Your final information to Common Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights

2023 Halloween Horror Nights dates

This year, Halloween Horror Nights will take place on select nights between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31. The event is open every night of the week except Mondays and Tuesdays. The only exception is Oct. 31, which does fall on a Tuesday this year.

The event begins at 6:30 every night and typically operates until 2 a.m.

Haunted houses

There will be 10 haunted houses at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights this year, though only one has been confirmed so far. Houses are usually a mix of original concepts dreamt up by the menacing minds at Universal and pop culture horror favorites like “Halloween,” “Stranger Things” and “Beetlejuice.”

The houses are scattered throughout the park. The Universal Orlando app includes a map of where they are in the park. Some are in overflow queue areas for rides, some are in real, working soundstages, and others are in large tents that don’t look nearly as scary on the outside as they do on the inside.

So far, Universal has only announced one of this year’s houses — a house inspired by everyone’s favorite killer doll, Chucky from the “Child’s Play” franchise.

Scare zones

In addition to the haunted houses, Universal creates a series of outdoor scare zones throughout the park. This year there will be five scare zones, and there’s pretty much no way to get around the park without facing the scare zones head-on.

“Scareactors” (it rhymes with “characters”) roam around the scare zones looking for unwitting victims to frighten, but they aren’t as scary as the houses. They are more likely to shoot you an evil glare or follow behind you a bit too closely. However, they also won’t hesitate to rev a chainsaw right in front of you if they think it’ll make you jump.

Like the houses, each scare zone has a different theme, though none have been announced yet for this year’s event.

Tickets

Upgrades

Universal offers a variety of add-ons and upgrades for Halloween Horror Nights. These include:

• Halloween Horror Nights R.I.P. Tour: This is Universal’s play on a VIP tour for Halloween Horror Nights. Your expert guide will lead you to a priority entrance at each house, sharing their in-depth knowledge of the event along the way. You’ll also get access to a pre-tour reception with complimentary food and a cash bar, unlimited Universal Express skip-the-line ride access and a commemorative tour credential, lanyard and pin. Group and private tours are available, and pricing begins at $299.99 per person, which doesn’t include the cost of your Halloween Horror Nights ticket.
• Halloween Horror Nights Behind-the-Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tour: Two types of people would benefit from the Unmasking the Horror tour. Those who are too scared to visit the haunted houses at night and those who want to dive deeper into the detail of the houses. This is a lights-on tour that takes place during daytime hours. You can choose to tour three or six haunted houses, and prices start at $119.99 per person, plus tax, and $169.99 per person, plus tax, respectively. Regular theme park admission or Halloween Horror Nights tickets are not required for this event.
• Halloween Horror Nights Express Pass: Universal also offers an HHN Express pass that lets you skip the standby line once per night at the haunted houses and select attractions, similar to the daytime Universal Express pass. Wait times for the haunted houses can climb as high as 90 minutes on busy nights, so this add-on is well worth the money. Pricing starts at $109.99 per person, plus tax.

Tips

Live shows

When we say that Halloween Horror Nights takes over the entire park, we mean it.

Aside from the haunted houses and scare zones, there are two live shows, themed food and drink booths and exclusive Halloween Horror Nights merchandise. The Universal Orlando app includes times for live shows. You typically want to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to showtime to get a good spot.

How to get in early

If you have a daytime ticket, annual pass or the “Scream Early” add-on and a ticket for Halloween Horror Nights, you can typically take advantage of what is unofficially called “Stay and Scream.” When the park closes for the day to regular guests, you can stay inside the park in designated “holding areas” to be one of the first in line for the haunted houses once the event starts for the evening.

Tips for scaredy cats

If you typically don’t do the haunted house thing, you may be wondering if you should even visit Universal Orlando during Halloween Horror Nights. If you aren’t quite sure if you can handle it, there are still ways to enjoy the event.

As we mentioned, the outdoor scare zones aren’t quite as scary as the houses, so it’s a good way to tip-toe into the event. You can also spend your time playing carnival games, eating themed foods, riding roller coasters and watching the shows if you need a break from the houses.

You can also book the aforementioned “Behind the Screams: Unmasking the Horror” tour to see the houses during the day with the lights on and without the jump scares. Seeing the houses with the lights on and getting the lay of the land, so to speak, may even give you the courage you need to visit again at night.

Halloween Horror Nights merchandise

Most of the merchandise is in the Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store near the Revenge of the Mummy coaster. The store itself is a themed attraction, with multiple rooms filled with props and decor that make it feel like a haunted house without jump scares.

You can purchase the requisite hats and T-shirts, along with specialty masks, art and memorabilia. There’s also an entire room dedicated to spooky treats.

Original characters

One of the most interesting things about Halloween Horror Nights is the original characters, which are well developed and seem to find their way into the event year after year.