Believe it or not, the scariest things about Halloween Horror Nights aren’t the Scare Zones or the Houses. This year, you’re going to want to plan ahead of time, so you don’t get caught in the real terror… spending over $400 in one day.
If you’re anything like me, then you probably watch what you spend your money on, especially when it comes to amusement parks. Growing up in Florida, I have grown accustomed to having to the prices at Disney World, Busch Gardens, and Universal Studios, but for those who come here for vacation, you’re in for an expensive treat. Don’t worry though, I’m going to provide you with a simple HHN survival guide, if you’re a struggling college student on a budget, then you’re at the right place. Here’s how you can hit up all the houses at HHN and make it home safely at the end of the night without having to spend $400+ in one day.
If you don’t live in Orlando, then you have to drive over to the park, driving from Miami can take upwards of 3-4 hours depending on traffic. The best thing to do is to take the train or a Greyhound bus. Taking a Greyhound can cost you as little as $47 round trip, meaning they take you to Orlando and back to Miami for only $47. Obviously, the prices change all the time but if you plan accordingly, you can find prices close to the one mentioned above. This is a much cheaper option than renting an Airbnb for the night or staying in a hotel room. The best thing to do is take the bus to Orlando in the morning and then take it back home afterward because you will be leaving the park at 2 in the morning, and no one wants to drive 4 hours at that ungodly time of the night. Many people will be arriving at the park at the same time as you, so if you take a bus you won’t need to worry about paying for parking either which saves you another $30, and you can line up at the front gates earlier than others too. It’s a win/win situation.
Another factor to think about is purchasing an Express Pass for the day. Express Passes allow you to skip the lines once for each house. If you go to the HHN Website, you will see that an Express Pass for weekends can cost upwards $140 per day, excluding an entry ticket. An Express Pass costs more than a ticket of entrance!!! This sounds ridiculous but it’s true, and Universal doesn’t sell these to just anyone, they have a select number of tickets and it’s first come, first serve. What you can do to get your hands on one of these tickets for your select day (and to avoid paying $140), is go to sites like “OfferUp” and “Craigslist”, they always have someone selling their tickets for cheaper because they can’t go, or they are third-party dealers. To put it into perspective, it’s like buying a concert ticket from a scalper outside of the concert venue.
If you change your location to Orlando in the sites, you will see people who are selling tickets in Orlando and these are always cheaper than getting them directly from Universal. You can find express passes for $50-$80 on these websites, which is a huge difference and makes it way easier to purchase Express Passes. Be cautious though, when making purchases from these sites you have to meet the sellers, I suggest you do this with a friend and you let someone else know what you are doing beforehand for safety precautions, you should always be wary when meeting up with any stranger and always bring a buddy along with you. This rule also goes for general entry tickets, you can find them way cheaper on these sites or you can go to your local Publix and get them for at least $20 cheaper than what they sell for officially.
The last thing you can do to get through Horror Nights is HAVE FUN. Yes, this article basically tells you how to cheat the system and it may seem really complicated but it’s worth it in the end. Halloween Horror Nights is the perfect way to get into the Halloween Spirit, if you’re into jump scares and live for the adrenaline rush, then this event is perfect for you, so why not save money in the process? Be safe this Halloween Season and don’t empty out your wallet while you’re getting down and spooky.