The Ultimate Guide to Universal Orlando Resort's Halloween Horror Nights 2026

Demogorgons, vampires, and funky zombies, oh my! That’s just some of the incredible terrors that await you as part of Halloween Horror Nights 35 in Universal Orlando Resort. The iconic event is officially back again for a special anniversary year and things are getting pretty spooky in the fog. We were back for another incredible opening weekend to see how it all came together as we said one final goodbye to Stranger Things, emoted our hearts out at Fortnitemares, and joined Jack the Clown and Dr. Oddfellow’s Infernal Circus of Nightmares. Read on, if you dare!Here is your ultimate guide to Universal Orlando Resort’s Halloween Horror Nights 2026!Haunted HousesKeeping up with tradition, 10 new houses were introduced this year as part of Halloween Horror Nights 35. Five of them are based off of existing IPs that come to life in new ways in the houses: Stranger Things 5, Sinners, Hellraiser, Ozzy Osbourne, and Evil Dead Burn. There are also five original houses that bring some fresh scares to the event and also introduce some major storyline updates to the HHN lore! The following is our personal ranking of the houses:1. Jack and Oddfellow: Chaos & ControlThis year’s icons made it to the top of the list and blew us all away with an incredible spooky house that gives us a deeper look at Jack the Clown’s twisted origins and how he and Dr. Oddfellow teamed up together for this sick circus that we’re all living through in the parks. Not only is it a fun house filled with easter eggs for hardcore fans, but allows new fans to join in on the madness with a fun starting point. It also makes good use of the carnival theme with some fun surprises. Watch your step. Look closely at everything. You never know what twisted things might be hidden inside.Universal Orlando Resort2. Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of DarknessFull transparency here: I’m not really someone who is super familiar with Ozzy Osbourne. However, it’s very clear that a lot of love and incredible attention to detail went into this house that also serves as a stunning tribute to the Prince of Darkness and his music. Riding the “Crazy Train” was a stellar highlight and the final goodbye from Ozzy himself as you leave the house is not only an emotional farewell, but also one of the most fun ways to see the house end.Universal Orlando Resort3. HellraiserThis house proves how much the makeup and costuming teams of the event deserve their own major flowers as they bring the cenobites to life in fearsome and gruesome ways. This house is certainly not for the faint of heart as it is not afraid to really lean into the gore and scares of the original film. Lora Sauls, Assistant Director of Creative Development and Show Direction for Art, Design, and Entertainment at Universal Orlando Resort, revealed that the house had been on their bucket list for years and that all the details came together via snail mail as Hellraiser creator Clive Barker only communicated to the team through traditional postal services. It’s an impressive feat for a house that is able to take everything about HHN and turn it up to a 10.Universal Orlando Resort4. H.R. Bloodengutz Presents: A Halloween Fright-TacularA fun and hilarious house that feels like a spiritual successor to the Slaughter Sinema series that existed in previous years, H.R. Bloodengutz is back and giving us the ultimate marathon of his Halloween favorites that we couldn’t get enough of. Each room was themed to a very different title, but there were two clear favorites from the house: Conjure the Funk and The Madness of Dr. Pumpkinspice.Universal Orlando Resort5. Evil Dead BurnComing right in the middle is Evil Dead Burn, a house that is also not afraid of really freaking you out from the first moment you step into the studio. Immediately, you are greeted by one of the best animatronics throughout the entire parks in gruesome fashion. For many, this was the most gruesome house as it was not afraid of showing you everything that the characters do to both each other and themselves. Definitely go in with caution if you are more apprehensive about those themes.6. Stranger Things 5For the final time, we get to go through a Stranger Things house with the Hawkins crew as they try to take down Vecna once and for all. While I was hoping that the house would pack more of an emotional punch, it felt like a confusing match up of moments that didn’t feel like an ultimate farewell nor a recap of what happened for those who missed out on the final season. It doesn’t even offer a new perspective on the ending, which definitely would’ve been fun to see for fans. However, it’s nice to see the series get a proper goodbye from the event as it rightfully deserved.7. Madlands: Caged CannibalsAnother impressive work of makeup and costume design that is a sight to behold, this house sets itself around an abandoned zoo that is overrun by cannibals. Unfortunately, the scares aren’t really there, although the