Universal Studios Hollywood is facing criticism from attendees of Halloween Horror Nights over discrepancies between its Five Nights at Freddy’s haunted house and the Florida version. Creative Director John Murdy addressed the complaints, saying that higher production costs on the West Coast resulted in fewer animatronics in the Hollywood version.
Complaints & Comparison
Guests observed that the Florida version of the Five Nights at Freddy’s house features Freddy, Bonnie, and Chica onstage during the opening Pizza Place scene. In contrast, the Hollywood version displays only Freddy. Bonnie and Chica are represented by shadows behind curtains. Some attendees pointed out that earlier communications suggested the two versions would be “99% identical,” which led to heightened expectations for parity.
Freddy Fazbear animatronic in FNAF house at Halloween Horror Nights Orlando – Photo Credit: That Park Place
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Part of the discontent stems from perceived value. Some guests believe that the promise of near‑identical houses implied the same level of animatronic content. Universal’s explanation suggests that producing full animatronic figures is significantly more expensive in certain locations, especially on the West Coast.
Murdy’s Response
John Murdy responded via the social media platform X, saying: “Wow we’re really bent about this. Sorry dude, things are a hell of a lot more expensive on the West Coast. It’s the only real difference between the houses [sic].”
Wow we’re really bent about this. Sorry dude, things are a hell of a lot more expensive on the West Coast. It’s the only real difference between the houses
— John Murdy 🎃 (@john_murdy) September 6, 2025
He made clear that this cost issue was the primary reason for the design differences.
Background & Context
Halloween Horror Nights is an annual seasonal event held at Universal Studios theme parks, primarily in Orlando and Hollywood. Running during the fall, typically from early September through October, the event features themed haunted houses, scare zones, and live entertainment inspired by horror films, TV shows, and original concepts. Universal transforms portions of the parks after hours, drawing on partnerships with studios and creators to deliver immersive horror experiences.
Mel’s “Die” In at Halloween Horror Nights in Universal Orlando – Photo Credit: M. Montanaro
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While both Orlando and Hollywood host versions of the event, the scale, number of attractions, and production elements can vary between locations. The animatronics and effects for the Five Nights at Freddy’s house are produced in collaboration with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.
Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights event is smaller in scale compared to Orlando’s. Hollywood offers eight haunted houses, while Orlando features ten.
What Is Unclear
Universal has not publicly released detailed cost comparisons for producing animatronics for Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood versus Orlando. It also remains unclear whether additional figures such as Bonnie and Chica will appear later in the season.
Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights via Halloween Horror Nights YouTube
The impact of these differences on guest satisfaction or attendance has not been measured or reported.
Conclusion
Universal Studios Hollywood has acknowledged that its version of Five Nights at Freddy’s for Halloween Horror Nights differs somewhat from the Florida version.
A Roxanne Wolf animatronic at FNAF in Halloween Horror Nights Orlando – Photo Credit: That Park Place
According to statements from John Murdy, those differences are largely attributable to elevated production costs on the West Coast. While some guests say earlier statements implied the two experiences would be nearly identical, Murdy presents financial and logistical constraints as justification for the variances.
What do you think of the difference between the animatronics at Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood vs Orlando? Let us know in the comments!
