Q105 is giving Universal Orlando Resort fans a narrow chance to get into Halloween Horror Nights 35 without buying their own event admission. The Tampa Bay radio station’s promotion runs through Friday, September 11, with listeners told to tune in during the noon and 4 p.m. hours for a cue to call and a chance to win a prize package for two.
Halloween Horror Nights is a separately ticketed event at Universal Studios Florida, running on select nights from August 28 through November 1. For fans still deciding whether to pay for a night inside the event, Q105’s Halloween Horror Nights ticket giveaway offers another route—but only for a matter of hours.
Q105’s Halloween Horror Nights ticket giveaway ends today
According to Q105’s published contest details, the entry period runs from September 8 through September 11, 2026. Listeners must hear the cue to call, then phone the station; the designated caller announced by the on-air personality is selected, subject to verification.
The prize package is for two people and includes one-night Halloween Horror Nights single-night admission and one day of Universal Orlando regular parking for one vehicle. Q105 identifies Universal Orlando Resort as the prize provider and says the prize must be used during eligible 2026 event dates, with travel completed by November 1 or the prize is forfeited.
The promotion requires listeners to be paying attention during specific Q105 windows, creating a hard deadline for anyone hoping to avoid paying out of pocket for the included admission and parking.
The free-ticket opportunity lands during a more expensive HHN season
The contest arrives as the cost of repeat Halloween Horror Nights visits has increased. Inside the Magic previously reported that Universal’s 2026 multi-night passes rose across all four tiers, including the Rush of Fear Pass moving from $199.99 in 2025 to $229.99 in 2026 and the Ultimate Frequent Fear Pass rising from $419.99 to $449.99.
Universal also discontinued Frequent Fear products bundled with Express for 2026, affecting how regular attendees structure their Horror Nights spending. Separately, a previously available late-night parking benefit was removed from certain Frequent Fear products.
None of those changes means Universal is “gatekeeping” Halloween Horror Nights, and the Q105 promotion should not be framed as a response to ticket prices; no source reviewed for this story establishes that connection. But for a fan who has not purchased admission, winning tickets is more consequential in a season when several multi-night products cost more than last year.
Halloween Horror Nights 35 packs 10 houses into Universal Studios Florida
Universal Orlando officially opened Halloween Horror Nights 35 on August 28. The event celebrates 35 years of the Orlando production with 10 haunted houses, scare zones and street experiences, live entertainment, themed food and merchandise, and select operating attractions.
This year’s setting is the “Infernal Carnival of Nightmares,” with returning icons Jack the Clown and Dr. Oddfellow as rival ringmasters. Universal Orlando’s official HHN announcement says the house lineup combines major horror and pop-culture properties with original stories developed by its entertainment team.
Among the recognizable properties promoted this season are Stranger Things and Sinners. Universal’s official Halloween Horror Nights page confirms the event is separately ticketed from regular daytime admission and warns that it may be too intense for young children; it is not recommended for children under 13.
Daytime operations matter, too. Universal Studios Florida closes to regular daytime guests before Halloween Horror Nights on event nights so the separately ticketed experience can begin. Inside the Magic has tracked those September operating-hour changes for guests planning full park days.
Sellouts make timing more than a marketing talking point
There is another reason the contest’s final day matters: admission availability can tighten. Inside the Magic reported that Halloween Horror Nights sold out for the September 6 event night, showing that some dates can reach capacity.
A Q105 win does not necessarily mean unrestricted access to any night a winner chooses. The station’s posted terms say the prize is valid for 2026 event dates and note that event details and access remain subject to availability, capacity, changes and closures. Winners should read the final official rules and redemption instructions before making plans.
Q105’s page also says the full official rules will be added once approved. The station has published the entry mechanism, contest dates, prize description and redemption deadline, but prospective entrants should check for updated rules governing eligibility and other conditions.
Fans have two final Q105 windows to try for HHN tickets
For anyone within Q105’s contest eligibility who wants the prize, the immediate action is simple: listen during the station’s 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. hours on September 11 and wait for the cue to call. The station—not Universal’s ticketing website—is administering the call-in selection process.
Everyone else can still purchase Halloween Horror Nights tickets and packages through Universal Orlando, subject to availability. Universal currently lists event nights through November 1, leaving weeks of HHN 35 ahead after Q105’s promotion ends.
The giveaway does not erase the broader cost of an Orlando trip, nor does it guarantee a winner’s preferred event date. What it offers is a time-sensitive shot at a pair of single-night admissions plus parking while the 35th anniversary season is underway. After the 4 p.m. hour today, Q105’s posted September 8–11 entry window is set to close.
