HHN 2019, VIP, EXPRESS OR NOTHING

redmonster

Mouseketeer
Joined
Oct 6, 2002
Good evening everyone,
We haven't been to this event in many years... and will be going 9/22-9/29 in the Orlando area. We purchased the bogo offer and plan on going Sun/Wed, or Wed, Thurs. We are going with another family and wanted to inquire on how important is VIP or express. Figuring on making our purchase for the Wednesday night as that seems the least expensive. Wondering if we will really need one or the other or if it is worth the money. Thoughts on how busy it may be on this night? Your help is appreciated.
 
Wednesday has the lowest crowds of the season.
You should be fine

I always look and compare the public and private tour pricing to get an idea of how crowded the parks will be for nights I plan to attend.

The nights that have the higher costs makes me feel they will have crowds.
The lower cost nights steer me to lower crowds

Over the years doing hhn, I find hhn ticket prices are higher some dates as UO knows peeps will pay it.

I would go with Wednesday for sure as it is predicted to have a lower crowd that night.
I would have to recheck my notes but think Thursday Sept 26 would be better than Sunday the 29th.

I say that as I booked into a public rip hhn tour for the 29th as it looks to be on the busy side.
I will be going solo that night and since it is my first night this season for hhn, planned to see all the houses and zones and leave the parks by 11:00

Do have to point out that crowd levels won't really be known until closer to when hhn begins.

You can decide much later as you bought the bogo tickets and can use them any of the dates you listed above.
 
A few considerations that might make you decision easier. Just want you to make the right decision for you and your group.

Is your group patient enough to wait in the long lines? Probably between 30 min - 2 hours per house without express or RIP.

Will you be in the park before closing for HHN and can utilize Stay and Scream? If so, that will make no express easier, and with express you would be virtually guaranteed to go through each house once and the show(s).

Do you want to visit all houses each night (express each night?)? Or go to half one night and the other half the next night (no express or RIP)? Everything the first night and revisit favorites the second night (RIP first night maybe?)? We don't have confirmation of the show(s), so you might want to make time for that too (RIP should include the show).

Your input on those should help us advise you on what should help you decide what would be the best use of your time and money.

Finally, if you might want to go all three nights, then you should consider upgrading to the Rush of Fear pass (I think it covers all of your possible nights, but double check if you're interested). And if you would want to visit each house all three nights, then consider upgrading to the Rush of Fear + Express Pass. That's personally what I would do, but that might not be what you and your group is interested in (plus it would be an increase in expense). All this is also assuming you can call customer service and upgrade the BOGO tickets (I think I've read someone was able to do so).

Since you haven't been in many years, you might be surprised at how much more there is with 10 houses now. A lot more to see, as well as a lot more walking and standing. Like I said, if it was me, I would opt for the RoF+EP, because this is our favorite event of the year, but I don't want to project my family's situation and influence you to spend more time and/or money that you would want to.
 
I don't have advice - but more of a question. Like the OP, I will be going that same week....what exactly is the Stay and Scream? How does it that work? Thanks!
 


Stay and Scream is a holding area people will go to and wait there for the opening of hhn houses.

At 5:00, the park closes to all day guests and everyone has to exit out.
For those that have the HHN tickets, they can stay in the parks but must stay in the holding areas.

It can take an hour to clear the parks of the guests.
Some sections are cleared earlier if ride lines stop allowing guests to enter it
I have been to one ride where entrance to it , was shut down at 4:45
People in that line already were allowed to stay and do the ride.

If a people get on a ride at 4:50, they are not going to be off it quickly.
Some sections in the park are cleared as empty when all rides have been closed down

Stay and Scream basically means stay in the park until release to do the houses

I do the stay and scream when at HHN.

I find it a lot easier to be inside the park and wait the time out there instead of being in a long congested line outside the park waiting for entrance at 6 ish.....

Some dates I have seen people camp out on the payment at 4:30 outside the park gates.
They don't have the day park ticket but only the hhn ticket.
So, they go early to stake out their place in line to enter when the park reopens
 
We did a Wednesday 10/10 last year. It was busy. We bought Express and it was great. We did Stay and Scream, we were towards the back but Express started right away so we got in that line and had a very short wait into Stranger Things. I will do Express next time too.
 
How much time does express cut off your wait? Say if the line was 2 hr. - approximately how long would the wait be with express?
 


If you purchase the express pass for the daytime use, does it stay in effect for the evening HHN or are they separate Express Pass purchases?

We are coming 10/10-12 with 2 nights of HHN
 
No, day ep is valid until the parks close at 5 on hhn nights

You can purchase the hhn express pass but it is valid for one time usage for the houses and the 6 rides that are operating
 
Stay and Scream is a holding area people will go to and wait there for the opening of hhn houses.

At 5:00, the park closes to all day guests and everyone has to exit out.
For those that have the HHN tickets, they can stay in the parks but must stay in the holding areas.

It can take an hour to clear the parks of the guests.
Some sections are cleared earlier if ride lines stop allowing guests to enter it
I have been to one ride where entrance to it , was shut down at 4:45
People in that line already were allowed to stay and do the ride.

If a people get on a ride at 4:50, they are not going to be off it quickly.
Some sections in the park are cleared as empty when all rides have been closed down

Stay and Scream basically means stay in the park until release to do the houses

I do the stay and scream when at HHN.

I find it a lot easier to be inside the park and wait the time out there instead of being in a long congested line outside the park waiting for entrance at 6 ish.....

Some dates I have seen people camp out on the payment at 4:30 outside the park gates.
They don't have the day park ticket but only the hhn ticket.
So, they go early to stake out their place in line to enter when the park reopens

When do they allow you to enter the park for HHN after they clear the park at 5:00 even if you have a day park ticket? I am asking this because we are flying in on Sunday and may not get to the hard rock till 4:00. My day tickets are good all week. thanks for the info.
 
If you have a park day ticket, you can enter up to 5:00

To stay in the park once it is 5, you need to have the hhn ticket

I enter the park many times in past years at 4:30
(I have the ap so not dealing with park tickets)

You can use the guest onsite hotel entrance from 6-8 to enter the park that Sunday

Just show your hotel card and hhn ticket
 
When do they allow you to enter the park for HHN after they clear the park at 5:00 even if you have a day park ticket? I am asking this because we are flying in on Sunday and may not get to the hard rock till 4:00. My day tickets are good all week. thanks for the info.
You can use the entrance which is to the right of the standard way into the park.
You will see signage that allows onsite hotel guests to enter the park for the hours of 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Show your hotel room key card and your hhn ticket will be scanned.

You will be sent to one of the holding areas, probably the closest one from this entrance.
If the park opens at 6:20-6:30, you will be allowed to go anywhere you wish in the park.

If you check in to HR at 4:00 and leave the hotel for the Studios, just use your day ticket to get into the park

I think it would be a waste of using a ticket just for one hour before closing, but if you have the ap, take advantage of it.

If you check in at 4 to the hotel, go to your room and get things in order (luggage, change of clothes, etc), you might be leaving the hotel at 4:30.
Go through the hotel parking lot to get to the studios, it would only take you 5 minutes to empty out to the main walkway to the park.
Add another minute on to that and you would be at the park.

If you take the regular walking route from the back of the hotel to the park, it could be a few minutes more before you are at the entrance to the Studios.
 

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