Going to HHN Orlando for the first time this year!

[Freak]

Last year, me and my family flew out to New York. While on the plane, they were filming for the reality show, "World's Biggest Loser." Because of that, the plane had a little trouble getting off the runway from the weigh of the contestants. I kid, I kid. But because of that, they were randomly giving away four sets of tickets for two on there and we actually won! So we decided to use those tickets for October of this year to go to WDW, see Harry Potter (Even though I'm not a fan. The ride looks amazing.), and of course...see HHN.

Now I've only been to Knott's and HHN Hollywood. Knott's was good...though it could've been better, and HHN Hollywood was amazing! It will be even better this year now that it's expanding it's Terror Tram and going up to 5-6 mazes... which is why I'm going to both! I'm soooo stoked to go to HHN Orlando for the first time! Especially during it's 20th anniversary!

So now the question: What time do I need to actually be there at the gates? We plan on staying at one of Universal's hotels during this time so getting there won't be a problem. Also, should I start at the JAWS queue maze at the park and go clockwise? What's the best place to eat there? Any good treats? ( i.e.Energy shots, etc.)

[Spook]

First when are you planning on going?

2nd, Stay and scream is the best option

3rd Frequent Fear Pass depending on when your going

4th don't buy tickets at full price

5th Express Pass is a must for newbies.

[Grime]

Stay and Scream and express passes can be the determining factor if you want to do everything in a single night.

[Freak]

I plan on going Oct. 8th.

[CinemaOfTheDead]

Good place to eat is at Mel's Drive In or at HHN Mel's D I E In because it's close to three scarezones so you can still be seeing scareactors scaring and hearing people screaming...

If you are only going on Oct 8 highly suggest Express because it's the best way to go to all the houses and multiple times if you want and enough time for the shows/attractions.

Go to the Sprung Tents(2),Parade Building,Jaws Que,Disaster Que,and lastly SS(3)because it will be less crowded as most people i see go to the SS first thing and continue there on and because its not night yet so i highly doubt you want to go to Jaws when you can still see the sun and theirs past problems going their first (In SAW there was not enough light as i hit 3 scareactors and hardly see anything and for F13 you could saw all the scareactors hiding spots)IMHO.

Get there an hour before the gates open to be the first 50 people in the park.

Well check the bars for their speciality drinks (like last year's Hair of Wolf and the year's before Scary Mary) or the jello shot blood bags to be in the spirit of things.

[Freak]

About wanting more times for rides I'll just buy a Stay and Scream pass to ride the rides by day then go for just the mazes at HHN. I probably won't see Bill and Ted since we have that back at Hollywood and it's pretty much the same show... just different acting/costumes. If I have any "down time" after going through all of the mazes I probably will see it or take a spin on Mummy or MIB.

Just curious... is ET or JAWS open during HHN? Whenever I have the chance to ride ET I always take it since the one where I live has been scrapped. Btw thanks for the helpful tips guys!

[Grime]

About wanting more times for rides I'll just buy a Stay and Scream pass to ride the rides by day then go for just the mazes at HHN. I probably won't see Bill and Ted since we have that back at Hollywood and it's pretty much the same show... just different acting/costumes. If I have any "down time" after going through all of the mazes I probably will see it or take a spin on Mummy or MIB.

Just curious... is ET or JAWS open during HHN? Whenever I have the chance to ride ET I always take it since the one where I live has been scrapped. Btw thanks for the helpful tips guys!

ET isn't, Jaws is occasionally.

[Freak]

ET isn't, Jaws is occasionally.

Guess I'll go on ET during the day then.

Btw, I've heard some guy on youtbe had to throw away his water bottle to get in. Has this happened to any of you?

[Grime]

Guess I'll go on ET during the day then.

Btw, I've heard some guy on youtbe had to throw away his water bottle to get in. Has this happened to any of you?

I'm pretty sure you're referring to my video, lol

And yeah. No drinks of any kind from outside are allowed in. Including anything you buy in Citywalk.

[HHN fan]

About wanting more times for rides I'll just buy a Stay and Scream pass to ride the rides by day then go for just the mazes at HHN. I probably won't see Bill and Ted since we have that back at Hollywood and it's pretty much the same show... just different acting/costumes. If I have any "down time" after going through all of the mazes I probably will see it or take a spin on Mummy or MIB.

