Official 2017 HHN-27 Thread

[joanjett1976]

two newbie questions:

1.Carnival Games - Are they offering some special HHN themed plushies? A Sam from Trick R Treat perhaps?
2.Daytime Decorations - Will some of the props-decorations be visible to regular Universal daytime guests? If so which ones? Trick R treat? Invasion?

Thank you!

 

[imprint]

1. I'm not sure if they are available during the day too, but there are some Halloween prizes during the event.
2. Yes, some of the props are visible during the day. The spaceship in Invasion! is the most prominent. Some of the props in Trick 'r Treat stay out too.

 

[joanjett1976]

Thanks so much! I have a child who's way too young to attend but wanted to see the pumpkins and spaceships during our daytime visit.

 

[tony67]

Overall a very good experience. A bit confusing at first which I would expect being our first time going through the experience. I would recommend it to others that desire to see all the houses in one day for sure.

Thanks for all the info - seems like they really need to work on this part of the experience - they should not be sending you all over the place - they should have been able to tell you at Cafe La Bamba when to come back and not send you all over the place - or telling you to leave the park to go to VIP services.

I had a lot of issues trying to book an unmasking tour with a person who knew what it was about and got bounced around a lot before being told - there is no one you can talk to except on the phone- had they told me that in teh first palce I could have saved myself a lot of bouncing around

Glad to hear the tour part of it was worthwhile

 

[jen0610]

Back from vacation, so I thought I would give my review.

We were there Sat Sept 23.

4 of us, 3 newbies and 1 Orland regular.

49, 48, 20, and 22 was the age mix.

We just had the base tickets. They open the gates around 6:15, so just a tad bit early. We were really surprised to see how long it took to get the day visitors out of the park. There were people still leaving the park at 6. And this wasn't just a straggler here and there, but large groups of people walking out slow strolling taking their time.

Loved the houses. The Hive and Dead Water were the hits with this group. AHS, DH and I don't watch, so it was just eh for us, but the kids loved it. The walk through the que for Dark Water just about did DH in. WAY to long. For as short as the lines were, they needed to figure out a better way to use the ques. I understand they need a huge que area for busier night, but on the less busier nights, they need to be able to get them shortened up, so you don't walk a mile just in the que area.

LOVED the Trick or Treat scare zone. The Purge and Invasion zones were good, but could have been better but by no fault of Universal. Way too many people were stopping the performers to take pictures with them and their parties. DD hates clowns and chainsaws, so she was not a happy camper when we made her walk thru that zone a couple times, just to torture her. Lol.

We did the Bill and Ted show. Loved it!!!

Was reading reviews for this night on their facebook page. Many were complaining about a power outage shutting down a couple of houses, a scare zone and a couple of rides. We did not encounter this at all. Also lots of complaints that the security staff in the houses were rushing them to move along. Again, we did not encounter this at all.


Over all, it was a very good time. DH had no issues for the greater portion of the day and was able to ride on the rides we really wanted him to experience. He did say he would have preferred to see the Harry Potter area in the day time.

 

[agame2323]

If you do the VIP TOUR, do you still need a hard ticket for the HHN or is that your ticket into the event?

 

[imprint]

You need a HHN ticket. That could be in the form of a single night ticket or a Frequent Fear pass. You can add Express or RIP when you buy the ticket or after you buy the HHN ticket.

 

[keishashadow]

Hi everyone:

We just returned and thought I would post some comments on our recent visit to HHN27. My husband, brother in law and I attended on Sunday the 23rd and we signed up for the RIP tour. We entered the park at around 4:00 and scanned our tickets at the Simpson's holding area. There we had a beer and chatted until about 4:45 where they started to let people in to the Moe's dining area. We grabbed some dinner just in case as we were not sure what type of food would be available at Cafe La Bamba when we checked in. They opened up two houses early and were allowing people to go towards the Men In Black direction but not towards the rest of the park. At exactly 6:00 they opened the gate for the rest of the park. Since we were doing the tour we just people watched and looked at the scare zones on the Hollywood and Kid Zone areas. What was a little confusing was the check in process. Cafe La Bamba was closed off. We asked a person how do we check in for the RIP tour and they said we had to go to the front gate and wait there so we went to the front gate customer service line and asked. They said that they think we need to leave the park and go to VIP guest services. I saw that you can enter via inside the park so i went upstairs to the VIP guest service area and they said we could stay there or go back to Cafe La Bamba. So back to Cafe La Bamba we went and there they said we can check in no later than 30 minutes before our tour. We walked around some more to waste some time and then returned to Cafe La Bamba where the attendant looked on his Phone for when the time was exactly 30 minutes prior. He said they were very strict. We were finally let in where they had appetizers and drinks cafeteria style. The served meatballs, mini quiche, stuffed mushroom for hot food. Then they had veggies and cheeses with crackers for cold options. They served coke product sodas and bottled water. Around the corner they had desserts like brookies, mini pumpkin pies and cupcakes as well as alcoholic drinks for purchase. We were given a card with the name of our group and our attendant Kate greeted us. She was nice and professional but not particularly vibrant. Our group was decent enough, nice but somewhat introverted and kept to their respective groups.

