Planning to attend Halloween Horror night

[Foladar]

Depending on the Sat/Sun you go, it can be very busy or not so much .. it all depends on when you arrive, and such. We went the first weekend, the first Saturday, and it was not so busy at all as we went through the AP entrance (early entry, I think) and we were done with almost all the houses before it was even dark, which gave us time to revisit again .. by the time it was getting later, say 8-9pm, though .. most houses were 100+ minute waits. Definitely arrive early.

 

[yaytezIOA]

That bored?

No crowds! For a Friday night, it was pretty much dead. There were a lot of people there, but I think they had everything so spread out that you didnt have to worry about bumping into large crowds. I dont think it was sold out that night, but there were several nights when it was...we're talking Howl O Scream at BGT people....not HHN. HHN, pretty much after the first full week, forget it, it was full on. But if you went the first week you missed out on somethings like Robosaurus, which I thought was cool. And the magicians....and if you really MUST go on coasters at night, they opened up Suess Landing and Marvel Superhero Island on certain nights, because crowds were INSANE. I really foresee them doing away with the frequent fear pass, or limiting the nights it can be used.

 

[tricky1]

Wow! 2 pages of hhn talk in January,of all the trips to universal I love
the one in October, just reading about peoples good times this past
year makes me so anxious for this years trip!
I have been to the last 4 hhns and can hardly wait for this years event.
It is truley a one of a kind experience.
I read on another board that the dates are sept.28th-oct.31st
http://media.universalorlando.com

only 250 days left

 

[patster734]

We were there I believe the 15th. We also did an episode of IOACentral Radio live from HHN, which was very cool....which is why we did not get to see too much, as we had to start recording. But the RIP tours are the way to go.
But if this is his first HHN, I would recommend instead going to HOS at Busch Gardens. Its a little less intense, though still very good. We went the first two weeks and were able to go on everything at least 4 times.....After hours we did 9 times.

Thanks for the reply. I have an interesting story about Run: Hostile Territory wait line. We arrived at the wait entrance at the same time as another patron who used their express pass while we did not. Because the wait line was so short, we entered the house probably 3 people behind him! It was still early, around 7PM, which explains the lack of a line.

I thought about purchasing the RIP tour but decided on the less expensive express pass. This worked out fine for us because by doing the Stay and Scream, we managed to enter 4 houses in the first hour. Our longest wait of the night was probably at the Dungeon of Terror and that was because they had a power outage. Fortunately we were right at the house entrance and the scare actors were coming out and keeping us entertained. I can see where the RIP tour would be best for those who didn't/ couldn't do the Stay and Scream option and were stuck touring with the crowds, especially on the busy nights.

 

[deelam]

My son will be about 3 months short of 12. He really wants to go. I have been trying to talk him out of it. I told him it is not for kids, he still thinks it's the greatest thing around. I think it would be better if I skipped the Halloween thing at Universal. I am a big chicken and don't even like lame haunted houses. I will get DH to take DS11.

On question, once the Halloween party starts, if they leave the park can they re-enter?

We will try to catch THe Nick hotel's Halloween, NIck Or Treat. We will also do 2 nights at the Disney Halloween party, that is more my speed.

 

[F-L-A]

I will get DH to take DS11.

I'm not big on backseat parenting, but... don't do it. Even if he isn't afraid of the haunted houses (which is easy for any kid to say when they're not actually standing in line for one... or getting chased with a chainsaw), there's still several other aspects of the event that simply make for an inappropriate environment for someone that age. Some Universal are responsible for, others they have no control over.

 

[yaytezIOA]

On question, once the Halloween party starts, if they leave the park can they re-enter?

We will try to catch THe Nick hotel's Halloween, NIck Or Treat. We will also do 2 nights at the Disney Halloween party, that is more my speed.

Good Luck...you can, I think...but you have to wait in the lines...which are the scariest things about that. If he hasnt done any other haunted houses, I would not recommend HHN. I would instead take in some of the other ones around Orlando, of which there will be plenty. Also you could go over to Howl O Scream...which isnt as intense.

And you want to talk a one of a kind experience? I started a podcast just so we had an excuse to keep talking about it.

 

[deelam]

Thanks guys for the advice. I really have to sit my DS11 down and talk to him. He really has been begging to go for a couple of years. This was the first year I agreed. He handles scary stuff well. He knows that they are not allowed to touch you. I am really concerned about the drunks. DS11 loves everything Universal. He jumped off of the Disney wagon years ago.
If I do let him go to HHN, I will buy the fast pass for that night and DH will take him. I'm too chicken.

 

[deelam]

I just thought of 1 more thing, Has anyone out there ever brought a 12 year old to HHN. I would really like to hear their review.

 

[yaytezIOA]

Thanks guys for the advice. I really have to sit my DS11 down and talk to him. He really has been begging to go for a couple of years. This was the first year I agreed. He handles scary stuff well. He knows that they are not allowed to touch you. I am really concerned about the drunks. DS11 loves everything Universal. He jumped off of the Disney wagon years ago.
If I do let him go to HHN, I will buy the fast pass for that night and DH will take him. I'm too chicken.

The drunks???? COME ON! There is no more drinking there than at Food and Wine at Epcot...okay...maybe there is. But its not like he's going to get beat, or catch the "drunk" disease.
I say dont go.

 

[deelam]

I really have nothing against people drinking. I would enjoy a few beers myself, that's not what I meant when I said about the drunks. I saw another post about people barfing out in the open. I don't know how true that is.

The Food & Wine at Epcot really doesn't bother me. I really don't think you can compare HHN to Epcot. After all, HHN is a Halloween PARTY. And I expect allot of partying. The food & Wine has allot of families. You can't compare the 2.

Is there anyone out there who took a child? I really would love to know what they think?

