Halloween Horror Nights At Universal Studios

Universal Studios!

If you've heard about Halloween Horror Nights, then perhaps you know a little about it being the best haunted house theme park to visit. You also may have heard about how expensive it is! I say the only way to look at vacationing is this way: You work hard...at school or work. You rarely give yourself a break (sorry, going out to eat is not a break). Cut yourself some slack and go to HHN, spend some money, and don't think twice about it! Anyway, Universal Studios is not the place to go if you want to save dinero! If you go vacationing with a grudge about the cash you're about to blow, you won't have a good time. Again, give you some "you" time! Don't worry about the rest.

The place consists of seven haunted houses, five scare zones, and one show, "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure"! Whoa dude! It's held practically every night in October in the evening from 6:30pm to 2:00am or 12:00pm, depending on the day.

Some of the biggest complaints about the event are long lines and overcrowding. This can be helped by planning to go on a Sunday evening, and early in the week, say Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Obviously, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday will be swamped with people. Another good thing to do to get a jump on people is get there an hour before it opens, at 5:30. You'll be ahead of the pack!

There's confusion also about Halloween Horror Nights being a ticketed event all by itself. That means if you pay to get into the park during the day, it does not include HHN! You have to buy that ticket separate for that event. Yeah, I know! Money hungry $%@*&#!!!

A smart move would be getting what they call an "Express Pass". It will skip the long lines and get you in front of everybody! People in the regular line may grumble, but hey, you paid the extra dough, so back off zombies!! This is something to check on but apparently, if you stay in a Universal Studio approved hotel, they throw the express pass in free!

Buy your tickets online and early. They sell out quick. If you wait and buy at the gate, you'll be spending time waiting. Forget that! You can print them out on your printer at home. 2005 tickets were $59.75. (Update: 2007 Tickets are $64.95)

Stay and Scream tickets enable you to get access to Halloween Horror Nights if you've already purchased daytime park tickets and want to go to HHN that evening. They range in price with Saturday being the most expensive at 49.75 and 39.75 on Fridays. Forget paying that! Go early in the week and pay only 24.75 to get into HHN!!

In 2005, Halloween Horror Nights let people wear costumes on October 31st! It was a contest on the best costume, with the prize being a cool $5000.00. There are so many restrictions that it's not worth it, unless you are a very creative person, plan on not going into the haunted houses, and plan on moving and living in Florida because that's just one stipulation! I mean, they lost me when they say no face make-up allowed.

Hey, look at those zombies! They look realistic!! Look at them stagger and stumble. Listen to their horror sounds, and watch them really rumba! No, my friend, those are people that have had too much to drink! I understand beer costs 5.00 a glass. I'd hate to find out what hard drinks cost. There's allot of booze flowing at HHN, with vendors all over the place. If you drink, you'll have an even better time. The prices though!! Ouch! Get a good start before you walk in the door. Pour you a glass before you get out of the car or start at the hotel and then walk over.

Likewise with food: expect to pay more at Halloween Horror Nights. My advice is to get a cheap cooler and fill it up with your favorite food and stash it at the hotel. It may cut down on your food bill.