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How to Use Early Entry for Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando

by Leap on September 20, 2022 103 Orlando

Early Entry Procedures for Halloween Horror Nights Orlando - PinterestEvery year, one of our top tips for getting a hop on crowds at Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando is to take advantage of early entry. In fact, aside from purchasing Halloween Horror Nights Express Passes or doing a private R.I.P. Tour, using Halloween Horror Nights early entry is the best way to see and do more at the nation's premier scare event.

While we have a full guide dedicated to this annual event, we wanted to spend a little bit of time explaining the ins and outs of early entry and how to get it. Taking advantage of Halloween Horror Nights early entry requires a little bit of planning and a few decisions. Luckily for you, we're here to outline everything you need to know, including how to get it!

How Halloween Horror Nights Early Entry Works

Halloween Horror Nights is a separately ticketed event. This means if you have a ticket for the Universal Orlando Resort theme parks during the day but want to attend Horror Nights, you will need separate admission. But on the other hand, you don't need daytime admission if you just want to go to Halloween Horror Nights. However, in order to take advantage of early entry, which allows you to enter Universal Studios Florida during regular park hours and remain in the park until it reopens at 6:30 p.m. for Halloween Horror Nights, you'll need both regular park admission (whether it's a ticket or annual pass) and a Halloween Horror Nights ticket.

To take advantage of this, we recommend you spend the day at Universal Studios Florida (and Universal's Islands of Adventure if you have a park-to-park ticket) experiencing the best the park has to offer. If you want a little downtime, and for the best jump on daytime crowds, we recommend you arrive at the parks ahead of the official opening, tour for a few hours and then take a break in the afternoon when crowds hit their peak. You just need to be back inside Universal Studios Florida by 5 p.m. which is when the park closes to daytime guests (you can see park hours on our Orlando Crowd Calendar).

Scream Early Ticket

If you don't have a regular day admission ticket or an annual pass, you can add on a Scream Early Ticket (available directly through Universal) for $35. This will allow access to Universal Studios Florida, starting at 3 p.m. Then at 5 p.m., you can proceed to a Stay and Scream holding area.

Halloween Horror Nights Holding Areas

For Halloween Horror Nights early entry at Universal Orlando, you'll be ushered into one of the park's "holding" areas. These are designated places for you to wait until the park reopens for the event. Your Halloween Horror Nights ticket will be scanned for entry into the holding area when you enter.

Early Entry Procedures for Halloween Horror Nights Orlando - Scanning Tickets

The advantage of the holding areas is that they put you in a prime location for a number of houses! Plus, your specific holding area allows you early access to at least one house, sometimes two or even three, before the event officially starts at 6:30 p.m. In our experience this year, a couple exceptions for low waits were Beetlejuice and the Haunting of Hill House, which started with 45- to 60-minute wait times, even for those who waited in a holding area for them. With up to five holding areas open, it can be tough to make a decision based on which houses are your top priorities. Keep in mind that the houses farther back typically maintain short wait times within the first hour (or more!) of the event ... however, they're just as amazing as the houses in the front!

These holding areas are subject to change at any time, so please be aware that they may not all be in operation during your visit ... or may open to different houses than those listed. Always verify with a team member before committing. Our best advice is to check when you get to the park to confirm which holding areas are open.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that the early opening time isn't always consistent. We've been released as early as 5:40 p.m. or as late as 6 p.m. While this may sound like just a small difference, you'll want to make sure your party is together and ready to go by 5:30 p.m. just to be safe.

Note that while in the holding area, you may need a ticket in order to go to the restroom and return to your spot. With that being said, we highly recommend you purchase any desired outside food and beverages prior to entering and enjoying them while you wait!

These are the Halloween Horror Nights early entry holding locations in 2022:

New York (Finnegan's/Revenge of the Mummy)

Early Entry Procedures for Halloween Horror Nights Orlando - New York Holding Area Entrance

Located in the New York area of the park across from the Revenge of the Mummy, Finnegan's Irish Pub is unofficially considered the primary holding area. Finnegan's opens up to Halloween and Spirits of the Coven. When I pictured Finnegan's as a holding area, I thought it was just the restaurant and bar itself. Boy, was I wrong! This holding area fills a ton of outdoor space in the streets of New York. There are drink carts and food options available. You'll need to enter this holding area over by Starbucks and Louie's.

Central Park/Springfield

Early Entry Procedures for Halloween Horror Nights Orlando - Central Park

This holding area is actually divided into two different queues, so it can get pretty confusing. You enter through the Central Park entrance across from Mel's Drive-In. By the time we arrived (it was closer to 5 p.m.), the more popular queue for The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare and Universal Monsters: Legends Collide was already long. So, if these are top priority houses, you'll want to enter this holding area much earlier than 5 p.m.! The queue snakes with switchbacks, taking up the majority of Central Park and spilling out into KidZone.

If you arrive after it has reached capacity (or if you want to start with the houses in the very back of the park), you'll be directed to the second queue in the holding area, which leads into Springfield and grants access to Bugs: Eaten Alive and Descendants of Destruction. Dining options in the Simpsons area, including Bumblebee Man's Taco Truck, Lard Lad Donuts and Duff Brewery, are open if you want food or drinks.

