The Real Reason Harry Potter and the Simpsons Are Missing From Halloween Horror Nights

Last week, Universal Orlando Resort defended its crown as the scariest theme park this time of year as it unveiled its Halloween Horror Nights. While Disney World celebrates the tame side of the holiday, Universal Studios goes all in with its scare zones and haunted houses.

Two excited visitors expressing shock and amazement with their hands on the sides of their faces against a backdrop of the Universal Studios Florida entrance, eagerly anticipating the thrilling experience at Halloween Horror Nights. — Credit: Inside The Magic

Universal Orlando used its franchises throughout Halloween Horror Nights this year, including a Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire haunted house and A Quiet Place Haunted House. However, two noticeable absences from Halloween Horror Nights are prevalent throughout Universal Studios Orlando.

Harry Potter and The Simpsons are noticeably absent from Halloween Horror Nights. Guests can still enter the themed lands dedicated to the two franchises; however, they do not play a significant role in Universal’s Halloween tickets event.

Universal Orlando releases Death Eaters on guests during Halloween, but that only happens in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and not-so-subtly during the same date range of Halloween Horror Nights.

However, despite Harry Potter being a large part of the park, guests cannot ride a haunted Hogwarts Express or fight off evil wizards in Diagon Alley.

Theme park expert Robert Niles told the Tampa Bay Times that it could be a legal issue that separates the Harry Potter world from Universal’s Halloween celebration. He said:

They just want to stay in their own world, and Death Eaters are within their narrative so they don’t want to be part of another narrative universe. But you could tell in the press release they were bending over backward, not to mention HHN, while having the Death Eaters out there at the same time.

So, if Universal Studios cannot legally or otherwise bring the Harry Potter world to Halloween, why doesn’t The Simpsons, which has built its brand in part around its Halloween episodes, play a bigger role?

A young person with glasses, dark hair, and a blue jacket stands in front of a steam locomotive inside a bright, arched train station. The sign reads "Hogwarts Express," and the red train emits white steam billowing around this magical attraction from the Harry Potter world. — Credit: Inside the Magic

The Simpsons

As it turns out, that, too, is a legal issue. The Simpsons are owned by Fox, now owned by Universal Orlando’s main rival, Disney.

The Universal Orlando Resort only has the rights to The Simpsons through 2028, and then those rights will go back to Disney. This complicates bringing them to Halloween Horror Nights and their land within the theme park.

The image shows the Simpson family from the animated TV show "The Simpsons" standing in a forest at night. Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie all have worried and surprised expressions as they look off to the side. Trees and a dark sky are in the background. — Credit: Fox

Theme park Historian Jim Hill told the Tampa Bay Times:

I’m told that for a time back in the early 2010s, there was talk of actually producing a ‘Treehouse of Horrors’ inspired version of the Simpsons Ride.

Once Disney bought Fox and got the rights to the Simpsons, all talk of that died. And right now, Disney’s just waiting for Universal’s rights to use these characters in a theme park setting to expire. And then Homer and Marge will move over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Or so I’ve been told.

So, despite the near-perfect tie into the Halloween season with Harry Potter and The Simpsons, it appears that teams of lawyers have become the Grinch stealing away our Halloween fun.

What kind of haunted house would you design around The Simpsons and Harry Potter at Universal Studios?