Ok, this might be spec but would love to see thoughts....we always used to come in Oct. up until before COVID. Couldn't travel from Ireland in 2020 and 2021 because of it, then ended up coming in mid Sept-start of Oct in 2022 and this year. I always book our flights super early, like Dec/Jan..going by last 2 years, it doesn't seem like I'm better doing Sept., any thoughts?!We stayed 18-30th sept this year and crowds felt insane - for locals has it felt the busiest month the past 2 years? I always tracked when "hell week" was, but feels like it was the the 2 weeks we were there this year.... waited near on 30ins in express any time we did Yeti, waited 45 odd mins at least twice in Chucky once or twice too. We're HHN vets, going for 10+ years so understand and use stay and scream (whilst also stopping for several drinks etc I must admit) but found it nuts this year compared to others!
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Kinda jealous. Over in Hollywood on its closing night last night, lines were a little lower but the night was nowhere near as empty.
- Sep 23, 2013
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Yeah September was pretty bad. But October was more calm
Not really any help to you I'm afraid, but I don't think we'll be able to speculate about future crowds until multi-night tickets drop next year, probably around July. And even then, it will be a lot of guessing. Change seems inevitable but not sure what the ripple effect will be.
If you do decide to try October, avoid Columbus Day weekend (10/14) and any day around a "teacher service" day at Orange County/Seminole County/Osceola County/Volusia County schools. But the latter schedules might not be announced until next Spring.
- Sep 23, 2013
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Just to reply to you here,
Well, that's exactly why I loved the year of the walking Dead scarezones around the entire park.
I really really loved that year. I loved it so much.
Might be my all time favorite street experience.
I know that people criticize it as repetitive and boring.
But in that walking Dead year, (one theme for the entire park) it did felt amazing for me.
It felt very complete.
It felt like a real walking Dead 4D interactive experience around the park.... I miss that year so much.
So yeah I definitely agree with you
Imagine if this year was like 2007 and the entire park was a carnival. Oddfellows carnival: park wide.
But then you will have people complaining about it being repetitive.
I still love the walking Dead street year
Very very dear to my heart, those streets were.
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lots of great discussion since I last posted! Too many to quote. A couple of thoughts.
When it comes to the cost of a multi day ticket, i do not know the business logic used (I have never worked anywhere that has a cover charge). I just know that all theme/amusement parks/zoos/museums have a deal on annual passes, multi day tickets. Seems to me it is a logic of try to get multiple visits out of folks -- UNI/Disney have times during the year where they try to pull in pass holders w/ special deals. Not many examples I know of for a limited time/hard ticket event.
Anyway, I recall a time when one could say a Disney pass is worth it if you go more than 10 days (I do not think this applies today) -- when we would stay on site and use RoF for four to five days, the ticket became worthwhile on the third visit.
The reason I picked on the Express add on is that it is an add on, something one does not need to buy to get into the event -- to me, it appears to be the benefit that saves the most $$ as they are charging over $200 a night for Express (in OCT).
If RoF is what caused the SEPT crowds, I would guess it was underestimated how often one would use their pass. I think back to when UNI was open and Disney was not selling AP's -- UOR had days where they closed for capacity. I have always felt that most people do not use all available dates, bit maybe a larger % of RoF folks did this year.
I do not know if there is anyway to understand this year -- I think Thursday was the busiest night last week. Things just seem different this year.
Anyway, thanks to all as you have opened me up to other thoughts on the subject and you all have shown me more than the idea of only expressing what works best for ME.
When it comes to the cost of a multi day ticket, i do not know the business logic used (I have never worked anywhere that has a cover charge). I just know that all theme/amusement parks/zoos/museums have a deal on annual passes, multi day tickets. Seems to me it is a logic of try to get multiple visits out of folks -- UNI/Disney have times during the year where they try to pull in pass holders w/ special deals. Not many examples I know of for a limited time/hard ticket event.
Anyway, I recall a time when one could say a Disney pass is worth it if you go more than 10 days (I do not think this applies today) -- when we would stay on site and use RoF for four to five days, the ticket became worthwhile on the third visit.
The reason I picked on the Express add on is that it is an add on, something one does not need to buy to get into the event -- to me, it appears to be the benefit that saves the most $$ as they are charging over $200 a night for Express (in OCT).
