Halloween Horror Nights runs on select nights from September 3 through November 1, 2026, and it needs its own ticket. A regular park ticket does not get you in.
I grew up in Southern California and have been going to Universal Studios Hollywood my whole life. The first decision is whether you also want the daytime park that day, because only a few of the event tickets include it.
Halloween Horror Nights 2026 Dates
The night-by-night calendar is on Universal’s event page. Event nights start at 7 p.m., closing times vary by night, and single-night tickets are valid only on the date you select.
Which Halloween Horror Nights Ticket to Buy
Pick the night, then pick the ticket. Find your route:
★ Best value
One night, just the event
Halloween Horror Nights General Admission through our authorized store. Ages 13 and up.
From
$76.08
The daytime park plus the event
The 2PM Day/Night ticket. Park admission after 2 p.m., the event that night, and early access to select houses.
From
$114.60
Skipping the lines
Universal Express, sold by Universal as its own ticket or as an add-on to any same-date admission, including ours.
Direct only
Going more than once
The Frequent Fear and Ultimate Fear passes, sold by Universal only.
Direct only
Pass member, military, or club member
Where special pricing exists, and where it does not.
See below
Prices are starting rates for the cheapest nights and change with the date, so check your night before you buy. During the event, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is limited to R.I.P. Tour guests.
1. Halloween Horror Nights General Admission
Best Deal For: Anyone who wants one night at the event and nothing else.
This is the event ticket on its own. It covers the date you choose, and the daytime park and early access are not part of it.
We sell it through aRes Travel, an authorized Universal Studios Hollywood seller based in San Diego that I have worked with for years. The price below is for the cheapest nights on the calendar, and it rises on busier dates the same way Universal’s own price does.
★ Best value · Our lowest event price
Halloween Horror Nights General Admission
One night of event admission on the date you choose. Ages 13 and up. Starts at 7 p.m. Early access is not included.
Adult (ages 13+)from $76.08vs $79 direct
Universal’s event tickets are nonrefundable. Through our store, you can add ticket insurance for $25 at checkout and get a full refund if plans change.
2. The 2PM Day/Night Ticket
Best Deal For: Visitors who want the rides in daylight and the houses after dark on one ticket.
This ticket gets you into the park from 2 p.m. and covers the event the same night. It also includes early access to select haunted houses before the 7 p.m. start, which General Admission does not.
With General Admission, you enter at 7 p.m., so this is the version to buy if you want the daytime lineup on the same day.
Halloween Horror Nights 2PM Day/Night Ticket
Park admission after 2 p.m. plus the event that night, with early access to select haunted houses before the 7 p.m. start. Ages 13 and up.
Adult (ages 13+)from $114.60vs $119 direct
Every Halloween Horror Nights Ticket Universal Sells
Universal’s own store lists nine event tickets and five add-ons for 2026. The two above are the ones our store sells. Everything else is sold by Universal at the prices in this table, each a starting price for the cheapest nights.
| Ticket | What it includes | Universal, from |
|---|---|---|
| General Admission | One night of event admission | $79 |
| After 2 pm Day/Night | Park after 2 p.m., the event, early access to select houses | $119 |
| 1-Day General Admission + Halloween Horror Nights | A full park day, the event, early access | $176 |
| Universal Express | Event admission plus one-time Express access to each house and participating attraction | $279 |
| Universal Express Unlimited | Event admission plus unlimited Express access | $319 |
| After 2 pm Day/Night Universal Express | Park after 2 p.m., the event, early access, and Express day and night | $349 |
| Frequent Fear Pass | Event admission for up to 35 select nights | $179 |
| Ultimate Fear Pass | Event admission for all event nights | $299 |
| R.I.P. Tour | Event admission, a guided tour, unlimited Express, priority entry, a meal, valet parking | $579 |
Add-ons Each of these requires separate event admission for the same date, which our tickets provide.
| Add-on | What it includes | Universal, from |
|---|---|---|
| Early Access Ticket | Select haunted houses before the 7 p.m. start | $20 |
| Universal Express Add-On | One-time Express access to each house and participating attraction | $195 |
| Universal Express Select Add-On | One-time Express access to the Terror Tram, The Purge: Dangerous Waters, and Killceañera only | $60 |
| Dining Pass | Two eligible entrées and four eligible sides, snacks, desserts, or drinks | $59 plus tax |
| R.I.P. Tour Add-On | The guided tour and its inclusions, added to your own admission | $480 |
Universal also sells hotel-and-ticket packages through its vacations division.
