HHN 2024: Tips, Tricks & Planning Thread

[Freak]

It’s 7 now and just knocked out Insidious, GB, TCM, and Weeknd. Going to Eternal Bloodlines now. Not even 7 and only have three houses and the tram left. Gonna be a good night!

 

[Wesker69]

It's a very crazy dead night because normally a few of these have 30-60min waittimes

It's wonderful

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

Are these wait times real??????

 

[Wesker69]

Are these wait times real??????

Yes.

 

[chris.g]

I think ima buy a ticket and go tonight, these times are too good to pass up.

 

[Wesker69]

I think ima buy a ticket and go tonight, these times are too good not to pass up.

I'm disappointed you didn't just buy a FFP... lol

 

[Jake S]

it’s also great how easy it is to move around. doesn’t feel crowded in addition to very short waits.

 

[Wesker69]

I will point out that I've seen a few "express priority" even though those people are nowhere near the house "entrance". They'll hold the regular line while waiting for the express people to get there, then send them instead of general. Creating unnecessary waits.
/End rant

 

[Lurker]

I will point out that I've seen a few "express priority" even though those people are nowhere near the house "entrance". They'll hold the regular line while waiting for the express people to get there, then send them instead of general. Creating unnecessary waits.
/End rant

I saw the wait times and rushed over to the park. Wild how empty it was-- had a blast! Pretty much everything was walk on by 11pm. But YES, those express lines are insane!!!

The general lines for TCM and Dead Exposure literally would not move. It was incredibly frustrating and something the park really needs to work out. There was no one in the park today! It made no sense!

All I could hear from people in line around me was frustration over the line process. The 10 minute advertised wait for TCM was literally 40 minutes!! We would just stand there, the Express line would move smoothly, and we would just keep standing there indefinitely with a major line building behind. That shouldn't happen on a day with low attendance! It really feels like waiting outside a club to be let in.

I imagine how the lines are run really hurts guest satisfaction and may be partially to blame for the lower attendance this year so far (In addition to the much discussed weather and lack of big IPs). While last year was amazing, we do need to acknowledge how it must feel for a regular guest without the planning we have to spend that kind of money, show up, and deal with 3 hour waits, insane crowds, far too expensive food/drink, and lack of bathrooms and drinking fountains by lines. Walking into what you think is a 10 minute line and then needing to drink water or use the bathroom at what ends up being minute 40 is a HUGE problem. Especially when its 95 degrees at 10pm!

How the lines are run is noticeable to any guest remotely paying attention and it makes for a bad experience (Low attendance could also be explained by the fact that we're in a major recession that no one is really talking about, but that's a convo for another day).

 

[Spookies n' Stuff]

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.

 

[Wesker69]

My routine the past 4 nights has literally been Monstrous first. Then figure out if I'm going down the hill or down the Starway lol

As far as an exact order, don't really have one, just keep an eye on waittimes & hope for the best

 

[Jerroddragon]

Are these wait times real??????

I did the weekend 3 times, TCM twice and bloodlines and dead exposure by 7:30 pm

Insidious was the only house I waited 20 mins on, then walked on ghost busters three times in a row, not line at all. But that’s not as insane as after those two I walked on the quiet place, twice there was no line at all just a walk on and once they stopped us to let express on then let general go

Finished with Monstrous which was maybe 10 mins.
I could have walked on the terror tram but it normally has no wait so I just skipped it got ghost busters and quiet place

 

[Wesker69]

Something that crossed my mind while I required the need to feed last night... we should've had an IU meet-up. It would've been the best night for it at USH.

At the same time, it was too hot to be social

 

[Jerroddragon]

Something that crossed my mind while I required the need to feed last night... we should've had an IU meet-up. It would've been the best night for it at USH.

At the same time, it was too hot to be social

Could have been fun, we could have taken turns fanning each other

 

[LPCaptainDeath]

Hey y'all Hollywood experts,
I'm gonna be coming over next week, fresh off of doing Orlando HHN this weekend, and i am excited to see what's cookin'(pun intended).

