Halloween Horror Nights 25 Discussion

[snayberry]

By the way how has the weather been for the event. Has it been hot during the day? Humid or rainy at night?

 

[sjago13]

Tents use to bleed light but that was years ago. They must have added morr layers. Disaster is the only house that gets light pollution. The big problem early is your eyes not adjusting. You really miss out on the details. Yesterday did AP and while I liked insidious it was hard to see some of the stuff. Tonight did it around 10 and it was terrifying. It is honestly worth it to bring a pair of shades to wear until you step in the houses.

 

[SeventyOne]

By the way how has the weather been for the event. Has it been hot during the day? Humid or rainy at night?

No rain yet. Mildly warm by Florida standards Friday, typical September heat today.

 

[Lucky Planet]

The most obvious effect of the modern cell phone (and accompanying social media) has been the rise of the selfie, which has impacted what scare-zones even are. But another clear effect is what we might call "Trader Sam's Syndrome"--you know, the bar that had 5-hour waits the day it opened, but is now often just half-full. Simply put, people who follow theme parks on social media feel the need to be first.

I'm wondering how much of that affected the crowd last night. Because that was the worst pre-October crowd I've ever seen (friend who's gone since '98 agreed). If this is the new normal, then a 9th house and Diagon aren't enough. But if things calm down a bit next weekend, probably unfair to judge the event off of last night.

The zones were really strange for me tonight. I had bizarre experiences of people just standing in zones with their phones out and just, standing there. the ICONS zone was like that the whole night. I understand people are stopping to see the Icons talk, but the whole zone was just people standing and taking selfies. so yeah, I definitely know what you are talking about (Steampunk Scary tales was the same way, people standing with their phones out...)
Also, since the streets were so crowded, it felt like there were barely any actors sometimes. I experience that on peak nights but never this early.

 

[Lucky Planet]

Interesting to hear Purge had metal music blaring. I don't remember the movie having a metal soundtrack?

The best way to describe the house is as loud and obnoxious The Purge scare zone had similar metal music blasting last year (if memory serves me right).

(Note: obnoxious is in a good way, at least from my perspective.)

and I find it weird that this year there is a lot of upbeat popular music playing in the park

Not trying to hate, it just feels weird to have all this popular music playing the park. Is not even bad music either, it just doesn't fit the event. if anything they should have gone with something like TOOL or Nine Inch Nails if it was the case of Steampunk. I don't know. it just feels weird.
I know they cannot just play creepy music all the time, but there are so many modern horror soundtracks to choose from... I was hoping they would play the music from Insidious around the park

 

[AlexanderMBush]

...Theres a bit of spoilers in that, you might want to move that to the HHN25 Reviews page? (Got it right this time!)

 

[Nick]

...Theres a bit of spoilers in that, you might want to move that to the HHN25 Reviews page? (Got it right this time!)

Ahh, I didn't know such a page existed or that we weren't talking spoilers in here. I specifically haven't been reading HHN stuff to avoid spoilers so I wouldn't know.

Moved it.

 

[Frank Drackman]

Unexpectedly went up tonight (and then drove home). Three hours each way, been a long time since I've done a 'what the heck, let's run up to Orlando, have some fun, then head home.

Decided to go ahead and get Express this year, we went in after general opening, but we're certainly in the park before 6:30. Just wanted to somewhat answer the question of the accuracy of the wait times. The sign for M&M said 20 minutes when we came in, so we jumped in the regular line...I'm sure it is really tough for them to guesstimated how quickly the line fills in after opening, but we ended up waiting at least 45 minutes. In hind site, we should have just used Express and got through it, but no worries and we are very furtunate they we plan on going multiple nights.

I think most houses had posted times in the 45 to 60 minute range as we got to them and I bet they were more accurate than our first house (we used Express the rest of the night), invidious was posted at 80 minutes when we got there and I think was highest posted time I saw tonight.

