Halloween Horror Nights 28 General Discussion

[horrornights789]

This year is great IMO. Zones and houses are a huge step up from last year but a few houses have some obvious scares in spots. Poltergeist is a PHENOMENAL house though, came out shocked by how good it was

 

[Miketheboss]

Where is the "exclusive" entrance for onsite hotel guests?

 

[Legacy]

In year one, at closing, the house had a 3 hour wait. and everyone got in. Ive also been to HHNs when the houses have had 1 ro 1 1/2 hour waits on weekends t closing. and everyone got in. So, yeah, no excuse. I know in the past they scheduled people up to an hour after closing.
Heck in peak in regular operators we were scheduled an hour after closing.

Year one was also three nights, and only two were back to back. They also only had one house. So let's not act like the operational decisions from 28 years ago are good guidance for this now. In the last ten years, that sort of extension would have been huge news.

There's also the aspect that being "scheduled" for an hour after close only keeps the house open for thirty/forty-five minutes. They always give fifteen/thirty minutes to change, remove make-up and sign out. My B-Cast sign-outs were regularly 30 minutes after close for that reason.

You can't expect performers to routinely work two-three hours after their scheduled sign-out. They have lives. Now, if Uni is scheduling them for a 3am sign-out, performers can plan around. That's still making a 9-10 hour night. Their going to grind them to the bone.

People are commenting on the energy. With how many nights this is running, that low energy is a survival tactic.

 

[Nick]

Also, some info I’ve heard tells me that the Stranger Things Cast DID extend. So let’s not blame last night on the actors. A house can close for any number of reasons.

 

[Lucky Planet]

People are commenting on the energy. With how many nights this is running, that low energy is a survival tactic.

Thats a good point. I rather see mellow actors that stay the run than actors that are missing from their spot weeks later

 

[Alouette]

Super late to this, but I feel the need to jump in and say almost ALL of cast A and B of Stranger Things agreed to extend. In total between both casts only 5 said they couldn’t, all which could be filled and handled by those who could extend.

This rumor going around has been just awful, nasty, and I think it needs to stop there. It was a bad call by OPs that we honestly still don’t understand why it happened. The entertainment side of things had NOTHING to do with the house closing. Regardless, a solution has been already found and decided on the entertainment side of things to handle having an hour or more line at closing even though if it was up to the staff of the house that wouldn’t of happened Friday night. From the ent side of things, that will never be an issue. Thanks.

 

[Nick]

People are commenting on the energy. With how many nights this is running, that low energy is a survival tactic.

So, so true. As much as it just may seem like a bunch of people walking around in costumes, the job takes an incredible toll on the human body and you will find yourself drinking more water than you ever do and doing more stretches than you ever wanted to simply to make it through the night without passing out.

A 45 minute set feels very long as it is. Adding a bunch of time on top of that really means the actors have to refocus, possibly have water brought to them to re-energize, and then go back to scaring when an extension situation happens in a house.

 

[Alouette]

Also, also... Stranger Things extended tonight without an issue the first night can be rough... huge interest was expected for this house, but I don’t think anyone could of really accurately predicted how NUTS Friday was. Crap happens, it sucks, but we adapt and keep pushing through. It’ll only get better!

 

[Nick]

Also, also... Stranger Things extended tonight without an issue the first night can be rough... huge interest was expected for this house, but I don’t think anyone could of really accurately predicted how NUTS Friday was. Crap happens, it sucks, but we adapt and keep pushing through. It’ll only get better!

Exactly. Especially with how packed the park has been these first two nights.

As I stated a few pages back (maybe a different thread?), the actors themselves only get one true run-though before opening night. And that also goes for Event Ops, Stage Managers, Wardrobe, Makeup and Food & Beverage along with all of the other departments that play a major role in making the event a success.

To put it succinctly, you can't expect perfection when all involved are still learning what they're doing.

 

[Lucky Planet]

Super late to this, but I feel the need to jump in and say almost ALL of cast A and B of Stranger Things agreed to extend. In total between both casts only 5 said they couldn’t, all which could be filled and handled by those who could extend.

This rumor going around has been just awful, nasty, and I think it needs to stop there. It was a bad call by OPs that we honestly still don’t understand why it happened. The entertainment side of things had NOTHING to do with the house closing. Regardless, a solution has been already found and decided on the entertainment side of things to handle having an hour or more line at closing even though if it was up to the staff of the house that wouldn’t of happened Friday night. From the ent side of things, that will never be an issue. Thanks.

