HHN 2024: Tips, Tricks & Planning Thread

[Jake S]

Honestly, on the whole, I don't think there's that much overlap with the general public between HHN and KSF. While of course there are many who do both, for the most part I feel HHN is seen as the "LA haunt" and KSF is seen as the "OC haunt"

Yeah, unless you live in the IE, you’re likely close to one and (approximately) a million miles away from the other.

 

[Jerroddragon]

The Weekend house is officially on the Early Entry list, so I get having to wait for that until 7 if you don't have Early Entry. But Dead Exposure is (as I understand it) not considered an Early Entry house, so it seems I should be able to get on it if it opens at 6:30.



Honestly, on the whole, I don't think there's that much overlap with the general public between HHN and KSF. While of course there are many who do both, for the most part I feel HHN is seen as the "LA haunt" and KSF is seen as the "OC haunt"

Wait....does that mean The Tram, Monsterous and Quiet place also aren't considered EA houses either?

 

[Wesker69]

Wait....does that mean The Tram, Monsterous and Quiet place also aren't considered EA houses either?

Correct. They're not because they open practically at 7pm. Also they let the crowds loose around 640pm-ish

 

[Rideguy70]

So following up... went again last night... and same thing. Unless you have Early Entry, you will not be allowed to enter any houses until 7pm.

Confirmed this by talking to two different maze supervisors (DE: DV and Bloodlines). Both said that their superiors have informed them that even though their mazes open at 6:30 and 6:45 respectively, and are not "officially" on the Early Entry list, general admissions cannot even enter the queue until 7pm.

The DE: DV supervior even said he remembered me from last night, and while I can understand that it may not be his decision, he was pretty much a jerk in delivering the news and not apologetic at all, even though this is reversing a policy that has been otherwise for well over a decade or more now. They did let me into the Bloodlines queue early (prior to 7), but the supervisor there did admit they were not supposed to, and said the event is "evolving" and not everyone may yet be on the same page (especially when I mentioned that Monstrus let us in early). She was at least nicer about this news.

So just be warned: at least on paper, no GA tickets are supposed to be allowed into ANY maze until 7pm (and I noticed that is now printed directly on the wristband), but you may get lucky if that particular maze is not enforcing it or just don't notice. Honestly, I think this sucks and is totally a money grab to essentially force you to buy Early Entry.

If this policy continues, I don't really foresee myself getting FFP next year, because unless you can go/stay very, very late at night, there's not much value in it anymore.

 

[Jerroddragon]

That’s sucks but also until you guys said anything would have no use general could get into houses before 7 pm

If they can get general lines moving, that would make up for it but they keep cycling all or most express guests before even letting the general line move and that’s the real issue I see

Last night got busy but before 8 pm lines looked better then Thursday
Also via Facebook someone said the line for the terror tram was listed as 40 mins but was really only 8 mins to get on. So you might want to come view the line for the tram and not always believe the board

 

[Wesker69]

I forgot to check the waittimes last night, but i figured if Thursday was "hell", Friday wouldn't be much different.

As for the early entry vs GA nonsense, as of last weekend, they started to fully enforce nobody going anywhere & stuck in the entrance Blvd. They won't even let guests grab food from Hollywood & Dine unless they have an "early entry" wristband. They've got it barricaded off & staffed at each entry point of the seating area.

However, on Sunday, me & a few other guests were able to slip past the "army of red shirts" by telling them we were going to the bathroom. Those guests were headed to it, I just wanted to fill my waterbottle. I think it's ridiculous to not allow guests free-roaming access to the ONLY bathroom/water fountain in the vicinity.

If that backstage gate next to Waterworld is being used for ghostbusters/Insidious early entry, just staff it with TMs & security! There is no need to deny GA access to restrooms, water, & food. Otherwise, don't open the gates until 6:55 so it'll be 7pm

Also, if they're going to insist on giving out wristbands to guests entering BEFORE 7pm-AFTER 6pm, but don't have early entry, just let them go. No point in holding them, essentially making it difficult for day guests to exit.
/End rant (..maybe)

 

[Jerroddragon]

I forgot to check the waittimes last night, but i figured if Thursday was "hell", Friday wouldn't be much different.

