HHN 32: Most Anticipated House

[Kichkinet85]

Can’t decided which one is #1! So I’ll say TLOU, StrTh 4, UM, Yeti, Dr. Oddfellow.

 

[Clive]

Okay, now that I've had a minute to sit with the names, descriptions, key art, and podcast info, here are my brutally honest thoughts:

• Dueling Dragons. I really, really hope they can deliver here, because they have to know fan expectations are unrealistically high. The image suggesting a complete rebuild of the original facade is a good sign, but they have to deliver on the dragons themselves. Whether that means enormous puppetry on the scale of Klownzilla/Mind Flayer, aggressive head-and-neck only puppets like American Werewolf in London, a combination of the two, or something else entirely, I don't know. The podcast description tells me that they're going to focus on the warlocks/other creatures for a majority of the maze, which leads me to believe they're saving their budget for a big "wow" moment or two. Hopefully people are receptive to that. This could either soar as the fan-anticipated favorite or flounder due to impossible expectations.
• Dr. Oddfellow's Twisted Origins. Sounds like they're going to try really hard to carve Oddfellow his own identity, divorced from Jack, as much as humanly possible. As I said in the other thread, telling us now that Jack's appearance will be limited to a silhouette kill is smart. "Dust bowl carnival" sounds like a great aesthetic, and I'm curious how much (or how little) inspiration it'll take from its closest obvious analogue, the excellent Mesmer at Knott's Scary Farm. The podcast info suggests more of a "snuff carnival" than something more supernatural, so I'm curious how the real and unreal will blend (or not). High on my list for the lore of it all, and I'm a sucker for an icon house. Here's hoping Oddfellow can hold his own without the clown the event can't seem to do without for long.
• Universal Monsters Unmasked. That title definitely feels... forced (probably not their first choice), and I have no idea why The Invisible Man is here, but it still feels like everyone is already sleeping on this one. Cast energy doesn't always carry over between houses in a franchise (looking at you, Havoc Derailed), but Legends Collide was next-level last year judging by the scope of its sets alone. A lot will come down to how much time we spend in the Catacombs - which, while no doubt claustrophobic, has the potential to get repetitive and overly familiar - versus the rest of Paris, particularly the Phantom's Lair, the Opera House, and maybe even a street or bell tower. Even with these unknowns, I'm a bigger fan of these monsters over the ones featured in Legends, so if this entry can capture even half the energy and scenic might of its immediate predecessor, we're in for a treat.
• Yeti: Campground Kills. I missed Slaughter Cinema and Yeti: Terror of the Yukon, so I'm a bit in the dark on how these houses feel and have no personal attachment to the franchise. The 1950s setting is promising, though, as is the speculation that this might be another semi-open layout in the vein of Dead Man's Pier, a recent favorite of mine. There are also suggestions that this will be more of a comedy house, though, which I'm struggling to wrap my head around. Yeti children sounds hilariously fun, to be sure, but it feels like there's something I'm not quite getting yet here. Time will tell, though, and I love a good creature maze with enormous sets, so this sits pretty high even with so much in the air.
• Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count. I'll admit this is not what I anticipated! I did not expect a straight adaptation of the show, which is more silly and campy than outright scary. Few of even its more violent and scary sequences would translate well to a maze environment, so I assumed they'd dip their toes into the imagery of the earlier films Universal controls along with some clear nods to the show. They may still do that, but on paper, what we've got here is significantly weirder, and I admire the decision to take a big swing. Could turn out to be a try-hard muddled mess or something as delightfully bizarre as Seed of Chucky - all dependent on execution. Universal gets what makes a good secret sauce in a comedy house, and I have a soft spot for the killer doll, so I'll take the over on this one.
• The Last of Us. Pretty glad they're doing the game instead of the television show. More environments, more characters, fewer headaches dealing with WB/HBO. My only fear is an over-reliance on humans and Stage 1 zombies and some repetition with the scares. Hopefully local vendors can pull off some impressive masks/prosthetic pieces for the clickers, too - mask and prosthetic quality is one area where Hollywood still consistently beats Orlando, and I'd hate for what are sure to be such lush environments underserved by disappointing looks for the characters.
• Stranger Things. Don't have much to say here, as I haven't seen any of Orlando's Stranger Things houses in-person. The Hollywood iterations were "pretty good" and "embarrassing," while the Orlando efforts seemed much more comprehensive and managed to capture more of the show's unique nostalgic energy, even if people seemed to give the second go the cold shoulder by the end of its event. It's been said ad nauseam, but Season 4 lends itself well to a maze, so looking forward to seeing what should be a pretty straightforward adaptation here. The brutality of the lines will probably diminish how we actually perceive the experience, but I'm betting the team will deliver.
• The Darkest Deal. A fiendishly good premise that feels like it could be undone by the event's aversion to religious imagery. Trying to introduce us to a character as ambiguous as "The Collector" - when you've already got an icon in your event that collects souls - feels redundant and potentially confusing. The Devil is a visual and narrative shortcut that everyone understands, but it is what it is. I'm assuming this will stick to more domestic settings or even get a little fantastical with the afterlife, should it become an environment, and it'll live or die on how well it can execute its story and communicate the threat of The Collector. I otherwise I see this overlapping a bit too much aesthetically with its closest neighbor, Oddfellow, along with Yeti, based on the key art.
• Dark Moon: Blood Offering. This one just feels... kind of generic? I need to know more before I can offer a more detailed opinion, but right now I'm getting big Blood Ruins vibes, which is not a great position to be in. Others have pointed out that this feels like a redo of Roanoke, and while I didn't experience that house, I can see the comparison. Maybe the setting and characters just feel too vague for me to be excited or scared.
• Exorcist: Believer. Definitely going to enter the event at the bottom of everyone's lists. I think it could easily surprise people and become a dark horse favorite... or become another Dracula Untold. Don't be surprised when the movie gets delayed and we're left with a very expensive piece of early promotion.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

If I was going to be at the event, I would have it as The Darkest Deal as no. #1, then followed by The Last of Us, Dr. Oddfellow, Dueling Dragons, and Chucky.

