Halloween Horror Nights 28 General Discussion

[shiekra38]

Well @Legacy said a few pages back they can use marvel for a SZ, just not their characters. Dr.Doom's Alley would be a fantastic SZ, and as far as I know Doom stays pretty empty unless the park is packed so if there is a conflict with characters and the like they could possibly close that whole area down once summer crowds start to die down and do who knows what with it. I've always assumed since they've done it before they can do it again... With some caveats. I remember hearing through the grapevine that Stan Lee and Marvel was furious they had dead superheroes in Maximum Carnage, but only that and a few minor details had them really irate.


Also, Seuss doesn't need to open during an event spanned over two parks aimed at teens and adults.


Potter, Considering they use it for HHNJ I can't imagine the rights are restricted in the U.S... I'm sure how they haunt potter is a big deal and I doubt a maze or SZ would really take place... And also considering this rumored stage show they developed with Death Eaters, that also apparently takes place in Japan... Is probably being saved for when they do shoot for two parks again...

I mean really, even with ST apparently having these massive lines, can you imagine if they announced potter as a part of HHN UO? Even in an extremely limited capacity, It would do gangbusters and it would be absolutely slammed. I don't want to see a 1 park HHN with potter anything.


Also, LC is essentially dead now, If they aren't immediately gutting it, I'm sure it has space that can be used in the next year or two. You have JP,Kong area, TL, POE and LC available essentially with no limitations. Carnage building still stands.

There is the bypass bridge for JP...Plus I don't think it would be hard for them to build up a few warehouses

Plus plus, if you put the entrances to some of the houses on the IOA side only, that might help distribute things around

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

IDK - a lot of people are very high on Poltergeist.

I've been going to HHN since 2002, and I definitely think it's one of their strongest years. Best ever? That remains to be seen, but I legitimately enjoy 9 of the houses - with Scary Tales, Poltergeist, Trick R Treat, Seeds, and Graveyard being on another level.

Ultimately though, does it matter if people feel it's the best ever?

I think people are simply hoping that the event's best days AREN'T behind it, which is hard to really answer, obviously.

 

[Mad Dog]

With all of these on site hotel rooms, it's essentially incumbent upon Universal to have a park open (IOA) for those that have no real interest in HHN. When there were only 2400 hotel rooms on site, that was an entirely different scenario. Once the Wet & Wild hotels open, the situation will be even magnified. Yes, some of those staying in the hotels, especially the lower level ones on weekends, are there for HHN, but there's a considerable contingent that flock to IOA when Studios close early for HHN, and there will be even more in the next two years.

 

[hishedale]

How does everyone think this upcoming Sunday will be like on crowds?

 

[WAJAS]

I have a hard time thinking we will have a two-park event before the third park opens. Universal pretty much needs to have an alternate option for guests who don't like HHN but are paying for normal park hours in their ticket. I could see an IOA only event occurring, but IOA doesn't really have the aesthetic flexibility to successfully host two unique event years so close to each other IMO.

 

[Nick]

IDK - a lot of people are very high on Poltergeist.

I've been going to HHN since 2002, and I definitely think it's one of their strongest years. Best ever? That remains to be seen, but I legitimately enjoy 9 of the houses - with Scary Tales, Poltergeist, Trick R Treat, Seeds, and Graveyard being on another level.

Ultimately though, does it matter if people feel it's the best ever?

No, it doesn’t matter. I agree Poltergeist is incredibly well done, but ScaryTales is a mess imo, TrT is pretty but not all that scary, Seeds not really working for my tastes and Graveyard, while beautiful, has had numerous holes that haven’t been filled since day 0 and you can feel it while walking through.

That’s just my jaded view of things though.

 

[Lucky Planet]

No, it doesn’t matter. I agree Poltergeist is incredibly well done, but ScaryTales is a mess imo, TrT is pretty but not all that scary, Seeds not really working for my tastes and Graveyard, while beautiful, has had numerous holes that haven’t been filled since day 0 and you can feel it while walking through.

That’s just my jaded view of things though.

This year i am noticing is not that scary, but the sets and the costumes are beautiful. you can definitely see they spent more budget on making the houses and putting the props and making it look very nice, but the houses are not really that scary to be honest. a lot of people are pointing that out.