As for the early entry vs GA nonsense, as of last weekend, they started to fully enforce nobody going anywhere & stuck in the entrance Blvd. They won't even let guests grab food from Hollywood & Dine unless they have an "early entry" wristband. They've got it barricaded off & staffed at each entry point of the seating area.

However, on Sunday, me & a few other guests were able to slip past the "army of red shirts" by telling them we were going to the bathroom. Those guests were headed to it, I just wanted to fill my waterbottle. I think it's ridiculous to not allow guests free-roaming access to the ONLY bathroom/water fountain in the vicinity.

If that backstage gate next to Waterworld is being used for ghostbusters/Insidious early entry, just staff it with TMs & security! There is no need to deny GA access to restrooms, water, & food. Otherwise, don't open the gates until 6:55 so it'll be 7pm

Also, if they're going to insist on giving out wristbands to guests entering BEFORE 7pm-AFTER 6pm, but don't have early entry, just let them go. No point in holding them, essentially making it difficult for day guests to exit.
/End rant (..maybe)

So then APs can’t stay in the lower lot any more if they have general admission?

 

[Wesker69]

So then APs can’t stay in the lower lot any more if they have general admission?

No idea. Universal is just spinning a wheel of "what if" for operations this year. You'll have to inquire with them to find out. It's an irritating situation

They need to make a designated "stay&scream" location like Orlando.

 

[April]

Alright, so having gone Thursday and Sunday I'd say personal experience game plan for efficiency is
Insidious -> GB -> Texas -> Weeknd -> Dead Exposure -> Eternal Bloodlines -> Tram -> Quiet Place -> Monstruos
Did this both without early access and with (frankly it wasn't even intentional to use the same route, it just became logical), and had no issue getting everything done. Obviously this will probably be rendered null with larger crowds once things literally cool down and once we're deeper in october, but it's served me well.
Doing this *with* early access is absolutely the move if you can manage it though, very easily could've called it a night at 9 pm if I wanted.

Just wanted to second this and say thanks for this! Here tonight and we did insidious > ghostbusters > Weeknd because I can’t read > tcm > dead exposure and now we’re in line for Monsters and it’s 7:30. I think longest we waited was 20 minutes. Has been great.

Besides some annoying people in Ghostbusters who were shoving and apparently afraid for their lives, we’ve had a good time. Excited to try for second runs and see more.

Edit: we finished all 8 by 940p and did Chucky and are now in line for the 1115p Purge

 

[Wesker69]

Going to go up there tonight. Not sure how long I'll stay (waittimes depending). Normally I'd already be heading up there, but with the current operations there isn't much of a reason to rush up there before 645pm

 

[Jerroddragon]

Walked on ghost busters 3 times with EA and general

That’s how you open a house, only 30 seconds of express then let people in

Compared to the 5-12 mins at other houses when they open

 

[Clive]

Walked on ghost busters 3 times with EA and general

That’s how you open a house, only 30 seconds of express then let people in

Compared to the 5-12 mins at other houses when they open

You and I disagree a lot, but you're dead-on with this observation. The "clear the express queue for minutes before letting a single standby guest in" is insulting and results in a terrible guest experience in obvious and not-so-obvious ways. They should be using ratios -- and yes, that ratio will favor Express, but at least the standby line will move. A line that doesn't move for long stretches of time will breed frustration, which will eventually lead to bad behavior that affects performers, other team members, and other guests.

As far as the early entry confusion? One wonders how much money they're spending on extra TM staffing for enforcement versus how much they're making.

 

[Jerroddragon]

You and I disagree a lot, but you're dead-on with this observation. The "clear the express queue for minutes before letting a single standby guest in" is insulting and results in a terrible guest experience in obvious and not-so-obvious ways. They should be using ratios -- and yes, that ratio will favor Express, but at least the standby line will move. A line that doesn't move for long stretches of time will breed frustration, which will eventually lead to bad behavior that affects performers, other team members, and other guests.

