Halloween Horror Nights 33 (UOR) - News & Information

[GA-MBIT]

Definitely some points this year where I felt legitimately overwhelmed and stressed out due to crowding. I think the Ops and overall layout of this year is substantially better than last year's, and this is still a really big issue.

 

[Clive]

General opening weekend thoughts (that don't quite rise to the level of a review):

• Parking remains awful, even fairly late. Not specific to HHN but both garages looking rough, ton of busted escalators and moving sidewalks. Dark and dingy.
• With the exception of Museum (which may have been a fluke), Express is lightning fast this year. The goal seems to be 10 minute waits no matter the standby line and they generally meet or exceed that. Goblins was posted 85 last night, I was inside in 5!
• Streets are as jammed as ever, maybe worse than ever. And still enough Express that the reduction in sales doesn't seem to have cut standby lines very much. Food lines still seem bad, but Sunday the bar lines looked fairly empty (at 11, HHN Bar was serving a single couple). Whether this reflects a younger crowd because school out for Labor Day or something more will be interesting to watch.
• Physical lines on the whole much better than the past couple years--nothing on a par with the hike to Parade 2. Really like the potential of the "courtyard" by Monsters/Goblins. Hopefully next year they expand on the idea with food booths, a larger bar, maybe even like a DJ. Make it a food court and party central.
• I miss paper maps, if only as a souvenir.

Interesting to hear your Express take -- it sounds like some others weren't nearly as lucky, but I've seen a fraction of the complaints I was seeing opening weekend last year. Nothing like the regular Oddfellow backups.

Can anyone on the ground report on whether standby waits are being inflated? They typically are to some degree, but I'm curious about to what extent.

 

[Brian G.]

Interesting to hear your Express take -- it sounds like some others weren't nearly as lucky, but I've seen a fraction of the complaints I was seeing opening weekend last year. Nothing like the regular Oddfellow backups.

Can anyone on the ground report on whether standby waits are being inflated? They typically are to some degree, but I'm curious about to what extent.

We've had a few issues with Express in the SS houses, but overall it was a good experience. Based on what I saw - I don't think stand-by waits were being inflated during peak times. It was busy AF this weekend, with Sunday as the busiest of 3 nights, though Friday was a close 2nd. Our RIP guide on Friday mentioned how crazy opening weekend has become.

 

[johnathanm]

Interesting to hear your Express take -- it sounds like some others weren't nearly as lucky, but I've seen a fraction of the complaints I was seeing opening weekend last year. Nothing like the regular Oddfellow backups.

Can anyone on the ground report on whether standby waits are being inflated? They typically are to some degree, but I'm curious about to what extent.

Can’t give you a ton of examples, but I can tell you Triplets was listed as 60 opening night and we waited 30, and Museum has been regularly inflated in my experience. Was listed as 60 and I waited maybe 30-40 yesterday.

Also, there’s a continuation of the trend in years past where waits are particularly inflated at the end of the night. That’s especially true in the back four (Sprung) houses, which are frequently walk-ons around close.