Universal Express at Halloween Horror Nights
Best Deal For: Seeing every house in one night.
Express access is a separate, shorter line at each haunted house and participating attraction. The standard version works once per house and attraction for the night, and Unlimited removes that limit. Neither includes early access.
Universal sells Express two ways:
- As a ticket. Event admission and the Express access bundled together, from Universal only.
- As an add-on. Express access attached to any event admission for the same date, including ours. Our General Admission plus Universal’s add-on comes out to about the same total as Universal’s own Express ticket.
The Express Select add-on is the budget version. It covers only the Terror Tram, The Purge: Dangerous Waters, and Killceañera, and it skips the other seven haunted houses, so it fits a night built around those three.
Whether Express pays off comes down to how many of the eight houses you want in one night and how much you mind waiting.
Going More Than Once: Frequent Fear and Ultimate Fear Passes
Best Deal For: Three or more event nights.
Only Universal sells its two multi-night passes. The Frequent Fear Pass covers up to 35 select nights, and the nights available depend on the first visit date you pick at purchase. The Ultimate Fear Pass covers every event night.
Against Universal’s lowest single-night price, the Frequent Fear Pass pays for itself on the third night and the Ultimate Fear Pass on the fourth. Neither includes daytime park admission or early access.
Pass Member, Military, and Membership Pricing for Halloween Horror Nights
Special pricing for the event is available online from Universal and through a few memberships.
- Buy online, on the cheaper nights. Universal prices every night separately and says online tickets save up to $40 against its front gate on select nights.
- Pass members. Universal offers special online pricing to annual and season pass holders on General Admission, Universal Express, and the After 2 pm Day/Night ticket. Platinum Annual Pass members get one General Admission night included in the pass’s first year, on select nights with an advance online reservation. After the first year, members on monthly FlexPay get one each year. The friends-and-family admission discount that pass members get on daytime tickets does not apply to this event.
- Military. Universal’s military page lists special pricing for the event, verified through ID.me online. It is not sold at the ticket booth.
- Sam’s Club. The member ticket portal lists 2026 event tickets, with prices behind the member login.
- Costco. Costco’s Universal Studios Hollywood listing is a season pass, and no daytime pass includes the event.
- AAA. AAA’s member ticket site lists both the General Admission and After 2PM tickets, with no fees at checkout.
- Go City and CityPASS. Both include daytime Universal admission on certain passes. Neither includes the event, because it is separately ticketed.
The 2026 Haunted Houses and Terror Tram
Eight houses and the Terror Tram make up this year’s lineup. Every house is a walk-through, and the Terror Tram is the backlot ride, themed for the event.
- Stranger Things 5. Based on the final season of the series, with the Hawkins characters, Demogorgons, and Vecna.
- Sinners. Based on the film, with its vampires.
- Hellraiser. Based on the original trilogy, with Pinhead and the Cenobites.
- Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness. A house built around the musician.
- Evil Dead Burn. Based on the new film, with Deadites in a family home.
- Killer Klowns from Outer Space. Based on the film, with its alien clowns.
- Killceañera: Music by SLASH. An original house set at a quinceañera.
- Dead, Deader, Deadest. An original house set in the Deville Family Funeral Home.
- Terror Tram starring Art the Clown. The backlot tram, taken over by Art the Clown for a Christmas-themed scare.
Scare Zones, Shows, and What Stays Open
Between the houses, Universal runs scare zones and roaming characters in the streets: a Fortnite zone called Fortnitemares, a chainsaw gang, a traveling circus, a swamp bog, a sideshow, a flock of crows, and Art the Clown loose in the park.
The Purge: Dangerous Waters is the stunt show. In the Wizarding World, Death Eaters roam Hogsmeade.
These daytime rides run during the event, according to Universal:
- Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, with SUPER NINTENDO WORLD open from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and Flight of the Hippogriff
- Revenge of the Mummy
- Transformers: The Ride-3D
- The Simpsons Ride
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift runs during the event only for R.I.P. Tour guests. The daytime Studio Tour is not on that list, and the Terror Tram runs on the backlot instead.
Themed food and drinks are sold at select locations, and some of them serve alcohol with ID checked. The Dining Pass in the table above covers two entrées and four smaller items for the night.
Know Before You Go
Arrival The rules Universal publishes for the gate and the houses.
