How to Get a Jump on the Fun with Universal Fan Fest Nights Early Entry

Universal Studios Hollywood Fan Fest Nights is back for 2026, and, of course, you want to do and see it all. Without a working warp pipe to save time, you're going to need a strategy. One of our favorite ways to maximize time is to get a jump on the fun by gaining Early Access to Fan Fest Nights. As with Halloween Horror Nights, there are several ways to gain Universal Fan Fest Nights early entry. We have some tips from our visit last year and a new ticket option to discuss. Read on to explore all of the Early Access options for 2026 at Fan Fest Nights in Hollywood. Early Access is seriously the next best thing after using a warp pipe to save time and skip ahead.

Hop To

• Early Access Tickets
• After 2 p.m. Day/Night Tickets
• Full Day & Night Combo Ticket
• General Daytime Admission or Annual Pass
• Fan Fest Nights General Admission
• Which in-World Experiences Are Open?

FAQs

• What time does Early Access start? Select attractions open at 6 p.m. for Early Access.
• What are the Fan Fest Nights official hours? The event officially opens at 7:30 p.m., and the event ends at 1:30 a.m.
• What tickets give me Early Access? You can purchase Early Access separately from admission as an add-on. You also get Early Access included with the Full Day & Night Combo ticket from Undercover Tourist (save up to $41) and the After 2 p.m. Day & Night Combo ticket (save up to $23 through Undercover Tourist).
• Is Early Access worth it? We always think that early Entry is worth it because you can start your night early (usually with short lines) and get a lot more done with less stress. Plus, it generally saves money over getting Universal Express.
• Can I add Early Access to my general admission ticket from Undercover Tourist? Yes! You can purchase discount general admission tickets from Undercover Tourist (save up to $31 vs. gate price) and get the Early Access add-on through Universal. The Full Day & Night ticket and After 2 p.m. Day & Night Combo ticket already includes Early Access.

Our frog squad divided up and used two different ways to get inside Universal Studios early for the opening weekend of Fan Fest Nights. We purchased an Early Access add-on ticket (with general admission) and a 2 p.m. Day/Night Combo ticket. Both methods can get you in early and save you from paying extra for Universal Express. (In 2026, there is a new Full Day & Night Combo – General Admission Ticket through Undercover Tourist that gives you a third option.) We bring you our best advice for early entry time at Universal Fan Fest Nights in Hollywood, so you can make the best decision for you and your budget. We think getting in early is toadally the way to go so you have time to explore all the experiences and save money over Universal Express.

For daytime park guests, the park closes at 6 p.m. on Fan Fest Nights. Attraction and ride entrances may close at 5:30 p.m. Some areas of the park get completely closed before reopening. The Lower Lot remains open in 2026, but the Wizarding World gets swept and closed down. Guests can wait outside the main gates and will be let in for the Forbidden Forest at 7:30 p.m.

All times are subject to change for 2026, since Fan Fest Nights now starts 30 minutes later than 2025. Fan Fest Nights starts at 7:30, and Early Access starts at 6 p.m. The event ends at 1:30 a.m.

Passholders and daytime guests, who arrive in the park early can check in at the Box Office or a kiosk just inside the park entrance starting at 3 p.m. They'll get a wristband. Early Access experiences are limited to only people with Early Access tickets, the 2 p.m. Day/Night combo tickets and the Full Day & Night Combo tickets. These tickets give those guests the advantage of getting a jump on those Early Access experiences. Now, let's discuss the new Early Access ticket and other forms of early entry for Universal Fan Fest Nights in Hollywood.

Early Access Add-On Tickets for Universal Fan Fest Nights Hollywood

The Early Access ticket add-on is an affordable way to get into the park early and knock out some Fan Fest Nights experiences before the event even starts. No matter which type of admission ticket you purchase (even discount tickets through Undercover Tourist), you can go to the Fan Fest Nights site and purchase a Fan Fest Nights Early Access ticket. You must also have a Fan Fest Nights admission ticket to enter the park with this Early Access ticket.

With the Early Access ticket, you can enter the park at 6 p.m., which is an hour and a half before the event kicks off and general admission event ticket holders can enter. The event officially begins at 7:30 p.m. So, what's open at 6 p.m.? Select experiences and food locations open early.

