Halloween Horror Nights 2021 (USH) - News & Info

[DTH]

Exorcist was my first stop because I didn’t want to go through TCM with a ton of light bleed at 5:30. Is that something that is noticeable or no?

TCM suffers from light bleed pretty hard, but unless you wanna wait in a really really long line later, you kinda just have to put up with it since the sun doesnt even set till like 7:30.

My suggestion and I wish to hell that I did this on a busy Saturday night, but hit Exorcist first then just run back up before 7 to be one of the first in line for Hill House, then Pandora. Do the rest of the night accordingly, then hit TCM last (as long as you're there 1 minute before closing) when the line has gone down again or they can no longer let Express in to slow down the line.

 

[DanTheMan]

The source for my wait times was having server issues so I wasn't able to fetch wait times after about 10:30pm, but hopefully this is helpful.

Thursday (9/17/21) (2 hr gap after 10:30pm) :

 

[CobraCommander666]

Hi everyone! I am going tomorrow and have a couple of questions:
1. I saw it mentioned that TCM has light-bleed. Any others that you recommend waiting until dark for? I'm going express so I am less worried about the wait times.
2. Is there Horror Nights exclusive merch that comes out in the shops after the party starts (like Disneyland's Halloween events), or is it all just available during the day?

I cannot wait! This is only my third year and I am taking my brother who will be popping his Horror Nights cherry.

 

[chris.g]

Hi everyone! I am going tomorrow and have a couple of questions:
1. I saw it mentioned that TCM has light-bleed. Any others that you recommend waiting until dark for? I'm going express so I am less worried about the wait times.
2. Is there Horror Nights exclusive merch that comes out in the shops after the party starts (like Disneyland's Halloween events), or is it all just available during the day?

I cannot wait! This is only my third year and I am taking my brother who will be popping his Horror Nights cherry.

1. Bride of Frankenstein suffers greatly from light bleed as does Halloween but they'll open later anyways.
2. I believe you can fine the mercy in the day, but there is AP exclusive merchandise that's actually truly "Exclusive".

 

[JawsVictim]

Think I’m going to aim to go Thur. Sept 30. The order to hit houses seems to be Exorcist > TCM > Hill House > Pandora > Halloween > Brides > Terror Tram > Walking Dead. Is this correct?

 

[Clive]

Think I’m going to aim to go Thur. Sept 30. The order to hit houses seems to be Exorcist > TCM > Hill House > Pandora > Halloween > Brides > Terror Tram > Walking Dead. Is this correct?

This is only true, in my opinion, if you can already be in the park and wait near the front of the Exorcist line. If you get let in at 5:30, the Exorcist queue will already be significant and you will hit a significant roadblock at TCM. If you can only get in at 5:30, I would choose Texas and then head upstairs for Hill House and Pandora, then Halloween, then (probably) Tram. Bride never draws a massive line, and when it does, it dissipates quickly. Hit Walking Dead whenever.

If you *are* in the park before 5:30 and queue in advance for Exorcist, I think the plan you stated will work great, but I would personally switch Terror Tram and Bride in your sequence.

 

[JawsVictim]

This is only true, in my opinion, if you can already be in the park and wait near the front of the Exorcist line. If you get let in at 5:30, the Exorcist queue will already be significant and you will hit a significant roadblock at TCM. If you can only get in at 5:30, I would choose Texas and then head upstairs for Hill House and Pandora, then Halloween, then (probably) Tram. Bride never draws a massive line, and when it does, it dissipates quickly. Hit Walking Dead whenever.

If you *are* in the park before 5:30 and queue in advance for Exorcist, I think the plan you stated will work great, but I would personally switch Terror Tram and Bride in your sequence.

Excellent! Yes I’m going on a day that our APs are valid. Will likely get in the park around 3:30ish.

 

[Clive]

Excellent! Yes I’m going on a day that our APs are valid. Will likely get in the park around 3:30ish.

Fantastic. Make sure you get your HHN wristband when you come in, and I'd check-in on Exorcist no later than 4:45. I realize that's a lot of waiting upfront, but it'll pay off if executed correctly.

 

[JawsVictim]

Fantastic. Make sure you get your HHN wristband when you come in, and I'd check-in on Exorcist no later than 4:45. I realize that's a lot of waiting upfront, but it'll pay off if executed correctly.

Cool, thanks for the heads up! I’ll let everyone know how it turns out.

 

[Jwhee]

Just finished my first HHN at USH. Pandora maze was my favorite, along with the Terror Tram. The black rooms everyone talks about are indeed real.
Scary Farm>UOR>USH

 

[chris.g]

^ This feels like a review of the HHN we actually expected this year haha

 

[JawsVictim]

Just finished my first HHN at USH. Pandora maze was my favorite, along with the Terror Tram. The black rooms everyone talks about are indeed real.
Scary Farm>UOR>USH

Now I’m even more hyped for Scary Farm if you’re placing it over HHNO.

 

[Rideguy70]

Just had to say I went to HHN for about my 5th visit (thanks to FFP), and things are much, much better since that disastrous first Friday night last week.