San Francisco (Richter's Burger Co./Chez Alcatraz)

This is a brand-new Stay & Scream location this year. Richter's Burger Co. and Chez Alcatraz are located in San Francisco across from Fast & Furious - Supercharged, which houses The Horrors of Blumhouse.

The TODAY Show

The TODAY Show restaurant at the front of the park is used as an overflow location. It usually only opens if the other holding areas reach maximum capacity. If you're directed to this holding area, you'll be released after the others are released, but you'll be closest to Hellblock Horror and Spirits of the Coven. The TODAY Show location also offers decent access to The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare and Universal Monsters: Legends Collide, but because those are two popular houses, we wouldn't go over there directly until the line lessens a bit.

The main catch for this holding area is that you can't necessarily plan on being here, since it depends on if and when the other areas fill up — which is more likely on Friday and Saturday nights.

Sound Stage 18

Early Entry Procedures for Halloween Horror Nights Orlando - Sound Stage 18 Holding Area Sign

As another new 2022 Stay & Scream location, this holding area is exclusive for Universal hotel guests since it's located right next to the Universal hotel guests' priority entrance. It lets out to Hellblock Horror.

Our Halloween Horror Nights Early Entry Experience

In 2022, we checked out the Halloween Horror Nights early entry procedures on opening night. We arrived at the park around 4:45 p.m. and headed toward the Central Park holding area. There was a long line to get in, but it went quickly and we were inside the holding area right around 5 p.m.

Early Entry Procedures for Halloween Horror Nights Orlando - The Weeknd Queue

It may have just been an opening night mishap but we were pretty confused about which queue we were entering. Last year, team members held signs and had distinct queues for the houses behind KidZone and the houses beyond Springfield near Men in Black. This year, we ended up in the queue for The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare. It was one of the most highly anticipated houses, so it had a longer queue (which started moving at 5:45 p.m.) and took up our entire early entry time. We were out of the house by the official opening time at 6:30 p.m. Had we queued for the houses further in the back by Men in Black, those houses opened at 6 p.m. but had lower initial wait times ranging from 5 to 30 minutes through 6:45 p.m.

By the way, it can be very difficult to walk through a house when it's still light outside because your eyes don't adjust right away, making it seem much darker. Mommy Frog was in front of me leading the way (ladies first, right?). She went in the opposite direction because she couldn't see and ran into the wall. I thought it was hoppin' hilarious, but she thought it was just as bad as a jump scare and made me go first.

If you've purchased Express Passes, we don't recommend using them during the early entry timeframe since the wait times are relatively short (depending on which one you go to). Save them for later when the lines are longer and you can go through those houses twice! We had decided to wait 45 minutes for The Weeknd house, which ended up being one of the lowest waits of the night for that house aside from the last hour. Then later, we went through it a second time with our Express Pass.

Halloween Horror Nights Early Entry Strategic Advice

Early Entry Procedures for Halloween Horror Nights Orlando - Central Park Holding Area Entrance

Go to the New York holding area if ... Halloween and Spirits of the Coven are at the top of your list. Afterward, you can also hop in line for Fiesta de Chupacabras and Dead Man's Pier: Winter's Wake, both of which open at 6 p.m.

Go to the Central Park holding area if ... either The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare or Universal Monsters: Legends Collide is one of your must-dos. Get there early and still expect to wait a while. Also if you want to get the houses in the very back first (this includes Bugs: Eaten Alive and Descendants of Destruction), head directly to the Springfield area.

Go to the San Francisco holding area if ... you want to hit up the Horrors of Blumhouse first.

If you end up in the TODAY Show or Sound Stage 18 holding areas ... it's a toss-up of either going to the Hellblock Horror or Spirits of the Coven houses first.

Overall, we think early entry inside the holding areas is the best way to get the most out of Halloween Horror Nights for the least amount of money! If you can't use Halloween Horror Nights early entry, definitely be at the gate by 5:45 p.m. (We even saw a small crowd already camped outside the gate when we arrived at 4:45 p.m.) Guests are typically allowed in before the 6:30 p.m. start time — this year, gates opened at 6 p.m.!

Have a question about Halloween Horror Nights' early entry? Share it in the comments below! Do you have a favorite holding area for Halloween Horror Nights? Share the location and tell us why you like it! 

Related: Guide to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando

Keep hopping!

Keep hopping, Leap!
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Sep 26, 2022 at 2:11 p.m. Sara Says...

Stay & Scream is totally worth showing up early!

Little pro tip that I had great success with: if you want to do the most popular house (for example, Weeknd or Monsters), the Stay & Scream line is almost as long as peak hours. Instead, choose a nearby house for your Stay & Scream, and then book it straight there afterwards. It should be around 6:00pm when you get out of your first house. I noticed the line is only about 10 minutes long if you let the Stay & Scream guests die down and then go. The majority of the guests at the front gate still haven't made it back there so it's the perfect sweet spot.

