As darkness descends on Universal Studios Hollywood for another Halloween season, the annual Halloween Horror Nights brings a fresh wave of spine-chilling new haunted houses and experiences for 2024. Brace yourself for spectral chills, paranormal dimensions, and face legendary terrors in eight brand-new mazes this year. Running from September 5th through November 3rd, here’s your guide to all the gory details of Halloween Horror Nights 2024!
Universal HHN Haunted Houses 2024
There’s a diverse lineup of scares on tap for Halloween Horror Nights 2024: horror, supernatural, camp, extraterrestrial, classic monster, Latin American, and even a bit of humor. The lines can be epic for HHN, so unless you’ve purchased the pricey Universal Express Pass or RIP Tour you’ll need to prioritize what to spend the time you have available waiting for. We give you a look at each of the haunted houses, and scare zones, and shows below and start with our top three favorites…
Who You Gonna Call? Ghostbusters!
Our favorite house of the year was also the least scary… but it was filled with familiar characters, wonderful special effects, and just the right amount of humor to bring the Ghostbusters movie franchise to life.
The Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire adventure begins in Ray’s Occult Books, the cozy shop run by Ghostbuster legend Ray Stantz. But don’t get too comfortable, there are already paranormal forces at play. You’ll soon join the Ghostbusters team in facing Garraka, an ancient force that freezes its victims in sheer terror. As you move deeper into the maze, the chill on your neck won’t just be your imagination…
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, like the film, utilizes quite a few callbacks to the original films, which are a welcome addition to this nostalgia-fueled and action-packed maze.
Peak nostalgia also includes Finn Wolfhard’s character Trevor and his continued altercations with Slimer.
This is an incredibly detailed maze with easily the most intricate scenes of any maze this season. One delightful recurring element are the mini Stay Puft Marshmallow Men. They’re absolutely everywhere doing all kinds of naughty things. We found this one riding a rat.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Kingdom also utilizes some of the best special effects of the entire event that elevate this house to our top spot. Making proton pack streams look real is a tough challenge, but Universal delivered.
For all you scaredy-cats out there, this happens to be one of the least scary mazes. Instead, it focuses on story and atmosphere, creating a unique experience that we expect most Halloween Horror Nights can enjoy— and they should. Just don’t expect a cakewalk, Garraka and all the ghosts he releases from the Ghostbuster’s secret lab are out to scare!
Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines
It should be no surprise that a classic Universal Monsters house takes our 2nd spot. The HHN team has been honing their craft to feature Uni’s iconic monsters in all new experiences every year. This time around, they’ve come up with a delightful twist.
Featuring an all-female cast of classic monsters, Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines brings you face to face with The Bride of Frankenstein, Countess Marya (Dracula’s daughter), She-Wolf, and the mummified Anck-Su-Namun!
The story follows Saskia Van Helsing, daughter of the famed vampire hunter and conquerer of Dracula and her unlikely companion, Bride of Frankenstein. Saskia must face the resurrected Countess Mayra, who has returned from the grave seeking vengeance for her father against the Van Helsing family. With the deadly She-Wolf and the ancient sorceress Anck-Su-Namun by her side, the Countess’ wrath knows no bounds—it’s an action-packed back and forth battle between hunter and hunted.
This is an absolutely gorgeous maze with huge high quality scenes that could easily be movie sets! We expect nothing less from the incredible six-season run of Universal Monsters mazes, yet we still manage to be pleasantly surprised every year.
Universal has continued perfecting the story-driven narrative format for their monster houses with Eternal Bloodlines. It’s become easy to follow the beats and each major scene does a great job of quickly dispatching the exposition needed to continue following the story. These experiences feel like walking through a short film. They are beautifully built, exquisitely lit, and envelop you in story and emotion.
Slash continues his collaboration with Universal Studios this year for Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines, delivering a heart-pounding original score which will be featured (along with his past original compositions) on a limited-edition vinyl album sold at Universal Studios Hollywood during the event.
