Hey Thrill Seekers,
We’ve been to Halloween Horror Nights 35 at Universal Orlando and, after making our way through the houses, scare zones and everything else the event has to offer, it’s time to answer the big question…
Which HHN35 houses are actually the best?
We’ve spent plenty of time looking at the announcements, speculation and early reaction to this year’s event.
But there’s a big difference between reading about a house and actually walking through it.
Some houses we expected to love lived up to the hype.
Others surprised us.
And there was one house in particular that we weren’t expecting to put at the very top of our list…
But absolutely blew us away.
So, based entirely on our experience of Halloween Horror Nights 35, here’s our definitive Top 10.
🏆 Our Top 10 HHN35 Houses
| Rank | Halloween Horror Nights 35 House |
|---|---|
| 🥇 1 | Hellraiser |
| 🥈 2 | Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness |
| 🥉 3 | Evil Dead Burn |
| 4 | INVASION: Alien Abduction |
| 5 | Stranger Things |
| 6 | Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control |
| 7 | Cybergoria |
| 8 | Sinners |
| 9 | MADLANDS: Caged Cannibals |
| 10 | H.R. Bloodengutz Presents: A Halloween Fright-Tacular! |
And yes…
There are some surprises in there.
However before we get into it… let’s add a few caveats; I am one of those boring doesn’t jump or get scared at these houses type of people, what I do do is laugh… and I laugh a lot however my colleague is the exact opposite, she jumps at everything and I mean everything.
🥇 1. Hellraiser
Our favourite house of HHN35.
If you had asked us before visiting which house would finish at number one, Hellraiser probably wouldn’t have been our first answer.
But after actually experiencing it?
What a house.
Hellraiser immediately creates the kind of atmosphere you want from a Halloween Horror Nights house.
It’s dark.
It’s disturbing.
It’s atmospheric.
And there’s a constant feeling that something absolutely horrible is about to happen.
The Cenobites provide some fantastic visual moments, while the house does a brilliant job of capturing the twisted world associated with the Hellraiser franchise.
But what really pushed this to the top of our list was the overall atmosphere.
It doesn’t rely solely on big scares.
Instead, it creates an increasingly uncomfortable journey through a world that feels genuinely hostile.
Our verdict:
Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scares: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Theming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The house we couldn’t stop talking about afterwards.
🥈 2. Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness
Let the madness begin.
We knew an Ozzy Osbourne house was going to be interesting.
What we weren’t expecting was just how much fun it would be.
Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness throws you into a twisted world inspired by the legendary rock star’s music, imagery and career.
It’s loud.
It’s chaotic.
It’s bizarre.
And it’s exactly the kind of experience that works brilliantly at Halloween Horror Nights.
There’s something particularly satisfying about walking through a house where the source material itself is already completely bonkers.
Music and horror?
It’s a surprisingly good combination.
The house constantly feels like you’re stepping inside Ozzy’s twisted imagination.
And for us, it was one of the houses we were happiest to go through again, mainly cos we’re totally bias cos the man is a legend!
Our verdict:
Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scares: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Theming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ozzy absolutely delivered.
🥉 3. Evil Dead Burn
This house is not messing around.
The Book of the Dead has been reopened.
And that’s very bad news for everyone involved.
Evil Dead Burn plunges guests into a family home where an infernal force has taken over.
And when we say taken over…
We mean REALLY taken over.
The house is packed with Deadites and gruesome imagery, creating a relentless journey through a world where things go from bad to considerably worse.
One of the things we particularly enjoyed was the way the house builds around the family dynamic.
You’re not simply walking through a series of random Evil Dead scenes.
There’s a story unfolding around you.
And then there are the Deadites.
Lots of them.
Our verdict:
Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Scares: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Theming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
One of HHN35’s most consistently entertaining houses.
4. INVASION: Alien Abduction
You are not alone.
We’ve seen plenty of alien-themed horror over the years.
But INVASION: Alien Abduction manages to make the concept feel particularly unsettling.
The premise is simple.
Aliens have arrived.
And you’re caught right in the middle of it.
The house does a fantastic job of creating that feeling of uncertainty.
You don’t always know what you’re going to see around the next corner.
And when the aliens do appear…
They are not particularly interested in making friends.
This was one of those houses that really benefited from being experienced rather than simply described.
The atmosphere and sense of scale make it particularly memorable.
Our verdict:
Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Scares: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Theming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
A seriously good alien nightmare.
5. Stranger Things
Hawkins has never felt this dangerous.
Stranger Things was always going to be one of the most anticipated houses at HHN35.
And yes…
It delivered.
The house takes guests into the world of Hawkins, bringing some of the show’s most recognisable characters, locations and monsters into Halloween Horror Nights.
There’s something particularly enjoyable about walking through a franchise you already know and suddenly finding yourself inside it.
And the house gives fans plenty of recognisable moments to enjoy.
Our verdict:
Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Scares: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Theming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
If you’re a Stranger Things fan, this is an absolute must-do.
6. Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control
Two forces. One very twisted battle.
Jack & Oddfellow return for HHN35 in Chaos & Control.
And if you’ve followed the mythology surrounding these characters, you’ll know that things were never going to be particularly peaceful.
This house has a very different feel from some of the more traditional horror houses on the list.
It’s colourful.
It’s theatrical.
It’s chaotic.
And there’s plenty going on.
We particularly enjoyed the scale and spectacle of the house.
Our verdict:
Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scares: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Theming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
7. Cybergoria
Welcome to the future.
And it’s horrible.
Cybergoria takes the classic idea of futuristic technology and turns it into something considerably more sinister.
The result is a house that feels very different from the more traditional horror offerings at HHN35.
There’s plenty of visual spectacle.
There’s plenty happening.
And the futuristic setting gives the house its own identity.
Our verdict:
Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Scares: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Theming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A great change of pace.
8. Sinners
Welcome to Club Juke.
Sinners brings guests into the world of the acclaimed horror film, taking them into the eerie atmosphere surrounding the Smokehouse and Club Juke.
The house combines Southern gothic horror with vampires and the film’s distinctive visual style.
It’s a very different flavour of horror compared with some of the more traditional HHN houses.
Rather than relying purely on relentless jump scares, the atmosphere and story play a major role.
Our verdict:
Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scares: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Theming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A stylish and atmospheric addition to HHN35.
9. MADLANDS: Caged Cannibals
Not exactly the neighbourhood you want to visit.
MADLANDS: Caged Cannibals takes you into a world where civilisation has very much broken down.
And the locals?
Let’s just say they’re not particularly welcoming.
This house is all about creating a grimy, uncomfortable environment where you’re never quite sure what you’re going to encounter.
The cannibalistic inhabitants provide plenty of opportunities for scares, while the setting gives the house a suitably nasty atmosphere.
Our verdict:
Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scares: ⭐⭐⭐½
Theming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐½
A solid house that delivers plenty of nasty moments.
10. H.R. Bloodengutz Presents: A Halloween Fright-Tacular!
Horror meets old-school Halloween entertainment.
Coming in at number 10 is H.R. Bloodengutz Presents: A Halloween Fright-Tacular!
This house has a very different personality from some of the darker and more disturbing houses on our list.
There’s a theatrical quality to it, with H.R. Bloodengutz bringing his own brand of Halloween entertainment to life.
It’s colourful.
It’s energetic.
And there’s plenty to look at.
Our verdict:
Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scares: ⭐⭐⭐½
Theming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐½
It’s not our number one, but it’s still a fun addition to the HHN35 lineup.
So, Which HHN35 House Was the Scariest?
This is where things get interesting.
Because scariest and best aren’t necessarily the same thing.
For us, Hellraiser was the best overall house.
But individual scares can vary massively depending on:
- Your scareactor encounters
- Where you’re standing in the house
- How busy the house is
- The time of night
- How many times you experience it
- Who you go with
That’s one of the reasons Halloween Horror Nights is so much fun.
Your experience can be completely different from ours.
Our Biggest HHN35 Surprise
For us, the biggest surprise was…
Hellraiser.
We weren’t expecting it to come out on top.
But sometimes a house simply clicks.
The atmosphere.
The scares.
The theming.
The characters.
Everything came together.
And that’s what makes a great HHN house.
The HHN35 House We’d Ride Again Immediately
If you gave us a choice and said:
“You’ve got time for one more house. Which one?”
There would be a few contenders.
But our answer would be:
Hellraiser.
Followed very closely by:
Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness
and
Evil Dead Burn.
Our Final HHN35 Ranking
After experiencing the event for ourselves, this is where we’d place the houses:
🥇 1. Hellraiser
🥈 2. Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness
🥉 3. Evil Dead Burn
4. INVASION: Alien Abduction
5. Stranger Things
6. Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control
7. Cybergoria
8. Sinners
9. MADLANDS: Caged Cannibals
10. H.R. Bloodengutz Presents: A Halloween Fright-Tacular!
And remember…
This is our list.
That’s important.
Halloween Horror Nights is incredibly subjective.
The house that leaves one person hiding behind their friend could be the house another person finds hilarious.
And that’s part of the fun.
Have You Been to Halloween Horror Nights 35?
Now we want to know what you think.
What’s your number one HHN35 house?
Did you agree with our winner?
Or are you wondering how on earth we put your favourite so low?
Let us know!
Because there’s one thing we can guarantee…
This ranking is going to cause some arguments.
And we’re absolutely fine with that.
Planning a Visit to Halloween Horror Nights 35?
If you’re heading to Universal Orlando for HHN35, make sure you check out our other Halloween Horror Nights guides for the latest information on houses, scare zones, shows, tickets, Express Pass and tips for getting the most out of your night.
And if you can only do one thing…
Don’t miss Hellraiser.
Smiles included…
Jamie
