Halloween Horror Nights 32 (UOR) - Speculation & Rumors

[TheCodeMan95]

I know Halloween 2018 made fairly significant changes to the ending after test screenings.

And I'm definitely starting to lean toward them doing the original Exorcist. I know anniversaries mean nothing for HHN, but hey.

 

[Jake S]

something worth thinking about, regarding exorcist: believer as a maze: it could offer more dynamic locations and settings than the original film did. I really enjoyed both iterations of the exorcist in hollywood, but I think we've seen there's not much ground left to plow there. even if this film is bad (and I'd caution against reading too much into these limited screenings), it might make a more intriguing maze than its predecessor.

 

[00_Themeparkfan_00]

So on the r/HHN Discord server, people have been throwing around the rumor of 3 new zones: A jungle themed zone, a Vamp sequel, and a sequel to Vanity Ball. And I’m wondering, have any reliable insiders heard things that lined up with this?

 

[TheGamerOfKnowledge]

Ello! Long time stalker of this thread, wanted to ask a question just to clear some things up. Just today, a lot of people are all of a sudden convinced for zones that we’re getting Vanity Ball 2, our third Vamp zone, and a zone based on a rainforest. I genuinely don’t know who to believe anymore as this all came out of absolutely nowhere, and I have no idea who to personally trust anymore. Thanks for the help!

 

[Crypt Keeper]

So on the r/HHN Discord server, people have been throwing around the rumor of 3 new zones: A jungle themed zone, a Vamp sequel, and a sequel to Vanity Ball. And I’m wondering, have any reliable insiders heard things that lined up with this?

Sequel zones are pretty rare, so having two in the same year sounds crazy lol.

 

[Clive]

I'll say upfront I know very little about the Orlando zones this year. With that said: I'd take random rumors from Discord with a large grain of salt.

 

[Tobias]

Regarding the zones, as long as they continue the overall improvements they've implemented last year, I'm pretty open to any theme, and any sequel zone does offer the chance of improving over predecessors.

As a preface, I'm amusing the themes mentioned, though it really does sound like these were tossed out of nowhere on discord, so heavy grain of salt with that.

Vamp: '55 was widely celebrated, and rightly so. The casts really played with the theme and each other to make for a great atmosphere and interactions. Meanwhile '85: New Years Eve, didn't have the same bite. It was a neat concept and I did enjoy the show for the first time, as well as the 80's celeb Vamps, but that zone relied solely on the show as there really wasn't much else beyond it. (It also suffered from not being big enough for New York.)

Vanity Ball: When it comes to the first one, I liked the concept, LOVED the soundtrack, but it wasn't fully there. Like with Vamp '85, this one was really focused on the little shows and runway, and not much beyond that. It didn't help this zone was devoid of scares, especially with chunks of the cast standing around and talking with each other. (And I think I recall this zone suffered the worst from that during that time.)

Give either of these zones the improvements and an energetic cast that's focused on scaring, and we can have something good. I can see either of them returning at some point, but I don't know if they'd do two sequel zones in the same year...though I wouldn't mind being proven wrong on that!

As for the Rainforest idea, sure, why not? Watch this be the one that happens since it's a totally new theme for them.

 

[Crypt Keeper]

Regarding the zones, as long as they continue the overall improvements they've implemented last year, I'm pretty open to any theme, and any sequel zone does offer the chance of improving over predecessors.

As a preface, I'm amusing the themes mentioned, though it really does sound like these were tossed out of nowhere on discord, so heavy grain of salt with that.

Vamp: '55 was widely celebrated, and rightly so. The casts really played with the theme and each other to make for a great atmosphere and interactions. Meanwhile '85: New Years Eve, didn't have the same bite. It was a neat concept and I did enjoy the show for the first time, as well as the 80's celeb Vamps, but that zone relied solely on the show as there really wasn't much else beyond it. (It also suffered from not being big enough for New York.)

Vanity Ball: When it comes to the first one, I liked the concept, LOVED the soundtrack, but it wasn't fully there. Like with Vamp '85, this one was really focused on the little shows and runway, and not much beyond that. It didn't help this zone was devoid of scares, especially with chunks of the cast standing around and talking with each other. (And I think I recall this zone suffered the worst from that during that time.)

Give either of these zones the improvements and an energetic cast that's focused on scaring, and we can have something good. I can see either of them returning at some point, but I don't know if they'd do two sequel zones in the same year...though I wouldn't mind being proven wrong on that!

As for the Rainforest idea, sure, why not? Watch this be the one that happens since it's a totally new theme for them.

Vamp '55 and '85 were great, especially '85. If we're due for another Vamp, I'd like them to explore the 2000s.

Vanity Ball was terrible in my opinion. Wasn't scary and was trying too hard to give off that party vibe. I will give props to the mini-shows because they were pretty fun, but the runway gimmick was just... boring and felt really out of place. I'm not sure where the team would take Vanity Ball in a sequel because it felt like a one-and-done. While I wouldn't be too excited about it, a house would be a better option.

The jungle/rainforest zone sounds like a lot of fun. It's screaming to be a Central Park zone and would def be my favorite zone this year.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Another Vamp makes sense - "period" zones with nostalgic soundtracks are almost always hits for me. They just need to make sure to put it in Hollywood - one of the problems with 85 is that the Vamp zones are comedic, improv heavy areas that thrive on guest-scareactor interactions, and the wider spaces of NY diluted this element. The 60s seems like the most obvious way to go, but I'd love it if they stretched a bit and did the 20s.