Something about The Darkest Deal feels like something that leads to a whole bunch of options and angles that they could go here; especially with the common element of selling your soul to the devil and the repercussions that come from that. I genuinely think if they go all out on it in it's tones and messaging, alongside being scary--it'd be probably one of the best houses they've done.

 

[Kichkinet85]

Think I decided on my hype list!

1. The Last of Us
2. Universal Monsters
3. Dr. Oddfellow
4. Stranger Things 4
5. Dueling Dragons
6. YETI
7. Bloodmoon
8. Darkest Deal
9. Chucky
10. Exorcist

 

[Tobias]

So when I was making my anticipated house list last year, due to the line-up being composed of wildcards I said this...

this year really was the hardest one for me to figure out for my anticipated list, and it will truly be hard to top next year because of that!

HHN 32 stepped up to the mic and said "Bet".
In the immortal words of Jack Bauer...."Dammit! DAMMIT! DAMMIT! WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR?!" Okay, maybe not that last part since it's obvious, but still this was tough, and I can see I'm not the only one having trouble!

As my usual preface, I'm fine with every house on this list. Each one has the potential to be a fun house, and that's all I ask for. And starting from the bottom we have...

10.) The Exorcist: Believer - This is the best example of what I just said. Even though I wasn't feeling the trailer and really have no interest in seeing the film, this can still be a fun house! As HHN has proven before, the quality of a house is not a 1:1 to whatever IP it's based on. That said, I put this at the bottom since I needed something on the bottom, and I might as well use an IP I'm not the biggest on.

9.) Bloodmoon: Dark Offerings - I think if there's any house that's going to be a "Dark Horse", it's going to be this one since we're still in the dark besides it's setting and it's a Cult/Ritual kind of house. I'm totally fine with those themes, but yeah there's not much else to say since not much is being said about it.

8.) The Last of Us - For such a highly sought after IP, this seems a little low, doesn't it? For me, the game is great and I can totally see why many people want this. It's just personal preference on what I like to see in a house, and with the exception of the Clickers and Bloaters, this isn't the kind of stuff I clamor for. Still looking forward to it, though!

7.) Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate - Now for houses that I'll clamor for, this is one of them! I still miss DD, and it had one of the best queues for any coaster out there. There's a bunch of elements they can nod to or flat-out recreate, and keeping true to the theme with the branching endings is a great touch. I can go on and on, but without a doubt this would easily be my actual #1 most anticipated house...so why isn't it? Simple, ever since I've been attending back in 2018, I never put my most anticipated house at #1. I prefer keeping my expectations tempered to avoid any kind of overhype, and this house is getting a LOT of hype. I'm just reminded of Carnival Graveyard where everyone was so excited for it, and it didn't meet anyone's lofty expectations, even though it was a good house. (I think I enjoyed it way more than a lot of other people did.) Either way, keeping my expectations in check, and hoping to be pleasantly surprised!

6.) Yeti: Campground Kills - Yeti's at HHN usually lead to a good time, it certainly did for "Attack of the Swamp Yeti" in Slaughter Sinema, and I know a lot of folks felt the same for "Yeti: Terror of the Yukon". I wish I could say the same for the latter, I wanted to LOVE Terror of the Yukon, but I unfortunately had the worst timing on my run throughs. Felt like I kept missing half the scares and I never even saw the door scare. I just hope my timing is better for this one, cuz' I really like this theme! *knocks on all the wood within arm reach*.

5.) Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count - Yanno', I was pretty excited for this when it was first announced, but once they revealed the angle for this house, I'm even more excited! It sounds wonderfully bonkers yet totally fitting for Chucky, and I can see this concept working incredibly well with the Supercharged location!

4.) Stranger Things - After a very stellar 4th season, it was only a matter of time we'd see this return! For me, Orlando has been a hit and miss with this IP. The first was a huge surprise and I enjoyed it a lot, while the second one was a prime example of "Bigger is *not* necessarily better". It had its moments, but it didn't have the same scares nor spark of the first year. With the return to one season and a more focused approach on Venca (who gives us the most horror-centric vibes of the whole series), there's definitely potential for this to bounce back nicely!

3.) Dr. Oddfellow's Twisted Origins - There's some nice potential for this house, from the dust bowl setting, to the various creatures of the carnival, this is one of the more promising Icon houses we've had in a while.

2.) The Darkest Deal - I'm really digging everything about this concept, I'm very intrigued to see how much of a trip it's gonna' be! It's probably gonna' be a quick Road to Hell, no doubt. But I don't think we're gonna' find ourselves in a speakeasy in Hadestown afterwards.

1.) Universal Monsters: Unmasked - The Universal Monster houses have been consistently solid, with Legends Collide last year being the scariest one so far. A trip down through the catacombs of Paris with some of the freakier monsters could honestly rival that! And for me, that makes it a good contender for the #1 spot on here!

---------
Whew, that was a hard one to make as this is a stacked line-up! Clearly, A&D is not messing around this year. Since there's "Swinging for the Fences", and then there's using a machine a la' Danganronpa to send those suckers right at us!

