Halloween Horror Nights 24 Discussion

[Teebin]

so... This year, The Modern IPs are not drawing a big crowd and they are getting mixed results(Dracula and FDTD)
Meanwhile the classic IPs (halloween and AVP) are getting 2 hour lines almost every week. (AVP itself might Not be a classic franchise or even that old, But Alien and Predator sure are) And last year the house that most people loved was American Werewolf

So why doesn't Marketing learn that people really want houses based on classic movies and not whatever came out recently? I understand they needed to promote dracula, but why did they need to add From Dusk? specially the show? why couldn't they try to do a house on the movie?

it is proven year after year, specially in 07, that people will come in droves to see the classic IP houses, but why don't they keep making more like that? there is a bunch of movies that would bring the crowds in

I wouldn't be surprised if it was Comcast telling marketing what they want them to do. Comcast seems to be a total and absolute synergy company.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

so... This year, The Modern IPs are not drawing a big crowd and they are getting mixed results(Dracula and FDTD)
Meanwhile the classic IPs (halloween and AVP) are getting 2 hour lines almost every week. (AVP itself might Not be a classic franchise or even that old, But Alien and Predator sure are) And last year the house that most people loved was American Werewolf

So why doesn't Marketing learn that people really want houses based on classic movies and not whatever came out recently? I understand they needed to promote dracula, but why did they need to add From Dusk? specially the show? why couldn't they try to do a house on the movie?

it is proven year after year, specially in 07, that people will come in droves to see the classic IP houses, but why don't they keep making more like that? there is a bunch of movies that would bring the crowds in

I didnt go to the event specifcally for From Dusk Til Dawn, but I started watching the show because of the house. Im sure many people feel the same way about Dracula. So it works in a reverse way I think at some level. The amount of people going to HHN is humongous, so Comcast definitely wants to capitalize on opportunities to get that much exposure.

And of course, Walking Dead is the big one, the example that Im sure Universal keeps turning to as modern IPs that do indeed boost attendance.

 

[Shadow Carelli]

So do y'all think Walking Dead is going to be garunteed at the event from now on?

 

[Shucker]

so... This year, The Modern IPs are not drawing a big crowd and they are getting mixed results(Dracula and FDTD)
Meanwhile the classic IPs (halloween and AVP) are getting 2 hour lines almost every week. (AVP itself might Not be a classic franchise or even that old, But Alien and Predator sure are) And last year the house that most people loved was American Werewolf

So why doesn't Marketing learn that people really want houses based on classic movies and not whatever came out recently? I understand they needed to promote dracula, but why did they need to add From Dusk? specially the show? why couldn't they try to do a house on the movie?

it is proven year after year, specially in 07, that people will come in droves to see the classic IP houses, but why don't they keep making more like that? there is a bunch of movies that would bring the crowds in

The issue with those houses are not that they are modern, it just happens that the AVP and Halloween houses are better. WD would be considered modern and it is getting insane lines as well. Don't forget, Cabin and Evil Dead (evil dead really based on the more recent version), both were modern and were great houses last year. Marketing isnt going to hit a home run on every IP. Plus I am sure that many people really liked FDTD and Dracula. I personally didnt think either was bad, just not as good as the other houses. Marketing isnt just there for hard core fans. As a matter of fact, if I had to guess, WD has pulled in more than any other IP over the last few years, and it is not a classic (at least not yet :smiley: )

 

[Zombie-C]

I'll be hosting/guiding my friend who hasn't been to the event since 17 and his wife(first time and she says people jumping out scares her. This will be great!) on Saturday. No express and their getting there after 6:30. We don't have much a chance in hell of hitting all the houses right...?

 

[sjago13]

I'll be hosting/guiding my friend who hasn't been to the event since 17 and his wife(first time and she says people jumping out scares her. This will be great!) on Saturday. No express and their getting there after 6:30. We don't have much a chance in hell of hitting all the houses right...?

Depends if u do stay and scream or not. If not it is possible with luck and extreme planning.

 

[Zombie-C]

No stay and scream for them. They be getting there till after the gates are open. I have told them. Theirs certain houses we can't miss and some we can skip if time.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

No stay and scream for them. They be getting there till after the gates are open. I have told them. Theirs certain houses we can't miss and some we can skip if time.

Hopefully they aren't hell-bent on seeing Walking Dead...if they aren't, go straight to Halloween upon opening. From there I would do Giggles, AVP, then Dollhouse and Roanoke. In my opinion, Dracula and Dusk are skippable. If they want to do Walking Dead, I would try and hit it as close to closing as possible, but prepare to bite the bullet and wait a while.

 

[MrRoamer]

I haven't been as many times as I normally would by now, but I think you could go straight for Walking Dead then AvP then hit Giggles Halloween and finally Roanoke/Dollhouse. I agree on skipping Dracula and FDTD but if you are lucky word of mouth has spread and they'll have a lower wait time than in the beginning.

My thought is normal people that go to the sound stages first are going to do them in order so you could get some legs on them by going straight to WD/AvP and if they go right it is because they have heard how good Halloween is and you won't beat those crowds. On Friday we got there at opening (no Stay n Scream) and went Giggles (Walk on), AvP (10 min), and then started using the express afterwards. Wait times posted in order were Dracula (10), Walking Dead (45), FDTD (20), Roanoke (20), Dollhouse (40), Halloween (90).

