Universal Fan Fest Nights 2026 at Universal Studios Hollywood returns for its sophomore year as a clearly defined, fandom-first event; built less around rides and more around immersive experiences tied to anime, gaming, and film genre properties. It’s an event that unapologetically leans into “nerd culture,” and that focus largely works.
That said, being only in its second year, the event is still finding its footing. There’s a noticeable effort to refine and expand on what worked in its debut, but some of the same challenges remain. While there’s a lot here that lands, there are also areas where execution falls short, mostly due to crowd management. The result is an event that shows clear potential, but still feels uneven depending on where you spend your time.
Universal invited us to attend Fan Fest Nights as media on opening night. To get a broader perspective, we also visited a second night on our own. This review reflects our experiences across both visits.
The clear centerpiece of the event this year is One Piece. It’s the most in-demand offering at the event by a wide margin. Expanding upon last year’s meet & greet, the entire area around WaterWorld is focused on the popular anime series. Hollywood & Dine is now Sanji’s Galley, Laemmle Court is now the Sun Cruiser bar, and the headlining One Piece: Grand Pirate Show takes over the WaterWorld stage. As someone who had little knowledge of the anime, I walked away loving everything about it.
The Grand Pirate Show is the clear standout of all the Fan Fest offerings. It features a range of ambitious, uniquely staged stunts that go beyond what’s typically expected from a theme park production – including some flame-shrouded kicks and swordplay. Based on crowd reaction alone, it also appears to stay true to the heart of the anime – key moments land, and the audience responds accordingly.
What elevates it further is the atmosphere. Experiencing it alongside a crowd that’s fully engaged brings a noticeable energy, especially during standout moments, that mirrors the kind of reactions you’d expect during a major Marvel film premiere; cheers and applause when something big happens. That shared enthusiasm adds a layer to the experience, making it feel bigger than the show itself.
Sanji’s Galley is also where some of the event’s stronger food offerings can be found. Highlights include Luffy’s Meat on the Bone (sweet-chili ginger pork served on a bed of pork and kimchi fried rice) and the iconic Luffy’s Straw Hat (salted caramel-filled mousse dome with vanilla bean sponge and praline filling). Both deliver on theme and, more importantly, on flavor.
That popularity, however, comes with trade-offs. Crowds around the One Piece area are consistently heavy throughout the night, with long waits for nearly everything tied to the property. On a Friday night around 8 PM, mobile order pickup return times for Sanji’s Galley reached midnight. Standby lines remained long well into the final hours, even as the event approached its 1:30 AM close. At times, there were even lines just to purchase One Piece merchandise, with some items selling out on opening night.
It’s a strong showing for the property, but one that puts a noticeable strain on the overall Fan Fest Nights experience. If you’re a dedicated One Piece fan, expect to commit a significant portion of your night to this area based on waits alone, which can limit how much of the rest of the event you’re able to experience.
Search for the Hippogriff is another standout and one of the more ambitious offerings at the event. It’s relatively short compared to other experiences, but largely justifies that runtime through a handful of well-executed moments and cohesive storytelling. The use of the extended queue from Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey works effectively as a stand-in for the Forbidden Forest, with strong lighting and atmospheric effects helping to set the tone. That build leads into a finale anchored by an impressive Hippogriff figure that delivers a satisfying payoff.
That said, the setting does come with limitations. As a repurposed queue, space can feel tight at times. Given the intimate, small-group nature of the experience, throughput is naturally limited, and that leads to extended waits compared to the rest of the event. It’s one of the few experiences at the event where Express access feels almost essential if you want to avoid long waits. The alternative is to prioritize it right at event opening, though that comes at the cost of missing the nighttime atmosphere, which is a big part of what makes the experience work.
Despite it not being officially advertised, Jurassic World: A Journey Through the Eras mostly focuses on the original Jurassic Park era, and that ends up being the right call. The experience leans into the characters and tone people know best, rather than trying to cover everything.
The biggest highlight is the character work. The performers playing Dennis Nedry and Dr. Ian Malcolm are excellent, capturing the personalities and delivering some of the best impersonations you’ll find at a theme park.