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

1. The Last of Us (This is a dream IP I'm finally glad made it)
2. Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate (Bound to be one of the most unique houses HHN has ever done)
3. Universal Monsters: Unmasked (Excited to see monsters that haven't been utilized much recently, especially Phantom)
4. The Darkest Deal (I have no idea what to expect based on the synopsis, which heightens my interest)
5. Dr. Oddfellow: Twisted Origins (Good to have another icon house; hopefully the carnival setting is used for scares better than Carnival Graveyard)
6. Stranger Things (I'm expecting a better house than the last two, but since that's a low bar, I'm being cautious of how much it can improve)
7. Yeti: Campground Kills (I liked but didn't love the last Yeti house; hopefully this feels more intimate with the woods setting)
8. Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count (Don't really care about the IP but I'm sure it'll be fine as the fun house)
9. Bloodmoon: Dark Offerings (As others have said, I'm wary on this concept after similar houses like Roanoke have been meh)
10. The Exorcist: Believer (No expectations here!)

 

[MikePat]

Well, this took longer to make than I thought...

1. Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate - Universal must know that when they decided to go all in on one of their most believed former attractions rather than just making an unrelated “Dragons + Castle” house, people will put pressure on it. Even looking at what’s currently dominating the forum's poll for most anticipated, this is most likely #1 on many lists. Dueling Dragons scenically, from the queue line, the warlocks, and the dragons themselves with the memorable fire and ice traits, the story here has a lot of excellent source material for a house. This house seems ambitious, from the potential puppetry on the dragons themselves and the “choose thy fate” aspect of the house. Admittedly, if this is a flop, that will be a damper to many fans. However, I’m hopeful they are passionate and have a great tribute waiting for all the attraction's fans while providing a tremendous medieval experience.
2. Universal Monsters: Unmasked - They have been 3/3 for Monsters in Orlando, and last year's brought some of the best, most energetic scare actors in a recent house. Catacombs could replicate the same Egyptian tomb-like claustrophobia, but Paris can offer something Egypt didn't - a setting where all the monsters feel like they all fit together and with the location. Paris is one of those cities with extensive scenic opportunities - from Paris streets, theatres, and Notre Dame. As we can Unmask the horrors and monsters of Paris, Universal Monsters: Unmasked could be another winner. Also, I'm hopeful we can see Hunchback on a bungee again.
3. The Darkest Deal - A music original with a hellish twist? Sign me up. The idea of dealing with devils or darker magic is a common theme for a few houses this year, but what could set this house apart is how they handle the story and the atmosphere. This house reminds me of a character-driven tale similar to Case Files Unearthed. As we explore the Mississippi Delta, echoing with Blues music, before traveling to even warmer places, I want to see how those elements play and elevate the story of “selling your soul.” Eager to see the character design of The Collector himself after the tease from the house art.
4. Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count - Some people have been sleeping on the potential of Chucky. After today's confirmation as to which angle they are going down, this isn't a book report; this is a strangely unique meta-house on haunted houses. It's completely fresh and works impressively well for Chucky. I'm intrigued by the puppetry of the house, too. Japan's Chucky houses are no stranger to this, but since the last time Chucky headlined his own house in the states, there has been a lot of innovation in puppet technology that can bring to life the character.
5. The Last of Us - It’s great to finally have this IP at the event, let alone get a video game property back to HHN. I’m excited for how they pull off the bloaters and the makeup that will go into the Clickers, which, combined, I feel both will provide for terrific scares. It will be fun to see Joel and Ellie appear, too.
6. Dr. Oddfellow’s Twisted Origins - I'm excited to explore, or fellow, everything about Oddfellow this year, and I like how Jack seemingly is more a nod than a focus. Separating it from other clown houses, it has a 1930s carnival and all the potential characters we'll find in the big top in this "after-hours" experience, as the creatives somewhat put it. I agree with others when this house is most strikingly reminiscent of Mesmer from Knott's Scary Farm, which is one of my favorite carnival houses I have ever done.
7. Bloodmoon: Dark Offerings - At first glance, this seems like it could be a miss, just another cult house. I feel like the podcast gave the shortest description on this one, too. But from what I can tell, Bloodmoon appears like it will have gore of Fiesta de Chupacabra, hence BLOOD moon, with the open village concept of Dead Man’s Pier, and I can only image a moon above the sky similar to Legends Collide last year. There are elements from various houses here that could provide a great package.
8. YETI: Campground Kills - Yeti's appearances in HHN's past have all been very memorable. Slaughter Sinema brought an action-packed final room, and we saw a house with fun gags from Terror of the Yukon. Some of the descriptions for this year's house sound fun - like, who wouldn't want to meet a baby Yeti? That's hilarious. Campground Kills is only low because I've seen what fun Yeti has brought to the table at HHN before, but my least anticipated original this year is not bad, as this year's lineup is so stacked.
9. Stranger Things 4 - So, as I am not the biggest fan of the series besides the first season, and with the other outings for this IP feeling more like a one-and-done experience, this is low for me, but I cannot deny that the content for Season 4 is stronger than before. There's a lot to explore, just from Venca alone, and with the nice break in between from the last Stranger Things house, this house has a bit of excitement from me, even from a non-Stranger Things fan. I just hope this house doesn't pitfall on some of the weaknesses of previous Stranger Things houses.
10. The Exorcist: Believer - Even though the new film looks bad, in my opinion, that doesn't mean a bad movie will translate into a bad house. We'll see how this turns out, but if it's good, that's great promotion for the film.

Looking at this lineup, we are in for something that combines strong IPs that take us into the best moments from those properties. Other houses use beloved film characters to tell new stories and the original house explore HHN, in-park, and legendary stories in unique ways. Who can't be excited for this year?

