Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood is the scariest night of the season in Los Angeles — but it’s also the fastest. The event officially kicks off at 7 p.m. and lasts until 1 or 2 a.m. on select nights in September, October and November. While six or seven hours sounds like a long time, the night flies by in a scary fast way. Luckily, we have several tips to maximize time and do as much as possible during the event.
The very first time my wife Flora (Mommy Frog to many of you) and I attended Halloween Horror Nights, we did it all wrong. We did no advance research, had a standard ticket, did not utilize Early Entry time (in fact, we arrived late), spent the first hour in a show and spent a lot of time in long lines. We did not hit all the mazes that year. It was our own night of horror as we are not patient frogs and prefer to skip the lines. The next year, we did our research and accomplished so much more, hitting every house, show, scare zone and Terror Tram. Now, we have it all down and can share what we've learned with you.
That being said, we also have touring advice for those of you without Early Event Access and for people who don't have an Express ticket. (Those Express tickets and Early Event Access tickets sell out scary fast so they may not even be an option when you visit if you purchase last-minute.)
15 Tips to Maximize Time at HHN Hollywood 2024
You have six to eight hours to see eight houses, three scare zones, a Terror Tram, a show and get food and drink. Our guide to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood has all the event details and ticket options, but this post focuses on how to accomplish the most and save time at this terrifying event. That starts at home by buying the right ticket(s) according to your budget, planning when to arrive and deciding on your priorities for the night.
Some of these options cost more to save time, but we also offer tips to save time whether you have a standard ticket without any add-ons or choose to invest more in your night. Everyone can save time at this event!
1. Purchase HHN Hollywood Tickets in Advance to Save Money and Time
Most tickets sell out in advance or even sell out the same day as the event. You’ll get the best selection and price if you purchase early. You can save some green when you purchase discount Halloween Horror Nights tickets from Undercover Tourist. Even if tickets are still available the day you visit, the price jumps up at the gate.
2. Purchase Universal Express Tickets
You can purchase Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood Express tickets directly through Universal Studios online. The lines for popular houses can get frighteningly long. Skip the lines and the stress with Universal Express. Be sure to bring or buy a lanyard to keep your Express ticket handy and make scanning it faster and easier. Every year that we have used Universal Express, we have made it through every house in the park hours before closing.
Another option if you wanted Express tickets but they were sold out for your night is to look for After 11 p.m. Universal Express upgrades. They were $89 on the night we visited.
3. Consider Single Rider Lines for Select Rides
If you do not have Express, several rides offer Single Rider lines. They may be open when you visit. Ask about Single Rider at the Lower Lot rides and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. The ride rides were very short when we visited.
4. Utilize Early Access
Universal sells Early Access Tickets online. At $10 to $20, they are the most affordable time-saving add-on. You must also have an admission ticket to use Early Access. The Early Access ticket allows early entry to select haunted houses at 5:30 p.m. But you definitely want to get in line at least half an hour to an hour before, since the line to enter gets long quickly and this can eat into your early access hour. You can knock those out before the event gets started.
This year we hit the two Early Entry houses in the Upper Lot (behind Hogwarts) and then made the journey down to the Lower Lot for the other two houses. This way we were ready to get in line for the non-early entry houses in the Lower Lot right when the event started at 7 p.m. and before regular park guests could get there! After completing the Lower Lot we made our way back up and to the Terror Tram followed by remaining houses in the Upper Lot.
You can read more about how to slay Early Entry here!
5. Consider an After 2 p.m. Day/Night Combo Ticket
If you really want to experience rides and the houses, a Day/Night combo ticket will allow you to catch some daytime shows and especially some rides that are not open during the event. Plus, it can free up your evening to enjoy the houses if you already crossed some rides off your list in advance. You can avoid the entrance lines out front since you are already in the park. Also, you can make your way to the Early Access houses and hop in line before the early entry crowds arrive. There is an option to add Universal Express, which allows access to rides during the day and rides and houses during Horror Nights.