But what makes a great year? does it only need to be scary? is the scariness what makes a year amazing? or is it the sets? or is it the actors?
this year the houses look great, and better than previous years. the costumes are really good too. but the event is not as scary

so do we prefer really scary houses that have less sets and have less props and stuff? that have more genetic costumes ?

Literally no houses are on the level of Scarecrow from last year, either. The houses this year are for the most part "solid" (with the exception of Blumhouse and Halloween), but none of them are what I would consider "Great". Poltergeist is the closest that gets to great, but I still personally think it's just at the "really good" level.

Nothing is overly special about the zones imo. Actually, I personally feel like Chucky is probably the most well-rounded and it doesn't seem to be getting recognized as much. It has a good dose of scares throughout, but also some comedy to take in.

I feel like people are most CERTAINLY over-hyping this year since we are currently living through it.

sure, no houses are at the level of scarecrow, BUT no houses are at the opposite level of the Chance house or something people hated like that.
even dead exposure is becoming people's scariest house, (ive seen some online reviews that put it at number 1 in scares)
our least great house this year is still very good.
This is a weird year to measure. all of the houses look great, none of them are true duds, none of them are horrible. But none of them are really super scary, and none of them are as great as scarecrow,
but all of them are still super nice. This might be the first year that all the houses are equally nice (besides Bluhouse but even blumhouse was okay in terms of sets and stuff)

but what was the scariest house before scarecrow? what had the spot scarecrow now has? was scarecrow a fluke? what did people use as measurement for scariness?

 

[Mad Dog]

I have a hard time thinking we will have a two-park event before the third park opens. Universal pretty much needs to have an alternate option for guests who don't like HHN but are paying for normal park hours in their ticket. I could see an IOA only event occurring, but IOA doesn't really have the aesthetic flexibility to successfully host two unique event years so close to each other IMO.

Yes. The ancients said it best, "Man does not live by HHN alone".

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

This year i am noticing is not that scary, but the sets and the costumes are beautiful. you can definitely see they spent more budget on making the houses and putting the props and making it look very nice, but the houses are not really that scary to be honest. a lot of people are pointing that out.

But what makes a great year? does it only need to be scary? is the scariness what makes a year amazing? or is it the sets? or is it the actors?
this year the houses look great, and better than previous years. the costumes are really good too. but the event is not as scary

so do we prefer really scary houses that have less sets and have less props and stuff? that have more genetic costumes ?




sure, no houses are at the level of scarecrow, BUT no houses are at the opposite level of the Chance house or something people hated like that.
even dead exposure is becoming people's scariest house, (ive seen some online reviews that put it at number 1 in scares)
our least great house this year is still very good.
This is a weird year to measure. all of the houses look great, none of them are true duds, none of them are horrible. But none of them are really super scary, and none of them are as great as scarecrow,
but all of them are still super nice. This might be the first year that all the houses are equally nice (besides Bluhouse but even blumhouse was okay in terms of sets and stuff)

but what was the scariest house before scarecrow? what had the spot scarecrow now has? was scarecrow a fluke? what did people use as measurement for scariness?

There are some who find DE2 scarier than Scarecrow, I'm pretty sure.

In my final visit I'll make sure to take the survey and recommend they go for more intense houses along the lines of DE and Scarecrow, though.

Anyone know if anything "happened" with the SAs this year?

To add to my answer about "GOAT-ness" mattering, I think it's A: Longtimers want to believe that HHN can at least somewhat get back to its "glory years"--this year seemed like it had such sky high potential--and B: Newcomers want reassurance of having experienced a strong event.

(I could be wrong, of course.)

 

[Nick]

This year i am noticing is not that scary, but the sets and the costumes are beautiful. you can definitely see they spent more budget on making the houses and putting the props and making it look very nice, but the houses are not really that scary to be honest. a lot of people are pointing that out.

