HHN 19 - Ripped from the Silver Screen

[rewster]

2 hour wait for Saw on a "non-peak"??

dang.

 

[The_Bled]

60min for Wolfman, and Spawning? Wow.

 

[jainey99]

You are brave! Glad I decided to not go last night! That's exactly what I was afraid of. Did you actually wait for a house, or just walk around? I have an issue with waiting over 45min when I know (normally) I can wait until the next 'off' night and hit it right away waiting around 10min.

Were they serving hard liquor last night? I seem to remember last year during this 'teen night' that they didn't.

 

[YETI PINTRADER]

Poor Silver Screams. It's the second best house and it has the shortest line. I would recemend if you have a fear pass use this weekend for shows.

 

[snoman]

Ok, so lesson learned, don't go to HHN on Hell week. It's called that apparently for a good reason. We tried my plan of attack-went right to Saw at opening-no wait, then over to The Spawning, again no wait. Then we went to Silver Screams, 5 minutes, and into Chucky, about 20 minutes. We then walked through all the scarezones and saw the 8:45pm Bill and Ted Show.

So at this point I was even amazing myself at how good it was working, lol. After BnT we headed for the soundstage houses. I'm thinking at this point the main crowd has done them and is on the other side of the park. WRONG.

At 9:30 pm we run into these wait times:
Wolfman-60 minutes
Dracula-120 minutes
Frankenstein-120 minutes
Leave it to Cleaver-75 minutes

The team members at the entrance to Dracula were literally telling guests, "go find another attraction, this line is way out of control." Nice! So we contributed a few more dollars to the Universal bars and finally said screw it and left at 10:30pm. The pathways were so packed you could hardly walk. The scarezones were so full the scareactors were just kinda off to the sides (war of the living dead). It sucked. I felt really bad for the people with us that only get one night.

Yeah, this was a non-peak night. Universal really needs to get their heads out of their you know whats and fix it or people will stop coming. At 10pm guests (stupid guests), were still pouring in the gates. I'd be shocked if they got to see more than one house. Not too hot a value for the $$ you paid! They either need to add a whole lot more attractions or put a reasonable cap on HHN. I bought the FFP to enjoy the non-peak nights, I know not to even try weekends but I will seriously reconsider this purchase next year because aside from opening night all the other 3 "non-peak" nights have been ridiculously crowded and overall not fun.

 

[Brian G.]

As sno said, it was a bit rough last night. It's getting to the point where they should seriously consider adjusting hours for off-peak nights, especially during "Hell Week". I'm sure having the event end at 12:30am would give many of the "1 timers" a chance to experience all that's offered..

On a side note, though I do love the Cirque scarezone, it's small size is becoming an issue now. It was a nightmare to get thru that zone. The 2 times we walked thru last nite, our party got separated.

 

[snoman]

Yeah, we all got seperated there too!

 

[tiredoldspook]

I warn people every year stay home on Hell Night don't need to go it is insane and people say How bad can it Be, Snowman proved my point. I have gone like you and left at 830 and it is like walking through the biggest crowd ever to leave. Non-peak nights are getting to be a joke Sundays are insane and after the first Thursday it gets worse. Here is the sad part to me, a lot of the people there are frequent fear pass holders.

I feel for the guest going one night and they don't get to see but half the houses because people who have been 3 plus times are clogging the lines to houses some people see 10 plus times.

I know a lot of people on the boards have frequent fear passes but I think Universal is going to have to do something about FFP nights. FFP are making non peak nights worse then Saturday nights. I have done Sunday 2 times and the last time was 4 years ago after that I said never again.

My biggest fear is if the rumored return to IOA happens can anyone imagine what the streets will be like, specially The walk from Super Hero Island through Cartoon Lagoon to Jurrasic park? I mean Universal near Bill and Ted and Saw is a disaster and it is wider then that area. I understand money and business but sadly Universal IMO is taking the fun out of the event with getting the park packed and ruining the experiance for the casual guest.

I have done HHN in 2000 on the Last Saturday of the month they stopped selling tickets saturday because it was a sell out. They had 5 or 6 houses back then and the waits were not as bad as they are now. The other thing they did was the parade which drew a large crowd, But back then they didn't sell near the liquor they sell now either.

IMO Universal is going to have to look at crowd issues before something bad happens one day. Because the Hell Nights are just out of control now.

 

[rewster]

I warn people every year stay home on Hell Night don't need to go it is insane and people say How bad can it Be, Snowman proved my point. I have gone like you and left at 830 and it is like walking through the biggest crowd ever to leave. Non-peak nights are getting to be a joke Sundays are insane and after the first Thursday it gets worse. Here is the sad part to me, a lot of the people there are frequent fear pass holders.

I feel for the guest going one night and they don't get to see but half the houses because people who have been 3 plus times are clogging the lines to houses some people see 10 plus times.

I know a lot of people on the boards have frequent fear passes but I think Universal is going to have to do something about FFP nights. FFP are making non peak nights worse then Saturday nights. I have done Sunday 2 times and the last time was 4 years ago after that I said never again.

