Hey Thrill Seekers,
The fog has barely settled over Universal Studios Florida…
And already, Halloween Horror Nights 35 is dividing opinion.
HHN 35 officially opened on August 28, 2026, bringing 10 haunted houses, scare zones, shows and a huge collection of new nightmares to Universal Orlando Resort.
But there’s one question everyone asks after opening night:
Which houses are actually the best?
Now that the first reviewers, media outlets and Halloween Horror Nights fans have experienced the event, we’re starting to get our first answer.
And there are some surprises.
Some of the houses that generated the biggest excitement before opening night aren’t necessarily dominating the early rankings.
Meanwhile, a couple of houses that perhaps weren’t getting quite as much attention during announcement season are emerging as serious contenders for the title of HHN 35’s best house.
So we’ve compared some of the first major rankings and early reactions to see which Halloween Horror Nights 35 houses are consistently coming out on top.
One warning before we begin…
These are very early opinions.
Halloween Horror Nights houses can change considerably during a season. Cast timing improves, scares evolve and different guests experience completely different runs through the same house.
So think of this as:
The Opening Weekend Power Rankings
…rather than the final word.
Our Early HHN 35 Rankings
After comparing early rankings from outlets including Orlando Informer, AllEars, Slashfilm and other opening-week coverage, here’s how the houses appear to be performing so far.
🥇 1. Cybergoria
The biggest early winner?
If there is one house currently building a reputation as the scariest experience at HHN 35, it could be Cybergoria.
The original house has performed incredibly well in early rankings.
AllEars placed it at number one, while Orlando Informer also gave it an extremely strong review, describing it as one of the most frightening things HHN has produced in recent years.
That’s impressive.
Because Cybergoria entered the season competing against some absolutely enormous IP.
We’re talking:
And yet an original Universal concept is currently outperforming many of them.
Why are people liking it?
Early reviews are highlighting:
- Huge practical effects
- Puppetry
- Claustrophobic environments
- Strong sensory effects
- Intense scares
- A genuinely uncomfortable atmosphere
Orlando Informer particularly praised the way the house uses water, air effects, smells and sound to create a full sensory experience.
Early verdict:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cybergoria is currently one of the safest bets for HHN 35’s best house.
🥈 2. Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control
HHN fans are loving this one
If Cybergoria is the surprise breakout star…
Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control might be the house that feels most like a love letter to Halloween Horror Nights itself.
The house brings together two of HHN’s most important icons:
Jack the Clown and Dr Oddfellow.
And early reactions suggest Universal has absolutely gone for it.
AllEars placed the house at number two, while early fan rankings from the Halloween Horror Nights community have also put it right at the top of the list.
Back to the Movies also placed it at the top of its HHN 35 ranking.
Why is it working?
Early reactions are praising:
- Incredible set design
- High energy
- Lots of surprises
- Strong scares
- References for long-time HHN fans
This is particularly important for the 35th anniversary.
Universal could have simply thrown together a collection of anniversary references.
Instead, early opinion suggests this feels like a proper, fully realised haunted house.
Early verdict:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
One of the strongest houses for long-time HHN fans.
🥉 3. Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness
The biggest surprise of HHN 35?
Before opening night, this was probably one of the biggest question marks.
How do you create a haunted house based on Ozzy Osbourne?
And perhaps more importantly…
Would it actually be scary?
Well, according to the first reviews:
It works. Really well.
Slashfilm went as far as ranking Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness as its number-one house of the event.
That’s a remarkable result considering the reviewer openly admitted that they weren’t necessarily the obvious target audience for an Ozzy Osbourne attraction.
AllEars also placed it comfortably in its top five.
Why is it working?
The house appears to be succeeding because Universal hasn’t simply created:
“The Ozzy Osbourne biography… but scary.”
Instead, it uses:
- His music
- Album imagery
- Horror influences
- Surreal environments
- Gothic imagery
- The madness surrounding the Prince of Darkness
The result appears to be a haunted house that is more imaginative than many people expected.
Early verdict:
⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Possibly the biggest positive surprise of the entire event.
4. Hellraiser
The Cenobites have delivered
Hellraiser was always going to be a big one.
Fans have wanted to see the franchise brought to Halloween Horror Nights for years.
And thankfully…
Early reviews suggest Universal has done it justice.
Orlando Informer ranked Hellraiser at number four, praising the craftsmanship and the way the house uses the franchise’s characters and mythology.
Slashfilm was also extremely positive about the house, suggesting that it represents exactly the type of approach future IP houses should take.
Rather than simply recreating scenes from the films, the idea is to make you part of the nightmare.
Why is it working?
