Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights Survival Guide 2024

9/12/2024

Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights Survival Guide 2024

Welcome to our yearly Survival Guide for Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood! Putting this guide together for the past decade is one of our favorite things to get us all ready to have an amazing time at
Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood!

Below you will find some of our tips for making the most out of your Halloween Horror Nights experience. Some do's and don'ts and most importantly, what should be your "plan of attack" for the night.

You can also check out the HHN site for more information on tickets, hours, etc.

MAJOR UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 12, 2024!

Note: For full transparency, our Survival Guide, as written, does require a bit of hustle at least at the beginning of the night. Unfortunately that's the nature of Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood. If you want to complete all of the houses on any given night without express, you're going to have to rush a bit. As always, we build in time for breaks. This is why one of our suggestions is to get a frequent fear pass.

Event Dates

September: 5-8, 12-15, 19-22, 26-29
October: 3-6, 9-13, 16-20, 23-27, 30-31 (Halloween Night)
November: 1-3

Just like last year, the event will run Wednesday through Sunday beginning on October 16th. Wednesday Nights are a great night to visit.

New for 2024! We've decided to add a video breakdown of our Survival Guide for those who prefer video content. It contains basically the same information as what is shown below with a bit more explanation on why we outlined things this way.

Video update coming soon!

Tips

BUY YOUR TICKETS ONLINE!!! The event sells out. Tickets will not be available at the ticket booths. Make sure you print them or use your phone to get in the gates.
Get Express!!! We can't stress this enough. If your budget can swing it this is truly the best way to have an enjoyable and relaxing night at the event. Click here for Express Pass info and prices. Express passes do sell out so your best bet is to get them online.
After 11pm Express: Yes, there is an Express Pass that is only good after 11pm, and it's only sold at the event. If you got to the event late, or just want to make sure you experience everything, this is a pretty great deal. But be warned, this DOES sell out (we got the last 2 one night last year). So if you see the signs for the After 11pm Express, get them right away!
DON'T GO ON A FRIDAY OR SATURDAY NIGHT!!! If you cannot swing the cost of the Front of the Line Pass then you should try to go on a slower night. Sunday's are typically a good night to go, especially early in the event. Last year however, Thursday Nights were busier than we'd ever seen them.
DON'T BE LATE!!! You are paying a LOT of $$ to go to HHN. Don't show up at 9:00pm and expect to do everything or expect there to be no lines. The event starts at 7:00pm, you should be lined up by 6:00pm AT THE LATEST. Earlier on Friday and Saturday nights.
- If you have the After 2:00pm pass, do not show up at 5:00pm. You're losing 3 hours of park time. If you are showing up at 5:00pm, just get the early entry. (Yes, we saw people arriving after 5:00pm with their after 2:00pm pass).
USE EARLY ENTRY!!! This is the only way to get into the event early. Early Entry begins at 5:30.
- Early Entry is $10 - $25 depending on the night. You can find info and prices here.
  - Note: Universal Studios Hollywood Passholders will also need to purchase an early entry ticket for early Entry!
IGNORE THE RIDES!!! (Unless you have a Front of the Line Pass). You are there for Halloween Horror Nights. You can come back on most days and ride Jurassic World, Mummy, The Simpsons or Transformers: 3D all you want. Especially if you have an Annual Pass. Ride lines are typically longer during HHN than they are during the day.
- If you have visitors from out of town, consider the After 2pm Day/Night Pass so you can ride during the day and get scared at night. These passes are available on the HHN site when you buy tickets AND this year the After 2pm pass includes Super Nintendo World.
New for 2024! After 2:00pm Day/Night Pass with EXPRESS is an exceptionally good value. Not only does this pass give you Express access to all attractions and shows from 2:00pm to 5:00pm it ALSO gives you access to all Halloween Horror Nights Houses during HHN AND all of the attractions that are open during HHN. So you can double dip your favorites!
Get the App!! The Universal Studios Hollywood app is great, even better during HHN. It will allow you to see what has long waits and what you can come back to later in favor of something not so long.
WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES!!! This should pretty much be a no brainer but you'd be surprised what we've seen some people wearing. With the Terror Tram being even longer this year, you will still be walking A LOT. You will be taking escalators up and down to the lower lot. Do yourself a favor and be comfortable.
Avoid the busiest nights: HHN is busy every night, some nights are "less busy". Assume that any night not included with the regular Frequent Fear Pass to be the busiest nights. These would be October 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26
Get a Frequent Fear Pass: This really is the best way to see all of Halloween Horror Nights, and not feel that you have to rush through to get everything done in one night. We've found that we really do enjoy going on multiple nights, doing a few houses, and just hanging out and enjoying the event.

Recommended house order with early entry

This rundown of recommended houses is if you are using early entry. If you aren't doing Early Entry, we have a recommended house order list below.

9/12/2024: There are some MAJOR updates to our early entry plan. Why? Because Universal Studios made some major updates to their early entry.

In previous years all 4 lower lot houses would open for early entry and have various opening times from 5:30 to 6:30. This year that is not the case. There are 2 upper lot houses open at 5:30. In addition, the 4 lower lot houses all open before 7:00, but have various opening times. We'll outline it all below.

Front of the Line tip: If lines are short when you get to the a particular attraction DO NOT use your Front of the Line Pass. Go through once in the stand-by line and then use your Front of the Line later in the evening. This way you get two trips through each House. With no backlot this year, getting back to a favorite house will be rather easy.

For those who want to hustle: Start with the Curious George houses first for Early Entry and then quickly head to the lower lot.

For those who want to take it more chill: Start with the Lower Lot houses and save the Curious George houses for later in the evening.