Thank you for posting

 

[OLSinFLA]

So did we know that they don’t to free parking after 8PM anymore?

Parking is free after 10pm this year

 

[OLSinFLA]

It looks like they are allowing a larger percentage of non express in than they did last night. Effort to trim the lines? But it devalues express

Express should be a benefit. When it becomes a necessity to have a decent time, not only is something wrong you can bet non-express people will begin looking elsewhere.

 

[Nick]

Parking is free after 10pm this year

I've been informed, but thank you.

My question is, did they actually tell anyone that it's now after 10 free and not 8? Because it's sort ingrained into the minds of locals that parking is free after 8. I know Universal hates those that wait to enter because if you don't want to pay for parking, you probably won't be a big spender. But I do think that UOR is probably swindling a lot of people simply because it hasn't been well advertised that the time was changed and most locals just think that it's 8.

 

[OLSinFLA]

Year one was also three nights, and only two were back to back. They also only had one house. So let's not act like the operational decisions from 28 years ago are good guidance for this now. In the last ten years, that sort of extension would have been huge news.

There's also the aspect that being "scheduled" for an hour after close only keeps the house open for thirty/forty-five minutes. They always give fifteen/thirty minutes to change, remove make-up and sign out. My B-Cast sign-outs were regularly 30 minutes after close for that reason.

You can't expect performers to routinely work two-three hours after their scheduled sign-out. They have lives. Now, if Uni is scheduling them for a 3am sign-out, performers can plan around. That's still making a 9-10 hour night. Their going to grind them to the bone.

People are commenting on the energy. With how many nights this is running, that low energy is a survival tactic.

All you are offering is excuses. The truth is, in 27 years, this has never ever happened. Someone crewed up and they ended up having to give away free tickets, free express passes and even refunds. Sorry, not buying it.

 

[Nick]

All you are offering is excuses. The truth is, in 27 years, this has never ever happened. Someone crewed up and they ended up having to give away free tickets, free express passes and even refunds. Sorry, not buying it.

Yeah, events ops screwed up. Mystery solved!

Things happen, free tickets have to be given out and we move on. Just because "it's never happened" doesn't mean that it's the end of HHN. It means someone screwed up as you said.

End of story.

 

[Alouette]

Exactly. Especially with how packed the park has been these first two nights.

As I stated a few pages back (maybe a different thread?), the actors themselves only get one true run-though before opening night. And that also goes for Event Ops, Stage Managers, Wardrobe, and Food & Beverage along with all of the other departments that play a major role in making the event a success.

To put it succinctly, you can't expect perfection when all involved are still learning what they're doing.

Exactly. I’ve been going to this event a long long time, and I’ve worked it as well. It’s easy to forget all the completely different moving parts that go into making this event run. Be it a bad call or miscommunication or whatever... something will go wrong. It was just so unfourtunite that it was the first night at the house with the longest wait. But hey, the next night it was fixed with like 4 extra plans just Incase so I can say that at least HNN can awknowledge that w bad and try to “fix” it ASAP

 

[Lucky Planet]

Parking is free after 10pm this year

I've been informed, but thank you.

My question is, did they actually tell anyone that it's now after 10 free and not 8? Because it's sort ingrained into the minds of locals that parking is free after 8. I know Universal hates those that wait to enter because if you don't want to pay for parking, you probably won't be a big spender. But I do think that UOR is probably swindling a lot of people simply because it hasn't been well advertised that the time was changed and most locals just think that it's 8.

Theres nothing on the map or the website about the late parking.
Nothing in social media either,
I only found out because people were very angry about the parking on the fb groups.
So, no, most people dont know. And judging by the giant crowds i think people just paid. (In fact, there were even some uni workers that didnt know judging from comments)
2 hours might not feel like much but i heard people on the lines already discussing how getting to the park at 10 wont allow for much on one day
But that with ffp, they can do one house each day and then relax and hang out. ( if people were planning to just visit one day instead)

All you are offering is excuses. The truth is, in 27 years, this has never ever happened. Someone crewed up and they ended up having to give away free tickets, free express passes and even refunds. Sorry, not buying it.

Not everyone got freebies, some people in fb were furious about not getting anything and making a fuzz about it lol

 

[Frank Drackman]

Exactly. Especially with how packed the park has been these first two nights.