- There is no minimum age. Universal recommends the event for mature audiences and not for anyone under 13.
- If you have daytime park admission the same day, you do not need to leave and come back. Show your event ticket at the front turnstiles for a wristband, and bring photo ID in case you are asked.
- You can upgrade a General Admission ticket to Universal Express or Express Unlimited on the day at the ticket booths or the Box Office inside the park, subject to availability.
- No outside food or drinks. No food, drinks, bottles, recording, flash photography, flashlights, or laser pens inside the houses.
- Line jumping gets you removed from the park, and holding places in line is not permitted. Do not touch the scareactors.
- Parking is not included with any event ticket. Gold and Platinum pass parking is not valid for entry after 6 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in September and October.
Costumes Allowed on event nights, within Universal’s costume policy.
- No costume masks, and nothing that covers the face. Face paint on no more than half the face, and no prosthetic makeup.
- Nothing that looks like a weapon or a uniform, nothing that imitates emergency personnel, and nothing that could be mistaken for part of the show.
- No smoke, fog, or sound effects, and no veils, trains, stilts, or oversized pieces. Costumes must fit through security screening, within 25 inches wide by 80 inches high.
- Universal can ask you to change or remove a costume at the gate or before a ride.
The full policy is on Universal’s policies page, and it can change without notice, so read it the week you go.
Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood FAQs
How much are Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood tickets?
A single-night General Admission ticket starts at $76.08 through our authorized store and $79 on Universal’s site, with both prices rising on busier nights. The 2PM Day/Night ticket starts at $114.60 with us and $119 direct. Universal’s Express tickets start at $279, the Frequent Fear Pass is $179, and the R.I.P. Tour starts at $579.
Do I need a park ticket to go to Halloween Horror Nights?
No. Halloween Horror Nights is a separately ticketed event, and a daytime park ticket does not include it. The event ticket on its own gets you in at 7 p.m. If you want the park during the day as well, buy the 2PM Day/Night ticket or Universal’s 1-Day General Admission plus Halloween Horror Nights ticket.
Are Halloween Horror Nights tickets refundable?
Universal’s event tickets are nonrefundable, and the event runs rain or shine with no rain checks. When you buy through our aRes Travel store, you can add ticket insurance for $25 at checkout and get a full refund if your plans change.
Is Halloween Horror Nights included with a Universal annual pass?
Only the Platinum Annual Pass includes it, as one General Admission ticket in the pass’s first year on select event nights, and you have to reserve it online in advance. After the first year, members on monthly FlexPay get one each year. Other annual and season pass members get special pricing on select event tickets when they buy online.
What time does Halloween Horror Nights start?
The event begins at 7 p.m. Early event access to select haunted houses opens before the 7 p.m. start for guests with the 2PM Day/Night ticket, Universal’s Early Access add-on, or another ticket that includes it. Universal notes that times are subject to change, so confirm on its site before you go.
Is there an age limit for Halloween Horror Nights?
Universal says there is no minimum age, but it recommends the event for mature audiences only and not for anyone under 13, and every ticket carries that warning. Our store sells the event ticket at one adult price, for ages 13 and up.
Can I use a Go City or CityPASS ticket for Halloween Horror Nights?
No. Those passes include daytime admission to Universal Studios Hollywood on certain products, and the event is separately ticketed. You would buy an event ticket on top of the pass.
Does the event ticket include Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift?
No. Universal states on every event ticket that access to Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift during Halloween Horror Nights is not included. The R.I.P. Tour lists limited access to it as a tour inclusion.
Which rides are open during Halloween Horror Nights?
Universal lists Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff, Revenge of the Mummy, Transformers: The Ride-3D, and The Simpsons Ride as open during the event. The daytime Studio Tour is not on the list.
Is SUPER NINTENDO WORLD open during Halloween Horror Nights?
Yes. Universal keeps SUPER NINTENDO WORLD open from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. during the event, subject to change, so ride Mario Kart early in the night.
Can I upgrade to Universal Express at the park?
Yes. Universal sells upgrades from General Admission to Universal Express or Express Unlimited on the day of your visit at the ticket booths and at the Box Office inside the park, subject to availability, with prices that vary by date.
Can I wear a costume to Halloween Horror Nights?
Yes, within Universal’s published costume guidelines, and costume masks are not allowed. Universal’s code of conduct is enforced at the event, so read the guidelines before you dress up.
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