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Halloween Horror Nights 23 Reviews & Photos

I have only seen videos and numerous reviews of Hollywood...so I cannot disagree that Hollywood may have better incarnations of certain houses. But I can disagree that the East Coast versions of West Coast counterparts fall flat, because I've quite enjoyed the houses brought over from the West Coast.

As to the opinions about La Llorona and Walking Dead...well they're just that, opinions. I loved La Llorona and can't wait to go back through it as many times as I can, and while I haven't been to Walking Dead yet, a lot of friends of mine have been very impressed with it (this site is not the only source of reviews :lol: )

I loved la llorona, But their house still was a lot better. A lot more detail and more props went into their house.

Same thing happened with Alice Cooper, our house was okay, but their house was excellent. there is a big difference. I mean just in the videos alone you can tell.
What I do not understand is why we do not get the same style of costumes or the same props as their house. And I don't mean the exact same prop as the one they used, but I mean a copy of their props and costumes.

I don't understand why they cannot make new props for Orlando, that is what I would love to know. They do these amazing masks and props for their houses over there, But here we don't really get any of that.
 
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That's not true at all, though. La Llorona is one of my favorite houses this year, and the event just started so I'm sure that it will only get better to those who had less lucky runs than I did. Alice Cooper was pretty strong last year for what it was. The Walking Dead has been getting praise this year, it's just overshadowed by two incredible houses (AWiL and CitW) that aren't in Hollywood at all. It's all subjective, but I wouldn't say that anything falls flat here, when compared to Murdy's work.

I absolutely loved La Llorona. The cast was excellent, the detail impeccable, and the only house that I have jumped so far :lol:
 
i love it too. the fog makes this really really creepy. La llorona for me is a lot better than Havoc and Afterlife. nothing against those houses but I enjoy la llorona a lot more

But, Still, It is not as good as it could have been, specially since they did such a good job in Hollywood
 
I think it also has to deal with budget and space. I dont know if they use more of the budget over there, They probably have more to work with.

I Love La llorona, but even as a fan it feels like an afterthought. Over there the houses that Murdy does are the hightlight of the year, the main event (sort of speak)
here Alice Cooper and llorona are "just the 8th house" lol, just the 8th house

Orlando has a far, far, far, far bigger budget than Hollywood. Same with space.
 
Honestly, I think that when looking at HHN sites and things like that, a lot of the criticism for Walking Dead stems from the fact that nobody really wanted it around anymore. HHN fan sites generally care about getting back to original content, and see the over-saturation of IP's, especially the Walking Dead, as a huge negative. I honestly believe that affects people's enjoyment of the house. When you're in the know and are part of a dedicated fan-base, you have different expectations and look for different things. I joined this site after my first few run-throughs of HHN 22 and I honestly thought Walking Dead was one of the better houses (not a huge achievement, I know) before coming here and seeing all the criticism for it.

For the most part, aside from places like this, I've heard pretty good things about the Walking Dead. I haven't gotten to do it, but everyone that went this weekend told me I shouldn't miss it. Bottom line, while I can't compare to Hollywood completely accurately, I can say that I don't think any houses from the West Coast have fallen flat over here in Orlando.

My husband watches Walking Dead and I don't. Last year I thought it was pretty lame and he thought it was OK. This year we both pretty much said it was better than last year. He liked a couple parts, but that was about it. My husband is not on this board or any other site and I didn't say what others were saying about the houses so he would have new opinions. So I don't think people were against it from the beginning and that is why they don't like it always is the reason for it not being a good house.
 
My husband watches Walking Dead and I don't. Last year I thought it was pretty lame and he thought it was OK. This year we both pretty much said it was better than last year. He liked a couple parts, but that was about it. My husband is not on this board or any other site and I didn't say what others were saying about the houses so he would have new opinions. So I don't think people were against it from the beginning and that is why they don't like it always is the reason for it not being a good house.

No, I'm not saying that's 100% the case...just throwing it out there. Regardless of the rhyme or reason, I've talked to several people who really enjoyed the house. That's all I was saying :lol:
 
Random observations from the weekend ...

I know it's still mostly hard-core HHN fans rather than general public--but would not have expected the wait to Transformers to hover at 10 minutes or below every time I passed by.