If RoF is what caused the SEPT crowds, I would guess it was underestimated how often one would use their pass. I think back to when UNI was open and Disney was not selling AP's -- UOR had days where they closed for capacity. I have always felt that most people do not use all available dates, bit maybe a larger % of RoF folks did this year.
I do not know if there is anyway to understand this year -- I think Thursday was the busiest night last week. Things just seem different this year.
Anyway, thanks to all as you have opened me up to other thoughts on the subject and you all have shown me more than the idea of only expressing what works best for ME.
- Sep 23, 2013
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The real question now is.
How fast will ROF and frequent fear passes will sell out next year. Theres gonna be a lot of people that were burned this year that will run to buy them. Could they sell out by early September?
Imo, I think it'll depend on what IPs are featured next year. This year has one of the strongest IP line-ups in years and I honestly doubt 2024 will even come close.
Overall, I don't see any type of multi-night pass being cut. If anything, price increases are a possibility, but I don't think it's likely. Increasing prices as a way to keep the crowds down doesn't work. The same applies to Express.
- Jul 24, 2018
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This.
I think in this discussion it's being kind of forgotten that 2023 has had the strongest IP lineup.. maybe ever?
I'll be interested to see how things fare when it's more of a "normal" year.
- Sep 23, 2013
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Yesterday and Wednesday the crowd was pretty smooth.
I wonder how it will be today Friday and Saturday and will crowds be low?
I wonder how it will be today Friday and Saturday and will crowds be low?
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- Jul 24, 2018
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I agree arguably the strongest line-up ever, certainly since 2007 or maybe first year of TWD. And yet October -- the month the "normals" for whom HHN itself isn't as much of a draw as the IPs come to the event -- was the slowest in years. Slower than September. RoF, the cheapest multinight ticket, was clearly driving much if not most of the crowd. I think they'd all buy a ticket no matter what the IP is. The real issue is even with two killer IPs, the casuals who buy 1-night tickets were scared to come. The most likely explanation is the Yogi Berra Effect: no one goes there anymore because it's too crowded.
forgot to add comments around HHN being a 'hang out' place. This was the year that brought us friendship bracelets after all.
I think the 'modern day mall kids, well, I bet they are the ones w/ Ultimate Fear w/ Express. I would think someone who is a 'lifestyler' would need 'the best' but I could see how they only needed SEPT and they could move on by SEPT. Anyway, there were times when I was in the tribute store and it seemed more like the kitchen during a 'house' party. Just folks hanging/talking in what is meant to be a retail store.
I imagine newer generations live a tik tock life, just need that selfie. I may not understand it, but it must bring folks out for the 'experience' or maybe the memory or proof of the experience. I say good for them if they are enjoying themselves.
I think the 'modern day mall kids, well, I bet they are the ones w/ Ultimate Fear w/ Express. I would think someone who is a 'lifestyler' would need 'the best' but I could see how they only needed SEPT and they could move on by SEPT. Anyway, there were times when I was in the tribute store and it seemed more like the kitchen during a 'house' party. Just folks hanging/talking in what is meant to be a retail store.
I imagine newer generations live a tik tock life, just need that selfie. I may not understand it, but it must bring folks out for the 'experience' or maybe the memory or proof of the experience. I say good for them if they are enjoying themselves.
- Sep 23, 2013
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which is why i found it weird that they didnt add the last two days in Nov to the frequent fear passes like they always did before
Was discussing this last night, somewhat surprised myself. FF+ always had Saturday, I suppose still a chance it gets added to FF. Based on the past two nights, I suspect Oct 31 is the last night in 2024.
- Sep 23, 2013
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So thinking about crowds and stuff to do,
The death eaters were basically a complete success from what I can see.
Everyone seemed to love them and it got pretty good crowds in that area ....
How impossible would a death eaters haunted house be? It wouldn't need to be gory at all, it would fit well with the event, and it would probably be very successful....is that just impossible?
The death eaters were basically a complete success from what I can see.
Everyone seemed to love them and it got pretty good crowds in that area ....
How impossible would a death eaters haunted house be? It wouldn't need to be gory at all, it would fit well with the event, and it would probably be very successful....is that just impossible?
Absolutely, and even this week is a little strange. The timing of everything is convenient to point at RoF as being the root cause for everything after but ... I would say it's very unlikely that's the primary factor.
- Jul 24, 2018
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