HHN 2024: News & Info

[KlownzNskullZ]

I

Not entirely true. There are day-ops employees that also work as house staff too. I actually bumped into one of my Jurassic coworkers who was ops for Insidious.

Honestly. Working HHN is like a vacation, same with being day-ops at Knotts & doing scary farm. You "get away" for a bit.

I’m talking about the maze hosts. Basically they are new hires…

 

[Wesker69]

I’m talking about the maze hosts. Basically they are new hires…

yea, regular day-ops also transfer to maze hosts too

 

[chris.g]

Is anybody planning on letting Guest Relations know we want the Starway music back? Lol

 

[Jake S]

Is anybody planning on letting Guest Relations know we want the Starway music back? Lol

I volunteer as tribute.

 

[Wesker69]

I volunteer as tribute.

Complete with evil murdy starway voice threatening to chew our a$$ up if we sit

 

[Jerroddragon]

This in this has been the lowest wait times for houses, ever
I’ve done 7 houses by 7:30

 

[Jake S]

Yeah, I haven’t seen it this manageable in many, many years. No complaints!

 

[DTH]

If it stays this way, may have some insane budget cuts next year. Let's hope it really is because of the heat. Next weekend is only 77 degrees. I guess we will see for sure then.

 

[Wesker69]

Next year: Jimmy Fallon’s Tonightmares Terror Tram ....That's our budget cut.

Also stay hydrated. It's gross tonight.

 

[Jerroddragon]

If it stays this way, may have some insane budget cuts next year. Let's hope it really is because of the heat. Next weekend is only 77 degrees. I guess we will see for sure then.

I few things

1) Yes the Heat
2) The Economy, we have seen parks this summer struggling because people don't have enough extra money to spend/they see theme parks as coming too much
3) The IPS. My friend's went to USH for the IPs, not saying there are no bases for these houses....but Blumhouse has done the Black Phone for three years now (not complaining, I love it) but that's the newest Blumhouse IP and its been at the parks for years now. Insidious also isn't that fresh and the newer films have mixed reviews.
4) Early Entry Cost extra. I'm sure it will make them more then ever but I bet when people look at the event and see how it will cost for party of 4 plus EA on some nights is 20+bucks. I think this also gives people pause because you can't rope drop any houses without paying
5) No IP scarezones, I know know in the past it didn't matter but I think linking to the Houses IPs. We just don't have must see scarezones, people LOVEEEEE the Crowz and not ssaying when you get there it's not fun but none that feel must see.
6) The Shows chucky gets a sold 25-35 min wait but no idea if the show is drawing people in, from the comments I get about this show is its lame and too PG. Purge is great but was there last year and no story chnages (yes yes new effects but only hardcore fans will notive that)


I do feel like next year budget will be cut, which is a shame but.....I'm just going to say it they should have throw money and whatever the FNAF cretor wants. If we had that house or even a show.....I feel like that would draw in sooooooo many not just people but younger people to come for the first time.
I've been coming to HHN for 15 years, this is just unheard of.....I'm walking on houses like just walking on them with General and not just like one but three of them and all three are IPs (Ghostbusters, Quiet Place and the Weekend)

 

[KlownzNskullZ]

If it stays this way, may have some insane budget cuts next year. Let's hope it really is because of the heat. Next weekend is only 77 degrees. I guess we will see for sure then.

it definitely under performed. The heat could be the nail in the coffin for opening weekend. I didn’t see the same hype from the GP for this year tbh, the vibes were different for sure !

 

[Jerroddragon]

it definitely under performed. The heat could be the nail in the coffin for opening weekend. I didn’t see the same hype from the GP for this year tbh, the vibes were different for sure !

Maybe but what if the event is this low until October? If this weekend isn't busy then its not just the heat

I think the Economy and IPs are as big, if not bigger factors. Because once again if its slow all month then the heat is just an excuse which theme parks always use but then magically when a attraction people really want to go to they wait 3 hours in the heat

 

[FeistyPumpkin]

I just got an email for a flash sale promotion now through Wednesday. It’s live on the website.

 

[Jerroddragon]

See this is where the hear thing isn't holding much water

They are discounting days later on that wont be as hot..like this weekend. But other factors seem to be affecting this event

(also if this is not the right thread for this discussion please let me know which one to post in)

 

[queenmetroid]

I just got an email for a flash sale promotion now through Wednesday. It’s live on the website. View attachment 23365

I searched through about a decade of Halloween Horror Nights emails and I do not have a record of a flash sale after the event starts. Not even during 2017. Anecdotally, I do not think this bodes well for attendance.