The 2 p.m. Day/Night Combo Halloween Horror Nights ticket allows you to get a head start on even the Early Access folks. Get in line for the Early Access houses before 5 p.m.
6. Arrive Early
Even if you do not have Early Entry or a 2 p.m. ticket, arrive an hour before the event begins. Lines to enter can be long. Head straight to your first house. Check the house wait times in the app or on displays around the park. Head to the houses that open at 7 p.m. because they will have the shortest lines. That may be the houses located in the Upper Lot to the left. Our advice is to hit those Upper Lot houses and the Terror Tram before going down to the Lower Lot.
7. Visit on Thursdays and Sundays Early in the Season or on Wednesday Nights
If you visit on a “school night” in September, you may encounter lower crowds and shorter lines early in the season vs. weekends or nights closer to Halloween. Not only that, you can save some green as these tickets cost less than a visit on a Friday or Saturday. Ticket prices vary per night based on popularity. Keep in mind that the event may be one hour shorter, closing at 1 a.m. on weeknights. We visited opening night on a Thursday. Even though it was a sold-out night, the capacity definitely felt a lot lighter than a Saturday in October.
Another weeknight was added. You can visit on Wednesdays Oct. 9 through Oct. 30, 2024. Wednesdays may be one of the least-crowded nights of the season for HHN Hollywood 2024.
8. Eat Before the Event
Food lines also get frightfully long. Fuel up before the event so you don’t have to invest time in good lines. If you arrive early enough, your event ticket may be good for restaurant discounts in CityWalk. That being said, if you do get hungry, we highly recommend the Little Cocina (a pop-up bar and restaurant with a Dia de los Muertos theme) in the Upper Lot. We visited the Little Cocina, between 9 and 10 p.m.
Some year-round dining locations have started offering mobile orders. Consider using it if offered when food lines are long. You can check out our full guide to the foods of Halloween Horror Nights to plan out what you might be having before the event starts.
9. Follow a Plan
Have a game plan in mind before you start. Know your must-do houses and their locations. Follow the shortest wait times noted on park signage and the app. Hit the Terror Tram early and save the show for a time when you need to sit and rest later on in the night. The water show is likely to attract crowds, so you may need to get in place somewhat early. Do not wait for the night's last show unless you plan to arrive early.
Within the first hour of the event, wait times for both houses and rides start increasing.
Visit all the Lower Lot houses all at once. We recommend saving them for the end of the night, once the park starts to empty out. You only want to walk the long paths or take the Starway once. Otherwise, you can spend 20 minutes of unnecessary travel time going up and down escalators or walking to far-off houses. Complete everything in an area before leaving that section of the park.
Without early entry, we would start in the Upper Lot and work our way to the Lower Lot. The two houses that open at 7 p.m. in the Upper Lot will be the shortest wait when the event officially starts. We suggest getting those ones done and heading over to the Terror Tram. Once you've completed the Tram, pop over to the two houses located behind Hogwarts. On opening night one of those houses, "Insidious," was consistently the longest wait time. Groups of 3-5 are let into the house spaced apart from other groups for the most intense experience. Although this makes it worth the wait, it does make for a much longer wait time.
Then it's time for a little rest and food! "Late Night With Chucky" (this year's new interactive show) is the perfect spot to take a small break in the AC and get some good laughs. And it's conveniently located right across from the Little Cocina pop up!
After taking a break to rest our flippers, we watched the water spectacular, "The Purge," then hopped back down to the Lower Lot where the wait times were shorter at the end of the night. It felt like we went against the main flow of guests who were heading toward the exit.
Nearing the very end of the night, some wait times tended to quickly drop. As nights get busier that is subject to change, however.
Ultimately, check the wait times and follow the shortest lines. Sometimes a house is popular due to the fans of the movie or show it is based on, but a long line does not necessarily mean it's the best house. Many times we are hoppily surprised by a seemingly less popular theme and a little underwhelmed by the house we were most looking forward to. So keep an open mind and go for enjoying the most houses rather than spending 300 minutes and your whole night in one line.
