Is there anything more terrifying than stepping into the world of horror movies and coming face to face with creatures from your worst nightmares? Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Hollywood is the world's premier Halloween event for that reason and so many more. For some horror fans, like me, we love a good scare! However, Mommy Frog needed some major convincing before she went for her first time. Now, she actually looks forward to the event every year now — I swear! Still, we leave our littles at home and don't recommend the event for tadpoles under 13 due to its intensity.
Over the years, we've gathered our top tips for fellow scaredy-frogs who need a little extra courage. Whether you're curious about the hype or just trying to appease your thrill-seeking friends and family, we hope these tips will help you face your fears. With a little preparation, you can navigate the event without need to change your pants — if you know what I mean.
If you're looking for tips on the East Coast, head to our scaredy-frog's guide to Halloween Horror Nights Orlando!
Our Best Halloween Horror Nights Tips for Scaredy-Frogs
1. Be Aware of the Scares
One of the most exciting and exhilarating things about Halloween Horror Nights is the jump-scares. And to be perfectly honest, they can be hard to fully avoid. That being said, if you know where the scares are, you might be able to lessen the probability of being surprised and potentially be able to slip by without a scare actor noticing.
The hardest section to avoid the scares in is right at the front of the park, pretty much immediately after you enter. The main strip of Universal Hollywood is home to the Chainsaw Punkz scare zone. Although they are loud (with their chain-less saws) there's nothing gory or grotesque about them. Other than cheap denim and Mohawks, that is!
You can avoid them a little bit by entering the store on the left-hand side and taking that as far as it goes. All the stores on the main strip are connected so you can cover some serious ground that way. When you exit the store at the end, just stay close to the rest of the building as you walk toward Production Plaza at the center of the Upper Lot.
At the end of this street, you'll find the Skull Lordz scare zone. The Skull Lordz are a group of medieval undead protecting their kingdom. You'll definitely see some fascinating creatures, but again, nothing grotesque — just a lot of skulls and fabulous attire. These ones are actually a little bit easier to get around. If you stay close to the Starbucks on the left side, you can walk through Production Plaza instead of straight through the scare zone. In Production Plaza, you'll find the Dia de los Muertos pop-up bar, which is a great place to grab a drink if you need some liquid courage at the beginning of your adventure.
While you continue over to Springfield (the Simpsons area) toward the escalators, you'll enter the Murder of Crowz scare zone, just in front of the entrance to Hogsmeade. This is the least scary of the scare zones and a great one for scaredy-frogs! The Murder of Crowz are basically giant birds on stilts with top hats. They are very tall and so fun to watch but, unless you are totally unaware, they don't really provide any jump scares. They move slowly and their height makes them easy to always keep an eye on. There is, however, a small and quick man-sized bird who sometimes strolls around and scares guests, so keep an eye out for him.
The last scare zone is around Minion Land and it's called Luchadores Monstruosos. The whole area is very themed with props and vignettes, and it includes a fun spin on the Universal Monsters. You'll see Wolf Man and Frankenstein's monster both roaming around in wrestling clothes with the other luchadores. Again, there's nothing grotesque here, purely jump scares. This area is usually fairly quiet compared to the rest of the park. It's easier to spot someone ready to scare you, but it also means you might be more targeted. You can't avoid this scare zone when you exit the Monstrous 2 house, but you can move through it pretty quickly, should you choose to brave the area. This is the only scare zone that you actually don't have to walk through at all to get around the park (only if you want to complete all the houses).
2. Come for the Tricks Treats, Stay for the Treats
One of our favorite things to do while at Universal is eat! There are so many yummy and fun-themed foods at Halloween Horror Nights. And sitting down for some food is a fantastic way to take a little break and let your nerves settle. You can grab a plethora of themed foods such as A Quiet Place desserts, Texas Chainsaw Massacre BBQ and sweets and treats from Monster Eats. This year, we can't get enough of the Mini Stay-Puft S'more! But beware — these babies sell out quickly. You can find him in the Lower Lot at Studio Scoops after 7 p.m.
There are a few pop-up bars at the event that are toadally worth checking out as well. In the upper lot by The Purge show is Chucky's Dive bar. It has some great themed cocktails such as the "Chucky Got Jokes" and "Friends Till the End."
Also in the Upper Lot, Production Plaza has been taken over by a giant Dia de los Muertos pop-up bar. Here you'll find some fantastic cocktails and great food options. We love the Walking Taco, which is essentially taco fillings over Fritos chips served right in the bag. And you can't go wrong with a margarita. We have a whole sinister guide to sips and snacks at Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood you can use to plan your (food) attack!
There are a few scare actors who roam the plaza, but they aren't there for jump scares. They add to the ambiance with some incredible movie makeup and costumes and are happy to take a creepy picture with whoever dares to ask.
In the Lower Lot, you'll find The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy Bar over by the Jurassic World ride. This is our personal favorite spot to hang out for a while with a drink in hand. The cocktails are fun and interactive, and the music and overall vibe is unbeatable.
If you want somewhere to hang out and grab a bite (or a drink) that is removed from the scares and toadally safe, head into Hogsmeade. There are no Death Eaters in the area this year, so other than spooky projections on the Hogwarts castle, you're free of any and all scare potential. Duck into Three Broomsticks or Hog's Head, grab a table and take a breather.