(Also, charge your phone lol)

 

[DTH]

Was going to mention that. There’s never been a sale mid-run, especially so early, other than November dates (which hasn’t been for awhile, except ironically this year). And even then, I don’t think it was announced? Just something you may be lucky to discover if you happened to check the ticket page again. I could be wrong.

In general, people didn’t avoid theme parks this week or weekend. People were outside, at the beach, and elsewhere. Oogie Boogie seemed to go as normal — you may say “people bought tickets way in advance” and most years for HHN, that would also be true. Economy is bad yes, but honestly when is it not at this point. I don’t even think 2021 was this mellow.

It’s interesting to see Universal pivot. It may just be for the sake of getting extra money after a low opening weekend, and perhaps all is normal starting this weekend and beyond, but I wonder if this move doesn’t work, will they just keep lowering the price? Close off certain days of operation? Let go of some staff? I know it’s exciting to have no lines, but there could be some scary repercussions for the event.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Was going to mention that. There’s never been a sale mid-run, especially so early, other than November dates (which hasn’t been for awhile, except ironically this year). And even then, I don’t think it was announced? Just something you may be lucky to discover if you happened to check the ticket page again. I could be wrong.

In general, people didn’t avoid theme parks this week or weekend. People were outside, at the beach, and elsewhere. Oogie Boogie seemed to go as normal — you may say “people bought tickets way in advance” and most years for HHN, that would also be true. Economy is bad yes, but honestly when is it not at this point. I don’t even think 2021 was this mellow.

It’s interesting to see Universal pivot. It may just be for the sake of getting extra money after a low opening weekend, and perhaps all is normal starting this weekend and beyond, but I wonder if this move doesn’t work, will they just keep lowering the price? Close off certain days of operation? Let go of some staff? I know it’s exciting to have no lines, but there could be some scary repercussions for the event.

I wonder too if the EA ops is helping in part as well

Because the 4 EA houses are like a mile apart, so now your helping keep lines low because most people at 7 PM coming in are going to the first houses they see or the lower lot and by that time most people with EA are heading up the escalators

If they make ops worst, I don't think that will help the situation. If things start to be less scary then it will make it where even less people want to go when Theme park Obsession, Five fires and other online outlets notice the change and report it

I hope with the sale and people like me spreading the word there is no one there more people will jump in but....if its other factors like people just don't have money to go then it wont matter what they do this event might just have to start having less days next year but this is what happens when inflation jumps up but wages stay the same, doesn't matter if this event is cheap if people can't pay rent and barely have money for food this is the last thing most people will be spending money on.

 

[queenmetroid]

I definitely think there's some economic factors here, but it's not solely due to that. The heat probably also plays a huge role. It's much too early to be predicting the demise of the event, and I wouldn't lose sleep over it yet. This event is massively profitable for Universal even in a down year, and unlike Orlando, the crowds pick up a lot in October.

In terms of facts, we know that the event is not selling out most nights, they lowered the price of the multi night pass, and they are having a brief sale to see if they can goose demand. Those aren't a great look, but right now, I would be comfortable making the statement that, "Demand is softer than Universal expected."

If there's a another sale and the continued anecdotal reports of the lack of crowds over the next three to four weeks, then I would become concerned.

 

[DTH]

Again, I don’t think it’s economy. Oogie Boogie sold out as fast as it usually does. People are paying just to see KSF announce their event. Hype was low during speculation, on top of reviews weren’t great coming out of EPN - which could have a direct result on crowds for opening weekend. I wouldn’t say crowds pick up in October — most years, HHN is insanely crowded starting from night one until the final night. You may be lucky and find a scarce attended Thursday or Sunday in September but the weekends were always packed. Opening weekend is for the biggest fans of the event and if they stayed away, if multi night passes are getting lowered, regular tickets are lowering, and if other things were crowded this last weekend (people were at raves, football games, other theme parks, etc) then I can’t quite say the heat was a factor especially considering it’s a night time event.

 

[Clive]

Sunday night was dead due to the heat. That part isn’t complicated.

The rest is a combination of several factors - general public limiting or reallocating leisure spending, HHN prices finally finding their upper limit, and relatively less popular IPs.