Inside Universal Forums

Welcome to the Inside Universal Forums! Register a free account today to become a member. Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members and unlock our forums features!

  • Signing up for a Premium Membership is a donation to help Inside Universal maintain costs and offers an ad-free experience on the forum. Learn more about it here.

HHN 28: Tips

I am thinking about going, but I get scared very easily! Do you know what OTHER (non Disney) events are good start to get ready for going to HHN?
 
I am thinking about going, but I get scared very easily! Do you know what OTHER (non Disney) events are good start to get ready for going to HHN?
Definitely not Busch Gardens's Howl-O-Scream. You'd think it'd be less intense due to it being lower budget, but they instead get away with things UOR's legal team would have a heart attack over. (bungees in trees flinging at walkways, roller-skating flint-weilding spark-throwing SAs in Zones, etc.)
 
Definitely not Busch Gardens's Howl-O-Scream. You'd think it'd be less intense due to it being lower budget, but they instead get away with things UOR's legal team would have a heart attack over. (bungees in trees flinging at walkways, roller-skating flint-weilding spark-throwing SAs in Zones, etc.)
I know not HOS

Maybe a local event?
 
I know not HOS

Maybe a local event?
Pretty sure it's an event that takes place at all Busch parks.

Bottom line: if HHN is too much for you, don't assume HoS's lesser budget means a lesser scare factor. Speaking from experience, it doesn't.


Locals might be able to suggest some tamer Floridian haunts.
 
Locals might be able to suggest some tamer Floridian haunts.

Honestly, most local Florida haunts make their bones by being more intense than HHN. And are usually quite vocal about that. I love HHN, been a fanboi since 2001, but there's no question it sells level of detail and number of houses more than sheer terror. It's far too corporate to be that intense of a Halloween event.
 
In Louisiana they have many lower budget and far less intense haunts, but they don't have much to compete with intensity-wise.

There's a company putting on a "ScreamPark" about a mile away from my place with three houses and three zones. Last year, this company's haunt was really tame compared to HHN, but I'll report on this year's new additions.
 
I am thinking about going, but I get scared very easily! Do you know what OTHER (non Disney) events are good start to get ready for going to HHN?

There’s one in Old Town in Kissimmee that’s open year round but I’ve never been in it so I can’t speak to what it’s like.
 
There’s one in Old Town in Kissimmee that’s open year round but I’ve never been in it so I can’t speak to what it’s like.

I went under the old ownership--at that time it was very good, easily as intense as anything at HHN, arguably more so in the upstairs. I'm not sure how many changes the new ownership made. Planning on hitting it in October.
 
Honestly, most local Florida haunts make their bones by being more intense than HHN. And are usually quite vocal about that. I love HHN, been a fanboi since 2001, but there's no question it sells level of detail and number of houses more than sheer terror. It's far too corporate to be that intense of a Halloween event.

The conga lines likely have something to do with it, I’m sure. Hoping we get at least a couple of very intense houses this year.
 
Anyone think they’ll be able to keep track of when houses open during the first weekend? Since I’m going Sept. 20-22 without express using Stay and Scream, it would be tremendously helpful to see when the houses open - especially on UOAP nights.

I noticed last year the houses at the back of the park - Scarecrow, Hive, & Blumhouse - had little to no wait during the last 45 minutes of the night. I’m hoping to sandwhich my route - hit the SS houses, Halloween, and TrT early, then take on scarezones/rides/Bill and T...err I mean AoV, followed by tent houses towards the end of the evening.
 
Anyone think they’ll be able to keep track of when houses open during the first weekend? Since I’m going Sept. 20-22 without express using Stay and Scream, it would be tremendously helpful to see when the houses open - especially on UOAP nights.

Anything opening weekend is always subject to change, but I imagine now that we have four (!) nights before that first Thursday, you should be able to go into Stay & Scream knowing which houses will open when, as well as which are building up the longest lines. We'll have a ton of info by then.
 
I don't really know of many other local haunts besides The Shallow Grave, and that would be WAY too intense :(
A Petrified Forest is a good time. Fear-wise, I think it's a decent approximation to HHN. Generally suspenseful with sporadic hard hits. Old Town, I've heard, isn't bad. I'm not sure there are too many hayrides anymore, but those tend to be fairly low-key.
 
