HHN question

[mdmama76]

Universal newbie looking at a WDW/Universal split stay the week before Labor Day 2022. I was leaning toward ending the trip at Universal due to comments I’ve seen on this board, but I realized that HHN start Labor Day Weekend, which would be the time we’d be at Universal. We have young kids and won’t attend that. Is that enough reason to flip the plan and start at Universal instead? Worried about getting our limited time in the parks cut short. (I know Disney will likely be doing Halloween events by then too, but that’s historically at just one of four parks so we’ll have more options if we don’t participate).

Thanks!

 

[soniam]

Islands of Adventure stays open to its normal time during HHN. Are you staying onsite at UO? If so, Studios sometimes has early entry during HHN.

 

[mdmama76]

The plan is to stay onsite, yes. So we could go to IOA until normal close time on HHN? That helps.

 

[Skippyboo]

The Studios side is going to close early like 5pm with HHN and there’s going to be a lot of people in City Walk eating and drinking before lining up at Studios gates to get into HHN.

 

[mdmama76]

So are you saying we should avoid it entirely on HHN nights?

 

[soniam]

The plan is to stay onsite, yes. So we could go to IOA until normal close time on HHN? That helps.

Yes. IOA stays open until normal time on HHN nights.

So are you saying we should avoid it entirely on HHN nights?

I wouldn't avoid Universal totally on an HHN night. I would avoid Citywalk, ie restaurants, shops, bars. If you are leaving Studios close to the HHN start time/park closing time, 3-5pm, then the Hogwart's Express may have a long wait with people heading to Islands who aren't doing HHN. In that case, you may want to walk through Citywalk to Islands. It won't be so crowded that you can't walk through. If you leave earlier for Islands, then you can easily take the Hogwart's Express easily.

 

[Lynne G]

I always go to the parks in a HHN day, and don’t go to HHN. I stay in the Studios until around 4:30, then I slowly make my way to the front and walk over to IOA, sometimes stopping for a treat after entering IOA. Most of the times, when the Studios closes at 5 to those not having an HHN ticket, if have a park hopper ticket or AP, can enter IOA, as it stays open until 9pm on or later. And if HHN is anything like past years, you will see the team members setting up lanes around 4pm, for those not wanting to stay for HHN to leave the park. Those lanes separate those that want to stay into what we call holding areas, where HHN ticket holders already in the park, can stay, until they are allowed out when HHN starts.

And I agree, definitely by 4:30 pm, even with express, the line to the train is very long. Why I either take the train much earlier, or most of the time, I just walk out.