, then a 2023 Blumhouse and Universal Pictures film with a sequel due to premiere this December, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” follows animatronics from an abandoned children’s pizza restaurant that come to life and kill.
Universal has featured several Blumhouse films in Halloween Horror Nights experiences in recent years. So far, details on this year’s other themes, ticket prices and more remain under wraps, but we already know answers to some of the most popular HHN questions.
Here’s what we know about 2025’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort.
Start date of Halloween Horror Nights
Universal’s fan-favorite event will start a day earlier than last year, on both coasts.
This year’s Halloween Horror Nights will start on Aug. 29 in Orlando and run on select nights through Nov. 2
Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights will begin Sept. 4 and run on select nights through Nov. 2
What does Halloween Horror Nights consist of?
Halloween Horror Nights is best known for its immersive themed houses and open-air scare zones.
Each year, a few themes span both coasts, though they may be executed differently. Last year’s shared themes were A Quiet Place, Insidious: The Further, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines.
Remaining house and scare-zone themes are location-specific. Orlando usually has more houses and leans into more original content, while Hollywood tends to embrace more IP. Hollywood is also the only place guests can experience the Terror Tram, an HHN-specific twist on the World-Famous Studio Tour.
Both events offer live entertainment, themed food and access to select park attractions with generally shorter waits times than during the day.
How scary is Universal Halloween Horror Nights?
Scary is subjective. Some guests aren’t phased at all. Others can barely stand to open their eyes.
Most guests are somewhere in between, enjoying a good scare in a safe space.
Can the actors touch you at Halloween Horror Nights?
They’re not supposed to touch you. They may accidentally brush against you in a crowded scare zone, but they won’t reach out and touch you on purpose.
By the same token, guests should never touch scareactors, which is what Universal calls HHN actors.
What can you not wear to Halloween Horror Nights?
Guests are not allowed to wear costumes or costume masks at Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights. Universal Studios Hollywood has its own costume policy but also bans costume masks.
Does HHN have an age limit?
No, but the event’s webpage says it “may be too intense for young children and is not recommended for children under the age of 13.”
Is Halloween Horror Nights worth it?
It’s not yet clear how much this year’s tickets will cost, but many fans return year after year and sometimes multiple times within a season because they love HHN so much.
For reference, last year’s single-night tickets started at $82.99 for Orlando and $77 for Hollywood. Multi-night passes are also available.
Halloween Horror Nights is a separately ticketed event that is not included with standard park admission.