 

[TheGentTrent]

Sorry guys, I'm an IP Kool-Aid drinker.

Always have been, always will.

So I had to go with my heart in this case, and pull the lever for Stranger Things. I am almost tempted to create a new account just so I can waste it and vote for The Last of Us...

 

[Lucky Planet]

Dueling Dragons is, no question, my most hyped. I want to see those dragons. Darkest Deal has music, and HELL, sign me up! All the originals have their potential.

I'm excited for Monsters; the catacombs setting can make it one of the scariest houses of the year again. They have been 3/3 with Monsters so far too.

And I won't sleep on Chucky for its potential unique puppetry.

I wonder if catacombs will bring back stuff from the house we had 10 years agob

 

[Wigglepebbles]

Here we goooo!
This lineup sounds stacked, so from 1-8 are houses I’m absolutely excited for and almost tied; the last two sound alright to me.

1) Stranger Things: It’s back! I’m going with my dad who is a super fan of the show so it makes me happy to experience it with him. It’s the scariest season so far with great sets, Demogorgons, Vecna and Eddie. Both houses have been a blast for me at least.

2) UCM: I’ve grown a bit tired of Dracula and his gang. This is an amazing change of pace, and the UCM houses always deliver on scares and sets. Sounds gothic and varied and I’m happy my boy Griffin is getting his dues.

3) Oddfellow: A freak show house? Yes please! I’m not too attached on Jack and his appearance on HHN 30 left me a bitter taste, but this is not his house; screw the lore! I love scary vintage oddity shows and this gets me pumped, plus a supernatural twist!

4) Last of Us: *guitar theme intensifies* I love both the game and show, as long as it dosen’t end up like Walking Dead where the protagonists are nowhere to be seen this will be a good house for sure. Seeds of Extinction on steroids.

5) Chucky: The Chucky takeover sounds fantastic, tons of amazing kills to show off. I’m not too sure how the sets will be on this one but the uncertainty makes me more excited.

6) Dragons: Medieval time babeeee! I only experienced the Harry Potter version but I’m absolutely behind this idea. There could be no dragons until the end; but if they’re anywhere the scale of Klownzilla it’ll be amazing.

7) Darkest Deal: THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA HE WAS LOOKING FOR A SOULD TO STEAL. HE WAS IN A BIND CAUSE HE WAS WAY BEHIND. AND HE WAS WILLING TO MAKE A DEAL.

8) Yeti(s): The second comedy house; Yukon was fantastic, the Yeti costumes are terrifying but are able to pull off some hilarious acts and I love foresty houses.

9) Exorcist: At least it’s not a tired IP like at Hollywood; trailer is dookie but the house hopefully isn’t! Certainly will be an uneasy house as the artwork makes me feel.

10) Blood Moon: Dark Offerings: It sounds derivative of stuff we often see at the event; Spirits of the Coven, Chupacabra, Dead Waters, Roanoke etc… could be a top house when we actually see it, but rn sounds generic. I wish this could be replaced with a ‘Haunted House’ theme since the last one; ‘Poltergeist’ was amazing and it’s been a while.

 

[Neo]

1. Dualing Dragons - on my earlier hype lists based on the spec maps this was quite a bit lower. Hearing some specifics about the house rocketed it to #1.
2. The Last of Us - Loved the show, never played the game, and think they'll just knock this out of the park and can't wait to see it.
3. Stranger Things 4 - The only reason this isn't #2 is because we've had 2 other houses and The Last of Us is fresh and new. Basically equally hyped for both.
4. Dr Oddfellow - Love the carnival setting, but am usually not a huge fan of the period set originals. You'll see that in the rest of my rankings. Hope this is super violent and scary.
5. Campground Kills - I'm not obsessed with the Yeti houses like many others, but the whole campground idea with woods has me super excited.
6. Universal Monsters - This is a big yawn for me as I don't really care about the 4 characters being featured...but know creative will knock the house of the park and am sure the house will be beautiful. Sure I'll love it, but just hard to get hyped for it with 4 of the JV Team monsters.
7. Chucky - Pre full announce hype list had this #10 by a mile. Tried watching the show and just couldn't get into it. But hearing it's original, set in a haunted house (sure hope it has cheesy Spirit-level props), and features other killer toys than just Chucky has moved it up my hype list quite a bit.
8. Darkest Deal - The story sounds cool and all, but just doesn't do it for me.
9. The Exorcist - I loved the first house but have no idea what to expect from this one.
10. Blood Moon - Yawn. Really have no interest in this one. Expect it to be bloody and scary, but I thought Roanoke was one of the weakest houses. From spec maps this was a bit higher as I was thinking witches, but just some cult of ye ole time villagers knocked it down few notches.

 

[Jake S]

alright, I'm ready to take a stab at this.

1. Last of Us
really looking forward to what they do with this from a scenic standpoint. this knocks one of the last white whales off my wishlist, and it might be the last time that happens.

2a. Universal Monsters
I've loved all of these mazes in hollywood and am really excited to finally get a chance to do it on both coasts this year [and Japan, for that matter]!

2b. Oddfellow's
the lore stuff is admittedly intriguing, though I've never been to an icon-ish event [I last went in 2017], but I love the setting. carnival houses are admittedly a dime a dozen, but the dustbowl era could make this very intriguing.

2c. Dueling Dragons
this could easily be the house of the event. dueling dragons was always such a tremendous look at what universal could do even before harry potter showed up. I love the idea of the setting and the potential for some really neat puppet work.

