If you’re going to visit a Universal theme park at one time during the year, then that time should be now, during Halloween Horror Nights. The event is the highlight of the season for Universal Studios Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood, with 10 terrifying haunted houses in Florida and eight in California, including both original concepts and popular franchises like Fallout and Five Nights at Freddy’s.
The full list of everything there is to do at Halloween Horror Nights in 2025 is such that you’ll likely want to do everything the event has to offer, the thing is, unless you’re willing to drop the cash for a Frequent Fear Pass in order to go on multiple nights, or spring for the line-skipping Express Pass, doing everything in one night is likely impossible.
It Costs Money To Do It All In One Night At HHN
Even if you’re able to push your way through every house one after another, you’d miss out on other great stuff like Scarezones and the delicious food that Halloween Horror Nights offers, which is why we recommend you don’t try to do only houses. But if you go in knowing you won’t do it all, which ones do you do?
Well, it depends on which coast you’re on. Both CinemaBlend’s social media manager, Tiffney Ma, and I attended one event. We have compared notes, and here’s what we think.
Terrifier (Florida And Hollywood)
No matter which HHN you attend, Terrifier is a house worth seeing. This house is a stomach-turning dive into the twisted world of Terrifier, featuring the sadistic killer clown, Art the Clown. Shocking gore, chaotic atmosphere, and chilling scenes capture the horror and brutality that fans of the slasher franchise love. Expect to be stalked by Art as he goes on a bloody rampage through the house.
This was an absolute thrill for those who enjoy extreme terror. Few, if any, HHN houses have gone quite this hard when it comes to violence and gore. The house made Tiffney more interested in the Terrifier movies. It made a friend of mine literally wretch when he got out. Either way, it’s a big win.
Five Nights at Freddy’s (Florida Only)
Based on the video game series and the new movie franchise, this house brings the terrifying animatronics of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza to life. As you walk through, you are surrounded by these creepy characters as they move in for the kill. The tension is palpable as you navigate through dark hallways, never knowing when the next animatronic will spring to life. The attention to detail is top-notch.
The animated characters are the creations of the iconic Henson Creature Shop, and in addition to jumping out and scaring you, they also perform on stage as they would in the Chuck E. Cheese-inspired pizza restaurant that the house recreates. That said, Florida gives fans three characters on stage in the house’s big set piece, while the version at Universal Hollywood only has one, which is a bit of a letdown, and makes this one worth recommending only in Florida.
Monstrous 3: The Ghosts Of Latin America. (Hollywood Only)
For the last two years, Universal Studios Hollywood has offered houses based on very specific monsters, the terrible creatures from Latin America. Each one has been incredible, and this year the trilogy is completed with the third iteration of the house., This one has some absolutely incredible set pieces, including giant monsters that eat scareactors alive.
This house is only available at Universal Studios Hollywood. However, a version of the first Monstrous house did make its way to Orlando last year, so it’s possible we could see this one make the leap at some point in the future.
The Horrors of The Wyatt Sicks (Florida And Hollywood)
Not everybody is a fan of professional wrestling, but don’t let that stop you from experiencing the horror of the Wyatt Sicks. It turned out to be one of the best ones this year. This house delves into the dark history of the Wyatt Sicks family and the twisted horrors that plague them. You’ll experience grotesque rituals, horrifying family secrets, and disturbing visions. The house is a deep dive into an unsettling Southern Gothic nightmare, with plenty of eerie moments that feel like you’re trapped inside
These two houses are significantly different in Florida and California, with the Orlando version including more WWE-specific elements and the version in California focusing more on the story of the characters. But either way, this is one you don’t want to miss.
Dolls: Let’s Play Dead (Florida Only)
This is an original IP for Universal. This house is filled with menacing, creepy dolls that seem harmless at first, but then they start to move. Absolute nightmare fuel. The atmosphere is a twisted playhouse where every doll is tortured in different ways, making it a terrifying journey into a world of childhood innocence turned sinister. Expect jump scares and spine-chilling moments as the dolls come to life in the most unsettling ways. If you don’t think you’re afraid of dolls, you might change your mind after walking through this house.
This house is exclusive to Halloween Horror Nights in Florida. You won’t even find it in California, which is a shame since it’s so good. Maybe next year.
Jason Un1v3se (Hollywood Only)
While Tiffney didn’t love the version of Jason Un1v3se that she experienced in Florida, I have to say that the version at Universal Studios Hollywood was absolutely a top-four house. I’m not even that big a fan of Friday the 13th as a franchise, but I still loved this house, which had some absolutely incredible scares that blended static figures with active scareactors in creative ways to cause maximum fright.
If you have the time to do more than four houses, you absolutely should. There’s plenty more to enjoy at Halloween Horror Nights. Just outside each of our top four rankings, we had El Artista: A Spanish Haunting in Orlando, a creative original house with a ton of atmosphere, and Hollywood’s Scarecrow: Music by Slash, which lets the Guns ‘N’ Roses guitarist put his own musical twist on a classic HHN house.
