Oct 31st or Nov 1st HHN

[KAT4DISNEY]

Given those two nights as options would one be the better date for lower crowds to do parks during the day and HHN in the evening?

 

[polyesther]

Judging by the ticket prices on the HHN website, Sunday November 1 is probably going to have lower crowds.

 

[PammyK]

Here's the thing...
Because Halloween is on a Saturday, that night is not (currently) open to FF and FF+ pass holders. Combine that with private Halloween parties and Halloween events at local nightclubs and other venues and you could end up with lower than expected attendance numbers on Halloween itself. From personal experience, I can say that I've seen both really high and unexpectedly modest attendance levels on Halloween night.

Similarly, because November 1 is the final night for HHN and is open for FF and FF+ passes, attendance on the 1st will be driven up due to those pass holders coming to bid a final goodbye to Jack and all the scareactors they've become acquainted with over the course of the event. To what extent? That is the question.

Based on this, it is anyone's guess which night will end up being busier.

 

[macraven]

pammy, i couldn't have said that better....

you are so on target.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks all!

Might be a flip of the coin!!! Or just take the risk of trying the 31st.

 

[slford00]

I can't give advice on Halloween night as I've not been on that night, but I've heard that it's actually relatively light -- probably because so many people are trick or treating, going to parties, etc. We were there last year on November 1st (a Saturday) and it was pretty light. We had pre-purchased Express Passes to navigate the lines, but the park probably would have been doable without them (though the Walking Dead and Halloween houses still had lengthy lines from what I remember). One of the employees noted it was one of the least busy nights they'd had. It was definitely much less busy than when we went early in the week before Halloween in 2012.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks for sharing your experience on the 1st!

 

[xStitch]

I was there on Halloween last year and had a very similar experience as slford00. We also bought the express passes but felt we didn't really need them except for the Walking Dead, Halloween and the clown one whose name I'm currently blanking. This year we're going on November 1st and expecting it to be pretty similar. Some will have long lines but if you can get in early and hit a few of the houses before the park reopens that'd help a lot.

 

[PammyK]

I can't give advice on Halloween night as I've not been on that night, but I've heard that it's actually relatively light -- probably because so many people are trick or treating, going to parties, etc. We were there last year on November 1st (a Saturday) and it was pretty light. We had pre-purchased Express Passes to navigate the lines, but the park probably would have been doable without them (though the Walking Dead and Halloween houses still had lengthy lines from what I remember). One of the employees noted it was one of the least busy nights they'd had. It was definitely much less busy than when we went early in the week before Halloween in 2012.

I was there on Halloween last year and had a very similar experience as slford00. We also bought the express passes but felt we didn't really need them except for the Walking Dead, Halloween and the clown one whose name I'm currently blanking. This year we're going on November 1st and expecting it to be pretty similar. Some will have long lines but if you can get in early and hit a few of the houses before the park reopens that'd help a lot.

Just bear in mind that last year FF and FF+ were blocked on November 1 last year because it was a Saturday. As a result, attendance levels that night were much lower than anticipated. Because of the relationships built between the local FF/FF+ pass holders and the scareactors with whom they've interacted over the previous six weeks, you can expect that this demographic will be out in force on closing night this year. ESPECIALLY given last year's block out.

 

[xStitch]

I'm really hoping it won't be too bad on the 1st, with our crappy Canadian dollar we can't afford to buy express pass again. Also the fact that the express pass costs more than the ticket as we're doing it as an add on.