Camp scene around Kidzone is probably my favorite SZ. If it had a few more actors, could have been an awesome introduction to TWD house. And then the other four could be different properties.

Speaking of camps, put me in the loving La Llorona camp. The detail in the sets is amazing, almost on a par with Gothic last year. At one point, there are child skeletons just carved into the wall. Peppers Ghost and mirror effects are well-used, as well. Not getting the hate for this one at all.

Havoc is criminally underrated. However, it only works if you keep moving--once the conga line gets to starts and stops, it ruins the house. I suppose your momentum helps the illusion of being on a train.

Still high on Bill & Ted. "Taylor Swift"--clearly hired for her (amazing) dancing ability and looks--is honing better comedic timing, and actually made a funny Miley Cyrus ad lib last night. The show finale feels like an giant in-joke just for people who read a certain MAGICal theme park fan board, but if you get the references, it's hysterical.
 
Overall I will say HHN has made a tremendous improvement over last year. I think many were worried after last year that the commitment to IPs would leave the event lacking in other areas and I think we have seen this year that statement is not true. Here is my review of the different HHN houses this year (some spoilers), they are organized in order of appearance.

Houses ::

1) American Werewolf in London : When one designs a haunted house they want it to be scary. When HHN sets out to design a haunted house they want it to tell a story and be scary. Some houses are scary but don't really have much story to them. Others have a lot of story but the reset time is so ridiculous that you miss a lot of scares. This house had the beautiful combo of story and scares. I actually felt like I was ‘in’ a lot of the scenes that were in the house (the subway for instance). This house truly defines what sets HHN apart from the competition and what I hope they continue to do for years to come..tell a scary story. I had a good number of jumps in this house and the puppets were amazing. If I could change one thing about the house it would be to make it longer so I could enjoy it more.
Overall: 10/10


2) Walking Dead : Big fan of the show and I can’t wait for it to return. Please note that I am very biased walking through this house and the streets as the show itself connects with me. This house had something that the other house last year lacked, scope. The show itself had some big moments this last season and I was hoping they would capture that, they did. There were many scenes that felt like you were in the show which of course made me smile as well as some scenes that felt like a good old fashion HHN house (chainlink fence part remind anyone else of run?). As far as scares go..their were some, but they were not as quick and punchy as some of the other houses this year..then again they are Walkers and they can only move so fast, and that is what bogged the house down. Let me stop and make a comment about something that has bothered me since day one of the Walking Dead and HHN mixing..they are after different things. HHN is out to be scary and Walking Dead is out to develop characters...Walking Dead is all about the characters and the zombies come second and only add to the show’s tension. Season 2 is a prime example of how the show relies on the characters. This does not transfer to theme park experience which is why I don’t think the house is all that scary..the Walkers are mindless eating machines..some of the characters are the real monsters in WD (Governor anyone?)
Overall : 8/10


3) La Llarona : This house had an element to it that I love in a house every once in a while..’creep factor’. The scene before you enter the house where you can hear the kids in the well screaming (creepy). The house also felt very sad which added to the feeling of dread as you went on through it. The set design was beautiful and reminded me of the level of detail in say the Mexico pavilion at Epcot (imagine Rio Del Tiempo becoming Rio De Llarona...creepy). The dead kids in the water was one image that haunted me even after I left the house. As far as scares they were hit or miss and I missed a lot of them..therefore the house has a low rating based on that (which is why we go to a haunted house in the first place)
Overall : 8/10


4) Afterlife Death’s Vengence : Not to be snarky or offensive in any way, but did this house have half of the budget as the others? I really felt awkward in the ‘transition (budget cut) rooms’ when there was nothing but a blank black wall around you, wasn’t a fan of that. I did on the other hand love the mirror room which was amazingly disorienting. I also loved the newspaper headline room. This house had a lot of good ideas floating around in it. I just don’t think a lot of it worked how they wanted it to. I did get some scares in here, but it felt like a step down after La Llarona. It was a cool house don’t get me wrong, but it just didn’t work for me. Often times it feels like 3-D mazes are just an excuse to go cheap and throw something together, this house had that feeling in some areas while others it felt very well done. It was a mix of weak and strong which made it meh. I wish the whole house felt like that mirror room.
Overall : 6.5/10


