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Orlando HHN vs. Hollywood HHN at Universal


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Hey everyone, its Noob.

 

I just recently moved down to Florida and decided this October i wanted to do the Halloween event at universal. Now I started to do a little research on the topic when i stumbled upon something interesting. When looking at the mazes for Orlando i noticed they do a lot more custom property (ones not based on licensed materials, at least to my knowledge) while the Universal in Hollywood makes most of its mazes based on licensed horror movies. Now I've got to ask, why is that? I mean, i know that Hollywood is where a majority of movies are produced, however with the Universal in Florida, a majority of the "lands" there are themed to licensed properties as well, so why don't they use more (going off the 2010 season, which had almost no licenced properties besides bill and ted or rocky horror, but even still those were shows not mazes.)? I know that the 2009 season was full of licensed properties, but why did they drop them all for the 2010 season? Do the licensed properties really make a better haunted house? I'm just asking for some opinions here because to be quite honest, I know next to nothing about these events. Thanks in advance for any help i might get-Noob

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I usually am able to attend both each year due to my work travel sched.

There is no question in my mind, and other people who have joined me in the past, that the Orlando park is WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY beyond that of the USH HHN.

 

Don't forget also that the budget for the Orlando park is MANY TIMES greater than the USH park. Murdy (the guy who runs the HHN at USH) is always complaining about the budget and how much better it could be if he had the funds to work with.

 

I hope this is OK to post since it's purely a HHN based forum, but if you goto the horror nights nightmares forum you can read up on the event from both parks and they have some die-hard followers. (I have no stake in the website)

 

They really go all out in the Orlando park and it's a must see event if you're a HHN fan. You will not be disappointed. The reason why USH HHN reuses a lot of their mazes year to year (usually) is because they simply don't have the budget and/or help to create new themes each year. I believe Murdy said in the past that the Orlando park has 40+ additional creative staff compared to that of the park in Cali.

 

Enjoy!

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^^ You pretty much hit it right on the head in you're post... we have licensed properties here because it's HHN Hollywood, and because it's famous for movies. There are quite a few other reasons though... For example until VERY recently we've had something like 4 mazes... including House of Horrors... but this year we will get 6 mazes, and as of now we're all pretty impressed the event has managed to grow so much considering the size of the park. Also HHN originally ran from 1997-2000 before having a 6 year hiatus and returning in 2006... the reason behind that is likely due to the success of Knott's but HHNH has=(as of now) always surprised me in terms of quality over Knott's and has created quite a fanbase over time... so another hiatus is very unlikely. Personally I fully expect to see some original mazes in the coming seasons, because John Murdy keeps saying he has great ideas... the issue for HHN is at the moment they need to try to compete with Knotts... because Scary Farm is arguably the "main" California haunt and has been for nearly 40 years. People recognize the famous horror characters such as Freddy, Jason, and Leatherface and they also recognize big name horror icon's... such as Rob Zombie. Lastly we(as of now) don't have a HUGE mythology like the Florida parks. Our icons our generally movie characters... so we don't have people like the caretaker and Jack the Clown, although for a year or 2 they used the director and Jack the Clown down here... but it was weird because no one knew who they were. I'd say give us a few more years to "get our foot in the door" because as of now the event is getting pretty successful and has pretty much doubled in size since it's opening, which was only 5 years ago. I predict that in the next few seasons they will begin to work on an original maze or 2, we even almost got one this season that was based on a previous scarezone, but it did not fall through. In the long run I expect to see less movie mazes and more original mazes as people begin to realize the high level of quality and scares that HHN mazes are able to achieve.

 

Sorry for such a long response, but I'm a horror nerd!

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I think HHN USH is truely the best! They have mazes fome scary movies,cool scare zones and last but not least the terror tram(which USF doesnt have)

Have you been to both? Because if you haven't you really shouldn't be commenting in this thread.

