Is Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios worth the trip? (2023)

If you haven't visitedhalloween horror nightsat Universal Studios Florida, run, don't walk, to buy a ticket. The 2018 season is just a few days away, but if you manage to arrive before November 3rd, you won't regret it. If not, definitely plan a visit for next year.

When it was announced that the Halloween Horror Nights event at Universal Studios Florida would include a record 10 haunted houses, it was clear that for 2018 they were stepping up their game. Once I found out they were going with a mostly '80s theme, I knew I had to find a way to get there.

Grow during a period when the originaleve of all saintsfilm was making its debut led to my lifelong love of horror movies. when i first sawElf, I wasn't even in kindergarten, and, well, I probably should have skipped that one at the time. The pool scene, the clowns, the actual ghost... yes, it was traumatizing (but I still saw the aftermath of course!).

The 80's were a great time to be alive, so whenWeird stuffI got to Netflix, it gave me all kinds of nostalgia. Of course, I freaked out, but in a fun, familiar way. Like many, I devoured the series because it transported me back to my youth, when I stayed up late watching cheesy movies likekiller clowns from outer space.

Examining the haunted houses and spooky zones chosen for Halloween Horror Nights, I felt like the event was tailor-made for me. It felt like a love letter to my formative years. I had already booked my stay at the newAdventure Hotelbut I hadn't planned on checking HHN because something like that always seemed out of reach. It was very scary.

Considering 2018 was my year of overcoming fears, I knew I had to. I reached out to the Universal team and they graciously offered me and my partner, Josh, the opportunity to be fully immersed in the amazing Halloween Horror Nights experience. Despite my nervousness, I'm proud to say that I made the R.I.P. Visit and live to tell!

haunted houses

Halloween Horror Nights haunted houses are no joke! Universal Studios Florida has ensured that every detail is accurate and believable.With an incredible guide at the helm, we venture into house after house, some based on established films and others with original concepts.

Here is a list of the haunted houses guests can visit:

• Carnival Graveyard: Rust in Pieces - a terrifying scenario created by vengeful carnies.
• Dead Exposure: Patient Zero: Paris, Viral Outbreak, and Zombies. Need I say more?
• Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers - A house full of pale masks and dark eye sockets. Chills.
• The Horrors of Blumhouse - A hybrid house based on scenes from "Happy Death Day" and "The First Purge".
• Poltergeist: A veritable nightmare featuring key moments from the original 1982 film.
• Scary Tales: Deadly Ever After - keep your eyes open for the evil witch of the west and insane versions of her beloved fairy tales.
• Seeds of Extinction – After a meteor hits Earth, some crazy things sprout from the ground.
• Slaughter Sinema - It's a drive-in theme and it smells like popcorn, but with werewolf bikers, deadly hairdressers and swamp yeti.
• Stranger Things: Relive some of the most iconic scenes from season one.
• Trick 'r Treat - If you love this cult film, this home is not to be missed!

Josh got into all the haunted houses, but I skipped Dead Exposure: Patient Zero because I'm sensitive to strobe lights (he said it was scary). Overall, I have to say that even though I was really scared, I'm really glad I decided to face my fears.

I have a special attachment toeve of all saintsfranchise and had just seen the neweve of all saintsfilm a few days before my Halloween Horror Nights experience. The Halloween 4 house was the first one we visited and I must say that as a super fan I really enjoyed it. It looked like there were 17 Michael Myers lurking around the house, each with impressive knife skills. Even to my critical eye, this house was incredibly impressive.

Seeds of Extinction is an original concept and Josh and I both agree that it was probably the scariest house. When it comes to overgrown vegetation, it's hard to distinguish between props and skittish actors. I hadn't even entered the house when I got so scared I jumped back and slammed into Josh, who stumbled into a line of people behind him. They definitely set the tone right away.

HeWeird stuffThe house wasn't that scary, but it was scary and ridiculously well designed. You really felt like you were in Hawkins looking for Will Byers. I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that in addition to recreating the show's key sets, you'll swear you've seen a real demogorgon in real life.

My guide knewElfThe house was going to be the hardest for me so he saved it for last and I'm so glad he did. By the time we started heading that way, my poor nervous system was so exhausted with fear that I felt like a rag doll. We stopped for a little rest and I ordered a strong drink. It helped (and it was delicious).

going through itElfhome was like living through the movie. There were scenes that scared me so much as a kid that I blocked them out of my mind, only to instantly recall them as I moved through the attraction. It was terrifying, yes, but it was also so incredibly well done that I couldn't help but feel completely amazed. It was a fantastic way to end the night.

fear zones

I've been to Halloween events at other theme parks and they definitely do a good job, but nothing compares to what Universal Studios Florida can offer.These are the spooky zones from Halloween Horror Nights 2018:

• The harvest– A spooky old barn invaded by “disgusting creatures”.
• killer clowns from outer space– An interstellar circus tent and cotton candy ray guns. Campy, hilarious and quite scary. I loved this movie as a kid, so it was really fun!
• chucky's revenge– Josh has been scared of Chucky for most of his life so we knew it was going to be a memorable experience and we weren't disappointed!
• distorted knowledge– An ancient evil that took the form of “rotten pumpkins fused with decaying human flesh” has awakened, and if I had stayed long enough, I would have tried to put it back to sleep!
• Vamp '85: New Year's Eve– It's New Year's Eve in New York and, well, vampires are definitely dressed for the occasion, and for the decade!

