Scaredy cats guide to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando

Right off the bat, let me say my Halloween Horror Nights experience wasn’t nearly as horrifying as I expected – and, yes, I realize haunted houses change from year to year, so that may not always be the case. Nevertheless, I discovered a few strategies that definitely dialed down the “fear factor” for me, so I hope they’ll encourage even the scaredy-est of cats to try the event at least once (even if just to say you did).

P.S. Halloween Horror Nights does not offer a “No Boo” lanyard, so if you’re there, you’re scare-able. Also keep in mind Universal does not recommend the event for kids under 13.

Okay, scaredy cats, here we go:

Never Go Alone

There’s a reason this is the event’s tagline, and while you’ll definitely make friends with strangers very quickly if you do decide to go solo, a few of my tips and tricks depend on contact and/or cooperation with your maze mates, so friends and family are obviously preferred.

Timing is Everything

Many of the scares in the haunted houses are of the jump variety, but the good news is, they’re timed, so if you look ahead, you can see (and hear) them coming. At least most of the time. Also, the “scareactors” usually step out from behind a corner, so you’ll quickly learn to look for hiding places.

After spotting impending jump scares, my strategy is threefold:

1. Bob and Weave – if the scare is coming soon, scurry past and let the scareactor “get” the person behind you; if it’s far enough ahead, linger until they get the person before you.
2. Avert Your Eyes – This is pretty straightforward: If the scare is on the left, look right; If it’s on the right, look left. Will you miss some of the cool costumes and masks? Yes. Did I care? Definitely not!
3. Mirrors Are Not Your Friend – You think it’s a mirror until you realize someone (or something) is lurking behind the glass, so resist the urge to check your hair. Same for windows and paintings. (See #2).

I also heavily relied on those in front of me to tell me what was coming and paid it forward (or backward, as the case may be) by similarly alerting those who followed.

Oh, and one last thing: Just because you see the exit, it doesn’t mean the jump scares are over

Misery Loves Company

Even the bravest souls admit they will get scared if the house is haunted enough, so there’s no shame in clutching your neighbors for dear life (though this is where the “Never Go Alone” thing is helpful).

Since everyone “conga lines” through the mazes single file anyway, it’s very easy to hold onto someone’s hand, arm, shoulder, backpack, or anything else. And, after all, the monsters can’t get both of you, right?

Scare Zones Can Be Managed

Scare zones are certainly less predictable than houses because the haunts are “free-range,” but there’s also room to dodge them. Scare seekers will 100% linger to interact with the scareactors, so I quickly discovered if I walked with purpose, I was (usually) able to make it through with minimal interaction. Another plus is these scares are out in the open, so you can (usually) see them coming.

While avoiding every scare zone is impossible, you can minimize the number you pass through (and choose the smallest and/or least scary to navigate).

Take Breaks

Scare lovers will power through as many haunted houses as wait times allow, but you don’t have to, and thankfully, parts of the park have no scares at all (Hooray!)

Seek out the areas with family-friendly franchises, like Springfield (thank you, Simpsons) and the new Minion Land. The scares aren’t welcome here, so you can breathe easy and take a well-deserved break.

Keep in mind the previously scare-free Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley has now been taken over by Death Eaters during Halloween Horror Nights.

Lights On Before Lights Off

A lot of what makes Halloween Horror Nights scary is the fact that it’s dark, but what if it wasn’t?

Universal offers separately ticketed daytime lights-on tours of 3 or 6 select haunted houses. These tours are specifically designed to take the scare out by revealing some of the movie making secrets Universal uses to create the houses – and after seeing them with the lights on, they’re much less intimidating when the lights are off.

A RIP Tour is Money Well Spent

Like daytime VIP tours, Halloween Horror Nights RIP tours allow you to skip the queues for expedited entry to every single haunted house (but as we just discussed, you can skip some).

You know the saying, “The evil you know is better than the evil you don’t know”? Well, for me, the biggest plus of the RIP Tour is the RIP Tour Guide, who not only steers you through the experience but also provides detailed explanations of the backstory of the houses, which, in several cases, eliminated much of the fear factor for me. Once I understood the story, the characters, and the “journey” I was supposed to be on, it was much less scary (of course, I still bobbed, weaved, and averted my eyes).

So, how are we feeling, scaredy cats? Ready to take on Halloween Horror Nights? If so, Congratulations! Click here for more information – and great news the separately ticketed event runs on select nights through Nov. 4, 2023, so you still have plenty of time to go (maybe even more than once).

By the way, did you know, screaming is good for you? See you in the fog!

If you’re still unsure, check out our videos below for a look inside the two houses I liked most.