Halloween Horror Nights 25 Discussion

[s8film40]

I really think the crowds have been a little over exaggerated. Yeah it was busy opening day of course but it wasn't that bad. There were a good number of people who made it through all 9 houses in one day without express. That's 9 houses the most they've ever had. I saw waits as low as 15-20 minutes at different points.

I do think if they keep expanding it, they could start marketing it as a 2 day event. I think the casual general public visitor views it as a one day thing. Imagining a future event with 10 houses 2-3 shows a few extra scare zones and one day just wouldn't cut it. I think a 2 day Wed-Thur and more expensive Fri-Sat pass would be great for the out of town or one time visitors. This would also serve as a subtle hint that it's a 2 day event.

 

[Nick]

Lets just say I spend over the course of the event equivalent to what someone spends in one weekend, why would they not want my money and why would they want to create the possibility that that weekend person might not have to buy express. There are also a good number of out of town weekend people who stay at an inexpensive off property hotel, eat at McDonald's on I-Drive and head over and don't spend anything at the event other than admission. I really don't think guest spending is really that tied to out of town vs. local it really works both ways. I'm pretty sure the only time FFP becomes a concern to Universal is if the event sells out.

To put my view simply: I don't think anything (except maybe RoF?) is in danger at the time being. What is up for debate is the dates they'll allow you in for.

The way I see it, a ideal FF Pass system would work in tiers, as the current day-to-day operation APs work. This is the way I see it:

- Starter Pass (Wednesday, Thursday, Sun admission) -$120
- Preferred Pass (Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sun admission + 20% Discount on Express) - $199
- Premiere Pass (Admission every night of event + Express) - $299

I think creating a 1-week pass for out of towners is genius too (assuming it's the right price).

 

[s8film40]

To put my view simply: I don't think anything (except maybe RoF?) is in danger at the time being. What is up for debate is the dates they'll allow you in for.

The way I see it, a ideal FF Pass system would work in tiers, as the current day-to-day operation APs work. This is the way I see it:

- Starter Pass (Wednesday, Thursday, Sun admission) -$120
- Preferred Pass (Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sun admission + 20% Discount on Express) - $199
- Premiere Pass (Admission every night of event + Express) - $299

I think creating a 1-week pass for out of towners is genius too (assuming it's the right price).

I think your prices are a little off, but I get what your saying. I think one thing to keep in mind is our perspective is different than Universals, the only time they are going to be concerned with the effect FFP has on crowds is if there is a potential for a sell out. This only happened one night last year. I kind of think that's the reason they opened Gringott's, to add capacity. I don't think they want to mess with what's working really well right now, I think they would rather adjust capacity rather than upset the existing set up.

I really like your Idea for a Premier Pass, I doubt we would be lucky enough to get it at that price but it's a great idea!

 

[Clive]

To put my view simply: I don't think anything (except maybe RoF?) is in danger at the time being. What is up for debate is the dates they'll allow you in for.

The way I see it, a ideal FF Pass system would work in tiers, as the current day-to-day operation APs work. This is the way I see it:

- Starter Pass (Wednesday, Thursday, Sun admission) -$120
- Preferred Pass (Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sun admission + 20% Discount on Express) - $199
- Premiere Pass (Admission every night of event + Express) - $299

I think creating a 1-week pass for out of towners is genius too (assuming it's the right price).

Premiere Pass would have to cost a lot more if it included Express on all Saturdays. Think more in the neighborhood of $450.

I think they're more likely to just create the three tiers, with an express add-on for each.

I think Rush of Fear is screwed. I think Frequent Fear Plus is in jeopardy, but could be saved with a huge price hike. Bottom line: next year, we could (and probably should) see massive price hikes across the board, not necessarily just in $20 increments.

And this was opening weekend, guys. We had 120 minute waits (with probably 45-60 minute averages) for houses, and that was with defined scare zones, a desirable second show, a 9th house, and Diagon. Something has to give, and I don't think it's going to be more content.

 

[s8film40]

I think Frequent Fear Plus is in jeopardy, but could be saved with a huge price hike. Bottom line: next year, we could (and probably should) see massive price hikes across the board, not necessarily just in $20 increments.

Not gonna happen.

 

[Hockeyman55]

On HHN nights, is the exit from City Walk that has a path to Cabana Bay open? Last year the waits for the buses were brutal.
Did anyone notice any new food carts this year? Last year it seems as if they changed the chicken tenders that they were serving at the stands with the garlic hot sauce and I am hoping for some additional eats.
Am I mistaken or is Finnegan's the only place to watch any sporting events in the park during HHN?

