All things Universal Studios Hollywood

[D.Silentu]

How does Terror Tram work, exactly? My only previous HHN was 2019, which didn't have a Terror Tram because that was the year they had 10 mazes.

You board the tram and the onboard screens set up whatever scenario they've gone with for the year. You're then dropped off at the road that passed by the Grinch sets, though now it's a lot for picture cars. There you cross a gauntlet of chainsaw wielding scare actors.

The path proceeds along the road, then traces the boardwalk along the Bates Motel. From there you head up the hill toward the Psycho house. Some years they let you take a picture on the porch with Norman. Afterward, you head through the War Of The Worlds crash site. Some years they have mini mazes set up in this area. Once you've made your way through War Of The Worlds and are back to the road you usually board the tram with the experience ending here. However, last year you continued walking up the road and through the new Nope sets before reboarding. It varies slightly from year to year, but that's the gist of it.

 

[Phroobar]

It is the highlight the whole experience. It's fun to walk on the back lot even if you are dodging chainsaws. I wonder if they ever hit anyone?

 

[Professortango1]

It is the highlight the whole experience. It's fun to walk on the back lot even if you are dodging chainsaws. I wonder if they ever hit anyone?

Terror Tram is always my least favourite aspect. The junk around the sets clutters it and there's long periods of nothing between the sets. It's a cool idea, but always feels off. I'd love to see them do smaller teams like a Hay Ride with show scenes/scares.

 

[Nirya]

I think there was only one year where the Terror Tram worked as a scare zone for me, I want to say it was one of the Saw years, because it also used the old Whoville area to start and kept the long walks to a minimum. Now it's basically just interesting for the walk-through of the Bates Motel/Psycho House which are mostly kept uncluttered. Last year's Nope section was also pretty cool and on-theme, but who knows if that will return this year.

 

[Professortango1]

I think there was only one year where the Terror Tram worked as a scare zone for me, I want to say it was one of the Saw years, because it also used the old Whoville area to start and kept the long walks to a minimum. Now it's basically just interesting for the walk-through of the Bates Motel/Psycho House which are mostly kept uncluttered. Last year's Nope section was also pretty cool and on-theme, but who knows if that will return this year.

Isn't there usually a bunch of stuff set up at Bates Motel? I've seen plywood walls creating a semi maze walk through, chainlink fences, stalls for show scenes, etc.

 

[PiratesMansion]

I think there was only one year where the Terror Tram worked as a scare zone for me, I want to say it was one of the Saw years, because it also used the old Whoville area to start and kept the long walks to a minimum. Now it's basically just interesting for the walk-through of the Bates Motel/Psycho House which are mostly kept uncluttered. Last year's Nope section was also pretty cool and on-theme, but who knows if that will return this year.

So we get to walk through the Bates Motel/Psycho House, as in through them vs. by them? That could be cool.

The current HHN site mentions walking through the Nope set.

 

[Professortango1]

So we get to walk through the Bates Motel/Psycho House, as in through them vs. by them? That could be cool.

The current HHN site mentions walking through the Nope set.

No, you do not get to enter the structures. You walk along the boardwalk of the Motel and up to the steps of House to take a picture.

Its basically like hopping off the tram and walking the same route, but a little closer.

 

[Phroobar]

There is still something magical of just walking the backlot. It would be cool to walk into the Psycho house but it isn't a real structure. I often wonder what the residents of those multi-million dollar houses on the hill side above the back lot think of HHN and the constant chainsaws and screams in the valley below.

 

[D.Silentu]

I often wonder what the residents of those multi-million dollar houses on the hill side above the back lot think of HHN and the constant chainsaws and screams in the valley below.

There are oddly placed partial walls along the Terror Tram route that are actually noise barriers for the benefit of those homes. Some nights Universal even hires someone to go into that neighborhood with a decibel reader to monitor excess noise from the park. I've heard it's a prickly issue on both sides.

