After months of anticipation, Universal Studios Hollywood has officially launched its all-new after-hours event, Universal Fan Fest Nights, marking a profound investment into a brand-new entertainment offering at the theme park.
Though Halloween Horror Nights operates under the same event hours – 7 PM-2 AM – and offers a variety of separately-ticketed experiences in the form of various haunted houses and scare zones – Universal Fan Fest Nights offers a much more diverse variety of immersive interactive experiences that tap into the wider array of genres of sci-fi, fantasy, gaming, and anime.
While this year’s event features a lineup of immersive in-world experiences based off of Star Trek, Back to the Future, Dungeons & Dragons, One Piece, and Jujutsu Kaisen, the foundation of Universal Fan Fest Nights being an event designed to celebrate the spirit of fandom in general – not limited to any particular genre like Halloween Horror Nights – grants it the future flexibility to be able to showcase a changing lineup of properties and types of experiences each year, alongside the opportunity to debut numerous unique offerings within the preexisting themed lands of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Nintendo World.
This has us feeling particularly optimistic about the future of the event, given how positive of an impression many of the experiences have already made on the event’s opening weekend, where minor changes and adjustments will likely still continue to be made to sharpen each experience as time goes on and the actors become more comfortable in their roles.
Inside Universal was graciously invited by Universal Studios Hollywood to attend the opening night of Universal Fan Fest Nights, and we also have made some return visits to have the chance to gather our thoughts across multiple nights. We’ll now take a look at and give a brief review of each of the experiences and activations featured at the event. There will be spoilers ahead.
Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley
Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley whisks guests back in time to Courthouse Square in 1955 Hill Valley for a nostalgic story-based experience featuring many of the iconic characters, scenes, and locations from Back to the Future. An incredibly detailed and well-done immersive experience taking place in the actual location of Courthouse Square as seen in the film, Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley, was undoubtedly a standout experience for all of us.
For a brief rundown on what it entails, guests climb aboard the Studio Tour “Fan Tram” and are greeted by Doc Brown periodically throughout their time travel adventure on the way to a thoroughly decorated Courthouse Square on the Universal backlot, which allows guests to feel like they are walking in the very footsteps of Marty McFly when he first travels back in time in the film. All the buildings – from Roy’s Records to Hill Valley High School – are themed to give guests the feel of walking through the actual town of Hill Valley in 1955 alongside the film’s iconic characters at the Hill Valley Festival.
Throughout the miniature ‘show’, characters come out periodically to recreate a handful of the most iconic scenes from the film alongside guests. You can spot Marty awkwardly interacting with his mother as a teenager, Biff picking on George McFly, and even a recreation of the Enchantment Under the Sea dance, including Marty’s iconic rock n’ roll guitar solo that’s just a little bit ahead of the times. Alongside all the character interactions is a special photo opportunity with Einstein casually sitting in the time-traveling DeLorean, which has proved to be one of the most popular parts of the experience for obvious reasons.
An acapella group of gas station attendants sings a set list of songs – including “Mr. Sandman” – that perfectly set the tone for the environment to feel like the film as Marty makes his initial entrance, and following the recreation of the Enchantment Under the Sea dance is a viewing of the iconic clocktower scene when Doc Brown sends Marty back to the future, projected on the clocktower itself and paired with audio and pyrotechnic effects to mimic the rise of the storm and the famous lightning strike.
Nearby sits an impressive photo opportunity of the leftover tire tracks and spinning license plate – complete with flames – from the DeLorean after Marty’s departure from 1955, which always seemed to have a small crowd gathered around throughout the night because it’s a truly visually impressive detail even in the absence of an actual driven DeLorean.
Of special note as well is that on the tram ride back from the experience, guests receive an abridged version of the Studio Tour with some narration from the tour guide describing some of the filming currently happening on the Universal backlot, as the ride back to the loading zone from Courthouse Square is quite a bit longer than the usual Terror Tram route.
Undeniably, Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley is one of the strongest experiences offered at Universal Fan Fest Nights, both for fans of the franchise and casual guests alike. It’s impossible not to smile witnessing the live performers clearly having a blast bringing the Back to the Future film to life like never before, and there is a particular charm unique to Universal Studios Hollywood that comes with the opportunity to host this experience in the actual iconic filming location.
Not only does this experience provide all guests with the rare opportunity to spend time in a Courthouse Square transformed into Hill Valley 1955, but we also enjoyed the opportunity to be on a Studio Tour tram later than almost ever without the time restrictions for noise ordinances that typically apply to the Terror Tram at Halloween Horror Nights, as Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley allows guests to remain in Courthouse Square until the event concludes at 2 AM.
