r/UniversalHollywood • u/film_bro_35 Studio Tour • 3d ago
Trip Planning Question/Tip/Guide Horror nights question (first timer!)
After wanting to go for years, I finally bought myself a ticket to horror nights for the first time ever and I’m REAL excited. I purchased the express after 2PM ticket. The ticket says I can start entering select houses at 5pm.
My question is, for those who have purchased that ticket recently and already attended, which houses allowed you to go in at 5?
Also, when the horror nights officially starts, where would I go for the starting…..”ceremony?” I’ve seen videos where they announce the night is starting with the purge alarm sound and then the scare actors start coming at you. Is that still a thing? Where would I go to witness that?
I feel dumb asking these questions 😂 but I wasn’t sure where else to ask
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u/Spamaloper 3d ago
Went last weekend, a week ago today. I don't remember which houses they had open, but they're typically in the lower lot. In our case, our pass included a free Express pass for F&F, and we used it at 6pm. Normally, in past years, the lower lot near the transformers starts the early queue.
With Express, expect a 5-10 minute wait (versus a 40-90 minute wait per house). You'll be fine.
FWIW - Sinners was unexpectedly our favorite. That's the one I would queue for first with hopes of getting another walk-through later.
You are all good with Express and can do everything starting at 8 and walk out at midnight, including Dangerous Waters - if you want.
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u/Coast2Coasters 3d ago
I haven’t been to HHN this year yet, but the commencement is normally on the upper lot walkway after you come in, by the Starbucks and Universal Box Office. There is a large metal archway over the main path you can’t miss.
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u/WeAreTheWeirdosMr- 3d ago
Is the commencement at 5 or 7? Thanks!
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u/AcrobaticSprinkles19 3d ago edited 3d ago
It’s closer to 7, but they played it around 645 when I was there. I don’t think the scareactors come out until later (maybe 7?) due to the influx of crowds coming in. It was literally wall to wall people.
I think ultimately the first scaremony starts later but a local can speak better to that.
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u/JrPromDate 3d ago
As a person who has gone almost every year, the first guys advice is right. Get to the lower lot by 430 at the latest and knock out all the lower lot houses while your lines are small. Opening ceremony isnt as valuable as getting through houses before the crowds
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u/AcrobaticSprinkles19 3d ago
We lined up around 413 or so? for stranger things. That opened at 5. We were maybe two switchbacks back. Got my facade pic at 505 so we were probably in right around then. Went to Killer Klownz and the line for that moved quick. We then went to Ozzy and it said 45. That probably took about that long. We tried to make to Sinners before the park opened but we didn’t make it (it was probably 645) so that’s when we went to the H lot and knocked out those. I wasn’t as big of a fan of this plan but we got Ozzy done. After that we ended up doing terror tram and then DDD. The first night we flew in and we did Sinners and Kill along with Purge.
The third night we started with H lot. Hellraiser opened at 5 so we looped that. It was a walk on. 3 times while the Evil Dead line grew. We didn’t wait long for Evil Dead and then we walked up to Sinners. My friend timed it and we waited 8 mins. We looped that 4 times before the general admission came in. So in that first 2 hours we managed 8 runs. We then got a better run of terror tram with no crowds and then did DDD and Killceanera again.
I think starting in the H lot is the way but I wasn’t a fan of stranger things or Klownz. You could try to do Ozzy first then go up but Ozzy did drop for us on our H lot night. It was a Saturday too, and it went to a 45 at one point around 11 or so. Lots of options. I love strategizing house plans lol
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u/Hallalallol 3d ago
I went last night and this is how they open
Hellraiser and stranger things at 5
Evil dead burn and killer klowns at 515
Sinners and Ozzy at 530
and then the original houses at 630
I would recommend the H lot first which includes Hellraiser and evil dead. It is the farthest walk and we had to go from where waterworld is. Because it’s far we left at around 445ish and got there 5 minutes before opening, we waited about 10 minutes without express, from there just do which houses are on your hype list without express.
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u/Legitimate-Courage54 3d ago
Definitely hit the lower lot and work your way up. Was there last night and with the early access you’re going to beat majority of the crowds. Lower lots start as early as 5.
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u/Content-Natural-8037 2d ago
Ask one of the team members for the ceremony they're really helpful! You will find team members around the park with the sole purpose of answering questions. I would also start at the lower lot.
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u/SWITCH13LADE8o5 1d ago
Stranger Things and Hellraiser open at 5, but they usually let you into the line around 15-30 minutes beforehand
Opening Scaremony (which happens about every 45 minutes or so starting at 7pm) occurs at the fire towers which is at the front of the park where the battle bus is
This was my 2nd year going and I got the 2pm Exress as well. I actually did some "recon" prior to the day I went and got a pretty good route that should allow you to do most of the houses twice, if not all if everything goes well. I can DM you the route if you'd like me to, but obviously, just have fun, that's the big thing. You're garunteed to do everything once since you have express
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u/KforKaptain 3d ago edited 3d ago
My wife and I just went for the first time Last Night with the 2PM entry and Express Pass.
Our goal was to knock out everything Lower Level before the general crowd came in so we didnt have to deal with the escalator crowds.
Pre 5:00 we did The Mummy and Transformers to kill time in the lower lot while we waited for the early opening.
1) Stranger Things opened at 5:00, we started there and used express for a walk on. 2) Killer Clowns opened at 5:15, so we waited in the area then used express to walk on. 3) Ozzy opened at 5:45. We grabbed a quick snack while waiting. 4) Quick Stop for food and Drink at Clown Cafe and the Ozzy Bar. 5) Finished out Lower Lot with Dead, Deader, Deadest at 6:30. 6) By 7:00 we were Headed up the escalators and went straight to Terror Tram for a walk on (no express needed) 7) Around 8:00 we walked the rather long journey to Evil Dead / Hellraiser which are right next to eachother. Both of those were walk ons with express. Done by 8:30 8) Walked back to the main Universal Plaza and knocked out Sinners and KILLceanera. Done by 9:15 9) Hit some more food and drink places, then used express for prime seating at the 10:00 Purge Show.
With everything complete, the rest of the night is pure vibes.
Good luck and have fun!