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Halloween Horror Nights 2013 Planning and Tips


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How much busier do you think the will backlot be by the time I get out of hitting the Terror Tram first on a Thursday? I may not hit it first, though. How does this schedule sound and is it feasible?

Opening Scaremonies 7:00pm

The Purge Scarezone

Transformers: 7:05pm – 7:15pm

Backlot Tram

Walking Dead Scarezone

Walking Dead: No Safe Haven: 7:20pm – 7:30pm

Black Sabbath: 13 3D: 7:35pm – 7:50pm

Lower Lot Tram

Insidious: Into The Further: 7:55pm – 8:10pm

Evil Dead: Book of the Dead: 8:10pm – 8:30pm

Walking Dead Terror Tram: 8:45pm – 10:30pm

El Coco: 10:30pm – 11:15pm

Comic Relief: Bill and Ted 11:15pm – 12:15am

Universal Monsters Remix (HoH) 12:15am– 12:30am

Jurassic Park in the Dark, The Mummy or repeat a maze?

Chainsaw Chaseout 12:30am

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Honestly about FOTL passes unless you are going on a sunday or thursday where the park closes at 1:00 or 12:00 its kinda pointless to get FOTL every year I went on a friday or saturday and was able to hit everymaze except 2010 and last year but that was because my group wanting to rest or do a ride instead. Trust me the extra hours actualy do help against the crowds If you know the right combination or formula for the year trust me last year we went straight into the lower lot (btw would of probably went faster if we did Walking dead before but ehh) went into SH into Transformers into the mummy into TCM into JP and litteraly got throught the lower lot whitihn 40 minutes. A big part of hitting everything is know where the mazes enter and exit, and keeping track of time, what was a big help but litteraly the app does not work anymore was the Universal App it would give you all the wait times.

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as usual though my prime objective is to find Finn from Adventure Time, saw some guy not kid guy dressed as Finn with a jake backpack in 2011 in line for JP then I saw him again dressed the same exiting Walking Dead if anyone sees him let me know lol.

Wasn't this cat, was it?

Finn-3.jpg

Or maybe this one?

7940243316_e55789e385_z.jpg

LOL :lol:

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Honestly about FOTL passes unless you are going on a sunday or thursday where the park closes at 1:00 or 12:00 its kinda pointless to get FOTL every year I went on a friday or saturday and was able to hit everymaze except 2010 and last year but that was because my group wanting to rest or do a ride instead. Trust me the extra hours actualy do help against the crowds If you know the right combination or formula for the year trust me last year we went straight into the lower lot (btw would of probably went faster if we did Walking dead before but ehh) went into SH into Transformers into the mummy into TCM into JP and litteraly got throught the lower lot whitihn 40 minutes. A big part of hitting everything is know where the mazes enter and exit, and keeping track of time, what was a big help but litteraly the app does not work anymore was the Universal App it would give you all the wait times.

In advance of going to our first HHN last year (in typical Jill fashion, LOL) I researched the hell out of everything. And so in the weeks preceding our visit (Sun., Oct 21st), I would sit here at home, especially on Sunday nights, and watch the queue times on my phone app and online. Both were good for preplanning, but I didn't glance at either while we were there.

The website: http://nbcustudio.mo2do.net/s/showPage.do?pageId=8963114&tmpNum=96

The app I used was RideHopper (I think) for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ridehopper

Just noticed there are a couple of new apps (published this month) that may or may not prove helpful:

Universal Studios Hollywood Pro by MNLab (.99 to buy, no reviews yet)

Theme Parks by Liquid Ice Studios (free, 4.7 out of 5 stars with 10 reviews)

Don't know if any of these will track HHN wait times, but it might be worthwhile to check them out.

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Tip for anyone booking a hotel room for their trip. I just used the Bidding Traveler website http://www.biddingtraveler.com/ to bid/ book my hotel room through Priceline.

Just enter Universal City and your dates, and click Just Priceline Only (this all must be done in Internet Explorer, other browsers don't work).

On the next screen, choose

Universal City and

3.5 star rating.

Enter the recommended bid amounts and follow instructions from there to proceed with Auto Bidding.

I just won our room for the trip - Universal Holiday Inn/ Beverly Garland for 2 nights at $98.00/ night (with option to add more nights at same price) :D

Rack rate for the same room via the booking websites was 122 - 157 /night + taxes.

The other hotel at this star level is the Universal Sheraton, so there's a chance you could win a room there instead. If your offer isn't accepted, just wait 24 hours and then up the bid slightly.

