I Go To Halloween Horror Nights Every Year & 2026 Is The GOAT

Something I love to brag about to my fellow theme park goers is that I was at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter for the opening of Diagon Alley. It was summer 2014, and I hadn’t been to Universal Orlando in about a decade. But as it turned out, butterbeer wasn't the only thing that hooked me that year. A few months later, I braved my first-ever Halloween Horror Nights — sparking a near-annual obsession that has defined my pre-fall traditions ever since.

Up until now, 2024 was my gold standard, mostly because I tackled the fog with an amazing group of new friends. We spent that event screaming through the Insidious house (three times!), geeking out over the Ghostbusters attraction (twice), and fueling up on Stay Puft S'mores (I won’t say how many). I honestly didn't think any year could top that magic.

But the 2026 lineup is something else entirely: The food menu was easily the best ever, elevating standard theme park snacks into genuine culinary festival options — including seafood. The houses struck an impressive balance — equal parts current and nostalgic, packed with a level of creativity that felt super fresh. To top it all off, the festivities served up a massive tribute to one of my favorite shows. If only we could have seen Nikki from Obsession roaming around the streets like Universal Studios Hollywood did — I had major FOMO over that one — but Orlando more than made up for it.

From the delicious bites to a mind-blowing franchise takeover, here’s exactly how HHN 2026 took the all-time crown.

The Food Lineup Low-Key Deserves A Culinary Award

While many crowds lined up for viral shock-value items — like the Hellraiser-themed Pleasure & Pain Brain custard ($7.99) or Pinhead's Skin & Meatballs ($11.99) — I focused on two of my onscreen faves.

First up was the Stranger Things 5-themed El’s Battery Jerky ($16.99). It’s pretty hard to mess up mac and cheese, but this was a hit, and it comes served inside a cool collectible battery tin. I paired it with Steve's Smuggled Peanut Butter Bites ($9.99), which tasted exactly like a classic Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.

My two favorite items of the entire night came straight out of the Sinners booth. As a huge grits fan, I approached Annie’s Juke Joint Catfish & Grits ($11.99) with high expectations, but I was completely unprepared for *this*. The catfish was so well-flavored and the grits were so rich that I went back for a second helping. Seriously, I had no idea theme park food could taste this good — and seafood at that. Could we get this on the year-round menu, please??

For dessert, I grabbed the Sinners-themed Pecan & Whiskey Bread Pudding ($8.99). I was already pretty full from the catfish, but the warm pecan and whiskey flavor was so heavenly that I pushed right past the wall to finish every last bite.

The Houses Kept Me In A Constant State of Screaming & Swooning

While I’ve seen plenty of wow-worthy sets over the years, the 2026 experiences took things to a whole new level. This wasn't my first time stepping into the Upside Down, but the Stranger Things 5 house outdid its predecessors by leaning straight into the final season's biggest moments. Seeing Will take down the Demogorgon, Holly getting snatched by Vecna, and El disappearing at the end gave me literal chills.

Bonus: Because the character list is stacked, walking through at different times of the night means you’ll get a different experience. We ran into Caleb on our first walkthrough and Dustin on our second go-around. My fave part by far, though, was catching Derek Turnbow dropping his viral line: "Suck my fat one."

Then there was the Sinners house, which stole the show. Right from the jump, you are introduced to Smoke and Stack. The casting was spot-on — I swore I was looking at two Michael B. Jordans. (Drooling, respectfully.) Walking through key scenes like Hailee Steinfeld’s character killing MBJ’s was a total trip, and the house was filled with incredible music. (Unsurprising, considering the movie took home the Oscar for best score.) Without spoiling the ending, let's just say the finale is so good.

It Was A Love Letter To Stranger Things

Universal went completely all-in on the franchise this year. Beyond the themed menu and dedicated house, the merch booths were packed with detailed finds — most notably, the oversized Hellfire Club jerseys and retro Hawkins High varsity jackets that everyone seemed to be wearing.

The real showstopper was the brand-new “Return to Hawkins” lagoon show set right in the middle of the park. Standing along the water gave me about a million goosebumps as giant water screens and lasers tracked El's entire journey from the very beginning. It hit almost every emotional beat of the series, including the deaths of Billy and Eddie. (Though, justice for Barb and Bob — again! — who were left out of the montage.) It was a beautiful, grand-scale celebration that brought the entire evening full circle.