I just returned from a preview of Universal Fan Fest Nights, and now I'm toadally frogcited to step into the worlds of Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Anime and Gaming. If you're a self-proclaimed nerdy frog like me, then listen up! Universal Studios Hollywood has announced a brand-new event called Universal Fan Fest Nights, coming in spring 2025. Whaaaaat?! Universal has been teasing the new fan experiences available during Fan Fest Nights, and now we have the inside scoop! Plus, we have discount Fan Fest tickets! Here's everything we know about Universal Fan Fest Nights, the immersive worlds, tickets, food, merchandise and even the guidelines for cosplay.
Overview of Universal Fan Fest Nights
From the creators of Halloween Horror Nights, Fan Fest Nights will be an interactive and immersive after-hours ticketed event that brings fans of Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Gaming and Anime together for an ultimate night of special experiences. Imagine if HHN and Comic-Con had a baby — and that allowed you to become part of immersive fandom worlds and interact with other fandom community members in a theme park. The inaugural event will begin April 25 and continue on select nights through May 18, 2025.
Universal Fan Fest Dates & Tickets
Debuting in spring 2025, Universal announced the full schedule for the inaugural Universal Fan Fest Nights. This separately ticketed event will take place April 25, 26, 27 and May 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17 and 18, 2025. May 15 has just been added on and is the only Thursday night the event is being held.
The event begins at 7 p.m. and runs until 2 a.m. Early Access starts at 5:30 p.m. for guests who want to get a jump on the fun. You will need a separately purchased Early Access ticket or an After 2 p.m. Day/Night combo ticket to take advantage of this. Based on our experiences with Halloween Horror Nights, we already recommend doing Early Access if you can.
Universal Fan Fest Tickets
There are so many ticket options for this event. Look them over carefully to choose the correct one for you. Tickets are dated (except for the Fandom Pass), and prices vary by date. You can save money when you purchase select tickets through Undercover Tourist! If you purchase Early Access through Universal you can add it directly to your General Admission ticket from Undercover Tourist. Pass Members can get special pricing on General Admission tickets to Fan Fest on select nights.
Discount Undercover Tourist Tickets
- General Admission (from $70.60 at Undercover Tourist — save up to $38 with Undercover Tourist vs. gate price) — This ticket does not include Early Access, but you can purchase it separately and combine it with your Undercover Tourist ticket.
- After 2 p.m. Day/Night Combo (from $108.76 — save up to $30 with Undercover Tourist) — Enter the theme park after 2 p.m. for daytime general admission to the park and same-day evening general admission to Universal Fan Fest Nights. This ticket includes early event access to select in-world experiences starting at 5:30 p.m. (subject to change).
Additional Fan Fest Options (must be purchased through Universal)
- Early Access Ticket (from $20 — must purchase separately through Universal) — Even if you buy your admission ticket with Undercover Tourist, you can purchase a separate Early Access ticket from Universal to get into the park at 5:30 p.m. These affordably priced add-on tickets are toadally worth it. Select in-world experiences open early for these ticket holders. You do not need this if you have the After 2 p.m. Day/Night Combo ticket.
- Universal Express (from $173) — Includes admission to Universal Fan Fest Nights and one-time (per day) Express access to each in-world experience, ride and attraction. This ticket does not include Early Access.
- Universal Express Unlimited (from $203) — Includes admission to Universal Fan Fest Nights and unlimited (per day) Express access to each in-world experience, ride and attraction. This ticket does not include Early Access.
- After 2 p.m. Day/Night Universal Express (from $228) — Enter the theme park after 2 p.m. for daytime general admission to the park and same-day evening general admission to Universal Fan Fest Nights with one-time (per day) Express access to each in-world experience, ride and attraction. This ticket includes Early Access, including select in-world experiences starting at 5:30 p.m. (subject to change).
- 2-Night General Admission (from $109) — 2-night general admission access. Blockout dates apply to the second visit.
- Ultimate Fandom Pass (from $249) — Come back again and again with general admission to enjoy up to all event nights. No blockout dates for return visits. Does not include Early Event Access.
- Fan Fest Nights VIP Tour (from $373) — Get a shared VIP guided walking tour of the in-world experiences, rides and attractions, plus a gourmet dinner (alcohol excluded) in the private VIP dining room and complimentary valet parking.
