Your Gameplan?

[DTH316]

Yeah since Terror Tram doesn't have much to do with anything, I guess it's acceptable for this one exception to let it slide and not be first. It's going to kill me to do it but I think that's how things have to be.

[Grindhousehero13]

Honestly this just poped up in my head and hopefully its true,

This year seems so half baked and randomly thrown togather, what if Murdy has something big planned for next year? (Knock on wood)

[AgentOfChaos93]

Murdy did say he is thinking about a "real" original maze next year

[DTH316]

I don't care what plans are for the future, never make a half baked event in effort for a better one later. Even it out and make them all kick ass.

Next year better be awesome though to make up for this one (well I mean, from what I'm hearing, I haven't gone yet).

[electro_killer]

As everyone else mentioned, Hit HOTC first as that had the longest wait opening night. As did NOES, then again I waited till the end of the night to do that one.

[DTH316]

Is there a way to upgrade to a FOL if it's too crowded when you're already inside the park?

[electro_killer]

Is there a way to upgrade to a FOL if it's too crowded when you're already inside the park?

Idk, you should call and ask. I know my friend upgraded to an FFP at the end of the night.

[DTH316]

Hm, where did he do that? And it was in the park, right? Perhaps upgrading to an FOL is in the same place.

[electro_killer]

Theres a Service desk at the front of the park, Right after the turnstiles to the right of the fountain.

[zombieman]

Is there a way to upgrade to a FOL if it's too crowded when you're already inside the park?

Yes, but they typically sell out by 10pm (often much earlier), so get there early.

The FOL add onn is VERY reasonably priced (when you consider that Orlando's can be up to $79).

Here's the thing - because Hollywood has added the Killer Deal pass, HHN is selling out most nights. I went on Fri the 1st, and they were turning people away at 9pm. Since I had the pass, I got to go in. As a result, there are no longer any "non peak" nights at HHN. And don't think that being the first in the park means you get to see all the houses - bang, bang, bang. It's not uncommon for some houses to open 15-20 minutes after the park opens. If one happens to be open right when the gate opens, chances are it's not fully stocked with scareactors. Sorry, but this is a reality.

Parking was so packed, I was directed to park DOWN two levels in Curious George. That's two levels down, when everyone goes up. But that wasn't all - they had us park OUTSIDE the CG structure. This was Curious (pun intended) as just inside the structure was the place where Scareactors receive and turn in their costumes. Trev probably knows the formal name. Anyhow, I stayed the entire night, so on my way out I got to wave to the weary actors and compliment a few on a job well done. Even though they were in their street clothes, they still had their makeup on. I was able to identify about 70% of the roles just from the makeup.

Back to the FOL...

When I got into the park, I didn't realize just how crowded it was going to be. Wait times were rediculous. I had planned on just staying a couple of hours to see Terror Tram (70 minute wait). So I decided to stop by the stand just in front of Guest Relations and try to buy a FOL pass. As I said, they had sold out an hour earlier.

Fortunately, I had a clever backup plan... I entered Guest Relations, and made the following (very true) statement: "John Murdy tweeted me about a week ago with a web address that would let us purchase FOL as an add-on. I went to that link, and found the page to be a Beta page. It looked real, but you couldn't actually buy anything. There was no link on the main site to this page, and I tried several times to buy a FOL add on for tonight's event." Again, this happened to be true - I did go to that site to see if FOL had sold out, but it truly was a Beta page. Anyhow, even though I didn't directly ask them for a FOL pass, they offered to sell me one on the spot. Very nice of them. The price was only $30 - not bad at all for a Friday. With the pass, you literally walk onto as many rides/houses as you want - all night long - no limits at all.

Note that the price for the add on goes up as the month progresses. I think the upper limit is around $50. Unlike Orlando, Hollywood sells a VERY small number of these (good for them). In Orlando, they sell what seems like 50,000 a night, since it's not uncommon to see an Express line have a 45 minute wait. In Hollywood, I have never had more than 2 people in front of me. Just doesn't happen at all.