 

[PiratesMansion]

HHN Season is officially here! From a recovering-ankle perspective, I'm happy that the event is completely within normal park boundaries and isn't extending into the NY backlots the way the 2019 HHN did (though Terror Tram may entirely negate this for all I know, and probably requires a decent haul back to the rest of the park). Four mazes on the upper lot and four on the lower is nice from a symmetry perspective. Two totally new shows also? Though the Blumhouse piece of "entertainment" doesn't really sound like a show to me, so I'd be interested to know what that's like.

The one thing that baffles me is that SNW apparently is open during HHN from 7-10, but only for people who purchase the After 2 ticket (this is also the only ticket that includes early entry into the mazes at the moment). I get not wanting what is already an overcrowded land to become unmanageable (and they're undoubtedly using the land queuing area for Stranger Things), but it just seems odd and a bit arbitrary that this is the decision they made. Ah well-I've made peace with the fact that when I visit I'll be driving up from Anaheim, and so Mario Kart/SNW are likely off the table for me this time around.

Now all I really have to decide is how much effort I put into seeing (or not seeing) the movies/IP the mazes are based on (I believe the original Child's Play is the only thing I've seen that's represented in the park this year).

 

[Phroobar]

I usually get the after 2pm HHN pass so I can do a couple of rides and get early entry. Lately the event has become so overcrowded that getting most of the mazes done is impossible even with the early entry.

This time I bought the HHN express pass so I can hit all the mazes that night. Last year, I got tired of the express group going in at 50 to 1 standby. Might as well join the rich people. Maybe it will give me time for Harry Potter or Jurassic World that night. At least I will hit the terror team which is my favorite event of the night. This will be the last year I do it. It is far too expensive for the quantity of the mazes and what you get. I think I'll do multiple times at Knott's.

 

[PiratesMansion]

I usually get the after 2pm HHN pass so I can do a couple of rides and get early entry. Lately the event has become so overcrowded that getting most of the mazes done is impossible even with the early entry.

This time I bought the HHN express pass so I can hit all the mazes that night. Last year, I got tired of the express group going in at 50 to 1 standby. Might as well join the rich people. Maybe it will give me time for Harry Potter or Jurassic World that night. At least I will hit the terror team which is my favorite event of the night. This will be the last year I do it. It is far too expensive for the quantity of the mazes and what you get. I think I'll do multiple times at Knott's.

I basically don't do Halloween events without splurging for whatever Express equivalent is being offered. Lines at Haunts are just too slow otherwise, especially for mazes, and I've NEVER been to a Haunt event where the mazes have pleasant waiting areas. The fact that my stamina, though improving, is still a bit questionable is another big incentive for me to splurge at the moment.

The 2 PM ticket is realistically what I would buy normally; however, because I ended up at USH for two days this summer (mainly because of the timing of the D23 WDS Tour and the lack of other viable options in the area), and decided early on that I wanted to include USH for my Haunt trip next month, I decided to bite the bullet and go with an annual pass this time around. It's just *barely* cost savings, but there's something lovely psychologically about showing your pass and not having to fork over a parking fee (and getting in-park discounts) that also tilts the scale in favor of the pass for me. And in the (probably unlikely) event I return to California next summer, I can stop by Universal for free.

 

[Professortango1]

I basically don't do Halloween events without splurging for whatever Express equivalent is being offered. Lines at Haunts are just too slow otherwise, especially for mazes, and I've NEVER been to a Haunt event where the mazes have pleasant waiting areas. The fact that my stamina, though improving, is still a bit questionable is another big incentive for me to splurge at the moment.

The 2 PM ticket is realistically what I would buy normally; however, because I ended up at USH for two days this summer (mainly because of the timing of the D23 WDS Tour and the lack of other viable options in the area), and decided early on that I wanted to include USH for my Haunt trip next month, I decided to bite the bullet and go with an annual pass this time around. It's just *barely* cost savings, but there's something lovely psychologically about showing your pass and not having to fork over a parking fee (and getting in-park discounts) that also tilts the scale in favor of the pass for me. And in the (probably unlikely) event I return to California next summer, I can stop by Universal for free.

I never need them at Knotts. I wait 20 minutes max usually. HHN is absurd with 2-3 hour waits unless you pay a few hundred per person.

 

[Phroobar]

I never need them at Knotts. I wait 20 minutes max usually. HHN is absurd with 2-3 hour waits unless you pay a few hundred per person.

