The smell of fog is in the air — Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) must be around the corner. HHN brings guests and horror fans the most fearful of frights, and this year is no exception. I am especially excited for the powerful storytelling in the Fallout haunted house.
Based on the Prime Video original series and video game of the same title, this house brings a terrifying, post-apocalyptic world to life. If you’ve seen the show, you do not necessarily have to know the video game in order to have a great time in this house (but that may just help you catch some nifty Easter eggs). Maybe you will join the Vault Dwellers for a better chance underground (where are my “preppers” at?) until Reclamation Day. Or maybe you stick with the Brotherhood of Steel for the strength (and ammo) to fight. Or maybe you have been left in the desolate, above-ground Wasteland to fend for yourself. No matter who you are in the “Fallout” universe, you will experience every part of it in this inaugural Halloween Horror Nights house. Haven’t taken the plunge yet? This is the perfect stop to get all the must-know details. You might even emerge as the expert among your fellow spooky comrades.
This year, “Fallout” will arrive at both Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida. We met with event production experts, including Hollywood and Orlando entertainment leaders John Murdy and Matthew Flood, to bring you everything you need to know about the Fallout haunted house at Halloween Horror Nights 2025.
Looking for the full HHN lineup? Check out what’s coming to Universal Studios Hollywood right here, and what’s coming to Universal Studios Florida right here.
“Tutorial” (Get to Know Your Scares)
Here’s the download: Following a global nuclear conflict where most of civilization does not survive, “Fallout” (the show) opens in the year 2296. This war-torn backdrop is home to several competing factions that all want control of the surface world.
Vault Dwellers would seemingly have it the best of these groups. Underground bomb shelters created by the mega-corporation Vault-Tec provide the Vault Dwellers with quite a removed experience from the surface, complete with retro-futuristic vibes and decor to match. But could there be secrets… or even dangers lurking inside these vaults? Make sure you come investigate the vault corridors for yourself up close.
Looking for Easter eggs? Matthew Flood, senior show director for Universal Orlando Resort, suggests you may find them checking out some of the brands inside the house. “Our decor specialists and art specialists have put so much love into those little Easter eggs [to] make it feel really rich and detailed,” he says.
Next, we have the Brotherhood of Steel. These are the soldiers of the Wasteland, who are ex-military survivors of the bombs that seek pre-war technology for… let’s just call them defense advancements.
And remember that nuclear war mentioned that kicked this whole thing off? The last major group in the “Fallout” universe remained on the surface. With some being exposed to the blasts and their noxious after-effects, their mutations allow them the ability to reside above ground. Yup, we are talking Ghouls here, and they want to meet you — who cares if it is for food? Throw in some Scavengers and Raiders to the mix and I am already looking over my shoulder. Guests can also expect to meet some of their favorite “Fallout” characters from these factions in this year’s HHN house at both Universal Studios Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood…
Lucy MacLean – Vault Dweller
Lucy is our heroine, and her path is anything but simple. Lucy is the daughter of “overseer” Hank MacLean, the big boss of Vault 33. After Wasteland Raiders from the surface attack her home, Lucy sets out to find her kidnapped father and bring him home. But after a lifetime in the Vaults, she may discover more about herself than the Wasteland.
Maximus – Brotherhood of Steel
We are introduced to Maximus as a squire on a journey to recover “Cold Fusion,” which could rewrite the future of the surface world. His search party encounters a Yao Guai (or mutated bear) that — spoiler alert! — critically wounds a fellow knight in the Brotherhood. Maximus chooses to take the knight’s “Power Armor,” suit for protection. Sorry to this fallen knight, but this suit has the fire power to allow Maximus to chart his own course through the Wasteland.
The Ghoul – Wasteland
In “Fallout,” there are Ghouls in general, and then there is The Ghoul — and you would rather meet the former. While typical Wasteland Ghouls have a more “classic” zombie vibe, The Ghoul (aka Cooper Howard) has used long-term exposure to radioactivity to keep himself alive. Cooper’s “vials” combined with a Ghoul’s extended (well, mutated) lifespan, have allowed him to live for centuries. Be warned: The Ghoul is a bounty hunter, so do not get in-between him and his assignment.
“Checkpoints” (House Experience)
Prepare to enter the Wasteland! No, really. We are going there, according to John Murdy, the creative director and executive producer of HHN for Universal Studios Hollywood. “Scenically, this is going to be one of the most complex haunted houses we have ever done because the scenic design of ‘Fallout’ is pretty spectacular,” he shares.
As guests wait in line for the house, they’ll hear not only screams coming from inside, but Cold War Era music from the ‘50s. The experience starts right away with Vault-Tec videos broadcast in the queue. John leaves fans with a key horror archetype used in this haunted house: light music paired with a tense soundtrack. “You take something that’s so sugary sweet and then juxtapose it with horror and it takes on a different meaning. I think that’s what the music in ‘Fallout’ does.”
Guests and fans will be transported to some of their favorite “Fallout” locations. Explore the vaults, resupply at the Super Duper Mart, and duke it out in the Wasteland. Me? I will be dodging the Yao Guai during my journey after hearing details about it from John.
“The bear is massive,” he says. “It’s one of the biggest special effects we have ever created. Just the clay [sculpt] for it weighs over 500 pounds.”
Here is a closer look at where you can expect your travels to bring you within the world of “Fallout:”
The Vaults
We open in Vault 33, the stage for Lucy’s wedding day. Things quickly take a turn as Lucy realizes that her beloved is a Raider, posing as a neighboring Vault Dweller. Chaos descends on Vault 33 as a group of Raiders infiltrate and abduct Lucy’s father, leaving the remains of Lucy’s friends and family behind. Guests find themselves trapped in-between battling Raiders and Vault Dwellers!
The Wasteland
As we venture with Lucy into the Wasteland, we see what has become of the Santa Monica Pier. Remains lie preserved in their untimely resting places scattered throughout this barren place and danger is never far. Guests will have to dodge the likes of Scavengers, Feral Ghouls, and a mutated pest called a “Rad Roach.” To top it all off, now it’s time to come face-to-face with The Ghoul in his graveyard. After joining Lucy on her quest, we enter a relatively untouched part of Wasteland with trees, plant life, and a cave that may not be as empty as you would like. We encounter Maximus and his Knight, Titus, as they are attacked by the mutated bear (Yao Guai).
Super Duper Mart
The Super Duper Mart has certainly seen better days; Even the sign letters are not holding on very well anymore. We make our way with Lucy and The Ghoul to discover what lurks inside. Among this cluttered store’s relics of the past, Lucy finds Snip Snip. Snip Snip may be a killer robot, but who can get past that name? Can Lucy make use of Snip Snip before she ends up snipped herself? We then finally meet the managers of the Super Duper Mart, Huey and Squirrel. They do not trade in food or supplies though. Here, the currency is Feral Ghouls stored in the grocery freezers for safe measure… But it does not save them for long.
New Las Vegas
As you escape the final clutches of the Feral Ghouls, you are welcomed to the promise of a new adventure. “Welcome to Fabulous New Las Vegas” language greets you, ushering you into the unknown. We all know to keep our eyes peeled for those final encounters, and this house offers a sendoff from The Ghoul as we rock out to the King. Viva Las Vegas.
That’s credits on our Fallout behind-the-screams sneak peek. Be sure to check out all this and even more that the Fallout house has to offer at Halloween Horror Nights 2025. We’ll see you…hopefully before a ghoul does.
What are you most looking forward to in the Fallout haunted house? Let us know in the comments below!
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