Halloween Horror Nights 34 (UOR) - Speculation & Rumors

[SeventyOne]

Horror Makeup is currently a solid ~25/30 minute long show. You can easily start the show every 45 minutes with a 15 minute pause between shows for load and unload. (They don't start loading HNF until 15-20 mins prior to showtime, so it's certainly doable). Cut off the video segments and you have a solid 20 minutes of showtime.

Starting at 7PM, you can run approx. 8 shows a night for a total capacity of 5.1K guests a night (~640 cap. a show). Rotate cast every other show, just like a house.

This isn't the entire solution, but it's a start.

It's a workable plan, but unless you pack it with fan-favorite actors, I'm not sure how well it will draw. Especially if it's just the daytime show.

Also, while they neutered the werewolf gag years ago, even the remaining gags require an audience of mostly first-timers to be effective. Not sure you'd get that during HHN.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

It's a workable plan, but unless you pack it with fan-favorite actors, I'm not sure how well it will draw. Especially if it's just the daytime show.

Also, while they neutered the werewolf gag years ago, even the remaining gags require an audience of mostly first-timers to be effective. Not sure you'd get that during HHN.

Using HM as a reference, but Universal can get creative with the show being offered there.

A 'Blumhouse Presents' show featuring M3GAN will draw folks there. Pair it with a M&G post show, and you can guarantee a decent sized crowd there.

Not too mention, driving folks through the Five & Dime for additional merch spending.

 

[Kooks]

I feel like the lagoon show could with this problem

Yeah like the others said, I don’t think it could solve it alone. Arguably I think most people watch the Lagoon show in passing. It’s not really a huge crowd eater like a house or ride is.

 

[Lucky Planet]

It would also provide an air-conditioned indoor space lol. I think it would definitely draw people in.

I am curious to see when they establish HRRR's closing date - and if they'd possibly consider pushing it to after HHN.

they really need to push it after hhn, closing it during hhn is crazy lol. maybe it's already set in stone but it really shouldn't.

It's a workable plan, but unless you pack it with fan-favorite actors, I'm not sure how well it will draw. Especially if it's just the daytime show.

Also, while they neutered the werewolf gag years ago, even the remaining gags require an audience of mostly first-timers to be effective. Not sure you'd get that during HHN.

Using HM as a reference, but Universal can get creative with the show being offered there.

A 'Blumhouse Presents' show featuring M3GAN will draw folks there. Pair it with a M&G post show, and you can guarantee a decent sized crowd there.

Not too mention, driving folks through the Five & Dime for additional merch spending.

it could be a different comedy show, horror but based on slashers or something. a horror magic show.
but a blumhouse show would be the best to attract crowds. a dance show. horror dance comedy show.

it's just that nothing in the park right now can absorb the steady long crowds that rip ride gets. not even Fallon, nothing,

 

[Kooks]

It would be funny if all this talk about new crowd control turned out to mean nothing and the crowds were worse than ever. Honestly, totally possible.

 

[Jake S]

the lagoon show idea is great because it's something you don't need to queue up for and (imo) has more broad appeal than running the makeup show at night. having an outdoor show that allows you to combine Taking a Break With a Beer with Actually Doing Something would be great.

that said, there's no indication we're getting that (or anything else like it) this year. but, who knows. it is only february.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

the lagoon show idea is great because it's something you don't need to queue up for and (imo) has more broad appeal than running the makeup show at night. having an outdoor show that allows you to combine Taking a Break With a Beer with Actually Doing Something would be great.

that said, there's no indication we're getting that (or anything else like it) this year. but, who knows. it is only february.

I say this as someone who believes that Marathon of Mayhem is the best show produced for HHN and loved the short run of Ghoulish... but outside opening weekend, the lagoon shows didn't generate enough demand to improve capacity at the park. It just didn't capture the general public's attention.

Right now, the event's "weight" is centered around Gramercy Park & World Expo. If they can find a way to create a 3rd "center of gravity" at the park (preferably Mel's-Drive In/Cafe La Bamba), they can improve guest flow at the event tremendously.

I'm going to sound like an oddball here, but HHN doesn't really have a capacity problem (close though) ... they have a bottleneck problem.

 

[Brian G.]

I'm going to sound like an oddball here, but HHN doesn't really have a capacity problem (close though) ... they have a bottleneck problem.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I know it sounds silly, but the event compacts itself to just two central locations, with one pathway connecting it all (San Fran) while the other side of the park is a ghost town

 

[Brian G.]

I know it sounds silly, but the event compacts itself to just two central locations, with one pathway connecting it all (San Fran) while the other side of the park is a ghost town

My brother in Horror, I've been telling you this for the better part of 2 years, and you argued it.

 

[LPCaptainDeath]

It's a workable plan, but unless you pack it with fan-favorite actors, I'm not sure how well it will draw. Especially if it's just the daytime show.

Also, while they neutered the werewolf gag years ago, even the remaining gags require an audience of mostly first-timers to be effective. Not sure you'd get that during HHN.

Using HM as a reference, but Universal can get creative with the show being offered there.