Speaking of food, we found some of the highly themed food and beverage items for Fan Fest Nights available early in the day for daytime guests last year. You'll definitely want to get a head start on those to beat the food lines.

It pays to arrive early. Get to the gates by 5:30 p.m. or earlier to be near the front of the line to get in for Early Access. Then you have time to walk to the experiences that are open early.

Pros:

• You arrive early before most other guests.
• It's affordable, starting at $20 per ticket (plus park admission, which you can save on through Undercover Tourist).
• You can access select in-world experiences 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. may face 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 tend to sell out quickly, so you need to plan ahead if you want to purchase this ticket. (Keep checking online as availability could change.)
• Select experiences open at 6 p.m. 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 some fan experiences until Early Access is underway, unless they let you in earlier than stated.
• Some other guests may have an advantage over Early Access guests. Who? Let's discuss.
• It sells out quickly. Plan ahead and buy early.

After 2 p.m. Day/Night Ticket

Another ticket gets you in the park even earlier than Fan Fest Nights early entry. The 2 p.m. Day/Night ticket gets you in the door at 2 p.m. This ticket has several great aspects.

Pros:

• You get daytime admission and Fan Fest Nights admission (as of 2 p.m.).
• Early Access in-world experiences are included with this ticket.
• Access attractions that will close early for the event.
• You can be ready to jump in line for experiences 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.
• You can start eating Fan Fest Night food early at some locations. You can enjoy food at some Upper Lot restaurants (or Yoshi items at Toadstool Cafe) during the day. That will save you a lot of time vs. eating there during the event.
• Catch daytime characters and Universal monsters such as Frankenstein and his bride, and DreamWorks characters.
• Use the 2 p.m./Early Access turnstiles to the left of the entrance.
• Arrive ahead of traffic.
• Get in line for Sailor Moon early.
• You get an extra half hour of daytime experiences now that early Access starts at 6 instead of 5:30 p.m.
• You can save up to $23 through Undercover Tourist.

Cons:

• It costs more than Early Access (but gets you in even earlier).
• It is not a ton of time to do all the daytime experiences, but you can do a few rides and attractions, or eat and get the lay of the land, so to speak during your four hours of daytime.

The last daytime Studio Tour tram of the day leaves at 4:15 p.m.

(New!) Full Day & Night Combo

In 2026, there is a new Full Day & Night Combo general admission ticket (save up to $41). Undercover Tourist sells it. It's like the After 2 p.m. ticket, but visitors can arrive as early as park opening.

Pros:

• You get full daytime admission and Fan Fest Nights admission.
• You get flexibility on arrival time.
• You can save up to $41 on the Full Day & Night Ticket when you buy through Undercover Tourist.
• Early Access in-world experiences are included with this ticket.
• Access daytime attractions that will close early for the event.
• You can be ready to jump in line for select attractions 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.
• You can start eating Fan Fest Night food early at some locations. That will save you a lot of time vs. eating there during the event.
• Catch daytime characters and Universal Monsters such as Frankenstein and his bride, and DreamWorks characters.
• Arrive ahead of traffic.

Cons:

• It costs more than Early Access (but gets you in even earlier).
• You can do rides and attractions or eat and get the lay of the land, so to speak.
• You might get tired. Try to rest and conserve your energy so you can last for Fan Fest Nights.

Annual Pass or Full Daytime Ticket

There's another option to get into the park early, but it won't get you access to the Early Access attractions. If you are a Universal Studios Hollywood annual passholder (or a ticket holder with a ticket for general daytime admission) and have a ticket for Fan Fest 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 Fan Fest Nights near the turnstiles or behind the Box Office to get a wristband that allows you to stay in the park after the park closes. You may not access the experiences before 7 p.m. (You'd need a certain wristband to access the attraction early.) But you can access other parts of the park, eat Fan Fest Foods and can hop in your must-do standby lines early. If you pay for Early Access, which is pretty affordable, then you can access those experiences early.

Pros:

• You get daytime admission and Fan Fest Nights admission.
• Access 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 use the restroom before the event kicks off.
• Beat traffic to the park.
• Hop in line earlier than 7:30 p.m., but you cannot enter the attraction or experience until 7:30 p.m.
• We recommend waiting outside the Wizarding World so you can be one of the first to enter the Forbidden Forest, which has high wait times throughout the night. Team members will let guests in when the experience opens.

