your two options to access the holding pens before 5 pm are:
1. stay & scream, if you already are in the park with both valid day admission & HHN ticket
2. Buy HHN ticket & an add on Scream early ticket that permits you to enter Studios at 3 pm.
Another tactic to get a jump on things that doesn’t require purchase of an additional tix to HHN:
if an onsite guest, can enter via that specific entrance and skip the main gate. Still need a HHN tix. It moves faster than the main gate and you are first directed into whatever house is positioned there.
Since there is such a plethora with credentials, the general rule of thumb is ‘if you have to ask, you don’t qualify as media’. Never hurts to ask I’d think tho, especially if one has a huge following.
Invited media usually can film in a designated HHN house or two during the Media/Team Member preview. It’s normally the Wednesday before the opening night. Everyone there is either a U employee or invited guests/media, all on a complementary admission.
appears U is decidedly tightening up their belts as to whom they consider “media”. saw two different twitter posts this season from long-standing bloggers who were cut from the list this year

, was rather shocking, as they had contributed greatly to the community for so long.