While the experience does follow a sequenced schedule of events – beginning with Marty’s arrival and concluding with his return to the future – there is still so much to take in between all the different character interactions that you could easily spend hours enjoying this immersive experience alone. Given how impressive Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley already is in the very first year of this event, we are excited about the potential – though of course, unconfirmed as of now – for it to return in a similar capacity to recreate the other two films in the franchise in future years, and it leaves us with profound optimism for the future of Universal Fan Fest Nights.
Star Trek: Red Alert
Located in the former home of The Walking Dead Attraction, Star Trek: Red Alert is a pulsed, story-based walk-through experience that guests navigate in small groups as they are transported into an immersive adventure set in the year 2403 aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D. Keeping the story simple for guests who may be unfamiliar with Star Trek is a straightforward mission to ultimately prevent an interstellar threat as an otherworldly entity begins to wreak havoc on the ship.
Guests are introduced to the initial setting of the story – Spaceport Los Angeles – through videos on the monitors located throughout the queue before they are separated into two smaller, though still sizable, groups to navigate the experience alongside. A preshow video clarifies that guests have at last made their way to Starfleet Command in Spaceport Los Angeles and will soon be boarding a shuttlecraft that will take them up to the Starfleet Museum to receive a tour of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D, as seen in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
From here on, guests are ushered from room to room across a variety of familiar Star Trek environments by different characters – ranging from humans to aliens – as it becomes clear from the very beginning of the tour that the unknown entity will not allow it to go as smoothly as planned. Numerous special effects, audio-visual effects and multi-sensory activations help to bring this experience to life alongside live performers.
Without giving away too many details, Star Trek: Red Alert was the first attraction we experienced at the event, and while our first walkthrough was admittedly a bit rushed as the operations team and the live performers seemed to still be figuring out their timing alongside a handful of minor technical difficulties, our last walkthrough of the weekend was already a substantial improvement. Though the story could still be made a bit tighter with some higher and clearer stakes – especially for guests assigned to the group on the right side of each room or those that find themselves in the back of either of the two groups, as there is a good chance they may miss the initial appearance of the entity that appears on the screen in the first room because of crowds blocking the view – we have found that timing seems to be key in this experience.
When the performers are given the chance to take more time to explain what is happening in each room that guests find themselves navigating through – unlike our first walkthrough that felt quite rushed at the start of the first night – we have found that the experience vastly improves and the story instantly becomes easily digestible.
Thinking about how much our experience already improved with better timing by our last walkthrough at the end of the first weekend, we are left only with the desire for the stakes to be taken just a little bit higher so that there is a greater sense of urgency felt as the ship transitions to “Yellow Alert” and then ultimately, the infamous “Red Alert” as the intentions of the unknown entity remain questionable.
Still, being able to walk across the screen-used bridge of the ship and navigate through many iconic locations from the franchise already clearly brought many smiles to the Star Trek fans around us – not to mention the special moment for fans when it is announced that we have made “first contact” with an alien species – which brings to mind the heart of Universal Fan Fest Nights: to give fans and casual guests alike the experience to feel immersed in iconic otherworldly stories and environments.
Though the stakes of the story could be a bit higher, Star Trek: Red Alert is nevertheless an enjoyable immersive experience that will likely continue to improve with each walkthrough as the timing continues to sharpen like we have already seen in the opening weekend of the event, and it is undoubtedly visually impressive with its many details and easter eggs fans are sure to appreciate.
One Piece: Grand Pirate Gathering
Located in the New York Street section of the Upper Lot, One Piece: Grand Pirate Gathering is inspired by the long-running global hit anime series, One Piece, by creator Eiichiro Oda, that follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Crew as they pursue their quest to find “One Piece” – the legendary treasure of Gol D. Roger, the former King of the Pirates.
Similar to how Halloween Horror Nights has scare zones, One Piece: Grand Pirate Gathering is described as a “Fan Zone” during the event where guests can find the area stretching from New York Street to the DreamWorks Theatre decked in One Piece themed decor with multiple character meet and greet opportunities as well as themed food offerings found at Sanji’s Galley (the traditional location of Cocina Mexicana).
Given the popularity of the One Piece franchise, this section of the event was one of the most consistently busy areas the entire weekend. Lines for the meet and greets often stretched far down the street, the queue for Sanji’s Galley often extended far past the restaurant, and there were even occasional lines to enter the Animation Studio Store just to purchase merchandise – something generally quite unheard of at Universal Studios Hollywood.
One Piece is a clearly beloved series for many guests visiting the event, and given how much love there already appears to be for the incredibly popular character meet and greets alone, we have to imagine that anime will return to Universal Fan Fest Nights in some form for the foreseeable future, if the enthusiastic welcome for One Piece: Grand Pirate Gathering as well as Jujutsu Kaisen: Hunger of the Cursed is any indication of guest approval.