Cons:

• It can make for a long day.
• Buying a full-day ticket and a Fan Fest Nights ticket can add up. But you can at least save some green with discount Universal Studios Hollywood and Fan Fest Nights tickets through Undercover Tourist.

General Admission at 7:30 p.m. (No Early Access)

Most guests can enter the park at 7:30 p.m. We wouldn't recommend that route if you can find a way to gain early entry at Fan Fest Nights Hollywood.

If you have general admission with no way to get in early, then at least arrive early so you are near the front of the line. Based on our extensive Halloween Horror Nights and Fan Fest Night experiences, lines can get long before 7:30 p.m. Once you enter the park, head to the Lower Lot to do Super Nintendo World before it closes and other Lower Lot attractions. Then head over to take the Fan Tram to Scooby-Doo Meets The Universal Monsters: Mystery on the Backlot. You can check wait times in the app and on park signage.

Pros:

• No more money spent or added on.
• You can save up to $41 with discount Fan Fest General Admission tickets.
• You can start with the full event open to you.
• 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. Try to determine what was not open for Early Access and head there. (We suggest hopping in place to meet your favorite characters, heading to Scooby-Doo Meets The Universal Monsters: Mystery on the Backlot or going down to Super Nintendo World because that world closes the earliest.)
• You may want Universal Express to do it all. We did not find it necessary on opening night, but it could be hopful on busier dates.
• You should probably arrive by 6/6:30 p.m. before the event opens so you can get into the park ASAP once the gates open. Allow enough time to park, walk to the park and go through security.
• Adding Express makes it a more expensive ticket.

Which Experiences Are Open During Early Access?

A few in-world experiences open at 6 p.m.:

• Dungeons & Dragons
• Jurassic World
• Sailor Moon is the anime film in the DreamWorks Theatre
• Sailor Moon meet and greet (check the app for start time, but it's listed as 6 p.m.)

Our froggy recommendation is to line up to meet Sailor Moon early because her line gets long and is cut for much of the night. Then line up outside the Wizarding World so you can be one of the first to enter when it opens at 7:30.

Check out our YouTube video of the Forbidden Forest.

Early Access wait times may appear in the Universal Studios Hollywood app. What's offered and the opening times during Early Access are subject to change each night. Our guide to Universal Fan Fest Nights will help you see everything that's offered and help you prioritize your must-do experiences.

No doubt that knocking several experiences off your list before the event even starts is going to help you maximize time and accomplish the most. But most of the experiences offered during Early Access this year have shorter lines during the event. So you might focus you efforts on positioning yourself for the front of the line for experiences that are most important to you (even if they don't open until 7:30).

Early Access Touring Plan

If you need a plan of attack, we are doing to stray from our normal advice this year. Take a customized approach. Line up to do your must-do experiences, especially since a lot of them are popular with other people, too.

You can't do it all in one night, but you can do a lot. Figure out your priorities. Use your Early Access time to save you time during the actual event. We will highlight the longest and shortest lines of the night to help you prioritize where you should start your night.

Longest lines of the night and biggest crowds

• Sailor Moon meet and greet: She is popular. They cut the line often and this line is challenging to navigate. Sailor Moon starts meeting at 6 p.m. according to the app. Hop in line as early as you can (5:20 p.m.) to cross this one off your list for the night. One Piece meet and greets are also popular. You can find them to the right of WaterWorld/the One Piece show.

• One Piece food: If this is a priority, get in line for that early (or mobile order) because this location gets a very long line and popular foods could run out.

• Forbidden Forest: Search for the Hippogriff: If you do not have Express and this experience is important to you, use some Early Access time to wait outside the Wizarding World. This land shuts down completely about 6:30 p.m. Guests can wait outside the main gates. Team members will let you in when the walkthrough attraction opens at 7:30. Walk quickly. Save a lot of time by being at the front of the line. The experience lasts about 20 minutes. When you exit the attraction you'll find yourself right next to the Studio Tour trams, which can take you to Scooby-Doo x Universal Monsters. That's a great next step.
• Scooby-Doo x Universal Monsters: This experience is very popular and gets crowded. You need take the Studio Tour tram to get there and pick up a packet and pen to solve a mystery. You could be one of the first to arrive and get your pic with Scooby-Doo and have fewer people to deal with when looking for clues. This experience can easily take two hours from your night. You might head here first to beat the crowds if you want a little space and les competition to do your sleuthing.

