- Dec 9, 2009
- 36
- 53
Having attended the event quite a few times this year and having myself and my girlfriend fill out the guest feedback on park exit there was a few things I did notice/overhear that kept popping up that I think will help shape the event next year.
1. Complaints about lack of handy pop up food stalls compared to previous years. I know they moved alot of speciality food to quick service restaurants this year but it seems alot of people weren't keen to seek them out. I imagine next year there will be some more options depending on the one or two park plan.
2. In one of the questions in the feedback my girlfriend was asked what sort of show at the event she was more interested in - naturally she put bill and ted but alot seemed to prefer how quick you watch AoV. Over heard a couple talking about how hill and ted after queuing, watching, exiting it can be over an hour of your night gone and when the event shuts at 1am and with queues regularly hitting 45+mins it ate up alot of time.
3. People were confused by the theme this year, people like an overarching theme to tie it all together. I expect next year there will be an icon, something simple like a Cindy/eddy just to give it all some story.
4. It was busy this year, alot of feedback on the amount of express passes sold and how it slowed the lines alot. At points getting through invasion was almost a stand still, on some nights the actors just stood off to the side for their own safety but having the event spread over the two parks could help that I guess.
5. Alot of the general public seemed to love Saw. I know reviews from the enthusiasts are less than favourable but over hearing people coming out they seemed to love it. It almost consistently had the longest wait time of any of the houses. Leads me to think IT would go down the same way next year if they had it. That big draw for the general public that really gets the numbers in.
6. I did see alot less drunk people than in years previous, I know comcast will be happy with that but I can't help but think they must have made alot less money this year on the alcohol front. Bar queues were never that long and I never saw anyone at the spirit bar just by invasion.(win for me).
7. The originals seemed to be a huge hit this year and can't help but think if an IP falls through in the future they will continue turning it into an original, I.E. Hive. Dead waters, fallen and scarecrow seemed to get great reviews from everyone. On this front I think the house line up was easily up there with the strongest line up in a while. With the exception of ash vs evil dead, which I don't think worked and the general public just weren't interested in the rest all seemed to get good reviews.
Taken that into account and the general fatigue for some IPs, I think 2018 could have more originals than IPs for the first time in a while.
IPs
IT
Stranger things
Blumhouse - focus on paranormal activity and ouja.
Conjuring - need a big house for a facade, I missed it this year. The house would be full of the Nun from the movie releasing in 2018 and Annabelle as well.
(if they do 10 houses next year to cover the loss of bill and ted then I can see it being a 5/5 split of originals and IPs. With the final IP house being either Strangers 2 based or Predator/alien.)
Orginals
On this front I can see a 3D house returning possibly under a Christmas/Holiday theme. Have to dust off that vortex tunnel.
Gothic making a return which is more of a wish than anything concrete.
Would like to see an alternate history house like wolfenstein, where the nazis won with all sorts of weird and wonderful experiments.
Can see them using some space themed sets like interstellar terror as it's been a little while.
Zombies and vampires seem to have been done alot lately so wouldn't be surprised to see them missing next year.
A new creature creation possibly inspired by the fisherman's wharf scarezone from last year possibly mashed up with pirates.
Shows
I think AoV will make a return next year and finish what they couldn't this year with the broken stage.
No direct replacement for Bill and ted unfortunately but something small on a pop up stage in that area with crowd interaction. Maybe a magician like a few years back or a mentalist, something small to eat up a bit of crowd.
This is mostly all guess work and hopeful thinking but hey ho.
1. Complaints about lack of handy pop up food stalls compared to previous years. I know they moved alot of speciality food to quick service restaurants this year but it seems alot of people weren't keen to seek them out. I imagine next year there will be some more options depending on the one or two park plan.
2. In one of the questions in the feedback my girlfriend was asked what sort of show at the event she was more interested in - naturally she put bill and ted but alot seemed to prefer how quick you watch AoV. Over heard a couple talking about how hill and ted after queuing, watching, exiting it can be over an hour of your night gone and when the event shuts at 1am and with queues regularly hitting 45+mins it ate up alot of time.
3. People were confused by the theme this year, people like an overarching theme to tie it all together. I expect next year there will be an icon, something simple like a Cindy/eddy just to give it all some story.
4. It was busy this year, alot of feedback on the amount of express passes sold and how it slowed the lines alot. At points getting through invasion was almost a stand still, on some nights the actors just stood off to the side for their own safety but having the event spread over the two parks could help that I guess.
5. Alot of the general public seemed to love Saw. I know reviews from the enthusiasts are less than favourable but over hearing people coming out they seemed to love it. It almost consistently had the longest wait time of any of the houses. Leads me to think IT would go down the same way next year if they had it. That big draw for the general public that really gets the numbers in.
6. I did see alot less drunk people than in years previous, I know comcast will be happy with that but I can't help but think they must have made alot less money this year on the alcohol front. Bar queues were never that long and I never saw anyone at the spirit bar just by invasion.(win for me).
7. The originals seemed to be a huge hit this year and can't help but think if an IP falls through in the future they will continue turning it into an original, I.E. Hive. Dead waters, fallen and scarecrow seemed to get great reviews from everyone. On this front I think the house line up was easily up there with the strongest line up in a while. With the exception of ash vs evil dead, which I don't think worked and the general public just weren't interested in the rest all seemed to get good reviews.
Taken that into account and the general fatigue for some IPs, I think 2018 could have more originals than IPs for the first time in a while.
IPs
IT
Stranger things
Blumhouse - focus on paranormal activity and ouja.
Conjuring - need a big house for a facade, I missed it this year. The house would be full of the Nun from the movie releasing in 2018 and Annabelle as well.
(if they do 10 houses next year to cover the loss of bill and ted then I can see it being a 5/5 split of originals and IPs. With the final IP house being either Strangers 2 based or Predator/alien.)
Orginals
On this front I can see a 3D house returning possibly under a Christmas/Holiday theme. Have to dust off that vortex tunnel.
Gothic making a return which is more of a wish than anything concrete.
Would like to see an alternate history house like wolfenstein, where the nazis won with all sorts of weird and wonderful experiments.
Can see them using some space themed sets like interstellar terror as it's been a little while.
Zombies and vampires seem to have been done alot lately so wouldn't be surprised to see them missing next year.
A new creature creation possibly inspired by the fisherman's wharf scarezone from last year possibly mashed up with pirates.
Shows
I think AoV will make a return next year and finish what they couldn't this year with the broken stage.
No direct replacement for Bill and ted unfortunately but something small on a pop up stage in that area with crowd interaction. Maybe a magician like a few years back or a mentalist, something small to eat up a bit of crowd.
This is mostly all guess work and hopeful thinking but hey ho.
