Is HHN worth going to the weekend before Halloween?

[Applebiscuit]

I have a conflict. I'm planning a 4 night trip to Universal Studios and HHN with my family, but my dad can only go October 24th-28th. I have read that that weekend is one of the worst times to go to HHN.

We would go to HHN friday and sunday nights. I don't really care that much about waiting in 1 or 2 hour lines, but I have read articles that say the queue times can easily exceed 3 hours for each house which seems surreal. None of us have ever been to HHN and I really want to check it out but I don't want to spend a ton of money on EP and I don't want to plan this entire vacation only for us to get there and have a bad experience.

So my question is: Is it worth going to HHN at all if the only time I can go is at the end of October?

 

[schumigirl]

I`ve never seen every house exceed 3 hours.....you can however, see some of the most popular houses reach that time....but it`s not an all night every night thing.

Weekends are always going to be busy, no getting away from that. More locals go then which adds to the already large crowds, which have been increasing year in year out.

I hate to say it but EP makes a massive difference......I hear you don't want to spend the money, but it will make the difference between a bad night and a brilliant night.

Also, could you consider doing the public RIP tour.....you would do everything in the one night.....have a google around and see if that's something you would be interested in.

 

[skylock]

With the time frame you have to work with, I say skip it if you do not want to or are unable to spend what it is going to take to make it a great time, esp with it being your first time.

I am hoping to go this year and I have been saving since Christmas because I know I will not want to skimp on adding value to my first time.

I would rather skrimp at home and have a blow out on my vacations esp when I am doing something for the first time.

 

[Applebiscuit]

These are very good points. Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like going to HHN twice (friday and sunday night) will be enough time to see all the houses at least once regardless of how packed the park may be. Is that not the case?

 

[imprint]

Would you be able to utilize Stay and Scream (being inside the park before it closes for HHN and then go to a holding area for HHN)? If so, then you should be able to go through all houses in two nights. You would want to go straight to the main attraction houses (so far Stranger Things) first and then go to as many other houses as you can. The second night, you would want to go first to another popular house and then visit the rest you missed the first night.

Another option would be to go one night but have express pass (you would still want to Stay and Scream), but be aware that it will be a long night. A third option would be to do a single night and get RIP passes. With RIP, a tour guide will lead your group to the head of each line, and you are guaranteed to go through each house once as well as a ride or two (plus a few bathroom and drink breaks).

Since you are interested enough to ask, then I strongly recommend you do so. You just need to decide which option is best for you. It is an awesome event, and I'm sure you will love it.

 

[Applebiscuit]

Yeah I am planning on doing Stay and Scream. The problem with staying late is I'm going with my others who are not as into theme parks as I am, and I doubt they will want to stay at HHN until close when we have already spent the entire day walking around Universal Studios.

Right now I am thinking I will still go two nights but also just purchase an express pass for sunday night. I was trying to avoid an express pass but it seems like they make such a big difference in your experience that the $70 may be worth it.

 

[mamapenguin]

Yeah I am planning on doing Stay and Scream. The problem with staying late is I'm going with my others who are not as into theme parks as I am, and I doubt they will want to stay at HHN until close when we have already spent the entire day walking around Universal Studios.

Right now I am thinking I will still go two nights but also just purchase an express pass for sunday night. I was trying to avoid an express pass but it seems like they make such a big difference in your experience that the $70 may be worth it.

If you can get express for $70 get it. We went on a Wednesday mid October and buying express at the park for HHN was $99 per person. Totally worth it, especially with the debut of the Stranger Things house.

 

[nkereina]

We went this weekend last October and had a great time. We did purchase express pass and found it worthwhile. We had time to do all the houses, as well as go on the rides and see the shows we wanted.

If it were me, I'd consider spending the money on EP instead of doing two HHN nights, if both are not in the budget. Or at least do EP for one of the nights. Even with EP, we still had 30-40 minute waits at some of the more popular houses, but that was much more tolerable than the 2+ hour standby waits. I think you'd have time to do all the houses with two nights and no EP, but I still would not want to be standing on pavement in the heat and humidity in boring backstage areas for 2+ hours.

 

[Applebiscuit]

Well I was going to buy a HHN ticket while the buy one get one night free promotion was going on, so it won't cost me any extra to go two nights.

 

[imprint]

Since you say you will be in the parks all day before the event, then I change my recommendation for Express or RIP to a very strong recommendation for Express or RIP. The Express lines are not only quicker, but they also require fewer physical steps. Some Express lines save more steps than others, but every step saved will count for a long, long day. Plus the Express lines tend to move more consistently. I don't know about others, but when I've been on my feet all day and I'm getting tired, the less time standing still the better.

When you have Express, you will see a lot of veterans recommend to not use the Express early in the event, so you can re-visit those houses later with Express. Unless you know your group can last through all houses and 2-3 repeat houses, then I suggest you consider using the Express every house from the get-go. If you decide to not do a full-day tour of the parks, then consider using the no-Express for first 2-3 houses strategy. Last year, Stranger Things line was so ridiculous, we used Stay and Scream, went to Stranger Things, and used Express right away. Unless you're at the front of the Stay and Scream line, the standby line will back up.

Having said all that, since you're getting the buy-one-get-one-free deal, I would still definitely go that route even if you only add Express/RIP to one night. You'll want to plan the non-Express night more, but you'll have a lot of info to make a plan by the time you go.

 

[nkereina]

Well I was going to buy a HHN ticket while the buy one get one night free promotion was going on, so it won't cost me any extra to go two nights.

In that case, I would buy EP for at least one of the nights.