Halloween Horror Nights 2020 Old Speculation Thread

[Spookies n' Stuff]

My overall wish is for the quality of HHN to be equal, so that Universal can thrive on both coasts, but I think they'd need a budget increase and team change. This will be my final point that I thought of this morning, and I'll stop ragging on Hollywood after this. It feels like they survive on the IP and that no matter what it is, they don't need to invest the cash to make it look the best it can, because people will show up anyway, just to see "stuff" from that IP.

These feelings are probably attributed to my disdain for IP heavy events, because I believe they suck most the creativity out of the design and are used as a crutch to carry the guest flow to the event. I get that they're a necessary evil in these times, to keep the counts high so that we can have the event to begin with, but overall, I think Hollywood should be held to a higher standard. Whatever that entails.

Thats fair, Hollywood definitely isnt without its big flaws, and I think the majority of the fanbase knows that Hollywood overall isn't as good as Orlando, which is probably the main reason I go out of my way to defend it, it's not perfect by any means but aside from a few years where they really dropped the ball, I feel like there's more there than they often get credit for. It's definitely possible for them to improve though, I think they should really experiment more with budget distribution to find the perfect balance to make the event more rounded overall, like for example I get that an increasingly large maze count every year is probably enticing to the general public, but unless theres a lot of shared IPs that need to be covered to match orlando, all of the mazes are new every year anyway, so you don't really need to add one or two mazes to the count to provide a feeling of newness at the cost of resources being thinner across all the other mazes.

 

[HHNManics]

 

[chris.g]

All I can say is lol to themeparkaccess

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

My overall wish is for the quality of HHN to be equal, so that Universal can thrive on both coasts, but I think they'd need a budget increase and team change. This will be my final point that I thought of this morning, and I'll stop ragging on Hollywood after this. It feels like they survive on the IP and that no matter what it is, they don't need to invest the cash to make it look the best it can, because people will show up anyway, just to see "stuff" from that IP.

These feelings are probably attributed to my disdain for IP heavy events, because I believe they suck most the creativity out of the design and are used as a crutch to carry the guest flow to the event. I get that they're a necessary evil in these times, to keep the counts high so that we can have the event to begin with, but overall, I think Hollywood should be held to a higher standard. Whatever that entails.

Hollywood HHN “survives” on IP because that’s the brand. Universal Studios Hollywood is a working movie studio. They make movies that people watch. Having mazes based on their movies as well beloved favorites from other studios is, like, kinda the point of the Hollywood event. Orlando has the lore and the history and yadda yadda, which is definitely awesome and unique, but that’s not Hollywood. And it’s not like Orlando is somehow above IP—there were gripes coming from Orlando about not having Creepshow or FMTWM.

Which further proves that Hollywood doesn’t use intellectual property as a “crutch.” They use intellectual property as a competitive advantage, and also because they can execute movie quality design to meet the standard of the intellectual property in question. The caliber of design at HHN is literal movie studio quality because, again, Universal Studios Hollywood is a literal movie studio. I don’t see how anyone could walk through Killer Klownz or AVP or Poltergeist or Dracula Untold (any of the UCM mazes, actually) and say anything about the design or aesthetics is “lazy.” Is the quality of each maze equal? No. Are there A+’s across the board, year in and year out, without exception? No. But that’s not true for Orlando, either.

Tbh, based on what you said about Murdy and your experience as a scare actor, it seems like you have a personal beef against Hollywood and you’re just airing grievances. Your criticisms are yours to have and I certainly don’t begrudge them even though I disagree, but I’m mostly just sensing spite from you lol.

 

[Spookies n' Stuff]

Hollywood HHN “survives” on IP because that’s the brand. Universal Studios Hollywood is a working movie studio. They make movies that people watch. Having mazes based on their movies as well beloved favorites from other studios is, like, kinda the point of the Hollywood event. Orlando has the lore and the history and yadda yadda, which is definitely awesome and unique, but that’s not Hollywood. And it’s not like Orlando is somehow above IP—there were gripes coming from Orlando about not having Creepshow or FMTWM.

Which further proves that Hollywood doesn’t use intellectual property as a “crutch.” They use intellectual property as a competitive advantage, and also because they can execute movie quality design to meet the standard of the intellectual property in question. The caliber of design at HHN is literal movie studio quality because, again, Universal Studios Hollywood is a literal movie studio. I don’t see how anyone could walk through Killer Klownz or AVP or Poltergeist or Dracula Untold (any of the UCM mazes, actually) and say anything about the design or aesthetics is “lazy.” Is the quality of each maze equal? No. Are there A+’s across the board, year in and year out, without exception? No. But that’s not true for Orlando, either.

