HHN Tips & Tricks

[Joel]

Okay, feeling a little better now, hahahaha- I'm just so excited to go and was really worried about not being able to make all the houses, I'm actually pretty hyped for the entire lineup this year and would hate to miss the chance to do one of them!



I'm honestly way less concerned about the show (shows?) than I am about the houses. That tip about ST closing early is good to know- I thought the lines for the houses all stayed open till the park closed, but I guess that makes sense. Do you have any idea how early it might close? I was considering leaving one of the big houses for the end of the night since once you're in the queue you're good to go regardless of how late it is, and I thought lines might be shorter than in the middle of the event- but I don't want to leave something big for the end only to find out it's already closed!

To my knowledge, it's the first time that's happened in the history of the event so there's not much precedent to go by. I believe I got there at 1:20 for a 2AM closing and was turned around. You are correct in that all lines are open until closing every night (so 1:59AM & 59 sec. for a 2AM closing), only the Stranger Things house had early line closings last year. If you start seeing the line go higher than 4 hours opening night and not go down, I'd plan on hitting it earlier than expected. I always save the back house circuit for last since its so easy to hit one after another (the exit lines go straight into the starting lines, 3 houses in a row). That's also how I start the night, but that's also doing S&S in Simpsons so we're already back there.

 

[jrn14]

I do wanna clarify - so I don't scare any more readers....

You CAN do 10 houses in one night. Express is the best way, of course. 2nd is S&S and hitting the houses hard. 3rd is half and half - doing S&S and then buying Express at half price later on in the night. My original point was that there is no set route, IMO. Crowds and flow can be different each night, so just try to go with it.

and when you do have one of these insanely rare moments where it all just somehow works, don't ever try to recreate it.

All of it will seem like a dream, but one that you were lucky enough to have.

2019, will be my forth HHN previously attending in 2013, 2015, 2017 & 2018.

We have always just gone for one night and we have never sprung for express. In 2013 we really had no strategy and actually went to City Walk for dinner instead of utilizing Stay and Scream :doh:, we have improved our strategy every visit since and had the most AMAZING experience on a Friday in October of 2017.

We did Simpsons Stay and Scream got dinner, a big pink donut and dufftoberfest we were able to hit up 3 of the back houses by 6:05 and then used the app to navigate the front of the park houses and kind of zig-zagged to where the lines weren't. We explored the scare-zones did all 9 houses, watched the final Bill & Ted, Rode Gringotts (which took about an hour), and took a sizable break at Ben and Jerry's + more. All in one night! It couldn't have gone better.

In 2018 we tried to replicate this and right off the bat our plan was completely shattered as it was Annual Passholder Night and the Duff Gardens stay and scream was for AP only so we had to wait in the massive ST line... We were still able to do 9 out of 10 houses, but it was much much more stressful, we only took one NECESSARY break to get food and a beer/recharge at Fast Food Boulevard. If we hadn't i'm sure we could have squeezed in that 10th house, but no rides, no shows and limited times in the scare zones....

It's hard to predict!

This year will be the first year we will be getting two nights! :rock:

We are going to treat our first night (Wednesday) like it's our only night and try to replicate that dream 2017 run (sorry Mr. Roamer) and do as much as possible then fill in any gaps on night two and hit up our favorites from night one a second time.

 

[Spaulding]

2019, will be my forth HHN previously attending in 2013, 2015, 2017 & 2018.

We have always just gone for one night and we have never sprung for express. In 2013 we really had no strategy and actually went to City Walk for dinner instead of utilizing Stay and Scream :doh:, we have improved our strategy every visit since and had the most AMAZING experience on a Friday in October of 2017.

We did Simpsons Stay and Scream got dinner, a big pink donut and dufftoberfest we were able to hit up 3 of the back houses by 6:05 and then used the app to navigate the front of the park houses and kind of zig-zagged to where the lines weren't. We explored the scare-zones did all 9 houses, watched the final Bill & Ted, Rode Gringotts (which took about an hour), and took a sizable break at Ben and Jerry's + more. All in one night! It couldn't have gone better.