This is very true. Knotts is a lot faster than Universal. I think the mazes are better too. No constant boo boxes.

 

[PiratesMansion]

I never need them at Knotts. I wait 20 minutes max usually. HHN is absurd with 2-3 hour waits unless you pay a few hundred per person.

Do you go Wed/Thurs, or are you just exceptionally strategic for Scary Farm? Maybe there's something that I can/should be doing better as I approach the event.

I'm considering popping over there on my first Sunday too because I noticed that Sunday had the lowest FL price, and am hopeful that too many people will be worried about the start of the work week to stay up til 1 AM doing mazes.

 

[Phroobar]

Do you go Wed/Thurs, or are you just exceptionally strategic for Scary Farm? Maybe there's something that I can/should be doing better as I approach the event.

I'm considering popping over there on my first Sunday too because I noticed that Sunday had the lowest FL price, and am hopeful that too many people will be worried about the start of the work week to stay up til 1 AM doing mazes.

I usually do the first couple of weeks on a thursday or friday at Knotts or Uni. I'm doing the Sept 28th at Knotts and Sept 14 at Universal. Knotts I always head for the mazes in the backstage area by Ghostrider first then work my way to the other end of the park. We will do shows midway that night. We get done by midnight.

 

[PiratesMansion]

I usually do the first couple of weeks on a thursday or friday at Knotts or Uni. I'm doing the Sept 28th at Knotts and Sept 14 at Universal. Knotts I always head for the mazes in the backstage area by Ghostrider first then work my way to the other end of the park. We will do shows midway that night. We get done by midnight.

Gotcha. Though undoubtedly going in September helps a bit-unfortunately not really an option for me and my schedule.

 

[Phroobar]

Gotcha. Though undoubtedly going in September helps a bit-unfortunately not really an option for me and my schedule.

October just gets worst and worst. I might hit up Knotts again in October but by then I would have done everything.

 

[Nirya]

Do you go Wed/Thurs, or are you just exceptionally strategic for Scary Farm? Maybe there's something that I can/should be doing better as I approach the event.

I'm considering popping over there on my first Sunday too because I noticed that Sunday had the lowest FL price, and am hopeful that too many people will be worried about the start of the work week to stay up til 1 AM doing mazes.

I usually go on a Friday or Saturday for Knotts to take advantage of the extra hour, though last year we were done with all the mazes by around 12:30 so it's doable on a week day as well. And yeah, I've never felt a need to get the Express pass at Knotts while it is basically mandatory at Universal if you want to do everything.

The key to Scary Farm for me is pretty simple:
- Be there as close to rope drop as possible. We've walked in like 15 minutes after the official start the last couple years, which means we avoid the initial crush of people queued up waiting to enter Ghost Town. The intro show is fun but this is mostly to take advantage of time.
- Start at the Ghostrider mazes area. Usually with the one in the middle of the coaster (so Wax Works this year), as that one has a rough line if you wait later in the night. That area also tends to get skipped by a lot of people early as they're rushing to the back, so you can knock out those 4 mazes in an hour and a half (used to be faster but the Vampire shooter maze is here now and that has the roughest line of the four).
- Go down Ghost Town after make a judgement call based on the line for the barn maze (right now it's Origins). If the line is short (aka not taking up the entire area) then jump in it and do that one and the Mystery Lodge maze. If it's long, head straight over to the mazes in the Boardwalk Ballroom and behind XCelerator, as those will likely have smaller lines as a result.
- Save the maze near the entrance for the end. Later in the night it never has a real line so you can walk onto it. This also applies for the years they had a maze next to Reflection Lake.
- No rides until mazes are done. You'll have time for a show if you really want to do the Hanging, but you gotta hold off on any of the rides until the mazes are done because people love hitting those early, especially if they have kids that aren't going to last well into the night.

(I will note this may be the first year I get an Express pass, not because it's necessary but because the person I'm going with doesn't want to do Universal this year and decided she wants us to treat ourselves on the Knotts trip).

 

[mickEblu]

I haven’t been into any of these Halloween events for a very long time but dammit that Chucky maze looks cool.