Official 2023 Halloween Horror Nights 32 (Orlando)

[BGparadise]

Planning on my first HHN this year on September 15th as well. Still debating on RIP tour vs Express pass. Am only planning on one night so want to get the most out of it I can.

 

[TAnsley]

If you're going twice then you probably don't need an express pass as you should be able to get through all the houses with two nights. But, it really is nice to have! Thanks to that we were and to do all the houses in one night, repeated two, and saw the shows (those are not my favorites, this year we'll skip them and just spend more time doing other stuff)

We're the opposite, we went twice last year opening weekend and closing weekend, 8 nights total. We bought Rush of Fear Plus passes w/express for about $600 each. SO WORTH IT! The passes were about $280 but that's the cost of tickets for less than 3 nights on the weekend, and the $310 add on for Express was worth it too. The two nights we wanted express it would have been about $270 anyway!

We loved it, our 5th year.

Ted

 

[TAnsley]

Planning on my first HHN this year on September 15th as well. Still debating on RIP tour vs Express pass. Am only planning on one night so want to get the most out of it I can.

For one night I recommend the RIP tour. If you can, get 10 people and do the private RIP tour, worth every penny.

Ted

 

[BGparadise]

For one night I recommend the RIP tour. If you can, get 10 people and do the private RIP tour, worth every penny.

Ted

This will also be my first solo trip since my DW wants to keep the kids in school. I will keep an eye out for groups posted here. Thanks for the advise

 

[Bird003]

What hotel onsite does everyone recommend for the weekend we do horror nights

 

[Lynne G]

I’d say any hotel that gets boat service. If money was no issue, I’d book Hard Rock, closet and quickest to walk from the Studios, or take boat if so inclined. If you don’t mind waking back through City Walk to catch a bus, then any of Universal hotels would be the most preferred.

 

[Skywalker3]

We'll be in Orlando week of Columbus day, often down there at this time, VERY busy and VERY crowded. This will be our 3rd HHN, during that same time. We'll be at Boardwalk most of the week, but plan to do at least 1 night at universal hotel for HHN. probably the THursday, Oct 12. AFter last year's crazy crowds/lines, decided to budget for express this year. Currently working ovetime to make sure that happens, ha. However, now debating if I should just get 2 nights of tickets, no express, or 1 night with express....2 nights would probably mean spending on another night at Universal. What would y'all do? 1 night w express, or 2 nights no express? We do not at all plan on doing the stage show. Just houses, scare zones, food. the more I think about it, more I think we'll just do express.....lines last year were so crazy.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

FYI, if anybody has as Amex Platinum credit card, Lowe's Portofino Bay is in the FHR collection and qualifies for the $200 off credit. This is where we usually stay because between that and the $100 dining credit plus included express passes, the one night pays for itself lol

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

the more I think about it, more I think we'll just do express.....lines last year were so crazy.

Yes, this is what I would do. Actually, I realized it is technically what we're doing. We'll be in Orlando two separate weekends this September and could do HHN twice (hadn't thought about it), but regardless we'd rather have one good night for the money.

 

[Marquibiri]

Count me in! Booked 9/8-9/18! Waiting for them RoF + Ex tickets

 

[shh]

However, now debating if I should just get 2 nights of tickets, no express, or 1 night with express....2 nights would probably mean spending on another night at Universal. What would y'all do? 1 night w express, or 2 nights no express?

Honestly, these days, I'd rather have one relaxing night with express pass than 2 nights waiting in long, hot/humid lines. But I have no patience for 90 min-2+ hour lines like I used to. If you asked me 10-15 years ago, my answer would have been opposite. I used to choose 2 nights and skip the extra express pass cost. But it used to be a lot less crowded midweek back then- today every night feels like the weekends used to - mobbed.

 

[macraven]

Count me in! Booked 9/8-9/18! Waiting for them RoF + Ex tickets

hey……one of my dates for my trip matches yours (12)

See you in the fog….

 

[keishashadow]

Looks like the weekend of the 9/15 is shaping up to be a popular weekend with DIS’rs

 

[Smugpugmug]

Looks like the weekend of the 9/15 is shaping up to be a popular weekend with DIS’rs

I picked that weekend because I didn't want to come across mobs of vloggers on the first weekend and hopefully touring plan guides will be up by then (as in which houses to go to first, etc.) Guess I'll be seeing you guys that day too ;D

 

[Skippyboo]

I going September 16-23. Miss the initial crowds and avoid the last week of September which is fall break here in Atlanta area.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Are HHN all capped at the same capacity? And do they all sell out? If both are true, then it doesn't seem like crowds would be better on a given night, right?

 

[Skippyboo]

Are HHN all capped at the same capacity? And do they all sell out? If both are true, then it doesn't seem like crowds would be better on a given night, right?

You are going have more people on Friday or Saturday night than you are on a Wednesday. If you are a local who has to go to work the next day, probably going to wait until Friday or Saturday instead of Wednesday staying out to 2am and then trying to work in 6 hrs.

 

[keishashadow]

Are HHN all capped at the same capacity? And do they all sell out? If both are true, then it doesn't seem like crowds would be better on a given night, right?

Yes, single nights do indeed sell out. Last year, opening 3 nights were SO…being over Labor Day weekend probably factors into that, along with FOMO with many people.

believe 10/20 & 21 also SO, may be more dates. Although just anecdotal, appears that many locals do that last weekend prior to Halloween and then, enjoy other activities on actual holiday/closest weekend before it.



Let’s talk Orange County School District’s infamous ‘hell week’. This season it’s more of a long, 4 day weekend

Thursday, 10/12, Friday 10/13 (friday the 13th!), Saturday 10/14 & Sunday 10/15 all should be quite popular with the local tweens & teens.

(See below)

The weekend before it, that encompasses Columbus Day, got so congested and hotels so inflated In price, it got to the point we ditched doing our annual trip then.

we did wind up doing a bonus run down that included HHN on Friday,10/14/22. Even being after Columbus Day, it was still wildly crowded. Without S&S & EP would’ve been a disaster even having good knowledge on what way to zig & zag via trip a couple of weeks prior.




I’ve wondered how it works in order for them to stay under their fire code gate number, always wondered what arbitrary metrics were used to factor in ROF/FF tix attendance.

Parks typically play that info pretty close to the vest, any insiders with info? we’ve got

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

All that info is very useful. Basically, not all the dates sell out, and weekdays not close to major school breaks are less likely to sell out.

ETA: this makes the strategy quite different than MNSSHP, since for that event pretty much all the dates will sell out so there's no difference in crowds. Not this year (have limited personal availability), but in the future we'll try for a weekday if we can swing it.

 

[katied]

We will be there Columbus Weekend… Oct 5-9. We wanted to go Oct 7… but no RIP tours (group or private) for that Saturday… so plan is to go Oct 6th with tour. I don’t think I would try Columbus Day weekend without the tour… we did same last year.

(and, booked HRH almost a year ago… since it sells out fast for that weekend)