Thanks guys!

The pathway from Citywalk to the Royal Pacific and Cabana will be open.

I believe Finnegan's is the only place but with HHN why would you want to hangout and watch TV?

 

[Nick]

I really like your Idea for a Premier Pass, I doubt we would be lucky enough to get it at that price but it's a great idea!

Thanks - it was more or less just throwing numbers together fast so I was going a bit on the lower end. My original number was $349 before I changed it and I still think that might be too low.

 

[snayberry]

Regardless of how packed it is going to be this weekend. I'm going to make the best of it and have an amazing time. Not going to be nit picking these things here and there, while trying to enjoy my vacation.

 

[Clive]

Not gonna happen.

Based on... what? Saying you spend X amount of money isn't a convincing argument: you're an outlier, not the average scenario.

There's a problem, there's precedent (in the sister resort), there's a solution. A lot of it will depend on how the rest of the event plays out, crowd-wise, but if this weekend is any indication, changes are coming.

 

[sjago13]

Duff has sports on the TVs

 

[Lucky Planet]

I agree a price hike is in order, but more along the lines of, say $100. Look at what a daytime AP costs--outside Theme Park Twitter, how many people use that 20 days in a year? But it sure seems like RoF/FFP get their money's worth. I don't know how a multi-day pass is anything less than $200, probably should be more.

Ironically, I think this Saturday will be the slowest night the event has seen thus far: Rush of Fear people will have access, but Frequent Fear Pass people won't.

No way would it be worth a $100 price hike. This FFP pass is only good for 24 nights total, keep in mind a good number of those nights are week nights so knock off about 60% of those. With our 3 FFP+Express passes that we bought we are definitely going 9 nights. I think they are doing pretty good right there along with all the merch they are getting. HHN tickets are also cheaper than a typical day pass. If they increased it by $100 I wouldn't get it, not a chance. The FF ticket doesn't apply to me anymore since we have a family and that means school and stuff so most those weekdays just won't happen.

I'll take another minor price hike if it means that the RoF uncertainty isn't a problem anymore.

As for AP usage, I bet you we have at least 20 folks on this site that go to one of the parks more than 20 times a year. When we had Disney AP we went at least 40 times, staying at a hotel most of them. I would say USR we go to an average of 50 times a year on the low side and stay at a hotel several times as well.

You not getting it is what they're counting on.

They're trying to curb the amount of people getting them, because FFP are paying the least and are eating up valuable park resources.

I foresee a Hollywood situation in a couple years if not sooner... a single "multi-night" pass, with about 12 nights, no Fridays, along with possible expensive weekend passes.

does anyone have any knowledge of how many frequent fear passes are sold???

This subject comes up every single year, and I personally always wondered why they never sell out of Frequent Fear Passes.

I remember a while ago I asked someone that worked at the park (I have no idea what they do) and they mentioned that people don't really buy frequent fear passes, (Not as much as people think they sell) and that most people that get them tend to go on Sundays (because of school and work)
I also asked about selling out and they said that would never happen because most general public just want to see the houses once and go home.

not sure if any of this still applies or not, or what's going on today as far as the FFP goes, but it just gave me the impression that it is not as purchased and used as you would think. (Maybe this year those passes will sell out who knows)

I would love to have some actual real statistics on the sells of FFP and the usage, because like MrRoamer said, a lot of ffp people go on sundays or fridays (with the ffpp)

Saturdays are the most Crowded days for the event always, and FFP are not allowed on Saturdays. So it cannot just be FFP taking all the space.

 

[s8film40]

Based on... what? Saying you spend X amount of money isn't a convincing argument: you're an outlier, not the average scenario.

There's a problem, there's precedent (in the sister resort), there's a solution. A lot of it will depend on how the rest of the event plays out, crowd-wise, but if this weekend is any indication, changes are coming.

I think what makes me an outlier is the number of days I spend not the amount I spend. I think I spend an everage amount per day. Hollywood also isn't a very good comparison. They have a smaller event and serve a major city's population.

I also don't think there's a problem. Only selling out one day isn't going to make them rock the boat on what is their most profitable event. We'll still have to see what happens this year but I don't foresee more than 1 maybe 2 days of sell outs due to FFP.

 

[Nick]

I think what makes me an outlier is the number of days I spend not the amount I spend. I think I spend an everage amount per day. Hollywood also isn't a very good comparison. They have a smaller event and serve a major city's population.

I also don't think there's a problem. Only selling out one day isn't going to make them rock the boat on what is their most profitable event. We'll still have to see what happens this year but I don't foresee more than 1 maybe 2 days of sell outs due to FFP.