 

Anyway, I've been to both events, several times. I would say that each venue has their "on and off" years. But even the best years as USH is very, very, very hard to beat Orlando. In, fact, it's simply just an unfair comparison.

 

The park at USH just doesn't have the same kind of room that Orlando does, and you have to also remember, that aside from the theme park, it IS also a working movie studio, and that plays a huge impact on what they can do.

 

USH puts on a TOP NOTCH event, and it's easily in the top three in the world for Halloween events.

 

Having said that though, Orlando is just on a different scale, and the event blows away anything else I've ever seen as far as theme park based Halloween events go.

 

Every year they have completely original mazes, the "vibe" at the show in Orlando is a lot more crazy and fun (it's probably the alcohol helping that), and there is just more of a "legacy" about the show in Orlando, much like there is for Haunt at Knott's.

 

At the Bill & Ted show in Orlando, people really GET INTO IT, because it's been a legacy show there for 20 years. In Hollywood, people watch the Bill & Ted show, they seem to like it, but you just don't get the same audience reaction, nor do they really seem to understand "why is the park doing a show based on characters from an 80s movie???" It makes sense in Orlando, and it's fun in Hollywood, but the guests don't seem to 'get it' as much.

 

I'd go to both events and form your own opinions. HHN is great on both coasts.

 

--Robb

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I think HHN USH is truely the best! They have mazes fome scary movies,cool scare zones and last but not least the terror tram(which USF doesnt have)

Have you been to both? Because if you haven't you really shouldn't be commenting in this thread.

 

Anyway, I've been to both events, several times. I would say that each venue has their "on and off" years. But even the best years as USH is very, very, very hard to beat Orlando. In, fact, it's simply just an unfair comparison.

 

The park at USH just doesn't have the same kind of room that Orlando does, and you have to also remember, that aside from the theme park, it IS also a working movie studio, and that plays a huge impact on what they can do.

 

USH puts on a TOP NOTCH event, and it's easily in the top three in the world for Halloween events.

 

Having said that though, Orlando is just on a different scale, and the event blows away anything else I've ever seen as far as theme park based Halloween events go.

 

Every year they have completely original mazes, the "vibe" at the show in Orlando is a lot more crazy and fun (it's probably the alcohol helping that), and there is just more of a "legacy" about the show in Orlando, much like there is for Haunt at Knott's.

 

At the Bill & Ted show in Orlando, people really GET INTO IT, because it's been a legacy show there for 20 years. In Hollywood, people watch the Bill & Ted show, they seem to like it, but you just don't get the same audience reaction, nor do they really seem to understand "why is the park doing a show based on characters from an 80s movie???" It makes sense in Orlando, and it's fun in Hollywood, but the guests don't seem to 'get it' as much.

 

I'd go to both events and form your own opinions. HHN is great on both coasts.

 

--Robb

 

 

Well I'm glad to hear the one in Orlando is good. Ill definitely try to go this year, unfortunately a trip to Hollywood is out of the question right now (college budget and all).

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I think HHN USH is truely the best! They have mazes fome scary movies,cool scare zones and last but not least the terror tram(which USF doesnt have)

Have you been to both? Because if you haven't you really shouldn't be commenting in this thread.

 

--Robb

Yes I have.

Then you must be so California biased that you don't have the ability to present an honest opinion. I don't know a single person who has been to both events that would put the Hollywood one over Orlando, unless they have a personal reason for saying so.

 

Not saying that the Hollywood event good, because it's awesome, but it just isn't even on the same level as Orlando to the point where I think it's an unfair comparison.

 

That would be like comparing California Adventure to DisneySea.

 

Sorry for being so harsh on my response, I just feel very strongly about it, and I absolutely cannot stand those people who form biased opinions based on where they live. Huge pet peeve of mine.

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Then you must be so California biased that you don't have the ability to present an honest opinion. I don't know a single person who has been to both events that would put the Hollywood one over Orlando, unless they have a personal reason for saying so.