As I stated a few pages back (maybe a different thread?), the actors themselves only get one true run-though before opening night. And that also goes for Event Ops, Stage Managers, Wardrobe, Makeup and Food & Beverage along with all of the other departments that play a major role in making the event a success.

To put it succinctly, you can't expect perfection when all involved are still learning what they're doing.

I get all this and I 100% agree that UoR tends to learn and adjust, that they tend to respect and react to guest feedback. There are reasons the place gets $$ from my family.

BUT, it seems like there are some things they should know/understand. I have not been to HHN yet. I think 25 is the only time I went opening weekend.

Anyway, I seem to recall the first year of AHS, the first time we went they were scanning Express right at the merger point. Easy to tell that does not work, to have the conga flow, you need to stage it and that includes giving the Express queue time for scanning, you need additional queue space after the scan to build up guest to merge with the regular queue.

I saw comments around straight numbers...30 from this queue, 10 from that one along with comments that it slowed things down as people didn’t have their Express passes out.

To me, this sounds like ‘stuff’ that OPs should understand. I get it is a tough balance. Heck, I had Express one year and it took us longer to get into the Halloween house (the year it was in the parade building) then it would have if we went in the standby queue...there was this guy ahead of us and he went off on the employee at the merger point. I did not like the guest’s attitude and thing people often expect too much from Express, but the guest was not wrong in the fact that for that one house, having Express was not what was paid for.

I’ve joked for a few years now that capacity for the event is being added via exit queues. Last year I had a rare time when I was at the event while my family had already gone back to the hotel. I’ve read how folks can get stuff done in the last hour....I found myself stuck in an exit queue....it was either the tents or the parade building last year)....I could not pass the folks that were walking sooooo slow at the end of a long day....felt like I lost 20 minutes...then to read this year they made the exit single file...that is just comical!

I know I have not been, I know they adjust often, but it does feel like there are some lessons they never carry over from year to year!

 

[JawsVictim]

People are commenting on the energy. With how many nights this is running, that low energy is a survival tactic.

I don’t know, man. Last year we did a seven day week towards the end of the run. Scareactors this year don’t have to deal with that.

I’ve heard there are a lot of issues going on behind the scenes. Supposedly boo holes are too small this year and scareactors keep getting injured. I also know for a fact ST has a lot of new scareactors that weren’t ready for the intensity of performing. That house is also suffering from wardrobe issues that vary from uncomfortable to dangerous.

 

[JoeCamel]

I get all this and I 100% agree that UoR tends to learn and adjust, that they tend to respect and react to guest feedback. There are reasons the place gets $$ from my family.

BUT, it seems like there are some things they should know/understand. I have not been to HHN yet. I think 25 is the only time I went opening weekend.

Anyway, I seem to recall the first year of AHS, the first time we went they were scanning Express right at the merger point. Easy to tell that does not work, to have the conga flow, you need to stage it and that includes giving the Express queue time for scanning, you need additional queue space after the scan to build up guest to merge with the regular queue.

I saw comments around straight numbers...30 from this queue, 10 from that one along with comments that it slowed things down as people didn’t have their Express passes out.

To me, this sounds like ‘stuff’ that OPs should understand. I get it is a tough balance. Heck, I had Express one year and it took us longer to get into the Halloween house (the year it was in the parade building) then it would have if we went in the standby queue...there was this guy ahead of us and he went off on the employee at the merger point. I did not like the guest’s attitude and thing people often expect too much from Express, but the guest was not wrong in the fact that for that one house, having Express was not what was paid for.

I’ve joked for a few years now that capacity for the event is being added via exit queues. Last year I had a rare time when I was at the event while my family had already gone back to the hotel. I’ve read how folks can get stuff done in the last hour....I found myself stuck in an exit queue....it was either the tents or the parade building last year)....I could not pass the folks that were walking sooooo slow at the end of a long day....felt like I lost 20 minutes...then to read this year they made the exit single file...that is just comical!

I know I have not been, I know they adjust often, but it does feel like there are some lessons they never carry over from year to year!

Funny you bring up 3:1 apportionment. I asked the grouper at carnival last night what the ratio was and that is the number I was given but I think she had it backwards and really held up express in the name of lowering standby wait times.
They did make changes to the death march exit so it is wider but just as long. Can't they run you out by Blumhouse or DA? First year for new parade building so maybe they can do better next year