Halloween Horror Nights 2026’s opening date is set at Universal Studios Florida, with the annual haunt event starting earlier than ever.
Photos courtesy of Universal Orlando
Halloween Horror Nights kicks off Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Universal Orlando. It’s the earliest start ever for the event, with things getting underway two Fridays before Labor Day. Typically Universal begins HHN on Labor Day Weekend itself.
HHN will continue select nights through Nov. 1, 2026. Universal revealed HHN’s 2026 opening and closing dates on Jan. 8. The full calendar of event dates has yet to be announced. Haunted houses for 2026 are also still under wraps.
As previously announced, the west coasts’s HHN 2026 season will take place Sept. 3 – Nov. 1 at Universal Studios Hollywood.
“Jason Universe” was part of Halloween Horror Nights 2025.
Since its inception in 1991 (when it was known as “Fright Nights”), Halloween Horror Nights has gradually started earlier and earlier at Universal Orlando. Here’s a list of each year’s opening night date for HHN since 2005, sourced using our AttractionsMagazine.com archives and those of the Orlando Sentinel:
2005: Sept. 30
2006: Sept. 29
2007: Sept. 28
2008: Sept. 26
2009: Sept. 25
2010: Sept. 24
2011: Sept. 23
2012: Sept. 21
2013: Sept. 20
2014: Sept. 19
2015: Sept. 18
2016: Sept. 16
2017: Sept. 15
2018: Sept. 14
2019: Sept. 6
2020: No event
2021: Sept. 3
2022: Sept. 2
2023: Sept. 1
2024: Aug. 30
2025: Aug. 29
2026: Aug. 28
Down the road, Walt Disney World kicks off its Halloween season even earlier, as it has for several years. 2025’s first night of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party was Aug. 15.
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