Halloween Horror Nights 28 General Discussion

[Parkscope Joe]

I think come October it's a minority of the crowd, as well. That said--49% is still technically a minority. Anecdotally, I will say almost every in-state multi-night ticket holder I know goes at least twice a week. And a not insignificant minority are there 3 to 5 nights a week. Same goes for the TMs who "sneak" into the event.

Obviously there is interest in the event. Would making the sixth night rather than the second the break-even point drive more guests to one visit a year? Hard to say. But I think it's the only realistic crowd-control option at their disposal. Ten houses has already stretched resources too thin.

I forget, do employees get free entry into the event? Or is that the suggestion of "sneaking in"?

 

[JawsVictim]

There’s a note from Bill Davis on UO Team advising TMs to visit HHN during the week to help reduce crowds. Bet they change TM admission next year.

 

[Lucky Planet]

Universal has no desire to lessen crowds. As much as I hate the FFP, it's continuously profitable. It's not going anywhere.

Teens are a noticeable percentage of the crowds, but they're paying the same amount as the adults to attend. They're not going anywhere.

This is an annual conversation that pops up because guests tend to forget that the event isn't for them - it's for making money.

Wait, why do you hate the ffp?

 

[JungleSkip]

I forget, do employees get free entry into the event? Or is that the suggestion of "sneaking in"?

TMs get free admission

Ten houses has already stretched resources too thin.

Im sorry but I just cannot agree with this take. If this is resources spread thin, HHN team are miracle workers.

There’s a note from Bill Davis on UO Team advising TMs to visit HHN during the week to help reduce crowds. Bet they change TM admission next year.

I’ll almost guarantee they won’t. Same reason why Disney would never dream of taking away free entry for their CMs. You still need people who want to work for you.

 

[IHateJumpScares]

If this works properly, here's the Finn stay and scream at 4:18 on Wednesday 10/10, after a torrential downpour for about 45 minutes (ended about 3:45).



Here it is at 5:20.

We were literally the first people into the holding area and we arrived at 4. They held is for about 5-10 minutes then let us in. There were about 30-40 people there by the time they let us in.

We did stranger things with about a 5 minute wait (waiting for the house to open plus a tour got placed in front of us), scary tales with 5-10 mins, stopped for some quick food because my daughter was traumatized after scary tales, poltergeist with about a 20 minute wait, maybe less, then seeds with Express leading to about a 20 minute wait (posted 45), then slaughter cinema with about a 20 minute non express wait.

We didn't do any more houses because my daughter was saturated and exhausted at that point after doing the parks all day, and the rest of the night was AOV, food, and the all the scare zones.

We did NOT need the express, a total waste for is, and if we didn't have to stop 2 houses in for recovery time the original plan would have worked perfectly (Finn's S&S, ST, Scary Tales, polt, carnival graveyard, seeds, slaughter, trick or treat, and ending with dead exposure).

 

[Necessaryevil]

I use ffp with fast pass when we are over. It works out better for us for the 2 weeks we are here and we usually do stay and scream but eat at Finnegans rather than queue up outside and then we potter around, do houses when we want and drink.
So whilst I can see why people would want ffp being removed Universal most probably makes more out of me from food, drink and merch than if I only came once with a regular ticket.

 

[Legacy]

Wait, why do you hate the ffp?

A lot of fans use it as sort of status marker. And considering it's something I would never need or use, it's existence is more annoying than beneficial.

If they stopped selling them though, the psychological destruction it would cause would be entertaining.

Im sorry but I just cannot agree with this take. If this is resources spread thin, HHN team are miracle workers.

:look:

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Im sorry but I just cannot agree with this take. If this is resources spread thin, HHN team are miracle workers.

Maybe if Entertainment wasn't so set on firing people for petty reasons and not hiring back vets who want to come then maybe they wouldn't have issues with staffing?

 

[Lucky Planet]

A lot of fans use it as sort of status marker. And considering it's something I would never need or use, it's existence is more annoying than beneficial.

If they stopped selling them though, the psychological destruction it would cause would be entertaining.
:look:

What do you mean status maker?
Like being elitist? Or bragging about going multiple nights?

