Halloween Horror Nights 32 (UOR) - Tips, Tricks, & Planning

[HandsomePete]

I remember leaving the park last year on opening night (or perhaps it was Saturday) wondering if I should have bothered buying FFP because the Express lines were so terrible, but eventually it settles down a bit. Have to remember that everyone one is psyched to go and also just spent an annual pass worth of money on a two month ticket.

Have to look at it as a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t even know if I would bother with opening weekend anymore if I had FF or FFP now that the event is 47 nights long.

 

[Captain Tragedy]

Opening weekend just isn’t worth the headache anymore. I’ll be there later this month after hype dies down a bit and universal gets their ops in order.

 

[Eckert]

For those of you with express, was it easy to get through all 10 houses or was it still a struggle to do them all at least once by the end of the night?

I was done with the houses at 1:45AM...spent the entire night at the park. Happy to have Express, but was definitely a little annoyed with how long some of those lines took.

 

[DannyPowers]

I’d say that opening night probably has the biggest percentage of FFP w/express users.

A very large chunk of the attendees are local and have invested in that pricier pass.

 

[MikePat]

I found this interesting and worth sharing... but the Death Eaters do actually appear in Diagon Alley before the event starts during regular park hours.

 

[Alsands]

I know it’s the first night but , Without much detail how does this years event compare to previous years? IMO last year was not as good as the previous few.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I know it’s the first night but , Without much detail how does this years event compare to previous years? IMO last year was not as good as the previous few.

Solid year for houses, zones need some work.

Food options are great this year, but like every other year, it's hampered by horrible operations with slow service.

 

[HandsomePete]

Food options are great this year, but like every other year, it's hampered by horrible operations with slow service.

This was always a bit of a paradox to me: it’s great that they’ve expanded and elevated the food offerings, but it hits right at one of the biggest challenges of the event which is having to go deep into the labor pool to staff everything. Once you staff for daytime operations at permanent locations, then nighttime operations at permanent locations, then nighttime operations at temporary locations, you end up having Day 1 TMs in roles where they need to be fast or think critically because there are hordes of people.

Part of me wishes they would stick a catering/cafeteria style setup in half a soundstage with rental tables/chairs and crank mass quantities of burgers and pizza. There’s times when I want to try interesting food, and then there’s times I’m three beers deep and getting hangry but all of the locations are disasters and it would be awesome to grab basic real food.

 

[Bort]

This was always a bit of a paradox to me: it’s great that they’ve expanded and elevated the food offerings, but it hits right at one of the biggest challenges of the event which is having to go deep into the labor pool to staff everything. Once you staff for daytime operations at permanent locations, then nighttime operations at permanent locations, then nighttime operations at temporary locations, you end up having Day 1 TMs in roles where they need to be fast or think critically because there are hordes of people.

Part of me wishes they would stick a catering/cafeteria style setup in half a soundstage with rental tables/chairs and crank mass quantities of burgers and pizza. There’s times when I want to try interesting food, and then there’s times I’m three beers deep and getting hangry but all of the locations are disasters and it would be awesome to grab basic real food.

Agree 100%. It can become really difficult to find "the basics" at these pop-up stands when each one has its own special flair. Especially if you're with a group that has different tastes/desires, while also lacking in-depth knowledge of park navigation.

And, although I don't think I'm going after Blinky Cup drinks this year, it was frustrating trying to find the different spots each drink was offered at. Felt like Ghoul Juice was everywhere, while the others were impossible to find.

 

[DannyPowers]

Couldn’t find this online at all. I’m assuming Springfield is still a S&S, even with all the rejiggering of entrances. But is it Oddfellow, or are they using that space for Last of Us?

 

[MikePat]

Couldn’t find this online at all. I’m assuming Springfield is still a S&S, even with all the rejiggering of entrances. But is it Oddfellow, or are they using that space for Last of Us?

I believe S&S is this...

New York - ST4, Exorcist, Dragons
Richter's - CHUCKY
Springfield - TLOU, Monsters
Today Cafe - Scaremony

 

[RacKoons]

Can anyone confirm the S&S locations and the houses at each S&S location? Also, do we know the times for each house opening yet?

 

[Tbad556]

Dear god...

 

[Grabnar]

Dear god...

This is why I never go on opening weekend. Absolute insanity, there is no world in which this is worth it lol

 

[Disneyson1]

Kind of a weird ask, but does anyone have a picture of the cocktail menus from the RIP Tour? I kinda want to try re-creating the What The Fanta drink…!

 

[wutisgood]

I like that universal is trying to keep the food options interesting, but most of the specialty food is a pretty poor value. I usually end up getting an actual meal for not much more at Finnegan's or another place I can sit down.

 

[Rub]

I’m going tomorrow on Sunday, September 3 which still falls under opening weekend. I have express but will not utilize stay and scream. For anyone that has gone Friday or Saturday, are there any tips on which houses to go through first with express or which to do later? I will be staying until 2:00am and my goal is to get through every house just once. Any ideas?

 

[snayberry]

Express was much better tonight.

 

[srbmarc]

Express was much better tonight.

I wasn’t there last night, but I had a great Express experience tonight. We showed up at 11:00 and did all 5 soundstage houses in about 90 minutes. The longest wait was Stranger Things. Posted wait time was 75 and we waited about 20 with Express.

 

[Fritz]

For the Springfield stay and scream are you still able to get drinks and food in Moes and the Springfield food court and get in line for a house? Assuming the line would be The Last of Us if you did that.