HHN vs. Post-HHN Crowds

[UpstartCrow]

Trying to plan/pick dates for my parents' first Universal trip since 1997 (yay!). DH and I have APs that "should" be good until Nov 8, we're trying to avoid the summer heat, and we won't be doing HHN. Given all of that, I was looking at the first week of November, but I was wondering if Halloween (which falls on a Monday this year) would drive crowds up for the rest of the week. Would it be better to do a midweek trip during HHN in October (orienting our park time so we're doing US on non-HHN days, or hopping to IoA before it gets crazy, etc)? I've never been during Sep/Oct, so I'm pretty clueless about how the event affects things. Would really appreciate any insight!

 

[macraven]

There is no hhn happening on Monday and Tuesday

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Went the last week of Oct / first week of Nov last year - crowds during the day were GREAT on weekdays, except the Friday before Halloween but I believe Orlando schools had that day off. We planned our EP day that day. Other than Fri/Sat, crowds & lines were much lower than I expected the week leading up to Halloween. I'd go again then in a heartbeat. Also happened to hit good weather minus a big Thursday storm (our other EP day, so EP became entirely unneeded). Mon & Tues first days in Nov were also low crowds.

Crowds during HHN, on the other hand, were nuts - though it was our first HHN so maybe they were low by HHN standards?

 

[shh]

There is no hhn happening on Monday and Tuesday

I thought I did see just 1 monday offered this year- the actual day of halloween, 31st?

 

[macraven]

That is always a possibility
I have not stayed current for new updates for this year

I have been reading of new possibilities for hhn changes and since you saw a Monday hhn, I thank you for posting about it

 

[keishashadow]

DH and I have APs that "should" be good until Nov 8,

Suggest calling U to make sure before making any sort of plans.

Jersey week starts 11/7 this year, equates to a bump in attendance at all the parks

halloween, proper, has generally been said to be a relatively slow night for HHN crowds. Going with most out of town guests prefer to haunt at home then after getting their fix @ HHN.

it can be quite hot & humid even into early November. Lowest crowds Sept-Nov will be week prior to HHN. Family members went that time last year & said it was dead.