I Went to Halloween Horror Nights ALONE and It Did NOT Go As Expected

It’s Halloween season and I couldn’t be happier!

I’ve been going to Halloween Horror Nights for three years in a row, making 2024 the fourth year of my streak. You know what they say — “Never Go Alone”. Well, I wanted to put that to the test! In 2023, I ventured out to Halloween Horror Nights all by myself and since fall is now in full swing, I’m sharing everything I learned! Keep reading if you dare…

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As someone with anxiety (#TeamAnxiety, if you know you know), I’m not gonna lie — I was a little nervous about this endeavor! But on the other hand, I knew I could do it and wanted to prove it to myself.

I will say it’s not for everyone. If you are legitimately scared of Haunted Houses I do NOT recommend trekking out here alone. However, if you are the type of person who laughs after a good jump scare or appreciates the storyline above all else, you could handle this event on your own.

Ranking EVERY Halloween Horror Nights House at Universal Orlando in 2024

I thought for sure I would go on this trip to get it out of my system and then go back to attending with friends and family. But honestly…and I had WAY more fun than I thought I would and now I’m contemplating ever inviting anyone along with me again… (JK, JK). So in the spirit of spooky season here are some things I learned and/or that surprised me!

No, people aren’t judging you. If they are, they’re wasting their time.

There can be a stigma around doing things alone which is why I wanted to challenge this in the first place. But my coworkers who report in the parks every day are often alone…so is it really that scary?

Short answer: No. A lot of the anxiety around it was built up in my head. When you’re in the Haunted Houses, you’re shuffling through looking at the massive sets and impressive scare actors. When you are walking around through Scare Zones and grabbing food, people are so enamored by what’s going on around them that they aren’t focused on other guests! I really didn’t feel judgment and if someone was, I was also so distracted by everything it didn’t matter.

Also, if people are judging, who cares?!

Don’t rush!

I don’t know about you, but I am a “Go! Go! Go!” type of person. So naturally I rush everything so that I can DO everything. But that doesn’t have to be the case!

After rushing through the first few houses, my feet were sore from being in the parks all day, so I slowed down, bought some food, and headed to the Nightmare Fuel Revenge Dream show (this year, you can catch the Nightmare Fuel Nocturnal Circus). Although the houses were incredible, I always remember this part of the night first when I think back on this trip!

I was taking in the experience more instead of doing the mental checklist in my head to get through all of the houses.

Express Pass is SO worth it

Not only is it cheaper to buy Express Pass for one person, but I was zooming through all of the houses. When you don’t have a group to keep up with, it makes it easier to get around the crowds in the park — one of the biggest perks to traveling solo, in my opinion.

Let’s face it — those Haunted House lines get LONG. If you are the chatty type, you might be able to make some friends while standing in line for 80 or 90 minutes. But for someone with social anxiety, the Express Pass eased a lot of that stress.

The houses themselves can be stressful enough!

Express Pass is an additional charge on top of the price of your ticket. In 2024, the price for the skip-the-line service starts at $179.99 and it fluctuates depending on the date. It’s NOT cheap. Honestly, though, it’s worth every cent if you want to get everything done without stressing about time.

Enjoy the freedom

Off of that point, enjoy the freedom of being 100% in charge! Even if you tend to take the lead on trips and plan everything like I do, there is nothing more freeing than being able to do whatever you want in the moment.

Change your mind about what you want to do next? No need to ask for anyone else’s opinion. Hungry? Stop for a snack whenever and wherever you want. Feel like pausing or picking up the pace? It’s all up to you. It’s truly a luxury.