Just curious... is ET or JAWS open during HHN? Whenever I have the chance to ride ET I always take it since the one where I live has been scrapped. Btw thanks for the helpful tips guys!

if you are going to the park during the day you don't have to buy a stay and scream pass that is for someone who didn't buy a ticket for the day or isn't an annual pass holder. so if you have ticket for HHN and you stay in the park in the stay and scream areas, they will only what to see your HHN pass. Finnegan's is the other S&S area and you can have something to eat and or drink before HHN starts, and if you do the open SS house or houses first you don't have to wait in the longer lines later.

that has been my groups plan the last 3 years and it worked pretty well, if you buy express and do stay & scream you should be able to get all the houses done, and maybe bill & Ted. I don't know how many are in your group, but you might what to look at RIP tours, you are guaranteed to get all the houses and shows with a tour guide who takes you to the front of the line in all the houses and priority seating for the shows. FYI they are expensive. we go for a min of 8 days when we come to Orlando for HHN, so we just get the FFP, and do S&S each night, we usually most of the houses the first night, and do the shows on a differant night, and repeat the houses we like and skip the ones we dislike.

Hope this helps.

we are going opening week for 10 days this year starting opning night.

enjoy

we what to go to knotts once, but I fear now that cedar fair is involved it may never be what it was in it's hay day.

[JackLover]

And if you do get express passes DO NOT use them until the lines get past 30 mins. long. Stay and Scream is your best bet to get most of the houses done without using your express pass until it gets dark. Best way to go through a house is when it is dark outside.

[Spook]

Oct 8th Good Night Choice

Yes Stay and scream, I am an annual pass holder I go early in the day ride till about noon and come back at 4 and then Hit Finnegans. Good call HHN fan on that I forget about it till closer to HHN.

RIP is very pricey But I do suggest doing unmasking the Horror while your there. Express passes for the 8th should be cheaper then certain nights.

I am sure a number of people on the board will be there and can help you that night..

I myself am going to be in town for Spooky Empire Horror Con and Zombie walk...

I know this is a tad off subject but here is there webiste

www.spookyempire.com

There big guest so far is Robert Englund and others from NOES and Danny Trejo and Gary Busey...

[Freak]

Thanks again for the tips guys! Just curious, what do they serve at Finnegin's? I think I saw some picture of one of their entrees (It looked like something fried.) on a MiceAge photo update; it looked pretty good.

Also I think I'm just going to buy the standard stay and scream ticket. I don't really plan on going on any of the tours or any of that stuff; I prefer to go at things at my own pace.

[Grime]

Just curious, what do they serve at Finnegin's? I think I saw some picture of one of their entrees (It looked like something fried.) on a MiceAge photo update; it looked pretty good.

http://allears.net/uni/menu/men_fin.htm

It was probably the Fish and Chips. Best restaurant on property imo.

[Dreamstalker]

I'm pretty sure you're referring to my video, lol

And yeah. No drinks of any kind from outside are allowed in. Including anything you buy in Citywalk.

If you go into the Park as a Day guest before they roll out the Metal detectors, close the park, etc etc and such they don't care what u bring into the park.

[Oysterhead00]

Thanks again for the tips guys! Just curious, what do they serve at Finnegin's? I think I saw some picture of one of their entrees (It looked like something fried.) on a MiceAge photo update; it looked pretty good.

Finnegan's Potato and Onion Webb - A mountain of thinly sliced potatoes and onions, hand dipped in beer batter, crisply fried golden brown and served with malt vinegar. $5.95

You HAVE to get that as an appetizer, it's the best thing ever!

And if you are looking for an interesting place to get an "adult beverage" outside of Universal, the Orlando Ice Bar is a ton of fun:

http://www.icebarorlando.com/

[LV-426]

It depends if you are satying from the day or not, but I get there around 5-5:30 PM or something like that, There rides that are open During HHN are Men in Black, The Simpsons, JAWS, The mummy, but again if you plan on going to the park during the day you could do all the rides and then at night just do HHN (which would be a lot better). Bill and Ted and the Rocky horror picture show seem to be the same here than there from what i have seen, so i think you could skip them,

About eating, it also depends where you are, when i was there, I did not like the burgers or the Turkey legs, but loved the Pizza, i don't know, Mel's Drive in is the best because is right in front of the scarezone.

Is still really light out when they open the park, so sometimes some houses (the ones in the sound stages) are way too dark, I remember last year in the Dracula house i could not see anything at all when i went when they opened the park, then the next day i went at night to the same house and could see everything perfectly.

[Freak]

And if you are looking for an interesting place to get an "adult beverage" outside of Universal, the Orlando Ice Bar is a ton of fun:

http://www.icebarorlando.com/

Ummm... I'm 17 so I don't think I'll be getting an "adult beverage."

[HHN fan]

Thanks again for the tips guys! Just curious, what do they serve at Finnegin's? I think I saw some picture of one of their entrees (It looked like something fried.) on a MiceAge photo update; it looked pretty good.