Unless you can be one of the firsts groups in the Stay & Scream of course, then this advise would be a moot point. Lol.

Have fun everyone!!

Reply
Sep 26, 2022 at 12:01 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Thanks for the hopful tips, Sara! We toadally agree with hitting the smaller houses in the back first as they usually have the shortest lines initially. Lines for popular houses also tend to die down (pun intended) during the last hour of the event, so that may also be a good time to hit those if you can't hit them early in the night!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Sep 8, 2022 at 2:29 p.m. Shelly G Says...

Thank you for the information on the "Scream Early" pass. I never heard of that. Will have to keep that in mind if we travel to HHH in the future.

Reply
Aug 22, 2022 at 3:17 a.m. Jennifer McCain Says...

Hi! I have a premiere annual pass and will be at the parks early on September 18th and staying for HHN. Can I still get free valet since we are getting there early, or will they charge us when we leave? I have read that free valet isn't valid during HHN but not sure if that only counts for people getting to the park at 5 or 6. Thank you!!!

Reply
Aug 23, 2022 at 9:14 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Jennifer!

We're not toadally sure — usually the free valet parking benefit isn't valid after 7 p.m. on nights with special events including HHN. However, official details about valet parking have not been announced yet. Given past history, we'd expect to pay.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Aug 18, 2022 at 4:10 p.m. Steph Says...

If we have the premiere pass, would they let stay in the parks while they prepare the hhn stuff? Or would they make us get in line outside? I am just wondering if I have to buy a stay & scream ticket too or if the premiere pass will allow us to stay in the park while we wait to get in the houses? Just would not want to purchase something if it is not necessary, besides the express pass! SORRY about the long question. It is our first time going to HHN in Orlando. Thank you!! :)

Reply
Aug 18, 2022 at 11:13 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Steph!

No, if you're an annual passholder, you do not need the Stay & Scream ticket :) just be sure to enter the park before 5 p.m.! You will still need to choose a holding area where you'll wait until they release all of the early entry guests. Have a terrifyingly fun time!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Aug 8, 2022 at 4:59 a.m. Amber Says...

Hey, I noticed that I’m like a year late, but I was wondering, if you have an annual pass, can you spend some time at IOA and then park hop on the train to Universal (with a HHN ticket of course)

Reply
Aug 8, 2022 at 1:43 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Amber!

Once Universal Studios Florida officially closes for the night, the Hogwarts Express stops operating. If you want to enter Universal Studios Florida prior to the park closing, you can hop over on the train and then utilize the Stay & Scream option. If you want to spend the beginning of the night in Islands Of Adventure and then hop over to USF once Halloween Horror Nights has already started, you'd need to walk over to the front entrance. Hope this helps!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Oct 16, 2021 at 5:55 p.m. Ursine1 Says...

Hey! Thanks for all the great info. Just wondering... do you know where the dedicated entrance for Hard Rock Hotel guests is? And it's hours? If we don't do Scream Early (going on a Tuesday, with HHN Express) when should we plan on being at the dedicated gate (assuming that's the best choice)? Thanks for all your help!

Reply
Oct 17, 2021 at 7:59 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi there!

The hotel guest entrance is by the former Blue Man Group theater (there are signs pointing you in the right direction as well!). It's open from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Oct 10, 2021 at 10:43 p.m. Jamie Says...

Hi there!

First time doing HHN with a few questions:

1. is express pass essential especially if we are going on a thursday night? (10/28) i cant believe its more than the ticket!

2. we plan on spending the whole day at universal resort leading into HHN. Should we buy a park to park ticket or a single park ticket for IOE and then enter Universal Studios with the HHN ticket and or the early thing? Whats the most cost effective option there?

3. Can you add express pass day of?

Reply
Oct 11, 2021 at 11:15 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Jamie — hoppy to help!

1) If you want to guarantee that you do absolutely everything that HHN has to offer, then we'd consider getting Express passes. However, Thursdays are usually not as busy as Fridays or Saturdays. In 2019, we went on a Thursday in late September and were able to get through 10 houses without Express (took advantage of Early Entry by going through 3 houses before the event officially started!). This year, we went on the Thursday during the second week of HHN, and it seemed more crowded than our 2019 Thursday experience. We did have Express though, and we easily got through all of the houses, plus the stage show, and left a half hour early.

2) You would need to compare the costs of Option 1 (park-to-park tickets + HHN tickets) versus Option 2 (single-park tickets + Scream Early tickets if you want to take advantage of Early Entry, which we'd highly suggest if you don't purchase Express passes + HHN tickets). Scream Early tickets cost $30 (the date does not matter), while the prices for park-to-park tickets and single-park tickets depend on the date you're going. (Psst ... while we do not offer Scream Early tickets or HHN Expresses passes, we do offer discounted theme park tickets and general HHN admission tickets that could help you save some green!)

3) If Express passes are available, yes. Universal also offers half-priced Express passes after 10 p.m. on Thursdays (11 p.m. on longer event nights), but again, only if Express passes are available at that point.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Oct 4, 2021 at 12:47 p.m. Laura Says...