Early praise has focused on:
- The Cenobites
- Practical sets
- Chains
- The Boiler Room
- Strong use of the source material
- A feeling that you’re actually inside the Hellraiser universe
Early verdict:
⭐⭐⭐⭐½
One of the strongest IP houses of HHN 35.
5. INVASION: Alien Abduction
Don’t underestimate the aliens
This was another original house that perhaps wasn’t generating quite as much mainstream excitement as Stranger Things or Hellraiser.
But early reviews suggest it could become a real fan favourite.
AllEars ranked INVASION at number three.
Orlando Informer also placed it strongly in its ranking, praising the unsettling alien designs and sensory effects.
What are people liking?
- Creepy alien designs
- Strong atmosphere
- Vibrating floors
- Disorientating environments
- Sound effects
- A feeling of constantly being hunted
It sounds as though Universal has taken the familiar alien abduction concept and made it considerably nastier than expected.
Early verdict:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
One of the strongest original houses of the year.
6. Stranger Things 5
A little lower than some people expected?
This is where things start getting interesting.
Before opening night, Stranger Things was probably one of the most anticipated houses of HHN 35.
It’s Stranger Things.
It’s the final season.
And the franchise has an enormous fanbase.
But in the early rankings we’ve seen so far, it hasn’t consistently dominated the top positions.
AllEars placed Stranger Things 5 at number four.
That is still an excellent ranking.
But it means the house is currently being beaten in some lists by original concepts including Cybergoria and INVASION.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the house is disappointing.
It simply demonstrates how strong the overall lineup appears to be.
Our early read?
Stranger Things could easily become more divisive depending on whether guests prefer:
storytelling and spectacle
or
pure scares.
And that’s something we’ll be watching closely as more reviews arrive.
Early verdict:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Very good — but perhaps not the runaway winner some people expected.
7. Sinners
A house with some seriously big moments
Sinners has been another highly anticipated addition to HHN 35.
And early reviews appear broadly positive.
Orlando Informer praised the atmosphere of the house and highlighted the music and major vampire moments as particular strengths.
However, the rankings are slightly more mixed than some of the houses above.
AllEars placed Sinners towards the bottom half of its top 10.
That doesn’t mean people dislike it.
In fact, it may simply mean the competition this year is ridiculous.
Why are people liking it?
Early reviews highlight:
- The Juke Joint environment
- Music
- Atmosphere
- Vampire effects
- Emotional storytelling
This sounds like another house that could depend heavily on your personal taste.
Early verdict:
⭐⭐⭐½
Strong atmosphere, but perhaps not everyone’s number-one nightmare.
8. H.R. Bloodengutz Presents: A Halloween Fright-Tacular
A house that could grow on people
H.R. Bloodengutz appears to be landing somewhere in the middle of many early rankings.
AllEars placed it at number six.
Early fan rankings have also generally positioned it around the middle of the pack.
And honestly?
That might be slightly unfair.
HHN often has houses that become more popular as the season progresses.
A house packed with weird characters, theatrical moments and Halloween imagery could potentially benefit enormously from repeat visits.
Early verdict:
⭐⭐⭐½
Currently mid-table but one to watch.
9. MADLANDS: Caged Cannibals
Possibly one of the most divisive houses
MADLANDS appears to be producing mixed reactions.
Orlando Informer was very positive about the detail and commitment to the concept, describing the house as one of the event’s more disturbing original creations.
However, AllEars ranked it at number nine.
And early fan rankings have also generally placed it lower than the major favourites.
That’s a fascinating difference.
It suggests that MADLANDS could be a house where:
critics love the detail
but
some guests simply prefer the bigger scares and more recognisable IP.
Early verdict:
⭐⭐⭐
A potential cult favourite rather than a universal hit.
10. Evil Dead Burn
The early rankings’ biggest disappointment?
We need to be careful with that word.
Because Evil Dead Burn isn’t necessarily being described as a bad house.
But compared with the enormous expectations surrounding the Evil Dead franchise…
It is currently appearing at or near the bottom of several early rankings.
Orlando Informer placed it at number ten, while AllEars also ranked it last.
Early fan rankings have similarly placed it towards the bottom.
So what’s happening?
Orlando Informer praised the set design and the intensity of the experience but suggested that the story moves incredibly quickly.
AllEars also suggested that the production was working with limited material because the house was developed from the script rather than a finished film.
That’s a fascinating challenge.
Universal has essentially created a haunted house based on a film that audiences haven’t had years to become attached to.
Could it improve?
Absolutely.
And it will be particularly interesting to see whether the house becomes more popular once more people have seen the film.
Early verdict:
⭐⭐⭐
The biggest surprise at the bottom of the early rankings.
