Epic Universe’s after-hours Universal Nights runs 9 p.m. to midnight from $179.99, with snacks and drinks included. The first night was Oct. 3, and four dates remain through Nov. 20.
Universal‘s answer to Disney After Hours has officially started.
Universal Nights, the first separately ticketed after-hours event at Epic Universe, held its first night on Saturday, Oct. 3. Four more dates are left on the calendar.
Tickets start at $179.99 a person, plus tax, and they’re sold through Universal Orlando’s website.
When are the Universal Nights dates?
These are the dates Universal has announced:
Saturday, Oct. 3 (done)
Saturday, Oct. 17, already sold out by early September
Saturday, Oct. 24
Friday, Nov. 6
Friday, Nov. 20
Universal started with just Oct. 3 and Oct. 17, then added the last three in September, “due to popular demand.”
What time is Universal Nights?
The event runs from 9 p.m. to midnight. You can enter Epic Universe as early as 7 p.m., which lines up with Universal Celestial Goodnight, the park’s nightly fireworks and light show.
What is included with Universal Nights?
According to Universal, your ticket covers:
all five worlds at Epic Universe
rides open during the event
entertainment and character meet-and-greets
complimentary specialty snacks and drinks
Universal’s original announcement named snacks like berry popcorn and kimchi bao, plus Coca-Cola Freestyle drinks. Free snacks at a theme park are rare enough to count as a perk on their own.
It’s a limited-capacity event, which is the whole point. Fewer people should mean shorter waits for Mario Kart and the Ministry of Magic ride. Universal passholders get 10 percent off.
Is Universal Nights worth $179.99?
That depends on how you count the hours.
The official event is three hours, so $179.99 works out to about $60 an hour. Count the early entry from 7 p.m., and it’s five hours, or about $36 an hour.
The first wave of YouTube reviews after the Oct. 3 debut is already asking the same question, with titles like “Is It Worth It?” So you’re not alone.
What are the five worlds at Epic Universe?
Celestial Park in the middle, plus Super Nintendo World, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk and Dark Universe.
If you head to Dark Universe that night, look behind Monsters Unchained. That’s where foundation work just started on the land’s first expansion.
How does Universal Nights compare to Disney After Hours?
Pretty closely, at least on price. WDWMagic lined up Disney’s 2026 After Hours prices:
Magic Kingdom After Hours: $175 to $199
Hollywood Studios After Hours: $155 to $189
EPCOT After Hours: $155 to $179
Universal’s $179.99 starting price sits right around the middle of those ranges.
The hours are similar too. Disney’s events also allow entry at 7 p.m., with EPCOT and Hollywood Studios usually running 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., and Magic Kingdom running 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The big difference is how often they happen. Disney runs After Hours on dozens of nights a year across three parks. Universal Nights has five dates total.
Which Universal Nights date should you pick?
With Oct. 17 sold out, Oct. 24 is the closest Halloween-season option. The two November dates are Fridays, if a weekend trip is easier.
Universal hasn’t said whether Universal Nights continues after Nov. 20. For now, those four nights are the whole list.
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
FOX 35 Orlando (Sept. 2, 2026), the added dates, the sold-out Oct. 17 night, the passholder discount and Universal’s limited-capacity quote
Park Journey (Sept. 3, 2026), Universal’s added-dates announcement and “popular demand” quote
Universal Orlando Resort press release (Aug. 2026), the snack lineup
WDWMagic (July 7, 2026), the hours, Celestial Goodnight early entry and Disney After Hours price comparison
AI Disclosure: All articles are assigned, edited and reviewed by an experienced human editor before posting. Like most modern newsrooms, WebReef Media uses a variety of AI tools to help with accuracy and efficiency. Ways AI may be used in article creation include research, grammar, fact-checking and ideation, as well as occasional AI generated or enhanced thumbnails or graphics. No articles are generated or posted without human oversight or involvement.