Hi, we have the scream early tickets, the horror nights tickets and RIP tour tickets. We are staying at the Lowes Sapphire. Do we still get the resort included express passes to use on regular rides for the 2 or so hours we are there with the scream early tickets? (Hoping to ride Escape from Gringotts a few times before the RIP tour begins.)

Thanks!

Reply
Oct 5, 2021 at 10:24 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Laura!

Yes, hotel guests who have the free Universal Express Unlimited benefit can use it during the 3-5 p.m. daytime period (not during HHN) if they have Scream Early tickets — but unfortunately, that benefit can only be used by hotel guests staying at the Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort and Loews Portofino Bay Hotel.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Oct 1, 2021 at 2:11 a.m. Ashley Says...

Sorry for the questions as this is my first HHN experience and this info is so confusing! I have been to Universal but 4yrs ago. I have tickets for HHN and express passes for HHN so we get the most out of our 1 night there. I am now going to purchase the Scream early ticket so we can get early entry (didn't know I needed this until reading your info). In addition we are staying in Aventura Hotel that night. So my question is:

1. Do we enter in the entrance for hotel guests when we arrive for early entry (3-5pm)? Or is there a better place to enter since it is earlier?

2. Do you have suggestions or maps/guide on how best to hit all these houses (if possible) and/or shows in one night in order? We really want to see them all if we can so there isn't one that is more important then the others...Thank you!!!

ps. I used your guide 4yrs ago for my family Disney trip for Christmas and it SAVED us all that week! So thank you!!

Reply
Oct 4, 2021 at 8:30 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Ashley!

No, the hotel guest line is open from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. so you'll just enter through the normal turnstiles at the entrance since you'll have the Scream Early tickets. We do have a full HHN guide that includes a map! Generally, we like to knock out the houses in the back of the park before those lines get longer later at night. Though with Express passes, you should be able to get everything done. This year we went on a night during which the standby lines reached 75-minute wait times, and we didn't wait in the Express line for more than 25 minutes. Plus we were able to see the shows, have short breaks for food and left a half hour early. Hope this helps!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Sep 26, 2021 at 2:14 a.m. Susan Easterday Says...

Hello, I hope to go to HHN in a few weeks! Can you buy the "Scream Early" passes from you? Or how do we get them? Thanks! Susan

Reply
Sep 27, 2021 at 12:54 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Susan!

We do not offer the Scream Early tickets, but even though it's not listed on the HHN website, select any of the single or multi-night options and it'll pop up in a new window as an Extra Add-On option.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Sep 27, 2021 at 9:06 p.m. Susan Easterday Says...

Thank you, Leap! If we do go to HHN, we'll make sure to buy our tickets from you! Happy Halloween Hopping!

Reply
Sep 27, 2021 at 5:47 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Of course, hoppy to help! Have a scary good time!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Sep 12, 2021 at 10:49 p.m. Eve Perez Says...

my bf and I will be at Universal on October 29th! we have a one day park to park pass, would you recommend for us to get the scream early pass?

Reply
Sep 12, 2021 at 7:43 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Eve!

If you already have park-to-park tickets, then you do not need Scream Early tickets! Just be sure you're inside Universal Studios before the park closes and head to one of the holding areas for HHN.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Sep 3, 2021 at 6:14 a.m. Lisa Says...

Thanks for this! This year will be our first time, and we are staying on site, and have annual passes, so this information was super helpful to us.

Reply
Sep 3, 2021 at 8:31 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Lisa!

You're welcome, we're so hoppy to help! Have a frightfully fun time :)

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Aug 23, 2021 at 3:22 p.m. Adriana Says...

Hello,

if I have a premier annual pass and I want to go in early, do i need to buy the early access or is my pass good for this too?

thank you!

Reply
Aug 24, 2021 at 8:08 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Adriana!

Your annual pass is toadally fine for early admission!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Aug 18, 2021 at 12:40 p.m. Brittany Says...

Do you think the Scream Early tickets will be sold this year?

Reply
Aug 18, 2021 at 8:12 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Brittany!

Yes, Scream Early tickets are currently on sale for $30! (Even though it's not listed on the HHN website, select any of the single or multi-night options and it'll pop up as an Extra Add-On option.)

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Aug 11, 2021 at 3:44 p.m. Katty Says...

This year in October will be our first Halloween party, in summary if it is worth having the early entry ticket to the park? I saw that it is from 3pm to 5pm, in that time you only wait or can you go to the park for a walk?

Reply
Aug 11, 2021 at 11:45 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Katty!

If you don't have daytime admission (whether it's regular park tickets or an annual pass) and would like to take advantage of the Stay & Scream holding areas, then the Scream Early ticket is worth the $30 for entry from 3-5 p.m. You can go inside the park, walk around and go on attractions until 5 p.m. when you'd need to go to one of the Stay & Scream holding areas.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jul 30, 2021 at 2 a.m. Chelsea Says...

We have 2 day hopper passes and HHN tickets for September 22nd. Since we will already be in the park do we need to get in the holding areas? Also, are all the universal parks open for HHN or just Universal Studios?

Reply
Jul 30, 2021 at 8:38 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Chelsea!

