Halloween Horror Nights 33 (UOR) - Reviews, Photos, & Videos

[Brian G.]

Alright, I think we’ve plowed this ground enough. Let’s move on.

Guys. Review thread. Cmon.

 

[GA-MBIT]

Guys. Review thread. Cmon.

Is the News and Info thread effectively a General Discussion thread, or is it meant for something different? I think there is a desire to talk about the event as a whole, not about a specific zone or house, but I think the name "News and Info" dissuades people from using that thread, since we're not really discussing News or Info from Universal anymore. There really isn't a ton more news or info to be released now that Spec Season is over in my opinion. I think that's why this Review thread keeps turning into discussions and reactions.

 

[Brian G.]

Is the News and Info thread effectively a General Discussion thread, or is it meant for something different? I think there is a desire to talk about the event as a whole, not about a specific zone or house, but I think the name "News and Info" dissuades people from using that thread, since we're not really discussing News or Info from Universal anymore. There really isn't a ton more news or info to be released now that Spec Season is over in my opinion. I think that's why this Review thread keeps turning into discussions and reactions.

First post of the thread.

This thread is for reviews, photos, and videos of HHN 33! Please limit all discussions to media and reviews of the event.

Please include if your visit was during Premium Scream Night in your Review.

Any general discussions should be posted in the News & Info or Tips & Tricks threads. Thanks!

 

[Boodini]

As an aside I noticed a LOT of things that point to Universal being stretched thin in terms of TMs

Yeah, around 500 TMs moved to Epic for commissioning and have been barred from working events, including past scare actors and RIP guides.

Sorry to mess up the thread. Please delete if need be.

 

[Viator]

Thanks @Brian G. for the 8 out of 10 videos! Being on the west coast, it's very much appreciated!

With that being said, out of the 8 houses I've seen videos for, they all kinda seem to struggle with an identity crisis (some more than others). Also feel samey-same to an extent.

Gonna add my two cents with this on Monstruos: I think this one unironically suffers the identity crisis the most due to core decisions on structure and pacing. Be if from how Muerte is depicted; to the costumes of La Lechuza and Tlahuelpuchi--something feels really off here with how the house is done compared to Hollywood.

Really kind of wish from an external glancing, that you guys opted for different legends (or to hold off on this for a year when the options of adapting more legends like El Charro and El Cucuy could've been viable).

 

[saint.piss]

Night 2 rankings

1. Major Sweets Candy Factor - 10/10
2. Slaughter Sinema 2 - 10/10
3. Insidious: The Further - 10/10
4. Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines - 9.5/10
5. Triplets of Terror - 9/10
6. Goblins Feast - 8/10
7. A Quiet Place - 8/10
8. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire - 8/10
9. Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America - 7/10
10. The Museum: Deadly Exhibits - 7/10

 

[Wesker69]

Gonna add my two cents with this on Monstruos: I think this one unironically suffers the identity crisis the most due to core decisions on structure and pacing. Be if from how Muerte is depicted; to the costumes of La Lechuza and Tlahuelpuchi--something feels really off here with how the house is done compared to Hollywood.

This reminds me of when Orlando got LA Llorona in 2013 (sponsored by Telemundo). I remember all the hype for Hollywood's version & finally getting to experience it on the east coast that year, left something to be desired.

It was one of the UTH tour houses too! I had to bite my tongue when the guide made a comment about "being better than Hollywood". I hadn't experienced the west coast yet, but damn, those were fighting words lol

 

[Casper Gutman]

This reminds me of when Orlando got LA Llorona in 2013 (sponsored by Telemundo). I remember all the hype for Hollywood's version & finally getting to experience it on the east coast that year, left something to be desired.

