Universal Orlando Resort has announced a new procedure for the popular Stay & Scream offering during Halloween Horror Nights. For those who may be unfamiliar with Stay & Scream, it is an early entry offering that allows guests who are in the park early to get a head start on the carnage. Stay & Scream is open to guests who are already in Universal Studios Florida with a daytime ticket or Annual Pass. Additionally, guests who have a valid Halloween Horror Nights ticket can purchase the “Scream Early” ticket add-on to get into the park starting at 3pm.
Changes to Stay & Scream During Halloween Horror Nights 2025
So, what are the Stay & Scream changes for 2025? In short, there are no longer holding areas for guests. In year’s past, guests would choose a single holding area to enter during the Stay & Scream period. This would literally be a gated area within Universal Studios Florida where only guests who qualified for Stay & Scream would be able to enter.
From there, the gated holding area that you chose would typically be connected to the entrance of a few different haunted houses. You would be able to stay within the holding area and experience the haunted houses until the park was cleared of daytime guests. Once the park was clear, the holding areas disappeared, and you’d be able to then choose to enter other haunted houses outside of your holding area.
This was a decent way to operate, but Universal Orlando Resort is introducing a new procedure in 2025! So, what has changed for Stay & Scream this year? In short, no more holding areas. Instead of having gated holding areas, guests will simply obtain a wristband at one of three in-park locations. This wristband will designate that you’re allowed to be in the park early and that you can enter the haunted house queues. Other guests will be asked to leave the park. This is essentially how special ticketed events at Walt Disney World deal with the overlap of daytime guests and special event nighttime guests.
Here’s the official policy wording from Universal Orlando Resort:
Stay the Day and Be One of the First in at Night.
New for 2025: When you arrive at the park starting at 3pm, you’ll get a wristband at one of the check-in locations listed below. After that, instead of being in one designated area, you’ll be free to explore the park to catch a ride or show, grab a bite, shop for merch or simply take in the sights before the event opens. Then starting at 4pm, you can enter select haunted house queues with a wristband.The designated check-in stations are located at:
– Lombard’s Seafood Grill
– Illumination’s Minion Café
– Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast
For more on Halloween Horror Nights 2025, check out our dedicated event page below!
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