But what makes a great year? does it only need to be scary? is the scariness what makes a year amazing? or is it the sets? or is it the actors?
this year the houses look great, and better than previous years. the costumes are really good too. but the event is not as scary

so do we prefer really scary houses that have less sets and have less props and stuff? that have more genetic costumes ?




sure, no houses are at the level of scarecrow, BUT no houses are at the opposite level of the Chance house or something people hated like that.
even dead exposure is becoming people's scariest house, (ive seen some online reviews that put it at number 1 in scares)
our least great house this year is still very good.
This is a weird year to measure. all of the houses look great, none of them are true duds, none of them are horrible. But none of them are really super scary, and none of them are as great as scarecrow,
but all of them are still super nice. This might be the first year that all the houses are equally nice (besides Bluhouse but even blumhouse was okay in terms of sets and stuff)

but what was the scariest house before scarecrow? what had the spot scarecrow now has? was scarecrow a fluke? what did people use as measurement for scariness?

To be clear, my comments were not in relation to how great this year was compared to others or whatever. I was just saying what my feelings were on the year.

 

[Legacy]

This year i am noticing is not that scary, but the sets and the costumes are beautiful. you can definitely see they spent more budget on making the houses and putting the props and making it look very nice, but the houses are not really that scary to be honest. a lot of people are pointing that out.

But what makes a great year? does it only need to be scary? is the scariness what makes a year amazing? or is it the sets? or is it the actors?
this year the houses look great, and better than previous years. the costumes are really good too. but the event is not as scary

so do we prefer really scary houses that have less sets and have less props and stuff? that have more genetic costumes ?

sure, no houses are at the level of scarecrow, BUT no houses are at the opposite level of the Chance house or something people hated like that.
even dead exposure is becoming people's scariest house, (ive seen some online reviews that put it at number 1 in scares)
our least great house this year is still very good.
This is a weird year to measure. all of the houses look great, none of them are true duds, none of them are horrible. But none of them are really super scary, and none of them are as great as scarecrow,
but all of them are still super nice. This might be the first year that all the houses are equally nice (besides Bluhouse but even blumhouse was okay in terms of sets and stuff)

but what was the scariest house before scarecrow? what had the spot scarecrow now has? was scarecrow a fluke? what did people use as measurement for scariness?

Here, I think this thread will provide some context.

Top 25 HHN Haunted Houses | Inside Universal Forums

The last two pages introduce the 27 houses (specifically Scarecrow). Scarecrow predominantly pops up in the top ten of people who started going to HHN in the last five years. For people who have gone longer than that, it doesn't.

Essentially, Scarecrow is the best/scariest house of the last 3-5 years. Go further back, Catacombs, Dead Exposure, Dead Silence, and Screamhouse start becoming the "scariest houses."

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

Here, I think this thread will provide some context.

Top 25 HHN Haunted Houses | Inside Universal Forums

The last two pages introduce the 27 houses (specifically Scarecrow). Scarecrow predominantly pops up in the top ten of people who started going to HHN in the last five years. For people who have gone longer than that, it doesn't.

Essentially, Scarecrow is the best/scariest house of the last 3-5 years. Go further back, Catacombs, Dead Exposure, Dead Silence, and Screamhouse start becoming the "scariest houses."

Obviously, Poltergeist is the house from this year most likely to appear on people's (newcomers and old) top 10 lists.

 

[Skipper Justin]

Closing two high capacity rides (HP and Transformers) so early each night is way dumb. Especially on very busy nights.

 

[Lucky Planet]

I know Halloween and Blumhouse are on everyone's lowest list, at the bottom for this year,
but i dont hate either house. I was displeased with the Sinema house but i dont hate it. i honestly dont hate anything this year. Ive hated some stuff before (I really hated the dusk till dawn house so much...) but this year all the houses are okay.

And for everyone saying that the zones are lame, or that they are "Meh" I dont ever want to go back to the years of 2012, 2013 and 2014 (Or 2007 for that matter)

I rather have 5 "mediocre" scarezones and 2 "mediocre" chainsaw hordes than get what we got for 2014 and 2007...... i still get upset at how empty the park was on those years.... those might be the most empty that HHN at the studios might have ever been.

2007 only had a couple of streets with actors and a couple of people on stilts at the entrance and next to the Animal show stage,
and 2014 was just depressing on how small the zones were that year (And no chainsaw hordes either)

I think, because streets are always so important to me, and because i always like to sit around the zones to listen to the music, I much rather have what we got in 2016, 2017 and this year, than to ever have a park that feels empty and it is not well decorated.

this year is an amazing 10 out of 10 of great streets compared to the moving hordes of 2012, the boring 2013 or the empty 2014...

