Halloween Horror Nights has so much hoppening and there's so little time to do it in. The hours race by like kids fleeing from Chucky. But there are a few tools you can use to get an early start on the fear ... err, fun. Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood early entry access is one affordable way to jump-start your night, but is it the best way? Read on to explore all of the Early Access options at Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood.
Our frog squad divided up and used four different ways to get inside Universal Studios for the opening of Halloween Horror Nights. (We used an Early Access ticket, an annual pass to enter early, a 2 p.m. Day/Night Combo ticket and regular admission at 7 p.m.) We bring you our best advice for early entry time at Halloween Horror Nights in Hollywood, so you can make the best decision for you and your budget. But you'd better hop to it — some of these tickets and add-ons are selling out scary fast!
For daytime park guests, the park closes at 6 p.m. on Halloween Horror Nights. Attraction and ride entrances close at 5:30 p.m. and the escalators down to the Lower Lot close at 5:15 p.m. On opening night, passholders and daytime guests, who arrived early and had wristbands on, could still go down to the Lower Lot. However, Early Access houses are limited to only people with Early Access tickets and the 2 p.m. Day/Night combo tickets, giving those guests the advantage in getting a jump on those Early Access houses. Now, let's discuss the new Early Access ticket and other forms of early entry for Halloween Horror Nights in Hollywood.
Early Access Tickets for Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood
In 2023, Universal Studios Hollywood introduced an Early Access ticket add-on, and it's back for 2024. No matter which ticket you purchased (even discount tickets through Undercover Tourist) you could go to the Halloween Horror Nights site and purchase a Halloween Horror Nights Early Access ticket. You must also have a Halloween Horror Nights admission ticket to enter the park with this Early Access ticket.
The Early Access ticket gets you entry into the park at 5:30 p.m., which is an hour and a half before the event kicks off and general admission ticket holders enter. The event officially begins at 7 p.m. So, what's open at 5:30 p.m.? Select haunted houses and food locations. Usually these are located in the Lower Lot. This year, 2024, only two houses in the lower lot are open early, while the other two are located in the upper lot!
This year, Early Access ticket holders have been being let in to the parks as early as 5 p.m. so it might be in your best interest to get to the gates at 4:30 p.m. or earlier to be near the front of the line to get in for Early Access.
Pros:
- You arrive early before most other guests.
- It's affordable, starting at $10 per ticket.
- If you are nervous about the scares, you can start your night while it's still light out and ease your way in.
- You can access haunted houses with shorter lines.
- You have time to get some food and drinks, fill your water bottle and go to the restroom before the night kicks off.
- Beat the crowds. The guests who enter at 7 p.m. face long lines getting in and may need to arrive early anyway to get near the front of the line to get in.
- Use the Early Access turnstiles to the left of the entrance.
Cons:
- You are technically not the first guests in the park.
- Early Access tickets are selling out quickly, so you need to plan ahead if you want to purchase this ticket. (Keep checking online as availability could change.)
- The houses open at 5:30 p.m. and the park gates open at 5:30. Do you see the problem? It takes some time (about 20 minutes) to walk to the Lower Lot and take the four Starway escalators down to the Lower Lot. So you are not getting to the houses until Early Access is underway.
- Some other guests have an advantage over Early Access guests. Who? Let's discuss.
After 2 p.m. Day/Night Ticket
Another ticket gets you in the park even earlier than Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood early entry. The 2 p.m. Day/Night ticket gets you in the door at 2 p.m. This ticket has several great aspects.
Nights - After 2 p.m.
Tickets Available Now!Pros:
- You get daytime admission and Horror Nights admission.
- Early Access houses are included with this ticket.
- Access rides and attractions that will close early for the event.
- Choose a regular ticket or one with Universal Express. (Express is good for one-time use for each ride during the day AND each ride and attraction at night.)
- You are already in the park and can be ready to jump in line for the most popular houses before the Early Access ticket holders even enter the park.
- You can eat before the event, bring in water and get refills before the night starts.
- Catch daytime characters and Universal monsters such as monster Minions, Frankenstein and his bride, and Beetlejuice.
- Access to Super Nintendo World from 7 to 10 p.m. during Horror Nights.
- Use the 2 p.m./Early Access turnstiles to the left of the entrance.
