Last night, we had the opportunity to attend Opening Night for Universal Fan Fest Nights. From the return of fan favorites to brand new experiences, this year’s opening night showcased bigger and better fandom thrills for guests to enjoy.
Several new experiences marked major steps forward for the theme park’s after hours event in great new ways. While crowd favorites from last year such as Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep and Super Nintendo World’s Yoshi returned, new activations like the Forbidden Forest: Search for the Hippogriff walkthrough and the ONE PIECE: Grand Pirate Show were the big hits of the night.
Forbidden Forest: Search for the Hippogriff
This new experience takes place in the extended queue within the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Guests are led by a Hogwarts tour guide down a mysterious path featuring several memorable creatures from the world of Harry Potter. Guest interactions include assisting the guide, calming some pixies and gathering information from a centaur. At the end of the walkthrough, the guide uses everyone’s help to free the hippogriff “Fleetwing” from devil’s snare vines, basking it in light. This was easily my favorite experience of the entire event. The interactive nature of this walkthrough keeps you engaged, while the setting, ambient sounds, and animatronics were top-tier in providing the right mix of spooky and magical atmosphere.
ONE PIECE: Grand Pirate Show
This high octane show was another big hit of the night. It included stunning pyrotechnics and stunt performances by the various actors, cast as the main characters from the hit anime series ONE PIECE. Taking place on the Waterworld stage area, this pulled massive crowds during the three different showtimes available throughout the night. Universal Studios expertly utilized the technical effects available within the venue to its maximum potential in bringing us a stellar staged show.
Scooby-Doo x Universal Monsters
This backlot experience takes place via the Studio Tour tram route. Once you board the tram, several performers on the on-board screens invite you into an on-set experience from the world of movie-making. However, it’s quickly clear that something is amiss and the Universal Monsters may have something to do with it. The tram dropped us off in Little Europe, a frequent stop during the normal daytime Studio Tour. Once there, we were allowed to walk around different set areas, each being managed by Daphne, Velma, Fred, and Shaggy. Scooby-Doo was available for photos, while the Universal Monsters (Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, The Bride of Frankenstein, and The Wolf Man) roamed and performed against fun lighting and projection visuals throughout the area. Guests we were able to grab pamphlets that guided us through solving “The Case of the Phantom Director.” After making your way to each character to solve the clues, we were all ushered to “The Big Reveal” at the end to see who the perpetrator was.
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon landed on earth with two different experiences for guests last night. One was a meet and greet plus photo-op with Sailor Moon herself right next to the DreamWorks theater. The other experience included the Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon the Miracle: Moon Palace Chapter Deluxe anime show inside the DreamWorks theater. This show originated at Universal Studios Japan, and for us, it was presented complete with 4DX effects throughout its 10-minute run time.
Food and Beverages
Themed food options were plentiful this year, with Hollywood and Dine being transformed into a ONE PIECE: Sanji’s Galley overlay. Across the walkway was also the ONE PIECE: Grand Pirate Den at Laemmle Courtyard, featuring numerous non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages available for purchase. Both of these themed areas had long lines for the majority of the night, so be prepared to wait or arrive early if this is high on your list of activities.
Above Jurassic Café in the Lower Lot, we were able to take a look at the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: The First Roll Tavern at Jurassic Cove which included both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and a few food options. I tried the “Detect Magic” drink, which was a flavorful mix of lemonade, coconut water, blue curaçao syrup, and club soda without being overly sweet.
Several of the food stalls such as Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon at Cocina Mexicana and Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon at DreamWorks Concession Cart throughout the upper lot included themed Sailor Moon cupcakes, cookies, and more. In the Scooby-Doo x Universal Monsters experience, guests could also join food stall lines for the exclusive Scooby Snacks™ cookies and Super Shaggy Sandwich.
Tips and Tricks
I attended the event with Early Entry, which permitted access to select experiences beginning at 6pm. It proved be beneficial for accomplishing some of the more popular activities without waiting in very long lines. Entering at 6 PM, I immediately headed to the Lower Lot to visit the Jurassic World: Through the Eras experience, which had no wait for entry. I then went to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, where a line began to form for the Forbidden Forest: Search for the Hippogriff experience.
While this particular activation did not start until 7:30pm, it quickly generated a long line. Early Entry wristband holders were able to enter the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to wait earlier that General Admission guests. After, I made my way to the Studio Tour boarding area, which had a 10-minute wait. After my time at the Scooby-Doo x Universal Monsters experience, I was able to accomplish the rest of the activities of the night with virtually no wait, with the exception of the Sailor Moon show at the DreamWorks theater, which maintained a 15-minute wait for a good portion of the night.
On the Universal Studios Fan Fest nights website, you can select tickets that include Express Pass, After 2 PM Early Entry, or Early Entry in addition to your standard General Admission ticket. These options all ensure that you’re able to make the most of your night and maximize your time efficiently.
Overall, this experience is one not to be missed. Whether you’re a diehard member of one of the fandoms, or just looking for a fun after hours event, this one guarantees a memorable night with lots to experience. You can head to the official website HERE for more information and to purchase tickets. Universal Fan Fest Nights runs select evenings from now through May 16, 2026.