 

Not saying that the Hollywood event good, because it's awesome, but it just isn't even on the same level as Orlando to the point where I think it's an unfair comparison.

 

That would be like comparing California Adventure to DisneySea.

 

Sorry for being so harsh on my response, I just feel very strongly about it, and I absolutely cannot stand those people who form biased opinions based on where they live. Huge pet peeve of mine.

Its ok Robb...I feel like that too sometimes..I been to Orlando's event two years ago and USH last year.Im not say that we are the best but I just think that I have a more enjoyable time here because theres things to do like the terror tram...Sorry to make you think that I formed a biased. I love Universal Orlando WAY more than here because they have better thing there and HRRR

Edited by FrightFest1408
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^ I screwed up when I was quoting the post, my bad. I fixed it now.

 

You said were at USH last year and USF the year before, but you haven't been there in a long time? Universal Florida has always had more mazes, scare zones, and shows. If you count King Kong, you have to count the regular attractions Universal Florida has open.

It honestly seems like you made your opinion without having been to HHN at USF.

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^ I screwed up when I was quoting the post, my bad. I fixed it now.

 

You said were at USH last year and USF the year before, but you haven't been there in a long time? Universal Florida has always had more mazes, scare zones, and shows. If you count King Kong, you have to count the regular attractions Universal Florida has open.

It honestly seems like you made your opinion without having been to HHN at USF.

 

I dont have perfect memory. King Kong has been with HHN.Its only its own attraction when with HHN.If it were it would'nt be with Studio Tour in the first Place.I've never went in a maze in USF I was little and I was a Chicken.Im not sure about how many scare zone and shows there were.I only went to the Bill and Ted Show and just was walking in the scare zones there were.I just remember the show and walking through the scare zones and riding rides.I was still a chicken last year too.I only went to HOTC and I said no more.I did go to the terror tram which wasnt that bad and King Kong Express.

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Seriously, how old are you? Just curious. Because, to be honest, if you're a young kid who is responding to an adult about an actual real question, and your response is so far off base from the information the original poster is requesting, you have no business responding in the first place.

 

When someone is asking opinions comparing theme parks, shows, rides, etc, doing research, trying to figure out if what they are looking into it worth them spending money, they need REAL ANSWERS, not a bunch of crap from someone who doesn't have the experience to make any claims at all.

 

This is seriously a huge pet peeve of mine.

 

When responding to posts on this forum, use your head, dude. If you haven't been into any mazes at a specific haunt event, then you really haven't experienced the event. That's like saying "I like all the roller coasters better at Six Flags Magic Mountain, because I went there, and they were pretty colors...but I didn't ride any of them."

 

Here's an idea - if you can't actually provide any information to the topic or original poster, DO NOT CLICK THE REPLY BUTTON.

 

Got it? Good.

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I went to both last year for the first time (first time at USO and second year of USH), and I can only state my personal opinion and preferences.

 

I found USH way more agressive than USO, the scare actors in the mazes and scare zones at USH go after you like you killed their family. USO felt a lot more low key, they have wonderfully detailed sets (the behind the scenes tour during the day was interesting), but the mazes didn't seem as dramatic as USH, and the scare actors more just pop out rather than go crazy. The impression I got is USO were perhaps going more for spooky rather than terrifying.

 

The crowds are big at USH, but they are monstrous at USO - even on a non-peak night. Even the express pass lines are huge at USO. I did do a guided VIP tour one night at USO but I was disappointed because I like to do the mazes more than once. Everything is very spread out at USO, whereas at USH it's smaller size means that there very few parts of the park that aren't Halloweened out which I found much more immersive.

 

Not only does USH have the Terror Tram but they have the go-go dancers.

 

They're both amazing events, it's a bit like comparing Jessica Alba and Charlize Theron. I personally prefer the more aggressive approach of USH, and it's better VIP options, but I think I hit USO on an off-year last year so while I'll defintely be going to USH this year primarly because it's closer, I haven't ruled out heading over to Orlando.

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