While Halloween Horror Nights is currently capturing the attention of horror fans, Universal Studios Hollywood is already looking ahead to 2026. On Friday, the theme park announced the return of Universal Fan Fest Nights 2026, sharing exciting details about the immersive, pop-culture experience. The biggest reveal is an innovative, exclusive mash-up: Scooby-Doo x Universal Monsters, which will take guests onto Universal’s iconic backlot. Presale tickets are available now for the event.
Universal Fan Fest Nights 2026 will run on select nights from Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, May 16, 2026. Presale tickets are available now through December 17, 2025. All presale purchases—including General Admission and the Ultimate Fandom Pass—will come with a complimentary limited edition collectible medallion, a first for the event.
Today’s news coincides with Universal Studios Hollywood’s participation in L.A. Comic Con, taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center from September 26-28. The theme park’s presence will include an interactive booth and an informative panel discussion on Saturday, September 27, at 1:00 p.m. in Panel Room 304ABC.
The panel will focus on Universal Fan Fest Nights, Halloween Horror Nights, and the upcoming opening of the Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift roller coaster in 2026. Panel participants include:
- John Murdy, Executive Producer of Halloween Horror Nights
- Stephen Siercks, Executive Producer of Universal Fan Fest Nights
- Jon Corfino, Vice President, Universal Creative
- Abbye Finnan, Senior Show Producer, Universal Creative
The Los Angeles Times’ Todd Martens will moderate the panel.
Universal Fan Fest Nights is an after-hours, separately ticketed event that celebrates the exhilarating world of fandom through immersive and interactive in-world experiences created by the theme park’s renowned and highly creative entertainment team in collaboration with esteemed industry experts.
Featuring a spectrum of inspirational pop-culture categories, including sci-fi, fantasy, gaming, and anime, Universal Fan Fest Nights will welcome guests to explore a variety of eclectic worlds that celebrate and elevate fandom favorites alongside live entertainment, character interactions, cosplay, photo opportunities, curated food, beverages, and merchandise.
Today’s announcement sets the stage for a plethora of more exciting news to be announced in the coming months.
“The debut of our second annual Universal Fan Fest Nights event is just months away, and Universal Studios Hollywood is knee-deep in its development, fine-tuning the very details that we know make a difference for fans,” said Scott Strobl, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Universal Studios Hollywood. “We are passionate about creating a top-notch fan event for our guests and can’t wait to share how incredible year two will be. And as we prep for opening night on April 23, we are pleased to be able to offer presale tickets to our guests that include a very cool, complimentary Universal Fan Fest Nights 2026 collectible medallion that we think will become another fan favorite.”
Adding to the adventure, guests can also experience select theme park attractions open during the event, including: “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge,” “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey,” “Flight of the Hippogriff,” “Jurassic World—The Ride,” “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem,” “TRANSFORMERS: The Ride—3D,” “Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride” and “The Simpsons Ride.”
For more information, visit www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com and Universal Fan Fest Nights.