You could look into Scream-a-Geddon in dade city. It's pretty close to where I live so i hit it up every year. I think they have like four houses and a hayride. It's a fun time and definitely less intense than HHN. They do this thing in two of their houses where you can wear a glowstick around your neck and if you do the actors are allowed to touch you, grab you, and push you around a bit. I would not suggest doing that if you want something less intense. It is not mandatory. I always have a fun time there with some friends.
 
Hi, second year going back to HHN since my 8-year hiatus. Got a few questions:
1. Probably a bit difficult to pinpoint at the moment, but which of the following would likely be the least crowded: September 14, September 22 or September 28?
2. Last year we went on one of the last nights and copped half-off Express Passes halfway through the night. But, I just read on some nights the Express Passes sell out? Is this true? We hoped to take advantage of the half-off promotion when going on one of the dates listed in my previous question.

Thank you, excited to return this year :)
 
Hi, second year going back to HHN since my 8-year hiatus. Got a few questions:
1. Probably a bit difficult to pinpoint at the moment, but which of the following would likely be the least crowded: September 14, September 22 or September 28?
2. Last year we went on one of the last nights and copped half-off Express Passes halfway through the night. But, I just read on some nights the Express Passes sell out? Is this true? We hoped to take advantage of the half-off promotion when going on one of the dates listed in my previous question.

Thank you, excited to return this year :)


1) Not 9/14. Every super fan, blogger and a ton of corporate guests will all be there for opening night. Higher percentage than usual of them will have RIP, also extending lines.

For the other two, generally I recommend Friday over Saturday, especially if you can Stay & Scream. But anecdotally it seems a ton of out-of-town friends independently picked that 9/28 weekend for Orlando trips, so might be a toss-up. Still I lean toward Friday.

2) Express does sell out, but unlikely to on either of your latter dates. The half-price promotion I've seen is the after 10 pm Express (an excellent deal, IMO), tho there could be other promotions I'm unaware of.
 
1) Not 9/14. Every super fan, blogger and a ton of corporate guests will all be there for opening night. Higher percentage than usual of them will have RIP, also extending lines.

For the other two, generally I recommend Friday over Saturday, especially if you can Stay & Scream. But anecdotally it seems a ton of out-of-town friends independently picked that 9/28 weekend for Orlando trips, so might be a toss-up. Still I lean toward Friday.

2) Express does sell out, but unlikely to on either of your latter dates. The half-price promotion I've seen is the after 10 pm Express (an excellent deal, IMO), tho there could be other promotions I'm unaware of.


Can you get the "after 10pm" express pass when the event just starts?
And can you get them at any random food or store? Or are their specified spots to obtain them?
 
1) Not 9/14. Every super fan, blogger and a ton of corporate guests will all be there for opening night. Higher percentage than usual of them will have RIP, also extending lines.

For the other two, generally I recommend Friday over Saturday, especially if you can Stay & Scream. But anecdotally it seems a ton of out-of-town friends independently picked that 9/28 weekend for Orlando trips, so might be a toss-up. Still I lean toward Friday.

2) Express does sell out, but unlikely to on either of your latter dates. The half-price promotion I've seen is the after 10 pm Express (an excellent deal, IMO), tho there could be other promotions I'm unaware of.
1) Not 9/14. Every super fan, blogger and a ton of corporate guests will all be there for opening night. Higher percentage than usual of them will have RIP, also extending lines.

For the other two, generally I recommend Friday over Saturday, especially if you can Stay & Scream. But anecdotally it seems a ton of out-of-town friends independently picked that 9/28 weekend for Orlando trips, so might be a toss-up. Still I lean toward Friday.

2) Express does sell out, but unlikely to on either of your latter dates. The half-price promotion I've seen is the after 10 pm Express (an excellent deal, IMO), tho there could be other promotions I'm unaware of.
Thank you for the tips! I vaguely remember going opening weekend years ago and being able to do almost everything without express pass, but this event has grown so much the last decade.

I've always gone Friday, kinda nervous to try Saturday given the trend of those days pulling heavier crowds. Appreciate the tips as always :)
 
Top