Universal Studios Hollywood is under fire after a guest claims their expensive VIP tour was canceled—without warning or refund—because they were the only one who signed up. The situation unfolded during the resort’s Universal Fan Fest Nights event, a limited-time experience for fans of sci-fi, anime, fantasy, and video games.
Universal Fan Fest Nights is a hard-ticketed, after-hours event that promises exclusive entertainment, themed food and drinks, rare merchandise, and shorter attraction wait times. One of the more premium offerings is the VIP group tour, which starts at $373 per person and includes event admission. That’s a significant discount compared to Universal Studios Hollywood’s typical VIP experiences, which can cost thousands.
But Reddit user u/stitchkingdom says their Fan Fest Night was spoiled before it even began.
“Apparently I was the only one who did (for that time),” they explained. “So they decided it wasn’t worth keeping the tour available so they canceled a bunch of times. I’m a bit disappointed because nothing beats an empty/small tour but so it goes.”
According to the post, Team Members told the guest the tour wouldn’t run because no one else had booked that time slot, effectively canceling it for being a party of one. Rather than refunding the $373 purchase, Universal rescheduled them for a later VIP tour when others had already signed up. However, the guest had also paid for early access, which the park “didn’t even offer to comp.”
Despite their frustration, the guest said they understood the business decision.
“A private tour generally goes for 4500 or so,” they wrote. “Normally a public tour is really a maximum of 24 or so across two groups. While the walking part is two separate groups up to 12, they combine temporarily for the trolley (which is just Hill Valley for this tour). Not sure what the threshold is to maintain a tour, but I can’t blame them for canceling a tour over 20 people shy.”
At the time of writing, Universal Studios Hollywood’s website shows plenty of availability for upcoming Fan Fest Nights VIP Tours, but it’s unclear if other guests may face similar cancellations. For now, those with bookings are advised to monitor emails and voicemails before heading to the Southern California theme park.
Universal Fan Fest Nights continues on select dates through May 18, 2025, with tickets available now.
Was it wrong for Universal Studios Hollywood to cancel the guest’s VIP tour? Share your opinion with Disney Fanatic in the comments.
