Scooby-Doo mashing up with Universal Monsters for new attraction
Scooby-Doo will mash up with the Universal Classic Monsters for a new attraction at Universal Fan Fest Nights 2026.
Universal Monsters image courtesy of Universal
The experience is titled “Scooby-Doo Meets the Universal Monsters: Mystery on the Backlot.” It’s part of the after-hours Universal Fan Fest Nights, returning to Universal Studios Hollywood near Los Angeles, Calif., select nights from April 23 – May 16, 2026.
Universal first teased the new experience with Mystery, Inc. on Sept. 26, 2025, and revealed new details on Jan. 15, 2026:
This all-new, immersive walk-through adventure is designed to give guests the sensation of stepping into a live-action mystery with the Scooby-Doo gang and the Universal Monsters.
Guests will travel to the destination via Studio Tour tram, where they have a chance to walk along a movie studio backlot with Scooby-Doo himself and his pals Fred, Daphne, Velma, and Shaggy. The exciting escapade will challenge them to solve a mystery involving the most legendary Universal Monsters in cinematic history, including Frankenstein, Dracula, Bride of Frankenstein, and Wolf Man, as they navigate portions of Universal’s world-famous outdoor film sets, from the cobblestone streets of Little Europe to the iconic Court of Miracles, the original filming locations for historic Universal horror films “Frankenstein” (1931) and “The Wolf Man” (1941).
The Universal Monsters franchise includes the studio’s vintage characters who defined the horror genre of early filmmaking, such as Frankenstein’s Monster, the Bride of Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy, and the Wolf Man, among others.
Scooby Doo x Universal Monsters: what to expect
The story of the experience goes that guests are being cast as extras in a new movie featuring the Universal Monsters. In classic fashion, something goes horribly wrong. Before we get to the Little Europe backlot, our tram breaks down and we’re introduced to the stories villain on the tram monitors. The Phantom Director is going to release the Universal Monsters and they’re going to wreak havoc.
The Scooby Gang will then appear on the tram monitors letting us know that they need our help discovering the identity of The Phantom Director. Once we arrive at the Little Europe and Court of Miracles backlot, the space will be full of exploratory nooks and crannies. Guests will be given a guide to help solve the mystery. We’ll need to solve clues and figure out which of the four suspects is our Phantom Director.
Activations will be happening throughout the night on the backlot. It’s the guest’s job to experience these activations and interact with the characters. Once you think you’ve solved the mystery, you will go to a pulsed finale scene where the Phantom Director is unmasked, and you’ll find out whether or not you’re correct. The experience will be ever-changing, including different endings to the mystery throughout the event.
Specialty food and merchandise
During Fan Fest Nights, fans of Scooby-Doo and Universal Monsters have numerous food and merchandise offerings unique to this event.
All food and merchandise photos are by Jeff DePaoli
Tickets and info
Fan Fest Nights, which debuted in 2025, brings fandoms to life through exclusive, immersive activations of varying scales. Tickets start at $74.
Other activations for Universal Fan Fest Nights 2026 include a new “Harry Potter” walkthrough attraction themed to the Forbidden Forest, a new “One Piece” show in the Water World amphitheater, a new version of last year’s Yoshi celebration in Super Nintendo World, and the return of the walkthrough “Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of the Waterdeep.”
We recently saw Scooby and the gang at another after-hours event, Volcano Bay Nights at Universal Orlando, where they thwarted the classic Ghost Clown villain:
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