The experience this year has even more significance as it’s located on the legendary Sound Stage 12, where “Dracula” (1931), “Frankenstein” (1931), and “The Bride of Frankenstein” (1935) were filmed. It’s a bit odd passing through the Jurassic World queue and ending up across the street at the sound stage, but it allowed for Eternal Bloodlines to take up an enormous amount of space for its ambitious scenes.
Like Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, this house primarily focuses on atmosphere with less scares, making our top two HHN experiences ones that even the biggest chickens can enjoy.
But don’t get two comfortable, you haven’t seen our third pick yet…
Insidious: The Further
Travel into The Further, a paranormal dimension of tortured souls and demonic entities in Insidious: The Further. This twisted place is home to many of the iconic spirits from the Insidious franchise, beckoning you to join them where they can trap your souls forever.
This house is interesting in that it’s based on the Insidious franchise, but instead of focusing on a single film, Insidious: The Further utilizes many of the major antagonists to build a dizzying maze of torment. We mean that quite literally, the experience is a maze that’s designed to make you lose your sense of direction as you dive deeper into the Further, leaving you vulnerable to the evil beings that reside there.
Each antagonist, the Red-Faced Demon, KeyFace, Bride in Black, and the Man Who Can’t Breathe will constantly torture you around every corner in what we consider the scariest maze of Halloween Horror Nights 2024. Seriously, they’re relentless.
If our top 2 pics were child’s play for you, then Insidious: The Further will definitely challenge even the bravest.
Those were our top 3 favorite haunted houses of the year, but the rest of Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights lineup was very strong. Each of these haunted experiences is all-new, even if inspired by ideas Universal has featured in the past. Here are the rest of the HHN 2024 Houses in no particular order:
The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy
The Weeknd returns to Halloween Horror nights in a new haunted house spawned from After Hours, Dawn FM and a horrifying new tale in which guests “will be snared by iconic moments inspired by his music videos and live performances.”
Much like the original The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare, this is a very performative experience with some delightfully bizarre concepts. It’s all set to a pop-synth score by seven-time Grammy award winner Mike Dean. Is HHN starting to sound like a musical experience? They’ve certainly found a way to weave music into the mix of monsters, fog, lighting, and story in a way that brings these experiences to life.
Throughout The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy you’ll find yourself lost in the illusions and outlandish scenes. In our panic to escape the monsters, we literally got lost a few times as the creatures of the night popped out from every direction. It’s an incredible follow up to the original experience that we gave high praise to in 2022.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Legacy of Leatherface
If our top two pics of the year were something that even horror lightweights could handle, this would be one they should avoid… and we were seriously scared to enter this one… but we had a job to do.
If you step into Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Legacy of Leatherface, be prepared to face a family of chainsaw-wielding cannibals. This original story, inspired by the iconic franchise, draws you into a seemingly abandoned slaughterhouse where you’ll encounter various versions of Leatherface from all nine films.
It’s gory, it’s gross, it’s everything you’d expect from Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Try not to become Leatherface’s next meal.
Dead Exposure Death Valley
Something has gone horribly wrong at this covert government facility. The scientists were trying to create super soldiers, but instead accidentally created an army of radioactive zombies. Common mistake, right?
FUN FACT: This is the first Hollywood haunted house to follow the Dead Exposure story line that debuted with “Dead Exposure” at Universal Studios Florida in 2008 and continued in Orlando with “Dead Exposure: Patient Zero” in 2018.
A Quiet Place
Shhh, don’t make a sound.
The slightest noise will set off the sightless creatures in A Quiet Place, the maze based on the first two films in the franchise. Feel the tension around every corner as the Abbott family fights to survive the onslaught of larger-than-life predators.
A Quiet Place brings many iconic scenes from the films to life, including the tense moment from the first movie where Evelyn Abbott, on the verge of giving birth, desperately hides in the root cellar as the creatures close in, every sound threatening to give her away.
A Quiet Place utilizes unique sound design and special effects to convey the eerie silence in the films—it’s truly an auditory experience hearing every creak, crack, and snap as the monsters could show up at any moment. In addition – and for the first time – Halloween Horror Nights incorporates American Sign Language (ASL) into the experience!