Kate went over the plan and walked us through the houses. The temp even in the evening was ungodly hot and humid so I cannot express enough the gratitude to go straight to the front of the line of the house. They take you through some back lots which were interesting to see. I don't recall the order of the houses but we managed to see them all and see all the scare zones quite efficiently. Additionally, we saw the Bill and Ted show which was their finale and quite entertaining. Poor people dancing about in the heat, they are champs! There were 3 bathroom breaks and 2 areas to purchase drinks. Once in the San Francisco area and the other inside a building in the New York Area. These areas have little food except chips so the snacks were limited. We finished the entire tour around 11:00 and made our way back to Cafe La Bamba where they only had a few desserts left and hard alcohol. I am embarrassed but I was exhausted by then so we just walked around and made our way back to the hotel earlier than expected. I had ridden all the rides earlier in the day so there was no real desire to re-ride them and while I would have like to see Diagon Alley in the night one more time, my feet would not comply. It seems that no matter where I am, what I want to see is always at the other side of the lake when I am most tired.

Final Thoughts:

- I believe if we would have asked Kate would have stopped so we can get something to eat but I recommend eating something before the tour. Our tour was at 7:15 and with all the walking and sweating I can see how you can get hungry by the end of the night. I think it would be great if the Cafe would have a few more offerings when we returned.
- The tour was great and I would do it again in a heart beat. It didn't bother me at all that it ended early nor that my group wasn't animated. It was quite efficient and since I didn't nap and ran around with the kids in the morning, I was grateful to end before midnight.
- 4 people from my party left the tour guide before the tour ended and didn't tip her. She was so professional but I can see it in her face that she was frustrated. They also didn't attend the Bill Ted show. Essentially they used her as a fast pass system which I thought was quite rude. I felt for her because she did her job, was friendly and asked our input.
- Houses - So happy to see all the houses in this fashion. Ironically, I was more impressed with the non intellectual property houses. Dead Water and Fallen being my favorite and Shining my least favorite of the IP houses.
- Scare zones - I think I like last years a bit better but all were fun in there own way.
- If you stay in the park to avoid chaos please note that you can't check into your tour until exactly 30 minutes before so use the time to grab another drink at Moe's or Finnegans in an air conditioned environment or people watch during the cooler times.

Overall a very good experience. A bit confusing at first which I would expect being our first time going through the experience. I would recommend it to others that desire to see all the houses in one day for sure.

I am participating in both private & public tours this year

You receive a email confirmation when you book with detailed check in info. My public tour is at 7:15 pm. Here is except of my email.

Arrival & Check In
Please check in for your 7:15 PM Non-Private R.I.P. Tour promptly between 6:45& 7:05 PM in the Universal Studios Florida VIP Check In Lobby, located next to the Guest Services Windows, before the main ticket gate entrance, to your far right-hand side. If you have already entered the park, please proceed directly to the pre-tour reception at Cafe La Bamba.

Once at the pre-tour reception at Cafe La Bamba, you'll enjoy a delicious spread of light appetizers and a private cash bar for our R.I.P. guests only.
Complimentary standard valet parking is included with your tour (subject to availability). Please arrive early enough to allow yourself time to park and go through the appropriate security checks.

 

[imprint]

I think the issue arises when you buy a single night HHN + RIP from the AP phone line (like we did last year). Since we didn't have an actual HHN ticket to show for stay and scream, they made us exit and re-enter through the RIP entrance. I think if you have a Frequent Fear pass to show, you could wait in a holding area and then go to Cafe La Bamba at your RIP checkin time. So, I think it really depends on how you purchase the HHN and RIP.

 

[simnia]

I've read here that EP is good at only the 1st showing of Bill and Ted. What time is that show (I couldn't find times online)?
We will be there 10/25 & 10/26.

 

[macraven]

I went Sunday night and ep was posted as ep valid for first and last show

 

[Jujumama]

I am participating in both private & public tours this year

You receive a email confirmation when you book with detailed check in info. My public tour is at 7:15 pm. Here is except of my email.

Arrival & Check In
Please check in for your 7:15 PM Non-Private R.I.P. Tour promptly between 6:45& 7:05 PM in the Universal Studios Florida VIP Check In Lobby, located next to the Guest Services Windows, before the main ticket gate entrance, to your far right-hand side. If you have already entered the park, please proceed directly to the pre-tour reception at Cafe La Bamba.

Once at the pre-tour reception at Cafe La Bamba, you'll enjoy a delicious spread of light appetizers and a private cash bar for our R.I.P. guests only.
Complimentary standard valet parking is included with your tour (subject to availability). Please arrive early enough to allow yourself time to park and go through the appropriate security checks.

I did get that email and as directed i went to directly to Cafe La Bamba. The problem is that I went to Cafe la Bamba a bit too early and the Staff at Cafe La Bamba sent me back to the front. What they should have said is simply, come back in 30 minutes for check in. Lesson learned no worries.

