My trip oct19-21...terrible

[xbf4everdeck]

So I have had an annual pass for almost 2 yrs now and I live about 3 hours from the parks, so I usually go up once every other month. This last trip, however, was my first time visiting while HHN is in effect.
First off,
the hotels all around the parks were ridiculously full and over priced. I booked a room for a friday night, and the next day I decided to book another night at the same hotel to extend my trip....but...ALL THE ROOMS WERE FULL!!!! So I had to book a second night at a different hotel, which is very annoying to check in the first evening up there and then have to check out the next morning and pack stuff up to move to another hotel 10 minutes away. As if that didn't start off the trip annoyingly, we arrive at the parks saturday morning and it is PACKED!!! I have never seen wait times exceed 20 minutes for Revenge Of The Mummy. That ride was actually shutting down every couple hours because of whatever reasons, and it never re-opened before the park closed during our last day in Orlando. (which is a bummer cause that is one of our favorite rides).

We got the meal deal which was great, and we also had some pretty nice weather. I guess our trip wasn't TOO terrible, just little things that annoyed us which we are not used to dealing with.

A bit of advice though....

DONT EVER GO DURING HHN!!!! UNLESS YOU ARE GOING TO HHN, WHICH WE DID NOT PLAN ON.

 

[macraven]

So I have had an annual pass for almost 2 yrs now and I live about 3 hours from the parks, so I usually go up once every other month. This last trip, however, was my first time visiting while HHN is in effect.
First off,
the hotels all around the parks were ridiculously full and over priced. I booked a room for a friday night, and the next day I decided to book another night at the same hotel to extend my trip....but...ALL THE ROOMS WERE FULL!!!! So I had to book a second night at a different hotel, which is very annoying to check in the first evening up there and then have to check out the next morning and pack stuff up to move to another hotel 10 minutes away. As if that didn't start off the trip annoyingly, we arrive at the parks saturday morning and it is PACKED!!! I have never seen wait times exceed 20 minutes for Revenge Of The Mummy. That ride was actually shutting down every couple hours because of whatever reasons, and it never re-opened before the park closed during our last day in Orlando. (which is a bummer cause that is one of our favorite rides).

We got the meal deal which was great, and we also had some pretty nice weather. I guess our trip wasn't TOO terrible, just little things that annoyed us which we are not used to dealing with.

A bit of advice though....

DONT EVER GO DURING HHN!!!! UNLESS YOU ARE GOING TO HHN, WHICH WE DID NOT PLAN ON.

sorry your trip turned out to not be the best for you.
it is always aggravating when things don't turn out the way you plan.


hotels book up quickly for the HHN events.

usually by early september, the best rates and rooms are gone.
once the hhn event period begins, most of the hotels are completely booked up. one might get lucky for a last minute cancellation at the onsite hotels but i wouldn't count on it.

the offsite hotels surrounding the darkside are no different.
many book up for the weekends in advance.


i stayed onsite for over a week in october, it included weekends.
my weekday rate was $144 per night.
weekend rates, friday/saturday, are always higher.

if the weather is good, saturdays are very busy in the parks in october.
since you were onsite friday night, you could have used the early entry for the parks on that saturday.
the valet would have held your belongings after checking out early, so you could do the park fun.

many check out early, have their stuff held free with valet, and go to the park for the early entry hotel perk.
they return later in the day/evening, get their belongings from valet and then leave the hotel.

you can still use your picture hotel express pass for the lines in the parks on check out day.

using the express lines, it isn't unusual for a 15 minute wait for the ride.
no complaints from me as the alternative is using the regular lines and a more lengthy wait.

 

[Metro West]

Moving to the Trip Reports board.

 

[Squirlz]

We were there October 13-18, stayed at RPR, never went to HHN and had an absolutely wonderful time. I think your warning is unwarranted, or perhaps should be "Don't go anytime if you are not prepared".