Universal Halloween Nights? Children advice

[angel659]

Hi

I have heard the event is scary, but I am not sure how scary. My husband wants us to go this year, but I am not sure as my kids are 6,2,2. If the event is terrifying of cause he wont go, but just incase its not that scary, but Universal are over advertising it to be he would like to go.

I hope this makes sense.

 

[henrydog]

to be honest you couldn't take children there of that age. when they say its scarey, they do mean SCAREY.
when we went our 12 year old daughter was terrified & refused to go in more than about 2 houses, don't think the wife was too keen either but managed to pursuade her.
Try the disney one at magic kingdom, they'll love that.

 

[AlanUK]

DW and I have been a few times and I have to say that DW only goes under duress because I love it so much. She spends most of her time in the shops whilst I wander around and when she does venture out alongside side me she spends most of the time shrieking

As Henrydog has already said it is Scarey. I wouldn't advise anyone with young children to take them along unless they want them to be having nightmares for the rest of the holiday

 

[angel659]

Hi

We went to MNSSHP last year and this is definately on the list to do again. Perhaps my dh could go on his own. He prob would as well LOL.

He was thinking it was all hyped up, but I will tell him what you have said. I really dont want to frighten the kids over something we could do when they are much older.

We loved MNSSHP and cant wait to return for that one.

 

[henrydog]

we're looking forward to doing MNSSHP & HHN again this year. DD will be 15 this year & we're taking her friend as well, so hopefully she won't be so terrified this time.
Yeah we also loved MNSSHP, i think we still had loads of candy bars left about 3 weeks after we got back home .

 

[paulh]

would say over 12 do universal under 12 do disney the universal one gives me the frights and i am 43
Paulh

 

[traceycooper]

We are hoping to visit the universal one this year & have never been, i have seen pics & stuff on the web, but can anyone else out there tell me what kinda scary stuff actually happens, its nice to hear some first hand reports

 

[tink too]

Some family members have done HHN in the past and they left their kids with us at the hotel. We were advised by our reps. not to take children under 12 years old and even then, still to use discretion.

One thing to remember, too is that they sell alcohol during this event (and lots of it apparently!) so there are quite a lot of drunks going around the parks as well. It is definately geared towards adults.

There were some reports on the Universal forums here on the Dis about last years event - there were apparently loads of folk with strollers attending despite warnings outside the parks - this just seemed to result in loads of terrified small children! If you do a search on there, you may find some of the details.

We went to Port Aventura (Universal's park in Spain) in October and they had horror houses and wandering creatures/halloween characters throughout the day. DD4 was terrified of most of the characters (especially the undertaker fella!) even from a distance - and nothing much scares her! We also met an English family whose 17 year old girl had passed out in one of the haunted houses! If this was anything to go by, we'll be skipping this event and sticking with MNSSHP for many years to come!

 

[AlanUK]

On the HHN we have attended the park is always dimly lit and filled with 'Scare Actors' and lots of smoke Some of the actors are obvious and just run up to you on the street in order to try and scare you, but some of them hide in the bushes etc and then jump out at you when you least expect it, often with a chainsaw or something similar. I love this part of it and always laugh hysterically at them but DW hates it and runs of screaming, which only seems to make them want to do it more

There are also horror houses that you walk through where various things touch you and jump out at you. The scariest thing in them for me though is the prospect of my eardrums bursting from the shrieking teenage girls

Most of the rides remain open, sometimes with a bit of a twist. One year we were riding earthquake and Steven Kings IT made an appearance at various points in the ride just to add to the themeing.

One other particular highlight for me is always the Bill and Ted show which Universal do annually at the HHN. The actors all dress up as famous people from the media/film during the year and do a parody of them which in most cases is hilarious

I am a big fan of these events but I know I am going to have to go cold turkey for a while until our son is a bit older now

 

[floridalol]

One thing to remember, too is that they sell alcohol during this event (and lots of it apparently!) so there are quite a lot of drunks going around the parks as well. It is definately geared towards adults.

Although they sell cold beer from some carts I have never seen anyone in the slightest bit drunk and anyone who was would be swiftly removed. Everyone is having too much of a good time to get drunk as it is almost impossible to see everything in one night without moving from one house/zone to another without delay. It is always seriously crowded so expect to queue for every experience although it is well worth the wait.

IMHO it is the best theme park experience you can ever have. The haunted houses are superbly themed and the "Scare Zones" are really scary as all sorts of "creatures" appear from the dry ice to surprise you. I would say age 12 is a minimum here because even most adults are caught up in the atmosphere and it is genuinely spooky.

 

[angel659]

Hi

We wont be going we will wait till the children are old enough.

Thats ok we loved MNSSHP. Cant wait to go to that one.

It sounds mad. I will be the one running away screaming and probably passing out or at least a swear box would come in handy. Things like that make me jump and I dont particularly like things jumping out at me. I am bad enough at home when it comes to movies.

 

[traceycooper]

There are also horror houses that you walk through where various things touch you and jump out at you.

Can you give a little more info about the horror houses? Is it really dark? What kind of things touch & jump out at you?
My DF & I really want to go to this but i can be a wimp & would feel better knowing a little of what to expect!! (Parents are coming so DD can stay with them).
Also do you have to buy an extra ticket for this event like MNSSHP??

 

[AlanUK]

The Horror Houses vary in their themeing. They are dimly lit, although I have been in some that use a strobe effect to disorient you. Really though the tactics that are used to scare people just wouldn't have the same effect if you could see clearly. Generally you can see well enough just at the right time to see somehing like a severed head and then you turn a corner and it's dim again.

The houses also have scare actors in them who can jump out at you or put an arm through a fake wall and touch you when you don't expect it.

It's very difficult to say how scary they are becuase it's all down to the individual at the end of the day. I am not easily scared and I find it hard to detach myself from it all being anything but an elaborate piece of theatre. Whenever I have walked through the houses I have always felt a bit like a sheep being herded from the entrance to the exit amongst a flock of other sheep which has detracted from the experience as well. If you are easily frightened then maybe it is not for you, the best way to find out is to try it and then make your own mind up I think

Alan.

 

[paulh]

we came accros HHN by accident we were in park and they were selling tickets for that night the first of the season. we decided to buy went back to our hotel (we were on i drive this was before we bought dvc think about 96-97) went back to park before it shut.then we stayed in part of park near where twister is now while they empted park then when it was empty they let us into rest of park.Our kids were young at time one was in a pram the actors would make a beline for us as with kids you are easy targets.The parade was the best part of night,be wise with the sweets they throw out some are hot (trick ) and can leve a nasty taste in mouth.Apart from that would go again when youngest is a teenager.The night we went there were traffic jams all around and it some people 2-3 hours to get in so paying that extra was worth it to stay behind
Paulh