Also I think I'm just going to buy the standard stay and scream ticket. I don't really plan on going on any of the tours or any of that stuff; I prefer to go at things at my own pace.

freakazoid

if you plan your trip so you go to USO/IOA the day you go to HHN you won't need a stay and scream ticket, it is only needed if you are not going to the parks before HHN, when you would need a stay and scream ticket. if I were you I would plan to go to see Harry Potter the day you plan on going to HHN and then if you have a ticket for HHN you just stay in the park when it closes in the stay & scream area and they will scan your HHN ticket. the stay and scream ticket is for someone who what's to come to the park the afternoon before going to HHN, and has a HHN ticket and whats to stay in the park to get a head start on the people who just buy a HHN ticket. also they usually have a deal in the park during HHN they offer a deal for people who only bought day tickets to get a deal on the night tickets. we have never just went one night before, so I don't remember the price point on that, but I'm sure someone here remembers about how much it was last year to buy the HHN ticket after you got in the park during the day.

as the the food at Finnegan's it's an Irish bar with Irish/British food. their hot wings are good, and so is their Shepperd's pie. and it is a restaurant so you don't have to be be 21 to go in, they do check IDs when you order an adult beverage.

hope you have fun

Jim

[Freak]

freakazoid

if you plan your trip so you go to USO/IOA the day you go to HHN you won't need a stay and scream ticket, it is only needed if you are not going to the parks before HHN, when you would need a stay and scream ticket. if I were you I would plan to go to see Harry Potter the day you plan on going to HHN and then if you have a ticket for HHN you just stay in the park when it closes in the stay & scream area and they will scan your HHN ticket. the stay and scream ticket is for someone who what's to come to the park the afternoon before going to HHN, and has a HHN ticket and whats to stay in the park to get a head start on the people who just buy a HHN ticket. also they usually have a deal in the park during HHN they offer a deal for people who only bought day tickets to get a deal on the night tickets. we have never just went one night before, so I don't remember the price point on that, but I'm sure someone here remembers about how much it was last year to buy the HHN ticket after you got in the park during the day.

as the the food at Finnegan's it's an Irish bar with Irish/British food. their hot wings are good, and so is their Shepperd's pie. and it is a restaurant so you don't have to be be 21 to go in, they do check IDs when you order an adult beverage.

hope you have fun

Jim

Ah! I see! Thank you for clearing up the smoke. So while they are preparing the park, they have you in certain areas so that you can't see all the preparation for HHN, correct? We do plan on going to both parks btw. Daytime Universal, IOA, and of course HHN.

[BruinsFan]

I'd like to clarify what the Stay & Scream ticket option is. Basically it is an upgrade for your day ticket to the park(s). It is cheaper than the regular price of admission to HHN if bought separately.

For this year:

Stay and Scream tickets are valid for one admission to Halloween Horror Nights. Prices for the Stay & Scream upgrade are $64.99 +tax for Saturday nights, $49.99 +tax for Friday nights and $34.99 +tax for all other nights in addition to your daytime park ticket admission.

The price of a regular HHN ticket without a daytime ticket:

General admission is $74.99+tax the day of event.

In either case, as long as you are in the park before closing, you will wait in one of the designated "Stay & Scream" holding areas. They will usually let you into the 1st house(s) sometime between 5:45-6pm.

[ishansshade]

if you go to island of Adventure eat at mythos.

[ishansshade]

Sorry if i am a little slow. Let me get this straight? If I buy a park ticket for the day and a stay and scream for the night i can go to finnegans and not have to leave the park and wait in line to get back in? Is there another spot besides finnegans as well? thanks for the info in advance!

[Oysterhead00]

Sorry if i am a little slow. Let me get this straight? If I buy a park ticket for the day and a stay and scream for the night i can go to finnegans and not have to leave the park and wait in line to get back in? Is there another spot besides finnegans as well? thanks for the info in advance!

That is exactly right...and they usually let you out of the "holding pen" a little before the park is to open. Last year, we did that twice and once they let us out so early, that half the houses lines weren't even open yet. We got 3 houses done without waiting a single second in line.

There is definitely another waiting area, but I'm not sure where it is as Finnegans is the best so we stay there. I thought there was a way to come over from Islands of Adventure by Poisodon's Fury or whatever, but I'm not sure if they open that or not. Someone will surely correct me if I'm wrong.

[BruinsFan]

There are usually two holding areas for Stay & Scream. One in N.Y., and one in Kidzone or back by Bill and Ted. For the past two years, the holding areas have been on Delancey Street (including Finnegan's) and back in Kidzone. The Delancey St. area will let you out to the Soundstage houses while the Kidzone area will let you into the Parade building and one of the Sprung Tents. The houses usually open in 15 minute intervals. For example, last year the Wolfman and Silver Scream houses opened between 5:45/6 and then Dracula/Chucky opened at 6/6:15.