Tbh, based on what you said about Murdy and your experience as a scare actor, it seems like you have a personal beef against Hollywood and you’re just airing grievances. Your criticisms are yours to have and I certainly don’t begrudge them even though I disagree, but I’m mostly just sensing spite from you lol.

Pretty much agree with what you said about IPs not being a crutch, I dunno why that didn't pop into my head sooner. But yeah, especially in Hollywoods haunt climate, IPs are the thing that sets Universal apart, nearly all of the hundreds of other haunts across the state are doing some kind of original concepts, so IPs are the way to have an edge on the competition, pretty much the only other one that tried something similar and posed a threat was Horror Made Here, but who knows if or when that'll ever come back.

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

Pretty much agree with what you said about IPs not being a crutch, I dunno why that didn't pop into my head sooner. But yeah, especially in Hollywoods haunt climate, IPs are the thing that sets Universal apart, nearly all of the hundreds of other haunts across the state are doing some kind of original concepts, so IPs are the way to have an edge on the competition, pretty much the only other one that tried something similar and posed a threat was Horror Made Here, but who knows if or when that'll ever come back.

And imagine if Horror Made Here debuted and it was all originals. It’d be like, “You guys know you own the Conjuring universe, right?” Wouldn’t make sense for them.

 

[Ringwraith]

Hollywood HHN “survives” on IP because that’s the brand. Universal Studios Hollywood is a working movie studio. They make movies that people watch. Having mazes based on their movies as well beloved favorites from other studios is, like, kinda the point of the Hollywood event. Orlando has the lore and the history and yadda yadda, which is definitely awesome and unique, but that’s not Hollywood. And it’s not like Orlando is somehow above IP—there were gripes coming from Orlando about not having Creepshow or FMTWM.

Which further proves that Hollywood doesn’t use intellectual property as a “crutch.” They use intellectual property as a competitive advantage, and also because they can execute movie quality design to meet the standard of the intellectual property in question. The caliber of design at HHN is literal movie studio quality because, again, Universal Studios Hollywood is a literal movie studio. I don’t see how anyone could walk through Killer Klownz or AVP or Poltergeist or Dracula Untold (any of the UCM mazes, actually) and say anything about the design or aesthetics is “lazy.” Is the quality of each maze equal? No. Are there A+’s across the board, year in and year out, without exception? No. But that’s not true for Orlando, either.

Tbh, based on what you said about Murdy and your experience as a scare actor, it seems like you have a personal beef against Hollywood and you’re just airing grievances. Your criticisms are yours to have and I certainly don’t begrudge them even though I disagree, but I’m mostly just sensing spite from you lol.

Oh I loved being a scareactor. It was a ton of fun and quite a good workout, so it has really nothing to do with a beef I have against the event. I grew up going to the Orlando event and when I went to the Hollywood event for the first time, I hadn't heard anything. I had zero expectations and after going through it, I was severely disappointed, but that's obviously because I was expecting it to be like Orlando. Knott's and other events in the area, filled that gap for me, so it worked out. I know what I like and minus AVP and a handful of other mazes, I view the overall event to be subpar to the rest of what LA has to offer when it comes to haunts. I've been to both, several times, and whether it's due to budget constraints, or what have you, I don't believe they're putting on the event that they COULD have.

We can agree to disagree and we have our own personal preferences, which makes the world go round, but I wanted to make clear that although it wasn't personal, it's just what types of haunts I like.

 

[deadbydawn]

Pretty much agree with what you said about IPs not being a crutch, I dunno why that didn't pop into my head sooner. But yeah, especially in Hollywoods haunt climate, IPs are the thing that sets Universal apart, nearly all of the hundreds of other haunts across the state are doing some kind of original concepts, so IPs are the way to have an edge on the competition, pretty much the only other one that tried something similar and posed a threat was Horror Made Here, but who knows if or when that'll ever come back.

As of 2019, the rumor was that Horror Made Here would come back this year. Not sure if there was ever any truth to that, but hopefully in 2021 they can come back. I had a great time at that event and with a little growth it could be a serious contender to Halloween Horror Nights.

 

[TheMatador]

As of 2019, the rumor was that Horror Made Here would come back this year. Not sure if there was ever any truth to that, but hopefully in 2021 they can come back. I had a great time at that event and with a little growth it could be a serious contender to Halloween Horror Nights.

HMH has some work to do but honestly the best scare event for the last two years was Dark Harbor.

 

[deadbydawn]

HMH has some work to do but honestly the best scare event for the last two years was Dark Harbor.

Not a huge fan of the Dark Harbor event. I didn't go last year, but I haven't had the best experiences there.

 

[DJIndy49]

Not a huge fan of the Dark Harbor event. I didn't go last year, but I haven't had the best experiences there.