5. Yeti
having watched a couple videos of the Yukon Yeti house ... this sounds pretty phenomenal. I'm not a huge fan of ~dark comedy~ but I love the weirdness at play with the creature work and the campground setting.

6. Exorcist: Believer
I'll put my hand up and recognize I'm in the minority here, but I really enjoyed all the exorcist houses in hollywood, black walls and all. I can't speak to the quality of the movie, but it sounds like there will be a relatively diverse number of locations to draw from; and frankly, I'm just excited to hear a riff on the music throughout the house and see my good buddy pazuzu.

7. Chucky
I don't care much for the Child's Play movies ... but Chucky is a great fit at Horror Nights. the treatment of this maze is awesome; I love the meta approach and look forward to seeing what they do with a challenging space.

8. Darkest Deal
the subject matter doesn't interest me that much and I'm skeptical of how they'll actually generate compelling scares. but, as always, happy to be proven wrong!

9. Blood Moon
this one might end up surprising us. while it's certainly a bit derivative, these "classic" horror nights/scary farm themes can end up as the wheelhouse for creatives. as always, reserving judgment until I walk through myself.

10. Stranger Things
nothing personal, I just really, really do not like this property. we'll see, though! apparently this season [which I have not seen] is a great fit for a haunted house treatment, and as my sister is a big fan of the show, we'll be waiting in this long line at least one time.

can't wait! under 40 days until we arrive.

 

[Killer Klown]

This was a very tough list to make, like very tough

1. Dueling Dragons - Not sure I’ve ever been more hyped for an original house ever and that’s saying a lot. Fantasy is my favorite genre and the fact that it’s a straight up Dueling Dragons adaptation is just amazing. Also gets some serious bonus points for actually having a split path with the Choose Thy Fate sign.
2. Stranger Things - The best season of one of the best shows ever. Only reason this isn’t number is because I do have a slight concern they won’t be able to fit everything in.
3. Monsters Unmasked - This is already my favorite premise of any of the Monster houses so far and the podcast rose my hype even higher. About time we get Invisible Man here!
4. Campground Kills - Love the setting and it being the comedy house only makes me even more hyped. I hope they pump in some pine smell so it smells like an actual campsite in the woods.
5. Chucky - This placement is contingent on the Chucky’s being puppets. If they’re not knock this down a lot. The insane premise has me very excited and I think it’s cool they’re not just doing a book report adaptation here and decided to do their own thing:
6. Oddfellow - Feels weird to have this down so low but that just shows how strong this lineup is on paper. Carnival setting should be a good time and seeing the moment Oddfellow kills Jack will feel like a fever dream.
7. Darkest Deal - Again feel dirty having this so low. Looking forward to see how they incorporate the music here. I also love the idea that we’re meant to be the band mates on the journey.
8. Last of Us - This one feels really dirty being here but alas. Never been a huge zombie guy, though clickers are some of the best zombies ever made. I’m also not as attached to this property as others are.
9. Blood Moon - Only reason this is so low is because it feels a bit more “generic haunted house” than the others and in a year that has as many amazing properties and concepts as this one it doesn’t feel like one I’ll visit as much.. Love the setting though and I’m sure it’ll serve its purpose as the legitimately scare gory house very well.
10. Exorcist - Hard to be hyped for a house based on a movie that isn’t out and didn’t look like anything special in the trailers. This is the only dud in the lineup at face value.

 

[Lucky Planet]

Okay, now that I've had a minute to sit with the names, descriptions, key art, and podcast info, here are my brutally honest thoughts:

