The Upside Down is returning to Halloween Horror Nights, with Universal confirming an all-new haunted house built around the fifth and final season of Netflix’s Stranger Things, debuting this fall at both Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood. The house was developed in partnership with Netflix and marks the franchise’s fourth appearance at HHN since its first house in 2018.
The haunted house drops guests directly into Hawkins as the barrier between reality and the supernatural collapses, sending an ominous darkness through the town. Guests will move through familiar locations from the final season, including the Wheeler House, Hawkins National Laboratory, the MAC-Z military base, and the Upside Down itself, along with a new realm called the Abyss. Demogorgons and other creatures stalk the path throughout, with Vecna closing in as the tension builds toward an all-or-nothing fight for survival.
This is the second confirmed haunted house for Halloween Horror Nights 35, joining the previously announced Jack the Clown and Dr. Oddfellow house built around this year’s Infernal Carnival of Nightmares theme. See our HHN 35 announcement coverage here for everything confirmed so far, and check ticket availability and Premium Scream Night dates here.
A new wave of Stranger Things merchandise tied to the house launches alongside the announcement. The lineup includes an ’80s-inspired T-shirt and mug, plus a new Stranger Things acrylic figure built to slot into the separately sold Infernal Carnival collectible display, with additional figures for this year’s other houses coming later to round out the full set. The merchandise is available now at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood, and launches online at shopUniversal.com on Thursday, June 18 at 9am PST.
Halloween Horror Nights runs select nights from Friday, August 28 through Sunday, November 1 at Universal Orlando Resort, and from Thursday, September 3 through Sunday, November 1 at Universal Studios Hollywood. Event tickets are on sale now for both coasts, with additional Orlando ticket options expected soon.
Our Take: Bringing the final season to both coasts at once, with Netflix involved directly, says a lot about how big a moment this is supposed to be for the franchise. Stranger Things houses have always leaned on nostalgia, but ending the series means this one gets to go somewhere the earlier houses couldn’t, there’s no next season to hold anything back for.