Yes, everyone staying for HHN would need to go to one of the holding areas, as they need some time to prep for the event and filter out day guests. HHN only takes place at Universal Studios Florida.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jul 25, 2021 at 7:07 p.m. Barb Says...

Do you have a map (or directions) for where the haunted houses are located?

Reply
Jul 26, 2021 at 11:46 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Barb!

A map for this year's event is not available yet, but if you look at maps from previous years, you can at least get a good idea of where the haunted houses may be, as the house locations generally stay the same year after year.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jul 13, 2021 at 5:59 p.m. Kim Says...

Thank you! This information was very helpful. Is there another restaurant besides Finnegan’s you can make reservations at that is in the holding areas? Thanks

Reply
Jul 13, 2021 at 1:15 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Kim!

No problem — we're hoppy to help! The only table-service restaurant other than Finnegan's is Lombard's Seafood Grill, and that one is located almost evenly between two holding areas (the Simpsons area and the Mummy/Finnegan's area).

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jul 12, 2021 at 8:55 p.m. Johanna Says...

What do you recommend for eating before HHN if we are planning to be all day at the Park and take advantage of the early entry.

Reply
Jul 13, 2021 at 8:21 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Johanna!

We'd recommend Finnegan's. It's one of the two table-service restaurants in the park, and it's nearby one of the Early Entry areas. That way, you can fill up on a larger meal and also be able to rest up for a bit in between your busy day! If you're looking for a quicker option though, then we'd recommend Fast Food Boulevard over in the Simpsons area, which also turns into an Early Entry area so you'll end up nearby. As for the actual food we'd recommend, you'll definitely want something filling that could potentially last you through the night — along with the help of some HHN snacks (or bring some of your own) — particularly if you don't want to spend too much time waiting in food lines & eating during the event. Hope this helps!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Oct 19, 2019 at 9:28 p.m. Carrie C Says...

Hi! Thanks for the article! It’s super helpful! I am confusing myself though on the difference between early entry and Stay & Scream. What is the benefit for Stay & Scream? I see you get in to US at 3 pm. Can you get into any of the houses between 3 & 5? Or can you just lurk near a house until opening? Sorry, I have never been so I’m trying to figure out how it all works so I don’t miss any important details.

Reply
Oct 21, 2019 at 12:54 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Carrie,

There isn't a difference between early entry and Stay & Scream. (So, if you see a sign that says "Stay & Scream Area," that directs you to a holding area for the HHN early entry process!) What you might be thinking of is the Scream Early ticket. That ticket just lets you into Universal Studios Florida at 3 p.m. if you do not have regular daytime admission, so you can take advantage of the Stay & Scream holding areas. If you get a Scream Early ticket, you can enjoy the park for a couple hours until you're directed to a Stay & Scream holding area at 5 p.m. while the park closes to regular guests and prepares for HHN (houses are not open before 5 p.m.). If you have regular daytime admission and will be in the park before it closes, you do not need a Scream Early ticket and can proceed to a Stay & Scream area with your HHN ticket at 5 p.m. Hope this helps!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Oct 11, 2019 at 7:41 p.m. Wendell Francis Says...

Universal Studios Orlando Halloween horror nights are the best nights to go to the theme park!

Reply
Oct 9, 2019 at 11:32 p.m. mark Says...

we are just interested in the halloween night experence do we need tickets to the main park also or can we just by tickets for the halloween and if so how much are they

Reply
Oct 10, 2019 at 12:19 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Mark!

If you would just like to attend Halloween Horror Nights, you'll just need an event ticket rather than daytime admission. The ticket prices vary by event day (ranging from about $72-$112).You can find specific pricing details here.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Oct 9, 2019 at 7:47 p.m. Alison Says...

We are going to universal during day.we have ticket already. So if we add on now for the stay and scream that night it would be $25 each person?

Reply
Oct 10, 2019 at 12:16 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Alison!

If you have daytime admission, you do not need the Stay and Scream tickets. Stay and Scream is only for those who do not have daytime admission (only a HHN ticket) but would still like to take advantage of the holding areas. Enjoy!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Oct 3, 2019 at 5:48 p.m. Angela Says...

This was very helpful! Can you help me? We only have one day, Thursday Oct 10 and want to make the most out of it. Would you suggest going to Islands of Adventure during the day with express pass and then Halloween Party in the evening? Or would you suggest a park hopper pass to go between both park during the day time and the halloween party too?

Reply
Oct 4, 2019 at 3:12 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Angela!

Thanks so much! We're happy you're here. The answer really depends on what your must-rides are and how much of your party time you want to spend on rides. That said, I would opt for the park-to-park ticket and hit as many rides as possible since not all of the rides remain open for HHN. Then, hop over to HHN for early entry and hit as many houses as you can and perhaps a few remaining rides. Have fun!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Oct 3, 2019 at 2 a.m. Shari Says...

