HHN first timers - Need some help on nights, tkts, and more

[disneygrandma]

We're planning a trip to Florida in mid-Oct, but the only time we can do Universal will be a week-end. We plan to stay on-site, probably at HR, checking in on Friday, and checking out on Sunday.

Our plan is to do the parks during the day on Saturday & Sunday, and for the 1st time ever, go to HHN on Saturday night.

In the past, we've bought our park tickets from Undercover Tourist and then booked our rooms direct thru Universal. However, it now appears that the only way we can get a HHN tkt is to add it on to a parks ticket purchase thru Universal. Is that correct?? Not everyone in our group will be going to HHN, so it would be easier if we could just buy our park tickets thru UT and then purchase how ever many HHN tickets separately. Is that even possible?

Next thing......we're getting conflicting information as to what nights HHN is. On week-ends, is it only Friday and Sunday, and not on Saturday?

The EP from staying on-site will be good only in the day, and not for HHN. Is it absolutely necessary to have an EP for HHN? How much will that run? What is the wait time usually like to get in to the houses without an EP?

I called Universal to book rooms, and was told that we should pay a fee for the HHN cancellation policy. Also the person talked so fast, I had trouble understanding what was included in a pkg, if there was a savings, etc. Then they were unable to book it on a Sat night, only Fri and Sun, but the person thought that HHN wold take place on Sat.

Hours? What are the park hours that we should expect in mid-Oct? What about the hours for HHN?

We just have no idea about what we should be doing right now to plan for this. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[macraven]

Go to www.halloweenhorrornights.com

And you will find the dates Hhn will be held

Information regarding ticket prices, packages, etc has not been released on the site yet

Only one promo is out for room/ package as of today

Check the Hhn calendar for dates
Saturday tickets will cost more and will have larger crowds than other nights

Sunday's crowds are not as large as Saturday's but will still be a packed place

On nights Hhn is held, studios close at 5:00
Islands closing carries between 7-8 depending on the night

From what you said, sounds like the one weekend night policy is back in effect already, meaning you can not book one weekend night only.


If you need Friday only you will have to also book Saturday night for the onsite deluxe hotels
The penalty fee you were told about was their policy of booking a two night weekend stay then calling back at a later time to cancel one of the nights.

Usually, reservations in the past would cancel the entire booked stay if you are removing one of the nights from a 2 night booking

If you buy your park tickets from UT, you can still buy the add on Hhn ticket in the park
To get the discounted Hhn tix, you show your day ticket and will be allowed to buy the add on/special discounted Hhn ticket

Or you can buy park tickets and the Hhn add on at the website when they go on sale

 

[disneygrandma]

We're wanting to book our rooms for both Fri & Sat nights, but only want to go to HHN on one night. We were thinking that Sat night would be best, but if Friday would be less crowded, then that could be made to work. I made it clear that we wanted rooms for both nights. Would Fri night be less crowded than Sat night?

I've been to the HHN website several times, but it only says it's on Select dates in Sept-Oct, and I can't find the actual party dates posted. The only dates I see are for the "lights on" tours of the haunted houses.

As for buying the HHN tkts at the park, I'm worried that they might be sold out, so would like to buy them ahead of time. I didn't realized that you couldn't just buy that tkt by itself.

Also, I'm thinking of buying an AP in order to get a discount on our rooms. Has there ever been a time period in Oct when AP discounts were not given? Also, can that discount be used on more than 1 room? We'll be getting 3 rooms altogether and would really like to get some kind of a discount.

Thanks for the help!

 

[macraven]

If you click on the the underlined section about packages you will go to another Hhn section
it will show you the dates Hhn is held
Which is listed under that calendar for add on tix dates

Saturday's are included in the dates

I have gone on all days of the week for Hhn but for the past 4 years, have avoided going on Saturdays

That day is higher priced ( in past years) and very crowded

Friday's can be crowded also
The nights Hhn ends at 2:00 am have the most crowds, thus the need to have those extended hours

Opening weekend has shorter hours for Hhn and limited to friday and Saturday

I wouldn't be worried about a sell out until the event begins

I would be more concerned about booking my onsite room at the deluxe hotels
That is what sells out

Book your room before August to be on the safe side
I booked mine months ago with the general public code of smsm

When AP rates are released I can modify my room rate if it will be cheaper than the 35 pc discount i did get

Just depends on your dates if the AP will beat other codes
For the time period I am going, it has not in some years

The hotels have some stiff higher rates for weekends and certain rooms once it gets closer for the start of Hhn

If you have the AP you can get the discount for the room you stay in, not for the other two rooms you book

 

[nkereina]

We normally buy our tickets from Undercover Tourist as well. We attended HHN last year and did have to buy our tickets directly from Universal in order to add the add-on HHN ticket. You can buy your tickets from Undercover Tourist and then buy a separate HHN ticket, but you will pay more that way. I did the math last year and it was better to buy the add-on ticket.

As far as HHN EP, we did purchase it and wouldn't dream of going again without it. Those lines were LONG and it was hot and humid to boot. The EP lets you go through each house once in the EP line which was enough for us. We also were Universal during the day and decided to wait in one of the holding areas in the park for HHN. By doing this, we were let out ahead of the crowd at the gate and got a jump start on the Purge house and Walking Dead house. We did both of those without a wait through the regular line, and were able to use our EP entries later in the night. Definitely recommend going early and waiting in the holding area if you have the day ticket.

 

[disneygrandma]

When you buy the HHN add on tkt, do you need to specify which night it is for? We're not sure yet if we'll be going on that Fri or Sat night.

Also, for the HHN EP, are they priced differently according to day and crowd level, as are the regular EP's? Or will all HHN EP's be priced the same?

As I said, we're first timers, and greatly appreciate any and all advice we can get.

Thanks!