In 2018 we tried to replicate this and right off the bat our plan was completely shattered as it was Annual Passholder Night and the Duff Gardens stay and scream was for AP only so we had to wait in the massive ST line... We were still able to do 9 out of 10 houses, but it was much much more stressful, we only took one NECESSARY break to get food and a beer/recharge at Fast Food Boulevard. If we hadn't i'm sure we could have squeezed in that 10th house, but no rides, no shows and limited times in the scare zones....

It's hard to predict!

This year will be the first year we will be getting two nights! :rock:

We are going to treat our first night (Wednesday) like it's our only night and try to replicate that dream 2017 (sorry Mr. Roamer) run and do as much as possible then fill in any gaps on night two and hit up our favorites from night one a second time.

Do we have an idea of when AP nights are this year? Might help for planning a night more like your first than your second!

 

[jrn14]

From what I've heard here they are usually the 2nd and 3rd weekend and we aren't going this year until October 23rd, so thankfully it shouldn't be an issue!

Last year though it completely caught us off guard! We had no idea such a thing existed and I spent a lot of time on this forum :doh:

 

[Neo]

Most of the general public goes in and does all the houses in order, going clockwise through the park. Going against the flow is often a good way to really small lines in the beginning, and the 4 SS houses at the beginning may have shorter lines by the time you get to them. Those 4 will be busy all night long, but seems like after the first hour or so, the lines go down a bit (though they might show the same wait times, the lines seem to move a lot faster).

Take a look at the map and devise a plan of attack. Keep in mind that not all houses exit in the same part of the park as their entrance. So taking that into consideration can save you some time and walking.

If you are looking for adult beverages during the night, there is a bar back by the old Jaws area where the old Jaws is hanging up for photo opportunities that usually has almost no line. Avoid the pop ups right by MIB and on the corner behind Transformers. They have long lines all night.

Try to do the tent houses while there's an AOV show going on. After that show gets out, everybody walks to the nearest house to get in line so lines swell immediately after the shows get out.

As you can tell by my crappy descriptions, I'm not a local and am not infinitely familiar with the park, but have been going for almost 15 years and have found these to be useful tactics.

EDIT - Oh, if it rains like crazy, take advantage and run right to Stranger Things or Ghostbusters! Locals and people with Multinight Passes will often leave the park when it rains hard enough. It may be miserable for you, but when you get the big storms you can often have the wait times reduced by more than half. Of course, houses can flood and can possibly close. But the ST and GB shouldn't be affected.

 

[SeventyOne]

I only got FFP this year and will be doing Sun, Wed, and Thurs. I have been planning to splurge on an EP for just Sunday, and then just make due on the 2 week days. Is that still a viable plan or should I pay to upgrade my pass and do Wed-Fri?

ETA: I'll be there the first week of Oct. Sept 29 would be my first HHN night.

I think that's the best plan (barring a couple hundred extra for Express each night). See every house Sunday, revisit your favorites Wednesday, shows/zones/slow houses Thursday. By end of September we should have an idea on what's popular, how crowds flow, how S&S empties, etc., so that will help.

Another way to ensure you get to do all houses is the RIP Tour. Expensive, but an option. We considered it this year but went for a second night instead

Never done it, but every person I know who has done it recommends it.

 

[Joel]

EDIT - Oh, if it rains like crazy, take advantage and run right to Stranger Things or Ghostbusters! Locals and people with Multinight Passes will often leave the park when it rains hard enough. It may be miserable for you, but when you get the big storms you can often have the wait times reduced by more than half. Of course, houses can flood and can possibly close. But the ST and GB shouldn't be affected.

Very true, this happened to me a few years ago and BOTH of our umbrellas broke due to how hard it was down pouring. Luckily a big family from who knows where had a bunch of golf umbrellas and let us borrow one!

 

[Wigglepebbles]

Don't always trust the wait times.
Last year Poltergeist has a supposed 120 minute wait time but was more of a 30 min line.

 

[HHN Yeti Lover]

I know it’s too early to decide, but does anybody have a plan of action on which order to do the houses in?

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I know it’s too early to decide, but does anybody have a plan of action on which order to do the houses in?

You doing stay and scream or not?

 

[HHN Yeti Lover]

You doing stay and scream or not?

