Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood is back and full of terror for the 2023 season. There are 8 Haunted Houses (plus the Terror Tram!), 3 Sinister Scare Zones, themed food, Death Eaters at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and so much more! I was able to attend the event this past weekend, and man, my throat is still sore from all the screaming! If any park knows how to bring the horror, it’s Universal Studios! I’ve compiled this guide of top tips for attending Halloween Horror Nights 2023 to help you plan and make the most of your terrifying night. Let’s get to it!
1. My one top tip for attending this event will always be the same: get the Express Pass! I have attended Horror Nights twice before with regular admission, and I could only get through two houses and maybe a ride the entire night. This is an extremely popular event, and the lines are LONG! Trust me, when bypassing the standby lines and flying through houses, you will be grateful you took my advice!

2. Eat a good dinner at the CityWalk, or if you have Early Entry, somewhere in the park. Once the event officially starts, you won’t want to waste your time in the long food lines to eat dinner. If you get snack-ish throughout the night, head to the Stranger Things-themed bar on the Lower Lot or any other quick-service spots to grab something!
3. Start at the Lower Lot, then head to the Upper Lot and work your way back to the front of the park. You have to take many escalators down to get to the Lower Lot, and there are a ton of Haunted Houses and rides down there, so it’s best to power through that and work your way backward.
4. Once you take the escalators back up to the Upper Lot, I recommend taking a break from the screams and stopping by The Wizarding World of Harry Potter for a refreshing Butterbeer. It is a great “rest stop” where you can recharge, shop around, and have fun run-ins with Death Eaters!

Not planning on getting the Express Pass? You won’t be able to hit all the houses, so here is the order of my favorite houses this year so you don’t miss out on the best ones.
Stranger Things 4
Evil Dead Rise
Holidayz in Hell
Universal Monsters: Unmasked
Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count
Terror Tram
The Exorcist: Believer
The Last of Us
The event ends at 2 a.m., and if you can last that long, you can get through quite a lot! You likely won’t get through everything if you’re like me and can only hang until 11pm-midnight. The key is always to plan ahead and keep moving throughout most of the night. Most importantly, have fun (screaming your head off)! If you couldn’t make it this year, we hope to see you in the fog in 2024!
*Check out our Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights Highlight Reel on our Instagram here!*


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