Universal Orlando Resort (USO, IOA) Discussion Thread

[Meteornotes]

I still say the switch to all these licensed properties was the death of this event.

 

dt

[cfc]

^I'm surprised they haven't started licensing mazes from Asylum yet.

[Meteornotes]

^If they add a Mega Shark maze, I'm buying a season pass!

 

dt

[Jew]

Honestly, I think relying more on licensed properties is refreshing---while I enjoy the original mazes, there's only so many variations of themes to keep those going. Seeing TV shows and movies brought to life is what people expect from Universal, since it is a movie studio.

 

The great part about this is that there is an essentially endless catalog of great horror/tv/music brands to be brough to life to keep it fresh for years and years. For example---Evil Dead was LONG overdue for a maze (even if it is based off the remake), since it is such a great property to begin with.

[SharkTums]

At least we'll get scare zones back this year?

[cfc]

^That should help a bit.

 

I agree that not all licensed mazes are "bad"--it depends on the property and what they do with it. For example, their Child's Play maze a few years back was surprisingly good (as was a Friday the 13th maze, and I've never liked that series of movies). The mazes last year, though, licensed or not, were pretty weak.

 

I guess my biggest problem with this is that I'm simply not a big fan of contemporary horror flicks. One exception is Cabin in the Woods, which was a very well done satire of horror movies. I haven't seen the Evil Dead remake, although I guess I'll catch it on DVD (I like the original Evil Dead movies).

Edited July 25, 2013 by cfc

[PCW_Nut]

I think I am one of the few who are excited for this. The Walking Dead is what got me into the "horror" scene. Last years Walking Dead house was my favorite, it seemed to never end and the actors really got me in the house. Having an entire park dedicated to the zombie apocalypse!? Now that is what I want to see! I am a little sad though that there will not be different themes to the zones, but at least they brought the zones back.

 

I am with you on this. Sure, the different areas would've been nice, but seeing an entire park taken over by zombies will be kind of like spending a day in Zombieland.

 

I have never been to the event before, but I will admit the moment they announced the Cabin the the Woods house I was sold and just bought my ticket to attend my first ever HHN event!

 

I'll also be attenending Howl-O-Scream for the first time, so it will be nice to compare the two events.

[PCW_Nut]

I haven't seen the Evil Dead remake, although I guess I'll catch it on DVD (I like the original Evil Dead movies).

 

It's very different in the sense that it's a lot more gory, no comedy basically, and just more gritty. Some awesome scenes in the movie should make for some amazing sets. I will say, I am sure we will be walking through a room full of dead cats hanging from the ceiling and something tells me Universal's scent department should have fun with that one.

[Someotherguyuser]

I've been lurking on the FB page and a certain other HHN fansite, and I'm in awe of how much complaining is going on regarding the Walking Dead. They're making state,ents like "The event is a mere shadow of what it once was.Where did the creativity go?" and "Your getting lazy universal, same pony two years in a row". Isn't it a pit unwarranted to complain about the event before you've gone?

 

It's like Jew said. I enjoy the original content very much so, but there's only so many ideas you can toss around. I'm looking forward to seeing Cabin in the Woods and, if the rumors are true, Resident Evil and American Werewolf in London. These people can complain all I want, but I'm going to go to have fun and enjoy myself...isn't that the whole point of the event?

[Wes]

I just don't think TWD is very interesting as a show, and I thought the maze last year just felt like a jumble of scenes from the show...like "Hey remember this part????" and then something jumps out at you. It just didn't feel very cohesive.

 

I understand they're striking while the iron is hot and TWD is as hot of a horror franchise as humanly possible right now, but it would be nice for a different zombie movie or something. Still can't believe they haven't done a full-on Shaun of the Dead maze.

[OCJ48]

Please, please tell me they're putting in at least a few houses not based on outside IP. This will be my sixth consecutive year, and the event last year was much, much worse than the previous years, partly because there was so much outside IP.

 

If you're going to do outside IP, Universal, do it right. Give it the same production you do for your non-IP houses. No more comparatively weak themeing, no more "We're going to do a clipshow of this movie in the house" BS, no more houses that end halfway through and just have you wander through a lightly themed deserted queue (Looking at you, last year's Walking Dead house). Last year, you did it right at Silent Hill, the year before, you did it right at The Thing, and you did it right at just about every house at 19. Make. It. Work. Make HHN 22 an anomaly, before the mediocrity swallows your event alive.

 

Okay, rant over.

