Universal Fan Fest Nights 2025: Guide to new after-hours event at Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Fan Fest Nights, an after-hours event, debuts in 2025 at Universal Studios Hollywood celebrating Nintendo, “Harry Potter,” “Back to the Future,” “Wicked,” and more.
By Jeff DePaoli and Blake Taylor
Last updated April 24, 2025; original version published Aug. 23, 2024.
Have you ever wanted Universal to extend the spirit of Halloween Horror Nights into other genres? Universal Fan Fest Nights will do just that. The new, after-hours, hard-ticket event is in progres at Universal Studios Hollywood near Los Angeles, Calif. as a celebration of sci-fi, fantasy, gaming, and anime.
Universal Fan Fest Nights (FFN, if you will) spotlights “Wicked,” “Back to the Future,” Nintendo, “Star Trek,” Dungeons & Dragons, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, “One Piece,” and “Jujutsu Kaisen.”
What are Universal Fan Fest Nights?
Universal Fan Fest Nights is a special event at Universal Studios Hollywood celebrating fandom with what Universal describes as “captivating, immersive, in-world experiences.” During a media event, it was described as “if Halloween Horror Nights and Comic-Con had a baby.”
Universal Fan Fest Nights includes:
- “celebratory activations”
- live entertainment
- cosplay
- themed food
- exclusive merchandise
See below for full descriptions of each exclusive attraction happening during Fan Fest Nights.
Universal Fan Fest Nights dates for 2025
FFN takes place select nights from April 25 – May 18, 2025 from 7 p.m. – 2 a.m., after Universal Studios Hollywood concludes its regular operating day.
Universal Fan Fest Nights 2025 dates:
- April 25, 26, & 27, 2025
- May 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, & 18, 2025
Tickets for Universal Fan Fest Nights
Universal Fan Fest Nights is a separately ticketed event, not included with daytime admission to Universal Studios Hollywood. The general admission price starts at $74. Ticket sales launched on Jan. 29, 2025. There are various ticket options, including:
- After 2 p.m. Day/Night Universal Express
- 2-Night General Admission
- Ultimate Fandom Pass (good for up to all 12 event nights) (starts at $249)
- Early Access Ticket
- Fan Fest Nights VIP Tour (starts at $373)
- Pass Member Special Pricing
Lineup of exclusive fan experiences
The lineup for the inaugural Universal Fan Fest Nights in 2025 includes the following properties. FFN will showcase all of these franchises across every night of the event (as opposed to hosting a separately themed night for each franchise).
Super Nintendo World: Let’s Go, Yoshi
Universal Studios Hollywood is already home to Super Nintendo World, complete with Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge. On top of Super Nintendo World’s regular attractions, Yoshi meets & greets guests for the first time at Universal Studios Hollywood. If you take part in a Yoshi scavenger hunt and find all five colorful eggs, you will gain the unique opportunity to meet a different-colored Yoshi.
Universal previously announced celebratory drone moments illuminating the night sky in Super Nintendo World throughout the evening, but a Universal spokesperson confirmed to us the drones are canceled:
“As a result of regulation changes, the drone moments planned for Super Nintendo World as part of Fan Fest Nights will no longer take place. There are many exciting entertainment options to enjoy within the land and during Fan Fest Night and we look forward to our guests experiencing everything this extraordinary event has to offer.”
One Piece: Grand Pirate Gathering
Fans can “sail into the world of One Piece,” the manga series by Eiichiro Oda and anime series from Shueisha and Toei Animation. Attendees of Fan Fest Nights get to meet Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates at the event. The Grand Pirate Gathering transports guests into the series’ fictional world of pirates through an immersive and interactive experience, complete with iconic visuals and scenic environments that place fans at the heart of the action.
The TV show has accrued over 1,100 episodes since its 1999 debut, and is currently streaming on Netflix.
Jujutsu Kaisen: Hunger of the Cursed
The “Jujutsu Kaisen” manga series by Gege Akutami and anime series from MAPPA is part of Universal Fan Fest Nights as attendees “watch Yuji Itadori and friends as they join in a Jujutsu Kaisen sorcery battle.” This adventure takes place in the DreamWorks Theatre. The film-based experience first debuted at Universal Studios Japan.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
“New fan surprises” are part of FFN within the park’s existing Wizarding World of Harry Potter area. Attendees encounter magical creatures not yet seen at Universal Studios Hollywood, including the Niffler, the species to which Newt Scamander’s pet, Teddy, belongs in the “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” films. You’ll also be able to meet a Baby Dragon and grand Occamy.
The Niffler first appeared at Universal Studios Japan and will make its Florida debut at Universal Epic Universe.
Image courtesy of Universal
The “Hogwarts Always” light projection show will be make its west-coast debut as part of this event after first premiering in Orlando in 2024.
“Harry Potter” is a Warner Bros. property, though the franchise maintains a longstanding relationship with Universal Destinations & Experiences. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2016 following its debut in Orlando in 2010.
Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley
The town square scenes from “Back to the Future” were famously filmed on the Universal backlot, their sets still standing today and visible to guests on the Studio Tour. As part of Universal Fan Fest Nights, attendees get to actually roam the set themselves. You’ll hop aboard the Studio Tour “Fan Tram” to reach your destination. But, of course, you’ll need to hit 88 miles per hour before reaching Hill Valley 1955. While roaming around the real movie sets, you’ll recognize familiar scenes and iconic set pieces. Gas station attendants will burst into song, a recreation of The Enchantment Under the Sea dance will hit the streets of Hill Valley, and there will be an “environmental recreation of the epic finale” multiple times each night. You may even come across Doc’s dog, Einstein.
Back to the Future: The Ride, a simulator attraction, was previously a mainstay at both Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida. The attraction was replaced on both coasts by The Simpsons Ride.
Star Trek: Red Alert
At Universal Fan Fest Nights 2025, attendees can visit the S.S. Enterprise-D, complete with the ship’s real, screen-used bridge from “Star Trek: Picard.” Guests are broken into small groups with whom they’ll experience the attraction. The story will unfold around you, but there will also be time to take in and enjoy the various environments.
Guests find themselves transported to the year 2403, just as an otherworldly entity wreaks havoc on the ship. Laden with special effects, audio-visual effects, multi-sensory activations and themed performers, this all-original experience will create an unforgettable, awe-inspiring moment that will elevate Star Trek fandom to new levels.
This experience is inspired by the “Star Trek” universe, one of television’s most enduring franchises, which is known for its groundbreaking storytelling that addresses social, political, and cultural issues as well as entertaining millions of fans. “Star Trek”‘s optimistic view of the future and reflection on what it means to be human has inspired generations of dreamers and doers.
Universal Studios Hollywood
Photos by Matt Roseboom
“Star Trek” is a Paramount property, but nonetheless has history with Universal. In Star Trek Adventure at Universal Studios Florida — a now-defunct upcharge experience — guests acted out “Star Trek” scenes and Universal edited the footage into familiar episodes.
Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep
This epic experience welcomes guests and fans to partake in a one-of-a-kind adventure and explore the fantastic world of D&D. Guests join the Harpers — a heroic spy network — to foil a plot by the legendary beholder Xanathar and save the city of Waterdeep. In creating this unique experience, Universal Studios Hollywood collaborated with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop to create the legendary beholder Xanathar. This experience takes place inside soundstage 15. Unlike the “Star Trek” experience where we’ll meet different characters guiding us through each beat of the story, in “Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep,” we’ll have the same characters with us for the whole journey.
2024 has been a banner year for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). On the heels of the acclaimed film “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” and the smash hit video game “Baldur’s Gate 3,” D&D is celebrating 50 years of the world’s greatest roleplaying game. More than 64 million D&D fans love rolling dice, slaying monsters, and envisioning themselves as the amazing heroes they all are inside.
Universal Studios Hollywood
D&D is licensed through the Hasbro-operated Wizards of the Coast. The 2023 film was a Paramount production, not Universal.
‘Wicked’
Elphaba and Glinda from “Wicked” appear as meet & greet characters during Universal Fan Fest Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood. The pair greets guests at a photo-op location already in place at the park.
Fan Fest Nights marks the debut of Elphaba and Glinda at Universal’s California park, but the characters have been at Universal Studios Florida since November 2024 as part of Wicked: The Experience.
Photo by Mikey Mayhem
Event merchandise
Universal Fan Fest Nights offers specialty merchandise. Here’s a first look at some of it:
Event food
Universal Fan Fest Nights offers themed foods only available during this special event. Here’s a first look at what you have to look forward to.
Will FFN happen at Universal Studios Florida too?
For now, Universal has only announced a west-coast edition of Universal Fan Fest Nights, exclusively at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Creating a ‘breakthrough program’
Universal is leaning into nostalgia with increasing frequency, recently hosting a 60th anniversary throwback celebration for its Studio Tour in California and introducing a parade and nighttime spectacular in Florida based on its portfolio of classic films.
“For decades, Universal Studios Hollywood has been a leader in creating and executing innovative special events that are consistent with our brand,” said Scott Strobl, executive vice president and general manager of Universal Studios Hollywood. “From our esteemed Halloween Horror Nights event to this all-new Universal Fan Fest Nights experience, we are thrilled about how this breakthrough program will continue to elevate the guest experience in an all-new way.”
Outside of the Halloween and holiday seasons, theme parks have historically experimented with franchise-focused special events in spring months. The late 2000s saw the short-lived Mickey’s Pirate & Princess Party at Walt Disney World in Florida, cashing in on the popularity of Disney Princesses and the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films. In recent years, Disneyland in California has hosted Disneyland After Dark, a hard-ticket event with themes such as Disney Channel and “Star Wars.”
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