 

[sjago13]

Yeah if you can't do stay and scream or be at the front of the line to get in you need to ask these people what their most important houses are and tell em you may only to 4 to 6 houses.

 

[Lucky Planet]

I didnt go to the event specifcally for From Dusk Til Dawn, but I started watching the show because of the house. Im sure many people feel the same way about Dracula. So it works in a reverse way I think at some level. The amount of people going to HHN is humongous, so Comcast definitely wants to capitalize on opportunities to get that much exposure.

And of course, Walking Dead is the big one, the example that Im sure Universal keeps turning to as modern IPs that do indeed boost attendance.

yeah that is true, but then again what is the ultimate purpose of HHN or uni? the thing is, do they care more about promoting those IPs? or do they care more about getting more money in the park? (serious questions not being sarcastic)

the thing is, From Dusk is always one of the lowest when it comes to wait times, today at 9 it was something like 15 minutes. Every other house by that point was at least at 40 minute waits, even the originals. You could say that because From Dusk is the first one people see everyone does it first,
But that wouldn't matter because Cabin in the Woods was 60 minutes all night long (I remember not being able to do it too much because of that) so being the first wouldn't matter in that case.
dracula also has a lot of lower wait times, So my point is, if they care about promoting these IPs more, then they are doing a good job because some people are watching the show or Dracula because of the houses. But if they cared about people coming into the park for the houses then it would be a problem because the houses were not big draws. If let's say Walking dead was not a house this year or they didn't make halloween, and they were going to use From dusk as their selling point, then i dont think the park would be as crowded. That's my question, do they care more about promoting upcoming movies and shows? or would they care more if they kept selling out with classic IP houses

 

[kingcooger]

Did anyone else here get the 'What people are saying about HHN 24' email?

I have read it a few times and based upon the email and the survey, smart money has TWD returning next year. I mean, why else would you include this specific quote: "Halloween and The Walking Dead houses were my favorite. I cried and screamed in both lol. Loved it!!" in your what people are saying email and be asking about TWD coming back for a fourth year on your survey?

 

[s8film40]

I think it does seem somewhat likely that TWD will return, and I don't really think that's a bad thing. The show is hugely popular, the new season just started and from what I heard was renewed for another season after the current one. The house has had the longest wait throughout the event this year. I know many of us are tired of seeing the same thing return 3 years in a row, but in reality it's not really the same thing each year. As opposed to a traditional IP this is a series and is always changing. The first year's house represented the first two season, last years represented season 3 and this years represented season 4. In the show itself the settings change pretty drastically from season to season. They really are very different experiences each year. I like the show, I'm not a huge fan. It wouldn't bother may either way if it returned or not.

 

[SeventyOne]

First Wednesday night (10/15) had very manageable crowds. Even lollygagging I knocked out 7 houses and B&T, and TWD was only a 30 minute wait when I left at 11. A more determined person could easily have done everything, with a couple favorites twice.

Finally saw Halloween at night, love the outside projections. I think they push it further into the discussion of top 10 houses of all time. In contrast, I think Roanaoke is hurt most of all by lack of a queue video. Think how effective a faux History Channel documentary on Roanoke with a crackpot expert could have been ("I'm not saying it's windigos ... but, it's windigos.")

 

[PourJudgment]

 

[SeventyOne]

^ winning

 

[anihilnation]

Yup, was great last night, managed to Halloween 3 times and twice had an intense stare down with Michael in the final room, I played upon his acting and he acted upon my playing, was really cool; the second time, Loomis came out and shot Michael as we were staring at one another ...

 

[Zombie-C]

No doubt I will skip DU and FDTD. Thanks for the help, I shall report back how it went.

I hope tonight's crowds are like last night. I have no hope for Friday though.

 

[Zombie-C]

I knew the times were bad here and there but damn! Once it hit after 8. Every house was 60+. They stayed that way for 3-ish hrs. Only house to dip was WD(Which I find hard to believe) and FDTD(30-45mins) Which I wouldn't wait for unless it's 20 or less. Only things to do were B&T or sit and watch zones. First time I've left way early.

 

[Lucky Planet]

ooh that's picking children territory. I say house because I rather have all the zones be in one big area (like this year) than to have them all over the place making you take a lap around the park to do so. Might be laziness but I mean are the zones that important to have them take over the entire park? I always found them to be distractions to the houses and for those who say they increase capacity, I really don't think anybody but the die hards spend hours in them. Houses are what we come for and in this case the more the merrier. As ZC said above I don't think a 9th house will happen let alone a 10th but yeah we can dream

i was thinking about this post today... I know me and you will never agree about this, and that is okay.
but as far as people goes, i really don't think saying the zones are a distraction is fair at all, and i dont think it is only the hardcore fans that stay in the zones.

whenever i go i like to stay around some of the zones and see everyone getting scared when it gets dark. and i never see the same people standing around on different days. if it was only the hardcore fans i think i would see at least a few. Also the purge is always Full of people... it gets so crowded you can't even walk. even without the purge show this area is insane. the other zones are never empty either
the zones might not be as cool as the houses but they definitely help a lot. today was so bad someone stepped on my foot.

everyone is taking pics, people are getting scared, people love the purge show, I never see any of the zones actually empty besides when the park opens. there is never a moment that maskerade is empty of people walking

if they were going to get rid of the zones all together then i dont know what would happen...
Didn't they try it in 07 and they got so much negative feedback that they had to add some zones at the last minute?