@undercovertourist Scooby-Doo, where are you? 🔍 We found him! As well as Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, Frankenstein’s Monster, Bride of Frankenstein, Wolf Man, and Dracula at Universal Fan Fest Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood! ✨ Who would you be most excited to see?! 🧐 SAVE on your tickets to Universal Fan Fest Nights by purchasing through Undercover Tourist at UndercoverTourist.com, or think in our bio! 👏 #universalstudioshollywood #fanfestnights #universalstudios #scoobydoo #universalmonsters ♬ original sound - Undercover Tourist

• Lower Lot: If you did not do Dungeons & Dragons in 2025, then this is also a great place to start your night during Early Access, especially if Sailor Moon meet and greet and One Piece are not a priority for you. You could also knock Jurassic World off your list during Early Entry and hit Super Nintendo World right at 7:30 p.m. Solve the puzzle and hop in line for Mario and Green Yoshi first if they are important to you (their line gets super long later). Then try to catch all the colorful Yoshis dancing together every 30 minutes at :15 and :45 on the clock. Then meet your favorite colorful Yoshis before heading to the Upper Lot. Keep an eye out for escaped dinos in Jurassic Park and the Backlot Club near Transformers (where you can earn a prize).

Short Lines or No Lines

Even through it opens early, you could save Jurassic World for later because that experience had no wait times throughout the night. Use your Early Access to set yourself up to save the most time during the event.

Do these things in the middle or second half of the event.

Meet colorful Yoshis: Definitely don't wait too long for this because Super Nintendo World closes at 12 a.m. Colorful Yoshis were plentiful and had relatively short waits. You can solve a puzzle and then meet Mario with green Yoshi. That particular line was super long after 10 p.m. So if that experience is important to you, arrive earlier.

@undercovertourist Which Yoshi is your favorite?! ⭐️ #universalstudios #universalstudioshollywood #fanfestnights #yoshi #supermario ♬ original sound - Undercover Tourist

Dungeons & Dragons: As a returning offering, this line was short on opening night, but waits did climb on following nights.

Jurassic World: This fan zone with characters and props can be done anytime but does not need to be prioritized. But it's still a lot of fun, especially if you talk to some of the characters. Just do it whenever you find yourself in the Lower Lot.

Sailor Moon: Watch this anime film when convenient for you and you need to sit and rest. It is open during Early Access and even opened extra early when we visited.

One Piece Stunt Show: Show times are at 8:30. 10:30 and 12 a.m. Visit when you need to sit down and rest. But arrive at least 20 minutes early because it does fill up. The best view is in the middle sections.

Dining: Wait times will vary, but One Piece had consistently long lines, starting with early entry. We experienced shorter lines after 10:30 p.m. at First Roll Taverne and 11 p.m. at Three Broomsticks. Some food may open earl. Keep an eye out for early openings of Fan Fest Night foods to save time later. Food lines were long in the Scooby-Doo experience.

If you can enter the park at 2 p.m. with the Day/Night combo ticket or Full Day & Night combo ticket, dine early. Food lines can get long during the event. A few restaurants may serve Fan Fest Nights food early, during the day! We were able to get a Yoshi-inspired smoothie in Super Nintendo's Toadstool Cafe early this year as well. If One Piece food opens early, knock that off your list before the event starts.

Our guide to Fan Fest foods has all the delicious details for this year's offerings.

Hopfully, we've helped you determine which ticket or Fan Fest Nights early entry add-on option is right for you when it comes to Early Access and After 2 p.m. and Full Day & Night early entry options. Don't pay high prices. Save on Fan Fest Nights tickets through Undercover Tourist. Then you can use your savings to buy some yummy Fan Fest foods!

Related: Guide to Universal Fan Fest Nights 2026

Related: Our Delicious Guide to Fan Fest Nights Food

Keep hopping!