I hopped on the BOGO daytime tickets and have HHN tix for Saturday - but only now realized that daytime entry does NOT include Early Entry access the same way Orlando does.
This is only my third time to Hollywood HHN, so forgive me if this is dumb, but i was just kinda planning to hang out while the park transitions over to save myself the time and steps it would take to leave and re-enter later.
I know that because i don't have EE, i won't be able to get into any HOUSE lines between 5 and 7 - but can i hang out in the lower lot during the transition, get something to eat, go on rides in that two hour timeframe?
I'd hate to just be stuck sitting there for two hours with nothing to eat/do just because i wanted to come in earlier that afternoon to get some more points on my SNW band. lol
Like, can i just hang out in SNW while the park turns over or something? I'm not familiar with how S&S works here or where i'm going to be told to go, so i'm trying to set my plan and expectations accordingly.

Any info/suggestions is highly appreciated!

 

[Jerroddragon]

Hey y'all Hollywood experts,
I'm gonna be coming over next week, fresh off of doing Orlando HHN this weekend, and i am excited to see what's cookin'(pun intended).

I hopped on the BOGO daytime tickets and have HHN tix for Saturday - but only now realized that daytime entry does NOT include Early Entry access the same way Orlando does.
This is only my third time to Hollywood HHN, so forgive me if this is dumb, but i was just kinda planning to hang out while the park transitions over to save myself the time and steps it would take to leave and re-enter later.
I know that because i don't have EE, i won't be able to get into any HOUSE lines between 5 and 7 - but can i hang out in the lower lot during the transition, get something to eat, go on rides in that two hour timeframe?
I'd hate to just be stuck sitting there for two hours with nothing to eat/do just because i wanted to come in earlier that afternoon to get some more points on my SNW band. lol
Like, can i just hang out in SNW while the park turns over or something? I'm not familiar with how S&S works here or where i'm going to be told to go, so i'm trying to set my plan and expectations accordingly.

Any info/suggestions is highly appreciated!

So from what I hear you can stay in the park, though I would not be near the front the closer you are to that the easier it is for someone to try to make you go back out

Rides close at 5:30 PM same with SNW. You can stay in SNW for a little but I'm pretty sure once the ride Q is empty they force everyone out of the land and most likely will star pushing you out before that.

I got food last Sunday at the park at 5 PM and at 5:20 went to get in line for houses. So you can at least get food at the Jurassic Restaurant until 5:30 PM
But mostly from 5:30 PM-7 PM you can't do really anything and every area has TM's asking you for a wristband.

So you will have 1.5 hours of really nothing going on no matter what, unless you get EA, which I've used three times this year and its worth it. So I'd buy the add on, unless you have express

 

[Rideguy70]

We often have the same problem. If you have a wristband, you should be able to go anywhere in the park, aside from Early Entry and closed rides.

Our usual plan for that time is to find a place to eat an early dinner (be mindful of closing times, some places close at 5, or 5:30), hang out for a bit, and then already try to wait in a line. Lots of people line up for mazes 30-60 minutes before they actually even open

 

[LPCaptainDeath]

Thanks, guys. I do have EXPRESS so it wasn't so much about queuing for houses but moreso about trying not to be bored and being able to start IN the lower lot at 7PM and not have to deal with any crowds to get down there. lol

I'm used to Orlando, as i've been there triple the amount of times i've been to Hollywood, and they have food stands open in the S&S locations most of the times so you can hang out and eat while you wait, but they also don't have rides open at that time, so i understand how this is one of those "kinda/sorta/maybe similar" situations. I was just looking to get as much info as i can before i go so i can temper my expectations and plans.
I appreciate the help!

 

[Wesker69]

As of 6pm....
Insidious - 70
Ghostbusters - 20
TCM - 30
Weeknd - 30

Everything else opens in 30-45mins... also Happy Earthquake day!! I'm almost to the park, will do my usual "Monstrous & hope for the best" routine tonight.

 

[DTH]

Almost 8pm and longest line is Weeknd at 50 minutes. It's Thursday, so not saying it doesn't bode well for tomorrow and Saturday but not giving the biggest sign of confidence either.