 

[tricky1]

The first time I went it was with my wife and 10 year old nephew, we
went with out knowing really anything about the event (tourist )
well my wife and I loved it but my nephew did not like it all that much.
he loves universal and ioa ...during the day but hhn was a whole lot
different, he was not so much scared as he was nervous he knows the
difference between show and real, but with chainsaws and darkness and
the scares and it is kinda loud and the crowds a younger person may feel
intimidated by the what I call "controlled chaos".
I think its a great event but not for kids, it really depends on the individual
and how they handle this type of show.

btw that hhn 13 and he has wanted to go since but school
schedule wont allow it.(no fallbreak)

 

[macraven]

i am totally and completely addicted to HHN.
i live for october at universal.

i have gone the last 6 years solo to it and always hit 3nights in a row for it.

i see patster went on the sunday oct 8th also like i did. HIS experience was way different than mine. the stay and scream area at finnegans did not let out until about the same time the main gate opened up ....

that sunday was packed.

the people that buy the frequent fear pass get a great discount and can use it for all the non peak nights. those include thursdays and sundays. sunday is no longer small crowds due to that.

friday night ususally has less of a crowd than saturday in case you are trying to attend a less crowded night.

i would not recommend taking a 11 going on 12 year old child to hhn.
i have seen too many people with children that end up screaming and want to leave the park due to the fright factor.

no place is really safe from the scareactors. even if you do not go in the area of the scare zones or where chainsaw teams are you still are exposed to running into a scare actor.

there are some clips on youtube on the past hhn.
show them to your child and see what his reaction is and let that make the deciding factor to your decision.

hhn is crowded. i buy the express pass and still could have a 25 minute wait for the "hot" houses. last year, the express line and regular stand by lines merged for some of the houses. you do save a lot of time by buying the ep but it does not guarentee once you get in that line, you enter the house within minutes.

i agree with the others. do the rides in the daytime and leave the hard ticket event for the houses.

stay and scream is the way to go.

last year, tickets went on sale in the early summer.

more questions, just post here. someone is bound to answer them.

i did not take my boys to hhn until they were 17. reason for that was the school factor. they probably could have handled it at a younger age. i started them on T2 when they were 3 years old..........lol

 

[patster734]

i see patser went on the sunday oct 8th also like i did. his experience was way different than mine. the stay and scream area at finnegans did not let out until about the same time the main gate opened up ....

I fixed your post for you!

 

[Fan2CSkr]

The warning on the HHN website.
WARNING: THIS EVENT MAY BE TOO INTENSE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.

Q. Is this event suitable for children?

A. This event may be too intense for young children. Adult discretion is strongly advised. There are no child ticket prices for this event.

After experiencing it myself for the first time, my kids cant come yet. Between the fear, gore, adult humor, selling of alcohol EVERYWHERE, and adult situations sexual in nature its not conducive to a child that is 11, or 12. I dont know many/any kids that would say Oh no I dont want to go to HHN that would be too scary for me! On the other hand there has been more than a few posts stating that HHN is not for children. It would just seem to me that rather than question it to death why not just wait till you know it could be handled and enjoyed. Better yet, go and see it yourself FIRST then decide.

 

[macraven]

I fixed your post for you!

thanks, what a pal.


did i tell everyone here that patster was 2 floors up from me in the same room???


i recognized him and the group in the elevator .........after i got home that was.
their pic was posted and i remember being in the elevator seeing them !!

 

[patster734]

thanks, what a pal.


did i tell everyone here that patster was 2 floors up from me in the same room???


i recognized him and the group in the elevator .........after i got home that was.
their pic was posted and i remember being in the elevator seeing them !!

That was the first time that my parents stayed on property and they really liked it. It was an early Christmas present from us.

As for HHN, we waited on bench across from the Screamhouse entrance. Once we saw them letting people in, we got in line, where we waited a few more minutes before being allowed inside.

 

[deelam]

It would just seem to me that rather than question it to death why not just wait till you know it could be handled and enjoyed. Better yet, go and see it yourself FIRST then decide.

The only problem with waiting until the kids are older to enjoy is we are going this year. Who knows what the future holds. As the boys get older, it will become harder and harder to take them out of school. When DS11 is 16, I wouldn't pull him out of high school to go on vacation. And I wouldn't want to pay all that money for our plane tickets to just go for a weekend. So really, our October Florida trips are only for the next few years. Then we will stick to a summer vacation schedule. Unless I can talk DH into moving to Florida, our October vacations are numbered.

Thanks for the suggestion about youtube. I will get my son to watch it with me. I also let him read some of these post.

As far as DS11, he really wants to go. I'm trying to talk him into the Nick hotel instead.

 

[DOOM1001]

I don't think just because they're under 12 they won't enjoy HHN, it all depends on the person, if you know your kid then you know how they'll react to it.As far as if you should buy the express pass, I think if you go early in the month on a non-peak night then you probably won't need it, but you should still be there when it opens to get an early start and do some of the houses before the lines start to get long.I went this year on the sunday before Halloween, stayed at the stay and scream area and like 30 minutes before official opening they let us out.We did a couple houses early but when the crowds started every house was like over an hour.Between the Bill and Ted show, the 360 show and getting something to eat we were only able to do 6 of the 7 houses.So if you don't want to wait and make sure you see everything buy the Express pass!!

 

[deelam]

I still plan to go on youtube with my son. I want him to be totally informed. He loves Halloween & Universal. DH is bringing him and he thinks it will be alright. But DH thinks it's okay for DS11 to watch every scary movie out there, like Texas Chainsaw & saw. I don't agree with him. I plan to do more research. If it turns out that DS11 backs out and leaves the park early, I know it's a waste of money. But this is vacation, and It's not a big deal. We will do stuff at City walk instead.