Halloween Horror Nights 35 (UO) - Speculation & Rumors

[Grabnar]

True, but I don't think going cold turkey was the right approach. A lot of people reasonably expected the same kind of deal to return this year, even if it was tweaked again.

And as mentioned earlier, waiting until we're about a month from the event to confirm it, in a reply on Twitter, no less, wasn't ideal for people who had been planning their HHN season for the past year.

This should've been an announcement when tickets were dropped for sure. I'd even say they could've bought goodwill and earned more early ticket sales if they announced that packages with multi night discounts (even modest discounts) would replace it.

They do a lot of stuff right (like reaching out to Premium Scream visitors from last year with a good will ticket) but they really fumble the ball in the weirdest ways other times.

I say this all as someone who agrees that this product should've been cut. This was a no-win situation for them, but this was a bad way to do it.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

I think at this point the options were

A. Eliminate it entirely
B. Keep it but skyrocket the price
C. Keep it at relatively the same price but cap it even more

And to be honest, the fandom wouldn't have been happy with any of them.

Imagine if they kept the Express option but increased the price to like $2500?

 

[Captain Spaulding]

They could have just capped the amount of nights you could use express, between 30% and 50% of the amount of nights the ticket allowed you to attend, or something similar. Locals couldn't go every night and out of towners wouldn't really be affected since they didn't use the full allotment anyway.

 

[Bigskinny0310]

If they open the FFP Express capacity they estimate each night back into general Express capacity, will Express still sell out? Idk, Express is averaging $250 per night this year. Releasing "x" amount of per night FFP Express capacity back into the general sellable pool at $250 might result in "the same thing, because the lines will be just as long" as people online are claiming in my opinion, because I don't think it will sell. This take requires you to believe that people are clamoring enough to buy all this newly available Express capacity at the high price, when in the past years we've seen Express sell out when incorporated with FFP Express ticket holders. Lmk if there's a flaw in this logic.

 

[Midnight Detective]

Realistically could this speed up wait times?

 

[Grabnar]

They could have just capped the amount of nights you could use express, between 30% and 50% of the amount of nights the ticket allowed you to attend, or something similar. Locals couldn't go every night and out of towners wouldn't really be affected since they didn't use the full allotment anyway.

I'm gonna be frank, I don't think their IT systems are capable of that lol

It also would've been way more complicated than just selling bundles which they already do.

 

[Legacy]

I think at this point the options were

A. Eliminate it entirely
B. Keep it but skyrocket the price
C. Keep it at relatively the same price but cap it even more

And to be honest, the fandom wouldn't have been happy with any of them.

Imagine if they kept the Express option but increased the price to like $2500?

I actually think, from a PR perspective, B is the least damaging. You would still get people upset who purely cannot afford it but the damage “feels” less existential because the option still exists. It’s the difference between filtering and outright denial.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I'm gonna be frank, I don't think their IT systems are capable of that lol

It also would've been way more complicated than just selling bundles which they already do.

I had this thought and was going to put it in the HHN Wish List thread but here is good too:

Keep the Frequent Fear Pass for locals and those who want a many night ticket.

Introduce a new Flex Fear Pass that is good for two to five nights. This ticket would offer multinight options at a discount, similar to their existing multiday tickets. It would also have an expiration date so you can't buy one and go three nights throughout the event, like their existing multiday tickets*. Adding on Express would be an option. If they really wanted to they could even attach the Flex Fear to the hotel reservation process.

I actually think, from a PR perspective, B is the least damaging. You would still get people upset who purely cannot afford it but the damage “feels” less existential because the option still exists. It’s the difference between filtering and outright denial.

Since the FFP w/ Express crowd are super fans the answer is simple: a trivia competition series on Peacock to win a pass.

*I think this is actually a great example of a prior "cheat" that was stamped out. I remember my family getting multiday WDW passes when I was young and we'd return with the same tickets later. Once APs started going up in price as more folks moved to FL they removed this and moved to dynamic pricing.

