1) Is the Halloween event a separate ticketed event or can we use our 3 day pass?
Your 3-day pass covers theme park entry only. Horror Nights is ticketed separately.
2) Is the normal park open 9am - 6pm then closes and re-opens at 8pm?
The park indeed opens at 9am (8:30am ERT via hotel entrance), then closes between 6pm and 9pm, depending how busy it is. Horror Nights entrance is from 8pm, correct.
3) No rides are open are they at the Halloween event and is it not in the main park?
Pegasus, Matterhorn Blitz, Kassandra and sometimes a few other rides open during Horror Nights. It is partly located inside and partly outside the park. If the park is closing later than the start of Horror Nights, small areas will be closed to theme park guests early.
4) From Bell Rock, where we are staying, I have read its a 5 minute walk to the hotel guests entrance. Is that correct?
It is between a 2 and 5 minute walk from Bell Rock to the resort guests entrance, depending on your speed.
5) Can we access the Halloween event from this entrance, or do we have to get to a different entrance?
Horror Nights entrance is off the main park entrance plaza. To access this from the hotels, take the EP Express from the station at Colosseo, round to Alexanderplatz - Main entrance. Disembark, leave the park and then take the special entrance to Horror Nights. If you are going straight from the park into horror nights, then leave the park via the main entrance.
6) Does anyone know when Halloween tickets go on sale? Dont want to miss out on them, if they are separate !!
They usually go on sale in May or June.
7) What rides are normally on ERT, or do they chop and change throughout the year?
ERT rides change massively. However, you will usually get a selection towards the back of the park, nearest the hotel/resort guest entrance. It usually includes Alpenexpress, Feria Swing, Columbus Dinghy but if it's a holiday period (October holiday is the 25 Oct - 2 Nov) then you will almost certainly get one of Wodan or Blue Fire, plus possibly Atlantica Super Splash too. At weekends, you may also get extra rides.
8) How do queuetimes differ during October? As mentioned we are there on the Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning. Can we expect a busy park?
Europa-Park eats queues. However, on a Saturday in October you may be expecting to queue over 45 minutes for Wodan and Blue Fire, but less for other rides.