Introduction
Halloween Horror Nights is a separately ticketed after-dark event that turns Universal Studios Hollywood into eight haunted houses, scare zones, and a horror-themed Terror Tram through the backlot. Your regular park ticket does not get you in. And this year there's a new wrinkle: Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, the park's first outdoor high-speed coaster, officially opened September 16, 2026, and Universal sells access to it during the event as a standalone add-on, from $24.95 per person per Universal's Hollywood Drift Access Add-On page, read October 12, 2026; prices vary by day.
This guide answers the questions people actually ask before they buy: when it runs, which ticket to get, whether the Drift add-on is worth it, and whether you should bring your kids. Prices can change by night and as the season goes, so I print a price only when I can attribute it to a named source and give the date I read it. For everything else, check Universal's page for current prices.
When is HHN at Universal Studios Hollywood this year, and which nights sell out?
HHN runs on 42 select nights from September 3 through November 1, 2026, starting at 7pm, per Universal. WDWNT reports the event runs 7pm to 2am.
The event nights, per WDWNT:
September: 3–6, 10–13, 17–20, 23–27, 30
October: 1–4, 7–11, 14–18, 21–25, 28–31
November: 1
On sell-outs: Universal has not published a list of sold-out nights for Hollywood this year, and I have not found a confirmed one. Undercover Tourist describes the event as able to sell out most nights. If you're targeting a specific night, buy a dated ticket early rather than planning to walk up.
For how HHN season fits into the rest of the year, see my Universal Studios Hollywood Crowd Calendar and Best Time to Visit Universal Studios Hollywood.
What HHN ticket types are there, and which one should I buy?
The main options are event-only general admission, two Day/Night combos, an Early Event Access add-on, Express in several versions, the R.I.P. Tour, the new Hollywood Drift add-on, and two multi-night Fear Passes. General admission gets you into the event at 7pm; everything else is an upgrade on time, access, or number of nights.
Ticket | What it includes | Price | Drift included? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
General admission (event only) | One night of event entry from 7pm | From $87.00 | No | Universal (see source line below) |
1-Day General Admission + HHN (Day/Night) | Daytime park admission plus same-night event admission, as the ticket name describes | From $184.00 | No | Universal (see source line below) |
After 2 pm Day/Night | Per Undercover Tourist's listing: park admission from 2pm plus same-night event admission | From $127.00 | No | Price: Universal. Inclusions: Undercover Tourist |
Early Event Access (add-on) | Early access to select houses and the Terror Tram, as the add-on's name describes; separate event admission required | From $20.00 | No | Universal (see source line below) |
Universal Express | Per WDWNT: event admission plus one-time Express access to each participating house, ride and attraction | From $279.00 | No | Price: Universal. Inclusions: WDWNT |
Universal Express Unlimited | Per WDWNT: event admission plus unlimited Express access to participating houses, rides and attractions | From $319.00 | No | Price: Universal. Inclusions: WDWNT |
After 2 pm Day/Night with Universal Express | The After 2 pm Day/Night ticket with Express access, as the ticket name describes | From $359.00 | No | Universal (see source line below) |
Universal Express Select (add-on) | Per WDWNT and Undercover Tourist: Express access to Terror Tram, The Purge: Dangerous Waters, and Killceañera only; requires a same-night HHN ticket | Check Universal's page for current prices | No, per WDWNT and Undercover Tourist | WDWNT and Undercover Tourist |
R.I.P. Tour | Check Universal's page for what it includes | Check Universal's page for current prices | Limited Access to Drift listed (per Universal, read October 12, 2026) | Universal's R.I.P. Tour listings, read October 12, 2026 |
Hollywood Drift Access Add-On | One-time (per day) access to Drift during HHN only, valid on your selected date; Drift hours 7pm to 10pm, subject to change. HHN admission must be bought separately for the same date; no daytime admission or early event access | From $24.95 per person; prices vary by day | Yes — that is the product | Universal's Hollywood Drift Access Add-On page, read October 12, 2026 |
Frequent Fear Pass | Event admission for up to 35 event nights; the eligible dates are listed on Universal's page | $179.00 | No | Universal (see source line below) |
Ultimate Fear Pass | Event admission for all event nights | $299.00 | No | Universal (see source line below) |
Every Universal figure in the table is per Universal's Halloween Horror Nights Event Tickets and Passes page, read October 10, 2026. "From" prices vary by date; the Fear Passes are flat prices on the page. Per the same page, Express and Express Unlimited don't include Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift. Drift access is sold as a standalone add-on that requires HHN admission for the same date, and Universal lists Limited Access to Drift in its R.I.P. Tour packages (read October 12, 2026). I list no price for Universal Express Select or the R.I.P. Tour; check Universal's page for current prices.
