Universal Fan Fest Nights “Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep” (First Look)

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The Universal Studios Hollywood theme park is rolling the dice on a new event that will see the Dungeons & Dragons franchise become a major part of its upcoming 2025 Universal Fan Fest Nights, a series of after-hours programming that celebrates some of pop culture’s biggest names. It’s all part of the continuing expansion of D&D into main stream culture, thanks in larger part to Stranger Things, Critical Role and Honor Among Thieves.

The event, which runs from April 25th to May 18, 2025, will feature a number of interactive elements, with participants exploring exhibits, solving puzzles and interacting with characters in a setting inspired by D&D lore. Entitled “Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep,” the event will also include a life-sized puppet of the infamous beholder crimelord Xanathar that was been created by the Jim Henson Workshop.

So just what else can D&D fans expect from this upcoming event? Below, we break out everything we know so far.

What are Universal Fan Fest Nights?

Fan Fest Nights are a series of events that will take place in the Spring of 2025 at the Universal Studios Hollywood amusement park in Los Angeles. In addition to Dungeons & Dragons: The Secrets of Waterdeep, the events are focused on a range of pop culture franchises and include:

• Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley: Guests climb aboard the Studio Tour “Fan Tram” and venture towards Courthouse Square (the original filming location on the Universal Studios backlot). Participants are then inserted into familiar scenes, including the Enchantment Under the Sea dance and a recreation of the iconic Clock Tower lightning strike.

• One Piece: Grand Pirate Gathering: Inspired by the long-running manga and anime series, the event includes meet and greet opportunities with different characters as well as themed photo ops.
• Star Trek: Red Alert: Guests enter a recreation of U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D on a mission to prevent an interstellar threat. The experience includes a range of immersive audio-visual effects, multi-sensory activations and themed performers.

• Jujutsu Kaisen: Hunger of the Curse: Inspired by the popular Japanese manga and anime series, guests can interact with a film-based experience that first debuted at Universal Studios Japan.

• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Guests and fans will have a chance to further engage in the Harry Potter area of Universsal Studios, with new attractions that include a baby dragon and a light projection show.

• SUPER NINTENDO WORLD: Let’s Go, Yoshi: Guests will engage in a scavenger hunt to locate all five colorful Yoshi eggs, with meet and greet opportunities with various characters, plus a drone-based light show.

Notably, Fan Fest Nights are being developed by the creators of the popular Hollywood Horror Nights events which also take place at Universal Studios in the fall and include custom events focused around popular horror and sci-fi franchises like Insidious, A Quiet Place and Ghostbusters. That particular series of events includes haunted houses, exclusive merchandise and other in-person events leading up to Halloween.

What is “Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep” about?

In a press release from Universal Studios, they describe the event as follows:

Inspired by the World’s Greatest Roleplaying Game™, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS (D&D), this epic experience will welcome guests and fans to partake in a one-of-a-kind adventure and explore the fantastic world of D&D. Guests will join the Harpers—a heroic spy network—to foil a plot by the legendary beholder Xanathar and save the city of Waterdeep. In creating this unique experience, Universal Studios Hollywood is collaborating with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop to create the legendary beholder Xanathar that will come to life within DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Secrets of Waterdeep. For over 40 years, Jim Henson’s Creature Shop has been a world-renowned innovator in puppetry, animatronics and digital animation.

Notably, new D&D merchandise is also being sold, including clothing and accessories, such as a Bag of Holding. It also includes a D&D-themed menu that includes the following custom drinks and foods that are being served at “The First Roll Tavern;”

• Hunter’s Mark: Marinated beef, arugula and cheese served on a ciabatta roll
• Beholder’s Brew Fondue: Rosemary and onion tavern loaf served with creamy beer fondue
• Traveler’s Rations: Dried fruit, hardtack, cheese and dried meats
• Fireball: Spicey chocolate brownie with a strawberry, chili and lime filling and topped with pop rocks
• Gelatinous Cube: Blue raspberry gummy filled with candy bones and sugar weapons
• The Eldritch Blast: A neon green cocktail made withvodka, apple and kiwi syrup, lemon juice, lemon / lime soda, edible green glitter, edible electric dust, kiwi popping boba and a mint sprig
• Red Dragon’s Breath: A cherry red cocktail made with tequila, dragon fruit syrup, lime juice, jalapeno, and hibiscus ginger beer served over dry ice
• Goodberry: Abrick red cocktail made with white rum, blackberry syrup, lavender syrup, lemon juice, and soda water and garnished with candy
• Charm Person: A golden yellow cocktail made with spiced rum, elderflower liqueur, lime juice, honey and mango syrup and garnished with habanero, chili and lime and a tamarind infused straw
• Beholder’s Blueberry Shandy: Draft beer, lemonade and blueberry syrup and garnished with blueberries
• Beholder’s Brew: Draft beer

How much is the D&D Univeral Fan Fest Nights experience?

Tickets range in price from $74 USD for a single nights entrance to $250 USD for the “Ultimate Fandom Pass,” which you can find below:

• General Admission: From $74 USD
• Universal Express: From $173 USD (Offers admission plus one-time express access)
• Universal Express Unlimited: From $203 USD (Admission plus unlimited express access)
• After 2 PM Day/Night: From $114 USD (General Park admission after 2 PM plus same-day evening access and early event access to select experiences starting at 5:30 PM)
• After 2 PM Day/Night Universal Express: From $223 USD (Includes both Day and Night admission. One-time express access during the day and night. Also includes early event access starting at 5:30 PM.)
• VIP Tour: From $373 USD (VIP walking tour, private trolley transportation, unlimited express access, gourmet dinner (no alcohol) and valet parking).
• 2-Night General Admission: $65 USD per night (general Admission for two separate nights)
• Ultimate Fandom Pass: $249 USD (general Admission to all event nights, with maximum fan access)

Final Thoughts

It’ll be interesting to see how well the Dungeons & Dragons brand translates into an immersive experience like Fan Fest Nights, especially in the face of much larger brands like Star Trek. The fact that it’s being included, however, speaks to just how far into the mainstream D&D has made it in the past few years.

The event runs for a limited time from April 25th to May 18, 2025. If you’re planning to be in the Los Angeles area then you can grab your tickets via the Universal website.

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