 

[Nick]

Unexpectedly went up tonight (and then drove home). Three hours each way, been a long time since I've done a 'what the heck, let's run up to Orlando, have some fun, then head home.

Decided to go ahead and get Express this year, we went in after general opening, but we're certainly in the park before 6:30. Just wanted to somewhat answer the question of the accuracy of the wait times. The sign for M&M said 20 minutes when we came in, so we jumped in the regular line...I'm sure it is really tough for them to guesstimated how quickly the line fills in after opening, but we ended up waiting at least 45 minutes. In hind site, we should have just used Express and got through it, but no worries and we are very furtunate they we plan on going multiple nights.

I think most houses had posted times in the 45 to 60 minute range as we got to them and I bet they were more accurate than our first house (we used Express the rest of the night), invidious was posted at 80 minutes when we got there and I think was highest posted time I saw tonight.

What I noticed a lot of the time tonight was that the listed times were accurate about 50% of the time, the other 50%, we would go in to M&M with it saying 30 for instance... we waited about an hour. Every time something like that happened, I noticed the wait time sign was changed to almost exactly what we waited when we got out (it said 55 mins at M&M when we got out of line).

 

[s8film40]

I am sure of it. I would wait until after dark. Do they air condition those things? I would think that would cost them a mint to do so.

They are really more like a temporary building then a tent. Sunlight doesn't get in anymore so than it does in the soundstages or parade building and yes they are air conditioned.
If you google Sprung tents can read more about them.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

Yeah, it looks like last night's posted waits were really inaccurate. Several people on HNN are reporting that more often than not the waits were longer than posted.

 

[tsabs22]

So I see people talking about checking house wait times on the app. Is this the normal universal studios app, or is it a special horror nights app?

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

So I see people talking about checking house wait times on the app. Is this the normal universal studios app, or is it a special horror nights app?

Normal app under events.

 

[tsabs22]

Normal app under events.

Thanks!

 

[neoshinok]

While waiting at Lucy for S&S I overheard a team member talking to guests about the event. They mentioned how M&M

Spoiler

starts of great but falls apart near the end with the christmas stuff and a long empty walk toward the exit and the team member explained there were supposed to be several more show scenes including Poe. Apparently when they pulled the plug on Scream, all the remaining budget went to altering that house into the Purge and M&M was left hanging.

I don't remember if this has been discussed or if it is true but thought it was worth adding to the thread.

 

[sjago13]

While waiting at Lucy for S&S I overheard a team member talking to guests about the event. They mentioned how M&M

Spoiler

starts of great but falls apart near the end with the christmas stuff and a long empty walk toward the exit and the team member explained there were supposed to be several more show scenes including Poe. Apparently when they pulled the plug on Scream, all the remaining budget went to altering that house into the Purge and M&M was left hanging.

I don't remember if this has been discussed or if it is true but thought it was worth adding to the thread.

I was one of the people she was talking to yesterday. She also mentioned interstellar terror. But yeah she said there should have been 3 to 4 more rooms. She also said that there are more walkers in this year's house than last year. I counted 32 on a cast change. I forget how many there were last year.

 

[anihilnation]

Sjago, what time did they let you? Should be there Thursday at Lucy's for S&S. Also around what time do they start scanning tickets?

 

[April]

Sjago, what time did they let you? Should be there Thursday at Lucy's for S&S. Also around what time do they start scanning tickets?

I was in Lucy Friday & Saturday. I got into the holding area around 4:40pm on both days. They let us in around 6.

 

[MrRoamer]

ops is having a lot of problems with wait times from what I've seen and heard. Was at AP last night, got insidious done with pretty much no wait. Went back for walking dead and sign was posting 60. I couldn't believe it and the guy at the sign just sort of mumbled some stuff and said yeah that's what it says. Bout 20 steps in was going to ask someone else and overheard one TM asking why the board wasnt showing the real time of 30.
We are using express but cam generally judge pretty good and I'd say she was right.

 

[Teebin]

What do you guys all mean by "got into Lucy"? Lucy what?