Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) is my favorite Halloween theme park event of the year. I don't just love the 10 intricately-themed haunted houses and five jump scare-inducing scare zones. HHN has an entertaining nightly show, incredible food, and some of the most fun retail shopping of the year. There's lots for couples to do on an HHN date night.
Halloween Horror Nights will take place on select nights from August 30-November 3, 2024. While all the gory details and themes will be announced soon, tickets are now available for purchase.
There's also lots of time for cuddling each other to stay safe in all of the spookiness. And, the attractions inside Universal Studios are open. During the event, couples can hop on favorite rides like Revenge of the Mummy and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit.
As a frequent attendee of HHN, I've found the best solution to having an amazing evening at the event and fitting in everything I want to see and do. Private and group R.I.P Tours can be a bit pricey, but I've never regretted the cost and do at least one every season. Here's what to expect and what's included in a Halloween Horror Nights RIP Tour.
What to expect during a Halloween Horror Nights RIP Tour
Let's review what is included in the RIP Tour experience so you can see why it is totally worth the cost. Knowing what to expect ahead of time will help you get your money's worth. And don't forget to review our Halloween Horror Nights Tips before you go.
Save Time With an R.I.P. Tour
If you and your sweetie love Halloween and haunted houses, it's worth looking into. R.I.P Tour guides take you to the front of the line at every haunted house and share behind-the-scenes knowledge of the event and its lore.
Standard one-night tickets to HHN start at $82.99 per person, but it's important to know a regular ticket does little to help with the long lines at most of the haunted houses. Express Pass is available starting at $129.99 per person, but even those lines can be a bit long and chaotic.
It's not uncommon for HHN guests to choose just a few must-see haunted houses. That's so there's time for eating and drinking, catching the Nightmare Fuel Revenge Dream show, and exploring areas like the HHN Tribute Store.
In fact, plenty of locals return to HHN several nights during the season just to fit everything in. But the RIP Tour can make your dreams, or rather nightmares, come true in just one night.
Here are some things to know about an R.I.P Tour at Halloween Horror Nights:
- A group Halloween Horror Nights R.I.P. tour starts at $359.99 per person.
In this type of tour, you'll be paired with other Universal guests for a structured tour led by an R.I.P. Tour guide. - A private Halloween Horror Nights R.I.P. tour can cost a bit more per person.
It accommodates a private group of up to 12 people, who get their own guide for the night. - Both tours include private V.I.P entry to all Horror Nights haunted houses and participating rides and attractions.
Also included are an R.I.P. Tour credential, lanyard, and button. There's also a dinner reception at Café La Bamba, reserved seating at the Nightmare Fuel Revenge Dream show, and exclusive V.I.P cash bars throughout the park. - Private R.I.P Tour guests can completely customize their itinerary. Group tour itineraries are set by the tour guide.
- Guests doing group tours receive Express Pass, which they can use to skip the lines before and after their tour. Private tour guests can be escorted to the front of any attraction line by their guide.
- Group R.I.P. Tours can be booked online, but guests must call (866)346-9350 to book a private tour.
- Neither tour includes HHN admission. You must also purchase an HHN ticket for the night of your R.I.P. Tour.
I Took a Private R.I.P. Tour as a Group Date Night
Along with several other couples, my husband and I recently booked a private R.I.P Tour. We spent the night touring haunted houses and getting jump-scared as much as we wanted.
We checked in for the tour around 5:30 and were able to hang out with our guide until 2 a.m. The highlight of any R.I.P. Tour is skipping the sometimes brutal lines.
With our guide's help, we hit all 10 haunted houses and did about half of the houses twice. In fact, my party loved the Stranger Things 4 house so much that we went through it four times (!!!) over the course of the night.
Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable about the inner workings and backstory of each haunted house and scare zone. He also knew a lot about the rich lore behind HHN itself. He entertained us with stories of HHN icon Jack the Clown and tales of lesser-known characters like Cindy Caine and Jack's brother, Eddie Schmidt.
While we walked from house to house, our guide told us facts we'd never have known. It made us feel like true HHN insiders.
Reasons an R.I.P Tour is Worth Trying
Not only were we able to stop and order food from the event kiosks, but we were also served everything from charcuterie to tacos at a private reception before the tour began.
We had prime viewing for the Opening Scaremonies, the spooky kick-off for the event that takes place at the entrance to the park. We also had up-close viewing for the Nightmare Fuel Revenge Dream show and access to several V.I.P. bars where we could order drinks (for a fee) and skip the long lines at the normal in-park bars.
For the 10 people in my party, the private Horror Nights RIP tour cost over $3,600 that night, making the cost about $360 per person. Although more than $700 per couple (plus the added cost of an event ticket) felt steep, we left with no regrets. We knew we saved ourselves a lot of time and stress by utilizing a private tour guide.
If HHN is your favorite event—or even if you just love Halloween and want to see everything the event has to offer— a R.I.P. Tour would be worth your while.