• Dueling Dragons. I really, really hope they can deliver here, because they have to know fan expectations are unrealistically high. The image suggesting a complete rebuild of the original facade is a good sign, but they have to deliver on the dragons themselves. Whether that means enormous puppetry on the scale of Klownzilla/Mind Flayer, aggressive head-and-neck only puppets like American Werewolf in London, a combination of the two, or something else entirely, I don't know. The podcast description tells me that they're going to focus on the warlocks/other creatures for a majority of the maze, which leads me to believe they're saving their budget for a big "wow" moment or two. Hopefully people are receptive to that. This could either soar as the fan-anticipated favorite or flounder due to impossible expectations.
• Dr. Oddfellow's Twisted Origins. Sounds like they're going to try really hard to carve Oddfellow his own identity, divorced from Jack, as much as humanly possible. As I said in the other thread, telling us now that Jack's appearance will be limited to a silhouette kill is smart. "Dust bowl carnival" sounds like a great aesthetic, and I'm curious how much (or how little) inspiration it'll take from its closest obvious analogue, the excellent Mesmer at Knott's Scary Farm. The podcast info suggests more of a "snuff carnival" than something more supernatural, so I'm curious how the real and unreal will blend (or not). High on my list for the lore of it all, and I'm a sucker for an icon house. Here's hoping Oddfellow can hold his own without the clown the event can't seem to do without for long.
• Universal Monsters Unmasked. That title definitely feels... forced (probably not their first choice), and I have no idea why The Invisible Man is here, but it still feels like everyone is already sleeping on this one. Cast energy doesn't always carry over between houses in a franchise (looking at you, Havoc Derailed), but Legends Collide was next-level last year judging by the scope of its sets alone. A lot will come down to how much time we spend in the Catacombs - which, while no doubt claustrophobic, has the potential to get repetitive and overly familiar - versus the rest of Paris, particularly the Phantom's Lair, the Opera House, and maybe even a street or bell tower. Even with these unknowns, I'm a bigger fan of these monsters over the ones featured in Legends, so if this entry can capture even half the energy and scenic might of its immediate predecessor, we're in for a treat.
• Yeti: Campground Kills. I missed Slaughter Cinema and Yeti: Terror of the Yukon, so I'm a bit in the dark on how these houses feel and have no personal attachment to the franchise. The 1950s setting is promising, though, as is the speculation that this might be another semi-open layout in the vein of Dead Man's Pier, a recent favorite of mine. There are also suggestions that this will be more of a comedy house, though, which I'm struggling to wrap my head around. Yeti children sounds hilariously fun, to be sure, but it feels like there's something I'm not quite getting yet here. Time will tell, though, and I love a good creature maze with enormous sets, so this sits pretty high even with so much in the air.
• Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count. I'll admit this is not what I anticipated! I did not expect a straight adaptation of the show, which is more silly and campy than outright scary. Few of even its more violent and scary sequences would translate well to a maze environment, so I assumed they'd dip their toes into the imagery of the earlier films Universal controls along with some clear nods to the show. They may still do that, but on paper, what we've got here is significantly weirder, and I admire the decision to take a big swing. Could turn out to be a try-hard muddled mess or something as delightfully bizarre as Seed of Chucky - all dependent on execution. Universal gets what makes a good secret sauce in a comedy house, and I have a soft spot for the killer doll, so I'll take the over on this one.
• The Last of Us. Pretty glad they're doing the game instead of the television show. More environments, more characters, fewer headaches dealing with WB/HBO. My only fear is an over-reliance on humans and Stage 1 zombies and some repetition with the scares. Hopefully local vendors can pull off some impressive masks/prosthetic pieces for the clickers, too - mask and prosthetic quality is one area where Hollywood still consistently beats Orlando, and I'd hate for what are sure to be such lush environments underserved by disappointing looks for the characters.
• Stranger Things. Don't have much to say here, as I haven't seen any of Orlando's Stranger Things houses in-person. The Hollywood iterations were "pretty good" and "embarrassing," while the Orlando efforts seemed much more comprehensive and managed to capture more of the show's unique nostalgic energy, even if people seemed to give the second go the cold shoulder by the end of its event. It's been said ad nauseam, but Season 4 lends itself well to a maze, so looking forward to seeing what should be a pretty straightforward adaptation here. The brutality of the lines will probably diminish how we actually perceive the experience, but I'm betting the team will deliver.
• The Darkest Deal. A fiendishly good premise that feels like it could be undone by the event's aversion to religious imagery. Trying to introduce us to a character as ambiguous as "The Collector" - when you've already got an icon in your event that collects souls - feels redundant and potentially confusing. The Devil is a visual and narrative shortcut that everyone understands, but it is what it is. I'm assuming this will stick to more domestic settings or even get a little fantastical with the afterlife, should it become an environment, and it'll live or die on how well it can execute its story and communicate the threat of The Collector. I otherwise I see this overlapping a bit too much aesthetically with its closest neighbor, Oddfellow, along with Yeti, based on the key art.
• Dark Moon: Blood Offering. This one just feels... kind of generic? I need to know more before I can offer a more detailed opinion, but right now I'm getting big Blood Ruins vibes, which is not a great position to be in. Others have pointed out that this feels like a redo of Roanoke, and while I didn't experience that house, I can see the comparison. Maybe the setting and characters just feel too vague for me to be excited or scared.
• Exorcist: Believer. Definitely going to enter the event at the bottom of everyone's lists. I think it could easily surprise people and become a dark horse favorite... or become another Dracula Untold. Don't be surprised when the movie gets delayed and we're left with a very expensive piece of early promotion.

I was gonna write a one by one opinion but this one covers everything I fear. I hope the houses are good, most of them will be good, but there are some concerns. I definitely agree with everything.

I hope we are wowed and amazed by the results, but all the originals could have had stuff happening. The originals sound great on paper and I have high hopes, (I hope they are all good.) It's just that the concepts sound too high but the realistic budget.


Dragons : I'll go without expecting too much. I'll be happy with a wizard house. I hope they do magic effects. Spells and stuff.

Dark Moon: Blood Offering- sounds cool, but, kinda worried. Could be really great. Could be bad. Repetitive.

The Darkest Deal- sounds, great, on paper, but could be boring or cheesy depending on the sets and characters. Depends if universal takes it seriously or if they do a jokey house.

Yeti will be amazing. The concept alone lol

 

[Boodini]

1. Dueling Dragons
2. Blood Moon
3. Monsters
4. Darkest Deal
5. Oddfellow’s
6. Stranger Things
7. Yeti
8. The Last of Us
9. Chucky
10. Exorcist

 

[grlhowl]

1) UNIVERSAL MONSTERS: UNMASKED
The last 2 Monsters houses have been in my top 3 in their lineups, which excites me enough, but I love the characters and rumored settings. It has potential to be so claustrophobic and intense.
2) THE LAST OF US
I enjoyed the show, but for years I've wanted to see TLOU become a house. I've never even played the game, but I understand how perfect the mix of bleak atmosphere, lots of tension, and scares will be for HHN.
3) THE DARKEST DEAL
I've loved the concept of this house since it emerged, and it's always been high on my list. I hope this house feels seedy and dark, and tells a unique type of story for a haunt.
4) STRANGER THINGS 4
I'm... meh about season 4, I think it's messy. But I cannot deny the content is the best for a haunt. As long as this house focuses on Vecna and Eleven, I think it'll be great for my first ST house.
5) DR. ODDFELLOW'S TWISTED ORIGINS
I cannot believe we're getting an Icon in 2023. It's unbelievable. But that's not all, I'm intrigued about the dark freak show vibe and the dust bowl setting.
6) YETI: CAMPGROUND KILLS
This sounds campy and ridiculous, but I hope it has gore to go along with the possible humor.
7) DUELING DRAGONS: CHOOSE THY FATE
I don't quite get the hype here. I know DD is a beloved ride, and I loved Dragon Challenge, but the concept doesn't excite me. I feel it will be a pretty standard dark fantasy house with minor ties to the ride.
8) CHUCKY: ULTIMATE KILL COUNT
Not a huge Chucky fan but the concept is very interesting. Excited to see how they pull it off!
9) BLOOD MOON: DARK OFFERINGS
This just feels a little generic for HHN standards I hope I'm proven wrong!
10) THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER
I don't care for the original movie and I'm not impressed by what we've seen of this one. Nothing excites me or interests me.

