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Behind-the-screams: Inside Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights

By FOX 35 News Staff
Updated  September 7, 2021 8:48am EDT
Theme Parks
FOX 35 Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. - Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights kicked off on Friday and not even torrential rain could keep the crowds away. 

The opening night was sold-out as horror fans packed Universal Studios to check out what the theme park resort had to offer on the event's 30th year. 

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FOX 35 News was there checking out the 10 haunted houses, 5 scare zones, and two brand-new live entertainment shows to celebrate the 30 years of fears!

RELATED: Halloween Horror Nights: Your guide to Universal Orlando’s terrifying event

One thing to remember is you should be prepared to wait as many houses had over an hour wait to get in. At one point during the night, we noticed that one popular house, Puppet Theatre: Captive Audience, stopped letting people in line, including Express Pass guests, because it had reached capacity. 

Check out the walkthrough of some of this year's popular houses (Note: Contains spoiler footage): 

Haunted House walkthroughs at Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights

Spoiler alert! Here is a look inside some of the haunted houses at Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights.

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Did you miss it? FOX 35 was LIVE on Facebook walking through the event with thrills and chills around every corner! 

And the chainsaw people are back!

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Here are a few tips that could help you have a better experience at HHN: 

  • Get there early: The event starts at 6:30 p.m. It’s probably best to be there at least an hour ahead of time. In the past, Universal has been known to open the gates early so you could get to a few houses before the rush starts.
  • Stay hydrated: It’s usually going to HOT so be sure to have water on you at all times. Also, download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather App to know if you'll need an umbrella
  • Have a plan: Universal has released its Halloween Horror Nights 30 map laying out where each house, scare zone, and attraction is. You can download it HERE and plan your night ahead of time.
  • Press the red buttons: According to Theme Park Hipster, you may see a red button – or any interactive button -- in some of the haunted houses. Press it for a special surprise.
  • Buy tickets in advance: You’ll be waiting in line enough at the houses – why wait in another line to buy your ticket?
  • How to get discounts: Typically during the last hour of the last night of HHN, the merchandise gets put on sale so you can score some spooky goodies for less!
  • ‘Secret’ bathroom: This one is especially for the ladies because the lines are always so long! If you go inside Monsters Cafe, there is a restroom that is typically not nearly as busy as the others.

Halloween Horror Nights runs through October 31. 

Watch FOX 35 News for the latest theme park updates.