Hello,

We did some poor pre planning and have tickets for 10/12, which we realize is a high crowd time after the fact. We will be hitting the park early with regular univeral passes, and plan to take advantage of the holding areas for early entry to HHN. We would love to hit stranger things, but feel we would much rather see more things than spend all of our time doing 1. I am considering going to springfield holding area, #1 nightingales blood pit #2 house of 1000 corpses #3 Universal monsters #4 killer Klowns # 5 stranger things or US, if possible.

Is this being over zealous on a Saturday night? We looked into express passes and they are way more than what we are willing to spend.

Any advise is appreciated. All of the house listed were must sees for our kids.

Thanks!

Reply
Oct 9, 2019 at 7:16 p.m. Rachel Noble Says...

US was the hands down one of the best houses we visited this past weekend! We made it to seven out of ten. Stranger Things,US, Killer Clowns, Ghostbusters, Universal Monsters, House of 1000 Corpses and Depths of Fear.

Reply
Oct 4, 2019 at 3:09 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Shari!

We think starting at Springfield is a good idea and will get you in a prime location to hit most of the houses. Have a great time!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Oct 1, 2019 at 10:34 a.m. Mark Says...

Thank you so much for the awesome write-up. HHN has started earlier this year (by about a week) due to popular demand, would you predict the same for next year?

Reply
Oct 1, 2019 at 9:03 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Mark,

Thanks so much for hopping by! While we can't say for sure, we wouldn't be surprised if it started around the same time, especially considering it'll be the 30th anniversary of the event.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Sep 28, 2019 at 8:25 p.m. Says...

Hello. We live in the UK and have purchased two tickets just for HHN. The offer on was two nights for the price of one. We can go any nights apart from Saturdays. My question is.....Will we be able to purchase Scream Early tickets from the Universal kiosks? Thanks very much. Fiona.

Reply
Oct 1, 2019 at 8:55 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Fiona,

The Scream Early tickets are available to purchase online or at Guest Services on property.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Sep 26, 2019 at 5:33 p.m. Alyssa Says...

Hi, in your opinion.. how many houses could be completed during the Early hour Entrance in October?

My group Only wants to do about 8 houses. Could we complete that in one night with early entry only?

Reply
Sep 27, 2019 at 9:08 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Alyssa,

It depends on the day that you're planning on going. Fridays and Saturdays will be much busier than Wednesdays and Thursdays (Sundays have gotten busier over the last couple of years, so it may be a hit or miss). From our personal experience though, we found that we were able to get through 11 houses (7 separate houses, 4 repeats!) on a Thursday night with early entry and no Express passes! We knocked out three before the event officially started. Keep in mind that October may be busier once it gets closer to Halloween, as we just had this experience last night. Since your group only wants to do 8 houses, we think it's possible!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Sep 22, 2019 at 1:07 p.m. Ryan Says...

I'm staying on site at the Royal Pacific for HHN in a few weeks. I read that there is a special entrance for hotel guests but I can't find any information on it. Do you know anything about that?? Location?? Thanks!

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Sep 23, 2019 at 3:43 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Ryan!

That's correct! There's a separate entrance for hotel guests to the right of the front gates. There should be someone with a sign pointing you in the right direction.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Sep 18, 2019 at 6:50 p.m. Will Says...

Awesome post/info...as usual. I have 2 questions I am hoping you can assist with,

first, we plan to do HHN on Thursday, 17 OCT, do you think Fast Pass is necessary that specific day ($139.99ea) if we plan to see all 10 houses?

Second, does it really take ONLY about 3 minutes to go through each house?

Thanks!

Reply
Sep 20, 2019 at 9:26 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Will!

If you can swing it, and hitting ALL of the houses is a big priority for you, then Express would guarantee that you'd get to see everything. If you don’t want to spend that extra cash, there’s potential to hit all of the houses if you tackle several early on – but there’s still a risk that you won't see them all (though you WILL get to be in the park for almost 8 hours!) as long as the wait times for houses aren't above 45 minutes. If you don't opt for Express Pass, we’d advise getting there early for Stay and Scream so you can knock out a couple houses out of the way early on. The houses range about 4-6 minutes to tour, with Stranger Things being the longest at nearly 8 minutes (it seems much longer as you're working your way through!). Have fun!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Sep 12, 2019 at 4:40 p.m. Ray Says...

Hello, I attended opening weekend on Saturday for 2019 HHN in Orlando. I am an AP holder and got into the park before regular park hour closure. I waited in the Finnegan's holding area. I was able to see ALL ten houses WITHOUT an Express Pass and actually did thirteen houses total doing Us, Universal Monsters and Depths of Fear twice. I probably could have gotten into a few more, but I met up with friends after 8pm so the pace slowed down considerably, eating, drinking, etc. By 8pm, I had already been through seven houses. Because it was opening weekend, this may be the reason for being able to do so much. I know as the event gets closer towards Halloween the trend of bigger crowds becomes more prevalent.

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Sep 12, 2019 at 12:30 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

That is awesome, Ray - thanks for sharing with us! Super hopful :)

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Sep 10, 2019 at 2:42 p.m. Vashti Says...

Hi there - we have a 14 day universal pass and I have just bought a 1 night Halloween night ticket. From your post am I right that we can stay in the park after closing and get into a holding area before others?

