By Charly SHELTON

Universal’s Fan Fest Nights is back for its second year and, while last year was a fun try-out of a new concept, this year feels more like an event with an identity of its own. This nighttime weekends-only event is similar to the annual Halloween Horror Nights, but instead of scares it aims to immerse guests in some of their favorite fandoms through interactive walkthroughs and live shows. From a secret trip into the Forbidden Forest beyond the borders of Hogwarts school to meeting Dr. Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park as John Hammond welcomes you or getting splashed in a massive stunt spectacular featuring One Piece or meeting a gaggle of new brightly-colored Yoshis in Super Nintendo World, there are a lot of different fandoms to explore. And if you’re a fan of any one of them, it’s an experience that can’t be missed.

The standout, once again, is the Dungeons & Dragons experience, which continues to be one of the most immersive offerings Universal has offered. It leans fully into its world with evil warlocks and dragon fire and magic items, and there’s just enough tongue-in-cheek goofing around to feel like a real D&D campaign – there’s always that one guy who tries to seduce the Owlbear, you know?

New this year, the experience Scooby-Doo Meets the Universal Monsters: Mystery on the Backlot takes guests down into the streets of Little Europe on the backlot where many of the classic Universal Monster films were shot, to help Mystery Inc. stop a new campy villain from shutting down film productions when the classic Universal Monsters attack. Guests free-roam Little Europe to chase down clues and solve the mystery with Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne and Velma – all while Frankenstein’s Monster, Dracula, The Wolfman and The Bride of Frankenstein roam the streets interacting with them. It’s a lot of players on the stage and there’s always something happening, making this super fun no matter where you happen to be along the backlot.

Specialty event food, as always, is something to look forward to. The Shaggy Sandwich is exactly the kind of thing Shaggy and Scooby would make rather than hunting for a ghost. A cartoonishly large quad-decker stack of ham, turkey, roast beef, multiple cheeses, Ruffles chips, lettuce, tomato on marble rye – with that classic olive toothpick garnish. It’s excessive, messy and honestly great. I ate the whole thing in 10 minutes and wasn’t hungry again for two days.

If there’s a downside, it’s that there’s simply too much to do in one night. Even after two full nights at the event, I still didn’t make it to the One Piece or Sailor Moon shows. Which might be the point – Fan Fest Nights isn’t meant to be rushed through, it’s meant to be immersed in, savored and revisited.

Universal Fan Fest Nights is possibly the best event of the year at Universal Studios Hollywood, and it definitely deserves at least one visit. On now on select nights through May 16.