Official 2023 Halloween Horror Nights 32 (Orlando)

[coldneverbotheredmee]

Oh and the Potter area is the most vacant when the HHN starts. Takes people some time to get back there, and most that stay in holding areas want to get a jump on a house or two or three.

Thank you this is great intel, do you know if most of the Potter stores, restaurants, etc stay open for a while?

 

[Lynne G]

Thank you this is great intel, do you know if most of the Potter stores, restaurants, etc stay open for a while?

Yes they do.

 

[glamdring269]

I might actually go in early this year ahead of my RIP tour instead of sticking around until close like I did last time. With that in mind, would you do a Stay and Scream holding area or the hotel guest line? For the record, I might actually opt to go to the off-brand houses (I really enjoyed these last trip!) so not sure if the lines are quite as bad in that case vs. ST/LOU/Chucky or not.

 

[keishashadow]

Ugh...I'm wondering if this will delay UO putting up Christmas decorations - we're booked 11/12-17/23 & I thought I'd allowed plenty of time for the HHN stuff to be done & gone & the Christmas goodies to be up...I sure hope not...I don't really want to move all the way out to December

Hate to compare the two parks, one instance where I do give it to WDW…overnight & it’s xmas lol

Another possibility, however, is that Universal limits the number of new passes that can become "active" through first-use on any given night.

agree

I can't believe how cheap the multi night tickets still are.

i haven’t given it a long look, next on the agenda. However, seem to recall that the one I did price was $50 more. That’s a big jump in price in my book. Still, the value is absolutely still there for many

if I get the frequent fear pass, can I add just one night of express?

Yes, do it separate. Prices do & will rise as the season gets closer

Will we be able to get everything done with EP but no early entry?

First night, depends how many instagram peeps etc. will swarmed with wanna-be influencers & locals with FOMO . Not judging, That would be me if a local. Our earliest visit not much later, on the 6th woot.

Yes, the hotel guest entrance was awesome! We walked straight into Hellblock Horror last year and then jumped in Coven with a 10 minute wait. Unfortunately, we are not onsite guests this year.

I wasn’t thrilled to be funneled into it last year one night. Had already done those two houses a few times, wasn’t on our to-do list that night. A good way to manage the crowds away from the big draws

Is it just me or are the houses near Kids Zone always the longest wait with express, followed by the houses near Jimmy Fallon, and the rest are pretty quick with express?

IMO no. It does get an early bump from those who would wait in that holding zone. think it all depends on how popular a house is/crowd that night.

What is it like in the holding zones? is it basically just standing around for an hour to an hour and a half, like another line?

most do line up for a house.

The second night we lined up in the Central Park area. It was split into 2 distinct lines when they opened it. The employees were holding signs designating which line was for which house. We just waited in line.

Our first night in that holding pen (3rd week in September last year), the TMs didn’t “hold the line” and guests not in the official line surged & made a mad rush for it. Sigh

next night thru, they had up wooden horses & obviously more experienced staff who kept order.

not sure if they ever do limit the number of guests in the pens.

 

[keishashadow]

Once you leave the reception you walk up to horror make up and they put you with the next tour guide about to go. Once they get 6 they head out. They do this till 9. So you can hang out till like 850 at the reception. Earlier time means more time to eat the food you are paying for.

It’s my understanding this year…

they are putting 12 people in the public tours

Individuals can book their group together (up to 6 people) this year. Otherwise, you must book a private tour to be together.

 

[namelessoracle]

Supposedly there might be death eaters in Diagon Alley this year. Normally it’s pretty quiet with not a lot of people. Nice to go get a drink at the bar. Gringotts will be running for some of HHN.

I mean they have had Death Eaters in Islands while the event is running traditionally. Adding them to Diagon Alley too wouldnt be too hard.

It’s my understanding this year…

they are putting 12 people in the public tours

Individuals can book their group together (up to 6 people) this year. Otherwise, you must book a private tour to be together.

When I booked and asked, the person on the phone said as long as there was less than 5 of you, you could do a public RIP tour and would still all be in the same group together?

The way it was described to me was that tour guides would be "waiting" at the Horror Makeup Show, and once they got their full "group" they would go out. Last call / The last guide would leave at 8:55. If your group of 5 wanted to wait till the next guide went out they would work with that assuming it wasn't in the last 30 minutes of dispatching groups. But if you had a group of 6 and the guide already had 7, 5 of you need to go with that guide. Alternatively if the guide had nobody lined up yet and your group of 6 came up it wouldn't really be an issue.