Reply
Sep 10, 2019 at 1:59 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Vashti,

That's correct! Enjoy!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Aug 23, 2019 at 2:14 p.m. Cara Says...

Hey :) Ive booked my tickets for my first HHN and super excited.

How long roughly does it take to walk through a house?

Thank you

Reply
Aug 23, 2019 at 1:14 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Cara!

Walking through the house itself only takes about three (terrifying!) minutes. The line is definitely the longest part :)

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Aug 15, 2019 at 12:53 p.m. Aimee Says...

Hi there, thanks for this fab post, found this really helpful as I wasn't aware of the holding areas at all!

Couple of questions please. We are staying at the universal hotel so will have park express passes for the day, am i correct in thinking that these are N/A for the HHN?

If not and we were to purchase the express passes for the evening I can see the value varies depending on the anticipated crowds. Do you know if the higher or lower priced tickets are what they are anticipating to be the busiest nights? And will these prices go up as they begin to sell out? Just trying to decide if the express passes are worth the cost or not. We have 2 evenings for HHN at the end of October.

Also, do you know if the Hogwarts light show at IOA is still on over halloween at all?

Thanks so much in advance

Reply
Aug 15, 2019 at 10:25 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Aimee,

So hoppy we could help! You are correct; the regular day Express Passes won't work for Halloween Horror Nights. The higher-priced tickets do generally indicate a higher chance of crowds (with Saturdays and dates closer to Halloween being more expensive). HHN Express Passes quickly sell out and go up in price as it gets closer to the event, so if you'll get them, the sooner, the better! Since you'll be going near the end of October, we'd recommend Express Passes if it fits within your budget. Right now, the Universal Orlando website is only showing showtimes through August, which includes the Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Aug 16, 2019 at 8:12 a.m. Aimee Says...

Thank you so much

Reply
Aug 5, 2019 at 12:49 p.m. Beth Styles Says...

Hi, me and my friend are coming to Orlando florida 2nd week of October 2019. We have park to park 14 day disney and universal regular park tickets. We are planning visit universal studios or islands of adventure on one of the Wednesdays and then HHN on the evening. How much is a regular admission ticket for HHN and then how much extra for an express pass? I am finding it quite confusing to work out whether you have to pay an entry ticket aswell as an express pass or if they come joint on the 89.99 as this is very expensive if you have to pay twice? thanks.

Reply
Aug 5, 2019 at 8:38 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Beth!

You are correct - the Express Pass is not included in the cost of admission, so it will need to be purchased separately. The price varies by night, but general admission to HHN starts at $67.99 plus tax, while the Express Pass starts at $89.99 plus tax.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jul 27, 2019 at 12:52 p.m. Brian Says...

Where do you go to sign up or Reserve for early entry to the houses, Is this necessary to do because its like its a waste of time to do since everyone that has a park ticket and hhn ticket can do early entry for houses no matter if they do or do not sign up or Reserve at all.

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Jul 29, 2019 at 11:41 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Brian!

With Early Entry, you're correct. There isn't a sign up space to be the first in. Instead, your holding area will be released and you'll be the first in line before those outside of the park to one or two houses. The upside is that it's free! If you'd like front of the line access, the Express Pass may be more of what you're looking for, though it comes at an additional fee.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jul 22, 2019 at 6:31 p.m. Michele Says...

If staying at a universal resort, how early can you get in before the crowds? And do they let you in the houses earlier as well

Reply
Jul 22, 2019 at 2:14 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Michele!

Early Entry for resort guests only applies to daytime access to the parks, not Halloween Horror Nights, unfortunately. The morning Early Entry grants hotel guests access to a select park one hour early. For Halloween Horror Nights, in order to take advantage of early entry, which allows you to enter Universal Studios Florida during regular park hours and remain in the park until it reopens at 6:30 p.m. for Halloween Horror Nights, you'll need both regular park admission and a Halloween Horror Nights ticket. You'll then be put into a holding area inside of the park and released early to enjoy the thrills and chills (though the time is subject to change; we've seen this happen anywhere from 5:40 p.m. to 6 p.m). Hope this helps!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Sep 24, 2019 at 3:04 a.m. Sarah Beaty Says...

Do we need park to park? My husband has 1 day ticket to Island of adventure. Hhn is same night. Can he get into holding area? My son and I are AP but hubs is not. Trying to figure out what we can do.

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Sep 24, 2019 at 2:37 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Sarah!

Your husband would need a Halloween Horror Nights ticket rather than park-to-park (that only works during daytime hours). But he can purchase a Scream Early ticket add-on ($25) that lets him into the park as early as 3 p.m. and then can stay in a holding area until the event begins. Hope this helps!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Sep 16, 2021 at 9:39 p.m. Aurora Nunez Says...

Good Afternoon,

I cannot find anything on the Universal Scream Early Ticket, any help would be appreciated.

Reply
Sep 16, 2021 at 5:01 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Aurora!

It's a bit hidden from the main ticket page on the HHN website, but if you click on the single-night ticket option, it'll take you to a different page on Universal's web store for Extras/Add-ons. Under the Halloween Horror Nights section, you should find the Scream Early ticket there. Hope this helps!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
May 12, 2019 at 12:55 p.m. Jeff Says...

