Halloween Horror Nights 2023 (USH) - Tips, Tricks, & Planning

[Jerroddragon]

I wonder how this will work with EA then?

Like are the mazes only VQ after 7 PM?

 

[Freak]

Welp I’m even more glad I splurged on RIP then. I picked the right year to do it then. I can see everything comfortably.

Man opening weekend (ESPECIALLY opening night) is gonna be tough for the GA folks. They’re essentially going to be Guinea pigs. To those going opening night without express, I wish you the best. Y’all are going to have a lot of curveballs thrown at you.

 

[Viator]

I genuinely have no reason to believe VQ is active here. I hope I am not wrong, but I am to assume this is App crews trying to figure things out.

 

[Clive]

This reeks of "hey we can achieve x goal (say, sell more $$ at the nearby Stellar Bar) if we implement this virtual queue thing" versus "we absolutely need this because we don't have enough queue space."

Formally complain, and complain often.

 

[Spookies n' Stuff]

Welp...

I really hope that even if they have virtual queues, they have physical queues as well. Pure virtual would be an absolute nightmare.
However, if they restrict the virtual queue to 7 pm at opening, and the system is working, and the virtual queue is purely an alternative to the regular queue, and they've reduced Express sales, then maybe it can work. If they havent reduced express sales and general queue people have to contend with both express people AND VQ people passing them, expect a disaster for anyone whos waiting in any standard queue.

That said, if they have somehow polished this system to a mirror sheen, and the ratios are carefully balanced, this could be helpful. If i can have a scenario where I see Stranger Things has a 200 minute wait, and i can opt to get in a virtual queue, knock out a couple things with shorter regular queues, and i still get to do a maze that I otherwise wouldve skipped and never experienced, kinda like OG paper fastpass? That sounds great in concept. I 100% do not trust them to not muck it up somehow and have the whole thing be crazy and stressful and require a strategy guide to swing properly. But if they actually pay off the concept, who knows, might be a net gain. Wishful thinking though.

 

[Viator]

The only and only way I can see it work, is if it's like Pets to where it's a three way queue. Virtual Queue (with limited availability on first come, first serve), Express/RIP, and Stand-By. Have the VQ work like Pets to where it acts as a means of minimizing queue times for Stand-By, while also giving people options for those b-lining it to Stranger Things.

But once again, I genuinely do not think VQ is a thing. I can very easily be wrong; but I have had no reason to believe in VQ being a thing.

 

[Clive]

I mean, it is on the app. It may be a test, or it may actually be implemented. We don't know just yet.

I also think you guys have unfortunately put more thought into this than they have.

 

[highdefrex]

Ugh. I was gone this weekend -- I bought my Frequent Fear Pass almost two weeks ago for my first day to be on the 10th and was waiting to see how APs would be handled for early entry on opening night, if APs would be allowed to have "free" early entry like the combo tickets, before pulling the trigger on buying us early entry. Now seeing that early entry is sold out, I'm pissed... this is going to be so deeply miserable, I can already feel it, and now I don't even want to go without early entry because the idea of getting in at 7 when wait times are already godawful is an absolute turn-off.

 

[chris.g]

I can’t believe I’m going to say this - huge fan of this. Hope it works though.

 

[Spookies n' Stuff]

Ugh. I was gone this weekend -- I bought my Frequent Fear Pass almost two weeks ago for my first day to be on the 10th and was waiting to see how APs would be handled for early entry on opening night, if APs would be allowed to have "free" early entry like the combo tickets, before pulling the trigger on buying us early entry. Now seeing that early entry is sold out, I'm pissed... this is going to be so deeply miserable, I can already feel it, and now I don't even want to go without early entry because the idea of getting in at 7 when wait times are already godawful is an absolute turn-off.

More or less what happened with me too, had someone flying in for opening weekend, but they have chronic pain so it was likely we would take at least one night of the weekend off and probably more, and I didnt want to buy Early Entry for nights we weren't going, so I waited till we got closer, and lo and behold, opening weekends gone lol.
My only hope is that means they've been keeping Early Entry sales really really limited, so lines cant explode to 100 minutes within the early entry period, but I'm not holding my breath at this point.

 

[saint.piss]

was waiting to see how APs would be handled for early entry on opening night, if APs would be allowed to have "free" early entry like the combo tickets, before pulling the trigger on buying us early entry.

We still don't know with 100% certainty how they're going to handle it. I still keep hearing mixed answers on APs getting EE so who knows. I'm staying optimistic for now since I didn't pay for it and desperately want it so

 

[Brian G.]

Need to Know: A Guide to Halloween Horror Nights 2023 at Universal Studios Hollywood

The horror season is upon us! Halloween Horror Nights 2023 is set to begin Thursday, Sept 7 at Universal Studios Hollywood. For those who have visited the event in the past, you know what to expect. For those who haven't, get ready for some unforgettable horrific encounters... Universal Studios Ho

www.insideuniversal.net

 

[Clive]

We still don't know with 100% certainty how they're going to handle it. I still keep hearing mixed answers on APs getting EE so who knows. I'm staying optimistic for now since I didn't pay for it and desperately want it so

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this has been clarified several times by official Universal Hollywood channels now. APs without early entry passes will not be able to access mazes until the event formally starts.

 

[saint.piss]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this has been clarified several times by official Universal Hollywood channels now. APs without early entry passes will not be able to access mazes until the event formally starts.

 

[DTH]

I think the app is just going through some things y'all, I don't think virtual queue is happening. If you check the app now, it says Monstrous is open with a 15 minute wait. There has been no announcement of it in any way shape or form and I feel like that kinda thing would at least be in a press release or two.

 

[Jerroddragon]

I think the app is just going through some things y'all, I don't think virtual queue is happening. If you check the app now, it says Monstrous is open with a 15 minute wait. There has been no announcement of it in any way shape or form and I feel like that kinda thing would at least be in a press release or two.

ITS OPEN!!! OMG on my way now....Screw work

 

[Rideguy70]

While I'm not 100% convinced VQ is coming, I'd gamble that even if it did, it would be implemented after the Early Entry time.

Part of me wouldn't necessarily hate it, though... you could potentially be waiting in line for two mazes simulatenously, possibly allowing for getting more mazes done in a night.

 

[Jerroddragon]

While I'm not 100% convinced VQ is coming, I'd gamble that even if it did, it would be implemented after the Early Entry time.

Part of me wouldn't necessarily hate it, though... you could potentially be waiting in line for two mazes simulatenously, possibly allowing for getting more mazes done in a night.

I think it could work out for some...but man do I feel for General people

It's just insane how many new things and passes they have this year.

 

[deadbydawn]

If the virtual queue works, I'm for it. They really are just mixing everything up this year, huh? Thoughts go out to the operations staff for trying to navigate all of this.

 

[Clive]

While I'm not 100% convinced VQ is coming, I'd gamble that even if it did, it would be implemented after the Early Entry time.

Part of me wouldn't necessarily hate it, though... you could potentially be waiting in line for two mazes simulatenously, possibly allowing for getting more mazes done in a night.

But if you are "waiting" for two other mazes while (in theory) physically waiting for yet another attraction, wait times across the board will be inflated.

Virtual queues do not work nine times out of ten. I think the cautious optimism amongst some of you may stem from the fact that folks on this forum will understand how to best exploit Universal's flimsy system.