Halloween Horror Nights 23 Speculation

[Octobers Fade]

I really miss an Icon. This year marketing marketed the hell out of TWD (obviously). It almost felt like the theme this year was TWD.

The surveys say it was, so as far as marketing is concerned it was.

 

[Eric]

Putting it in Universa's perspective though, it makes a ton of sense why they would advertise the heck out of the TWD. It's an incredibly popular TV show that relates to a haunted house perfectly.

I hope next year they don't focus on IP's, but I know that will be the case. Most people's favorite house was not an IP.

 

[Vyrus]

IF they do a half and half event, it'll also render the tents, and the Parade building null.

I think 8 houses are most logical:

3 SS houses
1 Disaster Queue
1 Carnage building
1 SS 33
1 Popeye Queue
#8 would have to be Nazrmans or JP

 

[Hatetofly]

Jurassic Park has yet to disappoint for HHN in the Discovery Center, just sayin

 

[Vyrus]

True, but closing down that bottom floor is removing activities that regular park guests would otherwise not be able to enjoy.

 

[Hockeyman55]

Will shutting down the bottom section of the Discovery Center really have that much of an impact with guest satisfaction? It would be different if they shut down Spidey or FJ which are major anchors of the park, I don't DC would really be missed much for the time they needed it.

 

[SeventyOne]

And you can not convince me that the passes do not effect lines or crowds. Its my opinion and until I hear it from Uni themselves (and even then...) I will stick to my guns.

Clearly they do. But the one event to sell out was a day blacked out for FF and ROF passes. Also, it's hardly the first year for FFPs, yet crowds were noticably worse this year than ever before. So there were other factors at play.

I would be curious to hear what percentage of HHN guests use a multiday pass on any given night.

---

Re: a 2-park event. Having seen a couple IoA events, the loss of Seuss Landing is very obvious--it feels like a dead spot (not in a thematic way). I think any plan has to find a way to overcome that.

 

[Jakemeister]

UOR booked a lot of special events at Islands of Adventure due to Universal being closed throughout the run of the event. I don't for see them running a dual event until Potter 2.0 is officially open.

I'd put money on an 8th house, 2-3 scarezones and 3-5 hordes, an official lagoon show, the return of an interactive game, 2 large synergized I.P.'s with Halloween West, an extra show in Animal Actors.

Oh, and just reminder that the night the events sold out there was not a single FFP or RoF on property. They were all Saturday's after the 10th.

You guys can all talk sh!t about marketing at this event, but this is the first time the event has sold out since 2006.

 

[captainjack]

Oh and I felt every bit of those crowds in my feet lol :rofl: plus the fact that.there was no HHN merch left on Nov. 1st except for some of the.boddice shirts that Cybergear had.

 

[Hatetofly]

I do not think we will see any Potter included in any HHN for the foreseeable future. Just my opinion from a business point of view.

 

[FFSoftPres]

Clearly they do. But the one event to sell out was a day blacked out for FF and ROF passes. Also, it's hardly the first year for FFPs, yet crowds were noticably worse this year than ever before. So there were other factors at play.

I would be curious to hear what percentage of HHN guests use a multiday pass on any given night.

I love my FFP and hope they don't do away with them. I've gotten one every year they've offered it and in the last few years probably go more now than I ever have (probably 10-12 nights a year). I do agree that they can have a big impact on the crowds and lines. I know for me I didn't contribute much to long lines cause I'd avoid peak times toward the final weeks of the event, often not showing up until 9:30 or 10 and then just wandering the streets, watching B&T, riding MIB single rider until the lines died down in the final hour of the event.

One problem I see with the FFP is that for the average out of state tourist they actually priced the FFP lower than a 1 night ticket! They even promoted this on the website, stating you can get a FFP for less than the price of a one night ticket. Why encourage people to get the FFP? Maybe to avoid complaints that you can't get it all done in one day...who knows.

In future years I'd be fine paying more for the FFP...I definitely think its worth the $$.

 

[Eckert]

Why encourage people to get the FFP?

Universal knows people who get the FFP will be going to the event more; aka spending more money at the park.