- If you are nervous about being scared, you can start your night while it's still light out and ease your way in.
Cons:
- It costs more than Early Access (about double general admission).
- Three hours before Early Access is not a ton of time, but you can do a few rides and attractions.
Annual Pass or Full Daytime Ticket
If you are a Universal Studios Hollywood annual passholder (or a ticket holder with a ticket for general daytime admission and a ticket for Halloween Horror Nights), you can arrive early with your pass (or ticket). Use the turnstiles to the right of the entrance before the crowds arrive.
Once in the park, you can check in for Horror Nights near the turnstiles or the Box Office to get a wristband that allows you to stay in the park after the park closes. You may not access mazes before 7 p.m. But you can access other parts of the park and can hop in your must-do lines early. If you pay for Early Access, which is pretty affordable, then you can access those houses.
Pros:
- You get daytime admission and Horror Nights admission.
- Access rides, attractions and characters that will not be part of the event.
- If you already have a pass, it's no extra cost to get in early.
- You avoid the lines outside the park.
- You have time to eat, drink and se the restroom before the event kicks off.
Cons:
- It can make for a long day.
- Buying a full-day ticket and a Horror Nights ticket can add up. But you can at least save some green with discount Universal Studios Hollywood and Halloween Horror Nights tickets through Undercover Tourist.
General Admission at 7 p.m.
We mentioned having a ticket that gets you in the park at 7 p.m. That's when most guests can enter the park. We don't recommend it if you can find a way to gain early entry at Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood.
If you have general admission with no way to get in early, arrive early so you are at least near the front of the line. Lines can get scary long at 7 p.m. Once you enter the park, hit the Upper Lot houses first and the Terror Tram. Save the Lower Lot for when lines drop off later in the night. You can check wait times in the app and on park signage.
Pros:
- No more money spent or added on.
- You can save on discount tickets.
- You can start with the full event open to you (only frighteningly fun vibes when you enter).
- No need to leave work early to get there.
Cons:
- All the guests using ways to get in early are already in the park and in line, so you have a slight disadvantage. Hit the Upper Lot houses, shows (if important to you) and Terror Tram before heading to the Lower Lot.
- You are going to need Universal Express to do it all. (Keep an eye out for an After 11 p.m. Express ticket in the park.)
- Entry lines are long. You should probably arrive by 5:30 or 6 p.m. before the event opens so you can get in the park ASAP once the gates open.
If you cannot arrive early, we advise you to get Universal Express if it's in your budget. That way, you can still accomplish all the houses, shows and Terror Tram. Don't have an Express ticket? It doesn't hurt to ask about upgrading at the park or buying the After 11 p.m. Express upgrade for a lot less money.
Which Houses Are Open During Early Access?
A few houses open at 5:30 p.m. You can hop in line early for them if you like. Early Access house wait times do not always appear in the Universal Studios Hollywood app, so it's hard to gauge. House availability and opening times during Early Access are subject to change per night.
On opening night of 2024 four houses were open for early entry:
- Insidious: The Further (located in the Upper Lot)
- Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (located in the Upper Lot)
- The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy (located in the Lower Lot)
- Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Legacy of Leatherface (located in the Lower Lot)
We started with the two upper lot houses and then made our way down to the Lower Lot to complete the others. This way, once we completed the early entry houses, we could get a head start on one of the other lower lot houses and be ready to join the queue right at 7 p.m. In fact, Eternal Bloodlines ended up opening at 6:45 p.m. so we got five houses done before the event even officially began.
At 7 p.m. all the houses are open. Most attendees head to the Lower Lot first, so shortly after 7 p.m. the lot is full. For this year, we recommend waiting in the line for the fourth Lower Lot house (after you've completed the other 3 with ease!) and getting whatever else in on your list for the Lower Lot done. You don't want to spend precious time going back and forth on those escalators.
At this point, you'll have already completed six houses and it's time to head to the Upper Lot and Terror Tram. You may see lines temporarily close due to capacity. Keep an eye on the app before heading to a house.
Hopfully, we've helped you determine which ticket or add-on option is right for you when it comes to Early Access and other Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood early entry options. Don't pay scary high prices. Save on Halloween Horror Night tickets through Undercover Tourist.
Related: Your Screamin' Guide to Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood
Related: How to Maximize Your Time at Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood
Keep hopping!
