Last Updated: April 24, 2026 at 12:55 AM PT
Universal Fan Fest Nights 2026 opened Thursday, April 23, 2026 at Universal Studios Hollywood, and I covered opening night live from inside the park. My final thoughts on the night are below, followed by the full live play-by-play, newest updates at the top.
Fan Fest Nights returns for its second year with six major franchise experiences: Scooby-Doo x Universal Monsters, ONE PIECE, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Dungeons and Dragons, Super Nintendo World, and Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. Opening night kicked off a run of select event nights through May 16, 2026.
Final Thoughts: Opening Night in the Books
Universal Fan Fest Nights 2026 opened with a deep fandom lineup and some real standouts.
The ONE PIECE: Grand Pirate Show at the Waterworld theater was the standout of the night. The fireworks are big, the stunt work is sharp, and the Straw Hat Crew is fully on stage in the flesh. If you’re a ONE PIECE fan, it hits every mark you’d hope for. If you’re coming in cold to the anime, the story can be tough to track, but the spectacle carries it either way.
Super Nintendo World is the biggest year-over-year improvement. Last year, meeting the specific Yoshi color you wanted was tough. This year, all four colorful Yoshis (light blue, pink, yellow, purple) are spread smartly across the land, and waits ran about five to ten minutes each when I was there. A big quality-of-life win. Merch was solid this year across the board, especially the Yoshi lineup.
Scooby-Doo Meets The Universal Monsters: Mystery on the Backlot is the big new headliner, and it’s a different kind of experience than what Fan Fest ran last year on the same backlot. You’re handed a Mystery Manual, given a pen, and asked to actually play detective alongside Mystery Inc. through Little Europe. Scooby-Doo fans who want to lean in and solve the case are going to love it. The themed food at this one is a moment of its own, including the Super Shaggy Sandwich, a towering club stacked with meats, cheese, and chips, and the Universal Monster 22″ Dog, a full shareable hot dog loaded with pulled pork and slaw.
The Forbidden Forest walkthrough was the other big moment for me. Finally getting to see the Forbidden Forest come to life at Universal is something Potter fans have been waiting on for years. Devil’s Snare, the spiders, and that Hippogriff finale delivered.
Honest take: last year’s Back to the Future experience on this same backlot had characters free-roaming the whole area, moving scene to scene and improvising with guests. This year, Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang are stationed at specific clue posts, which is the right call for a detective game but naturally dials the kinetic energy down a notch. If you’re hoping to turn your brain off and ride the spectacle, the participation-style mystery won’t scratch the same itch.
As a Back to the Future die-hard, year two didn’t hit the same mark for me that year one did. That said, year two still leans into fan-driven experiences that reward guests who want to participate in the story, and noticeably improves flow in the crowd-favorite lands. Year one set a high bar. I’m rooting for Universal to turn it back up in year three.
Universal Fan Fest Nights 2026 runs 12 total event nights through May 16, 2026. Tickets and the Ultimate Fandom Pass are available at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Live Updates from Opening Night
Newest updates at the top.
10:26 PM — In Line for ONE PIECE: Grand Pirate Show
Lined up at the Waterworld theater for the ONE PIECE: Grand Pirate Show. Green glow everywhere, Straw Hat hats in the crowd, the whole queue already feels like a pirate cove. Live show with Luffy and the Straw Hat Crew is up next, stunts and pyro promised.
10:00 PM — Yoshis of Super Nintendo World
Inside Super Nintendo World, all four colorful Yoshis (light blue, pink, yellow, purple) are out for Fan Fest Nights with short, smooth-flowing lines. A massive improvement from last year. Video on my X post.
9:46 PM — Headed to Super Nintendo World
Down the Starway with the crowd, green glow up ahead. Super Nintendo World is next on the Fan Fest Nights run, and you can already feel the energy shifting toward Yoshi territory.
9:30 PM — The Big Reveal
The finale stage. Mystery Inc. cracked the case and The Phantom Director was unmasked. Show moments, monsters, and one very satisfying payoff to the whole backlot mystery.
9:15 PM — Scooby-Doo Map and Snacks by Shaggy
Inside Scooby-Doo Meets The Universal Monsters: Mystery on the Backlot, the event hands guests a map with mini HQ and clue stops, team pickup and dropoff points, and a marked “big reveal” location.
The Scooby-Doo area also includes a Snacks by Shaggy setup, with Shaggy appearing near the themed food stand during Universal Fan Fest Nights.
8:38 PM — Frankenstein’s Monster Show Moment
Frankenstein’s Monster is having a moment out here. You can hear The Phantom Director’s voice over the speakers: the plan is working. That’s one of the three Universal Monster Show Moments baked into Scooby-Doo Meets The Universal Monsters.
Video on my X post.
8:33 PM — Inside the Mystery Inc. Manual
Cracked open the Mystery Inc. Manual and got the plan. Find 4 clues around Little Europe, cross suspects off the list, and whoever’s left standing is The Phantom Director. Head to The Big Reveal to see if you nailed it.
Two of the four suspects are already revealed on page 3 and 4:
- Max Flash, The Producer. Likes arthouse cinema, deadly allergic to peanuts. Possible motive: he landed investors for his directorial debut on the condition that filming starts in Little Europe immediately. Sabotage could be the move.
- June Steele, The Security Guard. Likes aviator glasses and mystery, dislikes axolotls. Possible motive: she’s inches from stardom but never quite steps into it. This may be her only shot.
8:31 PM — The Mystery Inc. Manual
They just handed me the Mystery Inc. Manual, titled The Case of The Phantom Director. This is the tool you use to play along: clues, character interactions, and everything you need to figure out who hijacked the movie.
