UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS ARE HERE. WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO.

Spooky season is officially here.

Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights opened Friday in Orlando and kicks off Thursday, Sept. 5 in Hollywood. Horror fans from around the country and beyond travel to the Florida and California parks each fall for their movie-quality haunted houses, open-air scare zones, thrilling live entertainment, and highly themed foods, but even scaredy cats can enjoy the fully immersive experiences.

Halloween Horror Nights is a separately ticketed after-hours event that is not included with standard theme park admission.

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Here's what guests should know before they go to HHN.

What are the dates for Halloween Horror Nights 2024?

Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights will run across 48 nights beginning Aug. 30.

◾ Aug. 30-31

◾ Sept. 1, 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29 

◾ Oct. 2-6, 9-13, 16-20, 23-27, 30-31

◾ Nov. 1-3

Universal Studios Hollywood’s longest Halloween Horror Nights season yet will be held on 40 select nights starting Sept. 5.

◾ Sept. 5-8, 12-15, 19-22, 26-29

◾ Oct. 3-6, 9-13, 16-20, 23-27, 30-31

◾ Nov. 1-3

Redefining horror: You’ve never experienced a haunted house like this one at Halloween Horror Nights

What houses are at HHN in 2024?

Universal Halloween Horror Nights features a mix of intellectual property and original concept houses and scare zones. There are four houses spanning both coasts this year: 

◾ A Quiet Place – The first HHN house to incorporate American Sign Language brings guests into the first and second "A Quiet Place" films, where they'll try to dodge deadly monsters that will attack anyone who makes a sound.

◾ Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire – Themed after the latest "Ghostbusters" film, this stunning house incorporates the humor and familiar faces fans of this franchise love. Don't miss the adorable, moving, mini Stay-Puft Marshmallows.

◾ Insidious: The Further – Described as a one of HHN's most terrifying yet, this house takes guests through the "Insidious" franchise’s infamous red door into the dark dimension of the Further, where they face the Red-Faced Demon, KeyFace, the Bride in Black, the Man Who Can’t Breathe and other nightmarish creatures.

◾ Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines – Universal Studios is leaning into its classic horror film legacy and adding a new twist: All the key characters in this house are female. Saskia Van Helsing, the daughter of Dracula’s killer and last in the Van Helsing line, teams up with the Bride of Frankenstein to take on Dracula's daughter, She-Wolf, Anck-Su-Namun from 1932’s "The Mummy" and more. Universal Studios Hollywood’s version of the house is located on the very sound stage where the original 1930s "Dracula," "Frankenstein," and "The Bride of Frankenstein" movies were filmed, Sound Stage 12. 

Universal Orlando hosts 10 total houses and five scare zones this year. Its six original house themes are:

◾ Goblin’s Feast – Humans are the main course in this frightening yet funny village of goblins, hobgoblins, witches and orcs.

◾ Major Sweets Candy Factory – In this prequel to 2022's Sweet Revenge scare zone, Major Sweets is testing out his poisoned candy, which turns kids into killers.

◾ Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America – Inspired by a hit house at Universal Studios Hollywood last year, the legends of Tlahuelpuchi, La Lechuza and El Silbón come to life this year at Universal Orlando.

◾ The Museum: Deadly Exhibit – A new exhibit called the Rotting Stone is killing everyone and taking over everything in sight at a folklore museum.

◾ Triplets of Terror – Every 10 years, a set of twisted triplets named Harmony, Melody and Junior recreate their family's murders.

◾ Slaughter Sinema 2 – Guests step through the screen of the Carey Drive-In into what feels like an endless array of B, horror films starring zombie clowns, mummy strippers and Killer Kringles, who serve naughty list kids to ravenous elves.

The Florida resort's five scare zones are Demon Queens, Duality of Fear, Enter the Blumhouse, Swamp of the Undead, and Torture Faire. Duality of Fear is where guests will find this year's chainsaws and the dark and twisty characters SINIST3R and SURR3AL, who are presiding over this year's event.

Beyond haunted houses and scare zones, guests will want to make time to watch the fiery new show Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus and peruse the punk-inspired HHN Tribute Store, which is it's own type of attraction.

Universal Studios Hollywood will have eight houses, four scare zones, and its popular Terror Tram, which will also bring guests inside the Blumhouse. Its location-specific houses are:

◾ Dead Exposure: Death Valley – Radioactive zombies are on the loose in this house.

◾ Monstruos 2: The Nightmares of Latin America – Universal Studios Hollywood says, "You can try to flee the clutches of the rider El Charro, the devil dog El Cadejo and the boogeyman El Cucuy, but you can’t escape La Muerte" in this new house, building on last year's Monstruos.

◾ The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Legacy of Leatherface – An original storyline threads the many iterations of Leatherface into one house, set in the meat processing factory alluded to in the franchise's first film.

◾ The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy – A new set of scary surprises are scored to The Weeknd's award-winning music in this follow up to 2022's The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare house.

The four scare zone themes are Chainsaw Punkz, Luchadores Monstruosos, Murder of Crowz, and Skull Lordz. The California resort will also feature a live, interactive, original talk show called "Late Night with Chucky" in its DreamWorks Theatre and bring back its fiery stunt show The Purge: Dangerous Waters.

How much is Universal Halloween Horror Nights?

Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights tickets start at $82.99, up from last year’s starting price of $79.99.

Universal Studios Hollywood’s HHN tickets start at $77, up from $74 last year.

What age is appropriate for Halloween Horror Nights?

Both resorts' websites warn the "event may be too intense for young children and is not recommended for children under the age of 13."

Can you ride rides during Halloween Horror Nights?

Yes, a selection of rides are available on both coasts during Halloween Horror Nights. However, not all daytime experiences are available.

Additionally, on select nights, Death Eaters appear in Universal Orlando's Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley. The Red Coconut Club lounge in the Florida resort's CityWalk shopping, dining and entertainment complex for the season transforms into the Halloween-themed Dead Coconut Club. And all eight of Universal Orlando's hotels get in the spooky spirit with decorated lobbies.

Does Halloween Horror Nights include both Orlando parks?

No. Universal Studio Florida hosts the after-hours event in Orlando. Universal Islands of Adventure operates regularly during HHN season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights are here. What to know before you go.

2024-08-30T15:56:51Z dg43tfdfdgfd