I said I would never go! I don’t like horror movies or scary shows, so why go? I went to Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) to experience it with my husband, two sons, nephew, and a friend, who were all excited to walk through the houses based on some of their favorite shows. I was also curious to see what it was all about at least once. If you are like me and on the fence about going or can’t wait to go, here are some tips based on my recent mistakes and successes to make your night go smoother.
Arrive Early for Stay and Scream
We couldn’t afford HHN Express Passes, so our strategy was to use Stay & Scream to get into the event early and get in as many houses as possible before the crowds arrived. Guests with HHN tickets and Stay & Scream or a valid regular day ticket can stay in these areas between the 5:00 regular park closing and the beginning of HHN, which is advertised as 6:30 pm.
It sounded like a good plan. We ate an early dinner and entered Universal Studios with our annual passes at about 4:30 pm. My oldest son wanted to start with the Stranger Things 4 House, as he thought it would be one of the most popular houses. The Stay & Scream areas are divided into lines for the houses within each area. We found the back of the Stranger Things 4 line and discovered that we were already way back in line. At about 5:15, the line started moving, but we waited more than an hour for the house, even with the Stay & Scream area after the line started moving.
My advice is to arrive earlier at the Stay & Scream areas. Then, you can take turns getting something to eat or drink and going to the bathroom, and you will not have to wait as long when the houses actually open.
We had also planned to dash over to the Dueling Dragons House after the Stranger Things 4 House, which is in the same area. All of those ahead of us had the same idea, however. So, when we go out of Stranger Things 4 House, the Dueling Dragons House was also very long. If we would have arrived earlier at Stay & Scream, then our plan might have worked. So, my advice is to arrive early at Stay & Scream.
Prepare Mentally
On this strategy, I think we succeeded! We looked at the Halloween Horror Night’s map before arriving and decided on which houses we wanted to do in which order. We also prioritized the houses based on our group’s preferences. This is important to do so you will not waste your time trying to find where the houses are or trying to decide what to do first.
I also prepared myself mentally to endure the houses. As I said earlier, I do not like horror movies or shows. Ideas of death and murder bother me. If I watch something scary, I can’t sleep at night. So, before we went, I read about the various houses and decided which ones I could and could not handle. There was no way you were getting me in the Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count and The Exorcist: Believer Houses!
The two houses my sons wanted to do the most were Stranger Things 4 and The Last of Us, both based on TV shows and video games they enjoy. I know little about either, but I went into both houses mentally prepared to enter fictional television show sets. That helped my perspective and kept me from getting scared. As an English major who has read The Hunchback of Notre Dame and a musical theater fan who loves The Phantom of the Opera, I wanted to experience the Universal Monsters: Unmasked House. This house surprisingly scared me more than the other two. Mr. Hyde successfully frightened me!
Save Your Feet
This one we majorly failed on. For logistical and weather reasons, we decided to arrive at the parks for Early Park Admission at 7:30 am. We walked the parks all day and then went to HHN. Not a good idea! We knew it would be tough but underestimated just how tough it would be. We even tried to rest our feet some throughout our day in both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. After three long lines for haunted houses, our feet couldn’t take any more!
Try to plan your HHN day with little or no regular park time beforehand. Maybe do a resort day and hang out at the pool or go to Volcano Bay and float in the TeAwa The Fearless River before the party. Your feet will thank you, and you will be able to enjoy the night more.
Enjoy More than the Houses
For this one, I will give our group half credit. We did have some other things in mind that we wanted to do going into the night. I wanted to watch the show, Nightmare Fuel Revenge Dream, and we all wanted to find the Death Eaters in Diagon Alley. My husband and I did enjoy the show. The dancing, acrobatics, and pyro tricks were entertaining. I am sad to say that I didn’t see the Death Eaters, however, when we went to Diagon Alley after the show. The boys didn’t want to go to the show, so they went to Diagon Alley first without us and did see them. Maybe they were on break by the time I made it there. We also rode a few rides with very short lines, which was nice.
The area we failed in was the food. Only my son’s friend tried any of the HHN specialty items. The rest of us filled up on an early dinner, so we didn’t have to stop going through the houses to eat. This was a mistake. Many of the food and drink items looked delicious, and when our feet were so tired, we wished would have waited to eat to enjoy the offerings and sit down for a bit. So, plan to enjoy all parts of the HHN experience – the houses, live entertainment, rides, and food!
Don’t Forget Your Raincoat
While this was my first time at Halloween Horror Nights, my husband and older son have been before, and every time they have gone, it has rained. This year, the rain was not as heavy as it has been in the past, but it lasted a good while.
Raincoats are always a good idea at Florida theme parks, but they are needed even more for HHN. The majority of the lines are outdoors and unless you want to lose your place in line, you cannot find shelter from the rain. So, don’t forget the raincoat! We didn’t, and I was very thankful for my mine.
I hope my rookie mistakes and successes make your night at Halloween Horror Nights go smoother. If I do go again, I will take my own advice!
Laci Post is a travel agent for Dreams Unlimited Travel and would be happy to help you with your next Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Universal, or Disney Cruise Line adventure.
