Universal Orlando opened Halloween Horror Nights 2026 at Universal Studios Florida on Aug. 28, beginning the event’s 35th anniversary season with 10 haunted houses and 49 select nights through Nov. 1.
The event’s central story is the Infernal Carnival of Nightmares, overseen by Halloween Horror Nights icons Jack the Clown and Dr. Oddfellow. The 2026 lineup mixes licensed horror properties with original houses and returning characters.
Ten haunted houses open at Universal Studios Florida
The 2026 houses are Stranger Things 5, Sinners, Hellraiser, Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness, Evil Dead Burn, Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control, INVASION: Alien Abduction, H.R. Bloodengutz Presents: A Halloween Fright-Tacular!, MADLANDS: Caged Cannibals and Cybergoria.
Club Juke is the Sinners house, H.R. Bloodengutz gets a final Halloween special and Hellraiser returns to the Lament Configuration. The original houses include a remote alien abduction, a post-apocalyptic wasteland and a world where machines harvest human bodies.
Four scare zones and a HamiKuma greeting extend into the streets
Guests encounter Downtown Clowntown, Fortnitemares, Infernal Carnival of Nightmares and Sideshow of Decay. The streets also include Mel’s Die-In: Zombies, Club Horror and roaming Chainsaw Hordes.
For the first time, HamiKuma has a meet-and-greet inside the Five & Dime merchandise location.
Two live shows and 49 event nights anchor the opening season
Stranger Things: Return to Hawkins is a new nighttime lagoon show with scenes projected across water screens, while Nightmare Fuel: Blood Noir returns with a new vampire-themed production. The event runs on select nights through Nov. 1.
Single-night tickets, Frequent Fear Passes, Express Passes, the R.I.P. Tour and Behind the Screams tours are on sale through Universal Orlando’s official Halloween Horror Nights site. Universal hotel guests receive a priority event entrance from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., and participating hotels have offers that can save up to 30% on stays of five nights or more.
Sources: Universal Orlando Resort’s Aug. 28 press release and Universal Orlando’s official Halloween Horror Nights site.
Image: Universal Orlando Resort media release.