Curious George Lot

Recommended Order (without express): Insidious: The Further and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

Note: Entry for Early Entry for the Curious George houses is not through Hogsmeade but instead behind Waterworld.

Express Tip: If you have Express and don't mind the walk back to Curious George later in the night, by all means go ahead and do Standby for both and come back later in the evening and do them again. However, if you don't want to make that walk twice, go ahead and use your express during early entry.

Lower Lot Houses:

Recommended Order (with or without express): We don't really have one.

We don't really have a recommended order for these 4 houses during early entry. Just check the wait times during early entry and hit the ones with shorter lines. We have listed the times they've been opening opening instead of a preferred order.

However, if you want to hustle our recommended order would be:

The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines
Dead Exposure: Death Valley

But if you don't want to hustle at the very least make sure you do The Weeknd, Texas Chainsaw and Universal Monsters prior to 7:00pm.

Express Tip: If you happen to get here and the lines or short (30 minutes or less), go through the Stand-By line and then use your Front of the Line later in the evening so you get to experience each house twice.

Upper Lot and Terror Tram

Terror Tram:

If you've followed the guide so far you have already experienced 6 of the 8 houses and should only have A Quiet Place and Monstruos 2 left along with the terror tram. So it's time to take a bit of a break. Get some butterbeer ice cream in Hogsmeade. Have dinner in Springfield or any of the eateries upstairs.

After your break, head over to the Terror Tram.

Express Tip: If the line for the Terror Tram is relatively short, 30 minutes or less, you CAN go through the stand-by line and use your Front of the Line later. But remember, this experience generally takes 30-45 minutes from beginning to end and closes early, so you may not have time to do it twice.

Plus, there's a LOT of walking on this one. =)

If you did the "not as much hustle" strategy and skipped Insidious and Ghostbusters during early entry, head over there after the terror tram and end your night on the upper lot with the two houses, scare zones and shows.

A Quiet Place and Monstruos 2

It's now time for your last two houses of the night. Your waits will probably be rather long so make sure you grab a snack to enjoy in line.

If you have time/energy and the lines are relatively short, feel free to take in a ride or two after you've completed all the houses. You've earned it. =)

RECOMMENDED HOUSE ORDER WITH NO EARLY ENTRY

Here is our recommended house order if you are getting to the event at 7:00PM.

And we do mean AT 7:00PM!

Every single year we see people entering the event after 9:00pm, unless you have Express or a Frequent Fear Pass, don't be this person. You're not going to see much.

Curious George Houses

As soon as you get into the park and everybody is heading to the lower lot, take a right turn through Hogsmeade and head straight for Indisious: The Further and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. You can typically get through these houses in short order if you head there first.

Upper Lot Houses

After the Curious George houses, head to A Quiet Place and Monstrous. Resist the temptation to head down to the lower lot when you see the wait times. The lines will be there all night. Better to wait in some shorter lines and come back and wait for the Lower Lot Houses later in the evening.

Terror Tram

If the Terror Tram is a priority, make sure you do this attraction before heading to the Lower Lot. You will be spending the majority of your evening down there. You won't make it back to the upper lot before the terror tram closes for the night.

Lower Lot Houses

You're going to be spending most of your evening down here, and in line. We don't really have a recommended order at this point, just check the wait times and go from there.

If Dead Exposure and TX Chainsaw are relatively short, knock them out first. The exit for Dead Exposure will lead directly into TX Chainsaw.

Then finish up with Universal Monsters and The Weeknd.

Remember, you can always get the After 11pm Express pass to make sure you can see everything without early entry.

Food

Here is a link to all of the fantastic food and merchandise offerings for Halloween Horror Nights 2024! There seems to be a lot more this year and we can't wait to try all of these out!

In addition, the standard Universal Studios Hollywood eateries will be open for HHN.

Upper Lot:

Chucky's DiVe Bar (Near Waterworld)
Día De Los Muertos (Universal Plaza)
City Snacks featuring “A Quiet Place”
Hollywood and Dine
Minions Café
Cocina Mexicana
French Street Bistro
Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- Three Broomsticks
- Hogs Head
Springfield
- Bumblebee Man's Taco Truck
- Cletus' Chicken Shack
- Duff Brewery Beer Garden
- Krusty Burger

Lower Lot:

The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy Bar (Near Jurassic World)
Leatherface’s BBQ (Near Panda Express)
Monster Eats (Mummy Eats)
Jurassic Café
Isla Nu-Bar
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD Popcorn and Drink Cart
Starbucks
Studio Scoop

There are also various food booths around the park.

Shows

The Purge: Dangerous Waters is back for 2024! This was a great show last year not only for the entertainment factor but also spreading out the crowds a bit.

Late Night with Chucky is an all new show for 2024 and we are SO excited for this. This seems like it's going to be one of those super fun shows that we'll visit a lot throughout the season.

We don't currently have times for the shows, but we will update once we do.

Scare Zones

There are 4 scare zones on the upper lot this year, which essentially just makes one large scare zone from the park entry to Springfield and of course at the exit of Monstrous. Lots of fun in this area and we do suggest hanging out and enjoying the Scare Zones throughout the night.

Chainsaw Chaseout

If you are brave enough, not tired enough, or want to experience a true Horror Nights Hollywood original, stay until the very end of the night and experience Chainsaw Chaseout. This is absolutely one of our favorite things every year, and we always make at least one late night trip to HHN to experience it (the benefits of having Frequent Fear).

Even if you're not staying for Chainsaw Chaseout, make sure you do some shopping, grab a t-shirt and hang out in the scare zones before heading out.

Drive home safely!

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