Halloween Horror Nights Express Pass

[v_gan]

i've attended since 2000 and will answer your question based on last years hhn.

i always buy the ep for each night i attend.
i spend too much money to waste my time in long lines.

going the 2nd weekend to hhn last year, the ep saved me loads of wait time.
there was only 2 houses where my wait was 25 minutes. the shortest wait was about 5 minutes.

i do the stay and scream area and get a head start on the houses. there are usually 2 maybe 3 houses that open around 6. general admission is let in at 6:30.

i usually start using my ep around 9 in the evening. if i can get in the house in the regular line within 20 minutes, i save the ep for that house for later. i do each house twice when i am there.

lines are not bad in the beginning of the evening.
on peak nights, i have found the crowds to lighten up around 12:30 and non peak around 11ish.

the only rides i use my ep for are jaws and the mummy. i do the rides in the daytime and the houses and scarezones in the evening.

the ep is generally only accepted for the first show of Bill and Ted's adventure. the first show is usually the lightest crowd wise.

you will have fun!
try to get an early start and you won't have to be too concerned about long lines in the early part of the evening.

Thanks SO much for all the information! This will really help out in planning my trip. I appreciate it!

 

[kidsister]

When I saw the '13 nights for the price of one' deal, and since we had
Sept 28 and 29 open, I thought we might get away with no express passes if we had two nights to see everything.

But even if we can see everything in two nights, I'm horrible about lines.
Hmmmmm.

Does the express pass allow you one entry per house?

We weren't planning on going in the day, just at 6:30 each night.
What rides are also open during this time?

Thanks for the info!!!

 

[Metro West]

Does the express pass allow you one entry per house?

Yes...one entry per house AND attraction that's open.

We weren't planning on going in the day, just at 6:30 each night.
What rides are also open during this time?

Most of the attractions will be open except the ones that have been used for a house.

 

[macraven]

Thanks for that info, Mac


84 days and counting

glad i could help.

Thanks SO much for all the information! This will really help out in planning my trip. I appreciate it!

thanks, if you have any questions post them on this thread and they will be answered

When I saw the '13 nights for the price of one' deal, and since we had
Sept 28 and 29 open, I thought we might get away with no express passes if we had two nights to see everything.

But even if we can see everything in two nights, I'm horrible about lines.
Hmmmmm.

Does the express pass allow you one entry per house?

We weren't planning on going in the day, just at 6:30 each night.
What rides are also open during this time?

Thanks for the info!!!

you're welcome

the EP allows you one admission only for each house, attraction and ride.

please, if you do not have a day ticket, get to the entrance line by 5:30 for the hhn. you will be up front in the line to enter then.

if you wait until opening time to arrive, it could take you up to 30 minutes to get in.

in 2004, i had to leave the park/hhn and go back to the hotel hrh for something and i returned around 6:55. the line was very very very long.
and, that is when the opening time for hhn was at 7:00



if anyone has questions, or needs help on how to get through the lines the easiest, just ask.
one of us here can try to help you

 

[Lynne1875]

Have any of you used EP for Halloween night, October 31st? We're either buying one for October 28th or 31st. In 2004 Halloween night was packed (obviously) and we're not sure which date to buy the EP for. We're also getting a FFP which is good for 24, 25, 28, 31 of October & November 1.

Any thoughts appreciated!

 

[macraven]

lynne, sorry but i only go from opening time up to the middle of the month.
crowds gives me the willies........


i know there are some old threads that discussed last years end of the month hhn situation. i don't believe that the 31st was horrible for crowds but i could be wrong on that.

if i can dig them up, i will post the link here.

checking the calendar, 28th is a sunday and 31st a wednesday.
i would think that the sunday would be more crowded out of the two dates.
locals can rest on sunday afternoon and still go to the park in the evening.

on a wednesday, there are quite a few that have kids and take them out for trick and treating kid events. that would hold back some of the crowd.
also, not many adults want to work all day and then rush to get to the park for that night and still have to get up for work on the thursday.
these are just my thoughts.

hopefully, lynne, someone will post that has been to hhn on the nights you are inquiring about.