Monstruos 2: The Nightmares of Latin America
Continuing the several-season legacy of Latin American-inspired monster mazes, Monstruos 2: The Nightmares of Latin America continues it’s reign of terror with an all-new mystic monsters house on the Upper Lot.
Returning to the Cemetery of the Lost, guests encounter the soul-stealing rider El Charro, the supernatural doglike spirit El Cadejo, and the child-eating bogeyman, El Cucuy.
Terror Tram: Enter the Blumhouse
Universal Studios Hollywood’s exclusive Halloween Horror Nights experience, Terror Tram, is back this year as guests “ride into a Blumhouse Bloodbath” featuring “M3GAN,” “The Black Phone,” “Freaky,” “The Purge,” and “Happy Death Day.”
Walking through the Terror Tram this year feels a bit like walking through several mini-mazes, capped by a Blumhouse logo-styled house entrance.
This setup streamlines the experience with short vignettes from the films that happen quick enough that everyone gets to see them as they walk by.
The best part of the Terror Tram is walking through historic sets, including the Bates Motel and Psycho House. Look around, you might spot some interesting details.
Blumhouse taking over the tram this year also means that The Purge has once again taken over the War of the Worlds set.
Unfortunately, there was a casualty, as the Jupiter’s Claim set from Jorden Peele’s “Nope” was removed from the lineup this year. Guests who purchase (or opt to upgrade their event tickets) to the R.I.P. Tour are given exclusive access to what was out favorite part of the Terror Tram the previous two seasons.
Halloween Horror Nights Live Shows
There are two shows this year featuring Chucky and The Purge.
Late Night with Chucky
Chucky may be the last character you’d expect to see hosting a syndicated TV show—his antics aren’t exactly prime-time friendly—but this year, he’s taking over the DreamWorks Theater with Late Night with Chucky. If you’re not laughing until your sides split, Chucky will be happy to do the splitting himself.
Late Night with Chucky features a live Chucky doll that takes audience questions via a QR code supplied in the lobby. It’s a great way to sit down for 10 minutes and take a break from getting scared.
As you’d expect, Chucky has a bit of a potty mouth and some snarky remarks for his audience like:
Steve wants to know who you look up to.
“Everybody.”
If he’s not making fun of you, he’s describing in detail how he’d use his knife on various parts of your body. Charming.
The Purge: Dangerous Waters
Hard to imagine being in this theater without seeing the traditional WaterWorld show, but this one really delivers!
Universal Halloween Horror Nights Scare Zones
As you traverse the Upper Lot of HHN you’ll encounter a variety of scare zones that will keep you on your toes. They also provide some great photo opportunities that you won’t have in the Haunted Houses. You can linger in the scare zones as long as you like, and they generally aren’t as scary as the houses, so enjoy you time because there are no lines in these spaces.
- Skull Lordz – All hail the royal court of the undead, where gothic kings and queens reign. Beware! Cross into their spectral kingdom at your own peril.
- Chainsaw Punkz – Get revved up for your night of terror as soon as you enter. Chainsaw-wielding punk rockers with masks and mohawks will close in on you.
- Luchadores Monstruosos – You’re about to get caught in the middle of a Lucha Libre horror film. Two luchadores are going to the mat against a horde of masked monsters.
- Murder of Crowz – You’ve foolishly ventured into a massive crow’s nest. Now the fearsome flock will defend its territory by descending upon you in a feathered rage and pecking your bones clean.
Conspicuously missing this year are the Death Eaters in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Hogsmeade. We considered them a highlight in previous years and are disappointed that they didn’t return for another season.
If we have one complaint about recent seasons of HHN Hollywood, it’s that they don’t have enough scare zones. There are none on the Lower Lot and these experiences really are important to the overall feel of the event. They also provide things for guests to do once the lines for the houses get too long. Houses are important, but so are the alternate experiences like scare zones and shows. The imbalance is noticeable in Hollywood compared to the well rounded HHN event at Universal Orlando.
Ultimate Guide to Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights 2024: Must-See Mazes, Tips & Tricks
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Daytime Tour
Dusty took a daytime tour of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire before Horror Nights opened and caught a lot of the intricate details we missed while running through the maze in terror (and with cameras in our face). Have a look:
This house is based on the 2024 film Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire but also features ghosts from the overall Ghostbusters franchise.