Last year was my first year at Dark Harbor and I enjoyed it. Granted I had front of the line passes so just about everything was walk on. I liked the things they were doing. Execution could have been better but I liked that it wasn't scene, boo hole, scene, boo hole. Was it better than HHN, no.

 

[highdefrex]

Not a huge fan of the Dark Harbor event. I didn't go last year, but I haven't had the best experiences there.

I’ve been three times over three different years, and each time it was the other event-goers that made the experience either miserable, uncomfortable, or both. The very first year I went (2016), some big fight broke out in the interior switchback queue for one of the in-ship mazes all because, apparently, one guy looked at another guy’s girlfriend. So each of their friends/family/whatever that they were with all started throwing fists and brawling with one another, women pulling each others’ hair and egging the guys on, random people were getting knocked around, the switchback dividers were getting trampled over, and security obviously had to come. And that wasn’t even the only fight I’ve seen break out there...

We decided to stop going for good after 2018 because while waiting outside for the security checkpoint to open up, I was sitting on the curb talking with my friends and my phone was in my hand on my knee, screen facing towards us. The teens sitting to my right (part of a different group) started talking audibly about how they were going to take my phone and break it because I was recording them (I wasn’t) and when I showed them I wasn’t, they started harassing us until an older guy (dad, maybe) in their party came over and challenged me to be a man and go to the parking lot with him. And when I said no thanks, obviously, they followed us around the park once we were in and the opening ceremony was over.

I’ve seen entitled people at HHN and Scary Farm, people who have touched cast members or cut lines and got caught, but in the decade-plus I’ve been going to these events I’ve never once experienced the level of negative guest behavior I’ve seen at Dark Harbor. I didn’t miss not going in 2019 and I won’t miss it this year or next.

 

[Freak]

Well if HHN is taking a year off, maybe this will help them start fresh and prioritize their creative decisions....like, IDK, cut the black walls, reduce the maze count for better quality, add more scares that aren't stuck in 2007.

 

[tacalert]

 

[Legacy]

Well if HHN is taking a year off, maybe this will help them start fresh and prioritize their creative decisions....like, IDK, cut the black walls, reduce the maze count for better quality, add more scares that aren't stuck in 2007.

I’ll do it.

 

[HHNManics]

 

[Rideguy70]

I’ve been three times over three different years, and each time it was the other event-goers that made the experience either miserable, uncomfortable, or both. The very first year I went (2016), some big fight broke out in the interior switchback queue for one of the in-ship mazes all because, apparently, one guy looked at another guy’s girlfriend. So each of their friends/family/whatever that they were with all started throwing fists and brawling with one another, women pulling each others’ hair and egging the guys on, random people were getting knocked around, the switchback dividers were getting trampled over, and security obviously had to come. And that wasn’t even the only fight I’ve seen break out there...

We decided to stop going for good after 2018 because while waiting outside for the security checkpoint to open up, I was sitting on the curb talking with my friends and my phone was in my hand on my knee, screen facing towards us. The teens sitting to my right (part of a different group) started talking audibly about how they were going to take my phone and break it because I was recording them (I wasn’t) and when I showed them I wasn’t, they started harassing us until an older guy (dad, maybe) in their party came over and challenged me to be a man and go to the parking lot with him. And when I said no thanks, obviously, they followed us around the park once we were in and the opening ceremony was over.

I’ve seen entitled people at HHN and Scary Farm, people who have touched cast members or cut lines and got caught, but in the decade-plus I’ve been going to these events I’ve never once experienced the level of negative guest behavior I’ve seen at Dark Harbor. I didn’t miss not going in 2019 and I won’t miss it this year or next.

I've felt the same way about Dark Harbor. I think the efforts of the organizers is really there, but the crowd is very much like a frathouse atmosphere. I outgrew that party mentality 30 years ago, kinda done with that. Found it very off-putting, and really soured my experience there.

As for HHN 2020, I've heard the official nail in the coffin may be coming soon.

 

[Clive]

I've felt the same way about Dark Harbor. I think the efforts of the organizers is really there, but the crowd is very much like a frathouse atmosphere. I outgrew that party mentality 30 years ago, kinda done with that. Found it very off-putting, and really soured my experience there.

As for HHN 2020, I've heard the official nail in the coffin may be coming soon.

I'll take you one further. I'd expect it in the Friday news dump tomorrow.

 

[Freak]

*Dark Harbor turns to dust*

HHN: “Mr Murdy....I don’t feel so good....”

 

[TheMatador]

*Dark Harbor turns to dust*

HHN: “Mr Murdy....I don’t feel so good....”

What’s Knott’s response? lol