 

[debsters41]

I've read here that EP is good at only the 1st showing of Bill and Ted. What time is that show (I couldn't find times online)?
We will be there 10/25 & 10/26.

It was 7:30 or 7:45 this past Saturday. Sorry my memory is so fogged. It was a good show.

 

[macraven]

At hhn tonight and only first show for Bill and Ted eligible with ep

 

[Metro West]

Going again tomorrow night but will have a poncho handy just in case. Although most of the rain should be gone by 8PM...according to the forecasts.

 

[Robo56]

Sending a little teaser for HHN. Having a great time here. Did Unmasking the Horror tour today.

 

[pattyw]

Sending a little teaser for HHN. Having a great time here. Did Unmasking the Horror tour today

Please let us know how the unmasking tour is- I really want to do that when we can fit it in- I can never see all the details in the houses during HHN!

 

[macraven]

It can be booked as day or afternoon period of up to two hours

Or can be booked as a combo which is discounted

 

[schumigirl]

Back home after another HHN season.

We adore the whole event so it pains me to even say we didn’t love it this year. Still had huge amounts of fun and did enjoy a lot of it. Everyone who knows me knows I do love getting scared and getting frights so always enjoy that aspect. But something was missing this year. Anyway, for what it’s worth here’s our thoughts.

HOUSES

Dead Waters.........Outstanding house of the year. Detail and theme were top notch and fabulous scares made this the most enjoyable house we went through. Loved the sloping floors, just a little added detail we liked. 10/10

Scarecrow........this was the house we had heard most about in advance this year. We really enjoyed it and thought it was so well done. Some good scares and thought it would be our favourite. It wasn't, but it was up at the top. 9/10

Hive........Very dark and very loud. Didn't see much except the SA eyes at times. Theme didn't thrill us. 6/10

Blum house.............short house but we liked it. Especially the Insidious part. But kinda forgettable, nothing really stood out as amazing. 6/10

Ash vs Evil Dead............stupid. We made ourselves aware of this well before we saw the house and were so disappointed. Poorly executed and a shame for real fans of the show. SA did their best. This has to be the worst planned house position wise ever in the history of HHN. This house we only did once. 2/10

AHS.........This was a good one. Really good. Still think last years house was slightly better but we enjoyed it a lot and I got a few good scares in this one. 9/10

Shining..........One of our favourite movies so expected a lot. We kinda got that, but it missed in bits. Danny was missing from more of it. But, loved most of it especially the bar scene towards the end. Very atmospheric when entering which we loved, really captured the feel of the movie. 9/10

Fallen..........another we expected more from. We had been told to look above us, and it was impressive, but a kind of same old theme with this one.....didn't spark for us, but did get a couple of scares as always. 4/10

Saw...........awful. 1/10


SCARE ZONES.......

Some outdid some of the houses this year. Some.

Alien Invasion..........truly awful........where are the scares?? There just wasn't any. This is such a small zone but was done so much better last year. Costumes were good as always, but really??? Didn't see the point of this at all.

Purge........been done to death. Didn't get one scare in this zone at all. At one point we were walking with a friend and didn't realise it was a scare zone. Very poor.

Altars of Horror..........liked this one. The Insidious lipstick lady was so good.........she knew her targets.......SA here were so good especially the Shining Twins. Loved them.

Festival of the Deadliest..........this area is always a good zone.......no exception this year, SA top notch and knew how to interact with everyone. Got lots of good pictures here.

Trick 'R' Treat..........This by far was the best scare zone this year. It was even impressive during the day. Pumpkins all around made it so pretty, but at nights added to the zone. SA here are among the best there are.......interaction and frights were fabulous. If they did this with every scare zone it would be phenomenal.

Chainsaw clowns are past their sell by date. They do have some fun ones that stand out and show some personality, but generally they're just loud. Teen girls love em though.


Academy of Villains............sadly we only saw the altered and much reduced show this year due to the large stage being damaged by Irma. It was still fun, but you could tell it was supposed to be so much grander. Shame. Still amazing to watch the talent though.

Bill and Ted............No. sorry, just didn't work for us again. I honestly think the last time we enjoyed this was 2008, maybe 2010. But, last years have been awful. We do get the theme and content, but it's just not funny. And it used to be. Never a favourite show but one we enjoyed first few years. I'm glad it's going.

Atmosphere in the park is always fun. We buy the Rush of Fear with EP tickets so can go many nights while we are there, I think 10 nights is what is available. We like to spend a few hours every night we go rather than spend a full night doing everything, not our thing at all.

The Rush of Fear ticket with EP this year for 2 of us was $657.98. It's still a decent price for the amount of nights you can go.

Overall, this, for us, has been the weakest HHN since we started going in 07, we are relative newbies compared to some who have been going much longer, but have seen some magnificent years.

TM friends seem to agree if this is your first HHN you'll probably love it. But they're hearing a lot of the same thing from folks like us, just something missing. As I said above, I hate saying anything negative as they put so much into the event, but SA were mostly excellent as always.

There's always next year...........maybe Halloween will be back..........

 

[pattyw]

Thanks for the reviews @schumigirl ! Looking forward to your trip report!