sets are also incredibly impressive. One of my favorite moments comes from above, allowing good use of several levels that I hope to see in other houses over the next couple of years.8. CybergoriaGoing into this house, I heard many rumors that it was the scariest house of the entire night. Unfortunately, it didn’t really deliver like some other houses did in terms of scares. Whether I can blame that on the overwhelming smell that felt like it was taking over the experience or super high expectations still remains to be seen. The set design, however, is absolutely refreshing as well as the storyline that feels like it pushes HHN possibilities to new territory. I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing a second house like this one in the future.9. SinnersIt seems that for the second year in a row, my most anticipated house before the event ends up on the bottom of the list. At least this time it’s not dead last. Unfortunately, the house loses itself a lot throughout the experience. The lighting needs to be worked on, especially considering the fact that many of the characters are Black. The moment when Sammy is performing “I Lied to You” feels more like a break versus the incredible experience it was to see it in theaters. The rest of the house really confuses you as to what the plot is and who is winning or losing, making it seem like there are no survivors at the end. However, one great moment involves a smart use of a harness that gives a fun scare.Universal Orlando Resort10. Invasion: Alien AbductionUnfortunately, this house was just not memorable at all for me. In fact, I really had to scrub through my walkthrough videos to write this up. Some people found it funny, but it is overwhelmed by H.R. Bloodengutz. Some people found it scary, but there are much scarier houses in the bunch. And it just felt like any other alien abduction story we’ve seen throughout the years. I do appreciate that it’s something new we haven’t seen in the houses before and can see it evolving with more time.Scare Zones, Activations, and ShowsWhile previous years have had five official scare zones, this year only has four. However, that doesn’t mean there are fewer things to check out while you’re walking around the park. The Infernal Carnival of Nightmares is the first stop as you enter the park, greeting you with all the horrors that await. Over at Hollywood, Cindy is back and is bringing back other icons with her to wreak havoc all over this carnival. Central Park is themed Fortnitemares as iconic characters from the game battle it out throughout the section. It might have been better if it was paired with Club Horror especially with all those music emote moments, but at least it was something different in the carnival. The biggest scare zone is over in New York where Downtown Clowntown officially consumes all of the streets with the help of Art the Clown, whose Christmas-themed show you definitely do not want to miss, and Killer Klowns from Outer Space. And there are clowns everywhere, even if you don’t think a street is empty, so really feel free to explore.Universal Orlando ResortClub Horror is over at San Francisco if you’re hoping to dance it out, while the zombies are back at Mel’s Die-In. Looking for the iconic chainsaw horde? This time they are over at Springfield U.S.A. so watch out when you’re grabbing your donuts.There are also two shows you can check out this year: Nightmare Fuel: Blood Noir and Stranger Things: Return to Hawkins. Unfortunately, this year’s Nightmare Fuel is much less sexy than previous years. However, that doesn’t make what is happening on that stage any less impressive. Watch out for the splash zone and do not listen when they say that it’s just a small spritz. I was fully soaked as if I rode a water ride after all the water effects. Meanwhile, a touching tribute to Stranger Things has taken over the lagoon and is a stunning reminder of how far we have come from Hawkins.Food & DrinksAs always, the scares are not the only reason why we are obsessed with HHN. There’s also all the incredible food that you can try out while hanging out at the park. While some fan favorites are making their big return, you’re also going to want to check out while you’re there. El’s Battery Jerky from Stranger Things, a creamy mac 'n cheese with garlic bread and battery jerky pieces, was an instant favorite and so easy to take everywhere with you thanks to the souvenir can. The Evil Dead Burn lasagna burn was a beloved pick by many members of my scream squad. But where the food really shined this year is the desserts. Grab the Pleasure & Pain Brain over at the Hellraiser food booth if you’re looking for something surprisingly strange, while the Sinners booth’s Pecan & Whiskey Bread Pudding was the big winner of the night.Universal Orlando ResortDon’t forget to end the night with a drink at your hotel bar with a specialty drink. Some hotels have specialty menus and items that you can only get at HHN, so make sure to try one before you say goodbye to the parks!