Universal Fan Fest Nights Experiences
The Fan Fest experiences are inspired by "Star Trek," "Back to the Future," "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter," "Dungeons & Dragons," "One Piece," "Jujutsu Kaisen" and Super Nintendo World. ALL seven of the experiences are included every night of Fan Fest. Plus, a meet and greet from Elphaba and Glinda from "Wicked" can be enjoyed on each night. Fan Fest Nights promises to deliver a lineup of special fan experiences and celebratory moments, which could range from live entertainment to cosplay. Additionally, fans will enjoy themed food and drink menus, as well as exclusive merchandise. You may encounter characters or creatures, embark on a quest or get transported back in time!
Cosplayers welcome! See the guidelines below. You can dress up, pose in front of special photo-ops, answer trivia and engage with other fans in the community at the Upper Lot Production Plaza Block Party.
The experiences are immersive with scenic designs worthy of, well, a movie studio, which brings these imaginary worlds to life. Add actors playing characters and special effects, and you're transported to these places.
Now that we know the details, let's go over each fandom experience and cover what you can expect, as well as the merchandise associated with that world. We got a sneak peek at the food and merchandise in January 2025. Check out our guide to Fan Fest Nights Food for all the details on treats, sweets and where to find them.
Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley
Back in 1985, viewers watched Marty McFly transport back to the same town in 1955. And now you can too! Take the Studio Tour "Fan Tram" to the Backlot Metropolitan sets to the original filming location for "Back to the Future." Courthouse Square is alive in 1955 with classic vehicles and characters running around to meet, including Einstein the dog! See iconic props such as the Lyon Estates monuments and the DeLorean time machine. Engage in show moments such as a storm descending over Courthouse Square followed by the Clock Tower Lightning Strike (which sends Marty McFly back to the future several times a night), the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance, the Hill Valley Festival and more! Spend as much time as you want in 1955, but there's so much more to see at Fan Fest, and last I checked, you don't have your own time machine.
Back to the Future Food and Merchandise
You'll find an assortment of Back to the Future inspired foods available in the Upper Lot at Mel's Diner. And themed snack carts with hot dogs, churros, popcorn and pretzels down in the Hill Valley experience.
Shop for "timeless" items such as Outatime T-shirts, 40th-anniversary notebooks, Hover Board bags, a license plate and a Flux Capacitor pillow.
Grab a video-game-style Back to the Future hoodie, Marty McFly's signature puffer vest, a metallic rainbow hat and more.
Star Trek: Red Alert
You've visited the past in Hill Valley. Now, let's shoot into the future, circa 2403. If you've ever been through a Halloween Horror Night house, now imagine going into a different kind of exciting walk-through experience with Hollywood movie quality sets that beam you up into the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D.
Now, imagine there's a storyline (with an otherworldly entity wreaking havoc on the ship) that draws you through the experience and through different areas of the Starship Enterprise. Throughout the experience, you'll encounter special effects, audio-visual effects, multi-sensory activations, themed performers and The Bridge, an original set piece featured in the third and final season of "Star Trek: Picard." You'll also pass through other iconic settings such as the shuttle station, the sick bay, the control room and the turbolift.
The story is set two years after the events of "Star Trek: Picard" and the Enterprise-D is anchored to the Starfleet Museum. Guests will be touring the ship and suddenly thrown into chaos as an interstellar threat appears. Universal is working with Paramount to bring this world to life. And whether you are a seasoned Star Trek fan or a new fan, this immersive adventure will elevate the fandom to new levels.
Star Trek Food and Merchandise
Food inspired by Star Trek can be located at Hollywood & Dine and Laemmle Courtyard.
Shop for a hooded jacket, glassware, T-shirt and cosplay zip-up.
Get ready to join the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D in style! Gear up with exclusive new Starfleet-inspired jackets, t-shirts, badges, and more. Grab a Tribble as a shoulder buddy, a plush keychain or clutch bag. Creepy-crawly Ceti eels make an appearance as earrings—perfect for completing any Star Trek-inspired look.
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Secrets of Waterdeep
Taking over all of Soundstage 15 is the world's greatest roleplaying game. Embark on this one-of-a-kind adventure. Join the Harpers — a heroic spy network — to foil a plot of the villain Xanathar to save the city of Waterdeep.
Universal Studios is collaborating with Jim Henson's Creature Shop to bring Xanathar to life. The walkthrough experience will take you on a quest through the Sword Coast (filled with Easter eggs, BTW) to solve rune puzzles, retrieve some stolen property and travel to Xanathar's lair. Will you emerge victorious?
