HHN SnS or EP

[pixeegrl]

Still trying to plan our trip for 4 to our first HHN. We've been to Universal 3 times so riding rides isn't top priority (though seeing the new DA would be awesome)
So for $208 per person we can get some Studios Park time, SnS and EP for the first Sunday in October.
or
For $190 we can get ROF pass with EP and go Saturday and Sunday with no SnS head start

Which choice would be optimal for seeing all the houses? The kids 17 and 14 are even more excited than I am and I'm pretty dang excited. I just wish we could go for a longer stay in the fall. Oh, we will probably be staying offsite this time around at the HI that's on South Kirkman since we can stay for free on points.

 

[schumigirl]

We do both, S&S gives you a couple of houses start on the regular crowd.

But if I had to choose one of your two options I would go with RoF for both nights with EP. You will get all the houses done over two nights for sure.

We don't do the rides on those nights either, just concentrate on the houses, shows and soak up the fantastic atmosphere......HHN is amazing.....and your kids will love it too

 

[macraven]

Still trying to plan our trip for 4 to our first HHN. We've been to Universal 3 times so riding rides isn't top priority (though seeing the new DA would be awesome)
So for $208 per person we can get some Studios Park time, SnS and EP for the first Sunday in October.
or
For $190 we can get ROF pass with EP and go Saturday and Sunday with no SnS head start

Which choice would be optimal for seeing all the houses? The kids 17 and 14 are even more excited than I am and I'm pretty dang excited. I just wish we could go for a longer stay in the fall. Oh, we will probably be staying offsite this time around at the HI that's on South Kirkman since we can stay for free on points.

ticket prices are not out yet, so it is only a guess on what type of multi day passes, one day event ticket, prices, ep costs, etc will be available this year.

in the past there has been ROF and FF with the add ons.

since the hard ticket event has been cut to 6 weeks for 2015 (past years it has been 7 wks), i have no idea how the costs will be set up.

all past years, opening weekend covered the friday and saturday only with a closing at midnight.

if that pattern will be kept, then the first weekend in October will be the first full weekend.


i have been going to hhn since 1999 and always plan on multiple nights for the event.
what is missed one night can be caught or repeated another night so i buy whatever monthly pass w/ ep that is presented.
i include the shows with the houses as part of my time at hhn.

some of the hhn dates always have a few that don't pack the park.
saturdays have tend to always be busy.

if money is not an issue, tenative plan for the two nights for hhn.
if you don't buy the ep, you will be able to hit everything within your time period then.

if you go one night only, ep and sNs will be your friend.


if you have the day park ticket, use the sNs and get a head start of the houses that will be open early.


am i reading your question correctly that you if you buy a pass for hhn, you won't be doing the parks in the daytime?
but if you go only one night to hhn, you will do a day ticket and the hhn ticket?


for the people that do not have the day park ticket and wait outside the gates to enter for hhn, it is time consuming.
on some nights, peeps start waiting at 5:00.
that's a long wait until 6:30 ish when they are let in after going thru the metal detectors.


came back to edit that in the past it was 7 weeks with a partial weekend for opening night.
this year will be 6 weeks with the first weekend for opening a partial weekend.

 

[pixeegrl]

ticket prices are not out yet, so it is only a guess on what type of multi day passes, one day event ticket, prices, ep costs, etc will be available this year.
Yes, I was using last years prices for a comparison
in the past there has been ROF and FF with the add ons.

since the hard ticket event has been cut to 5 weeks for 2015, i have no idea how the costs will be set up.
Where are you seeing 5 weeks? The video released from last year shows 6 weeks Sept-25th Oct31st Curious if I'm missing something

all past years, opening weekend covered the friday and saturday only with a closing at midnight.

if that pattern will be kept, then the first weekend in October will be the first full weekend.


i have been going to hhn since 1999 and always plan on multiple nights for the event.
what is missed one night can be caught or repeated another night so i buy whatever monthly pass w/ ep that is presented.
i include the shows with the houses as part of my time at hhn.

some of the hhn dates always have a few that don't pack the park.
saturdays have tend to always be busy.

if money is not an issue, tenative plan for the two nights for hhn.
if you don't buy the ep, you will be able to hit everything within your time period then. Sadly with 4 of us money is an issue. If we did the sNs for 2 days with RoF/Ep pass that's $1500 for 2 days (Sat&Sun) of Halloween fun. That's steep! Only doing one or the other (sNs 1 night or EP two nights w/out sns) saves us between $500-$700 that's why I'm wondering which we would benefit from more

Added my response in blue I suppose I have plenty of time to figure it out planning so early Thanks mac

 

[macraven]

Added my response in blue I suppose I have plenty of time to figure it out planning so early Thanks mac

5 full weeks of hhn with a partial weekend of opening for hhn.
so you are correct there will be 6 weeks.

i'll do an edit so not to mislead any newbies for planning hhn this year.

lst few years it has been earlier in september for the opening weekend.
this year it is cut back one week.
will it make a difference on the crowds???
we'll find out at the end of the hhn season.



at one time i would do opening weekend but it was only the 2 days and closed at midnight.
i prefer to waiting for the opening kinks to be hashed out before i go.
just a preference.