All areas were well done, but the Vamp '85: New Year's Eve zone (which happened several times due to its central location) was especially fun because the music was amazing and you never knew what zombified vampire celebrity you might see (we saw Madonna , Prince, Michael Jackson and many more). We were even at the front of the stage when the ball dropped and it was amazing!

the tours

For guests wanting a little extra thrills, some of Universal Studios Florida's most popular attractions are open during Halloween Horror Nights. They include:

• Harry Potter e a Fuga de Gringotts
• Fast and Furious - Supercharged
• Transformers The Ride - 3D
• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
• mummy's revenge
• Men in black alien attack

Between visiting all the houses, we managed to get to three of the attractions: Escape from Gringotts, Rip Ride Rockit (twice!), and Men in Black. It was a great way to release and burn off some of the adrenaline that built up in our bodies from being in the haunted houses and scare zones.

Although the video feature on the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit does not work at night, be sure to check out the photos of all the rides. We found great photos!

Food and drinks

One of the first things you'll notice as you walk through the park is that everything smells delicious! want you to takeWeird stuff-inspired food like Upside Down Burger, Demogorgon Totcho or Syrup & Waffles frozen drink, or entrees like Chili Garlic Chicken Burger or Pizza Fries, your tummy will be satisfied.

There are also three exclusive spirits available at this year's Halloween Horror Nights: Totally L.I.T. (Long Island Iced Tea: vodka, tequila, gin, rum with triple sec, lime, sour and Coke), Wicked Rad Punch (cranberry vodka, raspberry vodka, triple sec, lemonade and grenadine) and Gnarly Twist (Wicked combo Rad Punch and Totally L.I.T.).

I ordered the Totally L.I.T. drink before enteringElfhome and it was great! It came in a cool collectible mug, complete with a blinking light on the bottom and a twisty straw. It was worth the splurge and the cup survived the trip home!

While many restaurants are open, it's worth noting that the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley is closed. However, you can still have Butterbeer as a truly indulgent non-alcoholic treat!

My R.I.P Tour Experience

I was initially excited at the prospect of visiting Halloween Horror Nights through general admission. I never imagined that Universal Studios Florida would send me in their R.I.P. private. route. When we arrived that night, we were introduced to Ron, an amazing Guest Services employee. It was immediately clear that we were in for a fun night.

After receiving our lanyards and a 3-day photography package from My Universal Photos, we were taken to Café La Bamba, where we were treated to a buffet of foods such as mini beef wellingtons, chicken satay skewers and quiche. We also had access to private restrooms at the Café and other locations in the park.

Wearing a red uniform and wielding what looked like a red lightsaber, Ron led us on our walk through the park, stopping to tell us the story of each house before leading us to the front of the line. We never waited more than 30 seconds, which was amazing considering the fact that some of the houses had waits of over 90 minutes.

Tour packages can also include reserved seats to the Academy of Villains: Cyberpunk show. Taking a break from the spooky festival, guests will be mesmerized by this new performance that combines dance, acrobatics and theater with neon lights and synthesizers. It will make your heart flutter!

We also decided when and if we wanted to go on the rides and again when we did we were taken straight to the front of the queue and instead of putting our stuff in a locker Ron held it for us while we enjoyed ourselves. It was absolutely amazing and although we felt a little guilty, we also felt like royalty.

During our tour we met a few other R.I.P. Go through the groups and you will learn that there are different levels, each with its own advantages. It truly was the best way to enjoy Halloween Horror Nights as Universal Studios Florida made sure the rides were fantastic. We spoke to many people, including those who make an annual pilgrimage to the event, and not only did they think it was well worth it, but the organizers found ways to improve the experience each year!

event tickets

Scary hunters have several options for experiencing Halloween Horror Nights. However, if you want to go on a specific day, it is highly recommended to buy your tickets well in advance as they may sell out.

For regular admission, guests have thefollowing options:

• One night ticket
• multi night ticket
• Group tickets (20 or more)
• special prices forSeason and Annual Passholders

As I mentioned, if you want the best experience, definitely book one of the event tours. visit to the officialHalloween Horror Nights websitefor detailed details:

• TO TEAR APART. Route
• Private RIP Tour
• day trip

All that walking can really work up an appetite, so if you want to plan meals in advance, there are some good options:

• Scareactor Dining Experience (buffet and photo sessions)
• Universal Meal Plan - Fast Service

Navigating the park, especially on busy nights, can take a while. We came across people who couldn't even get to all the houses they wanted to see. If you want to save time to see all the attractions, you can explore this option to avoid the long lines:

• halloween horror nightsexpress pass

Useful tips to make the most of Halloween horror nights

If you're thinking of watching Halloween Horror Nights, stop hesitating and go. It's totally worth it. While there are only a few days left until the 2018 event, start planning now for next year. Seriously, you won't regret it.

While you can spontaneously show up and enjoy yourself, a little planning can make your experience even better. Here are some suggestions for making the most of your evening:

• This event is not recommended for children under 13 years old. I'm a laid-back mother of six, but I would definitely leave my youngest at home.
• Masks and costumes are not allowed.
• Halloween Horror Nights takes place rain or shine.
• Wear comfortable shoes and pack as little as possible because you'll be up and walking for hours.
• Fill your belly, hydrate and hit the bathroom before joining a long line.
• Invest in one of the Tours or an Express Pass to save time.
• Book in advance to avoid the disappointment of a sold-out night.
• Don't forget your ID!

Happy Halloween, and to those watching the final days of Halloween Horror Nights, have some spooky spectacular fun!