Maybe if Entertainment wasn't so set on firing people for petty reasons and not hiring back vets who want to come then maybe they wouldn't have issues with staffing?

Why didnt they bring back veterans? I know 2 actors that work for years and were not called back.
What was their reason?

 

[ProColor]

A lot of fans use it as sort of status marker. And considering it's something I would never need or use, it's existence is more annoying than beneficial.

If they stopped selling them though, the psychological destruction it would cause would be entertaining.

Agreed with regards to the status marker thing. Some people in the HHN community act so incredibly similar to the Disney AP blogger crowd that I honestly think there has to be some overlap. That, or a whole lot of hypocrisy (obviously not everyone, or even most, but some).

 

[Lucky Planet]

Agreed with regards to the status marker thing. Some people in the HHN community act so incredibly similar to the Disney AP blogger crowd that I honestly think there has to be some overlap. That, or a whole lot of hypocrisy (obviously not everyone, or even most, but some).

What do they do? Im trying to figure this out, whats some of the stuff they do?

Ive noticed elitism from stay and scream or from express peeps, but i wonder if its the ffp.

 

[Legacy]

What do they do? Im trying to figure this out, whats some of the stuff they do?

Ive noticed elitism from stay and scream or from express peeps, but i wonder if its the ffp.

It likely is.

It's mostly an attitude of, "If you don't go every night, you're not a fan."

 

[Nick]

No TMs are “sneaking in”. If you work at UOR, you have admission to the event when you’re off the clock as long as you didn’t call out for the day.

 

[Lucky Planet]

It likely is.

It's mostly an attitude of, "If you don't go every night, you're not a fan."

Ok, i see that. Its funny because sometimes it is as simple as having a lanyard and wearing it to hhn that causes some of that " im better than" Attitude lol

Specially if they know some of the actors on a street. Then it becomes selfie central lol. Theres definitely some of that from people that try to get to know the actors and ask for selfies to post on fb every week lol
But i dont think ffp is the reason, i think stay and scream+ landyard is more relevant on this. Theres a lot of regular ffp normal peeps that arent like that.

 

[Allison]

Stranger Things brings a crowd?!?! Elitist gatekeepers in the HHN community?!?!?!?! Getting rid of FFP will solve all of HHN’s problems, save your marriage, clear your acne, etc.?!?!?!??!?!!!

But in all seriousness I agree with @Legacy in that they don’t wanna dull the crowds. More people in the park=more guest spending. I feel like the only way anything is getting taken away is if/when they find the cost is greater than the return.

 

[Lucky Planet]

Stranger Things brings a crowd?!?! Elitist gatekeepers in the HHN community?!?!?!?! Getting rid of FFP will solve all of HHN’s problems, save your marriage, clear your acne, etc.?!?!?!??!?!!!

But in all seriousness I agree with @Legacy in that they don’t wanna dull the crowds. More people in the park=more guest spending. I feel like the only way anything is getting taken away is if/when they find the cost is greater than the return.

We need pepe silvia on the case

 

[Clive]

I've long advocated for a dramatic restructuring of the Frequent Fear Pass with a shift to "weekend passes" and a "September Pass" (something Hollywood tried this year), but clearly Universal's internal data supports keeping the program more or less as-is with incremental price increases each year. Fair enough.

To deal with the dramatically swelling crowds, I'd guess a few things need to happen.

1) New killer show. Academy of Villains is good, but it doesn't have the pull Bill & Ted did - which has a severe impact on event circulation. Academy of Villains should ideally stay in some form, though shifting back to the Mel's temp stage trades one crowding problem for another. One wonders if a modified Animal Actors stage would suffice without affecting daytime ops. Either way, we need something buzzier in the FFL venue (so long as it survives) - there were whispers of a Beetlejuice-headlined show this year, which might move the needle in the right direction.

2) Increase prices. Alluded to this earlier, but we need higher prices across the board. Yes, some people will be priced out, but that's capitalism.