 

[trickiwoo]

We get the ROF plus EP. Then buy regular Universal Park tickets. If you have valid park admission (either tickets or AP) you can stay in the S&S waiting area and still get into HHN early... you don't need the S&S tickets to do that.

 

[DanniDeer]

Have one person in your party look into getting an annual pass? Outside of the normal benefits (free parking, merchandise and food discounts, etc), the discounts on hhn tickets are usually pretty intense, plus cheaper daytime park tickets for the rest of the group.

It may be worth sitting down to do the math to see how much tickets would be altogether that way.

 

[mymankeith]

Kind of a different question, but during HHN, for the houses that open early, are they the same houses every night, or if you go on a Saturday, and then again on Sunday, could it be different houses that open early?

 

[macraven]

Kind of a different question, but during HHN, for the houses that open early, are they the same houses every night, or if you go on a Saturday, and then again on Sunday, could it be different houses that open early?

it should be the same houses each time.
the TM's that are working in the houses have their work schedule set for when they will be there.

last year for the two opposite end holding areas had a house nearby that would open early.

and, there was a house that had a 6:30 opening time where those already in the park could line up for before the front gates were opened.

last year i went on a wed, thur, fri, sun and the houses opened early were the same.

 

[johde]

Kind of a different question, but during HHN, for the houses that open early, are they the same houses every night, or if you go on a Saturday, and then again on Sunday, could it be different houses that open early?

I haven't been to HHN but I'm hoping to make my first one this year. From what I've read, like macraven said, different holding areas have different houses that they can get to early. So, if you went of Saturday, and waited at Finnegans, and then again on Sunday and waited in Springfield, you could possible get into different houses early on the two evenings.

 

[macraven]

when hhn 25 info is released and the site officially opens, that will be the time to decide which holding area to wait in.

after i have info on the houses, i make my decision on which place would be best for me to start.

 

[DanniDeer]

I think one day last year they opened two houses by Finnegans for SnS, but I'm pretty sure it was Dracula because AvP was having a problem opening that night and they released the holding pins suuuuuper late.... but normally it is only one.

Ugh I'm already disgustingly excited for this year. Has anyone started an official thread yet?

 

[mymankeith]

Thank you all for your responses. I am going for the first time this year, and I will be there opening weekend. I actually planned my vacation this year based on last years HHN dates and Disney Food and Wine Festival dates, and this year they BOTH are starting a week later, which means I have to go to both of them the last 3 days of my vacation!!!!! I rented DVC points at Disney, which means I couldn't change my dates after I paid for them. I have always dreamed of going to HHN and thought based on last year dates I could go during the week, but with the dates different this year, I have to go on the weekend, and just want to make sure I can get everything done without having to pay for an EP. I think with 2 nights I shouldn't have a problem.

 

[macraven]

I think one day last year they opened two houses by Finnegans for SnS, but I'm pretty sure it was Dracula because AvP was having a problem opening that night and they released the holding pins suuuuuper late.... but normally it is only one.

Ugh I'm already disgustingly excited for this year. Has anyone started an official thread yet?

that is why i no longer go during opening weekend.
too many glitches.

yea dracula was opened early for the nights i went.
WD opened at 6 some nights, others it went to 6:30 due to a glitch when i was there.

no thread has been created yet.
i do my annual "when will you be there" for hhn after the dates have been released.


i'm super excited for this year as it's the silver one!
i hope they wow us completely..

 

[johde]

I think one day last year they opened two houses by Finnegans for SnS, but I'm pretty sure it was Dracula because AvP was having a problem opening that night and they released the holding pins suuuuuper late.... but normally it is only one.

Ugh I'm already disgustingly excited for this year. Has anyone started an official thread yet?

According to Orlandoinformer.com, the standard Early Entry for 2014 was:
Finnegan's: AvP and The Walking Dead
Springfield: Halloween
Lucy: The Walking Dead

But, like everyone else has said, from my reading, it seems to change every year. Unless you're going opening weekend, which I might, you can probably watch this board and some of the others to see what the "hot" houses are you want to take advantage of with SnS.

 

[macraven]

what was listed for the early entry did change on some nights with a delayed entry.
walking dead was one of them.
out of the 5 nights i did the stay and scream, 2 of the nights WD was delayed.

i do the houses in the standby lines as much as i can while it is still light out.
when the lines get long, i use the express pass.

some of the houses are so different when you do them once it is dark.

i do 5 nights of hhn and try to catch team A and B in action.

 

[DanniDeer]

We get the frequent fear pass every year, and it's awesome getting to watch the event grow and change through the season. Usually the only day off opening weekend is for passholder preview.

I was just confirming it's normally only one house per holding area.

Would anyone be interested if I started a dedicated hhn thread? My significant other and I talk about what we wanna see and any rumors that've surfaced, and it's one of my favorite things!

 

[macraven]

Would anyone be interested if I started a dedicated hhn thread? My significant other and I talk about what we wanna see and any rumors that've surfaced, and it's one of my favorite things!

go for it