5) Resident Evil Escape from Raccoon City : This house was the joke house this year. There is no way that this house was aware of itself being a 90’s video game without it being a bit goofy. I really loved the attention to the houses environment..I felt nostalgic walking through this one. The monsters including Nemesis were well done and reflected the time period in which they existed. The scene with the dogs was quite creepy and made me jump pretty high off the ground..excellent! I also loved the expansive sets, this was the first year I felt they nailed the feeling of being in an actual city environment since Body Collectors from ‘08. I loved that they made you feel very out in the open on occasions. I can not stress to those that have not visited HHN yet, this house does not take itself seriously like Evil Dead or Werewolf..it is meant to be a throwback house of sorts..The game paused scene is a shining example of that. Scares could have been a bit better, but still really enjoyed this one.
Overall : 8/10


6) Cabin in the Woods : Two houses really stole the show this year at HHN..one we expected too (Werewolf), and one we weren’t quite sure of if it would succeed because it was all about execution. This house had everything to do with how they approached it, and I am pleased to say they nailed it! This house had everything that made the movie great, humor, gore, and creepy characters. I got some amazing scares in this house due to the fact that it seemed the cast was very excited about their roles. The elevator scene is iconic to the film and to the house as well, it definitely made me jump. One room in particular creeped me out a bit even after I left the house. The room with the doctors cutting into the mannequin was very effective and the sound was terrifying (not sure if anyone else felt that way)..one doctor lunged for me and swiped his ‘cutting tool’ or whatever those are called towards me and I just about hit the floor. Great house, great cast and great job.
Overall : 10/10


7) Havoc Derailed : Interesting idea that I felt worked up to a certain point. I liked the idea of having no soundtrack in the train and simply making it feel like just you and the DOW. However after the train crash it would have been nice to have some driving music or something to make it more intense...The train derailment is very stylized (not a good idea in a ‘literal’ house) and could have worked with maybe some tilting walls or a scene similar to what we had in Forsaken with the tilted ship, but a tilted train instead...a room where the walls tilt very violently could have also made it convincing..not sure how practical that is, but if you are going to do it you might as well do it right, right? This house had some major pick up towards the end which was part of the story. Overall a great house, but not as a sequel to a house as intense as Havoc 1.
Overall : 7/10


8) Evil Dead : Loved that this house was the movie. It felt like you were a part of every scene which really was a trip. I loved the beginning and how it felt like the title was revealed like in the film (gave me chills actually). This house offered some really great scenes and some startles. Really enjoyed the walk through.
Overall : 8/10



Street Experiences ::

As I said in the Walking Dead house review, I don’t believe that the property is very transferable to a haunted experience like HHN in the same way that Cabin, Evil Dead, etc. are. Walking Dead the show has to do a lot with characters and even though zombies (walkers) make an appearance they are not the star of the show or even the reason of conflict. Heck, the strife from season 3 came from the Governor and Rick mostly. With that said the HHN team did a great job with what they had to work with. I’m sure AMC is very picky with their money making baby and thus put the team under a lot of creative suppression. One positive thing that they focused on that I was worried about was number. Zombies do not work unless there is a lot of them creating the intimidation factor. A zombie on its own is not very scary as it is easily killed or shot down without anyone raising an eyebrow. A group of zombies is much more terrifying because there are more of you than them (see the finale of WD Season 2 or the first episode). All in all I think the creative team did the best that they could with the subject matter..I am really over the whole zombie thing...like really..Again I don’t watch TWD for zombies I watch it for the characters and every once in awhile zombies make a guest appearance. If this didn’t make so much money for the event I would hope they would have only used it once, but I guess I see the reasoning. Props to the props as well..very nice to see themed areas again.
Overall : 7.5/10



Final Thoughts ::