 

[Jakemeister]

Universal knows people who get the FFP will be going to the event more; aka spending more money at the park.

It's a serious cash cow. A decent amount of those people do not have annual passes and they get them for parking every time.

 

[Vyrus]

You guys can all talk sh!t about marketing at this event, but this is the first time the event has sold out since 2006.

IMHO they really didn't have to do any marketing, the Silent Hill and ESPECIALLY Walking Dead did the advertising for them...what I think most marketing that people are complaining about is the lack of a lead up in the website, and they've resorted to leaking a picture on facebook with some cheesy line of a teaser, instead of the beautiful website and puzzles, and racking our brains to figure stuff out. Half the fun was connecting the dots of rumor to fact, now the lead up is just not as fun anymore as it used to be.

 

[TylerDurden]

I definitely know what I want to see next year, but this is a speculation thread. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if next year had nearly all IP's, thematic similarities with Hollywood, and lack of elaborate scarezones or houses (though I do think scarezones will be coming back after the negative feedback). What the public has shown Universal this year is that they can spend less money, less creativity, and less resources overall and get more money. From a business standpoint, why fix what ain't broke?

 

[Jakemeister]

IMHO they really didn't have to do any marketing, the Silent Hill and ESPECIALLY Walking Dead did the advertising for them...what I think most marketing that people are complaining about is the lack of a lead up in the website, and they've resorted to leaking a picture on facebook with some cheesy line of a teaser, instead of the beautiful website and puzzles, and racking our brains to figure stuff out. Half the fun was connecting the dots of rumor to fact, now the lead up is just not as fun anymore as it used to be.

The marketing team had their place in that deal taking place. Someone who knows more about these sort of corporate deals can elaborate more on that, but I know that Universal's, Konami's, and AMC's marketing teams all worked together on this.

I love that elaborate websites, the issue with those large build ups are only a small percentage of the events attendees see them. I think they can expand on stories, having a well themed, interactive website, and have a strong social media presence.

 

[Drew]

Personally, I think they should do a sequel to the Walking Dead but put in a SS, and theme it to the prison, because this season is absolutely insane.

I legit think this is a definite. Given the success for both parties, why wouldn't they.

I'd love to see actual set scarezones back with roaming actors in the dead areas. Would be perfect.

Does anyone else also think if we have limited space around the rest of the park it could be possible that we see 5 sound stages? They didn't use the typical SS' this year. The only problem would be the queues. Unless they use and empty SS like they did at HHN18. They can't roll with 7 houses again and all the construction and keep IP's. It's just too much.

 

[Splatter]

I legit think this is a definite. Given the success for both parties, why wouldn't they.

I'd love to see actual set scarezones back with roaming actors in the dead areas. Would be perfect.

Does anyone else also think if we have limited space around the rest of the park it could be possible that we see 5 sound stages? They didn't use the typical SS' this year. The only problem would be the queues. Unless they use and empty SS like they did at HHN18. They can't roll with 7 houses again and all the construction and keep IP's. It's just too much.

I doubt it due to Soundstages being the most "costly" house locations of any of them until they want to operate that many houses. Every soundstage they book for the haunts have to not be scheduled to be used for production any time around or after the event since it includes taking up that space for build and take down as well as the actual event duration. They can be a costly investment in the sense of money they could be making.

Anything is possible though and I am curious to what you mean by limited space of the event?

 

[John321]

Oh and I felt every bit of those crowds in my feet lol :rofl: plus the fact that.there was no HHN merch left on Nov. 1st except for some of the.boddice shirts that Cybergear had.

HAH theres never any HHN merch left by Halloween. It's all Grinchmas stuff.

 

[floridakid]

I would really love to see some 2008 in the park next year. Crazy detailed scare zones; 8 houses total with most being original ideas; better shows (although I didn't see either show this year so I can't really say "better"). Regardless, the event just needs to get in touch with its past in terms of aesthetics and house concepts, IMO.
There was something about Horror Nights during 2000-2009 that gave it its edge and a type of personality. I feel as though that has all been lost within the past few years.