HHN Rip Tours 2019

[sturner1234]

I am coming over from the UK for my first ever HHN this year and have been looking at the packages.
I already have my tickets 2 nights for 1 and plan on going on the 2nd and 3rd of October.
I have been looking and am thinking of doing the Rip Tour as I know the queues can get pretty crazy for the IP houses i.e. Stranger Things and don't want to spend my whole night in line. It then frees the 2nd night to do what I most enjoyed and be more relaxed.
When looking at the Universal website, it doesn't seem that any extras are on sale yet like rip and express.
Does anyone know when they will be on sale? as I don't want to have to call up due to telephone charges.
Thanks for your help.

 

[hhoope01]

Try https://hhnap.universalorlando.com/permalink/tab-express/upgrades/index.html

I've already purchased my public RIP tour tickets. Note for private RIP tours you will have to call in. I don't think they will be offering those online at all.

 

[sturner1234]

Thank you very much as that link works. I was just looking for public RIP tours.
Weird how I didn't get taken to that link. When I typed into google I got taken to universal website but wasn't given me option for extras.

 

[sturner1234]

Only other question I have is does it matter what time I book.
Options for 6.30, 7, 7.30 and 8. Is there a better time to pick?

 

[hhoope01]

I had the same thought as well. I'm sure others who've actually purchased RIP tours in the past can speak more from actual experience. But I chose 7pm for a couple of reasons.

1. Didn't want to have to rush there only to rush out to the houses. So thought 6:30pm might be a tad too early.
2. While I wanted most of the house tours to be after dark, I didn't want to end too late. I'm sure my daughter will want to hit a couple of the rides after the tour finishes (as I think we normally will get a 1 use EP for each ride that is open for HHN.)

I thought about 7:30 or 8 as well, but that means I'll have to stay up later and I'm not really a "stay up till 2am" type of person.

 

[Lynne G]

I would do the earliest time, to get the list out of your night.

 

[CPanther95]

I went the earliest slot a couple years ago. Got dark soon after tour started.

 

[macraven]

When I book my private rip hhn tour, I always start with the first time slot
allowed

First 3 houses easy to do without much of a wait
Some nights crowds build up the later part of the evening which causes all your groups waits

For my public rip hhn tours I pick the first one that starts early
Again, smaller groups and done in 4 hours
You can later do rides, eat when the park starts having longer waits for the houses
Public tour that starts first will cover many of the houses quickly ahead of those waiting in line
Your tour ticket is valid to use the express line once per ride once your tour is over

On some hhn dates, there can be large crowds in the park by 10 pm

I like to avoid them and have covered all the houses and zones early

After tour is over, I can eat, do rides,
See shows and street entertainment on my owm

Private tours do the houses multiple times until the park closes in the ep lines

Both tours are great
Starting with the first tour on the event has less crowds

This is the way I prefer to do hhn but it might not be the way others like to do it

Some Like the later times to start their tour
But then you can run into line crowds

 

[Odin's Mom]

Similar situation, a little different question. I too purchased the HHN buy 2 nights for 1. We are going the weekend before Halloween. I already booked the 6:30 RIP tour on Thursday, but when I go back for our second night on Friday, will we be fine with just an EP or will we need to do the RIP tour again? I suspect the crowds will be there due to the weekend we are going, and I am taking my 70 year-old mom for her birthday (because she loves the thrills), so I am ok with a splurge, but I don't want to waste money either.

 

[macraven]

Fridays have larger crowds than Thursdays for hhn so your ep is well worth it