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What to know if you're heading to Universal's Halloween Horror Nights

Eve Chen, USA TODAY
Updated ·3 min read
Guests gathered at the front gates of Universal Studios Florida waiting for Halloween Horror Nights 2022 to begin. Last year, HHN kicked off Sept. 2 in Orlando and Sept. 8 in Hollywood.
Guests gathered at the front gates of Universal Studios Florida waiting for Halloween Horror Nights 2022 to begin. Last year, HHN kicked off Sept. 2 in Orlando and Sept. 8 in Hollywood.

The wait is over for fans of Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights.

Spooky season officially started Sept. 1 at Universal Orlando Resort, which is hosting HHN across a record 48 nights. Universal Studios Hollywood's Halloween Horror Nights begins this week, on Sept. 7.

Many fans attend the event year after year to see what new scares HHN's masterminds have cooked up.

"We will never actually repeat anything, but we will expand," Charles Gray, senior show director of Creative Development for Universal Orlando Entertainment Art and Design, told USA TODAY last year.

Here's what's happening at Halloween Horror Nights 2023:

Guests enter a house on opening night of Halloween Horror Nights 2022 at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Guests enter a house on opening night of Halloween Horror Nights 2022 at Universal Studios Hollywood.

What is the theme for Halloween Horror Nights 2023?

HHN revealed its first haunted house theme last Halloween: Chucky. Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count is inspired by the killer doll's films and USA and SYFY series. It's one of five intellectual property houses at both Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort this year.

The other four houses are themed around the popular video game The Last of Us, "Stranger Things" Season 4, the upcoming film "The Exorcist: Believer" and Universal cinematic characters, who will hunt guests down in a house called Universal Monsters: Unmasked.

The California and Florida parks will also each have additional original haunted houses, scare zones and live entertainment unique to their locations.

What are the dates for HHN 2023?

Universal Orlando Resort is hosting Halloween Horror Nights:

  • Sept. 1-3, 6-10, 13-17, 20-24, 27-30

  • Oct. 1, 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29, 31

  • Nov. 1-4

Universal Studios Hollywood is holding HHN:

  • Sept. 7-10, 14-17, 21-24, 27-30

  • Oct. 1, 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29, 31

Halloween Horror Nights every night?: Universal to open year-round horror experience in Las Vegas

Is Halloween Horror Nights expensive?

Prices vary by date, but Universal Orlando's single-night HHN tickets start at $79.99, which is up from last year's starting price of $73.99.

Universal Studios Hollywood's single-night tickets start at $74, which is slightly more than last year's starting price of $72.

Halloween Horror Nights is a separately ticketed, after-hours event that is not included with standard theme park admission.

Each year, Halloween Horror Nights rolls out a host of event-specific treats (and tricks).
Each year, Halloween Horror Nights rolls out a host of event-specific treats (and tricks).

Is Halloween Horror Nights really that scary?

There are plenty of scares, but what frightens one person may not bother the next, so it's really up to individual thresholds and triggers.

Guests who don't want to be scared can still enjoy the experience by seeking out spoilers and going early, when the sun is still out, among other tricks.

Don't you dare look scared: How I survived Universal's Halloween Horror Nights

Is there an age limit to Halloween Horror Nights?

There is no official age limit, but Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood warn that Halloween Horror Nights "may be too intense for young children" and are not recommended for children under 13.

Lil Boo, the jack-o'-lantern, has become an unofficial mascot for Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort and can be see in various iterations across the property.
Lil Boo, the jack-o'-lantern, has become an unofficial mascot for Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort and can be see in various iterations across the property.

What theme parks have Halloween Horror Nights?

Halloween Horror Nights are held at Universal Studios Florida, within Universal Orlando Resort, and Universal Studios Hollywood.

Does Halloween Horror Nights have rides?

There are no HHN rides per se, but select attractions are open during the event and often have shorter lines than during the day.

Eve Chen is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Georgia.

Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights plays and preys on people's fears, and that's what fans love about it.
Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights plays and preys on people's fears, and that's what fans love about it.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Halloween Horror Nights 2023 plans Universal Studios fans should know