 

[Darko]

Okay, now that I've had a minute to sit with the names, descriptions, key art, and podcast info, here are my brutally honest thoughts:

• Dueling Dragons. I really, really hope they can deliver here, because they have to know fan expectations are unrealistically high. The image suggesting a complete rebuild of the original facade is a good sign, but they have to deliver on the dragons themselves. Whether that means enormous puppetry on the scale of Klownzilla/Mind Flayer, aggressive head-and-neck only puppets like American Werewolf in London, a combination of the two, or something else entirely, I don't know. The podcast description tells me that they're going to focus on the warlocks/other creatures for a majority of the maze, which leads me to believe they're saving their budget for a big "wow" moment or two. Hopefully people are receptive to that. This could either soar as the fan-anticipated favorite or flounder due to impossible expectations.
• Dr. Oddfellow's Twisted Origins. Sounds like they're going to try really hard to carve Oddfellow his own identity, divorced from Jack, as much as humanly possible. As I said in the other thread, telling us now that Jack's appearance will be limited to a silhouette kill is smart. "Dust bowl carnival" sounds like a great aesthetic, and I'm curious how much (or how little) inspiration it'll take from its closest obvious analogue, the excellent Mesmer at Knott's Scary Farm. The podcast info suggests more of a "snuff carnival" than something more supernatural, so I'm curious how the real and unreal will blend (or not). High on my list for the lore of it all, and I'm a sucker for an icon house. Here's hoping Oddfellow can hold his own without the clown the event can't seem to do without for long.
• Universal Monsters Unmasked. That title definitely feels... forced (probably not their first choice), and I have no idea why The Invisible Man is here, but it still feels like everyone is already sleeping on this one. Cast energy doesn't always carry over between houses in a franchise (looking at you, Havoc Derailed), but Legends Collide was next-level last year judging by the scope of its sets alone. A lot will come down to how much time we spend in the Catacombs - which, while no doubt claustrophobic, has the potential to get repetitive and overly familiar - versus the rest of Paris, particularly the Phantom's Lair, the Opera House, and maybe even a street or bell tower. Even with these unknowns, I'm a bigger fan of these monsters over the ones featured in Legends, so if this entry can capture even half the energy and scenic might of its immediate predecessor, we're in for a treat.
• Yeti: Campground Kills. I missed Slaughter Cinema and Yeti: Terror of the Yukon, so I'm a bit in the dark on how these houses feel and have no personal attachment to the franchise. The 1950s setting is promising, though, as is the speculation that this might be another semi-open layout in the vein of Dead Man's Pier, a recent favorite of mine. There are also suggestions that this will be more of a comedy house, though, which I'm struggling to wrap my head around. Yeti children sounds hilariously fun, to be sure, but it feels like there's something I'm not quite getting yet here. Time will tell, though, and I love a good creature maze with enormous sets, so this sits pretty high even with so much in the air.
• Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count. I'll admit this is not what I anticipated! I did not expect a straight adaptation of the show, which is more silly and campy than outright scary. Few of even its more violent and scary sequences would translate well to a maze environment, so I assumed they'd dip their toes into the imagery of the earlier films Universal controls along with some clear nods to the show. They may still do that, but on paper, what we've got here is significantly weirder, and I admire the decision to take a big swing. Could turn out to be a try-hard muddled mess or something as delightfully bizarre as Seed of Chucky - all dependent on execution. Universal gets what makes a good secret sauce in a comedy house, and I have a soft spot for the killer doll, so I'll take the over on this one.
• The Last of Us. Pretty glad they're doing the game instead of the television show. More environments, more characters, fewer headaches dealing with WB/HBO. My only fear is an over-reliance on humans and Stage 1 zombies and some repetition with the scares. Hopefully local vendors can pull off some impressive masks/prosthetic pieces for the clickers, too - mask and prosthetic quality is one area where Hollywood still consistently beats Orlando, and I'd hate for what are sure to be such lush environments underserved by disappointing looks for the characters.
• Stranger Things. Don't have much to say here, as I haven't seen any of Orlando's Stranger Things houses in-person. The Hollywood iterations were "pretty good" and "embarrassing," while the Orlando efforts seemed much more comprehensive and managed to capture more of the show's unique nostalgic energy, even if people seemed to give the second go the cold shoulder by the end of its event. It's been said ad nauseam, but Season 4 lends itself well to a maze, so looking forward to seeing what should be a pretty straightforward adaptation here. The brutality of the lines will probably diminish how we actually perceive the experience, but I'm betting the team will deliver.
• The Darkest Deal. A fiendishly good premise that feels like it could be undone by the event's aversion to religious imagery. Trying to introduce us to a character as ambiguous as "The Collector" - when you've already got an icon in your event that collects souls - feels redundant and potentially confusing. The Devil is a visual and narrative shortcut that everyone understands, but it is what it is. I'm assuming this will stick to more domestic settings or even get a little fantastical with the afterlife, should it become an environment, and it'll live or die on how well it can execute its story and communicate the threat of The Collector. I otherwise I see this overlapping a bit too much aesthetically with its closest neighbor, Oddfellow, along with Yeti, based on the key art.
• Dark Moon: Blood Offering. This one just feels... kind of generic? I need to know more before I can offer a more detailed opinion, but right now I'm getting big Blood Ruins vibes, which is not a great position to be in. Others have pointed out that this feels like a redo of Roanoke, and while I didn't experience that house, I can see the comparison. Maybe the setting and characters just feel too vague for me to be excited or scared.
• Exorcist: Believer. Definitely going to enter the event at the bottom of everyone's lists. I think it could easily surprise people and become a dark horse favorite... or become another Dracula Untold. Don't be surprised when the movie gets delayed and we're left with a very expensive piece of early promotion.

