Halloween Horror Nights 35 (UO) - Speculation & Rumors

[SeventyOne]

That is rough

If the line times go down then it will be worth it but if the lines are still 90-2 hours at the bigger houses then just kind of sucks for locals

It worked before, when the ripped out the "FastPass" machines ca. 2002. Lines went down and never have crept up that high again, even with Potter opening. But that assumes they don't oversell 1-night Express, and also get a handle on disability pass abuse.

But giving up this free money shows how bad guest satisfaction among normies must have gotten. This can only be seen as a desperation move to keep lines under control. If this fails, no choice but to go to MNSSHP pricing next year.

Wallet getting heavier!

I mean, depressed but looking forward to that extra $700 in my pocket. Unless Universal decides to really get crazy and jack up Express-free FF prices.

 

[Staggz]

Well, you have to determine the number of FFP w/ Express they lost (some will move to FFPs, buy Express, etc.) and the capacity for one Premium Scream night. Plus, whatever value you associate with improved guest feedback (and whatever compensation they provided for the negative feedback). It may not be as a big a loss (or I assume it’s a net gain for them) as thought.

Absolutely, on top of that, you also have to look at it from a perspective of feedback in general. This very much may not be a gain in finances thing, but a gain in experience which would result eventually in financial gain. The negative reactions upfront may be really bad from some people who really want to have the express with the tickets, but if it makes the overall experience better where it does actually feel like this spending $250 on express is worth it because the houses are all a five minute wait if even that, and then people in the regular standby lines aren’t waiting as long of a line as typical, then just the experience for the guest alone makes it a vastly good move. So I think it’s probably important to not even look at it from a financial perspective, but just look at it from a guest experience perspective and seeing that it potentially could just be a really really good experience for the guests.

Happier crowds are going to spend more because they’re happy.

 

[Kichkinet85]

Question, to all who's upset with no express being offered would it be a fair compromise if they offered express now at HHN? (Assuming the price is about $20-$40 per house) @hunnylvr @Captain Spaulding

 

[zemmyzub]

Went back and looked, $458 for a ROF Express in 2022, $564 in 2023. $650 in 2024. Could get a full weekend planned out for us out of town folks, really was a cheat code to do Horror and a good amount of it. Get to see every house multiple times, get good runs in, etc. To do that same weekend, 4 days, ala carte, $1454. what a wild, wild change of the times. What was our annual trip, has now taken a massive hit for the future. charlie brown sad walk.gif.

 

[Latveria]

Question, to all who's upset with no express being offered would it be a fair compromise if they offered express now at HHN? (Assuming the price is about $20-$40 per house) @hunnylvr @Captain Spaulding

No, and I would see it as a purely greed driven move by Universal management by doing so after not offering an FFP w/ express option.

 

[kingmantis]

Thank you

But I'm asking on the Fear Pass why its required. I get why its need for one night of fun, thats a common theme for both events

I'm more asking why its required when you can come back as much as you want

For example for last year, if I wanted to get on FNAF basically I had to line up early or wait 60-90 mins. So when I came back to the park I would decide am I going to wait for FNAF or start with another house and then I got as much done as I could before 9/10 and leave. I know Orlando is different so that's why I'm asking why many feel like its more of a requirement at this park when Hollywood has never offered that option, you either get an add on with express or wait with everyone else.

Ah gotcha, sorry.

Depends on the person. Locals liked it because they could pop in whenever, get through two-three houses without waiting and go home in a couple of hours. Out-of-towners (like me) liked it because depending on how long you were staying it was more economical to get the express pass for your stay than a bunch of individual ones.

Biggest difference is HHN is the only real game in town in Orlando when it comes to haunt events, nowhere else comes close to the same quantity and quality. Hollywood is spoiled for choice, so it makes sense that many would do one night at HHN, one at Knott's, the local haunts, etc. Orlando most people are just doing Universal.

