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Tickets, Pricing, and General Event Operation Questions


JDW
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So, the only weekend I might be able to go this year is the opening weekend. It's not for sure, but I've never been that weekend, and I'd like to know what it's like. How are the crowds? Should I get an express pass? I want to be 100% sure I can see everything if I do go.

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It's good crowds aren't the worst. Houses are still finding their groove. Sometuimes you see things that will not be seen again during the event. Other times you don't see things that will get added later. It's still in the tweaking process. But, Ionly go the first three weekends and I like it.

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Hi, I was wondering if anyone knew about an early entry option that can be added on to an HHN ticket?

Last year my family and purchased a Sat. ticket and we were also able to purchase for an additional $25 or so, an add on that would allow us into Uni. prior to the event starting at around 4:00 PM if I am not mistaken. I can’t seem to find that option on the site anymore. Does anyone have any sort of info on this? I tried calling the ticket info number and was left on hold FOREVER!!

Thanks!

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Hi, I was wondering if anyone knew about an early entry option that can be added on to an HHN ticket?

Last year my family and purchased a Sat. ticket and we were also able to purchase for an additional $25 or so, an add on that would allow us into Uni. prior to the event starting at around 4:00 PM if I am not mistaken. I can’t seem to find that option on the site anymore. Does anyone have any sort of info on this? I tried calling the ticket info number and was left on hold FOREVER!!

Thanks!

If you are an annual pass holder, then you can get in early through the annual pass holder events that they have the first few weeks of the event. If you are not, then you can get in as a guest if you know someone who is an annual pass holder. I do know that Universal waits to release some of the ticket packages and add ons until closer to the event.

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Hey instead of going in the middle of the event as I did in years past, I'll probably be going the last two nights of HHN, as well as opening night of course. I don't have any question about opening night, but what's Halloween and the last night of HHN like?? Which of those night is more packed, if packed at all? And are the casts as intense as normal nights more or less?

I'm taking my friends, some of them first timers, to the last 2 nights, so any advice on giving them the full experience on those nights would be great!

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Some people swear by the end nights. Often they are far less crowded as people have other plans and what not. the casts are a mix bag. they could be lackluster or on fire trying to end with a bang. In the past they have had special wrap ups for B&T and icons and stories... that we don't have.

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Thanks for the responses all!

It was the Stay and Scream for non-passholders, but it was not a full day ticket.

I am not a passholder and know for a fact there was an add-on that allowed guest to enter Uni. at 3:00 PM for like $25-$30 bucks more.

I just don’t see it, this year but maybe they haven’t released all of their options yet...

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I feel really lazy for asking this...but can't find the info to save my life.

Since they have the two different Behind The Screams Tours...how do you "choose" which tour you want? I've done the single tour before, and it was all done through emails, forms, and giving credit card info. But didn't know if there was something I was missing with a more formal/official way of purchasing tickets.

I see this...but "more info coming soon" this late seems a bit odd.

http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com/orlando/rip-tours.html

Really hoping AVP is on a tour and want to book it!

Edited by Oysterhead00
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Sounds like there will be official tour buying options in the next few weeks....

As of this time we do not have any specific information for the behind the screams tours as of yet. Those of us who develop the content for the behind the screams tours are going to be getting a look at all of the houses this coming week so we can make all the final decisions as to what houses will be visited and such so that we can finalize all of the information, tour routes, times, etc. and more than likely information will be posted to the website and bookings will open up at the end of the month.

Mark Patterson

Universal Orlando VIP Experience

viptours@universalorlando.com

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I will be attending the event the last 3 weekends and getting a FFP+ and naturally it doesn't have Nov 1 on it, and I have heard about them extending those passes for the last day before but I have never been there during said time. What is the likelihood of this occurrence happening this year you think? When has it been announced? It has been extended the past couple of years right?

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I am going the first two nights of the event this year. Should I go for RoF or RoF Express? Would love to save the money, but want to make sure I can do the rides as well.

you should be able to. I do ROF the first three weeks typically. I don't pay for express. Granted I do the AP party and I skip the shows.

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I am going the first two nights of the event this year. Should I go for RoF or RoF Express? Would love to save the money, but want to make sure I can do the rides as well.

With the Rush of Fear you should be able to do every house once and do each show as well if you go from opening until close. Usually there's a house or two that early in the event that never has lines over 30min and come 11pm or so, will say 15min but you can basically just walk right in. I think the one year, we did Wolfman 4 times in one night just because we could and it had no line by 9pm.

For only 2 nights right at the beginning of the year, I'd say the $50 per night for express wouldn't be worth it. We go the first weekend in October and elect to get get the Express option, but we go Thur-Sun so at $25, it's worth it to guarentee we can do every house once.