It was one of the UTH tour houses too! I had to bite my tongue when the guide made a comment about "being better than Hollywood". I hadn't experienced the west coast yet, but damn, those were fighting words lol

Yes - Orlando is the much stronger event, but it seems whenever it tries to duplicate Hollywood houses a year later it doesn’t go well. I’m not sure why…

 

[Spookies n' Stuff]

Yes - Orlando is the much stronger event, but it seems whenever it tries to duplicate Hollywood houses a year later it doesn’t go well. I’m not sure why…

In my opinion part of the issue is the nuance between adaptation of folklore vs adaptation of an adaptation of folklore. When Orlando adapts Hollywood's mazes based on latin american folklore, they typically seem to be adapting the Hollywood house itself, while sprinkling their own spins on certain scenes periodically, when what they likely should be doing is taking the base concept of the house and folklore involved, and creating their own story from the ground up using that idea. People wanna see an orlando house adapting these stories, not an orlando house adapting a hollywood house.
Idk if theres some legal or budgetary issues requiring them to more or less stick to the treatment fairly closely, or if theres simply a cultural disconnect where the design team feels less directly familiar and comfortable adapting these stories from square one, but I feel like when you're adapting a house rather than the stories, it kinda feels like it loses a bit of its creative identity with each layer of disconnect, and in turn makes it fall short.

 

[Viator]

Idk if theres some legal or budgetary issues requiring them to more or less stick to the treatment fairly closely, or if theres simply a cultural disconnect where the design team feels less directly familiar and comfortable adapting these stories from square one, but I feel like when you're adapting a house rather than the stories, it kinda feels like it loses a bit of its creative identity with each layer of disconnect, and in turn makes it fall short.

I feel like if that was the case, then we wouldn't be seeing Hollywood take the swing it is doing with Dead Exposure being an completely separate story within what seems to be that "Series".

The strange thing is too, we just had a really good translation of a ported concept with Dark Zodiac last year borrowing the Singapore concept; and melding it to work with the Oddfellow lore. I have to wonder if there is a creative element at play with a house translation that differs with a scarezone translation for Orlando.

 

[Wesker69]

Hollywood take the swing it is doing with Dead Exposure being an completely separate story within what seems to be that "Series".

This is my annoyance with this- event DE 2.0 deviated from the original DE concept just to use the title for recognition. Same with Hollywood, it has no business using the DE title, it should be using the "Toxic Tunnel" title. I have to wonder if it was a higher-up/marketing interference more than a "final" Murdy decision.

really good translation of a ported concept with Dark Zodiac last year borrowing the Singapore concept

As much as I want Singapore's content, I don't feel either coast can pull it off well enough. Definitely not the current Orlando team. Singapore reminds me of the 2002-2009 era of HHN Orlando. This year's identity crisis in Orlando seems to stem from trying to replicate Singapore's recent successful trend of multiple iconic characters. It isn't working cohesively like it could.

As @Spookies n' Stuff said, if they want to share concepts, do it from the ground up without trying to replicate what was already done with "new twists". It loses impact if not executed well.

 

[Brian G.]

REVIEW. THREAD.

 

[Kichkinet85]

After all three night of opening weekend and doing every house at least twice(except for my number 10, Sweets)
I will say Insidious is my top for sure. Slaughter Sinema is a worthy successor. Goblin’s is a lot of fun but not really scary and it has some beautiful sets. Museum is good but needs and can be better. AQP is definitely unique and I think I like it a lot. Triplets is good but not anything amazing. Monstrous is gorey but nothing that special. Monsters has some great sets and is beautiful but probably my least favorite of the Monsters houses. Ghostbusters is better than 29’s. Sweets is uh… fun.

Zones I can say my top three is swamp, demons, and torture. Not sure what order. I’m leaning to demons as one but the lack of story and mask make me not do it. My bottom two are more clear. 4 Blum and 5 Duality. Duality isn’t a zone unless you get there for opening or are there at closing.

 

[Wesker69]

I'm counting this as an event photo/review lol

i hope Hollywood gets this too!

 

[Brian G.]

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Just from a far, best friend is there and said Insidious is favorite HHN house ever. Hype is unreal!

 

[Frank Drackman]

 

[Captain Spaulding]

After a full opening weekend (Top 7 had 3+ runs, Btm 3 only 2, 3 thru 7 have wiggle room to move)

1. Insidious
2. Ghostbusters
3. Triplets
4. SS2
5. AQP
6. Monstrous
7. Goblins
8. Museum
9. Sweets
10. Monsters EB

 

[Brian G.]

Our Review comes tomorrow! In the meantime...

 

[Wesker69]

Okay but where's the food p0rn @Brian G. ...show us the food! (and blinky cup)