I’m going the week of October 29th - November 3rd, so I’m trying to go every night for those 5 days and was thinking about doing express on Halloween and Stay and Scream on Friday.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I’m going the week of October 29th - November 3rd, so I’m trying to go every night for those 5 days and was thinking about doing express on Halloween and Stay and Scream on Friday.

I'd say ask again in mid October as we'll know the guest pattern by then. In general I always recommend doing one of the big IP houses up front first before heading to the back.

 

[Tobias]

I know it’s too early to decide, but does anybody have a plan of action on which order to do the houses in?

I'd say ask again in mid October as we'll know the guest pattern by then. In general I always recommend doing one of the big IP houses up front first before heading to the back.

Pretty much what Joe said, and I'll add that not all the houses are open right away during S&S. Going off last year at the Finn's location, both Stranger Things and Poltergeist were open once the pen was let in. (The two separate main soundstage houses, SS 22 and 25.) As for Scary Tales and Carnival Graveyard (Both sharing SS 24), they did a staggered opening. Scary Tales opened at 6pm, and Carnival Graveyard opened at 6:30pm.

If I recall hearing correctly, SS 24 always has to open a lil later due to getting both house casts in. So it's safe to assume that for this year, it'll be the same kind of opening. So Ghostbusters and Stranger Things will be open at the start of S&S, while Us and Yeti will be a staggered open shortly afterwards. As for which of the two that'll open first, we have to wait for that info.

 

[corey]

What's the best order to hit the tent houses in the back? I know they exit in different places so to avoid more walking should we start with the ones at MIB and then go to the Kidzone ones or the other way round?

 

[UniversalRBLX]

What's the best order to hit the tent houses in the back? I know they exit in different places so to avoid more walking should we start with the ones at MIB and then go to the Kidzone ones or the other way round?

Probably start off with Monsters since it'll be the most popular of all the tents, then go on to graveyard and then hit depths and nightingales.

 

[londonwerecat]

I think that they should totally put more S&S areas. The two big ones are way too busy to be worth using. Maybe one over in the Men in Black store

 

[londonwerecat]

I do wanna clarify - so I don't scare any more readers....

You CAN do 10 houses in one night. Express is the best way, of course. 2nd is S&S and hitting the houses hard. 3rd is half and half - doing S&S and then buying Express at half price later on in the night. My original point was that there is no set route, IMO. Crowds and flow can be different each night, so just try to go with it.

Last year I managed to do all 10 in one night by starting from the Shrek theatare house and then after that going back to the house to the right of mib and going through the park in a circle.

 

[Maria Jose]

Here's another question- for those of you with past experience, when is the best time/place to grab a bite to eat? Since we don't have early admission, we plan on getting to the turnstiles and waiting in line as early as possible (is 4:30pm too early? Probably sometime between then and 5:00pm), and then staying until close. I know myself, and even I have a very large meal right beforehand, I will definitely be hungry again before we leave. I would like to avoid the crowds of diners as much as possible (the three of us really want to hit all 10 houses, and I'd hate to miss a house or two because we got stuck getting food), and don't need a fancy sit down meal- just something so I don't pass out! I'm also fine with eating fairly late in the night if necessary. Thoughts?

 

[SeventyOne]

Here's another question- for those of you with past experience, when is the best time/place to grab a bite to eat? Since we don't have early admission, we plan on getting to the turnstiles and waiting in line as early as possible (is 4:30pm too early? Probably sometime between then and 5:00pm), and then staying until close. I know myself, and even I have a very large meal right beforehand, I will definitely be hungry again before we leave. I would like to avoid the crowds of diners as much as possible (the three of us really want to hit all 10 houses, and I'd hate to miss a house or two because we got stuck getting food), and don't need a fancy sit down meal- just something so I don't pass out! I'm also fine with eating fairly late in the night if necessary. Thoughts?

8:45 - 9:00ish. Second wave will have just swarmed park, filling queues, but hopefully they won't be lined up for food. Meanwhile the drinking crowd doesn't feel the need for food yet.

 

[jrn14]

I would try to schedule a food break at some point when the house lines are the absolute busiest so maybe like 10 or 10:30