Halloween Horror Nights is not just one of the predominant Halloween events in Orlando, but all of the United States. With numerous haunted houses, the unique scare zones, exclusive dining options and event-exclusive merchandise, it's a can't-miss event for many.
But if you've never been, is it right for you? Is it too scary?
Now that tickets are on sale, we have the scoop on how to decide if you should attend.
Value
When deciding on attending any holiday theme park event, value is one of the first things I look at.
Halloween Horror Nights does it better than almost anywhere else. Starting at $70.99 a night, with prices currently not eclipsing more than $99.99 from Sep. 3-Oct. 31, 2021, the event nets guests park time from 6:30 p.m. to 1 or 2 a.m. That park time alone makes the price a pretty fair value before you add in the incredible amount of content on top of it.
Rides
The primary draw to horror nights is on, well, the horror, but some rides are open during event nights. Wait times are usually their lowest at the event too, so those in the party less insistent on seeing all the scares can make unique opportunity of drastically lower lines for select rides.
Scares
How scary is Halloween Horror Nights?
That depends on what scary is to you.
There are two main portions to the Horror Nights Scares, with the first being the Scarezones. These areas are hard to avoid, as they take over and re-theme entire outdoor sections of the park to create an absorbing atmosphere filled with scare actors who walk about the same as guests do. As much as they are allowed to jump out at and chase guests, no scare actors at Universal are allowed to touch guests. So, while it is hard to avoid Scarezones, the notion that someone unfamiliar will touch you is nonexistent. The Scarezones also provide some of the most spectacular theming in all the theme park world, so those who are suckers for attention to detail might be more amazed than terrified in these areas.
The haunted houses are all optional, but are the event's biggest attraction. Often lasting between 3 and 5 minutes, these painstakingly designed houses feature scares from original stories and recognizable properties, like Ghostbusters and Stranger Things in years' past. These are experiences with specific moments designed to scare you—those who are lesser fans of being scared beware—but those who get excited at highly designed horror experiences will be in heaven.
Verdict
Those willing to brave scarier experiences, try something new or who are horror fans altogether find one of the best values in Halloween Horror Nights. Absolutely loaded with activities, it is hard to do it all, even in the extensive event hours. Those who are vehemently against all things horror might want to spend their Universal hours on non-event days or during the daytime, where they can still see some props and get an in-person idea of how the nighttime is set up.