Halloween Horror Nights Tips Going into 2025

HHN Tips Going into HHN 2025

I have a few years of experience with Halloween Horror Nights, I have shown up for stay and scream multiple times per year, I have closed it down a few times a year, I have even went to the team member preview of this event. It is safe to say I love the event. It started in 2018 with a terrible trip in the heat of September but it has grown into a yearly event I can’t wait to go to.  Here are a few tips to survive the night as of right now, before my trip to the new version of HHN 2025.

Be prepared to wait—The worst part about any theme park is the waiting in line. HHN is even worse as most of these queues are not indoors, and not themed. They are giant corrals you wait in. The good news? It is typically constantly moving. You can also time them correctly, you can have minimized wait. Be okay with waiting if you don’t want to shell out the cash for express or R.I.P. tours.

Bring a water bottle—Horror Nights goes on in the early fall of Orlando. It might be cold in other parts of the world, but it is not cold in Orlando. The best thing you can do is stay hydrated as you travel through the park for hours trying to hit every house. You don’t really sit down much during HHN. It is high energy event with lots of walking. There are Coke Freestyle stations throughout the park, and they are completely free to dispense water out of them. Off the top of my head, they have one in almost every restaurant, there is one by the crepe stand by Central Park, there is one in front of the Rockit, there are two in front of Men in Black on the other side of the ride’s gift shop, there is one in between the bridge and the bathrooms in front of the show stage, one is in front of Lombard’s. I might be missing a couple of them, but these will be more than enough to keep you pushing throughout the night. Just make sure that it is EMPTY before you walk into security.

Bring a poncho—Especially in September but also it could happen in October. Florida has the ability to rain every day of Summer and into the Fall. I have been in numerous lines where it was raining outside and we were just getting destroyed by the rain. So much so, that the walkways were flooded. It can also rain the entire night. Mostly off and on rain showers. This ticket isn’t exactly cheap, so most people just brave the rain. I remember last year where it was pouring down rain in a line and I looked around to see people just being bombarded by rain, with no umbrella, no poncho, and no rain jacket. Universal has taken steps to cover most of the lines or have them inside, which is very nice.

Wear Crocs—Piggybacking on the last point of rain gear. I love wearing Crocs to this event. Be extra careful with the radar and if there’s a chance of rain, bring your Crocs. I know it is difficult to walk around in, but I would much rather be walking long distances in Crocs than walking in wet socks and shoes. If it rains, it can really flood the back of house walking paths. Maybe bring a backpack with them in it just in case. Florida rain is no joke. It can rain all night.

Do back of the park first, front of the park last—This is a constant tip I have for any theme parks. For rope drop, do not go to the biggest attraction in the park. Go to the ones directly underneath those. I.E. Velocicoaster instead of Hagrid’s. Hit Hagrid as your LAST ride of the day. You can find the park maps on the app. The biggest houses are going to be at the front of the park. Five Nights at Freddys, Terrifier, and the most hyped original house, El Artista. What I want to do is Jason first which is in the mid-point if you get there early enough. If you are late, skip Jason and go to the back and hit Fallout, and the three original houses. These original houses will be quick to get on before the crowds really start flowing to the back of the park. Enjoy your pacing throughout the night, go do rides, enjoy scare zones, try food, and really focus on original houses. In the last hours of the event, go to the front and hit the lesser houses and end the night on Five Nights at Freddys, one of the most popular at the event.

Take a Break—High energy, lots of walking, large crowds, and most of the time—a lot of heat. Trying to do every single house and sprinting from line to line is a great way to have a worse time. Enjoy yourself. Go quick at the start and end of the night but relax in the messy middle. Where it is the most crowded, lines are full of express, and it is just a mad house. Instead of waiting in the lines. Enjoy the show they put on, enjoy the unique food and beverage opportunities. Walk through the scarezones. Go sit down on some attractions and enjoy the A/C. Go 100% in the beginning and end. Go 35% in the middle. If you don’t have express—depending on the day—it is difficult to get through every house, and sometimes it can be at the expense of your enjoyment. There are a few breathing areas around, with A/C, bathrooms, food, and water. Enjoy your time in there. If you are staying on property, just go back to your hotel after stay and scream and enjoy a night swim. Return after a few hours for the end of the night.

Do Stay and Scream if you can—As a local, I always take this opportunity when it is given to me. Especially now that Universal has made a slight change to its rules where you can enjoy the park while waiting for the houses to open up. This is the best opportunity to get on as many houses as possible. Once again, start at the back, or start at Jason in the middle. The lines open generally about an hour before the regular guests are let in so you can really take advantage. Knocking out four houses before the regular guests are let in is a huge head start. It is just a small hit on theming as the scare zones aren’t open and it is still daytime. I once walked into the Darkest Deal house during stay and scream, and I bumped into some props because my eyes couldn’t get adjusted quickly enough. This is a $50 extra on the base HHN ticket if you don’t have a ticket to Universal that day.

Close it down if you can—This is the next lowest crowd levels. Hit the most popular house at the end of the night. Most of the crowds have cleared out. The express line will be closed down if you hit a line at close which will speed up the lines naturally. I usually hit Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom as my last attraction of the night and the wait times are usually a FRACTION of what they were during the day.

Learn from my mistakes. Walking in soaked shoes and socks is awful. Waiting in a two-hour line without a water bottle in the Florida heat is AWFUL. Going going going the entire event is awful. Use the tools that you have, get in there early, or stay late. If you are an on property guest, preferably within walking distance to Universal like the Portofino or Hard Rock, you can stay and scream, go back to the hotel, rest, eat, sleep, swim, and then go back to close out the night.