Should I give HHN another chance??

[Brynnie]

I went to HHN about 7 or 8 years ago and it was so insane! I loved the *1* haunted house we got into, and I thought the scare zones were amazing. The lines were SOOO LONG tho! I want DH to experience this since he LOVES US and IOA. Also, I was amazed by the makeup and how cool all the monsters/characters were! The first time I went, it was mid-October on a Fri or Sat night I think. We will be in Orlando the end of Sept, so I was thinking of giving it another shot Thurs. Sept 27. PLEASE any opinions or advice would be greatly appreciated!! I just don't think it's worth the money is it's SUPER crowded like last time we went! We would get there as soon as the gates open!

Thank you for your help!

 

[ORMom2Four]

We went last year for the first time, it was at the end of September.

It was soo crowded! Even when we did get though one of the haunts, everyone was herded through like cattle.

I would not go back.

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

I believe it's worth it. My friends and I have had an annual tradition these past few years of coming home to Orlando just to go to HHN; they fly from New York, Boston, Chicago, even Canada... We usually can make it to most of the houses, despite the waits. I can't remember how it is in September, but weeknights are generally better in terms of crowds than weekends.

 

[JessicaR]

If you think it's worth your while, do it and make sure you get the express for that evening. We'll be there that night too!

 

[Metro West]

Only you know if you want to spend the money for the HHN tickets. This is my ninth straight HHN and I wouldn't miss it for anything. There are ways to do things that make the night enjoyable and to make sure you see a lot. If you had a good time the last time and want to try it again, go for it.

 

[DOOM1001]

I think I've gone to like 18 of the 21 years,and haven't missed one since the late 90's so this is a favorite event that's a must do for me.For the last 12-13 years I've always been in the park during the day and stayed in the Stay and Scream area to get a jump start on the crowds waiting outside the park.I also avoid Fridays and Saturdays like the plague,not only are they more expensive but the crowds are insane.By sticking to this plan I've done every house every year,sometimes doing the favorites multiple times.So when you say you did the event 7 years ago and only did one house,you obviously went on a Friday or Saturday and arrived super late when the lines for the houses are already 75-90 minutes or more.So to answer your question yes this event is worth it,especially for a haunt or Universal fan,but depending on when and how you do the event can be very different experience,if you go on a non peak night you can do 3 or 4 houses with shorter waits early on,then when the lines are at their peak go see The Bill and Ted show or go eat something,you might have to do 2 with longer lines and sometimes later in the night the lines calm down again you can do the others you haven't done and repeat some.If you go on a peak night and don't have patience to do some of the houses with long waits then you might have to shell out the money for express.

 

[gracy_hm]

I think you should go for sure. It is so much fun. Just be their 30 min before opening and then high tail it through the first house then go the complete opposite way. I don't know about everyone else but I went the 27'th of 2010 and saw all houses in one night. Yes its a congo line through but its part of the fun is the group experience. BTW we will be down from atlanta 27'th-30'th so we don't have to rush through in one night Rush of fear for 69.99 cannot be beat 15 dollars a night for HHN is a great deal. One of those days Sept.28 I think we visit MNSSHP mainly for ambiance and to because I can't be in Orlando without seeinging the Haunted Mansion.

 

[macraven]

try it again.

just plan differently this time around and you will enjoy the evening more.



no one likes crowds or long waits into the houses but that wouldn't keep me aware from hhn.

 

[idgy]

Only you know if you want to spend the money for the HHN tickets. This is my ninth straight HHN and I wouldn't miss it for anything. There are ways to do things that make the night enjoyable and to make sure you see a lot. If you had a good time the last time and want to try it again, go for it.

Care to fill me in on these secret ways to make the night more enjoyable?

 

[Brynnie]

Thank you for the replies!! It is such an amazing event! I think we might give it another go! Universal does such an amazing job! So my plan will be to get there asap. Can we add express if it gets crazy quickly? I don't want to buy it if we don't need it....we do this with the regular park admission when we don't stay onsite. Sometimes you expect the worst and it turns out to be manageable!!

 

[Metro West]

Care to fill me in on these secret ways to make the night more enjoyable?

The most important "secret" is to do Stay & Scream if you are already in the park. You are released early to the houses around 6pm so you can do several houses w/o too much of a line. The general public isn't released until 6:30pm so you have a huge jump on the houses. But S & S will only work if you are already in the park prior to closing for day guests.

Also...just tour HHN sensibly. Don't worry about the attractions that are open...you can ride those during the day. So many people want to do those rides too but that takes away from the houses.

If you know you aren't going to be there to do S & S and are going on a busy night (Friday or Saturday) you should be prepared to purchase the Express Plus pass. This will be a great way to do the houses AND open attractions in a single night. Otherwise your chances of doing everything is not good.

 

[idgy]

Gotcha! We'll def do S&S. Thanks for the help!

One more question...Is Finnegan's super crowded during the S&S holding time? How early would you suggest getting there to have time to get a table and eat dinner before they let the S&S people in to the houses?

 

[macraven]

i usually eat at finnegans around 4ish before the park closes.

but when i don't, i do Louie's during hhn.


i have been able to get a table at finnegan's as late as 4:45 before.

 

[Metro West]

One more question...Is Finnegan's super crowded during the S&S holding time? How early would you suggest getting there to have time to get a table and eat dinner before they let the S&S people in to the houses?

Finnegan's is super duper busy during the holding period so make sure you leave enough time to eat and pay your check before heading out. I would get there at 4pm and take your time eating so you aren't rushing to get out.

 

[Marquibiri]

This will be my 5th consecutive year attending HHN. I fly in from outside the USA primarily to go to HHN.

My first year was in 2008 and loved it. I had no clue how HHN worked. I was in IoA and made the ridiculous line to get in with the general public. I could have easily park hopped and have gone to the S&S area. I always eat at Finnegan's (arrive at around 3 to have plenty of time to eat and have the beer sampler)!

Anywho, S&S is the thing... As soon as we are let out I am one of the first to enter the first house.. Last year I was the first in Winter's Night house when released..

Before dark I had allready been in 5 houses.

Cheers!

Marquibiri

 

[flfun]

I did S & S two years ago during the week and still feel like i did something wrong. We were released from S & S and immediately got in line for the closest and "only" open house that i knew of (following the S & S crowd) and stood in line for 25 minutes, not sure why it moved so slowly. The next house en route looked like it had a short line but once in it, it didn't move at all...for a long time, maybe because of a technical glitch because it looked like there was a lot of activity at the entrance and everyone said it was supposed to be open. Again, 30 minutes went by before we gained entrance. By this time, regular crowds were in. We hit the third house with another 30 minute wait. It was downhill as far as crowds go after this, we did 2 more houses with extremely long waits. We just decided to enjoy the scare zones after that.

Is there a way to know which houses are open AND moving once S & S releases, as I said, I feel like we goofed somehow.

 

[macraven]

based on years past, the same 3 houses each year, should be open first.

also, once you all leave the holding area, follow the crowd.......
most peeps do the first 3 houses during that early time period.

then, move to the next open house.

you'll be in short lines and the longer lines will be those that enter at 6:30.

there have been some years where a house or two won't open until 7.

 

[DOOM1001]

While inside the Stay and Scream area I always ask the team members what are the houses that will open first.