 

[kidsister]

Back with another question:

First night is Sept 28. Is this usually one of the busier nights?

So...get in line @5:30 (I hate lines). Heard that Express Pass usually only is good for the first TedAdventures show So...head there first????
Anyone have a plan of attack they'd like to share?
Thanks for the help!

 

[Lynne1875]

lynne, sorry but i only go from opening time up to the middle of the month.
crowds gives me the willies........


i know there are some old threads that discussed last years end of the month hhn situation. i don't believe that the 31st was horrible for crowds but i could be wrong on that.

if i can dig them up, i will post the link here.

checking the calendar, 28th is a sunday and 31st a wednesday.
i would think that the sunday would be more crowded out of the two dates.
locals can rest on sunday afternoon and still go to the park in the evening.

on a wednesday, there are quite a few that have kids and take them out for trick and treating kid events. that would hold back some of the crowd.
also, not many adults want to work all day and then rush to get to the park for that night and still have to get up for work on the thursday.
these are just my thoughts.

hopefully, lynne, someone will post that has been to hhn on the nights you are inquiring about.

Cheers Mac, I had the same kind of thought process as you did.

I reckon that halloween night will be less crowded still because it's not actually the last night of the event this year. It goes on for another couple of nights thereafter. I think the weekend before halloween will be really busy and we'd probably be inclined to avoid it (We're in Orlando 24th October ---> 4th November) so we've got a relatively wide scope. As you say people will probabl,y be more likely to go on the Sunday than the Wednesday. Of course there'll be loads of us tourists there, too banana who won't give a stuff what day it is as none of us have to get up for work the next morning

Given it goes on until the following weekend, I reckon EP for Halloween might be a shout. The Sunday might just be a bit too busy for our liking (Not bothered about crowds, as such - just hate waiting in line for ages and ages). Of course, one could argue that since the Sunday is going to be busier we should use EP for that night!

You see I used to be indecisive, but now I just don't know

 

[sftball19]

My DB, some DFriends, and myself are heading to POP in October ourselves...and I wanted to head to Universal for a day...

I have a ticket question....

If we were to buy the 2 PARKS in 1 DAY PASS we would still need to by the HHN ticket separately right?? So is it smarter to buy the 1 day Park pass and then a HHN ticket??

I hope that made sense...can some one help me??

 

[Metro West]

If we were to buy the 2 PARKS in 1 DAY PASS we would still need to by the HHN ticket separately right?? So is it smarter to buy the 1 day Park pass and then a HHN ticket??

HHN is a hard ticket event which means you must purchase a ticket for HHN regardless of any other tickets you may have.

 

[Jason71]

I reckon that halloween night will be less crowded still because it's not actually the last night of the event this year. It goes on for another couple of nights thereafter.

Makes sense to me. I didn't go to HHN on Halloween night last year, but did in 2005, and it was not as crowded as some of the other "off" nights that year (not even the Sunday night the tropical storm was blowing over). I suppose competition from trick-or-treating and various parties.

That said, in 2006, express pass was a good idea on any night.

 

[macraven]

Back with another question:

First night is Sept 28. Is this usually one of the busier nights?

So...get in line @5:30 (I hate lines). Heard that Express Pass usually only is good for the first TedAdventures show So...head there first????
Anyone have a plan of attack they'd like to share?
Thanks for the help!

i have attended opening night three times in the past years.
i find that once the media leaves, the parks are fine crowd wise.
the tv stations usually are out by 9 at the latest.

one reason not everyone goes to opening night is many want to wait until all the "kinks" are worked out. the houses, bill and ted and the scarezones have changes throughout the month. some employees are replaced by others. some bring different aspects into their character, etc.
we all have our reasons on the dates we usually go.

Cheers Mac, I had the same kind of thought process as you did.

