Fall at Universal Orlando is certainly one of my favourite Florida journeys to take — the climate’s respectable, the decorations scream autumn, and there’s simply one thing about visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter through the season that appears additional magical. In case you really feel the identical and have already got a fall getaway to Common Orlando brewing, you most likely have visions of hitting your go-to rides after darkish and sipping Butterbeer whilst you absorb all of the nighttime park vitality. However there’s one factor chances are you’ll not notice, and it’s the form of essential element that would derail your journey for those who don’t plan accordingly.
Right here’s the factor: Come spooky season, park hours look slightly totally different.
From late August by way of early November, Common Studios Florida closes early on choose nights — generally as early as 5 p.m. — to make approach for Halloween Horror Nights, the extremely anticipated (and big) after-hours seasonal occasion. In case you’re going particularly for HHN, this works to your benefit. If haunted homes aren’t your scene, although, you’ll be ushered out of the park earlier than you may anticipate.
It’s a super-easy element to overlook for those who’re not within the loop about Florida theme park information, and it could understandably be a significant bummer to not notice till you’ve already arrived and headed over to hop on Revenge of the Mummy after dinner… solely to be instructed it’s time to pack it in for the night time.
So, right here’s every thing you have to learn about Common Orlando’s fall hours to be able to plan accordingly.
Which dates are affected?
This 12 months, Halloween Horror Nights runs from Aug. 29 through Nov. 2 on choose nights (usually Wednesday by way of Sunday, with just a few Tuesdays sprinkled in). On as of late, Common Studios Florida closes at 5 p.m.
Nonetheless, to offset this early closure, the park can even open an hour earlier — at 8 a.m. So, whenever you’re strategizing about how one can spend your park days, be sure you take into account that. I might suggest both getting up early and “rope dropping” Common Studios Florida on HHN days to benefit from your time within the park, or arriving and leaving with sufficient time to keep away from the HHN crowd as they file into the park.
What concerning the different parks?
Since HHN takes place at Common Studios, the opposite parks aren’t affected as a lot through the fall. Nonetheless, I at all times suggest double-checking the park hours on the times you propose to go to. For essentially the most half through the summer season, the park hours have been 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for Common Studios and Islands of Journey, 10 a.m. to 9 or 10 p.m. for Epic Universe, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. for Volcano Bay.
As we transfer into fall, you’ll discover some fluctuations in these hours, with the park closing instances shifting by an hour or two many nights. Islands of Journey even closes as early as 6 p.m. on HHN Tuesdays, after which at 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. on different nights. However none differ as drastically because the hours for Common Studios throughout HHN season.
Oh, and whereas CityWalk isn’t a park, it’s a blast and deserves to be acknowledged extra. Throughout HHN, CityWalk stays open for procuring and eating (even when the parks shut early) from 8 a.m. to midnight on Mondays and non-HHN Tuesdays and from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. on HHN days.
What are some hacks for planning round HHN?
If your loved ones desires to maximise your park time however truthfully doesn’t have any curiosity in being haunted, spooked, or in any other case creeped out like the remainder of us freaks, there are positively some workarounds:
- Test park hours prematurely. Severely, I can’t state this sufficient. Common posts hours months prematurely on their web site, so look earlier than you guide.
- Go on Mondays or non-HHN Tuesdays. There are few issues I really like greater than a theme park on a weekday! The crowds are usually decrease, and through HHN season, you’re additionally capable of squeeze in slightly extra time for those who go on as of late. Moreover, everybody ought to witness the dragon respiration hearth atop Gringott’s at night time a minimum of as soon as.
- Hit up different parks within the evenings. This sounds apparent, however not everybody books tickets to park-hop day by day. In case you’re solely visiting Common Studios, and even if you’re visiting a couple of park however aren’t getting park-to-park passes, ensure that to schedule your Common Studios go to for non-HHN nights. Professional tip: Epic Universe at night time is unimaginable.
- Make the most of the sooner begin time. Toss again some espresso and stand up and out earlier than the morning rush.
- Line up baby care and have a grown-ups night time out! In case you don’t plan on bringing the grandparents alongside to assist out, loads of respected native providers provide childcare for theme park stays. That is the way in which to go if anybody in your grownup crew is into scares — the occasion is an absolute should for horror buffs.
How late are you able to keep for those who do HHN?
Right here’s the place having that childcare lined up is available in clutch, as a result of HHN ends *late* at night time. The closing time varies, but it surely’s usually both 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. Simply do not forget that this can be a individually ticketed occasion, so that you’ll want to attend till the official begin time to enter the park.
Except you splurge, that’s. The “Scream Early” add-on helps you to test into the park as early as 3 p.m. so you’ll be able to knock out some rides or exhibits earlier than heading to the Haunted Homes or scare zones at 4 p.m. Feeling tremendous spooky? Upgrade your experience with other “extras,” just like the HHN Specific Move (to get front-of-the-line entry).
The Backside Line
Even with the added logistical maneuvering, it’s 100% value touring to Common Orlando within the fall. The decorations, the vitality, the costumes, the seasonal meals — it’s each bit as magical as you’re imagining. So long as you factor in the early closing time at Common Studios whenever you guide your journey, you received’t be dissatisfied.
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