As far as the early entry confusion? One wonders how much money they're spending on extra TM staffing for enforcement versus how much they're making.

There seems to be lots of confusion by guests

One poor couple with a EA just wanted a restroom and when they got near the one near pets was turned away at every area and pushed to somewhere else. My wife told them we just used the simpsons bathrooms

Also people were waiting at the Harry Potter gate but only WW was allowed in and then later they opened the HP gate. I’m happy to have my dear pass to know what to hit but the general public without express I’m sure get confused by the process this year

 

[Wesker69]

Okay so I got here by 730pm thankfully security & entering was easy.

Since the first showtime for PURGE is at 8pm, I'm currently waiting for that to start.

I did enjoy the SZ1 techno-rock music they were playing, not sure if it was there the first 2 weekends & I didn't notice, but it felt very "HHN Hollywood" minus the gogo dancers

 

[Jerroddragon]

Ghostbusters 3 times in around 23 mins
Quiet place we waited 15 mins in the Q before it opened and then about 3 mins before walking on quiet place
Then we waited maybe 13 mins for Monsterous (half of that time was waiting for the house to open)
The weekend said 15 mins but took maybe 10 and then about 20 mins for bloodlines eternal
Dead Exposure said 20 mins but was 30 mins
The tram said 15 mins but got lucky and was about 10 mins (by the time we got off was 30 mins)
Then we walked the scarezones and got into the very full 10 pm Purge show. And went home after That

Some notes
As mention in the crowz thread, no baby bird.
Chucky bar seemed to be opened before 5:30? Saw people getting drinks from the Chucky bar before the event
The last room in the terror tram had baby face in it , so maybe it is a rotating finale room?
Surprisingly no line for five nights at Freddy’s photo op when I was there at around 9 pm

 

[April]

Ghostbusters 3 times in around 23 mins
Quiet place we waited 15 mins in the Q before it opened and then about 3 mins before walking on quiet place
Then we waited maybe 13 mins for Monsterous (half of that time was waiting for the house to open)
The weekend said 15 mins but took maybe 10 and then about 20 mins for bloodlines eternal
Dead Exposure said 20 mins but was 30 mins
The tram said 15 mins but got lucky and was about 10 mins (by the time we got off was 30 mins)
Then we walked the scarezones and got into the very full 10 pm Purge show. And went home after That

Some notes
As mention in the crowz thread, no baby bird.
Chucky bar seemed to be opened before 5:30? Saw people getting drinks from the Chucky bar before the event
The last room in the terror tram had baby face in it , so maybe it is a rotating finale room?
Surprisingly no line for five nights at Freddy’s photo op when I was there at around 9 pm

A TM at early entry was telling us it was going to be a much lighter night last night and it did feel that way for awhile. It felt a little busy walking around as the night went on but I think that’s just cause the park is small.

We finished all 8 by like 840 or so tonight so that was great. Terror Tram was sad when we went on shortly after 7 because M3GAN had none of her victims. I want to say Babyface was there both nights though re finale. Didn’t see baby crow at all the whole night but did on Saturday.

We spent a tonnnn of time in the streets and saw the scaremony quite a few times and watched Luchadores awhile. Love the creativity and intensity of their scares. Will definitely once again miss these streets going back home to Orlando.

Noticed Chucky bar open both Saturday and Sunday before the event opened but don’t recall how early but definitely when we were waiting to go back to H lot for early entry.

 

[Rideguy70]

We usually get to HHN early, and have noticed the Chucky bar is usually open by 5 or 5:30 (not sure of exact time)

 

[Wesker69]

We usually get to HHN early, and have noticed the Chucky bar is usually open by 5 or 5:30 (not sure of exact time)

Now if only they'd let non-early entry guests queue up for it. Like seriously, easy money.

 

[jarmor]

Quick question, what's the cut off time to be let in the park early for HHN?

 

[Wesker69]

Quick question, what's the cut off time to be let in the park early for HHN?

There is no actual cut off time if you have early entry. But if you don't have it, they'll just hold you on the Blvd until 640-ish