Jujutsu Kaisen: Hunger of the Cursed
Transported straight from Universal Studios Japan into the DreamWorks Theatre, Jujutsu Kaisen: Hunger of the Cursed takes guests on a film-based adventure inspired by the widely popular Japanese manga and its anime adaptation. For context, Jujutsu Kaisen centers around the world of high school student Yuji Itadori after he is forced to become the host of a powerful curse and subsequently joins Tokyo Jujutsu High School – an organization dedicated to fighting such curses.
Though some slight lighting modifications have been added to the film to fittingly adapt it to the DreamWorks Theatre, for the most part, Jujutsu Kaisen: Hunger of the Cursed is a clear replica of the film made for Universal Studios Japan – even including multiple references to Universal Studios Japan itself that earned quite a few chuckles from the crowd.
Here, the film has English subtitles but was not dubbed, so the actual voice acting is all performed in Japanese. While the audio could be played a bit louder in the preshow – as it seemed oddly quiet both times we saw the show – the film nevertheless provides an enjoyable experience to complement the other entertainment offerings at the event.
Like the strong sense of fandom present for One Piece: Grand Pirate Gathering, Jujutsu Kaisen: Hunger of the Cursed seemed to have a consistent crowd throughout the night as well as many dedicated fans present and laughing at all of the inside references to the series throughout the film. The enthusiasm present for this other anime experience offered at Universal Fan Fest Nights only solidifies how popular anime has become in the United States and is a clear show of how anime is likely to become a prominent aspect of the event from here on out.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Unique to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter during Universal Fan Fest Nights is the opportunity for guests to engage in a variety of all-new magical creature interactions, including the ability to meet a Niffler, a Baby Dragon, and a majestic Occamy.
Though there were no listed set times for each of the magical creatures, chances are that if you wander through the land, you will spot at least one of them around – if not multiple at once. Each creature interaction tends to quickly gather a crowd, and guests are invited to engage in various ways, depending on the archetypal personality of each creature. These interactions are a charming addition to the land, though we do wish that there were clearer ‘show’ times to know when and where each creature will come out throughout the night.
In addition to the magical creature interactions is the West Coast debut of the Hogwarts Always light projection show, which whisks guests along on a whimsical journey through a school year at Hogwarts, concluding with a different Hogwarts House Cup champion each showtime that adds an element of freshness to each showing. Hogwarts Always, with its warm themes centering around the nostalgic elements of the franchise, makes a great fit for the lighthearted feel of Universal Fan Fest Nights, alongside the delightful new magical creature interactions that undeniably add another charming element of life to Hogsmeade after dark.
Super Nintendo World: Let’s Go, Yoshi!
Like the new additions to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Super Nintendo World similarly carries on the spirit of taking the park’s themed lands to the next level of immersion through adding on new experiences exclusive to Universal Fan Fest Nights.
Most prominently, Universal Studios Hollywood has debuted the very first Yoshi meet and greet character within the land for this event, which has proved to be one of the most popular experiences at all of Universal Fan Fest Nights.
In addition, as part of the celebration to welcome Yoshi to Super Nintendo World, guests can also have the exclusive opportunity to participate in a scavenger hunt to locate all five colorful Yoshi eggs hidden throughout the land. Yoshi “hats” are handed out toward the entrance to the land with clues for the location of each egg written on it. Upon finding each egg, guests can approach a team member nearby, point out where the egg is located, and then receive a sticker to track their progress.
Once the last egg is found, you receive a golden Yoshi sticker to add to your completed hat and then have the opportunity to join a queue on the Frosted Glacier level of the land to meet a multicolored Yoshi – either pink or blue, though whichever one you meet seems to be randomized. We were lucky enough to meet the pink Yoshi when we visited, though we do want to caution that because the land closes at midnight, the line can get quite long – up to over an hour is what was reported throughout opening weekend – so plan wisely!
Wicked
Added to the event as a last-minute addition, a new meet and greet featuring Elphaba and Glinda from Wicked has also debuted at the Wicked photo opportunity located by the Universal Studio Store on the Upper Lot.
Glinda and Elphaba alternate set times throughout the night, so you’ll only be able to meet one of them at a time, but they are fairly easy to meet because of this, too. Given the popularity of the Wicked movie, this meet and greet can also gain a lengthy line relatively fast, which tends to move a bit slowly because of many heartfelt interactions with fans. Like all other meet and greets at the event, make sure to plan ahead if there are any characters you want to prioritize meeting, as the meet and greet opportunities seem to consistently be the some of the longest wait times at the entire event and do not offer Universal Express to skip the lines.
Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep
Similar to Star Trek: Red Alert, Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep offers a truly epic immersive walk-through experience as guests are transported into the adventurous world of D&D. With the story anchored in the Sword Coast in the town of Waterdeep, guests are invited to join the Harpers – a heroic spy network – to foil a plot by the legendary beholder Xanathar and save all of Waterdeep.
