If the thought of confronting creatures from your worst nightmares sends shivers down your spine, you've come to the right post. Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights is the world's premier Halloween event for a reason. It's haunting, horrific and downright terrifying. But that's what makes it so frightfully fun for frogs like me who enjoy a scare! That being said, Mommy Frog isn't as big of a horror buff as I am ... so it took a while before I was able to convince her to come along. She still clings to me all the way through the houses with one arm and uses the other arm as a barrier in front of her face, but she actually looks forward to the event every year now — I swear! Still, we leave Lily at home and don't recommend the event for tadpoles under 13 due to its intensity.
Over the years, the two of us have put together a list of tips for fellow scaredy-frogs, such as Flora herself, who need that extra bit of encouragement. If you want to come to test the waters and see what all the hair-raising hype is about, or if your fright-loving friends and family are just begging you to join them, we hope this list will help to ease your fears, even the slightest bit. It's absolutely possible to navigate this event without needing a change of shorts — if you know what I mean.
Our Best Halloween Horror Nights Tips for Scaredy-Cats
1. Be Aware of the Scares
I'll be frank: There's no possible way to avoid every scare. Once you enter the gates of Universal Studios Florida, there are only two options: Head straight forward through Minion Land on Illumination Avenue or veer to your right to stroll down the streets of Hollywood. The problem is both areas of the park house a scare zone. Additionally, if you want to get to Diagon Alley (where Death Eaters are once again roaming ... this time, on the hunt for The Boy Who Lived), you'll need to pass through either the New York and/or the San Francisco scare zones and the brand new Club Horror street experience (which only has dancers and a DJ — no scare actors). The coast is mostly clear from London to DreamWorks Land. You'd normally just pass by the stage show and the entrances to the queues of several houses, however, this year, not only is a carnie chainsaw horde lurking in Springfield, but the Central Park scare zone has extended out toward Animal Actors On Location! As you make your way toward DreamWorks Imagination Cafe (where the famous Pizza Fries are located), be on the lookout for vengeful, vindictive kitty cats.
That being said, you'll absolutely want to pass through these scare zones when it's still light out — at least at the start of the event! This is completely doable since the gates open by 6:30 p.m. and the sun hasn't completely gone down yet. 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!) At the end of the night when you need to make your way back to the front, stick to the sidewalks. They're unspoken safe zones as the scare actors normally stay on the streets.
Of course, I can't froget to mention Art the Clown. The notorious and rambunctious killer from the "Terrifier" franchise is making all of Universal Studios Florida his funhouse this year. You never know where he's going to pop up — in a Santa costume, riding his tricycle, raving at Club Horror or just causing beautiful mayhem. From restaurants to shops to even the restrooms, nowhere is safe ... hence, unfortunately, making this blog virtually futile. However, I urge you to keep reading, because I still 100% believe this event is worth it and doable for someone with a low scare tolerance. Especially with a certain new piece of merchandise ...
2. Purchase a Deathly Afraid Necklace
Scaredy-frogs, Universal Orlando Resort has heard you and concocted the perfect solution. Brand new this year, you can purchase a Deathly Afraid Necklace. For $20, this light-up lanyard limits scares in common areas and scare zones. We've heard and seen many success stories with this new addition! If you're marching straight through a scare zone, scare actors should see your necklace lit up and walk right past you. The necklace doesn't guarantee a scare-free evening and isn't 100% foolproof, but it does offer some peace of mind as scare actors will respect it if they see it.
You can find these at the Universal Studios Store in both Universal Studios Florida and Universal CityWalk, the Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store, MIB Gear Shop and merchandise carts near MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack.
Note that this necklace is not for use in haunted houses. If you decide to enter any of the 10 ghastly abodes, it's every target — er, frog — for themselves.
3. Come for the Tricks Treats, Stay for the Treats
One of the iconic staples of the event is always the food! Any fan knows you can't go to Halloween Horror Nights without noshing on the infamous pizza fries (crinkle-cut fries topped with marinara sauce, pepperoni, sausage, mozzarella and parmesan cheese) and/or twisted taters (which now come in chip form!).
