Halloween Horror Nights 35 (UO) - Speculation & Rumors

[Jordan]

Good luck getting that thing through security.

I was merely trying to use a visual aid to help illustrate my own pace, but you know what, if other people can have service dogs, why can't I have a service tortoise?

 

[RedRightDan]

Heck why not expand the event

I feel like that's the intent with the super early opening of two houses. Add capacity. Spread some demand away from (what we're assuming) will be two of the more popular houses.

 

[Tbad556]

So, is the gist that I’m supposed to engage with: “All decisions are financial and guests have never once been considered?”

Universal is a corporation. Of course a large amount of their decisions are based in greed and moving number up for men in suits with no actual life skills. That doesn’t mean they can or have ignored guest satisfaction as a metric throughout the years. Guest satisfaction directly correlates with spending.

Year over year, we’ve seen changes like earlier guest entry (2 PM is wild), improved corralling for queues/early entry, improved rain/flooding control, etc. Those have all directly improved my experience as a guest.

There’s also plenty of improvements that are financially-based. Looking at the tribute stores, the fact that merch is no longer just a single shirt, the addition of the themed food booths, etc. That’s a mutual benefit in my mind.

And then there’s the solely financial decisions. Do I think F&F sits vacant for a while. Hell yeah. Do I think the parking change is greedy? Of course! Do I think Epic’s rollout was a mess? Huge yes. Etc. No one here is arguing that Universal operates with a heart of gold.

Only one side is making extreme arguments and I understand it’s because they’re being directly targeted and that sucks. I’m sorry. But I don’t feel like discussion is attempting to be fair because feelings are heavily intertwined.

 

[Jordan]

I feel like that's the intent with the super early opening of two houses. Add capacity. Spread some demand away from (what we're assuming) will be two of the more popular houses.

That's not adding capacity, that's merely rescheduling the capacity... and that's assuming the same people don't try doing the same houses again later in the night.

I've been saying this for years, and it always falls on deaf ears, but what HHN really needs is more shows. For an event the size of HHN, its show offerings are quite pathetic.

 

[RedRightDan]

I've been saying this for years, and it always falls on deaf ears, but what HHN really needs is more shows. For an event the size of HHN, its show offerings are quite pathetic.

I mean...I can completely agree with you there.

 

[Myah1220]

I've been saying this for years, and it always falls on deaf ears, but what HHN really needs is more shows. For an event the size of HHN, its show offerings are quite pathetic.

I'm not so sure I'd consider the show offerings "pathetic", I feel like most comparable events of this size usually have one big show to anchor the event which for the last few years has been Nightmare Fuel. What I do agree with though is that having more shows would help with capacity. The question is - where? We've learned that they can't use Animal Actors stage because it would disturb the animals and can't use Bourne because of firearms in backstage areas.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

All I know is this -

Pre 2018, I was able to get through all the houses in 1 night with no express, fairly easily.
There's no way I'd be able to do that now. And if you can - it comes with the caveat of likely missing out on the shows, food, zones, etc.

 

[Captain Spaulding]

I'd love to see what data they may have of people who made their first visit and then didn't return, and if they've equated that to the wait times most of all.

Like someone else said - obviously the ultimate goal is to make money. But less time in line = more time in streets = more time at food booths/bars/Tribute Store.

Clogging up the streets and food lines, negatively affecting guest satisfaction

 

[Tbad556]

Clogging up the streets and food lines, negatively affecting guest satisfaction

And that’s where you continue to find ways to improve operations and capacity for those as well. No one is arguing that this is a one-off solution to every issue the event has. We have to be genuine in discussing this or there’s no point.

 

[Quebec_Queen02]

All I know is this -

Pre 2018, I was able to get through all the houses in 1 night with no express, fairly easily.
There's no way I'd be able to do that now. And if you can - it comes with the caveat of likely missing out on the shows, food, zones, etc.

So you had a better event experience when Universal wasn't limiting FFP+Express as harshly as they have been in the 2020s, interesting

 

[Pixarfan96]

You want me to wait in line all night? Okay, bet. Me in the houses this year :

Bet you didn't factor that one into your decision-making, Universal.

