Universal Studios Hollywood launches 2026 Halloween Horror Nights

The 2026 Halloween Horror Nights season has launched at Universal Studios Hollywood, featuring eight haunted houses including titles such as ‘Stranger Things 5’, ‘Hellraiser’, ‘Sinners’, and ‘Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness’.

While the event has seen strong opening-night interest, it has also faced challenges. Some guests have reported technical malfunctions and broken effects within several haunted houses. Additionally, Universal is implementing tighter controls on roaming scare actors, such as Nikki from ‘Obsession’, following previous incidents at Universal Orlando where popular characters like Art the Clown were subjected to inappropriate guest behavior, including being touched, chased, or cornered.

For visitors, the event runs on select nights through November 1. Strategies to avoid long lines include utilizing daytime admission or ‘Scream Early’ tickets to visit houses like ‘Hellraiser’ during early afternoon windows.