Where to buy HHN tickets (the Universal figures in the rest of this section are per Universal's Halloween Horror Nights Event Tickets and Passes page, read October 10, 2026):
Compare HHN Tickets at Get Away Today → — general admission and After 2 PM Day/Night tickets; prices vary by date.
HHN General Admission at Undercover Tourist → — Undercover Tourist's listing describes one event night from 7pm without early entry; Universal lists general admission from $87.00.
HHN After 2PM Day & Night Combo at Undercover Tourist → — Undercover Tourist's listing describes park admission from 2pm plus early event access to select houses; Universal lists the After 2 pm Day/Night ticket from $127.00.
These tickets don't include Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift on their own during the event. Both Undercover Tourist listings and Get Away Today's After 2 PM listing say Drift is not included, and Get Away Today's general admission listing doesn't mention Drift. To ride during HHN, see the Drift add-on section below.
Affiliate disclosure: Some links in this section are affiliate links. Theme Park Network may earn a commission when you book through these links at no additional cost to you.
Which one to buy comes down to three questions. Going once, on a weeknight? General admission covers the event. Going on an October Friday or Saturday, or with only one shot at seeing all eight houses? That is the case Express is built for. Going three or more nights? The Frequent Fear Pass is $179.00 for up to 35 event nights, and the Ultimate Fear Pass is $299.00 for all event nights.
Two combo tickets also bundle daytime park admission: the After 2pm Day/Night ticket, from $127.00, and 1-Day General Admission + HHN, from $184.00. Undercover Tourist's listing says the After 2pm combo includes early event access to select houses. On Drift: the After 2pm listings from Undercover Tourist and Get Away Today both state that Drift access during the event is not included, and Universal sells Drift access as a standalone add-on. Check the terms at checkout. My Universal Studios Hollywood Express Pass Guide covers how daytime Express works if you're pairing a day visit with the event.
Is the Hollywood Drift add-on worth it?
If you are only at the park for HHN and haven't ridden Drift, the add-on is how you ride it that night without buying daytime admission. Universal lists it from $24.95 per person per Universal's Hollywood Drift Access Add-On page, read October 12, 2026; prices vary by day.
Know the limits before you pay. Per the same page, read October 12, 2026:
It is one-time (per day) access to Drift, only during Halloween Horror Nights, valid on your selected date only.
Drift operating hours are 7pm to 10pm, subject to change, and the event begins at 7:00 p.m., subject to change.
It is not valid for HHN admission, which must be purchased separately for the same date.
It does not include daytime park admission or early event access.
The height requirement is 51 inches (129.5 cm).
Universal also lists Limited Access to Drift in its R.I.P. Tour packages. I could not find Universal's stated policy for what happens to the add-on if the coaster is down during your window, so check the terms at purchase.
When should I ride Hollywood Drift during HHN?
Per Universal's Hollywood Drift Access Add-On page, read October 12, 2026, Drift's operating hours for the add-on are 7pm to 10pm (subject to change) and access is one-time. In my opinion, ride early in that window: if you leave it late and the coaster goes down, you may not get another shot that night.
If you also bought Early Event Access, the order is simple: select houses first, then walk to Drift when its hours open at 7pm. Drift is on the Upper Lot, so plan your first Lower Lot houses for after your ride, not before. Also worth planning around: Universal's HHN opening press release lists Super Nintendo World among the attractions open during the event, with hours of 7 to 10pm per Undercover Tourist, and WDWNT reports Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge closes at 10pm.
Before you ride, empty your pockets. Per Universal's September 16, 2026 opening press release, riders must place all belongings in complimentary lockers in the queue and pass through metal detection before entering the ride platform. The height requirement is 51 inches (129.5 cm), per Universal's Hollywood Drift Access Add-On page, read October 12, 2026.
Does HHN Express include Hollywood Drift?
No. Per Universal's Halloween Horror Nights Event Tickets and Passes page, read October 10, 2026, Express and Express Unlimited don't include Hollywood Drift. Drift access is sold as a standalone add-on that needs HHN admission for the same date, and Universal lists Limited Access to Drift in its R.I.P. Tour packages (read October 12, 2026). WDWNT and Undercover Tourist both list Express, Express Unlimited, the Express add-on, and Express Select as excluding Drift. For Drift during HHN, that means the add-on.
