Last year, Universal Studios debuted one of my favorite theme park experiences of 2025: Fan Fest Nights. It was like the park’s iconic Halloween Horror Nights, but with a focus on non-horror franchises. It had some absolutely incredible attractions, including a rebuilt Enterprise-D bridge for the Star Trek experience and an awesome Beholder animatronic from the Henson Creature Shop for the Dungeons & Dragons experience. However, by far the best part of Fan Fest Nights was the Back to the Future portion of the show.
The Hill Valley set, which is still part of the historic Universal Studios backlot tour, became accessible to guests, and we got to walk around and feel like we were truly in the middle of the movie. Today, Universal Studios Hollywood announced that tickets are officially on sale for Fan Fest Night 2026. Unfortunately, with the news came the detail that Back to the Future won’t be back, but its replacement could be better.
Scooby Doo X Universal Monsters Will Take Guests To The Back Lot
It had previously been announced that one of the major attractions at Fan Fest Nights this year would be Scooby Doo X Universal Monsters, a mashup that would bring the ghost-hunting Hanna-Barbera team together with Universal’s classic creatures. However, we didn’t have any details on exactly what the experience would be.
In a press release, Universal Studios Hollywood confirmed that Scooby Doo X Universal Monsters will take place on the backlot. Guests will take the Studio Tour tram down to the backlot, and then exit the tram and walk along the backlot alongside the Scooby Gang as they go up against the various monsters.
What makes this extra special is that we’re talking about the Universal Studios backlot, which is where many of those classic Universal Monster movies were originally filmed. The Little Europe set, which still stands today, is where movies like Frankenstein and The Wolf Man were shot back in the ‘30s and ‘40s. It’s a classic movie fan’s dream come true.
Fan Fest Nights Has A Lot More To Offer, And It’s Not Done Yet
While the Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley experience won’t be returning, one of last year’s attractions will. Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep will be back. If you haven’t seen that incredible beholder animatronic, you’ll have another chance.
One other franchise from last year will be back as well, but in a new way. Last year, One Piece appeared at Fan Fest Nights as little more than a photo op, but this year, Universal Studios Japan’s ONE PIECE: Grand Pirate Show, will debut at the Waterworld stunt show location.
Fan Fest Nights is also teasing new experiences at the Super Nintendo World and Wizarding World of Harry Potter lands. Last year, Yoshi debuted at Super Nintendo World as part of the event. This year, we’ll get multiple Yoshis, in multiple colors, all throughout the land. The Wizarding World experience will be a walk through attractions that will send guests into the Forbidden Forest with a Hogwarts professor on the search for a lost Hippogriff.
There’s still more to be announced for this year’s Fan Fest Nights, but what we already have sounds like year two of the event will be just as good, and maybe better than year one.