 

[HHNSK]

Sorry if I missed this earlier but do we think someone in customer service jumped the gun with their response today? I’m just stunned that it was an individual response as opposed to a statement from Universal identifying this.

 

[Legacy]

Sorry if I missed this earlier but do we think someone in customer service jumped the gun with their response today? I’m just stunned that it was an individual response as opposed to a statement from Universal identifying this.

I don’t think Universal planned to announce it. They were likely just going to drop multi-night passes and deal with the fallout of no Express options. I think they started getting questions today, but couldn’t say or imply that multi-night Express options were coming so close to their release (because they be accused of lying). Basically, the reply was falling into a trap where they HAD to tell the truth.

 

[Rideguy70]

Another local Hollywood guy laughing at all your pain, when we've never even been given the option for an Express + FFP ever. We don't even get an EA option.

I do hope it speeds up your stand by lines out there, but I will say, here in Hollywood, even without any FFP+Express tickets, the stand by waits are still not great due to all the huge numbers of nightly Express and VIP that go through. It's still a pretty big complaint out here for stand by guests.

 

[Kichkinet85]

Sorry if I missed this earlier but do we think someone in customer service jumped the gun with their response today? I’m just stunned that it was an individual response as opposed to a statement from Universal identifying this.
I don’t think Universal planned to announce it. They were likely just going to drop multi-night passes and deal with the fallout of no Express options. I think they started getting questions today, but couldn’t say or imply that multi-night Express options were coming so close to their release (because they be accused of lying). Basically, the reply was falling into a trap where they HAD to tell the truth.

So what's to say this wasn't an early "leak" and they would have announced it with another option but since it was "leaked" it hasn't yet.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

I actually think, from a PR perspective, B is the least damaging. You would still get people upset who purely cannot afford it but the damage “feels” less existential because the option still exists. It’s the difference between filtering and outright denial.

I honestly have no idea! With a massive price increase I feel like the narrative of "money hungry Universal" would be just as present as it is now - even slightly moreso.

But who knows! Everyone will survive.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

This is a huge operational win. If the early Stay & Scream offering does what I think it will, HHN should be a more enjoyable experience.

Paired with the Hagrid express removal, there’s a huge focus to improve the guest experience.


I don’t like announcing this so close to the event though.

 

[FearFactorBlake]

As someone who has been to the event way before this pass was even an option, I can confirm that removing FFP with Express will not cause noticeable changes to general or express wait times.

All of the lines will still be long.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

As someone who has been to the event way before this pass was even an option, I can confirm that removing FFP with Express will not cause noticeable change to general or express wait times.

All of the lines will still be long.

Long lines will always be a thing, but “At Capacity” lines prior to the event starting should be non-existent with stay & scream starting earlier and less backups caused by express queue.

 

[rhino4evr]

Sorry I just don’t buy this change was made purely due to “guest experience”. Call me a pessimist , but there has to be some other form of revenue they are expecting due to this change

 

[Bigskinny0310]

Sorry I just don’t buy this change was made purely due to “guest experience”. Call me a pessimist , but there has to be some other form of revenue they are expecting due to this change

Either they've calculated that operations will run faster with this paired with the 2pm House openings and thus more guests will have more time overall to be in the park walking through zones, buying drinks and food or they expect to sell through the reclaimed daily Express capacity.

 

[Jake S]

Sorry I just don’t buy this change was made purely due to “guest experience”. Call me a pessimist , but there has to be some other form of revenue they are expecting due to this change

Negative guest experience impacts revenue.

 

[Captain Spaulding]

Negative guest experience impacts revenue.

I don't buy that as a reason. Crowds still crazy, so people still coming, revenues still good. Plus, if they really wanted to improve guest experience and increase revenue from this change, then why not announce it early and scream from the rooftops that guest experience will improve with their new and improved ticket options.