3) Rethought street program/walking distances. Scare zones just can't operate the way they used to, and Universal has been too slow to react. This year has a good start: the "stages" help create meaningful, Instagram-ready "moments" that direct traffic instead of disappearing into crowds. More "stages" and mini-shows should likely be the future of the streets in high-traffic areas, and some areas (i.e. Plaza of the Stars) should be abandoned altogether. Smatterings of scare-heavy actors should be tossed in here and there (i.e. chainsaws in San Francisco, Springfield), but I do wonder if there's any room for one-way scare zone gauntlets that have become more popular/well-received in Hollywood. The walks to the tents/parade buildings are pretty unbearable, so why not develop a portable zone that leads to a "hub" of sorts where entrances are actually located? Think the Metro Sets in Hollywood for a model here. Portable rest rooms and food trucks can augment the space/provide infrastructure. It isn't exactly glamorous, but it adds more park real estate and makes experiencing mazes far more efficient.

4) Possibly an additional maze. I have no idea where they're gonna stick ten mazes next year if some of these rumors come to fruition, but clearly ten isn't quite enough - the trouble is an eleventh maze will come with a commiserate increase in attendance cap, potentially rendering the additional capacity moot. It also needs to be something desirable... no one's helped by Blumhouse of Horrors having 30 minute waits when Stranger Things and Poltergeist are 2+ hours. The "throwaway" mazes nobody cares about actively hurt circulation, especially if they're located off the beaten path.

5) Open more rides. Simpsons needs to be open, but Fallon probably does, too. Not a whole lot else they can operate that'll serve HHN's clientele (Minions is kind of pointless), but the park needs more crowd absorbers. Keeping Hogsmeade open late at night (after a typical Islands close/park sweep), accessible only via Hogwarts Express (say, from 8pm to midnight) could potentially help, but that's an unwieldy proposition that may not attract all that many people (and it may prove taxing on Forbidden Journey's demanding maintenance schedule). It could also intrude on Stay & Scream tickets, which will be especially valuable with the opening of the new Potter coaster.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

I've long advocated for a dramatic restructuring of the Frequent Fear Pass with a shift to "weekend passes" and a "September Pass" (something Hollywood tried this year), but clearly Universal's internal data supports keeping the program more or less as-is with incremental price increases each year. Fair enough.

To deal with the dramatically swelling crowds, I'd guess a few things need to happen.

1) New killer show. Academy of Villains is good, but it doesn't have the pull Bill & Ted did - which has a severe impact on event circulation. Academy of Villains should ideally stay in some form, though shifting back to the Mel's temp stage trades one crowding problem for another. One wonders if a modified Animal Actors stage would suffice without affecting daytime ops. Either way, we need something buzzier in the FFL venue (so long as it survives) - there were whispers of a Beetlejuice-headlined show this year, which might move the needle in the right direction.

2) Increase prices. Alluded to this earlier, but we need higher prices across the board. Yes, some people will be priced out, but that's capitalism.

3) Rethought street program/walking distances. Scare zones just can't operate the way they used to, and Universal has been too slow to react. This year has a good start: the "stages" help create meaningful, Instagram-ready "moments" that direct traffic instead of disappearing into crowds. More "stages" and mini-shows should likely be the future of the streets in high-traffic areas, and some areas (i.e. Plaza of the Stars) should be abandoned altogether. Smatterings of scare-heavy actors should be tossed in here and there (i.e. chainsaws in San Francisco, Springfield), but I do wonder if there's any room for one-way scare zone gauntlets that have become more popular/well-received in Hollywood. The walks to the tents/parade buildings are pretty unbearable, so why not develop a portable zone that leads to a "hub" of sorts where entrances are actually located? Think the Metro Sets in Hollywood for a model here. Portable rest rooms and food trucks can augment the space/provide infrastructure. It isn't exactly glamorous, but it adds more park real estate and makes experiencing mazes far more efficient.

4) Possibly an additional maze. I have no idea where they're gonna stick ten mazes next year if some of these rumors come to fruition, but clearly ten isn't quite enough - the trouble is an eleventh maze will come with a commiserate increase in attendance cap, potentially rendering the additional capacity moot. It also needs to be something desirable... no one's helped by Blumhouse of Horrors having 30 minute waits when Stranger Things and Poltergeist are 2+ hours. The "throwaway" mazes nobody cares about actively hurt circulation, especially if they're located off the beaten path.