EDIT: I wanted to elaborate on my getting a FOL pass even though they were sold out. I didn't go to GR in a huff, demanding or expecting anything. I wasn't asking for pity. In fact, my main point to them was that they should really get that link fixed, to help make sales easier and quicker. I'd bet $20 that it is STILL not working. Someone else entered while I was paying for my pass, and they were really upset - DEMANDING to buy a pass (they had no idea I was getting one). The same person who offered me one turned them away, saying they were really enforcing the limits of FOL sales. Now, I don't believe for a second that I bought the really-truly last FOL pass. It all has to do with how you come across and what kind of mood they are in. So don't expect anything and you will never be disappointed....

EDIT #2: Damn! I lost $20! The link IS working.

https://secure.universalstudios.com/WebStore/shop/ViewItems.aspx?Merchant=USHHHN&CategoryGroupExternalID=USHFOLUp&CategoryExternalID=HHNFolUpg

You can buy an add-on here (and the max price is $45, not $50).

It looks like they are avaialble for ALL nights right now. When the calendar pops up to select a date, you need to double-click on the date to select it.

Hope this helps!

Edited October 7, 2010 by zombieman

[DTH316]

Well I am going on a Thursday and I am HOPING it will be a non peak night. I'll have to see how things work out the first Thursday before I decide to get an FOL. If for some reason, that last Thursday becomes super popular, I'll do as you recommended. Thanks for sharing. I'm a calm person anyway, so hopefully they would see my sincerity. I hate pricks who think they can just get anything they want. All I know is if I'm waiting in 90 minute lines for a maze, it'll ruin my night. Yeah, I'm one of those. I barely like waiting 25 minutes. That's just me. Last year's longest line I waited for was for Halloween, which I think was only about 30 minutes through all those switchbacks and zig zags (this was a Thursday; I have yet to go to HHN on a weekend). When I went in 07 on Halloween day, it was a Wednesday and lines were pretty bad so I guess it's a possibility the last Thursday could be packed. 08 and 09 for the last Thursday of the month were clear crowds though. I just don't wanna buy a FOL pass for nothing! So that was where I was getting at if it was too crowded when I arrived.

If it's as crowded as being reported, it is TIME where HHN starts going from Wednesday to Sunday for at least the last 2 or 3 weeks. Doing it the whole run of the event like Knotts might not be wise but these last 2 or 3 weeks could help a lot of people expand their time frame of when going.

Oh and the link isn't working. You can keep your $20 haha

Edited October 7, 2010 by DTH316

[Grindhousehero13]

does anybody know the opening times for the mazes?

[zombieman]

does anybody know the opening times for the mazes?

They open when they open. Sounds stupid, but it's true. Posted time is when the gates open, but in reality, it's when enopugh of the core scareactors are out of makeup and wardrobe. Technical issues can also hold up the opening. Do not be surprised in the least if the first half hour of any house is 50%-80% staffed.

[Grindhousehero13]

They open when they open. Sounds stupid, but it's true. Posted time is when the gates open, but in reality, it's when enopugh of the core scareactors are out of makeup and wardrobe. Technical issues can also hold up the opening. Do not be surprised in the least if the first half hour of any house is 50%-80% staffed.

thanks Zombieman so looks like I should stick with htting the lowerlot first

[DTH316]

If it's about 3/4 as crowded as it has been lately, I have a couple new game plans, let me know what you guys think:

The DTH316 traditional way (hoping I can just stick to this):

Terror Tram [Hit this at 7PM on the dot, be out of there by 7:20]

Jurassic Park [Hit this at around 7:30, no line, be out by 7:37]

The Mummy [Hit this at 7:39, small line growing but nothing drastic. Out by 7:50]

Saw [Walk on, out by 8]

King Kong [Everyone has come down this way so a 20 min line has grown. Out of here by 8:40 at the latest.]

Nightmare [back up to the upper lot by 8:50 and a 45 min line has grown. Out by 9:35.]

Vampyre [still a somewhat lengthy line of 25 minutes. Out by 10:05]

F13 [Hour long line. Out by 11:05]

HOTC [Another hour long line, out by 12:10]

Bill and Ted [Eat for 30 minutes and catch Bill and Ted at the closing time showing]

[i personally feel this is the most perfect way to do HHN. Nice balance between attractions, keep things fun & fresh for Haunt and it saves the best for last instead of peaking early.]