[Jew]

^^That's the one unfortunate thing about using IP's: they obviously want what is hot right now when there are so many great franchises/stories to chose from! The Shaun of the Dead scarezone at USH was great, and definitely could have been a maze.

[Invertalon]

I am also not a big fan of the movie franchise stuff they draw so much from. I think some of the best years and houses were the ones that they came up with themselves.

 

I went to a few years straight of HHN... I think from 2004 to around 2008 or 2009 maybe... I think whatever the year with the SAW house was. After that, we stopped going every year.

 

HHN is still a spectacular event, but they need to lay off the movie stuff for me to be interested in going... Walking Dead is nothing but zombies which is probably the most boring thing you can do at any event (And this is coming from a big fan of the show). I would love for them to go back to having a custom made icon and nothing but original houses and more impressive scare zones again... Some of my favorite houses were Dead Exposure, Body Collectors, Terror Mines, Home For the Holidays... Not many of the licensed houses did I care for, although SAW was pretty good. I get that Universal is a movie park and all that, but I just think when the designers are not confined to specific scenes and what they can and cannot do and all that, they make a better product.

[themeparkguy27]

Snapped a bunch of pics today and just uploaded 40+ to my blog.

 

allaroundorlando.blogspot.com

 

Here's some of the highlights:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BBparks57]

Well if rumors are true, and so far they have been...we are getting three original houses. The only kind of downside is that two of those houses are sequels to older HHN houses. One being legendary truth, but that website went active way early this year so just assuming. I hope it's better than the maze a few years ago. I agree with what was posted earlier, the walking dead isn't that interesting to me and the house last year was my least favorite. Maybe the new location of The Walking Dead house will aid in the quality of the maze?

[Hilltopper39]

This is a bit of a random question but if you stay in a Universal Resort property during Horror Nights does your room key act as a fast pass during the HHN event like it does at the parks during normal operation? Does it work for rides only maybe, or rides and mazes, or does it not work at all since HHN is a separately ticketed event?

[Brad]

^They do not work at all - HHN Express passes are completely different.

[themeparkguy27]

Just got home from the park...here's some pics from today. Getting closer to Springfield completion!

All photos posted here:

allaroundorlando.blogspot.com/2013/07/universal-studios-florida-springfield_31.html

 

 

 

Notice the Duff Brewery costume on the guy in the back

 

 

 

The plaque is now up on Jebidiah

New Duff signage

[necoastergp]

I can't wait to get back to USF to see the finished Springfield in person and try the new food offerings it all looks fantastic! Not to mention still need to ride Transformers.

[arby]

^^Thanks for the update. US and IOA are two of our favorite parks. We can't wait to get back there next year.

[themeparkguy27]

Here are a few pics that I took today, rest are in my blog update. The Chief Wiggum statue still had white wrapping around his head. I liked how the lights on the police car lit up, that was a surprise. Enjoy!

 

Rest of the pics: allaroundorlando.blogspot.com/2013/08/universal-studios-florida-springfield.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ChrisFL]

There was an incident today on rip, ride, rockit, maybe closing indefinitely (possible injury), not much info beyond that.

[jedimaster1227]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-universal-rip-ride-rockit-injury-20130801,0,7127139.story

 

The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios Florida was closed Thursday after a rider was injured, a Universal Orlando spokesman said.

 

The woman was hurt in the early afternoon as the car she was riding in stopped. The injury was minor, and she returned to the park after being treated, spokesman Tom Schroder said.

 

He would not elaborate.

 

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, billed as Orlando's tallest roller coaster, will remain closed until park workers figure out what went wrong.

 

The coaster climbs straight up 17 miles above the park and reaches top speeds of 65 mph, according to the Universal Orlando website.

[Locostitch]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-universal-rip-ride-rockit-injury-20130801,0,7127139.story

 

The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios Florida was closed Thursday after a rider was injured, a Universal Orlando spokesman said.

 

The woman was hurt in the early afternoon as the car she was riding in stopped. The injury was minor, and she returned to the park after being treated, spokesman Tom Schroder said.

 

He would not elaborate.

 

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, billed as Orlando's tallest roller coaster, will remain closed until park workers figure out what went wrong.

 

The coaster climbs straight up 17 miles above the park and reaches top speeds of 65 mph, according to the Universal Orlando website.

Oh yeah guys 17 miles sounds legit

[arby]

The coaster climbs straight up 17 miles above the park and reaches top speeds of 65 mph, according to the Universal Orlando website.

 

That literally made me laugh. Clearly it wasn't caught by the editor and was meant to say *stories* instead of miles.