Can I just say that I think The Collector should be Oddfellow? Like I doubt it is, but it would be an awesome way to tie the house into the theme.

 

[cenobyte]

Alright, proper list:

1.) Dr. Oddfellow's Twisted Origins - As a big lore buff and a lover of anything circus and clown related, this one is definitely my most anticipated. The sheer carnage of it described in the podcasts sounds really excellent as well. Sounds like it'll be a bloodbath.

2.) Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate - Being on the younger side and not visiting IoA until after Hogsmeade was added, I still really love the old 90's fantasy feel of The Lost Continent and IoA as a whole, so I really hope that translates over to this house, especially knowing it seems to be explicitly based on Dueling Dragon's old queue line. And even if it's static, I'll love any sort of big dragon prop.

3.) The Darkest Deal - Everything I've heard about this house has an immaculate vibe to it. The music, the setting, the theme. I have a feeling this is gonna get me into listening to blues.

4.) Bloodmoon: Dark Offerings - I grew up/live around a lot of Colonial-era areas, so this sounds like fun. I love big, evil cult tropes in horror, and if there's a room with a big candle-lit altar, I'm sold on this one.

5.) YETI: Campground Kills - This more or less shares the same spot with Bloodmoon for me, but I put that one up one rung higher since that's something fresh and new, while this is a sequel to 2019's Yeti (which I loved!). The premise just makes me worried this is going to be Terror of the Yukon but with no Yukon, but I'm optimistic about it. We'll see.

6.) Universal Monsters: Unmasked - I don't think you can go wrong with Universal Monsters, and I'm glad this house is featuring a less traditional cast. The Catacombs environments sound super fun, but I hope there's some parts taking place in the streets of Paris. Now that has the possibility of having some really beautiful sets.

7.) The Last of Us - I have not seen the show (but have been meaning to), and I have only watched a play through of the original game back around when it came out, but I think I have enough memory of that to grasp what'll be going on. Otherwise, this sounds like a traditional post-apocalyptic house, and I like that.

8.) Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count - I'm James A. Janisse and welcome to The Kill Count I have yet to watch the Child's Play/Chucky series, but the almost meta humor of this house that they seem to be alluding to sounds fun, but I'll wait and see what they do. Only tangentially related, but they better have a cocktail named the "Gendah Flooid" because of this.

9.) The Exorcist: Believer - It's been a while since we had a house made to promote an upcoming movie, but the way they talked about it on the podcast gives me some faith in it, especially with the whole "going to the other site" bit.

10.) Stranger Things 4 - Because I have yet to watch ST4, I'm not really sure what to expect out of this house, but I probably will once I watch it. Otherwise, this one isn't really grabbing my attention much. It doesn't help that the ST2/3 house from 2019 was my least favorite that year, mostly due to the tunnel segment feeling so long, and the almost over-reliance on gun scares, which are a sin in my book. Like with the last 2, I'll reserve judgement on this house until I actually do it, so we'll see.

 

[Kichkinet85]

These are very hard lists to make. I made one that I posted earlier but I’m still unsure on 1-8. 9-10 are the only ones I know with 100% confidence, and that’s Chucky and Exorcist.

 

[TheGamerOfKnowledge]

10) Yeti: Campground Kills - I’m still excited for this house, and the fact that it’s at the bottom says a lot about how good this lineup is. It’s just not my type of horror.

9) The Exorcist: Believer - I feel like the only person excited for this movie lmao, I do feel like the others will be stronger though

8) Blood Moon: Dark Offerings - I’m excited, and I’m sure it’ll be good, but it’s not the most creative concept and feels like something we’ve already seen before.

7) Chucky’s Ultimate Kill Count - It sounds like a campy time, which I’m very excited for! If we don’t get a Dead Meat reference in this house I SWEAR!

6) Stranger Things 4 - I hate that this is number six, but I’m sorry, there’s just other houses I’m more excited for. Still very excited for this though, season four was my favorite season!

5) The Last of Us - I have no connections to the game or the show, but I’m expecting this house to be very intense and have great sets! I love that this is based on the game as well, hopefully it brings more games to the event in future years!

4) Universal Classic Monsters: Unmasked - I’m very excited for the whole Parisian aesthetic, and I love how they’re giving attention to the lesser known classic monsters!

3) The Darkest Deal - This has to be hands down the most creative concept Universal has made for an original yet! I’m hoping they execute it well, because if so, this will be an amazing story house!

2) Dr Oddfellow: Twisted Origins - So happy we’re finally getting another icon house after so many years of not having one! I love how it connects to all the zones as well, and I’m loving hearing all the details about it!

1) Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate - Oh my godddddd, I unfortunately was never able to ride Dueling Dragons or see it’s queue, but I love a throwback house, I love the theming, and it’s a dual path house?! It’s screaming HOTY