The "Lower Lot" Strategy (I really don't like this strat.):

HOTC [Hit at 7, no line, out by 7:10.]

King Kong [Hit the lower lot by 7:25, no line, out by 7:45]

Jurassic Park [No line, out by 8:00]

The Mummy [Line building, so we might have to skip it.]

Saw [Hit at 8, out by 8:05 with no line.]

Terror Tram [small line once hitting the upper lot at 8:15 but out of here by 8:45]

Nightmare [same business as traditional, out by 9:35]

F13 [Hour long, out by 10:35]

Vampyre [No line by now, out by 10:50]

Bill and Ted [Wait around for 2 hours for the last showing of Bill and Ted]

[This is a popular strategy; hit HOTC first and then run to the lower lot, hit Terror Tram in the middle of the night and do Vampyre last For some reason, I just can't see myself doing this. Ending the night with Vampyre seems so lackluster and Terror Tram in the middle feels so awkward to me.]

The "Popular Ones Out of the Way" Strategy (I hate this one the most):

HOTC [No line, out by 7:10]

F13 [No line, out by 7:20]

Nightmare [No line, out by 7:30]

King Kong [On the lower lot at 7:40, out by 8:10]

Saw [small line, out by 8:25]

Jurassic Park [No line, out by 8:35]

The Mummy [small line, out by 9]

Terror Tram [small line after going up and over the upper lot, out by [9:35]

Vampyre [Wait around until 10:30ish, eating around here, no line, out by 10:40]

Bill and Ted [Nothing to do, once again, for 2 hours]

[Popular strategy but man, I'd be bored before 10 PM even hit if Terror Tram, Vampyre and Bill & Ted is a bust like most people have been saying they are. There needs to be more of a balance.]

The "Modified Traditional" Strategy (might do this):

HOTC [No line, out by 7:10]

Terror Tram [No line, out by 7:35]

King Kong [small line, down to the lower lot, out by 8:15]

Jurassic Park [No line, out by 8:25]

The Mummy [small line, out by 8:50]

Saw [Line kinda brewing, out by 9:15]

Vampyre [back to the upper lot, eat for awhile until about 10, line has diminished, quick run through, out by 10:25]

Nightmare [Hour long line, out by 11:30]

F13 [Hour long line, out by 12:30]

Bill and Ted [With 30 minutes to spare, hit the last Bill and Ted]

[This is kind of a mixture of my traditional strategy and the lower lot strategy. I think this one would work the best. Where Vampyre is placed, it might still have a bit of a line but I'm willing to sacrifice an extra 20 minutes of my night as long as I get to end the night with either HOTC and F13 maze-wse. The other version of this is with Terror Tram after Saw but since I want it to feel a bit more like my traditional way, this is the preferred "Modified Traditional" way.]

Edit: Oh, forgot.

The $100 FOL Strategy:

Terror Tram [sticking with the traditional way. Hit this at open at 7, out by 7:20]

Jurassic Park [Hit this at around 7:30, be out by 7:37]

The Mummy [Hit this at 7:39, out by 7:45]

Saw [Out by 7:52]

King Kong [in at 7:54, out by 8:14]

Nightmare [back up to the upper lot by 8:25, out at 8:30]

Vampyre [in and out by 8:40]

F13 [in and out by 8:50]

HOTC [in and out by 9]

Scarezone it for awhile, take pictures in random places and repeat. On the lower lot, we do everything twice in effort not having to travel all that way again. Circle F13, Nightmare, HOTC and Vampyres twice. Eat

Bill and Ted for the ending show.

Edited October 15, 2010 by DTH316

[DTH316]

So I ended up basically doing the "Lower Lot" strategy without even realizing it when I went.

The "Lower Lot" Strategy:

HOTC

King Kong

Jurassic Park

The Mummy

Saw

The Simpsons

Terror Tram

Nightmare

F13

Vampyre

Bill and Ted

Next year, I'ma go back to my traditional way with the Terror Tram first (that's if it's integral to the story). Otherwise, this was a pretty damn good method, even though I didn't like the sound of it, it worked out beautifully.