In every good thing there is a time of change, of re-invention. I do not count last year as the beginning of something as it had a lot of setbacks that caused it to be ruined. HHN this year felt like a return to greatness with a new spin on how they do things. I hate the same old thing every year and as much as we like original content there is no denying that some years can tend to run together (HHN 20 and 21 for instance). Trying new things and becoming better at old things is what made the event the event and without it we would have never gotten to where we are. Icons will return, original houses do have their place, but no one can deny the magic moment (or terrifying) when you see a character from a movie you love make it to a HHN house. I certainly will have forever etched in my brain the moment that first wolf popped out of the greenery in Werewolf. Overall I see a bright future for HHN and some new directions being taken. This year left me hopeful that 22 was just a fluke year. I particularly liked the aggressiveness of all the houses this year, the scareactors seemed on their A-game. I also loved the return of zones.
All in all the event was great this year and really made me leave wanting more (which was the opposite of last year). I hope everyone can learn to not complain about things so much in regards to house line-up as clearly we were surprised on a lot of things..I don’t assign scores to a year as I feel there are too many different things to score so I will leave by saying it was Awesome and everything was improved from last year!
 
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5) Resident Evil Escape from Raccoon City : This house was the joke house this year. There is no way that this house was aware of itself being a 90’s video game without it being a bit goofy.

I was wondering that last night, if the original incarnation leaned more toward dark humor and maybe the game manufacturer put the kibosh on that (late squabbling might explain those rumors that it was being dropped). The "Pause Screen" room and the pizzeria in particular seem like hold-overs from a jokier house.
 
5) Resident Evil Escape from Raccoon City : This house was the joke house this year. There is no way that this house was aware of itself being a 90’s video game without it being a bit goofy. I really loved the attention to the houses environment..I felt nostalgic walking through this one. The monsters including Nemesis were well done and reflected the time period in which they existed. The scene with the dogs was quite creepy and made me jump pretty high off the ground..excellent! I also loved the expansive sets, this was the first year I felt they nailed the feeling of being in an actual city environment since Body Collectors from ‘08. I loved that they made you feel very out in the open on occasions. I can not stress to those that have not visited HHN yet, this house does not take itself seriously like Evil Dead or Werewolf..it is meant to be a throwback house of sorts..The game paused scene is a shining example of that. Scares could have been a bit better, but still really enjoyed this one.
Overall : 8/10

Glad I'm not the only one that sees it this way. Go in with a loose mindset and you'll enjoy it. From what I've seen/heard anyway.
 
I loved la llorona, But their house still was a lot better. A lot more detail and more props went into their house.

Same thing happened with Alice Cooper, our house was okay, but their house was excellent. there is a big difference. I mean just in the videos alone you can tell.
What I do not understand is why we do not get the same style of costumes or the same props as their house. And I don't mean the exact same prop as the one they used, but I mean a copy of their props and costumes.

I don't understand why they cannot make new props for Orlando, that is what I would love to know. They do these amazing masks and props for their houses over there, But here we don't really get any of that.

I really couldn't agree anymore! I was just explaining this exactly last night to several other members here.
 
so, I take it there are no photos of this wolf puppet? In what way is it a puppet? How does it appear to be operated?

I believe it is directed by a wheel like system...watch this video you can see one of them in the background in the first attack (Pause at 1:21)

[video=youtube;VUN0KLaV0mQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUN0KLaV0mQ&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLnu3bwB54xw1RBTPVtD4okVgeHLRis8Dx[/video]
 
^didint hollywood do it two years? if so which one was best and which is the one ours is compared to?

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just confused because im looking at videos of the hollywood version and some i see 2011 and some 2012...but they both look the same....and the facade looks amazing in hollywood!!!

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heres the link to inside tour of hollywood version if anybody interested

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igbTqVNitkY
 
^ Thought I would help you out and embed the video :thumbs:

Here you go . . .

[video=youtube;igbTqVNitkY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igbTqVNitkY[/video]
 
^duh thanks!!!!

question somebody said orlando has a higher budget than hollywood? is that true? cause hollywood sets always look so big!
 
^didint hollywood do it two years? if so which one was best and which is the one ours is compared to?

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just confused because im looking at videos of the hollywood version and some i see 2011 and some 2012...but they both look the same....and the facade looks amazing in hollywood!!!

Murdy did it both years. He didn't feel like he got it just right the first time. I think the biggest difference between the houses in Hollywood were the addition of huge puppets and a scene or two at the very end.
 
^duh thanks!!!!

question somebody said orlando has a higher budget than hollywood? is that true? cause hollywood sets always look so big!

It is true--I'm not sure the exact distribution of money but Orlando always has more houses than Hollywood so that's some extra guap right there.
 
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