Help for a newbie

[Heartbreak Skid]

Hi. Firstly, sorry if this post is the wrong place or something like that. Basically, this year will be my first time at HHN. My wife and I are going but can only attend the opening 3 nights at the most. So my questions would be:

1) Do RIP Tours run across opening weekend? I have seen conflicting information.

2) Am I guaranteed to see everything if I got Express Passes?

 

Thanks to anyone who can help.

[Oysterhead00]

1)  Not sure

 

2)  Well, there's no guarantee...but with express pass if you get there when the park opens and stay until it closes there's no reason you shouldn't be able to do everything in one night.  However, you might not even need them for opening weekend.  I typically go the first weekend in October and we get the Rush of Fear + Express and are able to do every house every night and usually can do every house twice if we want.  We get there, try to do like 3 or 4 houses without the express until the lines start to get big, then we start using the Express and go through all the houses, then we hang out for a while and see the sites, check out the scare zones, have an adult beverage or 4...and then check the lines and see what else we want to do again.  I've heard it's NOT busy opening weekend, but have never been there myself for it. 

 

I hope you're getting Rush of Fear + Express passes as it's the best bargain out there.  You get admission to the first 3 weeks (or something like that) of the event with express passes valid for one time through each house per night.  That's what we always get and it's only like $220 I think.  The Rush of Feer is like $80-$100, but the Express knocks it up to a bit over $200.  Don't quote me on that price, but I think it was just around $100 more with express. 

[PeoriaBJJ]

My wife and I get the RoF passes and Express passes every year. Its the only way to go IMO and if you can afford it. We go 4 nights a year and see every house every night. We also move ALL NIGHT. Stopping only to eat a couple times. Especially the last couple years being crowded AF. Trick is to hit the house you like the most or wanna see the most FIRST and not use your express pass for it. Get there when the gates open and literally RUN to that house. Then you can see it again later in the night using you passes. Ive been to 8 HHN's and Ive seen every house, every night Ive went. Its the only way to go if you really want to take everything in. One time through isnt enough to appreciate a maze that Uni produces.

 

Good luck and have fun... if your lucky you will become obsessed like everyone around here!

[ThNdIzNiR]

1 hour ago, Oysterhead00 said:

I hope you're getting Rush of Fear + Express passes as it's the best bargain out there.  You get admission to the first 3 weeks (or something like that) of the event with express passes valid for one time through each house per night.  That's what we always get and it's only like $220 I think.  The Rush of Feer is like $80-$100, but the Express knocks it up to a bit over $200.  Don't quote me on that price, but I think it was just around $100 more with express. 

 

47 minutes ago, PeoriaBJJ said:

My wife and I get the RoF passes and Express passes every year. Its the only way to go IMO and if you can afford it.

 

See a theme?

 

If you're going more than 1 night, Rush of Fear (entry to the every night the first 3 weeks) + Express (to cut lines) is by far the best way to go.  Even on opening weekend there most likely will still be lines by the time it's dark outside. It feels pretty good walking by the throngs of people waiting in them. The Rush of Fear pass is an awesome deal too, considering it really doesn't cost much more than a single night's admission and you get to go all 10 or 11 days (3 in your case).

 

I personally know very little about the RIP Tours. I prefer to just get the combo everyone mentioned and see everything at my own pace and without someone directing me for most of the night.

 

[PeoriaBJJ]

We've been doing the UTH tours the last few years too. Pretty pricey but its a good time. If you really geek out on the details its great! They might have priced me out this year though. Of course depending on the houses they do that could all change  We did the double tour last year. We went from like 10am til 1am that night. Thats one long day of HHN!!!! Worth it though...

[ThNdIzNiR]

Yeah. If you're into the design aspects of the houses (like many of us here), then the Unmasking the Horror tours are pretty cool to check out as well. As mentioned, those run in the earlier part of the day and are very insightful. If you have the stamina, doing both tours (preferably after you go through the houses the night before) and a full night at HHN is the true best way to go. If you're going to pay extra for a tour, I'd skip the RIP Tour and check out the Unmasking the Horror Tour instead.

