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Grecia Chavez

Universal Studio's HHN was a fun and thrilling experience.

On October 11, I visited Universal Studios Hollywood for this year’s Halloween Horror Nights and it was a mix of terrifying mazes, creepy atmosphere, long lines, and some surprisingly good food. Two of the most talked-about mazes were Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNAF) and Terrifier.

The FNAF maze was super detailed, with impressive sets and animatronics that looked like they came straight from the game. The scares weren’t always perfectly timed since sometimes you could see them coming, but fans of the game will love how accurate it felt.

Terrifier, on the other hand, was much more intense. It used gross smells, flashing lights, and sudden loud noises to make you feel very uneasy. At times it was a little too overwhelming, especially when the crowd inside the maze slowed down the pace.

Other strong mazes included The Jason Universe, which brought classic slasher vibes, and Poltergeist, which was creepy in all the right ways. Overall, the mazes were creative and well-designed. If you are someone who enjoys being scared, these mazes are definitely for you. Kayla Duke (12) comments, “I went to HHN two nights in a row this year and really enjoyed the mazes. My favorite was Los Monstrous since it was the scariest personally.” 

Lines were one of the biggest issues of the night. Early on, some mazes had short waits of about 20–30 minutes, but by 9 p.m., most popular ones had wait times of over two hours. Some even reached 180 minutes. The Express Pass seemed to be better, but even those lines weren’t always fast. Crowds in the walkways made it hard to get from one maze to another quickly.

One of the best surprises was the themed food. While I didn’t try it myself, there was a Fazbear’s spaghetti pizza, which sounds strange but has gotten good reviews on TikTok. There were also fun desserts like creepy cupcakes and Halloween churros. Some food stands did run out of popular items later in the night, like the Butter Beer in Harry Potter World, so I’d recommend eating early.

Regular rides like Jurassic World and Mummy had shorter lines during HHN, making them a nice break from the horror. Maddie Juhl (12) explains, “I get scared easily so being able to enjoy the rides in between mazes was a nice balance.” The atmosphere was what really made the night special. With spooky music and scare actors hiding around every corner it truly felt like stepping into a haunted world.

Overall, the scares were fun, the food was tasty, and it was a great experience with friends. But the long waits and heavy crowds did take away from the experience a bit. If you plan to go this year, my advice is to get there early, eat early, and go to your favorite mazes first!