What's at HHN Hollywood this year?
Eight haunted houses, the Terror Tram, four scare zones, and a live stunt show, per WDWNT. The houses:
Upper Lot: Hellraiser, Evil Dead Burn, Killceañera: Music by SLASH, Sinners
Lower Lot: Dead, Deader, Deadest; Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness; Killer Klowns From Outer Space; Stranger Things 5
The Terror Tram takes over the backlot with Art the Clown from Terrifier, and The Purge: Dangerous Waters runs in the WaterWorld theater, per WDWNT. Rides reported open during the event include Revenge of the Mummy, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff, Transformers: The Ride-3D, and The Simpsons Ride.
Universal lists an HHN Dining Pass add-on at $59.00 plus tax, per Universal's Halloween Horror Nights Event Tickets and Passes page, read October 10, 2026: two entrées and four side, snack, dessert or beverage items, valid on the selected date only, with separate event admission required. If you'd rather eat a real meal before the gates, my CityWalk Dining Guide has the options. Doing HHN as a date? The Universal Studios Hollywood After Dark guide covers the rest of the night.
Is HHN OK for kids or teens?
Universal warns the event may be too intense for young children and is not recommended for children under 13, per Universal's ticket page. That's Universal's own guidance, not mine.
For teens 13 and up, it depends on the teen. This year's houses draw on R-rated horror franchises, including Hellraiser, Evil Dead, and Terrifier's Art the Clown on the Terror Tram. Costume masks are not allowed, per Universal's ticket terms. Drift's 51-inch height requirement applies during HHN like any other time. Super Nintendo World is open during the event, per Universal's HHN opening press release, from 7 to 10pm per Undercover Tourist, which gives younger teens a non-horror break.
For kids under 13, the daytime park is the better fit — start with my Complete Universal Studios Hollywood Guide.
Sarah's Take
For most people, general admission plus Early Event Access is the smart buy, and Express is only worth its price on an October Friday or Saturday when you have exactly one night. I haven't ridden Drift yet, so I'm not going to tell you what it feels like — but if you want it during HHN, the add-on is the move, and you ride it at 7pm sharp, not late in the night. Eat at CityWalk before you go in; you don't want to spend house time standing in a food line. And if you have the flexibility, a September weeknight beats any October weekend.
— Sarah "Screamscape" Jenkins, Universal & Coaster Specialist
Tickets
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood?
On 42 select nights from September 3 through November 1, 2026, starting at 7pm, per Universal.
Which HHN Hollywood nights sell out?
Universal has not published a sold-out list for Hollywood this year. Undercover Tourist says the event can sell out most nights.
How much is the Hollywood Drift add-on during HHN?
From $24.95 per person per Universal's Hollywood Drift Access Add-On page, read October 12, 2026; prices vary by day. It gives one-time (per day) access to Drift during HHN only, on your selected date, and requires separate HHN admission for the same date.
Does HHN Express include Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift?
No. Per Universal's Halloween Horror Nights Event Tickets and Passes page, read October 10, 2026, Express and Express Unlimited don't include Drift. Drift access is sold as a standalone add-on that needs HHN admission for the same date, and Universal lists Limited Access to Drift in its R.I.P. Tour packages (read October 12, 2026).
When should I ride Hollywood Drift during HHN?
As early as you can in the add-on's 7pm to 10pm window, per Universal's Hollywood Drift Access Add-On page, read October 12, 2026 (hours subject to change). Access is one-time, so riding late leaves no room if the coaster goes down.
Is Halloween Horror Nights OK for kids?
Universal warns the event may be too intense for young children and is not recommended for children under 13, per Universal's ticket page.
Related Guides
Guide by Sarah "Screamscape" Jenkins | Universal & Coaster Specialist | Theme Park Network
Last Updated: October 2026. HHN prices vary by night and Universal has changed ticket terms mid-season — verify current pricing and inclusions on the official Universal Studios Hollywood website before you buy.
Sarah "Screamscape" Jenkins
Universal & Coaster Expert
Sarah grew up in Ohio with Cedar Point as her home park, which means she measures a good day by G-forces and airtime. She has ridden over 300 distinct roller coasters across North America and knows exactly how to maximize an Express Pass at Universal Studios.
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Sandusky, OH
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