[hunnylvr]

Rush of Fear with Express is DEFINITELY the most effective way to go - with cost and time management.  I can pretty much guarantee you'll see every house this way.  And Peoria is right  - figure out which house is your favorite and RUN for it the minute the gates open.  DO NOT use your Express pass the first time.. use it later to see it again.  Our group settled on an Express Pass rule - we won't use it if the regular line is 30 minutes or less if it's a house we really, really like.  I won't attend HHN without an EP, so this is a decision that is important.  We've been able to work around wait times and see certain houses up to 4 times in a night.  I know we did with Body Collectors last year.  It takes practice, and you have to hustle.  We will stop occasionally for quick bites of food (loaded fries - highly recommended) and bathroom breaks, but we don't spend a lot of time screwing around.  I think, on average, we recorded almost 12 miles of walking per night.

[Heartbreak Skid]

Thanks everyone. Really appreciate it. We have bought frequent fear passes and are probably going to get express passes as well.

[criticalanalysis]

You can absolutely do everything in one night, some with repeats. 

[Oysterhead00]

59 minutes ago, Heartbreak Skid said:

Thanks everyone. Really appreciate it. We have bought frequent fear passes and are probably going to get express passes as well.

 

I could be wrong, but I think Frequent Fear passes aren't valid on Saturdays.  You might want to check into that to make sure.  Rush of Fear is the first xx days, with no weekend stipulations or anything.   This far in advance I'm sure you can call customer service and switch them (I didn't even know they were on sale yet) if it works out to your advantage.

[Heartbreak Skid]

2 hours ago, Oysterhead00 said:

 

I could be wrong, but I think Frequent Fear passes aren't valid on Saturdays.  You might want to check into that to make sure.  Rush of Fear is the first xx days, with no weekend stipulations or anything.   This far in advance I'm sure you can call customer service and switch them (I didn't even know they were on sale yet) if it works out to your advantage.

I bought them from a travel agent here in the UK. On them, it says they are valid every day of the opening 3 days, so hopefully this is accurate. Can't wait. Especially since they have just announced TCM as a house

[Badge]

On 4/14/2016 at 2:16 PM, Heartbreak Skid said:

I bought them from a travel agent here in the UK. On them, it says they are valid every day of the opening 3 days, so hopefully this is accurate. Can't wait. Especially since they have just announced TCM as a house

 

I think you mean opening 3 weeks because opening weekend is only 2 days long on Friday and Saturday.

 

Frequent Fear and Rush of Fear are two different pass types. Wasn't aware that tickets were for sale in the UK already because in the States, tickets are not for sale yet except for add on's and packages. In years past, Frequent Fear was valid 18 days during WHOLE event.  Every Friday and Saturday after the opening weekend and maybe a day or two during "hell week" where not included. You could only use it on Wed, Thursday and Sundays for most of the event. Rush of Fear has always been the first three weeks of the event. Some years that would be 11-12 nights. This year, it will most likely be the first 10 nights. The cost difference between Frequent Fear and Rush of Fear was not much but Frequent Fear limited you quite a bit. If you were going for a whole weekend during the first three weeks, RUSH OF FEAR was the way to go. If you were a local and just wanted to go on the slower days, Frequent Fear was the better option.

 

As far as express goes, DO NOT BUY THEM ON THEIR OWN!! If you want express passes, you need to change your whole ticket type. Let me break it down using prices from last year (so all dates are last year as well)

 

Rush of Fear (first three weeks) - $84

Rush of Fear WITH express (first three weeks) - $230

 

Lets say you went Sept 24-27. Express passes purchases on their own would have been $70 each night for three nights and $80 for the Saturday. That comes out to $290 to buy express on its own on top of your Rush of Fear ticket. So:

 

Rush of Fear standard ticket and buying express stand alone - $374

Rush of Fear WITH express included - $230 

 

Savings of $144 buying the combo ticket.

 

Since tickets are not on sale yet in the States, its hard to tell what prices will be this year. However, if you plan on going for a whole weekend and want express passes, buying the combo ticket is always going to be cheaper. You won't want to buy express just one night either. Once you have it, you won't want to go back without it and you can't upgrade your ticket once it has been used.

 

EDIT: Just looked up the UK site and Frequent Fear Plus is for sale. However, something is wrong. It lists the 18th of Sept as a valid night, yet the event is not going on that night (currently...sometimes dates get added but its not common. They are promoting the event as running for 31 nights and that does not include the 18th). It also DOES NOT include any Saturday expect for the first week. You mention that you are only able to make it the opening weekend (the 16th and 17th). If that is the case, it might be slightly cheaper to purchase express stand alone for just two nights IF the express prices don't change. Until all the passes and prices get released, it best to hold off on buying anything.

Edited April 17, 2016 by Badge