Every year, the culinary geniuses at Universal Orlando concoct some truly unique and delicious dishes, such as the Why Not Have Both Pizza & Pasta (pepperoni pizza with baked spaghetti & meatballs and grated parmesan cheese). There are also some sinfully sweet cocktails you can find scattered around the park, such as the Blood Orange Screamsicle (360 Vodka Madagascar Vanilla, blood orange syrup and lemonade), as well as some tantalizing treats such as the Abracadabra Sunflower Glasses (two sunflower sugar cookies with chocolate and blood splatter).
There is absolutely no shame in coming just to try these event-exclusive offerings. Park yourself at a table or bench and marvel at the madness hoppening around you, or entertain yourself by watching fellow frogs being scared out of their minds!
4. Hop Right on to the Rides
If you're going to Universal Studios Florida at any time of the 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. (You can even make your waits shorter by purchasing an HHN-exclusive Express Pass, but if you're not planning on going in the houses, then it's not entirely necessary.)
Note that some of the rides tend to close up to two hours prior to the end of the event. Be sure to plan accordingly. Hop over to our post on ways to maximize your time for more details.
The rides open during Halloween Horror Nights are Revenge of the Mummy, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D and MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack.
5. See the Shows
Every year at Halloween Horror Nights, a new visual spectacle graces the former FEAR FACTOR Live stage. This year, a familiar nightmare came back to life (with a twist!). Nightmare Fuel: Circus of Decay is packed with incredible stunts — think fire tricks, wild aerial acts and non-stop dancing, all set to super high-energy music. The whole theme is a dark, twisted circus filled with nightmarish characters that bring a sinister vibe ... but I can promise you one thing they don't include is jump scares. How could they when you're surrounded by almost 2,000 fellow frogs and all the action is hoppening live onstage in front of you? We were once again shocked, amazed, entertained and found ourselves dancing in our seats a little bit, but we weren't particularly frightened.
Also, returning this year is the fan-favorite lagoon show. In Haunt-O-Phonic: A Ghoulish Journey, a ghost story rises from its watery grave to haunt the waters of Universal Studios Florida, featuring towering water screens and eerie music.
The shows are a relatively safe space and a great way to get in on the HHN action without needing to brave the houses!
6. Do Your Research
If you're feeling brave enough to conquer at least one house, there's no substitute for preparation! Before you go to Halloween Horror Nights, research the haunted houses and scare zones. See if you can find any walkthrough videos on YouTube of the houses. Watch them and make note of where each scare is coming from so nothing actually surprises you when you make your way through your chosen house. To get a sense of the severity of the scares, we have walkthroughs of some of this year's most popular houses on our YouTube channel!
Our frog family unanimously decided that Fallout is the house to start with this year if you're trying to build up your courage. The scares are minimal but the production value is huge! We also recommend possibly avoiding Jason Universe. The last hallway is an unrelenting gauntlet of Jasons from the franchise's past — and future — and they come at you fast and furiously. And if you're not a fan of gore ... we also recommend entering Terrifier with extreme caution. Truly one of the goriest houses at Halloween Horror Nights to date — with odors to boot!
The same advice goes for scare zones, but those are a little more impromptu (as frogs can actually interact with the scare actors), so they won't look the same night after night. But again, it'll give you a feel of what you're walking into before you actually make your way through the gates.
7. Give Yourself a Shriek Peek
Everything is less scary with the lights on! If you want to get a good look at the houses before braving them in the dark, we highly recommend booking the Behind the Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tour. You can choose from either a three-house tour (which takes you through Grave of Flesh, Hatchet and Chains: Demon Bounty Hunters and Dolls: Let's Play Dead) or a six-house tour (which takes you through Fallout, Jason Universe, Terrifier, Gálkn: Monsters of the North, El Artista: A Spanish Haunting and WWE Presents: The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks) for a rare look at these masterfully crafted mazes without any scare actors, special effects or other things that go bump in the night. This is a great opportunity to see where exactly the scare actors will be hiding out and learn about what props and set pieces are going to pop out at you when the sun sets.
We were fortunate enough to go on the three-house tour this year and — even as HHN experts — learned so much we never knew before about the design process, execution, special effects and storytelling of the houses.
8. 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. The creepy creatures that call HHN 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.
9. Don't Let Them See 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-cats braving Universal Halloween Horror Nights? Let us know in the comments below!
Related: How to Conquer Halloween Horror Nights Orlando with Teens and Tweens
Keep hopping!
