Gambit
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Posts posted by Gambit
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Why are tickets for HHN so inexpensive on opening day. That is a VERY ideal ticket price and a good day for me to go but there must be some reason why its so cheap. Does anyone know why? Knotts was seemingly just as good a few years ago on one of the earlier nights of the season and it was pretty dead. Is HHN the same way. As a first timer should I wait until further in the season for full scare value?
No reason to wait. The only reason that it's so cheap on opening night is because it's still early in the Halloween season and most people wait until the last couple weeks in October. The price is just Universal's strategy to level out the crowds. There's no difference in the event itself (although I do believe that Bill and Ted's gets better as the month goes on. They seem to tweak it continuously). Go early and enjoy it before it gets crazy crowded
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But recycling three of the five houses (and that's not even counting how they repurpose the permanent House of Horrors) definitely shows the lack of commitment by someone at USH. Maybe it's the money people saying "Hey, we already have a bunch of Freddy, Jason, and Saw props in the back... just reuse them in a different order and say the mazes are brand new". Maybe they figure they can get away with reusing mazes since Knott's does year after year. I guess I just expect a little better from Universal. Instead of stepping up their game, it feels like Universal is treading water this year.
It's worth noting (again) that the Freddy, Jason, and House of 1000 Corpses mazes ARE NOT RECYCLED MAZES. They are all new mazes based on characters that have been used before. Saw is the only "recycled" maze, but even that will include new traps from the franchise that were not in there last year.
It's no different than HHN in Orlando, Haunt, Howl-O-Scream, or any other haunt revisiting a popular theme (clown, vampires, crazy people, etc.) with a new story.
But aside from that, John Murdy has mentioned a few times on twitter how those properties are the most mentioned ones in guest surveys. Guests wanted to see the return of those famous characters. How dare USH give guests what they ask for!
Well, to be fair, we won't know how "all new" those mazes will be until 9/24. I hope they really are completely different and I will happily admit to being wrong. But when they reused Freddy from 2007 into 2008, they also promised a "brand new" maze for Nightmare on Elm Street and it was maybe half new. The rest was exactly the same from the previous year.
As for "guests want to see Freddy and Jason again", that very well may be true. But I also worked in theme parks for over a decade and I know that could be standard corporate spin used as an excuse not to improve something. Disney uses the same excuse when they get complaints about the Sorcerer's Hat at Disney's Hollywood Studios. People complain and their PR knee-jerk response is "but the guests love it!" I'm just saying that if orders came down from high that they had to reuse certain characters for whatever reason, the easiest way to defend it is to claim "but that's what guests want." I'm not saying that is what happened. But it's very possible.
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As jarmor said, the best way to start is by doing "Stay and Scream" or making sure you're in the park when they close it down to change over to HHN. They put you in a holding area where you wait for about an hour. Even though the event is not supposed to start until 7, they'll usually let you out between 6:15 and 6:30. You can get a good jump on the houses then and get at least 3 done in the first hour. Then just plan your attack and keep moving!
Have a blast! It's the best time of the year
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^There's a difference between less committed and less established. Believe me, the USH creative team is EXTREMELY dedicated to the event. John Murdy fought for years just to bring it back in the first place.
It's not really a fair comparison to compare UO to USH. It's natural for people to do it since they are both Universal parks, but the reality is they are two entirely different events faced with different circumstances. Number one being that UO is THE event in its market. It's been running for 20 years and doesn't really have any competition. USH? No real history and competing with THE established event down the road. USH also doesn't have the alcohol revenue flowing in. So they've carved their niche with movie properties (afterall, they are a movie studio...) that guests want to see instead of just assuming what works at UO will work over here too.
Sorry if I sounded overly negative. Didn't mean to. I love the event here in Hollywood and find to be of better quality than Knott's (even with less than half as many houses). I didn't realize that Murdy had to fight to bring it back. That surprises me since it seems like such a no brainer. But good for him! I'm glad he did. I know that he's committed.