Since we also have APs, we entered the park around 5:00pm, went in, got our HHN wristbands, and headed down immediately to Exorcist, where we were about the 7th group in line (excluding Express). Was able to go directly to TCM. Then went upstairs to H4 (mainly because we had already done HH and Pandora a lot), and was happy to discover they opened the maze at about 6:45 (it's not scheduled to open until 7pm). Because of this, we were able to be out of that house by about 6:55, so we decided to book it right to HH and Pandora, and was even more surprised to find both mazes were basically walk ons (despite being posted at 45 minutes... that just seems to be the initial wait time they post when the mazes open). We did both, Pandora twice. Headed back up to Bride, which also had no wait, and was then done by just before 8, so since we were already there and on a roll, headed to TWD just to be completists. They were letting people in line by 7:45, but the maze itself didn't open until 8. We could've gone to Terror Tram right then with a 10 min wait, but we were starving, so we headed down to TCM BBQ to eat. It was about 9 by the time we got to Tram, and it was posted at 30 min, but it really took about 15.

So without any express, we were able to do every single maze by 9:30pm on a Friday night. Being inside the park early with an AP and H4 opening early definitely helped make this possible. But even so, when we left the park at 10pm, the longest line in the park was Exorcist at 90, and most of the mazes were around 40-50 min, so if you were willing to wait in just a few longer lines, it could still be done. A huge improvement from those 2-3 hour waits just a week ago.

I"ve also been hearing great things about Knott's... I'd say they win just because of the more varied food offering, and having so many more shows... two things that HHN just can't seem to ever get go. At least they're stepping in the right direction with the food, but having the Animal Actors Stage just sitting there unused all these years is pretty inexcusible. Even SFMM's FF has more shows, for goodness sake. IMO, if they want to remain competitive, they're really going to have to make more improvements in experiences other than mazes.

 

[zto8411]

Just had to say I went to HHN for about my 5th visit (thanks to FFP), and things are much, much better since that disastrous first Friday night last week.

Since we also have APs, we entered the park around 5:00pm, went in, got our HHN wristbands, and headed down immediately to Exorcist, where we were about the 7th group in line (excluding Express). Was able to go directly to TCM. Then went upstairs to H4 (mainly because we had already done HH and Pandora a lot), and was happy to discover they opened the maze at about 6:45 (it's not scheduled to open until 7pm). Because of this, we were able to be out of that house by about 6:55, so we decided to book it right to HH and Pandora, and was even more surprised to find both mazes were basically walk ons (despite being posted at 45 minutes... that just seems to be the initial wait time they post when the mazes open). We did both, Pandora twice. Headed back up to Bride, which also had no wait, and was then done by just before 8, so since we were already there and on a roll, headed to TWD just to be completists. They were letting people in line by 7:45, but the maze itself didn't open until 8. We could've gone to Terror Tram right then with a 10 min wait, but we were starving, so we headed down to TCM BBQ to eat. It was about 9 by the time we got to Tram, and it was posted at 30 min, but it really took about 15.

So without any express, we were able to do every single maze by 9:30pm on a Friday night. Being inside the park early with an AP and H4 opening early definitely helped make this possible. But even so, when we left the park at 10pm, the longest line in the park was Exorcist at 90, and most of the mazes were around 40-50 min, so if you were willing to wait in just a few longer lines, it could still be done. A huge improvement from those 2-3 hour waits just a week ago.

I"ve also been hearing great things about Knott's... I'd say they win just because of the more varied food offering, and having so many more shows... two things that HHN just can't seem to ever get go. At least they're stepping in the right direction with the food, but having the Animal Actors Stage just sitting there unused all these years is pretty inexcusible. Even SFMM's FF has more shows, for goodness sake. IMO, if they want to remain competitive, they're really going to have to make more improvements in experiences other than mazes.

THIS. I never understood the lack of shows.
They have a ton of props and costumes they don't use every year. An extra stage, and no shortage of actors and talent to produce a good show right in their backyard. It couldn't be more expensive than construction of a maze and would help with lines significantly.

 

[Freak]

I mean, how expensive would a simple magic or freak show would be? It would draw a decent crowd. It would especially bring in the people that are a few beers deep and wanting a break. I can't imagine something like that would cost much!

 

[Rideguy70]

Even more so when they don't even have to do it in house. Just hire a pre-set show, much like they're doing with the Jabawokkees, or Knott's with Bob Baker. There's got to be tons of magicians, arcobats, dancers, muscians, and theater people that would jump at the chance for steady employment and some publicity, even within constraints of limits sets and space.

 

[Horror Lover]

Even more so when they don't even have to do it in house. Just hire a pre-set show, much like they're doing with the Jabawokkees, or Knott's with Bob Baker. There's got to be tons of magicians, arcobats, dancers, muscians, and theater people that would jump at the chance for steady employment and some publicity, even within constraints of limits sets and space.

I would love to see a sort of dark and spooky variety show incorporating dance, musical numbers, comedy and illusions at HHN..

 

[Joey]

 

[Clive]

View attachment 15329

No.

 

[Freak]

No.

C’mon dude, we know that the churro and Dippin Dots guy knows ALL.