If you’re wanting to get an early start to your HHN night, the Scream Early ticket offers admission into Universal Studios Florida from 3-5pm.

At 5pm you’ll wait in a Stay & Scream area until the event begins. The ticket is $55.00 per person, plus tax.

How Does Entry Into Halloween Horror Nights Work?

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando starts at 6:30 p.m., but the turnstile gates typically open 15 minutes early. 

I suggest arriving at least 45 minutes before the official opening on weekdays and at least 90 minutes on weekends and weekdays in mid to late October. If you are already in the park for the day, or want to get a head start on other HHN guests, you should utilize Stay and Scream.

Guests with HHN tickets who arrive after 5 p.m. will wait in a line outside the park. But those who arrive before 5 p.m. can wait in a designated Stay and Scream area instead of exiting and re-entering the park.

HHN33 Event Map

Stay and Scream

One of the best ways to maximize your HHN event night: stay inside Universal Studios Florida during the turnover from daytime admission to HHN. 

You can knock out 2-3 haunted houses with Stay and Scream. It’s essentially like Early Park Admission but for HHN. It is your best way to see all the houses at HHN33 without buying a HHN Express Pass.

Here’s How Stay and Scream Works in 2024:

• Have a daytime regular admission ticket, have a valid annual pass, or have purchased a Scream Early Ticket ($55 before tax)

• Event admission for the same day is required and not included. Guests who arrive at Universal Studios after 5 pm forfeit their Scream Early Ticket.

• Be inside the park before closing at 5:00 p.m.

• Choose from the 3 Stay and Scream areas 

• Find the Stay and Scream Team Member out front to scan your HHN ticket

• You'll wait in the designated Stay and Scream holding areas after the park officially closes at 5:00 p.m.

• Select haunted houses open between 5:15 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. for early access before the park opens at 6:30 p.m.

2024 Stay and Scream Areas

For HHN33, there are 3 Stay and Scream areas, each offering early access to a set of houses or other HHN offerings. 

1. New York

2. World Expo aka Lombard’s Seafood Grille

3. Today Cafe 

Note: The Simpsons area is NOT available for Stay & Scream during HHN33, & this holding area will not lead you to Springfield

New York Stay and Scream Area

The New York Stay and Scream area let guests out near the “Insidious: The Further,”  “A Quiet Place,” “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” and :Triplets of Terror", and  "Major Sweets Candy Factory" haunted houses.

You'll enter this Stay and Scream area at Minion Cafe.

Plan to get inside this holding area between 3:45 and 4 p.m. (the earlier the better, especially if you want to get food or drink) Food booths, Finnegan’s Bar & Grill also stay open in New York.

Triplets of Terror, opens at 6:00. It does not have a dedicated early line. You can head directly to the standard queue for this house when it opens.

World Expo + Lombard’s Seafood Grille Stay and Scream Area

The World Expo Stay and Scream area lets you out for The Museum: Deadly Exhibits, Slaughter Sinema 2, Goblin's Feast, and Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines haunted houses.

You’ll enter this Stay and Scream location outside of Lombard’s Seafood Grille. 

Plan to enter the holding area between 4:30 and 5 p.m., grab a snack or a cocktail from Chez Alcatraz, and wait to be released.

Slaughter Sinema 2 AND The Museum: Deadly Exhibits & , open at 6:00. They do not have dedicated early access lines. You can head directly to the standard queues for these houses when they open.

Today Cafe Stay and Scream Area

The Today Cafe Stay and Scream area lets you out near Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America haunted house.

This location technically offers a view of the Opening Scaremonies. However, the view isn’t great.

Stay and Scream Benefits

• Save money by not having to buy Universal HHN Express 

• Access to food and drinks while you wait

• Access to restrooms

• You’ll be able to jump into your top haunted house lines before the crowds from the front of the park reaches them

2024 Stay and Scream Tips

Prepare for the rain, sun and heat during Stay & Scream – pack an umbrella, hydrate, and stay in the shade as queues are outside.

2024 Stay and Scream Strategy

Not sure which house line you should choose once you’ve entered Stay & Scream?

To best take advantage of Stay and Scream, you'll want to choose the New York Stay and Scream area for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire house, and Insidious: Into The Further.

 ‘Ghosbusters: Frozen Empire’ & ‘Insidious: The Further’ are the houses that open first! You’ll want to head to Ghostbusters first and then knock out Insidious. You’ll then be able to get through one or two more houses before the main gate opens. 

New York Stay & Scream:

• ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ & ‘Insidious: The Further’ open at 5:15 PM, followed by ‘A Quiet Place’ & ‘Major Sweets Candy Factory’. 

World Expo Stay & Scream:

• ‘Goblin’s Feast’ and ‘Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines’ open at 5:45PM.

Halloween Horror Nights 33 takes place on select nights from August 30, 2024, through November 3, 2024. The event runs from 6:30pm to 2am every night.