Hi, Greetings from the UK. We are coming over in Oct/Nov this year and staying on the park at the hard rock hotel. I seem to recall last year they offered an unlimited HHN ticket. do you know if they will be doing that this year ? We are only being offered the buy one get one free ticket at the mo. Also how do I get to ticket to cover the last night Sat. 2nd Nov. none of these tickets seem to cover that date. Thanks guys. Keep the faith.

Reply
May 4, 2019 at 12:06 p.m. Hazel Says...

Hi, we are thinking of booking to go to Florida over Halloween to visit all the events but I am wondering about tickets. Firstly do you get kicked out of both universal studios and islands of adventure every night early? Meaning I would have to buy the regular tickets for the day time and then horror ticket for the night time. Is it something you would only visit one night? Or should I be buying a two day ticket. Just seems like I am going to be paying more but actually get less time in the parks then normal. Are there certain days its not on where i go actually stay in all day. Or can you at least use one of the parks till later. Help, what is the best way to do this?

Reply
May 6, 2019 at 3:47 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Hazel!

While Halloween Horror Nights is at Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure typically stays open a little later on party nights so that you're able to stay and enjoy :)

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Apr 1, 2019 at 6:27 a.m. Florenciarocino Says...

Hi! If I have regular Park admission to Universal Studios AND i stay for HHN, i would have to pay parking twice?

Reply
Apr 1, 2019 at 9:09 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi,

No, you would not. Just keep your receipt!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Oct 30, 2018 at 6:52 p.m. Ingrid Taylor Says...

Hi! Great post. We are in Orlando and wld like to attend the event, either of remaining nights. Which do you recommend and are there fast passes for houses? We preplanned the Bush Gardens event, and everything was a complete mess, I wont bore you with details. But basically I dropped 1k to walk around in the dark for 2 hours. Yeah... my thoughts exactly.

We aren’t concerned with early entry, just going, and how to get shortest wait times,(houses only) this late in the game. TIA For anything you can share

Reply
Oct 30, 2018 at 3:04 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Ingrid!

There are still a few nights left of Halloween Horror Nights. We would predict this Thursday (Nov. 1) to be the least busy night left, and you can find many ticket options, including Express. Express is a necessity if you hope to complete every house.

This event is BEYOND worth it! We're obsessed!

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Oct 20, 2018 at 2:31 p.m. Ashlee Says...

If you’re inside the gates before closing and have an express pass ticket, where do you get the express pass from?

Reply
Oct 24, 2018 at 9:01 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Ashlee!

You should already have your physical ticket, but there are also Express kiosks in the park.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Sep 30, 2018 at 1:58 p.m. Jo Says...

We purchased 2 day ticket for universal and got 2 free days...can we use our free day ticket to visit for day, purchase a horror night ticket and be ok for early entry?

Reply
Oct 1, 2018 at 10:25 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Jo!

Yes, you will be able to use this :) No worries.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Sep 28, 2018 at 5:29 p.m. Flavia Says...

Do you suggest pairing a HHN ticket with Island of Adventure day ticket or Universal day ticket? Don't want to do park to park ticket. thanks

Reply
Oct 2, 2018 at 12:01 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Flavia!

You need to have admission at Universal Studios Florida (or a park-to-park ticket) in order to participate in Early Entry.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Sep 28, 2018 at 5:29 p.m. Flavia Says...

Can you buy a Island of Adventure ticket and stay in the wait areas waiting for HHN at Universal to start?

Reply
Oct 2, 2018 at 12:01 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Flavia!

You need to have admission at Universal Studios Florida (or a park-to-park ticket) in order to participate in Early Entry.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Sep 19, 2018 at 4:20 a.m. Adam Says...

Last time I visited Universal I was told that I only needed my premier members card to get my free night for HHN. Does this mean I don’t need an additional ticket or wrist band, just my membership card to stay in park? Thanks.

Reply
Sep 19, 2018 at 8:51 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Adam!

Check out the Halloween Horror Nights site for details on the free ticket included for Premier passholders.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Sep 11, 2018 at 11:19 a.m. Faye Says...

For the early entry, does your day ticket need to be for Universal Studios or can you have a ticket for Islands of Adventure and still take advantage?

Reply
Sep 11, 2018 at 6:42 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Faye!

You need to have either a park ticket or ticket for Universal Studios Florida in order to partake in early entry.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Sep 11, 2018 at 9:18 p.m. Ed Says...

Mommy Frog do you mean a park to park ticket?

Reply
Sep 12, 2018 at 12:32 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Ed!

I sure do mean a park-to-park ticket! Duh! Thanks for the catch :)

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Sep 7, 2018 at 8:49 p.m. Barry Says...

Do you just goto one of the holding areas when the park closes and they scan your ticket? Is there another ticket or charge to get?

Reply
Sep 12, 2018 at 12:38 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Barry!

That is correct. You must have both a valid day ticket and HHN ticket to stay in the holding area.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
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