I'm fine with them basing the event on movie properties. It doesn't have to be a copy of Orlando's event. I like having some variety on both coasts. But recycling three of the five houses (and that's not even counting how they repurpose the permanent House of Horrors) definitely shows the lack of commitment by someone at USH. Maybe it's the money people saying "Hey, we already have a bunch of Freddy, Jason, and Saw props in the back... just reuse them in a different order and say the mazes are brand new". Maybe they figure they can get away with reusing mazes since Knott's does year after year. I guess I just expect a little better from Universal. Instead of stepping up their game, it feels like Universal is treading water this year.
Don't get me wrong. I'm sure the event will be a blast, as it always is. I can't wait to go. I just want to see it get better and better every year. Hopefully, as it gets more "established" it'll do just that.
On another note- do we know why USH doesn't sell alcohol for HHN? I assume it's just a liability thing? I personally don't mind but it did strike me as odd the first time I went out here.
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It's true. They are obviously far less committed to the event on this coast. If you listened to the HHN Orlando Conference Call, the Florida team made it abundantly clear that the Hollywood event is done by a completely different creative team. It was like they were distancing themselves from it. It was interesting.
Here's hoping that as the years go on and it gets more popular, they'll put the care and investment in it that Orlando does. As it is, it's still a great time and I'll be there opening weekend. But I sure will miss Michael Myers this year...
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The full site is finally live! This is good. I really thought that the bare bones one was all we were going to get. This is better
http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com/hollywood/2010/
Opening night in 15 days!!!
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1) Its a little known secret that if you start the house from that order you are exited out at the entrance of the next house...and so on and so on.
3) Very realistic. Like I said, if you hit the parade building, then the spring tents, then jaws que, then disaster and head to the sound stages in that order you will be fine. I have been doing it that way since they start using the parade building and it works out perfectly.
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Interesting! I've never heard that. I always start with the Jaws queue because, as soon as the Bill & Ted shows start dumping, that line gets CRAZY! Perhaps I'll try it your way this year. Thanks for the tip!
I'll be there in 4 weeks! Cannot wait
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Great photo report! As someone who used to live in Orlando, it sure takes me down memory lane. Glad to see Green Eggs & Ham open again. But I didn't get a sticker (or was that a button?) when I ate a Green Eggs and Ham Sandwich! Curses!
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Welcome! Great to have Horror Nights fans here.
The site has posted a teaser of the TV Spot this year and it looks epic. They actually brought on the directors of the film "Daybreakers" to direct it. Check it out under the 'News' section.
http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com/orlando/news_index_b.html
EDIT: Horror movie site, Shock Till You Drop, got the TV spot and have posted it!
Went to the movies yesterday here in L.A. and they showed the Orlando HHN commercial before the movie! Not sure why they're showing it clear across the country but it made me psyched! I'm hitting the event on both coasts (as I do every year).
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I'm going to agree that this year's line up is very disappointing. I have no problem with taking inspiration from horror movies. I think that's great. Last year's Michael Myers house was EPIC and one of my favorite houses, from either coast, EVER. However, recycling Freddy and Jason for the third time (and Saw for the second) just seems like a bit much. I know they say the mazes will be "all new" but they said the same thing about Freddy's maze in 2008 and it was maybe 1/2 new. The rest was reused from 2007. There are just so many other options out there. Universal had the Wolfman this year and that would have been perfect for a house. Anyone who went to the Wolfman house in Orlando last year can attest that it was awesome! Sorry, but this year totally feels like the powers that be thought "eh, people are going to show up anyway so no need to kill ourselves on new stuff". I mean, even the website is completely minimal.
I will say that I'm looking forward to La Llorona. I love her look and I love the story.
All of that said, I will still be attending a few nights this season (proving my own point that people will show up regardless). A reheated HHN is better than no HHN at all. Plus, I still find the event superior to Knott's.
Any talk of a TPR outing?
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Hey ya'll. New to the site!
Can't wait for HHN XX.
Anyway- word is that Rip Ride Rockit WILL be open for the event.
Photo TRs: The Orlando Crew Thread
in Photo Trip Report Archive
Posted
Nice work, guys! Can't wait to see Potter (in 4 weeks!) and do HHNXX. That 20 years of Fear scarezone looks awesome. It'll be great to pick out all the props/characters from years past.
Good call on the props from Frankenstein houses in the steampunk scarezone. And the Mardi Gras decorations are definitely ones they use in the Spring.
Ah those FL deluges... Don't really miss those.