The Old HHN 30 Speculation Thread (2020)

[Ringwraith]

Does anybody know what the estimated park capacity will be?

30% of what they can fit on an HHN night

[FINAL NIGHT - SUNDAY NOV 1 - 1:00 AM] - Closing ceremonies. Terra Queen makes an appearance outside the Icon House onto a stage in a scarezone. They try to sacrifice her again for another 15 years. At the very last second she breaks free and declares "I shall not be silenced! I will return next year, as well all of my minions and surroundings! This 30th year shall extend another 365 days!!!"

She disappears into a puff of smoke and the park closes. That leads into the marketing of "The Terra Queen has cursed these lands to remain stagnant for another year." All 10 houses to return.

You joke about the Terra Queen...but just you wait

 

[SirAustin77]

I have been waiting for SO LONG to see the Terra queen in person. Cannot wait.

 

[JJ591]

30% of what they can fit on an HHN night

You joke about the Terra Queen...but just you wait

I think if they are going to bring the same houses back next year (which certainly makes some sense), that would be a really, really cool way to go about it - tie it into the lore of the Terra Queen somehow and have a failed sacrifice. It'd be great theater for sure!

 

[Living Dead Dude]

Man if they bring back the same houses next year spec gonna be boring

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I haven't personally done the event before but was stongly considering going this year, both because its the 30th anniversary and because of the likely lack of haunts out west, though my plan was pretty much riding on express being an option, since I'd likely only be there 2-3 days tops, I'd hate to end up in a situation where there are 3 or 4 mazes I still don't see at all. I'm no insider so I don't really have a frame of reference, should I bother with going if there's no express, or is it worth missing an anniversary year to avoid the hassle and potential to miss out on a lot of mazes?

Don’t quote that 3-4 houses as fact.

 

[ModDesigner23]

Man if they bring back the same houses next year spec gonna be boring

I doubt it, the event is constantly changing and evolving.

 

[hhn28andbeyond]

I think if they are going to bring the same houses back next year (which certainly makes some sense), that would be a really, really cool way to go about it - tie it into the lore of the Terra Queen somehow and have a failed sacrifice. It'd be great theater for sure!

How realistic is this idea, not hating just wondering. Are the contracts somehow renewable for the next year? Are houses able to be kept up and constructed inside of the sound stages and parade buildings for a whole year? I’d imagine maybe them doing something like the Stranger Things Day back in 2018, where some houses are open to general admission guests during the day

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Man if they bring back the same houses next year spec gonna be boring

So what’s better for you: the event or the spec? Because I think I’m recent years it’s clear for a lot it’s “the spec”.

 

[ChaseTuff]

So what’s better for you: the event or the spec? Because I think I’m recent years it’s clear for a lot it’s “the spec”.

I mean, in this case I can get the “dismay”. It’d be the exact opposite of this year.

What’s worse, not officially knowing a thing behind the curtain until it opens like this year, or already having been forced to use x-ray vision to see behind the curtain and having to wait to open it?

 

[CoryLevy91]

If they have any intentions of keeping any of the houses for 31, as Legacy said in a different topic, there's absolutely no way they make any mention of it before the event is over. As desperate as they are for some revenue, they can't give anyone another reason not to come to this year's event.

I don't really see them keeping the entire event the same two years in a row, personally. Could absolutely see Billie returning if she maintains her momentum as a top musical artist to pop a younger audience bubble two years in a row (even more so if the world is more calm than this year). Maybe one or two originals return or get a psuedo-sequel so the team has less pressure on it. Could see that depending on how harshly the sweeping cuts affected the design team itself.

Just really think Universal is going to push this event out, roll with the results for better or worse and then just keep pushing forward for next year with something new. It would be very nice if there was some sort of story lore reason for the event being the same/similar if that did happen though!

 

[Ringwraith]

I have been waiting for SO LONG to see the Terra queen in person. Cannot wait.

If you do get to see her, it will most likely be for a few seconds.

 

[Midnight Detective]

In all my years of going I've never gotten Express and it's never led to any problems as a local.

This year might be difficult logistically if you're coming out of town but I'm really surprised by the amount of people living in the Orlando area that buy express passes. I move slower than I want to with my group and on a good night I can easily hit 7 houses showing up once parking is free (before they made free making after 10pm). At limited capacity I expect really don't foresee a need for express at all and I think that getting rid of it this year will make the event move a lot smoother.

For years I've seen people long for the return of pulsed lines - I think In many ways this year might work better than recent ones in regards for the ability to not only see all the houses you want, but to do them in a way that's incredibly unique from the conga-lines we've grown accustom too.

 

[JawsVictim]

I don’t understand how they’re going to pull off limited queueing without a mobile app. Return tickets would require interaction with an employee or touching a machine. Open and closing house lines will create bottle necks. Unless you have to move from house to house clockwise upon entering, I don’t see how they can control crowding even with 30% capacity.

I’m also curious as to the amount of scare actors this year. Will we also be seeing 30% of the performers the event typically hires?

 

[ReelJustice]

I don’t understand how they’re going to pull off limited queueing without a mobile app. Return tickets would require interaction with an employee or touching a machine. Open and closing house lines will create bottle necks. Unless you have to move from house to house clockwise upon entering, I don’t see how they can control crowding even with 30% capacity.

I’m also curious as to the amount of scare actors this year. Will we also be seeing 30% of the performers the event typically hires?

If they don’t offer a multi-night pass, that will certainly reduce attendance. And (rumored) house placement this year will certainly separate the crowds.

 

[Living Dead Dude]

So what’s better for you: the event or the spec? Because I think I’m recent years it’s clear for a lot it’s “the spec”.

Both are fun for different reasons but the event is way better

 

[hhn28andbeyond]

I don’t understand how they’re going to pull off limited queueing without a mobile app. Return tickets would require interaction with an employee or touching a machine. Open and closing house lines will create bottle necks. Unless you have to move from house to house clockwise upon entering, I don’t see how they can control crowding even with 30% capacity.

I’m also curious as to the amount of scare actors this year. Will we also be seeing 30% of the performers the event typically hires?

i don’t think that the mobile app is completely out of the question, just the whole “Jack dictates your night thing.” Ex. Instead of having everything planned out and dictated for you, whenever you feel like doing a house, instead of hopping in line you open your app and get a virtual line pass

 

[Living Dead Dude]

Isn’t virtual line pointless if there is only one standby line?

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Isn’t virtual line pointless if there is only one standby line?

Reserve times, that way they can pulse people through the mazes at select times.

If the event is going to run at limited capacity--then they may be able to have a system that would not make the mazes as crowded. Just my own take--but that'd make sense.

 

[hhn28andbeyond]

Isn’t virtual line pointless if there is only one standby line?

No?? It allows them to limit the number of people on the physical queues at a time, making it much easier to keep the six feet without the line going out the entrance.

 

[Living Dead Dude]

No?? It allows them to limit the number of people on the physical queues at a time, making it much easier to keep the six feet without the line going out the entrance.

I get that but where is everybody going to go if you have to have a certain time to get in a line? Maybe they could have some houses with virtual queue and have a few with normal stand by line