Planning a trip to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood? I went through this year’s haunted-maze lineup and ranked each attraction based on scares, actor energy, atmosphere, storytelling, and overall fun. From the creepy creatures of KILLceañera to the Arts of Terror Tram, here is my personal ranking of the mazes, plus what to expect before you step inside.

1. Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness – This maze is a perfect emotional tribute, featuring an incredible Crazy Train set and oversized bat. It is packed with nostalgia for Gen X and elder millennials, hitting core memories with every scare and iconic musical moment.

2. Sinners – This experience is one of the most beautifully crafted walks through the movies you will find. The sets, lighting, and practical effects are stunning, recreating scenes with such detail that you feel like you stepped right inside. The cast is phenomenal, and the multi-level scares and glowing eyes really sell the chaos.

3. Terror Tram: Enter the Clown – You are treated to immense scale and detail on the historic backlot sets. The actors portray Art the Clown with such authenticity that it feels like live performances by David Howard Thornton, especially during the interactive moments in the cafe and the fight scene at the Bates Motel.

4. KILLceañera: Music by Slash – This was an incredible, truly scary maze. It was deeply unsettling and left a lasting impression because of how the folklore was presented, making you want to dive into reading more about the culture.

5. Hellraiser – This maze was visually stunning with gorgeous costumes and unsettlingly creepy set design. While walking through the hanging chains was a personal dislike, the hard work of the actors made it a memorable experience.

6. Evil Dead Burn – This was an incredibly fun and frightening maze that served as a perfect advertisement, making you want to watch the movie.

7. Killer Klowns from Outer Space – This is a bright, fun maze full of clowns, but ranking is lower because it’s a repeat from previous years. I’m not as excited for it as I once was, but if you’ve never seen it I think it will be a favorite.

8. Stranger Things 5 – I personally didn’t follow the show Stranger Things, and since this maze is based on season five, I didn’t understand exactly what was going on. I was familiar with some of the characters, but story-wise, I had a hard time following what was happening in the maze.

9. Dead, Deader, Deadest – This maze wasn’t my personal style, I found it to be a little less nostalgic and more old fashioned. The scents were overpowering (think bathroom of the Asylum 2006), but I appreciated the work of the actors and the original storytelling. They do have an absolute standout costume in this one though.

Special shoutout to the mini-maze on streets. It was a fun discovery while exploring the scare zone. Make sure to keep an eye out for it.

My must-do mazes are Ozzy, Sinners and Terror Tram. Check the schedule if you have early entry to start with the mazes that open before the general line gets in. If not I’d recommend starting with Sinners or head to the right when the general line opens walking past The Purge to hit up Evil Dead and Hellraiser. Keep in mind the Terror Tram closes early. Don’t forget to make time for the killer shows and scare zones around the park, too. 

Book your HHN tickets here:
https://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/hhn/

A huge thank you to Universal Studios HHN for inviting me. They gave me the opportunity to experience and capture the terror inside this year’s mazes to share with you. Be sure to follow my social media for more in-depth looks at HHN, haunted attractions, escape rooms, and horror events across Southern California.