My biggest fear is if the rumored return to IOA happens can anyone imagine what the streets will be like, specially The walk from Super Hero Island through Cartoon Lagoon to Jurrasic park? I mean Universal near Bill and Ted and Saw is a disaster and it is wider then that area. I understand money and business but sadly Universal IMO is taking the fun out of the event with getting the park packed and ruining the experiance for the casual guest.

I have done HHN in 2000 on the Last Saturday of the month they stopped selling tickets saturday because it was a sell out. They had 5 or 6 houses back then and the waits were not as bad as they are now. The other thing they did was the parade which drew a large crowd, But back then they didn't sell near the liquor they sell now either.

IMO Universal is going to have to look at crowd issues before something bad happens one day. Because the Hell Nights are just out of control now.

Agreed that something needs to be done for crowd control. But as an annual FFP holder, I would hope the answer isn't to cut us out. Thing is, the FFP is the main reason HHN is a value to me.

Previous to last year, the last time I went to HHN was in '04 (when both parks were used together). Between myself, my brother, and my dad, we paid over $200 for tix and it was so crowded we only had time to complete 2 houses. I said then I would never go back (as much as I loved HHN) simply due to low value for the dollar. Last year was my return to HHN with the FFP, which completely made the value of investment well worth it.

How about adding dates as a crowd solution? Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays are out of the equation (until Wednesdays kick in the last couple weeks). There are people, like myself (and many other locals employed in the tourist servicing industry), whose work weeks don't revolve around weekends. My days off often are in the middle of the week. I would love to attend HHN with my FFP on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday and would keep me from needing to go on a Thursday or Sunday.

Just a thought, because most def something needs to be done to control the crowds. It's unfortunate for people to walk away (like I did in '04, and Snoman did Thursday) saying "no more, I'm done".

 

[snoman]

I agree with Rewster that adding more dates could be helpful. I also agree with Spook that the reason the non-peak nights are really peak now is FFP. I have the FFP this year and feel like the only way I'd see everything (which I still didn't) is with the FFP. I hate to say this but maybe they are making the FFP too cheap?

Also I have friends that went last Friday and some others that went just this past Friday. All of the above said the park wasn't really very busy and they had no problems doing all the houses and shows with no express passes. That being said, I'd have to say you are correct Spook, it's the FFP that is jamming up the lines, Hell night not withstanding of course.

 

[tiredoldspook]

More nights would be tough to do, the employee hiring is tough to do. They have a huge turn over and ratio now and more nights would be tougher to hire more people. I honestly don't know if there is a solution. I think they may have to go to a different version of FFP maybe a 3 day, 5 day and full event version.

Rewster I liked your point about 14 and spending 200 dollars and seeing 2 houses. I imagine people going tonight for there first time. All excited outside waiting to get in and not having a clue as to what is inside waiting. I mean if you get in the gate at 630 you could walk right to the first house and hit a 15 to 20 minute line and it only would get worse after.

There has to be an answer some were out there. Does anyone think you could come in the gate at 630 tonight and see every house by midnight?

 

[Brian G.]

Don't forget the 2 shows too.

 

[bronzey]

Also on non-peak nights there's that Coke/BK promotion that makes tickets 40$ that on top of the FFP is whats really causing the problems I know tons of people that go on some thursdays because the tix are so cheap

 

[snoman]

To answer your question Spook: not a chance.

 

[DisneyFanKevin]

From Screamscape:

While one reader tells us they watched the drive in for 20 minutes and never saw the Easter Egg... another reader sent in a link to a YouTube video they posted showing off the clip itself. Seems it really is there.

Link to Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkgAgn-yJcs

It's awesome, whatever it is implying.

 

[ralphoutloud]

From Screamscape:



Link to Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkgAgn-yJcs

It's awesome, whatever it is implying.

Holy crap that is awesome! I love when UO does little things like this.

 

[Cwoolboy]

I'm heading out to HHN on Friday (SOOOOOOOOO psyched!). Since I went the same time last year I know that the crowds will build over the course of the night. Do you have any tips that could help me survive the night? Which houses should I hit first and should I see BnT??



EDIT

If anyone else is going to be there that night, I'm going to be wearing a Brown Hollister Jacket with a white DC cap. If you spot me feel free to say a quick hello.

 

[Tbad556]

Hit Saw first. That house will be 60+ minutes ALL NIGHT. I would say if you want to hit all houses and B+T, get the Express Passes. You will have a very hard time fitting in all in without them. Most importantly have fun!

 

[Simplayer]

Hey everyone! Well im going to Orlando this weekend and im wondering, Which day should i go Friday or Saturday?? Wich day is less crowded??

 

[DisneyFanKevin]

Hey everyone! Well im going to Orlando this weekend and im wondering, Which day should i go Friday or Saturday?? Wich day is less crowded??

Both days are generally crowded since they are peak nights. Your best bet is to go on Sunday.