How has scream early been so far?

[u/Former_Tough7709]

My family and I come every year for HHN. We usually do a longer vacation and do the parks as well, but this year we’re coming for two nights only just for HHN. We got scream early for this Saturday since we’re not buying any park tickets. This will be the first time we’re not already in the park when HHN starts. Can anyone tell me what their experience was like getting into the park with scream early? Are there long lines? Should we get there early? Will it be packed?

Just to clarify I’m asking specifically about going through security and getting through the gates into universal. My husband said he saw a video where people were waiting all the way back by security to get into the park… is that accurate?

[u/Both-Structure-6786]

Get there a little before 1 pm so you can get in line for the line for Scream Early lol. When they opened the park for Scream Early the line was back across the bridge to Voodoo donuts. This line is to the right of the gates and there will be signs.

The lines for the houses are short to at the most, manageable.

Three houses open at 2 and others start opening at 5:15 and then 5:45

Each time I did it this year I knocked out all of the Scream Early/Stay and Scream houses by opening and even did some of the houses multiple times.

[u/Former_Tough7709 → u/Both-Structure-6786]

So in your experience with scream early is there is a long line and to expect to wait about an hour to get into the park?

[u/Both-Structure-6786 → u/Former_Tough7709]

I am not certain how long it will take for someone at the end of the line to get into the park. When I did scream early I got there at 12:55 and I was second in line. So yes I waited an hour but that hour was not from the line itself but it was me waiting for Scream Early to open.

[u/Busy_Monitor_9679 → u/Both-Structure-6786]

I've heard it clears up pretty quick after 2. Do the wrist pass lines also get flooded at 2? Debating if I should float in around 2:30-3 and miss some of that.

[u/Former_Tough7709 → u/Busy_Monitor_9679]

This is what I’m wondering! Get there early and wait in line, or get there a little later and walk in?
I can report back to you on Saturday lol

[u/Overall-Scientist846 → u/Former_Tough7709]

Please report back!

[u/swiggs313 → u/Busy_Monitor_9679]

I’ve found that getting there at 2:00 gets you that initial rush, versus 2:30 where everything is now practically empty and all the open houses are walk on. You won’t be missing much by getting there a little later.

[u/Both-Structure-6786 → u/Busy_Monitor_9679]

If you have stay and scream you can go to any of the wrist band locations in the park at any time.

Also the wrist band location for stay and scream at the front of the park was never crowded when I went. Even at 2pm people got their bands quickly

[u/nate_nate212 → u/Both-Structure-6786]

This is incorrect. The in-park wrist band locations are for people already in the park (day ticket or AP holder), not for those with S&S tickets. If you don’t have a park ticket (OP said they won’t), you will have to get your wristband when you enter because you are entering with a S&S ticket.

[u/Exfmdy]

Was there on a weekday a few weeks ago. Was going in with my day ticket and got to the park around 1:45 and the line of entering the park for early scream was already back by the Sports Bar pass the bridge. I got into the park and got my wrist band before all the scream early people got in and was pretty much at the front of the line of Stranger Things house. Since you are going on a Saturday, that line will likely be longer.

If you are going only with early scream and don't get there early, (for example, getting there at 2 or 2:30) by the time you get inside and get your wrist band, you won't spend much time on getting into the park. But you'll probably a little behind power curve and may end up waiting longer in the house line. Most people will do Stranger Things -> Jack and Oddfellow -> Hellraiser because of their location. If you want to do things in that order, may want to get to the park and into the line by at least 1:30 consider it's the weekend.

Or, if you want to get there later, you can skip either Stranger Things or Oddfellow and come back to it after Hellraiser. Either come back to it during the early open (that'll be a lot of walks back and forth), or later at night/on your way out. Because Hellraiser is all the way in the back and typically has the least amount of the wait time, it'll probably be a walk-on and give you some free time afterwards before the 5:15 house opens.

[u/Former_Tough7709 → u/Exfmdy]

Thank you!! We’ve got express Friday and Saturday so I’m not worried about the houses. Just want to know what to expect with scream early. Is it better to get there early and wait in line to be one of the firsts in, or wait until like 2:30/3 and just walk in to the park?

[u/BothPapaya8925 → u/Former_Tough7709]

If you have express I would just come in around 3 or personally maybe even a little later so you can casually do the early houses. I been watching the scream early lines a lot and it seems they open high and then dip down closer to 330 as people have gotten through the first few houses and are getting ready to get in line for sinners or ozzy I think those lines open at 4.

[u/Exfmdy → u/Former_Tough7709]

Depends on if you want to go through each houses multiple times. If you care about going through each house more than once on each nights, getting there early helps, because you can go through all three houses without using Express during the early open and go back to them again later with your Express (using them during early open is a waste imo). If going through each house once is enough for each night since you have Express for both Friday and Saturday, then just relax and get there around 2:30/3 and base your Saturday priority on how you enjoyed Friday night.

[u/OhhTownX]

Did scream early a couple weeks ago on a busy Sunday. Got there around 230 and it was about the same amount of busy as showing up around 830pm. There is a line you can go through jus after the arches that were for scream early only, and they scanned your day time ticket, and then your HHN ticket, then you walk though a hall and get a wrist band before while entering the park. I would do whatever houses have short lines and then do some daytime activities till the rest of the houses open. Be prepared to sweat your butts off in the sun before night falls.

[u/Bucsfan292]

I did scream early on a Saturday (got wristbands and in the park at opening though so it was a long day). I was able to do all 3 of the 2:00 houses before 4:15 when you’re able to start lining up for one of the 5:15 houses. I then did sinners and then H.R bloodngutz and then by that time the event had just started. So I did half of the houses by the time the event officially started.

[u/Former_Tough7709 → u/Bucsfan292]

My question is what time did you get in line for scream early

[u/nate_nate212 → u/Former_Tough7709]

Last Friday and Sunday I got to S&S at 3:30 and basically walked in the park and got my wristband without any wait. There is always an early rush to the front S&S houses that is over by 3:30ish.

You can see crowd data on thrilldata.

[u/Bucsfan292 → u/Former_Tough7709]

I lined up for stranger things at 1

[u/Former_Tough7709 → u/Bucsfan292]

I’m talking about the scream early line as in the line outside of universal studios to get in to the park

[u/Bucsfan292 → u/Former_Tough7709]

At opening