Mo Goes | The Blog

In less than a month Universal Studios Florida will be transformed into a world that only the bravest, weirdest and craziest (depending on who you ask) Halloween enthusiasts can appreciate. The highly anticipated, 32nd annual Halloween Horror Nights kicks off on Friday September 1, 2023.

At this point, HHN is pretty much a household name and if you haven’t heard of it, you’re probably living under a rock. If this is you, allow me to fill you in on the deets.

Universal Studios Florida hosts this separately ticketed special event every year on select nights, usually running from the first weekend in September through Halloween. This year is special because for the first time HHN has been extended past Halloween and will end Sunday November 4th.

For specific details on the HHN event calendar click here.

HHN Houses

Test your tolerance for terror and walk through a total of ten haunted houses, all themed to either a popular intellectual property or a Universal original theme. This year, fans are extremely excited for the return of Stranger Things, a house based on season four of the Netflix original series. Another fan favorite making it’s first appearance at HNN is The Last of Us, based on the popular video game. I’m one of the lame few who’s not into the game nor the series, so I may need to binge watch a season or two to better prepare myself for the house – I gotta understand what the heck is going on right?

Prepare to be terrified if you dare to walk through these highly immersive, incredibly detailed haunted houses. I can’t tell you how many visuals I missed in past houses like Poltergeist, Halloween and Ghostbusters because I didn’t look up, so make sure you don’t make the same mistake!

HHN Merch

Every year you can expect the release of brand new HHN themed merch, usually starting early Summer. The first announced this year was See You in the Fog, a popular pleasantry used in the HHN community that simply means see you at HHN. The second was the Last of Us and the third, likely the most popular is Stranger Things 4 merch.

Vecna is the main antagonist wreaking havoc in Stranger Things 4, so it’s no surprise to see his grotesquely transformed face front and center on all the merch. I’m predicting this t-shirt to be the most popular this HHN and I made sure to pick up one for myself and my crew to rock this Halloween season.

Scare Zones

HHN also boasts some of the most creepy and entertaining scare zones imaginable. This year’s Speculation Map has a total of five scare zones situated throughout Universal Studios. The map claims these scare zones will be located in San Francisco, Hollywood Blvd, NYC’s Metropolis Tribune facade, Central Park and between Springfield and the former Kid Zone area. No formal announcements have been made by Universal Studios confirming these speculations as of the publish date of this post.

HHN Tribute Store

The HHN Tribute Store is always filled with delightful terror and amazing merch. This year I’m sure will be no different. Enjoy shopping all the incredible merch while taking in the sights and sounds of the spooky season.

I admire the creative brains responsible for bringing the HHN Tribute Store to fruition each year. I think the Tribute Store alone is an experience in itself. If you wanted just a little dose of HHN without actually attending the event, walking through the Tribute Store during regular park hours will give you just enough spooky vibes to satisfy your craving for that minimal creep factor.

Although Islands of Adventure is not a part of any HHN activities, associated merch can be found there in the All Hallows Eve Boutique in the Lost Continent. You can find everything spooky and monster related all year round at this specialty gift shop.

HHN Food

Specialty food and drink is always a hit at HHN. Some items become so popular that they return the following year(s). I love the uniqueness and creativity put into entree naming and presentation. I also appreciate how Universal makes sure to include a good number of vegan options on the menu – it’s all about the options!

I’ll be honest, I don’t always get to try every single entree or beverage offered on the menu, but when I find a winner, I make sure to order it each time I visit. It’s not pictured but one of my favorite entrees from HHN 31 was the Lil Boo Spicy Pumpkin Bun, which was filled with savory, well- seasoned butternut squash. Equally delicious was the African Lentil & Potato Sambusa Coffin. It contained carrots, African lentils, onions, garlic and potato Sambusa all seasoned with an Ethiopian blend of spices. This mixture was encased in a warm, flaky coffin shaped vegan pie dough.

This year’s menu hasn’t been released as of the publish date of this post, but you can bet I’ll be reviewing the delicious details here on the blog as soon as it’s officially announced – stay tuned!

How to Experience HHN

Universal has released all the ticket prices and options for HHN 32 which includes a single night ticket, multi night passes including the Rush of Fear Pass, Frequent Fear Pass, Frequent Fear Plus Pass, Ultimate Frequent Fear Pass and an HHN Express Pass option. Add-ons are also available such as the HHN RIP Tour, HHN Private RIP Tour, Behind the Screams Unmasking Tour and a Scream Early Ticket. All prices and details can be found on the Universal Orlando Resort website here.

Important Things to Know

If you’re a first timer to HHN you may be tempted to take pics, selfies and record everything, especially inside the houses. Be forewarned – Universal’s strict policy prohibits photography or video recording inside the houses. Don’t get called out and risk being ousted from the park!

During HHN there are special deals and discounts offered on tickets, Express Passes, special tours/events and hotels for FL residents and Universal Orlando Annual Passholders so make sure to checked Universal Orlando’s website for the most current details and prices here.

HHN is a rain or shine event which happens to be held during rainy season in Florida. Be prepared for the typical short rain shower or torrential downpour in the late afternoon and evening. Keep up with weather forecasts for when you plan to attend so you’re well prepared!

Wear your best, most comfortable walking shoes because you’ll be on your feet all night. Between standing in queues for houses and food to walking from one scare zone to another, HHN will help you reach those daily 5k steps and then some.

You can find HHN Merch at multiple locations throughout Universal Orlando Resort, including the 5&10, the HHN Tribute Store, the Universal Store located inside Universal Studios and Citywalk and All Hallows Eve Boutique in Islands of Adventure.

HHN is a sensory overload event so expect blaring music, shows, screams, sound effects and lots of lighting and strobe effects. The same goes for inside the houses. Those with sensitive ears may want to consider wearing earplugs to buffer the noise.

HHN is one of the most popular ticketed events of the year at Universal Studios Florida. It continues to grow in popularity and in my opinion it gets better and better every year.

Sound like your kind of event? Think you can handle all the creepy, ghoulish, scary fun? HHN isn’t for everyone and that’s okay. I attended my first HHN in 2019 after hearing so many fans rave about it. Like many other first timers I am now a super fan who returns every single year for another season of Halloween fun, always remembering to never go alone. See you in the fog!