The Old HHN 30 Speculation Thread (2020)

[LifeIsTheBubbles]

Can you all drop the “is it happening” spec. Please drop it. You’d be blind to think the event is not happening! The event IS HAPPENING. End of Discussion. But if you don’t believe that then just wait for these announcements, because sweetheart they are coming. And they are hard at work prepping up the TV Spot and other video recordings for this year.

Also its hilarious that people think it will be watered down LOL. Watered down? Watered down?! The only major changes will be limited ticket selling for event nights, requiring face coverings for guests, virtual queuing, pulsing of lines, more fully masked characters, and more stages/large set pieces for Scareactors to pop in and out of in the streets. Which all of those were already expected. Just you wait, y’all are about to be SHOOK and excited. Plus pulsing of the lines will literally better your experience in these houses.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

I'm still very worried about the parks' ability as a whole to survive this, even if the prospect of an at most "reasonable" crowd level excites me. Talk about a dilemma.

 

[PlatinumFate]

Can you all drop the “is it happening” spec. Please drop it. You’d be blind to think the event is not happening! The event IS HAPPENING. End of Discussion. But if you don’t believe that then just wait for these announcements, because sweetheart they are coming. And they are hard at work prepping up the TV Spot and other video recordings for this year.

Also its hilarious that people think it will be watered down LOL. Watered down? Watered down?! Just you wait, y’all are about to be SHOOK and excited.

If I wasn’t excited already, I am now. I’m very excited for the commercials this year. So far, I think we’ll get ones based on the Icons and on Hill House, since we have confirmation that they filmed commercials with characters from both.

 

[Living Dead Dude]

So I’m guessing the earthquake rumor was completely false?

 

[londonwerecat]

So I’m guessing the earthquake rumor was completely false?

We don’t know that

 

[Legacy]

If capacity is gonna be 12K, they're definitely selling out the entire event. I've got no doubt about that. Especially if they're hitting close to 10K on a random June weekend (which I have to think are mostly just locals/in-state). I find it hard to believe that they won't try to push capacity as much as possible to try to get closer to 20K than to 10K though.

I did some math. Granted, a lot of it speculative and guess-timating, but capacity is a numbers game, so I looked at the numbers. Based on that, I can see them looking at a goal capacity of 18K with a stretch capacity of 20K.


There’s a lot going on here, so let me explain. If they pulse a party of 4 every 60 seconds, they will be able to to push (around 272 people an hour (for comparison, a congo-line pushes a “party of 4” every 10 seconds—2.5 seconds a person). With 10 houses, that’s a house capacity of about 2720 an hour. If we establish an average of 15 minutes between each house, then that means there are four parties in the streets for every party in a house, plus 5 parties in house queues. That means that basically, every hour (again, on a 60 second pulse), the park can support a capacity of 6K an hour.

Establishing 15 minutes between houses plus 3:30 a house, means it ”takes” 3 hours to “complete” the event (there are variables such as dining and shopping that this doesn’t address). With a 6 hour event, that means at “peak” you’ll have 3 or 4 “heats” in the park at its highest capacity. That means “capacity” at a 60 second pulse is between 18K and 24K guests.

Again, this is self-made and I’m not an expert. The biggest variables when calculating the normal capacity is “guest flow” and fire code capacity but the VQ mitigates a lot of flow issues and the capacity limits mean we don’t have to worry about a “everybody in one spot” moment.

Can you all drop the “is it happening” spec. Please drop it. You’d be blind to think the event is not happening! The event IS HAPPENING. End of Discussion. But if you don’t believe that then just wait for these announcements, because sweetheart they are coming. And they are hard at work prepping up the TV Spot and other video recordings for this year.

Also its hilarious that people think it will be watered down LOL. Watered down? Watered down?! Just you wait, y’all are about to be SHOOK and excited.

You’re right. It can’t be watered down.

They’re cutting the water effects.

