Halloween Horror Nights 29 General Discussion

[orlandoiloveyou]

I think the atmosphere of the Zones is needed. Any time you’re between NY and Diagon the mood really drops. Not having SZ would be just a pro with haunted houses instead of rides.

The zones just need to evolve like any other theme park attraction. I don’t know what the best way to do that is but it could be atmosphere areas and then in some areas have one direction SZ like Hollywood has, that basically functions as a mini house getting you to the next area. Or the zone has a big central set piece that the actors use like a parade float where they can quasi-perform or hide, maybe step off of to interact a bit.

 

[Dr. Herbert West]

I think in recent years the scarezones have been more about atmosphere and fun interactions rather than scares, which is why campy IPs, like Trick R Treat, Klowns, and hopefully Creepshow this year, worked so well.

 

[JawsVictim]

This feels like the “future of scarezones” discussion again, and since time is a flat circle...

We need more creepy/atmospheric stage shows. Bayou of Blood sacrifice was an excellent example of creating atmosphere through a stage show. Chucky did this well too.

Also, look toward Sleep No More to enhance the experience of scarezones with interactivity and multiple storylines within a scarezone through characters and whom the audience chooses to follow around a zone.

I heard SW:GE is actually being influenced by Sleep No More so maybe A&D will finally take a hint since they clearly haven’t read my posts here. Time. Is. Flat.

 

[Legacy]

This feels like the “future of scarezones” discussion again, and since time is a flat circle...

We need more creepy/atmospheric stage shows. Bayou of Blood sacrifice was an excellent example of creating atmosphere through a stage show. Chucky did this well too.

Also, look toward Sleep No More to enhance the experience of scarezones with interactivity and multiple storylines within a scarezone through characters and whom the audience chooses to follow around a zone.

I heard SW:GE is actually being influenced by Sleep No More so maybe A&D will finally take a hint since they clearly haven’t read my posts here. Time. Is. Flat.

HHN would never do a Sleep No More style aspect to the streets. As cool as it would be, it wouldn’t work.

• The street cast would all have to be cast based on improv ability, which makes it the most expensive cast in the park (on par with Bill and Ted, because they’re still casting 2 casts).
• A&D has to write multiple threads to a story, which increases the writing and approval process exponentially.
• The zones are meant to be experiences, not “linear” stories.
• Universal doesn’t want people staying in a zone, and definitely doesn’t want guests following performers around.

Star Wars is leveraging the Magic Bands for its storytelling, but will likely just do vignettes throughout the day. HHN already does vignettes, and doesn’t have the infrastructure in place to mimic Magic Bands.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Scare zones still work. Not as effective, but they still work.

 

[JawsVictim]

HHN would never do a Sleep No More style aspect to the streets. As cool as it would be, it wouldn’t work.

• The street cast would all have to be cast based on improv ability, which makes it the most expensive cast in the park (on par with Bill and Ted, because they’re still casting 2 casts).
• A&D has to write multiple threads to a story, which increases the writing and approval process exponentially.
• The zones are meant to be experiences, not “linear” stories.
• Universal doesn’t want people staying in a zone, and definitely doesn’t want guests following performers around.

Star Wars is leveraging the Magic Bands for its storytelling, but will likely just do vignettes throughout the day. HHN already does vignettes, and doesn’t have the infrastructure in place to mimic Magic Bands.

Valid points, but it is worth noting Vamp ‘55 had a great cast capable of telling the story of their characters subtly. In fact, Sleep No More contains hardly any dialogue, unless you get a one on one interaction with a performer.

I was thinking of fusing the stage shows we’ve seen with a more encompassing story and stretching it throughout the scarezone with rotating narratives. It’s really building on the execution of other scarezones (surprisingly from HHN 26 - Vamp ‘55, Survive or Die, and Chance).

But, yeah, you’re right. Universal wants guests to keep it moving.

 

[jseal777]

JUST REPLACE THE SCAREZONES WITH SCREENZ

 

[RedRightDan]

and doesn’t have the infrastructure in place to mimic Magic Bands

They took a (very) small step towards location based interaction last year with those amulets of fear. Still very far from Magic Bands, but they could potentially use them to do more than just different flashes of color.

 

[ChaseTuff]

They took a (very) small step towards location based interaction last year with those amulets of fear. Still very far from Magic Bands, but they could potentially use them to do more than just different flashes of color.

I mean...from what I can tell though those didn’t fly off the stands.

 

[Legacy]

They took a (very) small step towards location based interaction last year with those amulets of fear. Still very far from Magic Bands, but they could potentially use them to do more than just different flashes of color.

It's different with Magic Bands though. The Bands tell Universal who you are, and refers to numerous data points that details the entirety of your visit.

With the Amulets, Universal sends out a wide range signal that says, "Now turn blue."

 

[RedRightDan]

Baby steps. They could introduce a more advanced version in the next few years, and continue to build off it.

 

[jseal777]

None of my party understood the amulets but if they improved them in the future we would probably give them another chance

 

[Living Dead Dude]

I wore my amulet of fear for maybe 15 min. Thing was to big and heavy and hardly did anything.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I always believe the Amulet of Fear was to create an interactive "game" inside of HHN. The light will change depending on your step/role or whatever the game entails. Ex. If you are wearing the amulet going through Dead Exposure and the light is purple, the scareactors give you a password to unlock the next step.

 

[Legacy]

I always believe the Amulet of Fear was to create an interactive "game" inside of HHN. The light will change depending on your step/role or whatever the game entails. Ex. If you are wearing the amulet going through Dead Exposure and the light is purple, the scareactors give you a password to unlock the next step.

That's expecting too much from the scareactors, and underselling the effort required to create something like that.

It's really chaotic for performers in houses. It's loud, dark, and most scareactors are constantly moving. They have a split second to interact with guests before their next guest comes by. The last thing they need is to remember a password and somehow scream it out so a guest can hear it over the noise. A&D could structure specific scenes around getting the password, but then you're still asking the entire line to stop to ensure a guest with a light-up skull gets the info.

Also, you need a method to validate that THAT individual with the skull is the person with the password for the next step. That requires a two-way verification. That's done either through technology (which Universal hasn't implemented yet) or face-to-face interaction. So, this scareactor, would have to relay to someone "I just gave a password to this person" so the next stage can know to open part 2 to that person.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I always believe the Amulet of Fear was to create an interactive "game" inside of HHN. The light will change depending on your step/role or whatever the game entails. Ex. If you are wearing the amulet going through Dead Exposure and the light is purple, the scareactors give you a password to unlock the next step.

That’s just not what it’s designed to do.

 

[mystiquephreeq]

They took a (very) small step towards location based interaction last year with those amulets of fear. Still very far from Magic Bands, but they could potentially use them to do more than just different flashes of color.

They’ve been playing with location based interactions and extended storytelling since 2012 with Horror Unearthed. The group of people willing to play along is very niche. The popularity just isn’t there.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

That’s just not what it’s designed to do.

I know, but it's possible this was a test year to see if people would wear such a thing.

 

[Legacy]

I know, but it's possible this was a test year to see if people would wear such a thing.

I'm fairly certain it was developed on the Merch side of the event. Not A&D.

 

[Brian G.]

Those Amulets also didn't sell very well.