If you are visiting on a later night in the season, feel free to pop into the Universal Studios app on the night before your visit. Look at wait times and when some houses are busy or less congested. Then you can set up expectations about what you can accomplish and where to go when.
10. Know Your AAP Options
If you require accommodations of a disability, know that Univeral now requires you to register in advance. Once approved, you can pick up the Attraction Assistance Pass at Guest Relations on the right-hand side immediately after you enter the park. If you use an Attraction Assistance Pass, usually you have to collect a return time for each house, one at a time. But if you are traveling far to access houses that are near each other, you may be able to collect a return time for both of them at once. Alternate transportation is available for people who require it. Hop over to our Attraction Assistance Pass post to learn more about how to acquire and use it.
11. Prioritize Houses and Scare Zones Over Rides
The rides are not going anywhere, but the houses, scare zones and Terror Tram are only here for a limited time. If you have never visited Universal Studios Hollywood before, we recommend the After 2 p.m. Day/Night Combo Express ticket or visiting for a full day on a day that is different from the one you are attending HHN Hollywood 2024.
If you do want to ride rides, be aware that some, such as Jurassic World and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey may close early. The last Terror Tram usually leaves 45 minutes to an hour before the park closes. Park signage should alert you to the last Terror Tram of the night when you visit.
12. Download the Universal Studios Hollywood App and Park Map
The app will show you a park map, wait times, show times and food locations. Another thing that will help you plan your night is to look at the park map. Then you know where all the houses, scare zones and food locations are so you can set up a game plan. Just be flexible.
You may need to join a Virtual Line to access specific houses at some point during the season, so check the app for that.
13. Consider the R.I.P Tour
If it’s within your budget, sign up for a R.I.P. Tour for HHN Hollywood 2024. It includes:
- Admission to Halloween Horror Nights (no daytime admission or Early Event Access)
- Guided walking tour of the event
- One-time R.I.P. entry into each house as well as select rides and attractions while on tour with a guide (based on tour itinerary)
- Reserved seating at a live show (based on tour itinerary) while on tour with R.I.P. guide
- Express UNLIMITED access (per day) to select rides, houses and attractions
- Complimentary valet parking (one vehicle)
- Special VIP entrance to Universal Studios Hollywood where you will receive your commemorative R.I.P. credentials and lanyard
- Exclusive Universal Backlot Halloween experience with private VIP trolley transportation
- Gourmet dinner (alcoholic beverages excluded) in the private VIP dining room
- Special themed photo opportunities
- Access to cash bar locations available during the tour (must be 21 years old or older to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages with a valid photo ID)
You can definitely do it all with this tour!
14. Get a Frequent Fear Pass
Listen up locals, here is the cheapest deal around if you can visit on multiple nights. Then you can take your time, visit a few mazes a night and just come back for more and more terror, like that recurring nightmare you can’t shake. Universal sells a Frequent Fear Pass (starting at $179) for up to 33 nights (we are talking just over $5 a night!) and the Ultimate Fear Pass (starting at $299), which is good every single night of the season. Prices are subject to change as the season progresses.
15. Don’t Bring Banned Items Through Security
HHN Hollywood 2024 has stricter rules than normal park hours. Don’t waste time heading back to your car, which can be a 20-minute round-trip journey to return your water bottle, gum or other banned items. All bags are x-rayed and/or inspected. Leave these items behind:
- Any type of explosive or weapon
- Alcoholic beverages
- Marijuana
- Illegal drugs
- Clothing likely to create a danger or disturbance or that has profanity
- Clothing that may create a false impression of employment by Universal or as emergency personnel
- Face masks, coverings or applications (costumes are allowed under these guidelines)
- Segways (unless utilized as an ADA mobility device), hoverboards and drones
- Water (you can bring an empty water bottle)
- Food except for special dietary needs
- Gum
- Glass
- Laser pens
You can purchase your HHN Hollywood 2024 tickets at Undercover Tourist in advance to save money.
Related: Your Screamin' Guide to Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood
Related: Ranking the Top Rides at Universal Studios Hollywood
Keep hopping!