3. Hop Right on to the Rides
If you're going to Universal Studios Hollywood at any time of day, you can expect to get on some rides, right? Well, Universal Halloween Horror Nights is the perfect time to do just that! Since the majority of frogs who come to this event will be waiting in line for houses, the rides that are open during the event tend to have low wait times.
Keep in mind that the Terror Tram closes early! So if this is one of your priorities for the night, make sure to get that one done earlier in the night amidst your rides. And note that not all rides and lands are open during the event. Be sure to plan accordingly. Hop over to our post on ways to maximize your time for more details.
4. Watch a Show
There are two shows at Halloween Horror Nights in Hollywood this year. The first is The Purge: Dangerous Waters. This show takes over the Water World theater in the Upper Lot and brings to life the world of The Purge. It is a stunt and pyro spectacular and a fun watch!
Late Night with Chucky is a brand-new audience interactive show located in the DreamWorks Theater. In this show, Chucky answers questions from the audience in a humorous manner. Although there is some anticipation and a pretty gory set, nothing scary really happens. It's just a cool way for fans of the "Chucky" franchise to see the doll live in action. But if Chucky and/or killer dolls are not your jam, we suggest skipping this one.
5. Do Your Research
What is it specifically that scares you? Is it blood and gore? Jump scares, spiders, dolls, the dark or small spaces? Each house is unique, and knowing what your 'no's' are will help you decide which ones might be OK for you and which ones to skip. There is usually one more fun-themed and less scary house. This year, it is Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. This house is better lit than others and the set is extremely detailed. Although there are a few "boo's," it's pretty suitable for everyone.
There are houses more focused on the story and less on the scares, such as Eternal Bloodlines and A Quiet Place, and there are others serving pure terror, such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Insidious: The Further. We have an entire guide to Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights 2024 with every house listed.
Watch some walkthrough videos of the houses on YouTube. Make note of where each scare is coming from so nothing actually surprises you when you make your way through your chosen house. Lucky for you, we have walkthroughs of some of this year's most popular houses on our YouTube channel!
Here's our hot tip if you want to ease into a haunted house:
The Terror Tram is a great place to start if you want to do haunted houses but are just a little too scared to go inside. The tram takes you down into the studio lot and lets you off in what feels like the middle of nowhere. You’re greeted by M3GAN for this year’s Terror Tram: Enter the Blumhouse, so you know things are going to get a little scary. You'll walk through a series of different Blumhouse movies (such as Black Phone and the Purge) but it’s all outside.
I find this to be the easiest scare setting because you don’t ever feel trapped. It’s mostly jump scares that you can see coming, and it’s easier to distance yourself from them. And you're walking through with an entire tram full of other guests (safety in numbers!). Plus, if you hit the tram right when it opens at 7 p.m., you can actually experience it before it’s fully dark out.
6. Get Early Entry Access
Early entry is one of our favorite Halloween Horror Nights hacks whether you are a scaredy-frog or not! It costs between $10-15 and it begins at 5:30 p.m. Four houses are open for Early Access purchasers, which gives you a frogtastic head-start on your night. Not to mention, there are no scare actors roaming until the event officially begins at 7 p.m. This gives you the perfect opportunity to get your bearings in the daylight before everything comes to life. Seeing everything around you makes it much easier to walk through these areas. (It's also a great time to appreciate the art and detail that goes into the sets and costumes!) And allows you to avoid the front two scare zones until you depart if those seem too much for you.
Sometimes waiting for the houses builds up a lot of anxiety and anticipation. Early Access gives you the opportunity to go through a few houses without the long waits. And being able to conquer a house and walk out to the familiar daylight is a little less scary. Without as much of a crowd around you can ease into the experience without being over-stimulated. We have a whole post on how to slay early entry.
7. Remember the Rules
Whether you need to cross through a sinister scare zone or decide to enter one of the horrifying houses, there's one important thing to keep in mind: The scare actors can't touch you (and you can't touch them)! The worst thing they can do is give you a good jump scare. For a lot of first-time frogs, reminding themselves of this information is enough to give them the courage they need to face their fears. And it helps to remember that Universal works hard to keep their scare actors safe too. So all the weapons and tools they may be holding are extremely fake. The creepy creatures that call Halloween Horror Nights home can threaten you with knives and chainsaws all they want, but, rest assured, you're going to make it out of those scare zones and haunted houses alive and intact.
All the scare actors are trying to do is get your heart pumping and your blood racing (the same goal as the director of any scary movie or the designer of any roller coaster). That being said, if you know you have health problems, it might be best to sit this event out. Know your limits and keep your own safety in mind.
8. Don't Let Them See (or Hear) Your Fear
Our #1 tip: Avoid looking scared at all costs. The scare actors are trained to target anyone who they see as being easily frightened. Let your guard down and laugh your way through the scare zones. Put on those metaphorical blinders and simply march your way through the haunted houses, ignoring all the guts and gore on either side of you. Screaming or shivering is the same as wearing a bright neon sign asking the performers to scare the living daylights out of you. Keep your head up, walk tall and take a few deep breaths. You're going to be OK, and hopefully, you'll have a little fun too!
Have you braved Universal Halloween Horror Nights before? What are your best tips for scaredy-frogs braving Universal Halloween Horror Nights? Let us know in the comments below!
Related: Your Screamin' Guide to Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights 2024
Related: How to Maximize Your Time at Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood 2024
Keep hopping!