 

[Staggz]

Question, to all who's upset with no express being offered would it be a fair compromise if they offered express now at HHN? (Assuming the price is about $20-$40 per house) @hunnylvr @Captain Spaulding

I’m not someone who is upset about it, but just from what it truly is looking in on it, no I don’t think that is necessarily a good compromise. And that isn’t mean to knock what you’re asking, it’s a good idea, but just to compare the two directly, you’re talking about paying off express within three nights of going, maybe four, to be able to use express every single night that you’re there for the entire event. I think the reason why people liked it so much is purely because it’s an absolutely insane deal. I don’t know what the ultimate goal for universal is other than experience, which I do think is important and they are very good about listening to guest feedback, and if the experience is good, they ultimately will make more money than they were making. But as someone who goes like a local, even though I am not, I just kind of see it being an all or nothing thing. Either you go with express for every night included with your ticket, or you just go and wait in lines because you’re gonna see the houses multiple times anyway and you just kind of change how you do things if your goal is to see every house every night. Personally, even with express I don’t think we do all 10 houses more than like two or three times throughout the season. So the experience really doesn’t change all that much other than just waiting in some lines which in itself really isn’t a bad thing.

 

[Captain Spaulding]

Question, to all who's upset with no express being offered would it be a fair compromise if they offered express now at HHN? (Assuming the price is about $20-$40 per house) @hunnylvr @Captain Spaulding

Absolutely Not!
They need multi-packs of express, 5 nights for $450-550 or so, 10 nights for $800-900
Or hotel length of stay express for I don't know how much, but you maximizing them park guest spending and keep travelers happy(ier).

 

[TheCodeMan95]

I get that this sucks for locals and people who make several trips over the course of the season - but the unfortunate truth is that the vast majority of HHN visitors do not do that. And if this move makes it better for the greater good.. then that makes it a good move.

I'd hate it too if I were a local, but only needing to pay an average of $35-40 per night with Express was unreal lol

 

[johnathanm]

My hang up on this (I’m an Ultimate FFP buyer so I can access the occasional Saturday, but I never buy express) is that I’m not sure we know if it benefits the average guest yet. They could theoretically sell more single night express that just re-clog those lines I would think, plus I’m not sure if this means we should expect drastically limited / more expensive options for the passes that exclude express. I wonder if a better route would have simply been a draconian price increase or an even more restrictive cap on sales volume. That comes with its own PR issues though.

 

[EmperorSephirothII]

I get that this sucks for locals and people who make several trips over the course of the season - but the unfortunate truth is that the vast majority of HHN visitors do not do that. And if this move makes it better for the greater good.. then that makes it a good move.

I'd hate it too if I were a local, but only needing to pay an average of $35-40 per night with Express was unreal lol

As depressing as it is that I think I'll probably never make it to the event again in my lifetime...Not being able to go has some unexpected benefits.

 

[Rikku]

While I also wanted to keep FFP w/ Express I am more relieved the answer has finally come. The stress from the last few years of will they, won't they, better be online before they sell out was a lot. Like that was the true spec seasons for me was the continuation of FFP w/ Express lol. I am trying to figure what is the best move for me and my trip....game changer for sure but I will figure it out and what works best

 

[Quebec_Queen02]

I'd hate it too if I were a local, but only needing to pay an average of $35-40 per night with Express was unreal lol

Vast majority of HHN goers don't spend literal thousands at the event either. Calling it a good deal isn’t an argument against it; providing savings to frequent visitors was literally the entire purpose of the pass.

 

[bridgeb3]

Absolutely Not!
They need multi-packs of express, 5 nights for $450-550 or so, 10 nights for $800-900
Or hotel length of stay express for I don't know how much, but you maximizing them park guest spending and keep travelers happy(ier).

Agree, my family comes every September for 4 nights. We always got ROF w/ express to do as much as we can those 4 nights. Assuming they still do regular ROF at like $200, then our 4 nights with express went from $689 last year to $1079 this year per person x4

 

[rhino4evr]

I’ve always been a one night per year person, so this doesn’t really impact me. That being said, if I was a true local or avid HHN person I could see this being really disappointing.

I would also never go to HHN without express… even if I was going multiple nights. Waiting an hour plus for a house sucks no matter if you are going one day or multiple. The houses are just not long enough experiences to justify those waits … to me personally.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

So who's gonna be the one to create a new thread and start the bloodbath?

 

[Kichkinet85]

So who's gonna be the one to create a new thread and start the bloodbath?

I think @Brian G. will kill whoever does

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

I was going to get ROF or FFP with Express this year, but honestly with this change I’m fine just grabbing a night or two of Express after 11 for my Labor Day trip. If I end up taking a second trip later in the season, the savings would help pay for that.

 

[Allison]

So who's gonna be the one to create a new thread and start the bloodbath?

As of now it’s not needed, it can be discussed in this thread.

 

[ssirin88]

Well this makes the value for single express significantly more lol.

If this leads to shorter standby then that’s a positive. Having the express queues backed up in September was a bad look