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Closing two high capacity rides (HP and Transformers) so early each night is way dumb. Especially on very busy nights.

And not having more rides open when there is only one show. Seriously, Minions and Simpsons should be open.

 

[arbdrummer]

I’m new here posting-wise, but I’ve pretty much been reading these posts for a while now. This is the first year me and my friend are taking HHN really seriously...we are going on Sat Oct 20th and have express. I wanted to ask if this plan sounds reasonable if we want to do all houses in one night with express, maybe some repeats too: Simpson’s stay and scream, then TrT, Seeds, DE, slaughter, Blum...then to poltergeist, scary, carnival, Halloween and ST.

For simpsons stay and scream, does anyone know what time I should arrive in the area, and where exactly I should wait to be near the first in line for the house they let us in to?

Also, I figured I’d ask if anyone knew where that turkey leg cart is located in USF.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I thought it was pretty obvious early on that this year would appeal more to folks who attend the event for set design, sfx, and dark humor (like me) then to those who look for intensity and scares. Looking at the houses mentioned as top scarers, they include some of the houses that interested me least, like Dead Exposure or Catacombs, both of which I remember as staggeringly bland. (Dead Silence was a good mix of scares and sets, though).

I suspect that, as Uni attempts to broaden the events audience, it will continue to err on the side of spectacular sets over scares. That suits me fine, but I’m pretty sure a lot of long-timers will be dissatisfied.

 

[Brad]

There are some who find DE2 scarier than Scarecrow, I'm pretty sure.

In my final visit I'll make sure to take the survey and recommend they go for more intense houses along the lines of DE and Scarecrow, though.

Anyone know if anything "happened" with the SAs this year?

To add to my answer about "GOAT-ness" mattering, I think it's A: Longtimers want to believe that HHN can at least somewhat get back to its "glory years"--this year seemed like it had such sky high potential--and B: Newcomers want reassurance of having experienced a strong event.

(I could be wrong, of course.)

For me, I thought that Tomb of the Ancients was an incredible house for scares - and then they outdid themselves last year with a similar feel (very dark, lots of corners and in-your-face scares) with Scarecrow. Neither of these were anticipated before the event started - and that's one of the things I love about HHN.

Rarely do my favorite houses match up to the general consensus rankings - and that is OK.

 

[sadbunny]

I’m new here posting-wise, but I’ve pretty much been reading these posts for a while now. This is the first year me and my friend are taking HHN really seriously...we are going on Sat Oct 20th and have express. I wanted to ask if this plan sounds reasonable if we want to do all houses in one night with express, maybe some repeats too: Simpson’s stay and scream, then TrT, Seeds, DE, slaughter, Blum...then to poltergeist, scary, carnival, Halloween and ST.

For simpsons stay and scream, does anyone know what time I should arrive in the area, and where exactly I should wait to be near the first in line for the house they let us in to?

Also, I figured I’d ask if anyone knew where that turkey leg cart is located in USF.

If I were you I would want to be doing the stay n scream for stranger things because closer to Halloween that is going to be 2-3 hours of waiting where I can't imagine the parade and tent houses getting over an hour, unless I'm seriously misjudging the crowds. You will be able to save time if you just get ST out of the way initially and once the park nears closing the tents and parades will all be walk-ons while ST is still packed.

 

[arbdrummer]

If I were you I would want to be doing the stay n scream for stranger things because closer to Halloween that is going to be 2-3 hours of waiting where I can't imagine the parade and tent houses getting over an hour, unless I'm seriously misjudging the crowds. You will be able to save time if you just get ST out of the way initially and once the park nears closing the tents and parades will all be walk-ons while ST is still packed.

So basically, even with express, I'd still be better off doing the Finn SnS and tackling ST from the start? I have heard it is a complete nightmare this year & that turned me off to doing that area for stay and scream. My goal overall is to be able to do all houses and repeat some. If I do ST at the SnS, i'd probably use express right off the bat...how long would the Poltergeist wait be without express? Also, youre saying at the end of the night I'd be able to do the tent houses a couple times?