A 'Blumhouse Presents' show featuring M3GAN will draw folks there. Pair it with a M&G post show, and you can guarantee a decent sized crowd there.

Not too mention, driving folks through the Five & Dime for additional merch spending.

I know it's maligned for good reason -it was bad- but even an example like the Late Night with Chucky show last year is an example of something they could take inspo from USH for. It's not hard for a basic talkie host to ask crowds questions like "what's your favorite scary movie?" and be cheeky about it - improv/tell jokes/maybe show SOME but not all the same stuff from the day-time Horror Makeup show. I'm thinking of the cutting the arm gag or American Werewolf head animatronic as simply 5 minute examples. It wouldn't be hard to find jokes there with the Wolf Man costume they 'premiered' at HHN last year. lol

RBLX reminded me of the previous year's Blumhouse: Behind the Screams show. I mean. We had a Blumhouse scarezone last year, right? Surely it wouldn't be too challenging to get some Freaky/Black Phone/Happy Death Day/M3gan stuff going on with a short clip-show and some scare-actors invading the theater? I have no idea but it feels like the means are there and it's something that would appeal to most HHN guests looking to take a seat somewhere.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

My brother in Horror, I've been telling you this for the better part of 2 years, and you argued it.

I've been saying that as well? I argued that in addition to HHN adding additional entertainment, I've mentioned the event is way too compact in certain areas and way too focused on the NY area of the park.

I don't want to rehash the debate from the past, but I've brought this issue up before.

 

[Brian G.]

I've been saying that as well? I argued that in addition to HHN adding additional entertainment, I've mentioned the event is way too compact in certain areas and way too focused on the NY area of the park.

I don't want to rehash the debate from the past, but I've brought this issue up before.

Regardless, I think we'll see an expansion of "event space" like they did last year with the new tents, mostly out of necessity with Rockit's closing.

 

[Rhian]

The problem certainly needs a more than a single attraction to compensate. Coasters are great crowd eaters (usually) so it's hard to compete with that, especially as something as popular as HRRR. Once we get the new rumored replacement it shouldn't be an issue beyond this year and maybe next, depending on the construction schedule.

I think a special version of the Horror Make-up Show would do wonders if it focused on the IPs current that year so even HHN regulars would still experience something fresh.

Another attempt at a lagoon show could do well if they use the current lagoon setup with the drones (hopefully they'll be back!). It doesn't have too different from the regular show: call it "SinSational: A Horrific Spooktacular" or something with a focus on various horror movies and music. Feature things that are less family-friendly in a way the normal show couldn't display during normal park hours.

Not sure how long the Wicked props are going to stick around but another option could be to transform it into a horror movie prop museum/display venue, again featuring items from IPs that year or previous ones from up to a few years prior.

 

[saint.piss]

This is why we need more houses. More houses and shows would help. They gotta move the needle at some point things can't be the same forever

 

[TheCodeMan95]

I think "Universal Horror Makeup Show: Presented by Blumhouse" would absolutely garner interest from event goers. It'd be a good way to keep Blumhouse involved with the event without taking up a house or zone space.

Marathon of Mayhem is my favorite thing I've experienced at HHN PERIOD. So I'd love to see another Lagoon show. But like @Jake S said - we haven't seen any indication that a lagoon show would return this year.

 

[Lucky Planet]

I say this as someone who believes that Marathon of Mayhem is the best show produced for HHN and loved the short run of Ghoulish... but outside opening weekend, the lagoon shows didn't generate enough demand to improve capacity at the park. It just didn't capture the general public's attention.

on some days of the shows, they were so light on crowds. people just wouldnt watch it.

This is why we need more houses. More houses and shows would help. They gotta move the needle at some point things can't be the same forever

more houses more zones more street props more shows more actors more rides
( bring back jello shot girls)

 

[SeventyOne]

Using HM as a reference, but Universal can get creative with the show being offered there.

A 'Blumhouse Presents' show featuring M3GAN will draw folks there. Pair it with a M&G post show, and you can guarantee a decent sized crowd there.

Not too mention, driving folks through the Five & Dime for additional merch spending.

Again, I love this idea on paper ... but now we're back to "make a new show that will engage audiences." With the added element of difficulty that now Jason Blum has to sign off on it, too. I'd probably be its biggest fan but I don't know that it's all that easy. If it was, crowds warranted it two decades ago.

( bring back jello shot girls)

I think you're onto something, Lucky. Bring back the party atmosphere, when people happily spent hours in Finns or a foam zone or just doing Jello shots in the streets. Lots of booze and lots of open areas to congregate and drink it. HHN has come to be all about WDW-style "commando" touring.

 

[HHNIcon]

I think "Universal Horror Makeup Show: Presented by Blumhouse" would absolutely garner interest from event goers. It'd be a good way to keep Blumhouse involved with the event without taking up a house or zone space.

Marathon of Mayhem is my favorite thing I've experienced at HHN PERIOD. So I'd love to see another Lagoon show. But like @Jake S said - we haven't seen any indication that a lagoon show would return this year.

Well to be fair we also haven’t gotten any indication there will be more than 10 houses either

 

[saint.piss]

There hasn't been any indication of anything for this year's event beyond the dates lol