 

[JawsVictim]

And they can use her again next year even if they use her this year. It’s not an either/or proposition.

The IPs are probably more vital this year, as they’re an active draw against circumstances that, otherwise, would push people away from the event. Billie, Hill House, and Beetlejuice all serve a range of cultural touchstones. In a year where the default position is, “It’s not safe to go,” using the IPs can shift audiences to, “Maybe it’s worth it.”

It’s also important to remember that capacity for the entire event is going to be drastically reduced. With VQ, there’s not going to be 33,000 to 40,000 guests waiting for their time. It’s going to be between 15,000 - 20,000. While they’ll normal try to push 3,000 people per hour through a house, this year, it’ll be around 1,500.

The event IS getting tailored to the new normal, and I think people are having a hard time envisioning that. I get it. If you’ve only ever attended HHN when they’ve averaged 32,000 guests a night, a 12,000 person night feels unfathomable. A night where you can casually get every house done in about 3 hours doesn’t seem possible. Trick is, that’s exactly what Universal is going to try to give you. Part of me is actually really jealous. If it weren’t for the whole deadly virus thing, this is exactly the type of HHN I’d be signing up for.

I’m 100% game for the event tailoring to the situation and would love for this to become the new normal so it’s less crowded and more eerie.

However, I’m not optimistic it’ll work both for the public and for TMs in regards to mitigating COVID outbreaks. I’d say the odds are high that at least one house will have a COVID outbreak amongst their cast. It’s impossible to have wardrobe, make up, break space, and props without close interactions. Hell, even tag outs your right there beside one another.

Additionally, the point of having IPs like Eilish, Hill House, and Beetlejuice is to pack people in to spend money on beer, food, and merch. Again, it’s best to use these IPs in a year you can actually do this. Oddly enough, I find the original content more appealing as a reason to attend (very likely I won’t, but some of these concepts have me wanting to risk it). HHN’s not beyond repeating houses, but man, that certainly will leave a bad taste who risk attending this year.

Is HHN really HHN without close encounters with scareactors, fog machines, stuff in face, curtains, scents, drunk idiots bumping into you, cattle herding crowds, conga lines, and attendants screaming, “Keep up with the group in front!”? Guess we’ll see.

I’m starting to sound like the HHN Lorax. Sorry, guys.

 

[Living Dead Dude]

I did some math. Granted, a lot of it speculative and guess-timating, but capacity is a numbers game, so I looked at the numbers. Based on that, I can see them looking at a goal capacity of 18K with a stretch capacity of 20K.

View attachment 12559
There’s a lot going on here, so let me explain. If they pulse a party of 4 every 60 seconds, they will be able to to push (around 272 people an hour (for comparison, a congo-line pushes a “party of 4” every 10 seconds—2.5 seconds a person). With 10 houses, that’s a house capacity of about 2720 an hour. If we establish an average of 15 minutes between each house, then that means there are four parties in the streets for every party in a house, plus 5 parties in house queues. That means that basically, every hour (again, on a 60 second pulse), the park can support a capacity of 6K an hour.

Establishing 15 minutes between houses plus 3:30 a house, means it ”takes” 3 hours to “complete” the event (there are variables such as dining and shopping that this doesn’t address). With a 6 hour event, that means at “peak” you’ll have 3 or 4 “heats” in the park at its highest capacity. That means “capacity” at a 60 second pulse is between 18K and 24K guests.

Again, this is self-made and I’m not an expert. The biggest variables when calculating the normal capacity is “guest flow” and fire code capacity but the VQ mitigates a lot of flow issues and the capacity limits mean we don’t have to worry about a “everybody in one spot” moment.

You’re right. It can’t be watered down.

They’re cutting the water effects.

60 seconds seems a bit long for pulsing. My local haunt is around 30-40 seconds depending how fast they get past the first scare

 

[Legacy]

60 seconds seems a bit long for pulsing. My local haunt is around 30-40 seconds depending how fast they get past the first scare

Social distancing though. At a 30 second pulse, how quickly are you at the group in front of you. HHN, a 30 second pulse will catch you up before you’re halfway through the house.

