Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights Discounts & Tips

Plan Your Night at Halloween Horror Nights

Halloween season in Los Angeles does not wait for October 31. At Universal Studios Hollywood, Halloween Horror Nights turns the park into a separately ticketed nighttime event on select evenings from September 3 through November 1, 2026. Fog fills the streets, ScareActors work the walkways, and eight haunted houses plus the Terror Tram run until the early morning.

This is not daytime park admission after dark. You need an event ticket. The night starts at 7 p.m., closing times vary (often around 2 a.m.), and a regular park ticket will not get you through the gate. For a clear plan for dates, houses, scare zones, rides that stay open, and cheaper tickets, use this guide.

Halloween Horror Nights 2026 Dates and Hours

Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood runs 42 select nights from Thursday, September 3 through Sunday, November 1, 2026. Typical operating nights include Thursday through Sunday in September, then more midweek dates in October, plus Halloween and November 1.

Hours: Event admission begins at 7 p.m. Early access to select haunted houses can start as early as 5 p.m., with Terror Tram early boarding later in that window. Times can shift, so confirm the night you book in the Universal Studios Hollywood app.

Discount Tickets and Ways to Save

Ticket prices move by date. Quieter weeknights cost less. Friday and Saturday nights, plus Halloween weekend, sit at the top of the range.

Authorized reseller Ares Travel currently lists Halloween Horror Nights General Admission from about $78.97 and the After 2 p.m. Day/Night ticket from about $117.49, with advertised savings versus gate pricing. Compare that listing against Universal’s site before you buy.

Other ways to spend less or get more from the same night:

* Buy online, not at the gate. Universal advertises savings of up to $40 on select nights versus front-gate general admission.
* Pick a cheaper calendar night. General admission starts around $77 on lighter dates and climbs past $100 on peak nights.
* After 2 p.m. Day/Night ticket. Park entry after 2 p.m., early access to select houses, and event admission that night. Useful if you want rides before the scare zones light up.
* Frequent Fear Pass or Ultimate Fear Pass. The Frequent Fear Pass covers up to 35 event nights (with some busy-date blockouts on return visits). The Ultimate Fear Pass covers every event night. These pay off if you will go more than twice.

* Early Access add-on. Often from about $20. You need a same-date event ticket. It is one of the better values if you want houses done before 7 p.m. crowds hit.
* Annual and Season Pass discounts. Platinum Pass holders can receive a complimentary general admission ticket with a reservation. Other pass tiers may see event discounts. Parking perks can change after 6 p.m. on event nights.
* Skip full Express unless lines are the problem. Universal Express and Express Unlimited cost far more than general admission. A cheaper middle option is Express Select, which covers a short list of attractions rather than every house.

Prices change without notice. Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is not included with standard event tickets. If that coaster is part of your plan, budget for the limited add-on or a ticket type that lists it.

Eight Haunted Houses for Your Enjoyment

Hollywood has eight walk-through houses this year, split between the Upper Lot and Lower Lot. That is a cleaner, current lineup than older pages that still listed Us, Ghostbusters, Creepshow, or House of 1000 Corpses.

Stranger Things 5 — The Final Chapter: Walk with the Hawkins group one last time. Demogorgons, the Mind Flayer, and Vecna fill the house based on the series’ final season.

Sinners: Ryan Coogler’s film becomes a juke-joint nightmare. The blues turn red when vampires crash the party in 1930s Mississippi.

Hellraiser: Based on the original trilogy. Pinhead and the Cenobites wait on the other side of the puzzle box, in a house built around pain as spectacle.

Evil Dead Burn: A family home is already lost. Deadites hunt the next body in a house tied to the newest Evil Dead film.

Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness: A tribute house built around Ozzy’s image and catalog. Expect volume, ritual imagery, and a crowd. This one has drawn some of the longest waits of the season.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The 1988 cult film returns—Cotton-candy cocoons, circus colors, and alien clowns who treat guests like snacks.

Killceañera: Music by SLASH: An original Hollywood house. A quinceañera curdles into revenge, with Latin American folklore creatures and a score by Slash.

Dead, Deader, Deadest: Another original. A miracle embalming drug fails at the Deville Family Funeral Home, and the permanent residents get up.