Not sure if you've been there before or if you have Universal tickets for the day, but if you do go to Finnegans and enjoy an adult beverage (or a coke if you're under age) and you can get in early and knock off two houses in 30min. If you don't, get to the gates early. It sucks waiting 30min to get into the park, but that 30min will save you an hour of waiting later. Do one of the first 2 or 3 houses first. Usually starting with house 3 or 4 "on the path" they don't open them right away...they wait a bit. So don't think heading away from all the foot traffic is a good idea as you'll just be standing at the start of a queue waiting for them to open it up. Some nights are worse than others and I know I've done the first two houses and got to the 3rd in line and still had to wait. If it's open, go to the "big IP houses" first. SAW had 3 hour+ lines in the last week of Sept/first of October a few years ago. I expect Aliens vs Predator and Halloween to be like that this year. So after your first couple houses, might be a good idea to skip a couple to hit the highlights early.

Having said all that, if you stay until Midnight, 1am or 2am (not sure of the first two nights schedule) you should be able to do everything once, and another key/main house a second time.

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Guest kiwisoup

I have a question about Stay & Scream and staying in the park for early access. In my past experience...I'll use last year for reference...I line up early enough at the front gate to be one of the first in at 6pm, did all the studio houses: AWIL, CITW, Resident Evil all straight in, no line, with just enough time to get to the blockade as they removed it near Hershel's barn where it was basically a walk in for the tent houses and parade building.

Now that I've read a bit, I see several people say they head to the holding area as early as 4 or 4:30, get let out of that area at 5:45, and the first house they are given early access to they have to wait up to 25 minutes to get into?

I don't know, maybe I'm wrong, but early access seems like not that great of a deal if you're still in line for one house at almost 6:15 when just by being in line at like 5:30, I've had 2 or 3 houses done by that time.

Maybe I'm reading wrong, or missing something here. Input? I'm wondering if I should bother with the staying in Universal Studios and waiting in the holding area, or if just maybe hanging out in IOA or CityWalk is a better bet.

Edited by kiwisoup
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In 2012 I did the finnigans stay and scream and got both Silent Hill and Gothic done before they opened the gates at 6, Dead End's line hadn't opened yet, so we bolted over to TWD and walked on it, then doubled back to Dead End and it was about a 5 min wait. So at that point we had 4 out of 8 houses done and it was only 6:20. We ran over to HOH and got through it with about a 10 min wait, then Alice Cooper and P&T and were done in time for the second B&T show, spent the rest of the night casually following streets around and repeating the houses we liked.

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I have a question about Stay & Scream and staying in the park for early access. In my past experience...I'll use last year for reference...I line up early enough at the front gate to be one of the first in at 6pm, did all the studio houses: AWIL, CITW, Resident Evil all straight in, no line, with just enough time to get to the blockade as they removed it near Hershel's barn where it was basically a walk in for the tent houses and parade building.

Now that I've read a bit, I see several people say they head to the holding area as early as 4 or 4:30, get let out of that area at 5:45, and the first house they are given early access to they have to wait up to 25 minutes to get into?

I don't know, maybe I'm wrong, but early access seems like not that great of a deal if you're still in line for one house at almost 6:15 when just by being in line at like 5:30, I've had 2 or 3 houses done by that time.

Maybe I'm reading wrong, or missing something here. Input? I'm wondering if I should bother with the staying in Universal Studios and waiting in the holding area, or if just maybe hanging out in IOA or CityWalk is a better bet.

Some "fringe benefits":

  • Pregaming for the event...with live music on the weekends.
  • A good quality sit down meal versus standing in a hot sweaty line, waiting to go through metal detectors, and then buying some quick food during the event.
  • If you have a camera bag with a strap (they honestly told me those are the rules, if it's a clutch or belt one that's fine, if it has a shoulder strap it's not allowed) that they might turn you away at the gate, you can easily bring it in when the park is still open and they'll never check it again.
  • Not encouraging bringing in contraband, but I have a camera case that is about the size of a small purse that I sometimes bring...plus I'm diabetic so I have some medical supplies I need that I can tuck in there and they have been known to try to tell me I have to stuff them in my pockets and put my bag back in the car or something stupid. A purse is allowed for girls, but a bag the same size for a guy is not. SEXISTS! Ha ha ha.
  • The metal detectors ALWAYS BREAK and they have roll it out and bring in a spare (while you stand there, unmoving, for 20min) or they go to wanding everybody. I leave my belt on and never have the walkthrough detector go off, but if they wand me, it goes crazy with the belt buckle. Meaning it takes that much longer to get through security. Then you get to the turnstiles and the people who waited in line for 45min never thought of the fact that they need their ticket to get in...and rummage through their purse for 3min.
  • My one camera takes 4AA Batteries, so I'll have like 12-16 batteries in my bag on the night I bring my "good camera" where I focus on doing houses and taking pictures when my friends go on the ride. They assume I'm bringing them to throw at people or that I'm bringing too many...but the thing sucks batteries with its ultra zoom.
  • Sometimes casts heading to their houses will have a little chant going or something when they march by which is always entertaining. As is a dancing park sweeper (who I haven't seen for a couple years) that would draw cheers from the patrons.
  • There is always at least one house open as soon as they let you out of the "holding pen"...though one year, we went through the house with NO CAST. It was certainly interesting (and prior to us ever doing Behind The Screams) and we got to really check out the props/scenery.

