There’s a space just off of the main drag at Universal Studios Hollywood, the historic theme park that opened as a tourist attraction in 1964, usually used during the annual Halloween Horror Nights after-hours event that runs from August to November. From 2016 to 2020, when it closed with the rest of the park for the pandemic, it was utilized as a “The Walking Dead” attraction that operated daily.
But now, on a sunny morning in early April, it looks very different.
Instead of winding through a spooky forest, where ghouls are no doubt waiting to jump out and scare you, you are walking up to a Starfleet outpost. You board a transport ship (a “shuttlecraft”) before winding up at the Starfleet Museum, on the bridge of the Enterprise – and not just any Enterprise, either. This is the really-for-real Enterprise D, a full-scale, screen-used set from the third season of the Paramount+ series “Picard” that harkens back to the classic ship from “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” There is an mysterious, otherworldly entity that threatens the Federation, and only you can make things right.
This is Star Trek: Red Alert!, one of the big draws of Universal’s Fan Fest Nights, a separately ticketed, after-hours event at Universal Studios Hollywood happening from April 25 to May 18. Described as Halloween Horror Nights meets San Diego Comic-Con, it’s filled with “in-world experiences, celebratory moments, themed food, and exclusive merchandise that takes fandom to a whole new level,” according to the official site.
More importantly, though, it’s an attempt by Universal to recreate the fun (and, just as importantly, the sales) of Halloween Horror Nights and apply that to a scenario that can be delivered year ‘round. This is much cuddlier, and more family friendly, than HHN, and just as immersive, with nine different ticket options ranging from $74 to $203.
“With Fan Fest Nights, the two foundational goals that we had was to be fan-first and authentic,” Stephen Siercks, senior director, entertainment production, Universal Studios Hollywood, told TheWrap. “Fan-first being that we wanted to service the fans who have such fandom for these genres, and do it in a uniquely Universal way. What can we bring to the experience that makes it as authentic as possible?”
Siercks said that the team from Universal worked closely with Paramount “using original reference materials or original set dressing and documentation” to develop and fabricate the attraction. This, he suggests, is the type of thing that sets Universal’s Fan Fest Nights apart. Instead of a constant stream of guests like at Halloween Horror Nights, the Star Trek experience will divide guests into groups and have them travel through the spaces experiencing a story; all in all, it lasts around 10 minutes, much longer than the shuffle-through-and-scare-you cadence of HHN.
Star Trek: Red Alert uses much more of the mixed-use space than a haunted house, and when everything is up and running, will be full of actors who will help make the experience come alive.
Elsewhere, soundstage 15 is where Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep, based on the Hasbro role-playing property originally developed by Wizards of the Coast, unfolds. Like the Star Trek experience, visitors are divided into groups and go on a very Dungeons & Dragons-style adventure. The last set piece involves a towering creature that was conceived and created by the sorcerers at the Jim Henson Creature Shop – an awe-inspiring beast that is probably worth the Fan Fest Nights Admission alone.
These two experiences also highlight just how much Universal is leaning into the Comic-Con aspect of Fan Fest Nights. In addition to “Star Trek” and Dungeons & Dragons, there are experiences devoted to “One Piece” (the original manga and anime, not the recent live-action Netflix series); “Jujutsu Kaisen” (another manga/anime); and new experiences coming to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Nintendo World areas of the park.
These experiences range from new creature encounters in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (some borrowed from the Universal Studios Japan park) to a 3D movie for “Jujutsu Kaisen” (also from Universal Studios Japan) to a “special Yoshi celebration” in Super Nintendo World dedicated to Mario’s dinosaur pal. There was also a ”Wicked” meet-and-greet that was added recently, so you can get your photo taken with characters from the Oscar-nominated movie. There will, of course, be exclusive merchandise and food for all.
Cosplay for the event is encouraged, which also sets it apart from Halloween Horror Nights, where the lines between guest and scare-actor (yes, that’s what they’re called) are more clearly delineated. Universal recently released a highly detailed video outlining what is and isn’t appropriate in terms of costumes and prop weapons, but it’s enough to make you wonder how sluggish the security lines will be, with Universal crew members checking everybody’s plastic sword.
The choice of IP for the inaugural Fan Fest Nights is somewhat puzzling; the lone classic Universal IP is “Back to the Future.” It unfolds on the actual Courthouse Square where they filmed the movie (well, a recreation, since the original set burned down). This is where the Enchantment Under the Sea dance will come to life in a living, interactive environment that lasts about an hour.
What makes the roster of attractions confounding is the fact that Universal had to license most of these titles, instead of just dipping into their vast library of shopworn classics and more cult-leaning IP.
“We look across the board in terms of what we bring to Fan Fest Nights and Halloween Horror Nights, and it’s really about picking the stories that resonate the most,” Sierck said when asked about why there isn’t, say, an “E.T.” experience in the mix, or something themed to “Jurassic Park” (especially since the latest entry in the franchise, “Jurassic World Rebirth,” arrives in theaters this summer). “We’re really excited about ‘Back to the Future’ because you can’t get more unique and Universal than that.” He promised things like the gas station attendant singing, and a big moment with the clock tower and the DeLorean having to return to 1985. Great Scott!
Part of the idea of Fan Fest Nights is that it appeals to all fans. If some of the franchises they have chosen to include feel too niche, there are just as many that are more mainstream. And who knows – if Fan Fest Nights is a hit, there might be more after-hours offerings on the horizon.
Sierck said that part of the goal was to “drop our guests into these environments and be able to tell those stories almost as if you’re breaking through the screen.” The Halloween Horror Nights teams and Fan Fest Nights teams are in a constant state of collaboration. “We can learn from each other and be able to continue developing those types of experiences,” Sierck teased.
What type of experiences?
Universal is set to open Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas later this year, described by the company as a “year-round, fully immersive, high-quality horror spectacle that brings your greatest fears to life,” which extends the HHN mentality into a stand-alone experience outside of the Universal Studios theme park setting. Maybe Fan Fest Nights will be just as popular, so that, in a few years, you’ll be able to sidle up to the DeLorean anytime you want, not just at an after-hours event.
Talk about fan-tastic.
