HamiKuma Gets His First Orlando Meet and Greet at Halloween Horror Nights 35, One Year After His Florida Debut Fell Through

Last Halloween, Orlando got the HamiKuma merchandise and Hollywood got to meet the actual bear, even though he had been slated for both. That is finally changing.

Universal confirmed on Wednesday that HamiKuma, the candy stuffed zombie bear born at Universal Studios Japan, will hold his first meet and greet at Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando this year. He will be set up inside the Five & Dime store at Universal Studios Florida during event hours. Halloween Horror Nights 35 begins August 28.

HamiKuma, half teddy bear and half zombie, complete with a dislodged eye and a belly full of sweets. Image: Universal Destinations & Experiences

What Universal has and has not said

The location is confirmed. The schedule is not. Attractions Magazine reported that "Universal has not yet announced specific appearance times," so for now the only thing Orlando guests know is that he will be somewhere in that shop at some point during event hours.

Hollywood keeps him as well. Inside Universal reports that HamiKuma will again meet guests at Universal Studios Hollywood, during selected afternoon and early evening windows on event nights.

HamiKuma at a Universal Studios Japan meet and greet set during Halloween Horror Nights, his dislodged eye hanging over his teeth. Image: WDW News Today

Who exactly is this bear

Universal Studios Japan created HamiKuma for its Halloween Horror Nights in 2021, and he has since become one of the event's best known original characters. The design leans on the Japanese idea of "kowa-kawa," or scary cute: a teddy bear silhouette wrecked by stitches, claws, a dislodged eye and a split belly with sweets spilling out of it.

The backstory is grim in the way a children's book villain is grim. He worked as a sideshow act in a traveling circus. Jealous of how popular he was, and taking seriously a rumor that he was no real bear, the other performers cut open his belly to see what was inside. Then they burned the big top down to hide what they had done, and he died in the fire. In the afterlife a parasitic demon called Death Bringer worked its way into that same belly and brought him back to the surface. HamiKuma got eternal life out of it. His soul stayed behind.

Universal has spun several variants out of him since: HamiKuma Soul, the part of him left trapped in the afterlife, HamiKuma Punk, his anger and resentment, and HamiKuma Candy, his greed.

HamiKuma greeting guests, arms wide and claws out. Image: Inside Universal

He is now nearly everywhere Universal does Halloween

The Orlando meet and greet is one piece of a much wider rollout for the 2026 season. Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas gets an all new HamiKuma live stage show, performed throughout September and October. Universal Studios Singapore picks him up for the first time. Universal Studios Japan and Universal Beijing Resort both bring him back.

That is a notable run for a character who started as one park's seasonal mascot in 2021 and, as recently as last year, was slated for Florida but never made it there.

The merchandise expands on August 24

Universal is widening the HamiKuma collection starting August 24, four days before HHN 35 opens. Inside Universal lists a plaid shirt, a plush backpack and a plaid fanny pack with plush accents among the new pieces, joining the apparel and accessories already in the line.

HamiKuma plush merchandise. Universal says the collection widens on August 24. Image: Universal Destinations & Experiences

Which, for anyone who spent last year's event buying the bear's merchandise in Orlando without ever getting to meet him, is at least the full set this time.

Sources

Attractions Magazine, WDW News Today, Inside Universal. Halloween Horror Nights 35 opening date via WDW News Today.

Image credits: Universal Destinations & Experiences (character art, plush merchandise), WDW News Today (Universal Studios Japan meet and greet), Inside Universal (character greeting guests).