Throughout the house, you’ll see mini Stay Puft Marshmallow Men, each trying to kill their brethren. As disturbing as they are adorable.
A Terror Dog was being installed when we walked through. Huge and terrifying even by daylight!
We were delighted to see so many references to the Ghostbusters characters we love. Keep in mind that you’ll be viewing these sets in a much darker environment, but the details are absolutely incredible.
Universal Studios Hollywood Attractions
Select theme park attractions will be open during Halloween Horror Nights. As lines for the houses grow as the night goes on, keep an eye on attraction wait times, it might just be time to take a break from the scares to get some different thrills:
- Jurassic World—The Ride
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- Flight of the Hippogriff
- Transformers: The Ride-3D
- Revenge of the Mummy—The Ride
- The Simpsons Ride
Guests who purchase select event tickets will have same day access to Super Nintendo World from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. (subject to change).
Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights Food & Beverage
You can work up a big appetite running from monsters, so it’s good that this year’s HHN has prepared some interesting eats…
The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy Bar (located in Lower Lot by “Jurassic World—The Ride”)
Food:
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- Saw Blade Flatbread (Short Rib) – braised short rib, mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, spicy tomato sauce and ranch drizzle
- Saw Blade Flatbread (Mushroom) – mushrooms, roasted tomato, mozzarella cheese, green pepper, crispy onion and spicy tomato sauce
Beverage:
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- Too Late – tequila, raspberry puree and peach and lime juice garnished with a grenadine-filled syringe and red light up cube
- Out of Time – cola, raspberry and ginger syrup and a red light up cube, topped with strawberry heart jellies
- How Do I Make you Love Me? – rum, peach and passion fruit puree and lemonade served with an orange light up cube and dark chocolate butterfly
- Is There Someone Else? – vodka, blue curaçao, lime juice and Sprite soda garnished with a multicolor light up cube and a gummy eyeball
Chucky’s Dive Bar (located behind Animation Studio Store)
Beverage
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- Cult of Chucky – spicy tamarind vodka, strawberry syrup, lemon juice and club soda with a chamoy and tajin, topped with chamoy gummy bears
- Friend Till the End – tequila, Sprite soda, blue curaçao, lime juice and orange popping pearls with an orange sugar rim and a rainbow lollipop
- Chucky’s Got Jokes – bourbon, amaretto, corn simple syrup, lime juice and ginger beer topped with chamoy drizzled corn and cinnamon powder
City Snacks featuring “A Quiet Place” (located in Upper Lot)
Food
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- Wooden Board Éclair – dark chocolate mousse filled éclair dripped in chocolate ganache
- Abbot’s Corn Chowder – creamy stew with shrimp, corn, vegetables and cornbread croutons
Dia de Los Muertos (located in Universal Plaza)
Your ultimate place to take a break and grab something to snack on is the Dia de Los Muertos Plaza in the center of the Upper Lot. While there are a few monsters lurking around, their goal isn’t to scare you, but rather to provide ambiance. This is a safe space to soak up those glorious Halloween vibes and relax. But don’t feed the monsters, it’s best if they don’t become too comfortable with the humans.
