Universal Fan Fest Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood has finally arrived. This special event celebrates everyone’s favorite fandoms, but if you have never been before, there are certainly some things you should know before you go for the first time. There is a lot to soak in and, if you want to make the most of your seven hours there, we have you covered with these six tips.

The showcased fandoms for 2025 include Dungeons & Dragons, Star Trek, Back To The Future, One Piece, Harry Potter, and Jujutsu Kaisen. Even if you are a fan of just one of these, there is plenty to enjoy without knowing anything about the others. Universal Fan Fest Nights run on select nights from April 25 to May 18 and is a separately ticketed event. Chances are, the event will continue in future years like Halloween Horror Nights, as there are plenty of fandoms to celebrate.

ScreenRant was invited to attend the opening night of Universal Fan Fest Nights so that we could help you plan your visit. With walk-through experiences, character meet and greets, and a lot of food options, there is a lot to consider when planning your evening. Here are six things you absolutely need to know to ensure you make the most of your time at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Keep Your Eyes (And Ears!) Peeled

Easter Eggs Are Everywhere You Look.

Each experience is essentially a giant Easter Egg for the fandom that it is celebrating. Star Trek: Red Alert takes guests on board the Enterprise-D where they can set foot on the actual bridge that was used in Star Trek: Picard, Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets Of Waterdeep transports you into a game of Dungeons & Dragons, and Back To The Future sends fans back in time to experience Hill Valley in 1955.

There are so many things to take in that it would be impossible to list them all here, but be sure to keep your eyes peeled while exploring each fandom. In Star Trek: Red Alert, Captain Picard’s favorite drink, Earl Grey Tea, can be seen over and over in the replicator, while Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets Of Waterdeep not only has Easter Eggs sprinkled throughout, but the characters can be heard yelling spell names and mentioning details players will recognize.

Plan To Spend A Lot Of Time At The Back To The Future Experience

Great Scott! There Sure Is A Lot To See & Do In Hill Valley.

While the other two in-world experiences (Star Trek and Dungeons & Dragons) only take about ten minutes to get through, guests should plan to spend at least forty-five minutes in Hill Valley. You essentially step into the Back To The Future film when you arrive in town, which you get to by taking the studio tour tram. The world is filled with many characters that you can interact with, including Marty McFly, George McFly, Doc Brown, Lorraine, and Biff Tannen.

Multiple scenes from the movie are recreated and play out right in front of your eyes, including a fight between Biff and George, the Enchantment Under the Sea dance (complete with Marty showing off his guitar skills), and the iconic clock tower lightning strike. The story unfolds around you, which takes approximately forty-five minutes. This is by far the most interactive event of evening, and because of that, hardcore fans may want to stick around longer to make sure they get to see everything.

There are a couple of things to note about this experience, however. First, because there is so much happening all around you and in different corners of Hill Valley, it can sometimes be difficult to hear the characters and the shows they are putting on. They do not have portable microphone packs and the music playing throughout the area is quite loud. That said, if you know the movie, you can easily piece things together.

The other bit of information is that, because the studio trams are transporting guests to and from the experience, and the Universal lot is a working lot, there is a chance something could be filming. During our ride back, the tram needed to stop for about ten minutes because a new series starring Kiki Palmer was filming. Just something to consider when trying to plan out your timing.

Celebrate Your Favorite Fandom With Cosplay!

One Of The Best Things About Universal Fan Fest Nights Is Seeing All The Guests Dressed In Their Favorite Fandoms.

There is nothing quite like walking around Universal Fan Fest Nights and seeing everyone dressed up as characters from their favorite fandoms. While cosplay is certainly not required, it is a lot of fun to represent the series or movie you are most excited to see. You don’t want to feel left out and wish you had jumped in head first. There are many, many people who are dressed up. That said, there are also quite a few that are simply wearing a shirt showing off their favorite characters as well.

Be sure to check out all of Universal Fan Fest Nights’ cosplay guidelines before getting to the park on the night of your event.

Start At The Bottom & Work Your Way Up

Avoid The Initial Lines By Starting Furthest From The Entrance & Working Your Way Back.

If you are looking to avoid the congestion at the entry to the park, where many of the experiences are located, head down to either Back To The Future or Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets Of Waterdeep which are on the lower lots, and then work your way back up towards One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Star Trek: Red Alert. For the first hour that the event was running, both lower lot experiences were only a five minute wait, but as the night went on, the wait lenth went up because guests were making their way through the park.

Set Aside Plenty Of Time To Secure Food

The Wait For Food Was The Longest Part Of The Night.

Probably the biggest tip that we can offer is to plan for the unexpected when it comes to ordering food. We went to several different places in order to experience several different items throughout the night and each time we waited in line for at least twenty minutes. The food wait times were easily the longest of the night, and not just to order. After ordering, especially after midnight, it was taking at least thirty to forty minutes for the food to come out.

It should also be noted that many menu items were sold out, and we were not always made aware before ordering and paying. To be fair, this was the first night of the event, and knowing how much of certain items you need is a learning curve, so this could improve the longer the event goes on.

Some Rides, Experiences, & Restaurants Close Early

If There Is Something You Do Not Want To Miss, Plan To Do It Early In The Night.

While the main Universal Fan Fest Nights experiences remained open until the 2:00 am closing time, a few things do close early. Universal Studios Hollywood does a great job of placing signs throughout the park so that guests know when certain rides are closing. For example, the Jurᴀssic World ride closes at midnight, and Super Nintendo World as a whole closes around eleven.

During opening night, a few of the restaurants, including Mel’s Diner which features the Back To The Future-themed food, closed about forty-five minutes before the event ended for the night. This was so that they could focus on cooking and serving the orders that were already put in.

More About Universal Fan Fest Nights

Really Go There with Interactive and Immersive In-World Experiences

Universal Fan Fest Nights is an exciting, all-new seasonal event, featuring interactive and immersive in-world experiences inspired by sci-fi, fantasy, gaming and anime, based on Star Trek, Back to the Future, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, ONE PIECE and Jujutsu Kaisen, as well as special interactions with Wicked characters, Elphaba and Glinda. Theme park favorites, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and SUPER NINTENDO WORLD will also offer special additions and introduce character and interactive elements during Universal Fan Fest Nights.

Guests will really go there as they tap into their inner fandom and join forces with their favorite characters while sharing their enthusiasm with like-minded fans and engaging in cosplay.

Universal Fan Fest Nights 2025 at Universal Studios Hollywood runs on select nights from April 25th to May 18th.

Tickets can be purchased here, as it is ticketed separately from general admission to the park.