 

[keishashadow]

The last guide would leave at 8:55. If your group of 5 wanted to wait till the next guide went out they would work with that assuming it wasn't in the last 30 minutes of dispatching groups. But if you had a group of 6 and the guide already had 7, 5 of you need to go with that guide. Alternatively if the guide had nobody lined up yet and your group of 6 came up it wouldn't really be an issue.

sounds about right.

Would think if one was a group of 6, it’s up to them to get themselves there earlier enough to be accommodated to all be able to tour together.

 

[mamapenguin]

Is there any information where that ST house is going? I’m here now at Louie’s having dinner and I’m about to go walk around. Someone on twitter said that there’s stuff going up in NY, but I must not have noticed. I’m going to pay attention now…LOL. It’s hot, I lose my focus. Edit to add: I see the scaffolding near the mummy, both sides of the street.

 

[Skippyboo]

Is there any information where that ST house is going? I’m here now at Louie’s having dinner and I’m about to go walk around. Someone on twitter said that there’s stuff going up in NY, but I must not have noticed. I’m going to pay attention now…LOL. It’s hot, I lose my focus. Edit to add: I see the scaffolding near the mummy, both sides of the street.

spec maps have stranger things going into one of the sound stage houses in NY area.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Anyone know why they don't have Chucky listed as a house on the main HHN page? It's like they forgot all about it since it was announced last year.

 

[mamapenguin]

Anyone know why they don't have Chucky listed as a house on the main HHN page? It's like they forgot all about it since it was announced last year.

I don’t know the answer to your question, but his merch is in the 5 and dime.

 

[mamapenguin]

spec maps have stranger things going into one of the sound stage houses in NY area.

So Finnegan’s could be the holding area?

 

[djmeredith]

would it make sense to do this all nights & no holding zones, or is the location if the entrance too far from some houses to be beneficial? The loading zones sound like a line to avoid a line, LOL.

I am definitely not an expert because last year was our first time. Based on that very limited experience, if I were you with 3 nights I would probably do the hotel entrance instead of waiting in line the first night. Waiting in line was hot and not fun. Then maybe do the holding area the next night if that first night didn't work out as good as you hoped.

 

[wdwrule]

I mean they have had Death Eaters in Islands while the event is running traditionally. Adding them to Diagon Alley too wouldnt be too hard.

I just saw this on Twitter and it appears if this truly happens, the Death Eaters will be just outside of Diagon Alley and also inside the area. It does look like the set up for Death Eaters as I remember seeing similar props for them when they were in IoA.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1681784605626576897

This site also just posted a video showing the areas where they’ll be set up and there’ll be quite a few areas in Diagon Alley (they also show general construction updates to HHN).

 

[Skippyboo]

So Finnegan’s could be the holding area?

They blocked off most of NY as the holding area . Finnegan’s is inside the stay and scream area.

 

[mamapenguin]

They blocked off most of NY as the holding area . Finnegan’s is inside the stay and scream area.

I know, I usually have a reservation there. I liked it because they would scan your ticket and put a bracelet on you during your meal. This year I wasn’t as proactive about the reservation and now the latest I’ve seen is 2:45. The last two years I had 3:30pm…

 

[shh]

I know, I usually have a reservation there. I liked it because they would scan your ticket and put a bracelet on you during your meal. This year I wasn’t as proactive about the reservation and now the latest I’ve seen is 2:45. The last two years I had 3:30pm…

I think 2:45 is the latest default time now on every HHN day - they no longer allow later reservations unfortunately. We used to do this too - it was great to have a 3:/4pm reservation and just enjoy a meal while waiting.

 

[snoopboop]

I think 2:45 is the latest default time now on every HHN day - they no longer allow later reservations unfortunately. We used to do this too - it was great to have a 3:/4pm reservation and just enjoy a meal while waiting.

Are we anticipating that people in that 2:45 time slot will be able to stay at their tables throughout the Stay & Scream waiting time??

 

[shh]

Are we anticipating that people in that 2:45 time slot will be able to stay at their tables throughout the Stay & Scream waiting time??

I can't see taking up a table for close to 3 hours, but some will probably try. I wouldn't feel right about it. When they let us book as late as a 3:30/4 slot, we did stay till about 5:30, but also ordered several rounds of drinks plus full dinners and tipped extra generously.

 

[Bird003]

We are thinking of adding Saturday September 2 to just walk around and enjoy scaremzones and food. We are doing rip tour on the third. Just not a lot of time to do much since we go from house to house on the tour , not complaining that’s why we love the rip tour!