Food
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- Carne Asada Nachos – fried corn tortilla chips topped with carne asada, pico de gallo, queso fresco and guacamole
- Beef Birria Tacos with Red Sauce – corn tortilla tacos with birria de res served with onions, cilantro and red consomé sauce
- Pineapple Spears – pineapple spears with chamoy
- Esquites – Corn off the Cob – corn sliced off the cobb topped with grated cotija cheese, cilantro and tajin
- Nachos Muertos – cinnamon sugar chips, strawberry topping, oreo bits, chocolate sauce and whipped cream
Beverage
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- El Cadejo Mangorita – tequila, triple sec, mango puree, lime juice and margarita mix served with chamoy, tajin and a dried chili covered mango
- Muerte Michelada – Modelo beer, michelada mix, jalapeno syrup, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce garnished with chamoy, tajin and a lime wedge
- El Charro – spicy tamarind vodka, pickle brine, margarita mix and triple sec served with chamoy, tajin and a chocolate dipped pickle spear
- Horror-Chata – rum, horchata, banana syrup served with whipped cream and dried banana chips
- Spicy Strawberry Vodka Margarita – spicy tamarind vodka, strawberry syrup, lemon juice served with chamoy, tajin and a tamarind straw
- Piña Margarita – reposado, cucumber jalapeno tequila, triple sec, agave syrup, lemon juice, pineapple juice garnished with a chamoy drzzled pineapple spear
Monster Eats (located in Lower Lot)
Food
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- Into the Fog Fish ‘n Chips – crispy beer battered cod nuggets with tartar sauce and chips
- The Fiery Bite Corn Dog – spicy Korean-style corn dog with spicy ketchup and chips
- She-Wolf Midnight Delight Cheesecake – fried cheesecake dusted with powdered sugar and strawberry claw marks
- The Bride’s Cookie – black and white cookie
Leatherface’s BBQ (located in Lower Lot)
Food
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- Pam’s Brisket Sandwich – smoked brisket sandwich with Coca-Cola BBQ sauce and creamy coleslaw served with a side of potato salad and BBW baked beans
- Franklin’s BBQ Ribs – Coca-Cola BBQ ribs served with a side of potato salad and BBQ baked beans
- Drayton’s Chili Cheese Dog – all-beef hot dog topped with chili and cheddar cheese and served with a side of potato salad
Beverage
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- Grandpa’s Porch Pounder – vodka, mezcal, passionfruit puree, Sprite soda, citrus sour and grenadine topped with bloody bone candy
Halloween Horror Nights Merchandise
Guests at Halloween Horror Nights will find plenty of new merchandise to commemorate their experience.
This year’s lineup includes a collection inspired by fan-favorite character Lil Boo (the cute baby pumpkin), featuring items like a popcorn bucket, shoulder plush, backpack, and headwear.
The 80s punk inspired Halloween Horror Nights collection offers a range of themed items, including house tees, a reversible bucket hat, a bat-eared beanie, and a skull shot glass.
Additionally, Chucky fans will find a new popcorn bucket modeled after his stitched-up look from *Bride of Chucky*, complete with updated phrases.
There are also exclusive products inspired by “A Quiet Place,” “The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy” haunted house and the Dia de Los Muertos.
Halloween Horror Nights 2024 Tickets
Ticket options for the after-hours event at Universal Studios Hollywood include General Admission (from $77), Universal Express and Express Unlimited (from $209 and $249), After 2 P.M. Day/Night (from $117), and an Early Access Ticket, which provides access to select haunted houses beginning at 5:30 p.m. (subject to change), before the scheduled 7 p.m. event start time.
Also available is the premium guided R.I.P. Tour (from $389), plus Frequent Fear and Ultimate Fear passes (from $209 and $349), which allow extra brave scare seekers to experience the event again and again.
A Halloween Horror Nights Vacation Package at Universal Studios Hollywood includes one daytime General Admission park ticket, one General Admission Halloween Horror Nights event ticket, and accommodation at a Universal Partner Hotel.
Click here for information about tickets and here for vacation packages.
Halloween Horror Nights is not recommended for kids under 13.
For details about Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando, check out our event guide:
Ultimate Guide to Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights 2024: Must-See Mazes, Tips & Tricks
And for all of our Halloween Coverage from Universal, Knott’s Scary Farm, Six Flags, and Disney, please visit our dedicated Halloween page:
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Let’s Hear From You!
Who’s ready for a horrifying time at Universal Studios Hollywood? Are you looking forward to braving the cold with the Ghostbusters? Can you keep quiet enough for the Quiet Place? Will you brave the Further?
Let us know which terrifying experience you’re looking forward to most in the comments below!
This article was originally assembled by Samantha Davis Friedman and updated with construction photos, merchandise, and specialty foods by Dusty Sage. Updated again on 9/6 with details from opening night delivered by Scott Attula and Mike Kindrich.