Jake's American Bar Becomes the Universal Monsters Laguna Lounge for Halloween Horror Nights 35, and Eight More Hotels Get Overlays

Frankenstein, the Bride of Frankenstein and the Invisible Man are moving into a tiki bar. Universal detailed its Halloween Horror Nights 35 hotel program on Wednesday, and the headline change is at Loews Royal Pacific Resort, where Jake's American Bar becomes the Universal Monsters Laguna Lounge, described by Universal as "a classic monster hideaway inspired by mid-century modern tiki."

Nine hotels are on the list this year, and Universal flags three of the lounges as new.

The three new ones

Loews Royal Pacific Resort. Jake's American Bar becomes the Universal Monsters Laguna Lounge. Universal says Frankenstein, the Bride of Frankenstein and the Invisible Man are among the characters worked into the room's decor, and that there will be oversized photo ops as well. The Pumpkin Spiced Mule and a Buffalo Chicken Dip are the two items Universal pictured for the bar.

Universal Stella Nova Resort. Nova Bar becomes a sleek research exhibit that has gone wrong, with a mysterious substance breaching containment and hazmat teams sealing off the area while they try to stabilize it.

Universal Terra Luna Resort. Luna Bar is an interstellar outpost by day. At night the truce breaks: two alien factions that once agreed to leave Terra Luna neutral are fighting over it, and Universal has staged one on each side of the bar. The Source is the cocktail Universal named for the overlay.

Stella Nova and Terra Luna are two of the three hotels Universal built for Epic Universe, alongside Universal Helios Grand Hotel, and Universal flags both as new this year. Both poured Halloween cocktails in 2025, at Nova Bar and Luna Bar, but neither was among the hotels Universal gave a themed lobby scene last year.

The returning ones

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. The Thirsty Fish is back for a second year, built around an old fishing ship locked in place by what Universal calls a freak ice storm. Nets and ropes hang stiff with ice, the ship's broken mast hangs out over the bar, and the whole room is washed in blue light.

Hard Rock Hotel. Night of the Living Shred returns to the lobby with more zombies and more band members, and this year it spreads to the Veranda Bar as well.

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort. Down in the lower lobby, Universal is building a seaside Gothic Manor, with candelabras, sinister floral sculptures and assorted dark academia props set out through the seating areas. New this year is a satellite bar. Universal names the Witch Doctor Old Fashioned, the Pumpkin Plunder and the Haunted Jungle Bird among its pours, and says each of those is on the menu at Strong Water Tavern too.

Universal Aventura Hotel. barVentura, the lobby bar, falls to a crew of alien overlords who mix cocktails meant to seize control of whoever drinks them, all while they work on abducting guests up to their mothership.

Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort. The Pumpkin Lord Bar returns to Swizzle Lounge, and this year the theme expands out into the lobby.

Universal Endless Summer Resort, Dockside Inn and Suites. Spirits wash ashore at the Sunset Lounge as eerie driftwood sculptures.

The new bar that is not in a hotel

The other addition is inside Universal Studios Florida. Universal is opening The Keyholder Bar, "located to the left of the Music Plaza Stage," and it is not open to everyone. Access is limited to hotel guests, Universal Orlando Passholders and Universal Rewards Cardmembers attending the event, with the pitch being quicker access to cocktails and mocktails.

Universal also says bars across its hotel portfolio will pour specialty seasonal cocktails this fall, and that select locations will serve late night food for guests coming back from the event.

The rest of the hotel pitch

Universal is also leaning on the standard on site benefits in its pitch: Early Park Admission during the day, complimentary transportation, and, for the event itself, a priority entrance to Halloween Horror Nights that runs 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. On price, it is advertising up to 30 percent off for stays of five or more nights at participating hotels. Universal Orlando Passholders get a second, separate deal, also up to 30 percent off at participating hotels, which Universal lists with no stay length requirement stated.

Halloween Horror Nights 35 runs on select nights, Friday, August 28 through Sunday, November 1, at Universal Studios Florida. That is a little over two weeks out.

Sources

• Inside Universal, "Universal Orlando Reveals 2026 Halloween Horror Nights Hotel Experiences, Including New Universal Monsters Laguna Lounge"
• Laughing Place, "The Fog of Halloween Horror Nights Extends Further Than Ever Before to Universal Orlando Hotels"
• Discover Universal, "Stay for More Screams with Halloween Lobby Scenes at the Universal Orlando Hotels" (2025, used to check what is actually new)

Image credits: all photos Universal Orlando Resort, distributed via Inside Universal.