For a full breakdown of Prices, Dates, Haunted Houses, Shows, Scare Zones and more, check out this link! 

Updated September 9, 2026

Survival Guide Video Overview

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 $20- $30 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 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. 
• New for 2026! Super Nintendo World will be open during HHN. If you have not experienced Super Nintendo World yet you have our permission to spend some time in the Mushroom Kingdom. 
• 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. You will be walking A LOT. 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 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24.
• 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 EARLY ENTRY HOUSE ORDER:

​PRIORITY HOUSES OZZY AND SINNERS

​This rundown of recommended houses is if Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness and Sinners are your priority houses.

Note: This strategy requires two trips to the lower lot, one at the beginning of your night and one at the end of your night.

If Hellraiser, Evil Dead Burn and Sinners are your priority houses, we have a recommended ​early entry house order 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.

Lower Lot First

As soon as you pick up your early entry wrist-band head down to the Lower Lot. If you're down there early enough chill and grab a snack or ride Jurassic World/Mummy/Transformers while you wait for the Stranger Things Early Entry line to open. Single Rider is your friend! 

Based on the press release, Jurassic World will not be open during HHN as they are using that queue for Dead, Deader, Deadest. We will update if this changes. 

Recommended Early Entry Order (with or without express):

​1. Stranger Things 5 - Early Entry Begins at 5:00pm

(make sure you are in line by 4:30pm - 4:15pm is better)

2. Ozzy Osborne: Prince of Darkness ​ - Early Entry Begins at 5:45pm (early entry time updated 9/9/2026)

If Stranger Things is not a priority for you, skip the opening for it at 5:00pm and get in line for Ozzy for it's 5:45pm opening. Ozzy is one of the most popular houses this year along with Sinners. 

Upper Lot and Terror Tram

Make sure you are in line for Sinners before 6:30pm 

​Recommended Order

3. Sinners - Early Entry Begins at 5:30pm (early entry time updated 9/9/2026)

4. Killceañera - Early Entry Begins at 5:45pm (early entry time updated 9/9/2026)

Note: If it is raining Killceañera may not open for early entry

5. Terror Tram - Early Entry Begins at 6:30pm

The Terror Tram is VERY popular this year and wait times were up to 2 hours on opening weekend. 

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.

After the Terror Tram it's time to take a bit of a break while the general crowds shuffle in. Get some butterbeer ice cream in Hogsmeade. Have dinner in Springfield or any of the eateries upstairs.

After your break, head over to the Curious George Lot.​

Curious George Lot

Recommended Order

6. Hellraiser - Early Entry Begins at 5:00pm (early entry time updated 9/9/2026)

7. Evil Dead Burn - Early Entry Begins at 5:15pm (early entry time updated 9/9/2026)

Back to Lower Lot

Now it's time to head all the way back down to the Lower Lot to finish your last 2 houses of the night. The order is insignificant at this point, just jump in whatever line is shorter. 

8. Killer Klowns From Outer Space - Early Entry Begins at 5:15pm (early entry time updated 9/9/2026)

Note: If it is raining Killer Klowns may not open for early entry

9. Dead, Deader, Deadest - Early Entry Begins at 6:45

​RECOMMENDED EARLY ENTRY HOUSE ORDER:
​HELLRAISER, EVIL DEAD BURN AND SINNERS FIRST

​​This rundown of recommended houses is if Hellraiser, Evil Dead Burn and Sinners are your priority houses.

If Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness and Sinners are your priority houses, we have a recommended early entry house order above. ​

Curious George Lot First

As soon as you pick up your early entry wrist-band feel free to enjoy the upper lot attractions depending on what time it is. If it's after 4:30 we recommend getting in the early entry queue. 

Recommended Early Entry Order (with or without express):

1. Hellraiser - Early Entry Begins at 5:00pm (early entry time updated 9/9/2026)

2. Evil Dead Burn - Early Entry Begins at 5:15pm (early entry time updated 9/9/2026)

Out of the two houses in the Curious George lot, Hellraiser will definitely be the more popular house. So make sure you get in line for this before Evil Dead Burn. If the crowds are all going to the Lower Lot, you may be able to do these houses more than once while you are back here. ​

​​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. ​

Upper Lot and Terror Tram

After going through Hellraiser and Evil Dead Burn, head back through Hogsmeade and to Sinners which should be opening for early entry at 5:30pm. 

Recommended Order (with or without express):

3. Sinners - Early Entry Begins at 5:30pm (early entry time updated 9/9/2026)

4. Killceañera - Early Entry Begins at 5:45pm (early entry time updated 9/9/2026)

Note: If it is raining Killceañera may not open for early entry

After Sinners and Killceañera make sure it's completely dark before getting in line for the Terror Tram. If not, take a quick snack break or hang out in one of the Scare Zones for a bit. 

You can also possibly do Sinners and Killceañera more than once as lines for both didn't pick up until after 6:30pm on opening weekend. 

Lower Lot ​

You've now completed 5 of the 9 attractions and it's time to head to the Lower Lot. While we have a recommended order below, if one of these 4 houses has a shorter wait time when you make it to the lower lot, just get in line. The order below is just the least amount of walking. 

Recommended Order (with or without express):

​

​6. Ozzy Osborne: Prince of Darkness - Early Entry Begins at 5:30pm (early entry time updated 9/9/2026)

7. Killer Klowns From Outer Space - Early Entry Begins at 5:15pm (early entry time updated 9/9/2026)

Note: If it is raining Killer Klowns may not open for early entry

8. Stranger Things 5 - Early Entry Begins at 5:00pm

9. Dead, Deader, Deadest - Early Entry Begins at 6:45pm

​​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:

NO EARLY ENTRY

or 

ENTERING FOR EARLY ENTRY AT 5:00

This rundown of recommended houses is if you are not doing Early Entry or you are not inside the park for early entry before 5:00pm

MAKE SURE YOU ARRIVE BEFORE 7:00PM!

Upper Lot

If you are not doing Early Entry we suggest starting your night with Sinners on the Upper Lot. This will probably be one of the more popular houses at the event this year. Once you exit Sinners, the entrance for Killceañera will be just to your left. ​

1. Sinners 

2. Killceañera 

Curious George Lot 

After visiting Killceañera take a walk through Hogsmeade and head to the Curious George Lot houses. Based on wait times you might want to swap the order, but Hellraiser will definitely be the more popular of these two houses. ​

3. Hellraiser

4. Evil Dead Burn

Terrifier Tram

5. Terror Tram

Before heading to the Lower Lot for your final 4 houses of the night, make sure you get in line for the Terror Tram. This attraction typically closes at 11:30pm and you will be down at the lower lot the rest of your evening. 

Before heading to your next house, it's time to take a break to grab a snack or dinner. Enjoy some HHN food or a Krusty Burger. 

Lower Lot

You've now completed 5 of the 9 attractions and it's time to head to the Lower Lot.

While we have a recommended order below, if one of these 4 houses has a shorter wait time when you make it to the lower lot, just get in line. The order below is just the least amount of walking. 

6. Ozzy Osborne: Prince of Darkness 

7. Killer Klowns From Outer Space​

​​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. =)  ​

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