Terror Tram Starring Art the Clown

The Studio Tour tram becomes an after-dark event attraction. Art the Clown, from the Terrifier films, hijacks the backlot for a violent holiday takeover often described as his own twisted Christmas. Guests ride, then walk through dressed sets while ScareActors close in.

It is one of the longer experiences of the night. If your ticket includes early boarding, use it. Art also appears as a roaming street encounter, so the character is not confined to the tram.

Scare Zones and Street Experiences

You are not safe between houses. Street terror includes:

* Fortnitemares, a game-inspired zone where the Storm and Halloween skins take over the pavement
* Hackerz, a loud pack of chainsaw killers
* El Circo de la Muerte, a 1930s Mexican carpa sideshow with a grim twist
* Blood Bog, moss-covered creatures in swamp staging
* Murder of Crowz, the returning crow family at the nest
* Shriek of the Banshee, a carnival barker and talking skeleton
* Nikki from Obsession, a hidden character encounter
* Death Eaters moving through Hogsmeade in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Stay aware on bridges, courtyards, and narrow streets. That is where the cheap scares happen, and they cost nothing extra once you are inside.

The Purge: Dangerous Waters

The live stunt show returns in the WaterWorld theater. The Purge: Dangerous Waters is a loud, fire-heavy set piece. It gives your feet a break without leaving the event tone. Showtimes fill up; grab a slot in the app early.

Rides That Stay Open After Dark

If you need a reset between houses, several daytime attractions stay open. Availability can change, but recent operating lists include:

* Transformers: The Ride – 3D
* The Simpsons Ride
* Revenge of the Mummy – The Ride
* Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (often closes earlier than the rest of the event)
* Flight of the Hippogriff
* Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge and SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, generally 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Treat rides as breathers, not the main event. Lines still build, and Nintendo World closing at 10 p.m. sneaks up on people.

How to Get Through the Night

Download the official park app before you arrive. Use it for wait times, show schedules, mobile food orders, and the event map.

Start on the Lower Lot or the longest house first if you do not have Express. Ozzy and a few others stack lines quickly after 7 p.m. Eat before peak house hours, or add the Dining Pass (about $59 plus tax / $64.75 advertised) for two eligible entrees and four sides, snacks, desserts, or drinks at participating locations.

Costumes that cover the face are not allowed. Full costume policies apply, and mask rules are strict. The event is sold with no minimum age, but Universal recommends it for mature guests and does not recommend it for children under 13. Loud noise, strobes, fog, tight corridors, and sudden movement are constant. No refunds if someone in your group wants out.

Do not touch ScareActors. Do not hold places in line. Do not bring outside food or drinks. Security is tight, and we enforce the Code of Conduct.

If you are planning a wider Southern California Halloween trip, Daytrippen also covers regional Halloween events and Knott’s Scary Farm.

Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood FAQ

Does a regular Universal Studios Hollywood ticket include Halloween Horror Nights?
No. Halloween Horror Nights is separately ticketed. Daytime admission does not convert after sunset unless you bought a Day/Night product.

How much are tickets?
General admission starts near $77 and rises by date. Reseller and official prices differ slightly. Express, Day/Night combos, Fear Passes, and the R.I.P. Tour cost more.

What time should I arrive?
If you only have general admission, be at the gate before 7 p.m. If you bought Early Access or a Day/Night ticket with early houses, plan to be on property by 4:30–5 p.m.

Are costumes allowed?
Not in the way many guests hope. Face-covering masks are banned, and Universal’s costume rules still apply. Dress for walking, cold night air, and a lot of standing.

Is it too intense for kids?
Often yes. There is no official age cutoff, but the content, volume, and scare style target teens and adults.

Can I ride Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift during the event?
Only with certain tickets or a paid add-on. Do not assume it is included.

What if it rains?
The event continues. Houses are indoors. Scare zones and outdoor queues are not.

Pick a night that fits your budget, buy tickets before you leave home, and decide early whether Early Access or Express is worth the extra cost. Then walk in ready to be uncomfortable. That is the point of the ticket.

Compare current prices and event products at Ares Travel, then confirm times and wait estimates in the Universal app on the day you go.

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