I'm not going to comment at all on the FFP, but the event is definitely packed, and this is not only with an additional house and a worthy second show, but the expanse of Diagon, which, to my knowledge, has actually been pretty damn popular.

 

[sjago13]

I didn't feel like Saturday was that bad. Did 8 houses, all once except asylum. but that was because we had about an hour long dinner at Fin watching the first half of the gator game and left at 12.30 so we could have done all the houses. Body collectors was walk on at 12.30 and wolf looked like it was 10 mins. I feel like the only two houses that actually had huge sustained lines was insidious and FvJ which i saw at 90 tops for each of them every time I happened to check. Even at 11.30ish insidious was down to a posted 30. Walking dead and purge were the wildcards bouncing between 30 and 75 thoughout the night as I checked the app and walked by however I was able to catch them at a posted 30 waited 40 for WD and a posted 30 waited 20 for purge around the 10.30-11.30pm timeframe.

I'm going friday with people that will only be going 1 night but they all went 2013 so I'm confident we should be able to do it all or hopefully at worst skip wolf.

 

[s8film40]

I'm not going to comment at all on the FFP, but the event is definitely packed, and this is not only with an additional house and a worthy second show, but the expanse of Diagon, which, to my knowledge, has actually been pretty damn popular.

It certainly has had some busy times but there were also some very manageable periods over the last weekend. I think it's mostly just due to opening weekend. I think this upcoming weekend will be a much better indication of what to expect this season.

 

[Shucker]

Universal has both a Marketing and Pricing department. Every year they evaluate all the data to determine what and how the products are offered. Being in Marketing, I would love to see what the data shows for all the passes (% product was used, days of the week used, how long each person was in the park using x product, what rides were utilized, what state the product was purchased in, how much additional spend for each product (cross referenced with CC), etc...). Its variables like these that will determine what plans they will take on a given year. The park being crowded doesn't tell us very much, other than they are producing a product that a lot of people want to see. Its the product being used to get the park crowded that will determine their plans. That is how they determine the dates for each product they offer. There is a balance, but anecdotally, I think they have the sweet spot with what they are offering now.

Don't forget this is by all accounts the most anticipated year in a long time. Since I have been reading this forum, this is the first time in 4 years that even the die hard fans that poo poo on the event the past few years have been over the top excited. So not very surprised at all that it is more crowded than normal.

 

[MrRoamer]

To put my view simply: I don't think anything (except maybe RoF?) is in danger at the time being. What is up for debate is the dates they'll allow you in for.

The way I see it, a ideal FF Pass system would work in tiers, as the current day-to-day operation APs work. This is the way I see it:

- Starter Pass (Wednesday, Thursday, Sun admission) -$120
- Preferred Pass (Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sun admission + 20% Discount on Express) - $199
- Premiere Pass (Admission every night of event + Express) - $299

I think creating a 1-week pass for out of towners is genius too (assuming it's the right price).

Thank you for posting your thoughts on pricing and everything. I would totally be down with this pricing model.

does anyone have any knowledge of how many frequent fear passes are sold???

Thank you for bringing this up. I have absolutely no idea how many FFP passes are sold and how often they are actually used. Without any knowledge of this makes this conversation very difficult to have.

 

[Frank Drackman]

I wouldn't know if I'm an outlier or not. My family of three likes to shot for the four nights of the 2nd week and we use RoF and stay on site for four nights.

I'm not sure why Folks here feel RoF should be targeted. UOR is building more rooms and I believe Sept. Is a slow time for them and I bet we are not the only ones who stay on site for four nights to go to HHN one of the two four night runs that RoF is good for.

I've read here that 'hell week' is bad due to so many schools being out, well if they could sell higher priced tickets that week, wouldn't that make FFP more of a target?

Personally (me being selfish) I would rather they sell Express in a way that it did not cover every night of the event before that start to over increase or eliminate current pass options for that could help cut down on waits while only costing more for folks who chose to have Express on more nights (if they sold Express by number of days covered or something).

This is the first year we have upgraded to include Express and we should be attending five nights this year (so still only using half of what we could us it for).

Anyway, I do not think SAT was too bad and they were out near the house entrances really pushing the half price Express passes.

 

[sjago13]

What time do they usually start doing the half price express?

 

[graspthesun]

I didn't consider this earlier, but they could just set inventory controls on each pass. If I remember correctly, there is only one pass that sells out each year right? Maybe they adjust the passes available down to what they actually sell this year plus a few more and lock in that amount for the future?