Vanity was a high-concept zone that didn't quite click, but hey, sequels can fix things like that. However, if I recall it was also a "period" zone with an oldie soundtrack, and I'm very skeptical Uni would do two of those in one year.

 

[ParksandSights]

Props and such are sometimes reused in different zones or houses, right? At least from original concepts? Could that be where these sequel rumors come from?

 

[SeventyOne]

We can just move on. Give DGG and Kenny Powers something better to work on. Turn it into a Leave it to Cleaver house or something.

Just riffing on the Cleaver reference -- there's not really an obvious candidate for a comedy house in all the spec this year, Maybeeee dragons could be played for laughs? I hope it's not tho. Nothing else even seems close.

Bad films don’t always make bad houses, but it’s telling that the example folks reach for is Dead Silence, 16 years old (I totally agree with the example, incidentally). Examples of bad films or TV making bad houses are plentiful - Dracula Untold, Doomsday, Walking Dead…. While exceptions do exist, I think it’s more fair to say that good properties don’t always make good houses, but bad properties usually make bad houses.

I think it's a self-selection thing as much as anything. Other than synergy houses forced onto the event -- Dracula Untold, Wolfman, Mummy 3 -- most of the movies selected are well-liked, else why bother acquiring them. The only consensus exception I can think of would be the second People Under the Stairs house, and even that was a bit of an ironic cult classic.

That said, the "current movie" houses have been mid at best with the exception of Mary Shaw, so agreed time to retire that example. "Current TV" houses have had much better luck.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Just riffing on the Cleaver reference -- there's not really an obvious candidate for a comedy house in all the spec this year, Maybeeee dragons could be played for laughs? I hope it's not tho. Nothing else even seems close.


I think it's a self-selection thing as much as anything. Other than synergy houses forced onto the event -- Dracula Untold, Wolfman, Mummy 3 -- most of the movies selected are well-liked, else why bother acquiring them. The only consensus exception I can think of would be the second People Under the Stairs house, and even that was a bit of an ironic cult classic.

That said, the "current movie" houses have been mid at best with the exception of Mary Shaw, so agreed time to retire that example. "Current TV" houses have had much better luck.

I think its also worth mentioning that Silence, while certainly not a great film, was goofy and distinct, two things that go a long way into translating an IP into a strong houses. Properties that are both bad AND boring (Untold, most of Walking Dead, etc) tend to have a much tougher time. I'd also put Saw in that category, although I know that will be controversial.

 

[Brian G.]

I think its also worth mentioning that Silence, while certainly not a great film, was goofy and distinct, two things that go a long way into translating an IP into a strong houses. Properties that are both bad AND boring (Untold, most of Walking Dead, etc) tend to have a much tougher time. I'd also put Saw in that category, although I know that will be controversial.

Wait, The Walking Dead show was not bad or boring during its HHN run? It was generally well-received…

 

[Jake S]

Wait, The Walking Dead show was not bad or boring during its HHN run? It was generally well-received…

while only speaking for myself, the only year a walking dead maze corresponded with a good walking dead season was 2012 — and even then, it was leading into the first in a long line of mediocrity.

tl;dr: the first two seasons were great but everything after that ranged from not great to pretty awful (in my opinion, anyway).

 

[Brian G.]

while only speaking for myself, the only year a walking dead maze corresponded with a good walking dead season was 2012 — and even then, it was leading into the first in a long line of mediocrity.

tl;dr: the first two seasons were great but everything after that ranged from not great to pretty awful (in my opinion, anyway).

Sure, everyone is gonna have a different opinion on TWD seasons - but the overall consensus, outside of the 2nd season, were well-received.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Everyone's mileage may vary, but its my recollection that, after a universally praised first season. Darabont's firing, a big budget cut, and the widely derided second season knocked the show off its prestige TV perch and assessments of it became much more mixed. General opinion improved somewhat with 3 and 4, but by season 5 in 2014 the program's reputation had begun a precipitous, steady decline... at which time there were still three more HHN mazes to go (or 2, if you don't count 24). All this is in addition to the point that the show was never particularly well suited to a haunted house in the first place.

 

[Nick]

Wait, The Walking Dead show was not bad or boring during its HHN run? It was generally well-received…

Hell it had a few off seasons, but even in its final season it was a critical success.

 

[Brian G.]

I’m sorry but this is “generally well-recieved”.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I’m sorry but this is “generally well-recieved”.

View attachment 18981

Rotten Tomatoes and metacritic are always a sketchy source, especially for TV shows. Nevertheless, I tried to pull up the reviews listed for season 11 and it doesn't seem to link to any actual reviews. If I'm missing something, let me know.

PS: Case in point - Season 7 of Game of thrones has a 77 on metacritic and a 94 (!!!) on RT, and I don't think most would argue that was a critical darling. Season 8 does have only a 55 on RT, but it still gets a 75 on Metacritic.

 

[Brian G.]

Rotten Tomatoes and metacritic are always a sketchy source, especially for TV shows. Nevertheless, I tried to pull up the reviews listed for season 11 and it doesn't seem to link to any actual reviews. If I'm missing something, let me know.

C'mon now...

IDK why Season 11 isn't showing but it doesn't really matter anyway since TWD was featured at HHN during Seasons 1-7 and both critics and user scores are listed.