5) Open more rides. Simpsons needs to be open, but Fallon probably does, too. Not a whole lot else they can operate that'll serve HHN's clientele (Minions is kind of pointless), but the park needs more crowd absorbers. Keeping Hogsmeade open late at night (after a typical Islands close/park sweep), accessible only via Hogwarts Express (say, from 8pm to midnight) could potentially help, but that's an unwieldy proposition that may not attract all that many people (and it may prove taxing on Forbidden Journey's demanding maintenance schedule). It could also intrude on Stay & Scream tickets, which will be especially valuable with the opening of the new Potter coaster.

No thanks to most of these suggestions.

I shudder to imagine how bad it would've been had that "leaked list" from last winter had come to fruition. Maybe Warner did the event a favor. (It's also pretty funny looking at the early pages of this thread.)

 

[Clive]

No thanks to most of these suggestions.

Didn't say they were popular. I'm being realistic with what resources are available and historical management decisions.

 

[Lucky Planet]

I've long advocated for a dramatic restructuring of the Frequent Fear Pass with a shift to "weekend passes" and a "September Pass" (something Hollywood tried this year), but clearly Universal's internal data supports keeping the program more or less as-is with incremental price increases each year. Fair enough.

To deal with the dramatically swelling crowds, I'd guess a few things need to happen.

1) New killer show. Academy of Villains is good, but it doesn't have the pull Bill & Ted did - which has a severe impact on event circulation. Academy of Villains should ideally stay in some form, though shifting back to the Mel's temp stage trades one crowding problem for another. One wonders if a modified Animal Actors stage would suffice without affecting daytime ops. Either way, we need something buzzier in the FFL venue (so long as it survives) - there were whispers of a Beetlejuice-headlined show this year, which might move the needle in the right direction.

2) Increase prices. Alluded to this earlier, but we need higher prices across the board. Yes, some people will be priced out, but that's capitalism.

3) Rethought street program/walking distances. Scare zones just can't operate the way they used to, and Universal has been too slow to react. This year has a good start: the "stages" help create meaningful, Instagram-ready "moments" that direct traffic instead of disappearing into crowds. More "stages" and mini-shows should likely be the future of the streets in high-traffic areas, and some areas (i.e. Plaza of the Stars) should be abandoned altogether. Smatterings of scare-heavy actors should be tossed in here and there (i.e. chainsaws in San Francisco, Springfield), but I do wonder if there's any room for one-way scare zone gauntlets that have become more popular/well-received in Hollywood. The walks to the tents/parade buildings are pretty unbearable, so why not develop a portable zone that leads to a "hub" of sorts where entrances are actually located? Think the Metro Sets in Hollywood for a model here. Portable rest rooms and food trucks can augment the space/provide infrastructure. It isn't exactly glamorous, but it adds more park real estate and makes experiencing mazes far more efficient.

4) Possibly an additional maze. I have no idea where they're gonna stick ten mazes next year if some of these rumors come to fruition, but clearly ten isn't quite enough - the trouble is an eleventh maze will come with a commiserate increase in attendance cap, potentially rendering the additional capacity moot. It also needs to be something desirable... no one's helped by Blumhouse of Horrors having 30 minute waits when Stranger Things and Poltergeist are 2+ hours. The "throwaway" mazes nobody cares about actively hurt circulation, especially if they're located off the beaten path.

5) Open more rides. Simpsons needs to be open, but Fallon probably does, too. Not a whole lot else they can operate that'll serve HHN's clientele (Minions is kind of pointless), but the park needs more crowd absorbers. Keeping Hogsmeade open late at night (after a typical Islands close/park sweep), accessible only via Hogwarts Express (say, from 8pm to midnight) could potentially help, but that's an unwieldy proposition that may not attract all that many people (and it may prove taxing on Forbidden Journey's demanding maintenance schedule). It could also intrude on Stay & Scream tickets, which will be especially valuable with the opening of the new Potter coaster.

Wouldnt it be more efficient to make ffp a weekday pass? Giving them Wednesday and thursday only? Leaving the 3 day weekend to single night tickets?

Also, can you explain number 3 a little bit more?
What are scare zone gauntlets?
How did hollywood did it?