Secrets of Waterdeep has taken over Soundstage 15, where The Weeknd's haunted house during Halloween Horror Nights came to life. Visitors will walk through the experience in groups of 10-20 people at a time, for a balance of intimate experience and high energy. Each of the six scenes will take about two minutes to move through, making it a 12 minute experience total. The six scenes include: a pre show, the Curious Past Shop tavern, the marketplace, a rune rumble, Xanathar's Lair and, of course, an emergence of victory.
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Food and Merchandise
Feast on Dungeons & Dragons food in Jurassic cove. Shop for a Paladin-inspired lace-up hoodie, a bag holding an exclusive playing mat, maps and other paraphernalia.
One Piece: Grand Pirate Gathering
Transport to the fictional world of pirates inspired by the long-running global hit anime series, "One Piece," by Eiichiro Oda. Follow the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Crew — Zoro, Nami, Usopp and Sanji — on their quest to find "One Piece," the legendary treasure of Gol. D. Roger (former king of the pirates). The Grand Pirate Gathering comes to life with iconic visuals and scenic environments. Fans can meet characters, as well as participate in themed photo-ops.
One Piece Food and Merchandise
Find One Piece themed food at Cocina Mexicana.
Get ready for a quest with a Monkey D. Luffy-inspired hoodie, straw hat and lunch bag, a Chopper inspired hat, backpack, tank top, keychains, bags and more.
Jujutsu Kaisen: Hunger of the Cursed
Head to the DreamWorks Theatre for this exciting film-based anime experience inspired by a popular Japanese manga and its anime adaptation. The film first debuted at Universal Studios Japan. Follow high school student Yuki Itadori after he accidentally becomes the host of the powerful curse and joins an organization that fights the curses.
Jujutsu Kaisen Food and Merchandise
Jujutsu Kaisen food can be located at the DreamWorks concession cart.
Grab a Divine Dog hat, a dual-colored zipper hoodie, keychains, T-shirts, totes and more.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Meet all-new magical creatures such as the Niffler, a Baby Dragon (from Universal Studios Japan) and the grand Occamy in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Also, turn your eyes to the outside of Hogwarts Castle for the West Coast debut of Hogwarts Always, the projection show that premiered at Universal Orlando in 2024. The show takes viewers on a journey through a school year at Hogwarts with unfrogettable music and magic.
Wizarding World Food and Merchandise
As always, the Wizarding World has the most delicious food! Elevate your experience with a delicious three course meal at Three Broomsticks (reservations required) More Fan Fest Nights food can be found at Magic Neep Cart and Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Counter.
Take home your own interactive Niffler, Occamy, exclusive wand or Pygmy Puff merchandise.
Debuting at Fan Fest Night is the Time-Turner popcorn bucket! This is the first ever Wizarding World popcorn bucket and will be available at both Universal Hollywood and Universal Orlando later this season.
Super Nintendo World: Let's Go, Yoshi!
The event marks the debut of Yoshi as a new meet-and-greet character, or should we say characters. Engage in a scavenger hunt in Super Nintendo World to find five colorful Yoshi eggs. After completing the quest, you'll be rewarded with meeting another, different-colored Yoshi! Keep your eyes to the skies for celebratory drone moments that illuminate the night sky throughout the evening.
Super Nintendo Food and Merchandise
Enjoy special menu items during the event at Toadstool Cafe.
Get your Yoshi attire on with a Yoshi jacket, cross-body plush Yoshi bag, backpack, notebook and more.
Wicked
Adorned in familiar costumes from the film, Elphaba and Glinda will greet guests at the theme park’s existing "Wicked" themed photo op. You can look forward to defying gravity with the two best friends as you make your way into Universal Fan Fest Nights.
The Feature Presentation store offers guests an unlimited experience with its large collection of exclusive "Wicked" inspired merchandise.
Rides Open During Universal Fan Fest Nights
Select theme park attractions remain open during the event, including:
- Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- Flight of the Hippogriff
- Jurassic World — The Ride
- Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
- Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride
- The Simpsons Ride
Ride wait times tend to be lower during special events. Since the rides are always there, we recommend riding rides before the event kicks off with an After 2 p.m. ticket or riding only after you have completed your must-do fandom experiences.
Tips & Guidelines
Here are a few tips and the cosplay guidelines.
- Arrive early to maximize time.
- Use the After 2 p.m. ticket to arrive early, ride attractions before the event and access select in-world experiences as of 5:30 p.m.
- If you can't arrive by 2 p.m., get the affordable Early Access ticket (separate purchase from admission) to access select in-world experiences as of 5:30 p.m.