 

[Nick]

Social distancing though. At a 30 second pulse, how quickly are you at the group in front of you. HHN, a 30 second pulse will catch you up before you’re halfway through the house.

Especially since, when no one is directly ahead of people in a house, they tend to act a fool and run. They'll catch up REAL quick.

 

[hhn28andbeyond]

I'm still very worried about the parks' ability as a whole to survive this, even if the prospect of an at most "reasonable" crowd level excites me. Talk about a dilemma.

Dude. Stop. You’re the only one bringing this up. There’s a COVID thread I don’t have the link too, go back a few pages to find it and y’all about your worries there

 

[londonwerecat]

I’m starting to sound like the HHN Lorax. Sorry, guys.

@JawsVictim is now dubbed the HHN Lorax. He speaks for the scare actors. lol

I’m kinda feeling that if I go, I might want to buy myself like fancy gloves (potentially leather), so I dont have to accidentally touch anything. After experiencing the event last year (including getting beer accidentally spilt on me more than one time), I know what kinda germ-infected place it can be.

Also I really hope that they dont make us scan our fingers like last year. That would definitely not be a good idea.

 

[hhn28andbeyond]

I'm kinda feeling that if I go, I might want to buy myself like fancy gloves (potentially leather), so I dont have to accidentally touch anything. After experiencing the event last year (including getting beer accidentally spilt on me more than one time), I know what kinda germ-infected place it can be.

Also I really hope that they dont make us scan our fingers like last year. That would definitely not be a good idea.

If they do do the finger print scanners they can just wipe them down between people. It’ll take forever to get people through, but it’ll be the best way probably

 

[randomguesser]

Honestly idc how it is I need to see Hill House, Beetlejuice, and Billie. As long as Bent Neck Lady and staircase scenes of Hill House, and literally everything in the other two exist the rest of the event could be cancelled for all I care.

After watching TCM 3D that House is up in my anticipation as well. I’m betting it’ll play out like H2 in the sense of a prologue. Betting it’ll flow with original house burning prologue->new house->shed->car crash->carnival->finale in slaughterhouse

 

[Nick]

I’m 100% game for the event tailoring to the situation and would love for this to become the new normal so it’s less crowded and more eerie.

However, I’m not optimistic it’ll work both for the public and for TMs in regards to mitigating COVID outbreaks. I’d say the odds are high that at least one house will have a COVID outbreak amongst their cast. It’s impossible to have wardrobe, make up, break space, and props without close interactions. Hell, even tag outs your right there beside one another.

Additionally, the point of having IPs like Eilish, Hill House, and Beetlejuice is to pack people in to spend money on beer, food, and merch. Again, it’s best to use these IPs in a year you can actually do this. Oddly enough, I find the original content more appealing as a reason to attend (very likely I won’t, but some of these concepts have me wanting to risk it). HHN’s not beyond repeating houses, but man, that certainly will leave a bad taste who risk attending this year.

Is HHN really HHN without close encounters with scareactors, fog machines, stuff in face, curtains, scents, drunk idiots bumping into you, cattle herding crowds, conga lines, and attendants screaming, “Keep up with the group in front!”? Guess we’ll see.

I’m starting to sound like the HHN Lorax. Sorry, guys.

Getting to experience HHN - even an abridged version - is a luxury. You may not like some of the changes and it may not seem like normal HHN, but nothing is "normal" anymore. There will likely not be any scareactors in the streets outside of stilts, they'll probably all be on stages. The houses will likely look different and may have plexiglass dividers in certain spots or some changes like that that we aren't used to. But it's still a special event that a lot of scareactors are going to risk infection to be a part of because they love this event just as much, if not more than most of you guys.