So it might not be a super advantage where you get to do 4 houses before they let anybody else in...but sitting in an air conditioned Irish Bar enjoying a frosty beverage beats the !@#$ out of any of the "alternatives" above. And a lot of the security people are good, my complaints are the exception...the rule is they are just sloooooooow but do a good job and are cool with most things...but tend to follow the rules as cut and dried, black and white situations. Supervisors have been called and when shown my stuff, have even offered to store my insulin in a fridge for me so they're really understanding and helpful.

Also, a little known fact judging by the lines, you can stay at IOA and then go over to a gate in Suessland that is often not marked and cut across there. You go through a tiny security outpost by the Blue Man Group building. Usually it's a huge shortcut...but now and then someone in the park must be telling everybody they see because they'll be a huge line out of the blue some nights.

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With the Rush of Fear you should be able to do every house once and do each show as well if you go from opening until close. Usually there's a house or two that early in the event that never has lines over 30min and come 11pm or so, will say 15min but you can basically just walk right in. I think the one year, we did Wolfman 4 times in one night just because we could and it had no line by 9pm.

For only 2 nights right at the beginning of the year, I'd say the $50 per night for express wouldn't be worth it. We go the first weekend in October and elect to get get the Express option, but we go Thur-Sun so at $25, it's worth it to guarentee we can do every house once.

Not sure if you've been there before or if you have Universal tickets for the day, but if you do go to Finnegans and enjoy an adult beverage (or a coke if you're under age) and you can get in early and knock off two houses in 30min. If you don't, get to the gates early. It sucks waiting 30min to get into the park, but that 30min will save you an hour of waiting later. Do one of the first 2 or 3 houses first. Usually starting with house 3 or 4 "on the path" they don't open them right away...they wait a bit. So don't think heading away from all the foot traffic is a good idea as you'll just be standing at the start of a queue waiting for them to open it up. Some nights are worse than others and I know I've done the first two houses and got to the 3rd in line and still had to wait. If it's open, go to the "big IP houses" first. SAW had 3 hour+ lines in the last week of Sept/first of October a few years ago. I expect Aliens vs Predator and Halloween to be like that this year. So after your first couple houses, might be a good idea to skip a couple to hit the highlights early.

Having said all that, if you stay until Midnight, 1am or 2am (not sure of the first two nights schedule) you should be able to do everything once, and another key/main house a second time.

Thanks for the reply. This is my third year in a row (been following the event since 2001), but first year with multiple nights.

Here's the itinerary:

Sept 19 (my birthday!); Early entry into Diagon Alley > IOA. Nap. Finnegan's at 3:30 PM...although I am trying to push it back. I'm hoping I can show up late and they'll still have a spot for us.

Sept 20 is a chill day. We will be entering without Stay and Scream. Would anyone recommend using the onsite hotel entrance for HHN, or getting there early to utilize the center gate?

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So...we're expecting Stay and Scream to become available at some point? I gave a quick call to Universal to see if they had this available this year, but the guy I spoke with didn't seem to know anything about it, and suggested I get an HHN Add-on Ticket. Since that requires you purchase full day admission, I'm not as thrilled about it.

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So...we're expecting Stay and Scream to become available at some point? I gave a quick call to Universal to see if they had this available this year, but the guy I spoke with didn't seem to know anything about it, and suggested I get an HHN Add-on Ticket. Since that requires you purchase full day admission, I'm not as thrilled about it.

I'm not 100% sure, in the know, or anything else...but it's NOT a ticket you buy or anything and I'm pretty sure it will be in affect this year. Why? It has been every year I've gone. Basically, you go to Finnegans (and I think possibly somewhere near kiddie land) and they come around and X O'Clock and check for HHN tickets. If you have one, you get to stay and that's that. If not, it's time for you to leave the park. A bit later someone comes around with a mobile ticket scanner and scans your HHN ticket just to make sure you have the proper admission ticket.

HOWEVER....your message makes it sound like you think this is available to anybody without a valid Universal Ticket for the day...IT'S NOT. You have to be in the park, with a valid ticket, prior to it closing to take advantage of this.

The Add On Ticket you mentioned I think is just that if you don't have a HHN ticket, yet have a Universal ticket for the day, you can upgrade for like $40 - $60 (depending on the night) instead of paying $95ish for that one night. You can upgrade with an IOA ticket too...but that won't enable you to get into Universal to get the benefit.

I see you've attended before so sorry if I misunderstood your question or gave you a "treat me like an idiot" answer...but just trying to be as helpful as possible to anybody who reads this :)

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