The area also offers solid photo opportunities based on recognizable moments from the films. On top of that, smaller live moments help keep things active, including a raptor wrangling demonstration and an expanded Triceratops encounter.
It’s a straightforward offering, but one that works well because of strong performances and a clear focus.
Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep returns with noticeable refinements, building on last year’s concept with smoother pacing and clearer guest interaction points. It still leans heavily on participation and immersion, but the structure feels tighter, making it easier for guests to follow along and stay engaged. Even without a strong familiarity with Dungeons & Dragons, the experience remains accessible. As a non-fan of Dungeons & Dragons myself, I didn’t feel completely lost with the jargon.
Yoshi also returns to Super Nintendo World with a slight twist on last year’s offering, helping round out the event’s lineup. This time, guests can meet multiple differently colored Yoshis, adding a collectible-style appeal to the interactions. The special meet-and-greet unlocked after completing the associated activity serves as a unique photo opportunity, featuring Mario alongside the “original” green Yoshi, and acts as a nice payoff to the experience. There’s also a small gathering moment where multiple Yoshis come together in the center of the land, which ends up being a genuinely adorable moment.
Scooby-Doo Meets the Universal Monsters: Mystery on the Backlot is another strong concept that’s somewhat hindered by crowd levels. The experience blends interactivity with live character encounters, and on paper, it’s one of the more creative offerings at the event. In execution, much of that ambition comes through, particularly in how the Universal Monsters are integrated into the historic Little Europe setting. The ability to simply walk through Little Europe is an attraction in itself, but having the Monsters roam freely through that space adds a level of excitement for any Monster fan.
The rotating element of the mystery, where the suspect changes each event night and builds to the “big finale reveal”, also helps reduce repeatability concerns and gives returning guests a reason to revisit.
That said, the mystery-solving component can feel a bit overwhelming, especially when factoring in crowds. With the number of guests trying to engage with the characters, it can be difficult to fully commit to the intended gameplay. Even with strong character performances, the experience could benefit from a larger character roster to better distribute crowds. As it stands, guests tend to cluster around the same few characters, which contributes to congestion and limits how much interaction each guest can realistically have.
In our case, we opted to skip the mystery-solving aspect altogether and instead just take in the vibes and interact with the characters, which ended up being one of the more enjoyable parts of the experience.
The Scooby-Doo food is one of the better-themed offerings at the event. It leans fully into the brand, with oversized portions and presentation that fit the tone well.
There are a couple of solid options. The 22″ Monster Dog is big, shareable, and delivers as a novelty item that’s still decent to eat. In a party of three, we had no problem finishing it. The Scooby Snacks are also a safe pick, as the cookies are pretty straightforward with their flavors. Meanwhile, the Super Shaggy Sandwich is the weak point. It’s dry, pretty bland, and would benefit from some kind of condiment or sauce to better complement the massive sandwich.
Scooby Doo IS and probably will remain the most in-demand food location in the Backlot. If you want to try it, go early. On both nights, items sold out well before the end of the event.
In general, food is one of the more uneven aspects of Fan Fest Nights. The menu leans heavily into themed items, but execution varies. Some dishes land well, but others, like the Super Shaggy Sandwich, miss the mark.
Overall, Universal Fan Fest Nights 2026 sits somewhere between a traditional Halloween Horror Nights-style upcharge event and a Comic-Con-lite experience inside a theme park, with a heavy focus on fan engagement over rides or scares.
Despite some crowd-related hiccups, the event is well-produced and clearly has a strong foundation. There’s a lot here that works, especially if you’re into the specific properties being featured. At the same time, there are areas that miss the mark or could use refinement, particularly when it comes to balancing demand and guest flow.
Some of that may simply come down to capacity; adding a few more experiences or spreading demand more evenly across the park could go a long way in easing congestion and improving the overall experience.
Ultimately, how much you get out of the event comes down to your interests and what you prioritize. Fans of anime, gaming, and interactive experiences will get the most out of the event, while casual visitors may find value varies depending on crowd tolerance. It’s a strong event overall – just one that’s still working through some expected growing pains in its second year. At the end of the day, though, it’s a fun event. When it clicks, it really clicks, and there’s enough here to enjoy your night.
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