A Scary Good Time at Halloween Horror Nights

Dating back to October 9, 1997, Universal Studios Hollywood has taken pride in terrorizing thrill-seeking park-goers for 25 years with its annual event Halloween Horror Nights (HHN). And with incredible haunted houses (with themes that change each year), bone-chilling scare zones, colorful merchandise and delicious Halloween-themed eats, the event’s popularity has only continued to grow each year.

And as the curtain closes on another successful spooky season, travelers who couldn’t make the trip to Tinseltown might be wondering what HHN 2022 was all about. Whether they’re planning a visit for the first time, looking to continue a spooky tradition or are looking for all the gory details, here’s what travelers need to know.

Scare Zones and Haunted Houses

With eight adrenaline-inducing haunted houses and three sinister scare zones, there’s no predicting what chills and thrills await around every corner as the usually family-friendly park is transformed into a sinister playground with no shortage of things that go bump in the night.

As park-goers navigate the grounds, eerie lighting and a ghoulish soundtrack sets the scene, can they escape the grasp of the well-decorated crew of monsters that lie in wait? Immersive scare zones like 2022’s El Pueblo del Terror, Sideshow Slaughterhouse and Clownsawz act as homes to some of the event’s creepiest cast members including werewolves, performers from a runaway freakshow, plague doctors (on stilts, no less) and more.

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After successfully evading capture, it’s time for visitors to make their way to the real stars of the show — the haunted houses. Decked out to the nines with movie-worthy sets and decor paired with perfectly timed scares designed to both delight and terrify, HHN truly takes the traditional haunt experience to a whole new level. This year’s selections included a plethora of spine-tingling options to choose from including The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare, Halloween, The Horrors of Blumhouse, Universal Monsters: Legends Collide, Killer Klowns From Outer Space, La Llorona: The Weeping Woman, Scarecrow: The Reaping and Universal Horror Hotel.

And, in a new addition to HHN, Death Eaters roamed The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ for the first time ever. From the cover of darkness in secluded alleyways and far-off nooks and crannies, the unnerving group descended upon Hogwarts in search of muggles willing to pledge their allegiance to the Dark Lord. One can only hope that the presence of these unsavory witches and wizards marked the beginning of a new tradition at HHN for years to come.

The Terror Tram

A ride so epic it’s worthy of its own merch, the HHN Terror Tram offers visitors a behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood’s movie magic as they ride past long-abandoned sets and backlots as seen in famous feature films. But, there’s a catch, upon the Terror Tram’s 2022 return, the lots were infiltrated by chainsaw-wielding clowns amongst a handful of other ghoulish fiends, oh my! And that’s not all, after reaching the end of the road, travelers were left to fend for themselves, navigating the remainder of the maze-like path by foot and dodging ghouls in the process. Whether they exited the tram car with reluctance or with excitement, this thrilling detour was anything but predictable with no shortage of jump scares and the oppressive feeling of paranoia as a demented clown kept watch from just outside the tree line.

As travelers approached the exit, a familiar sight for horror fans came into view — the Jupiter’s Claim set from Jordan Peele’s latest thriller, NOPE. Instantly recognizable props like the inflatable rendition of Steven Yeun’s cowboy-clad character and a series of Air Dancers dotted the western-themed lot as members of The Tethered — a group of downright frightening, scissor-holding creeps pictured in Peel’s 2019 film Us — linked arms and stared ominously as visitors scurried toward the exit.

The Food

Little known fact, screaming burns a lot of calories. Luckily, Universal Studios Hollywood has plenty of places for travelers to fuel up. And those who like their food the way they like their haunted houses — deliciously horrifying —, will be happy to find HHN-inspired fare scattered throughout the park.

While tried and true favorites like massive confections from Lard Lad Donuts and traditional English nosh from The Three Broomsticks are always on the menu, special items that only come around once a year are also on the table. This year, El Pueblo del Terror dished up spooky Mexican food and drink at Día De Los Muertos Bar and Little Cocina with limited-time offerings like Beef Birria Tacos with Red Sauce, Muerte Margaritas and Sugar Cookies with the option for visitors to choose between a sugar skill or HHN logo. Also special for 2022 was The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare Bar where park-goers could imbibe in specialty cocktails and enjoy unique snacks like Save Your Fears — a concoction made from vodka, grapefruit and lime juices with a tajin rim, Blinding Lights — vodka, sour apple liquor, lime juice and club soda served with lighted ice cubes and Seasoned or Pizza Fries. Spooktacular.

About the Author

Senior Editor for VAX VacationAccess and world explorer, Jenna loves writing about all things travel. When she’s not busy creating content, she spends her time exploring the great outdoors, cuddling with her two black cats and researching her next big (sometimes strange) adventure.