Quick Disclaimer: This blog does not detail do’s and don’t of Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights, or even a comprehensive “what to expect,” as I’ve only attended once. There are lots of YouTube videos, TikToks, and other blog posts that are super informative if you’d like to gain more insight before attending! I highly recommend checking them out, but after you read this blog, of course.

Last month, I was invited to attend Universal Studios HHN for the first time with my friends. I instantly said yes, knowing this would be a fun night and a great way to catch up with my friends during our ever-so-busy lives. As the date got closer, though, I thought to myself, oh no… I’m really scared. Am I going to make it through the night?

The squad and I ready to tackle the Terror Tram, our first attraction of the night!

I looked up a YouTube video of one of the houses that looked the scariest to me so I’d know what to expect. After watching the clip for a few minutes, I had to pause it and call my mom. One video was enough to heighten my anxiety and make me more scared.

I’m not one to watch scary movies often, especially alone or in the dark, nor do I seek out scary experiences like haunted tours. I’ve had a number of people tell me I wouldn’t like HHN or that I don’t seem like the kind of person that would enjoy my time there. Even my friend who invited me and planned the whole outing said she expected me to be scared and freak out.

I’m here to tell y’all that you’re all wrong. It was fine lol. I was fine.

As we approached our first haunted house, I definitely felt my breathing change, my heart beat race (I always put my fingers to my neck to check how fast my heart is beating during times of stress), and thought for a second maybe I shouldn’t do any haunted house… maybe I should just sit them out… But after exiting my first maze, Scarecrow the Reaping, I came out saying, “Oh, that wasn’t so bad.” My friends laughed because of my delivery and likely my unconvincing voice (I was breathless after the adrenaline rush), but I meant it. I could survive this night after all.

Hogwarts Castle lit up while the Death Eaters roam the land.

YES, I was nearly breathless and had to take a few moments to calm myself down after the first maze, but I didn’t freak out, panic, or cry. I think what helped me the most was linking arms and walking side-by-side with my bestie as well as wearing earplugs. (I wore a soft noise-cancelling earplug in one ear and a noise-reducing one in another, so I could still hear what was going on around me at a much lower volume). We also drank alcohol throughout the night, which helped tremendously and lightened the overall mood and vibes.

Another thing that helped, which is probably cheating (or smart and resourceful, depending on how you look at it), was immediately noticing which windows, walls, props, and doors were fake (made of mesh, air was blowing out of them, etc.) or seemed to open. That gave me a big clue okay, there’s going to be a scare actor jumping out of there. As soon as I noticed these sneaky walls and corners, I would drop my head and look down. My suspicions were correct most of the time; these were places where actors popped out to scare us. I didn’t flinch for the most part because I put my head down and didn’t pay them any mind. Did that ruin the fun? It may for some, but it worked for me.

This worked about 90% of the time, but man, these actors are good at their jobs lol. Actors would notice my friend and I walking and looking scared, our arms linked up, walking side-by-side, heads lowered (and her arms raised to protect me from the scaries— a true friend), and intentionally go out of their way to make sure we were scared. This was actually a lot of fun! A Michael Myers scare actor from the Halloween themed haunted house saw us huddled together and jumped directly in front of us, crouched down with his hands on his thighs, and made sure to make direct eye contact with us. It was a great effort and commitment to the role that definitely startled us a bit.

Other actors would also reach their hand out or another prop (a bat with nails, an axe, a working chainsaw without the chain) in front of our faces, even when I didn’t look their direction or make eye contact. Okay, attention-seeker.

As the night went on and we went through more haunted houses, it felt easier and easier going through each haunted house. I still needed my earplugs and needed to link arms with my bestie, but I know if I had to do it again, I could probably go without linking arms… maybe. The earplugs are non-negotiable, though. The music and noises are all very loud.

Express Pass

My friends and I opted for the add-on Express Pass, which granted us access to the front of the lines for all of the haunted houses and attractions at Universal Studios. I haven’t visited HHN before, as I’ve mentioned, but this pass seems absolutely worth it to me. The most we waited in line for a haunted house was probably 15 minutes. In contrast, we noticed that the posted wait time for popular haunted houses went up to 70 or even 90 minutes. Yikes. Our pass enabled us to go through each haunted house and even several rides with enough time to relax in between attractions. There was no need to rush to do everything before the park closed. If your goal for HHN is to visit each house and see all that the night as to offer, then I’d highly recommend getting Express Pass.

Food & Attractions

There was a small selection of specialty food and drinks just for HHN, but we just ate at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville in City Walk before entering the park. Later, we snacked on pretzels, beer, and seltzers.

My taco plate from Margaritaville. Not pictured: Tequila shots taken after our meal.

The attractions were ridiculously low wait times. Obviously, this is because everyone is there for the haunted houses. But y’all, we can do both! My friends and I were able to ride Flight of Passage Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, The Simpsons Ride, Jurassic World — The Ride, and Revenge of The Mummy — The Ride.

Closing Time

By the end of the night, I was wiped out. The energy of the night was noticeably different, with people walking around with less pep and energy in their strides. The monsters and demons that roamed the main walkway at the front of the park seemed full of energy, though. A perk of selling your soul to the devil, I suppose. I even bought a Coke to give me more energy, but my friend gifted me the opportunity to partake in a restful slumber at her house, allowing me to leave early in the morning for my long journey from Hollywood to Orange County.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I really enjoyed myself and had a fun night! It was great catching up with my friends, especially in a new setting, and getting the heart pumping a little bit. Would I do this again? Yes, absolutely, as long as I went with trusted friends who would allow me to link arms and/or hold hands throughout the haunted houses. Would I attend more than once in a Halloween season? Yes, as long as the nights were spaced apart and if I had the money lol. I would also definitely splurge and get the Express Pass again if it were within budget next time around.

Which Halloween house was the best? Um… all of them? I can’t gauge this since they’re all scary to me lol. Some are definitely more creative/dark/loud than others, though!

To those who are still unsure or scared about going but are a bit interested, I say go for it! It’s fun with a group of friends, plenty of drinks, yummy snacks, and good attitudes throughout the night. Communicate if you need a break, a drink, or want to sit out a house or two (I sat out of one house and was able to take a breather and enjoy my Coke while my friends walked through it). However, at the end of the day, only you know your limits and what you’re comfortable doing, so follow your instinct!

That’s my recap and thoughts on Halloween Horror Nights! What are your thoughts? Have you been this year?

Until next time, friends!