🫡The Early HHN 35 Leaderboard
So, based on the first major reviews and rankings we’ve seen so far, our early consensus ranking looks something like this:
| Ranking | Haunted House | Early Opinion |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1 | Cybergoria | The breakout original hit |
| 🥈 2 | Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control | A huge hit with HHN fans |
| 🥉 3 | Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness | The surprise superstar |
| 4 | Hellraiser | One of the best IP houses |
| 5 | INVASION: Alien Abduction | Creepy and surprisingly intense |
| 6 | Stranger Things 5 | Strong, but not dominating every ranking |
| 7 | Sinners | Atmospheric and stylish |
| 8 | H.R. Bloodengutz Presents: A Halloween Fright-Tacular | Mid-table but could rise |
| 9 | MADLANDS: Caged Cannibals | Detailed but divisive |
| 10 | Evil Dead Burn | The biggest early disappointment |
But remember…
This is our consensus ranking based on the first wave of reviews, not an official Universal ranking.
Different outlets have dramatically different opinions.
For example, Slashfilm placed Ozzy Osbourne at number one, while AllEars put Cybergoria at the top and Back to the Movies selected Jack & Oddfellow as its favourite.
And that is exactly what makes this year’s event so interesting. Also we haven’t visited yet, and everyone knows are opinions are the most important!
👍So… Is HHN 35 Actually Good?
The early answer appears to be a very strong YES.
The reviews may disagree about which house is the best.
But there appears to be a lot of agreement about one thing:
This is an extremely strong year for Halloween Horror Nights.
WDWNT’s opening review even asked whether this could be the best Halloween Horror Nights ever, while other early reviews have highlighted the strength and variety of the overall lineup.
And perhaps the most encouraging thing?
The original houses are competing incredibly well against the massive franchises.
Cybergoria.
Jack & Oddfellow.
INVASION.
These aren’t simply making up the numbers.
They’re challenging Stranger Things, Hellraiser and Evil Dead for the top spots.
💯Our Biggest Takeaway From the First Reviews
Don’t automatically follow the IP.
If you’re planning your HHN 35 night around:
Stranger Things → Hellraiser → Evil Dead
you might miss some of the houses generating the best early reactions.
Based on the opening-weekend reviews, we’d make sure these are near the top of your must-do list:
🔥 Cybergoria
🔥 Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control
🔥 Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness
🔥 Hellraiser
Of course, Stranger Things remains a huge draw.
But HHN 35 may be one of those years where the original Universal houses steal the show.
🪸Will the Rankings Change?
Almost certainly.
And that’s the fun part.
We’re only days into Halloween Horror Nights 35.
Scare actors will settle into their roles.
Timing will change.
Some houses will become more intense.
And thousands of guests will start sharing their own rankings online.
We’ve already seen significant differences between professional rankings and early fan opinions, particularly with houses such as MADLANDS and Stranger Things.
So don’t be surprised if our number one looks completely different by October.
🏆Our Early Prediction for HHN 35’s House of the Year
If we had to pick one right now?
🏆 Cybergoria
It’s currently the house appearing most consistently near the top of the rankings.
But…
Jack & Oddfellow is right behind it.
And don’t count out Ozzy Osbourne or Hellraiser.
HHN 35 could end up being one of those rare years where there genuinely isn’t an obvious winner.
🎃Are You Visiting Halloween Horror Nights 35?
The event is running on select nights through November 1, 2026, giving plenty of time for these rankings to change.
So if you’ve already been…
Which house would you put at number one?
Are the early reviews right about Cybergoria?
Is Ozzy the surprise hit?
Is Stranger Things being underrated?
Or will Evil Dead Burn become one of those houses that improves dramatically as the season progresses?
One thing is already clear.
HHN 35 has given us plenty to argue about.
And for Halloween Horror Nights fans…
That’s exactly how it should be.
❓Halloween Horror Nights 35 Reviews: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best house at Halloween Horror Nights 35?
Based on the first wave of reviews, Cybergoria, Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control and Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness are emerging as some of the strongest early favourites. However, rankings vary significantly between reviewers.
Is Stranger Things 5 good at HHN 35?
Early reviews have been positive, although the house hasn’t consistently topped the opening-weekend rankings. Some reviewers have placed original houses such as Cybergoria and Jack & Oddfellow above it.
What is the scariest house at HHN 35?
Based on early reviews, Cybergoria is receiving particularly strong praise for its intensity, sensory effects and frightening atmosphere.
What is the biggest surprise at Halloween Horror Nights 35?
Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness appears to be one of the biggest surprises, with Slashfilm ranking it as its number-one house despite initial uncertainty about how the musician’s career would translate into a haunted house.
What is the lowest-ranked HHN 35 house so far?
Based on several early rankings, Evil Dead Burn is currently appearing near the bottom of the leaderboard. However, this could change considerably as the season progresses.
Smiles included…
Jamie