- If Express is in your budget, get the Express ticket to skip the lines.
- Be careful when purchasing through Universal. Be sure to click the Fan Fest Nights banner found at the bottom of the ticketing page for event-specific tickets.
- During the event, skip the rides unless you have completed all your must-do Fan Fest experiences.
- Complete everything in the Lower Lot in one go, so you can save time on the escalators.
- Stay hydrated.
- Wear comfortable shoes and wear layers to stay comfortable.
- Follow the Code of Conduct.
- Visit the Block Party in the Upper Lot Production Plaza to pose in front of special photo-ops, answer trivia and engage with other fans in the community.
Cosplay Guidelines
You can dress in costume for this event, but there are some rules to follow:
- Do not create a false impression that you work for Universal or are emergency personnel. This includes, without limitation, wearing clothing or accessories identified with law enforcement, security, firefighters, emergency responders or the military; performing or interacting with other guests as if you are a Universal employee, performer or character; or otherwise disrupting other guests.
- You must be fully clothed, including shoes and shirts.
- Except as required by Universal or for religious or medical reasons, you may not wear any covering that fully or partially obscures your face, including costume masks and facial coverings.
- Face painting (both full and partial face) is permitted. However, alcoholic beverages will not be served to guests whose face painting covers more than one-half of the face, applied vertically, at Universal Studios Hollywood or at any venue owned or operated by Universal at Universal CityWalk Hollywood. For all guests, Universal reserves the right to refuse to serve alcohol to anyone if unable to verify the identity of the guest, at Universal's discretion, in accordance with state law.
- Prosthetic makeup that conceals any part of the face other than the forehead (including makeup that conceals the eyes, nose, or mouth) is not permitted.
- Do not wear clothing that Universal determines is indecent, exposes excessive portions of the skin, or that Universal views as inappropriate for a family environment (including, without limitation, gory or gruesome clothing or accessories).
- Service animals may not wear or be part of a costume.
- No weapons of any kind are permitted. No items that could be used as a weapon are permitted, including, but not limited to: firearms, explosives, fireworks, chemical dispensing devices, clubs, sticks, knives, swords or other object(s) that may be used in any way to inflict bodily injury on another person.
- No item that resembles a firearm or is manufactured in the shape of a firearm is permitted, including, without limitation, sci-fi and fantasy guns.
- Costume accessories (weapons and props) may be permitted subject to these requirements:
- They must be made of soft, lightweight material (e.g., foam, cardboard, or light, hollow plastic).
- They cannot have any sharp edges.
- They must not be functional (e.g., bows must be unstrung).
- They must otherwise adhere to these Costume Guidelines (e.g., no item that resembles a firearm is permitted, but a foam sword, cardboard shield or lightweight staff may be).
- No special or atmospheric effects, including, without limitation, balloons, smoke, fog, powered effects and sound effects.
- No veils, long trains, stilts or oversized costumes that could pose a safety hazard to guests or team members are permitted.
- Costumes may not interfere with security screening. Costumes cannot be more than 25 inches wide and/or 80 inches high to meet Universal’s metal detection regulations. Costumes are subject to secondary x-ray screenings.
- For your safety and that of other guests, some costumes may not be permitted on certain rides, shows or attractions. Costumes (including capes) must fit inside a ride vehicle and not interfere with restraints. You may be asked to remove part of your attire or accessories before participating in certain rides, shows and/or attractions or you may not be admitted to the ride, show or attraction. You may leave such attire or accessories with a non-riding or non-participating guest or secured in a locker.
The above costume guidelines are subject to change without notice. If a guest violates any of these guidelines, Universal has the right to: 1) ask a guest to modify or remove their costume or change into attire that is compliant with these guides and/or Universal's Code of Conduct, or 2) refuse the guest entry to Universal's property or require the guest to leave Universal's property. Universal's interpretation of these guidelines is final.
I can't think of a better way to celebrate my favorite fandoms with fellow fans, so I'm super pumped about this new event. It also adds more year-long fun at Universal Studios Hollywood as a major special event in the springtime. You better believe I'll be there!
This Ravenclaw/Trekkie/BTTF fan can't wait to learn more! Which fandoms are you most excited about at Fan Fest Nights? Want to save on Fan Fest Nights tickets? Get General Admission or After 2 p.m. Day/Night tickets through Undercover Tourist.
Related: Our Hoppin' Guide to Special Events at Universal Studios Hollywood
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