I reckon that halloween night will be less crowded still because it's not actually the last night of the event this year. It goes on for another couple of nights thereafter. I think the weekend before halloween will be really busy and we'd probably be inclined to avoid it (We're in Orlando 24th October ---> 4th November) so we've got a relatively wide scope. As you say people will probabl,y be more likely to go on the Sunday than the Wednesday. Of course there'll be loads of us tourists there, too banana who won't give a stuff what day it is as none of us have to get up for work the next morning


You see I used to be indecisive, but now I just don't know

no lynne, not you.........
its always a gamble trying to decide which nights will be the best.

My DB, some DFriends, and myself are heading to POP in October ourselves...and I wanted to head to Universal for a day...

I have a ticket question....

If we were to buy the 2 PARKS in 1 DAY PASS we would still need to by the HHN ticket separately right?? So is it smarter to buy the 1 day Park pass and then a HHN ticket??

I hope that made sense...can some one help me??

as said before, the hhn ticket is a separate hard ticket. you must have it to enter the park for the evening.

if you are only going to universal for one day, buy the one day ticket.
head over to the stay and scream area in the studios side before 5:00.
you can wait there in that holding area until you are released for hhn.
the park opens for general admission at 6:30.
the ones in the s & s area are released to begin the hhn adventure when security gives the heads up that the park has been cleared.

buy the "add on " ticket for hhn.
it is listed in the stay and scream section of tickets on line for purchase.

if you have a day ticket, you can get a discounted hhn ticket for that day.
it is much cheaper to buy the S & S.

 

[Lynne1875]

Will anyone be able to video the Opening Scaremonies and put them on here? I watched it (somewhere online) for 2004, just before we went, and it was a hoot!!! (I would love to find that vid again. I've searched but can't find it anywhere)

 

[AlexandNessa]

patriciah, you're not a screamer are you?

Gulp. You do know I am a screamer, right?!

(I can't help it.)

 

[macraven]

Gulp. You do know I am a screamer, right?!

(I can't help it.)

kewl.......

 

[Akdar]

My wife is a screamer and a yanker! last year as we went through the house, I would always go first, with her behind me, holding onto my belt! (for those that haven't been to HHN, some of the spots in the houses are VERY DARK) Every time someone would scare her,

she would scream and yank on my belt

I think I had black and blue marks around my waist when our 2 days there were done! I can only imagine what will happen this year with us going 4 nights!

 

[AlexandNessa]

OMG, that was totally me 3 years ago! I get spooked easily, and my group insisted that the scare actors knew that. I would go through the houses in between my hubby and my BIL. They insisted that the actors would radio ahead to the next scare zone and say "Yeah, we have a short, unnatural blonde wearing a blue shirt and white shorts. She's a screamer. Repeat: a screamer!"

 

[macraven]

My wife is a screamer and a yanker! last year as we went through the house, I would always go first, with her behind me, holding onto my belt! (for those that haven't been to HHN, some of the spots in the houses are VERY DARK) Every time someone would scare her,

she would scream and yank on my belt

I think I had black and blue marks around my waist when our 2 days there were done! I can only imagine what will happen this year with us going 4 nights!

sorry to but it is funny.....
it's probably good she is behind you and not in front of you.
she might latch on to the person in front of her.


that happened to me one year. person behind grabbed me around my neck and screamed in my ear.

OMG, that was totally me 3 years ago! I get spooked easily, and my group insisted that the scare actors knew that. I would go through the houses in between my hubby and my BIL. They insisted that the actors would radio ahead to the next scare zone and say "Yeah, we have a short, unnatural blonde wearing a blue shirt and white shorts. She's a screamer. Repeat: a screamer!"

this year, i'll make a sign for you to wear jodie. Screamer in blue and white coming through.......hope you don't wet your pants...
that's what friends are for

 

[bubba's mom]

that happened to me one year. person behind grabbed me around my neck and screamed in my ear.

sorry....but

 

[macraven]