Universal City, CA — Universal Studios Hollywood has announced the details of the ‘immersive experiences’ coming to this year’s Universal Fan Fest Nights, and it seems they’re doubling down on the horror.
Now in its second year, Universal Fan Fest Nights operates like a springtime version of Halloween Horror Nights. It’s a separately ticketed nighttime event happening 12 select nights from April 23 through May 16, 2026, featuring immersive experiences inspired by film, television, gaming, and anime franchises.
The most significant change for 2026 is the debut of Scooby-Doo Meets The Universal Monsters: Mystery on the Backlot, which replaces last year’s Back to the Future backlot experience.
Universal Monsters Take Over the Backlot
Scooby-Doo Meets The Universal Monsters is described by Universal as an immersive walk-through adventure staged on the studio backlot and anchored by classic Universal horror characters.
Universal’s full description of the experience reads:
“Scooby-Doo Meets The Universal Monsters: Mystery on the Backlot. This all-new, immersive walk-through adventure is designed to give guests the sensation of stepping into a live-action mystery with the Scooby-Doo gang and the Universal Monsters. Guests will travel to the destination via Studio Tour tram where they have a chance to walk along a movie studio backlot with Scooby-Doo himself and his pals Fred, Daphne, Velma and Shaggy. The exciting escapade will challenge them to solve a mystery involving the most legendary Universal Monsters in cinematic history, including Frankenstein, Dracula, Bride of Frankenstein and Wolf Man, as they navigate portions of Universal’s world-famous outdoor film sets, from the cobblestone streets of Little Europe to the iconic Court of Miracles, the original filming locations for historic Universal horror films Frankenstein (1931) and The Wolf Man (1941).”
The experience places Universal’s classic Monsters at the center of Fan Fest Nights and marks a shift in how the backlot is being used for the event in its second year.
Additional Fan Fest Nights Experiences
In addition to Scooby-Doo Meets the Universal Monsters, Universal outlined several other in-world experiences and offerings coming to Fan Fest Nights 2026:
- ONE PIECE: Grand Pirate Show (NEW)
Last year ONE PIECE was relegated to a character meet, but it seems the IP is making a larger ‘splash’ this year as it returns as a large-scale live show at the WaterWorld venue.
“Inspired by the success of the Universal Studios Japan production, ONE PIECE: Grand Pirate Show will invite guests to a whirlwind performance featuring a cast of ONE PIECE fan-favorite characters. With action, comedy and chaos taking center stage, guests will be transported to the very heart of the world of ONE PIECE – enveloped in friendship, freedom and mayhem.”
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Forbidden Forest Experience (NEW)
A new walk-through experience will send guests into the Forbidden Forest in search of a lost Hippogriff.
“With guidance from a Hogwarts Professor, they will encounter magical creatures and familiar beasts as they face a series of obstacles which will require the guests to summon their bravery and spell-casting skills to help a Hippogriff in need.” - SUPER NINTENDO WORLD Colorful Yoshi Celebration (NEW)
“This year’s Universal Fan Fest Nights introduces a vibrant, multi-colored Yoshi celebration in SUPER NINTENDO WORLD. This all-new adventure will welcome guests to explore the land, where they will have a chance to meet new, colorful Yoshis who can be found throughout the Mushroom Kingdom.” - DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Secrets of Waterdeep (Returning)
The immersive walk-through experience returns ‘by popular demand.’
Event dates and ticketing
Universal Fan Fest Nights will run from April 23 to 25, May 1 to 3, May 7 to 9, and May 14 to 16, 2026.
Ticket options include General Admission, Universal Express, Universal Express Unlimited, multi-night tickets, an Ultimate Fandom Pass valid through May 16 with no blockout dates after the first selected visit, Early Access tickets for select experiences, and a VIP Tour option that includes guided access, dinner, and valet parking.
What This Means for the Industry (Analysis)
Universal Fan Fest Nights continues to function as an experiment in building the spring hard-ticket event that theme park operators have chased for decades. The event’s return for a second year suggests the format itself is viable, even as it continues to be refined. While Fan Fest Nights is not operating at the scale of Halloween Horror Nights, its structure, pricing, and IP-driven approach clearly mirror that playbook. If Universal can continue to sharpen the offering and grow attendance, the upside is significant.
The 2026 lineup suggests a shift toward concentrating on Universal’s core fandoms. Universal Monsters, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and SUPER NINTENDO WORLD now anchor the event, with a smaller but deliberate emphasis on new audiences through ONE PIECE. In practice, Fan Fest Nights appears to be structured as an event primarily designed to activate Universal’s existing audience while selectively adding adjacent fandoms.
The elevation of ONE PIECE is a clear example of this refinement. The IP was consistently one of the most popular offerings at last year’s event and remains a strong draw from a general audience perspective. Expanding it from a character meet-and-greet into a full-scale live show is a logical step, particularly given that the production is being adapted from Universal Studios Japan. Leveraging an existing show reduces creative and development costs while allowing Universal to scale the experience in Hollywood.
Monster-based horror continues to expand across Universal’s slate, from Fan Fest Nights to Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas and Dark Universe at Epic Universe in Orlando. With Scooby-Doo Meets the Universal Monsters now occupying the backlot centerpiece of Fan Fest Nights, the Monsters brand is being positioned as a flexible, cross-season pillar rather than a Halloween-only asset.
If the original goal of Fan Fest Nights was to aggressively break into new fandoms, the 2026 lineup suggests a recalibration. Outside of ONE PIECE, the event now reads largely as an extension of Universal’s existing ecosystem. That may be less a limitation than a strategic conclusion. Rather than spreading investment across multiple unproven fandoms, Universal appears to be prioritizing depth over breadth, focusing on known demand while selectively layering in communities such as anime and cosplay where crossover potential already exists.