Before entering Soundstage 15 to begin the experience, guests new to Dungeons & Dragons can familiarize themselves with the basics through taking a look at massive projections displayed on the back of an adjacent building to the queue, which introduce many of the different “classes” from the game as well as some of the characters guests will encounter throughout the walk-through experience.
Upon reaching the front of the line, guests are assigned into four different groups that are then subsequently escorted into the experience together. Like in Star Trek: Red Alert, smaller groups are used to help control crowd flow in each room of attraction.
The magic begins in a seemingly generic-looking room celebrating the game of Dungeons & Dragons, though avid D&D fans and casual guests alike will immediately appreciate the attention to detail invested in the set dressing from the beginning to end of the experience. A preshow video introduces everyone to the basics of D&D and their initiation into the Harpers before a character played by a live performer – Lanalay – whisks guests from the simple-looking game room into the world of D&D as the disappearing walls of the room reveal what lies beneath the surface. This is an incredibly impressive moment of practical effects to witness, akin to the quality of even year-round walk-through attractions like Poseidon’s Fury that used to operate at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and we heard similar collective awe from the audience around us during each of our walk-throughs.
Though we want to avoid too many spoilers for those interested in visiting the event themselves, what we will say is that Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep is by far one of the strongest offerings at Universal Fan Fest Nights. From the exciting story easily digestible to guests of all ages that carries clear and tangible stakes from the very beginning of the experience, to its success at managing to incorporate elements of guest interaction into a handful of scenes that provide an extra element of immersion rather than the feeling of being a passive bystander to the plot, and of course, to its variety of impressive special effects made most prominent through the incredible Xanathar the Beholder puppet and its awe-inspiring reveal, Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep succeeds at creating an immersive experience that all can enjoy.
Like Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley, both fans and even those with no familiarity to the franchise can appreciate the incredible detail and heart poured into the experience, which captures the essence of what Universal Fan Fest Nights is all about. What we especially enjoyed in this attraction was how Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep allows guests to follow the same group of characters from the beginning to the end of the experience, rather than encountering new characters in each room. This establishes a sense of genuine teamwork and continuity throughout the adventurous story, which we believe truly sells the immersion of the experience,e paired with all of its other strengths.
Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep certainly represents an impressive show of the potential that Universal Fan Fest Nights has in being able to create temporary immersive experiences comparable to the quality of even some year-round attractions, and we are excited to see what other future experiences lie in store at this event.
Other Experiences
Complementing the main lineup of the event are a handful of other activities that guests can enjoy throughout Universal Fan Fest Nights.
In Universal Plaza, you can find the Universal Fan Fest Nights block party, which hosts a live band, trivia contests, cosplay meetups, photo opportunities, and a variety of other smaller activities to keep the energy up throughout the night.
Additionally, you can participate in a challenge to collect all of the virtual medallions found at different checkpoint locations throughout the park. Though our group had a handful of minor technical difficulties, it was fun to have the opportunity to look for each of the medallion stations, especially because of the promise of a complimentary collectible prize upon finding all of the medallions, which turned out to be a solid metal medallion donning the Universal Fan Fest Nights logo.
Final Thoughts
With so much anticipation for Universal Studios Hollywood’s bold move to create an all-new after-hours event, complete with a variety of unique immersive experiences centered around live entertainment, it was an absolute pleasure to finally be able to experience it all for ourselves. Though some experiences stand out more than others, there is no denying that the production quality and attention to detail poured into the experiences of this event surpasses that of even Halloween Horror Nights in many ways, given that having a smaller lineup of experiences allows for more of the budget to be dedicated to each individual attraction rather than being spread thinner.
However, while the set design and dressing is quite impressive for many of the walk-through experiences, it is clear that the true heart of this event lies in the hard work and effort put in by all of the live performers, who manage to successfully elevate the level of immersion for each franchise represented and truly offer fans and casual guests alike the opportunity to feel that they are “really going there” as they as transported to each fictional world through the various activations and experiences.
Given that this is only the inaugural year of Universal Fan Fest Nights, the potential for the future of this event is limitless, given how many different properties from different genres could eventually be featured – unlike Halloween Horror Nights that is by definition dedicated to only horror. There is also a noteworthy charm in being able to enjoy Universal Studios Hollywood in late-night hours in a more peaceful setting than the chaotic energy that Halloween Horror Nights scare zones create, and the ability to enjoy both events and their unique offerings at different times of the year is an exciting prospect.
With clear enthusiasm present among dedicated fans and casual guests alike, Universal has clearly created something truly special through Universal Fan Fest Nights, and it has us genuinely optimistic for the future of the theme park.
Once again, we thank Universal Studios Hollywood for inviting us out to check out the opening night of the event, and we look forward to continuing to enjoy all of its offerings throughout its run through May 18, 2025.
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