Stay & Scream works like this: You will be directed to the holding area once the park is closed. They scan your ticket and you just hang out until you're released into the park. There is always a house that opens early for S & S people...usually one of the soundstage houses...so the crowd will go to that house first. The only bad thing to S & S is sometimes you get released too early and have to wait for the other houses to open since they have a staggered opening. But the time you save by doing several houses before the general public is let in can't be beat.Sorry to bug you all and ask a question I'm sure has been answered somewhere in the mass of pages of this thread but how exactly does S&S work if you have your park ticket and a FFP? Do you just show up or call them to link the two together?
You should get there as close to 5pm as possible. The line grows very quickly.
I would call a few days ahead of when you want to go to HHN and check ticket availability. If there looks like there are plenty of tickets, just wait until that day otherwise you purchase them then. Unless the policy has changed, you can purchase the discounted HHN tickets for any night as long as you have your park tickets to show them.However, if we try to buy S&S and HHN Express passes on the day, I worry they may have sold out (Express at any rate)
We'll be at Universal 4 days before we go for HHN, do you think there'll still be availability if we buy them then?
I wish we could just do it by phone again like last time!!!
I'm having problems booking Stay and Scream this year.
I can't do it online as I'm not booking the S&S passes in conjunction with day passes (already got these through a UK travel agent) - so last year we could just phone up and book that way instead.
This year however, I've spoken to 2 different people, and they've both told me they can't process the booking without the day passes link either.
They've told me I'd need to go via the agent (who I know don't sell them) or wait until we arrive and purchase them at the park.
However, if we try to buy S&S and HHN Express passes on the day, I worry they may have sold out (Express at any rate)
We'll be at Universal 4 days before we go for HHN, do you think there'll still be availability if we buy them then?
I wish we could just do it by phone again like last time!!!
Cool deal! What time you wander over depends on what you want to do. I don't usually go over until right around 5pm but I don't eat dinner there. But if you are looking for dinner, do what Bonny suggested..be there around 4pm since restaurants close 30 minutes prior to park closing. If you are eating dinner, make sure you give yourself enough time to settle the check before they release the group into the park. You don't want to have to wait to pay while others are heading towards the house...kinda defeats the purpose...you know?
Yes...the other holding area is in that area but it's nowhere near as much fun as the main holding area at Finnegan's...IMHO.I think I read something that was wrong somewhere.....
Is it possible to go to the holding area near the animal show? I thought this was only for AP holders and such.....
Last year, I was standing right infront of this holding area once I completed some of the soundstage houses and had to wait a couple of minutes till it was open and I could go through to Chucky and then Silver Screams.. I think it was about 6:30ishhh. no?
Marquibiri
Yes...the other holding area is in that area but it's nowhere near as much fun as the main holding area at Finnegan's...IMHO.
exactly - plus you're closest to the soundstage houses which open first 
) and then cross over to Uni through the back way at IOA around 6:45-7ish. (do they still do this?!) Depending on how busy the houses are, we will buy express passes for the evening to make the most of the time we have. We are HHN veterans, so we are pretty familiar with setup and all that jazz. We used to live in Orlando and had the frequent fear pass, and annual passes to Universal, now we live in Cali. 
I was just wondering if you think this plan is a good one, or if I should try a different strategy.
I think you should go to IOA first and do what you can and then head over to the Studios. If you have your park tickets and can be inside the park before it closes at 5pm, you will have a HUGE advantage by doing S & S as opposed to coming in late. It might save you money on the EPs as well...they are not cheap!We will have the stay and scream passes, so we are planning to do IOA until 6:30, send my little bro back to the hotel with my parents (because if we bring him, we will be nursing his nightmares for weeks
I guess the big thing is we really would like to get Harry Potter, and all the major rides (Hulk,Spiderman, Dueling Dragons, Mummy, Rip Ride Rockit, etc.) in before Halloween Horror Nights actually starts so my little bro can ride them all.
TIA for suggestions!
We agree with Metro ... usually the S&S in the Studios let out around 5:45 pm so you can get the soundstage houses done before they even let in the S&S from IOA and open the main gates/turnstiles.