8:26 PM — Plot Twist, I’m a Detective Now
Just got off the tram and dropped into the Backlot. Big plot twist: this isn’t a movie anymore. I’m now a detective, and the goal is to figure out who The Phantom Director really is. Scooby-Doo and the gang are here to help me crack it.
8:24 PM — The Phantom Director Reveal on the Tram
Scooby-Doo Meets The Universal Monsters: Mystery on the Backlot kicks off right on the tram with the reveal of the villain: The Phantom Director. He’s the one hijacking the movie and unleashing the Universal Monsters. Game on.
Video of the moment is up on my X post.
8:15 PM — On the Tram to Scooby-Doo x Universal Monsters
Heading down to the Backlot on the tram for Scooby-Doo x Universal Monsters. The premise they’re pitching: guests are extras on a monster movie.
8:00 PM — Forbidden Forest: Search for the Hippogriff
First walk of the night: Forbidden Forest: Search for the Hippogriff at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Posted wait was 30 minutes. Cool to see the Forbidden Forest truly come to life for the first time at a Universal park.
The walkthrough is a lot of fun. Lots of smoke, lots of lights, and a strong sense of being inside the movie. They send you in groups of about 20, with an actor leading the way. Our actor was incredible. He felt like he could have been plucked right out of a Harry Potter film. That’s how good the acting was.
Standout moments: a Devil’s Snare scene, spiders dropping down on the group, and a big finale with the Hippogriff. Super cool attraction and a strong first stop for the night.
What’s at Universal Fan Fest Nights 2026
Here’s the full lineup of franchise experiences at this year’s event.
Scooby-Doo x Universal Monsters
The headline experience of Fan Fest Nights 2026 is a walkthrough on the Universal Studios Backlot. Guests join Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang to solve a “movie gone wrong” as the classic Universal Monsters are unleashed across the backlot. This is the first time Scooby-Doo has appeared in a major Universal event, and the crossover with the Universal Monsters is one of the most talked-about attractions of the night.
ONE PIECE: Grand Pirate Show
ONE PIECE returns with a major upgrade. The Grand Pirate Show is a live spectacular featuring Luffy and the Straw Hat Crew with stunts and pyrotechnics. A separate fan zone, the ONE PIECE: Grand Pirate Gathering, features themed dining at Sanji’s Galley along with photo opportunities with the Straw Hat Crew.
Forbidden Forest: Search for the Hippogriff
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter gets a Fan Fest Nights experience titled Forbidden Forest: Search for the Hippogriff. Guests venture onto the Hogwarts grounds after dark for an evening that takes an unexpected turn, sending them on a journey to help rescue a Hippogriff in need. Enchanted paths, magical creatures, and spell-casting moments are all part of the walk.
Dungeons and Dragons
Dungeons and Dragons makes its Universal theme park debut at Fan Fest Nights 2026. The experience drops guests into Waterdeep, the iconic Forgotten Realms city, where players work to save the Sword Coast from the evil beholder Xanathar. For D&D fans, Xanathar is a deep cut, the crime lord from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything and one of the most recognizable villains in modern D&D lore.
Super Nintendo World
Super Nintendo World joins Fan Fest Nights with colorful Yoshis descending on the Mushroom Kingdom. Light blue, pink, yellow, and purple Yoshis appear for interactive fun and character meet-and-greets exclusive to event nights. Universal has also confirmed a land-wide puzzle experience that sends guests exploring the Mushroom Kingdom, uncovering clues, and solving the puzzle throughout the night.
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon takes over the DreamWorks Theatre for a breathtaking spectacle. Fans of the beloved manga and anime series get to spend an enchanting time with Super Sailor Moon and her Sailor Guardians inside the theatre. This marks a major anime moment for the event, joining ONE PIECE in Fan Fest Nights’ growing anime lineup.
Themed Food to Look For
Universal’s Fan Fest Nights 2026 food lineup leans hard into the franchises. A few standouts to watch for on your night:
- Super Shaggy Sandwich: a towering club sandwich with a giant selection of meats, cheese, potato chips, and toppings, served at the Scooby-Doo experience.
- Universal Monster 22″ Dog: a shareable hot dog topped with pulled pork, kale cabbage slaw, fried garlic chips, spicy pickles, and white BBQ sauce.
- Scooby Snacks: themed cookies, including a honey cinnamon graham dog-tag cookie and a chocolate paw print cookie.
- The Mystery Machine Flower Doughnut and Scooby Snack Doughnut, both limited-edition offerings at Voodoo Doughnut on CityWalk during the event run.
- Sanji’s Galley: themed dining inside the ONE PIECE: Grand Pirate Gathering fan zone.
Dates and Tickets
Universal Fan Fest Nights 2026 runs on select nights from April 23 through May 16, 2026 at Universal Studios Hollywood. The event is separately ticketed from regular park admission. Two ticket options are available:
- General Admission: valid for one selected event night. All franchise experiences are included regardless of which night you attend.
- Ultimate Fandom Pass: access to every event night throughout the full run.
Presale buyers on either ticket option receive a complimentary limited-edition collectible medallion. Tickets are available through the Universal Studios Hollywood ticket store.
What to Know Before You Go
- All franchises appear every night. Every Fan Fest Nights experience is available on every event date. Pick the night that works best for your schedule.
- Arrive early. Earlier entry gives you more time to work through everything without rushing.
- Budget for food and merchandise. Themed dining and exclusive merchandise are a big part of the experience. Sanji’s Galley and other themed food options are separately priced.
- Comfortable shoes are a must. Between the backlot experiences and walking the park, there’s a lot of ground to cover.
- Follow @unifanfestnights on Instagram for real-time event updates.
Source: Universal Studios Hollywood Official Blog
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