If you bid for a 4 star hotel (and pay a bit more), it will be a room at the Hotel Armano in Burbank.

Also, if you are renting a car for your trip, and are a Costco member, I highly recommend going through their website to rent your car. I have multiple discounts to choose from (AAA, my union, etc.), but booking through Costco is always WAY cheaper, especially if I choose to pick up and drop from the airport locations (dunno why that is, but I digress...).

Anywho, hope this is helpful for someone!

And, with room booked and car reserved, I am fully committed to my dates! See ya there September 28!!! :D

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Someone give me some tips: Where should I go first when I go to the HHN? and last? And bla bla bla I'm getting FOL passes so ya I'm trying to get on everything and chill all over the park as well,

You don't have to do TT first if you have FOLs, even on a Sunday. Like I posted earlier, last year we went on a Sunday w/ FOLs. We also did early admission. We went lower lot first and were able to do everything twice without even using the FOLs, then went upstairs to the TT (which had INSANELY long lines) and used our FOLs there. We were on a tram in less than 10 minutes, no joke! FOLs are wonderful.

I think that if we were going with FOLs this year, #1. I'd definitely do a Sunday again, and #2. I'd still opt for lower lot/ Transformers early entry, Opening Scarimonies be damned! The head start is just too valuable to pass on.

So, yeah,this is how I'd do it:

  • I'd go lower lot, hit Transformers (the first thing to open with early entry).
  • By the time you're out of Transformers, the mazes should be open.
  • Hit ED and Insidious, then go tram to backlot/ TWD/ BS:13.
  • Should still be fairly empty so squeeze in another round of TWD and BS w/o using your FOLs (or with if you need to), tram back to lower lot.
  • Run back though lower lot rides/ mazes, using FOL if necessary.
  • Head upstairs and beeline for TT
  • Use FOL for TT
  • Head over to El Cucuy
  • Use FOL for El Cucuy
  • Bill & Ted
  • Any mazes/rides you haven't FOL'd already.

Keep in mind, they've extended the hours for Thurs and Sun, so you have a little extra time to play with. It also probably means that the TT will run later too.

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Finally figured out my game plan!
Basically, I'm just going to have to bite my tongue and do Evil Dead first even though I wanted to do it near the end of the night. It's the most logical and feasible way to do things since 1) Transformers entrance is by the exit 2) tram loading may be the Backdraft queue 3) it will save lots of time instead of going in circles - avoiding it will be much more of a hassle.
6:00 Arrival
6:15 City Walk shopping
6:30 Line Up
6:55 Opening Scaramonies
7:05 Rush to Lower Lot
7:10 Evil Dead
7:17 Transformers
7:25 Tram to Backlot
7:28 Black Sabbath: 13 3D
7:40 Walking Dead: No Safe Haven
7:50 Tram back to Lower Lot
7:55 Jurassic Park in the Dark
8:10 Insidious: Into the Furthr
8:35 The Mummy
8:55 Return to the Upper Lot
9:00 Terror Tram: Invaded by the Walking Dead
10:00 Universal Monsters Remix
10:50 El Cucuy: The Boogeyman
12:20+ Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure
Also, I don't use any apps to check wait times. I just the USH mobile site, which updates at the same time as the wait boards.
m.universalstudioshollywood.com
Then click "wait times."
It has never failed me!
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If there's somewhere to park outside of the theme park where I can park for free and then walk up to the event.

i think theres no way around that one the Theme Park is built around Business buildings so no free parking without a permit

thats why i bought my premium annual pass free parking before 6 :)

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Jill, can I just say thank you for all the tips you have provided. I follow most of these myself but the time and effort it must have taken to give that information deserves a thanks in my book. I'll certainly be checking out those apps at the very least.

My pleasure! I would have been completely lost last year if I hadn't come across this board, so I'm stoked to have something to contribute this year! :)

For planning purposes, you can use our Google map which has everything marked out on it. Link's in my post near the top of this page.

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That is a good mindset to have with VIP. As your night progresses you find yourself settling into the things you really want to repeat (mazes or rides) or enjoying the overall atmosphere. The only "structured" activity is the VIP tour and that was done differently the past two years. In 2011, your tour was scheduled upon arrival at the RIP lounge; last year the tour was scheduled based on your arrival time at check-in. For us, we were one of the first in line and our tour started as soon as the gates opened so we missed the opening scaremonies for the first time in four years. It will be interesting what changes will occur for 2013.

Since you're a veteran at this Asylum, could you tell me - Where do I go once we're at the park to get our VIPs? Thanks!! :)

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