You guys also have to remember, you do have a choice not to go this year if the event looks like it's not for you this year. Complaining that things aren't like normal in the middle of a pandemic is a bit selfish, imo. Nothing's normal and won't be for quite a long time.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

Getting to experience HHN - even an abridged version - is a luxury. You may not like some of the changes and it may not seem like normal HHN, but nothing is "normal" anymore. There will likely not be any scareactors in the streets outside of stilts, they'll probably all be on stages. The houses will likely look different and may have pplexiglass dividers in certain spots or some changes like that that we aren't used to. But it's still a special event that a lot of scareactors are going to risk infection to be a part of, because they love this event just as much, if not more than most of you guys.

You guys also have to remember, you do have a choice not to go this year if the event looks like it's not for you this year. Complaining that things aren't like normal in the middle of a pandemic is a bit selfish, imo. Nothing's normal and won't be for quite a long time.

With all the negative reviews last year got (not really from me mind you--I was much more pleased than probably most), normality when it comes to HHN might prove overrated to some.

EDIT (to avoid double posting): @Imperius , my point is that low crowds are a lot of fun but they mean bad things in terms of how the industry is doing.

 

[Imperius]

I'm still very worried about the parks' ability as a whole to survive this, even if the prospect of an at most "reasonable" crowd level excites me. Talk about a dilemma.

lol wut

 

[snayberry]

I'm going all in with express this year. I've been saving my stimulus check for something, this is it. :grin:

 

[JawsVictim]

Getting to experience HHN - even an abridged version - is a luxury. You may not like some of the changes and it may not seem like normal HHN, but nothing is "normal" anymore. There will likely not be any scareactors in the streets outside of stilts, they'll probably all be on stages. The houses will likely look different and may have pplexiglass dividers in certain spots or some changes like that that we aren't used to. But it's still a special event that a lot of scareactors are going to risk infection to be a part of, because they love this event just as much, if not more than most of you guys.

You guys also have to remember, you do have a choice not to go this year if the event looks like it's not for you this year. Complaining that things aren't like normal in the middle of a pandemic is a bit selfish, imo. Nothing's normal and won't be for quite a long time.

Dude, you’re talking to a scareactor. I’m weighing the potential risk of working HHNH. I know this.

And it isn’t complaining. I’m pointing out the logical challenges. I’m also pointing out what I think is a better strategy for the event.

There is another side to this pandemic. I personally think it’s short sighted for Universal to move forward, but short sightedness is Universal’s MO. As a fan, it is disappointing to see good concepts wasted this year because they have to be drastically altered. I’d be down there 100% if it wasnt for a pandemic. Why celebrate a 30th anniversary when people are concerned for their safety? It’d be nice to actually celebrate the event after the pandemic’s over.

 

[shiekra38]

And they can use her again next year even if they use her this year. It’s not an either/or proposition.

The IPs are probably more vital this year, as they’re an active draw against circumstances that, otherwise, would push people away from the event. Billie, Hill House, and Beetlejuice all serve a range of cultural touchstones. In a year where the default position is, “It’s not safe to go,” using the IPs can shift audiences to, “Maybe it’s worth it.”

It’s also important to remember that capacity for the entire event is going to be drastically reduced. With VQ, there’s not going to be 33,000 to 40,000 guests waiting for their time. It’s going to be between 15,000 - 20,000. While they’ll normal try to push 3,000 people per hour through a house, this year, it’ll be around 1,500.

The event IS getting tailored to the new normal, and I think people are having a hard time envisioning that. I get it. If you’ve only ever attended HHN when they’ve averaged 32,000 guests a night, a 12,000 person night feels unfathomable. A night where you can casually get every house done in about 3 hours doesn’t seem possible. Trick is, that’s exactly what Universal is going to try to give you. Part of me is actually really jealous. If it weren’t for the whole deadly virus thing, this is exactly the type of HHN I’d be signing up for.

I've been going since 2001, and I don't remeber a year where HHN was breathable since like 2003