Let's talk Halloween Horror Nights - my favorite time of year to visit Universal Studios. For the first time ever, Halloween Horror Nights is introducing a "Deathly Afraid Necklace"; this will let scare actors know not to scare you in passing.
Note: this only applies to open areas like scare zones, not the haunted houses! You have been warned....
If I've enticed you enough....let's talk about the game plan to making your time at HHN a success!
Prioritize your houses!
Last year, I knew that I needed to see Insidious over The Quiet Place, however, I ended up seeing both because I planned ahead.
Most people start at the front of the park - I always head to the back. By using this strategy, I made it to Insidious and only waited in line for 8 minutes.
Visit August/September
Consider getting the "Rush of Fear Pass". This is a great offering from Universal as it allows you to visit HHN as many times as you'd like early on in the season. I was able to go three nights in a row for a discounted cost!
The Rush of Fear pass historically has been available for use on the first 18 days of HHN, so plan accordingly!
Stay at a Universal Hotel
Not only will you have access to the shuttles that run extremely late, but you will gain access to a dedicated entrance to enter the park quicker before the general public line starts moving in.
For my hotel recommendation, click here
Some hotels offer exclusive events and specialized drinks at the bars!
Sometimes the wait times aren't accurate!
I have never purchased VIP or an express pass for HHN and to be honest, I never will. I truly believe that as long as you plan well you can do it all!
The first time I went to HHN, The Black Phone/Freaky were listed as 40 minutes toward the end of the night - I kid you not, it was a walk on AND our last houses of the night! If the park is still open and you have houses on your list, try and hop into line to secure your spot - you'd be surprised if there is ACTUALLY a wait at all.
Use the app!
I love the Universal app because you can track house wait times, view the map, and find out food menus. This saves me so much time, especially when traveling with a large group and I'm the leader.
Download the app and favorite every haunted house and scare zone; this will allow you to filter to ONLY your favorites while you are navigating the park. After you finish a house/scare zone, remove it from your favorites view. This is a huge piece of advice I can give you to organize in such a fast paced environment.
PYRO!
If you are planning to see Nightmare Fuel (they are the usual performers for HHN), get there early! These performers are well-loved in the HHN community.
If you are planning to visit HHN multiple nights (using the Rush of Fear pass), you will have multiple opportunities to see the performance. Typically the performance is held 4 times each night.
I recommend getting in line 30-45 minutes ahead of showtime to secure a great spot.