Honestly, I always do that in the house regardless. Lol

Also in regards to today as of posting (07/16), do you think we will get our remaining scare zone announcements at 12:30 instead of 10:30? Considering how they’re both IP zones, and they’re both being shared coast to coast?

 

[TheCodeMan95]

So you had a better event experience when Universal wasn't limiting FFP+Express as harshly as they have been in the 2020s, interesting

Or there's been a massive influx of guests since then, and the amount of people in the Express lines has affected wait times across the event

I mean good lord, remember when they used to offer BOGO tickets in the late 2010s? I sure do

 

[Jordan]

I'm not so sure I'd consider the show offerings "pathetic", I feel like most comparable events of this size usually have one big show to anchor the event which for the last few years has been Nightmare Fuel. What I do agree with though is that having more shows would help with capacity. The question is - where? We've learned that they can't use Animal Actors stage because it would disturb the animals and can't use Bourne because of firearms in backstage areas.

Similar events such as Knott's Haunt have offered significantly more shows at times. HHN itself has offered significantly more shows in the past. But it's less about comparisons and more about HHN's raw need for more capacity. I don't know where it'll come from, but they need to find it.

They've used Animal Actors in the past. I guess they didn't care about disturbing the animals back then. They could use the concert stage if they didn't have a house's line snaking in front of it. The Horror Makeup Show's theater could be used for something smaller in scale if they're willing. If nothing else, they'll need to bring back the old stage setup across from Mel's. This has the potential to create bottlenecks of its own, but at least you'll have an audience who aren't in line for a house.

 

[rhino4evr]

The antithesis of this is “guests spend the same or more when not satisfied”. That’s really not true.

Maybe I’m just used to Disney’s tactics, but a General consensus is they are always looking to weaken the guest experience, by requiring you to pay additional for it as a privilege to be there.

If the crowds come regardless, then it won’t make a difference. I feel with the overall economy and inflation these parks may finally learn this lesson, but I’m not 100% things will change for it

 

[Myah1220]

They could use the concert stage if they didn't have a house's line snaking in front of it. The Horror Makeup Show's theater could be used for something smaller in scale if they're willing. If nothing else, they'll need to bring back the old stage setup across from Mel's. This has the potential to create bottlenecks of its own, but at least you'll have an audience who aren't in line for a house.

Agree, the problem with concert stage is that they pretty much have no choice but to use that space for queue/lines.

Horror Make-Up I've been reminded is where I believe the non-private RIP tours meet but here's an idea...why not move non-private RIP tours to meet up at say, Animal Actors stage, and then use the Horror Makeup Show theater for an HHN special version of the daytime show? Like a Horror Make Up After Hours sort of thing could be a little grittier, darker, raunchier than the daytime show. Perhaps the premise is whoever the host, is I.e Jack tells his audience to come in for Horror "Make Up" show but reveals it's actually "real" kills...could be similar to when they used to have the stage set-ups in the past where Jack and other characters would bring audience members up and do kills with them.

Edit: Or better yet...bring back The Director as the host of the "Make Up" show. That would make even more sense and would tie into his storyline a lot better. Audience members are brought in for an open casting call to be extras in his new movie. When they go in for make-up tests, we discover it's actually much more real and grisly...could probably also work something in with the Usher tbh.

 

[Quebec_Queen02]

Or there's been a massive influx of guests since then, and the amount of people in the Express lines has affected wait times across the event

I mean good lord, remember when they used to offer BOGO tickets in the late 2010s? I sure do

Massive influx yet prior events had more sell out dates and more express in circulation. Again, sounds like you had a better experience when they weren't as limited, interesting. I remember when they offered BOGO and I remember the start of Express at the event and the years where they oversold it to the point where standard line was a walk-on and Express was the wait.

 

[Kichkinet85]

This decision was to improve the guest experience who went one may two nights. We don’t know what else will happen or if the FFPE will be added to single night express. While yes it’s about money for Uni. It’s also about the first experience. Uni needs guest to have a good experience so they come back and spend money.

 

[ssirin88]

Or there's been a massive influx of guests since then, and the amount of people in the Express lines has affected wait times across the event

I mean good lord, remember when they used to offer BOGO tickets in the late 2010s? I sure do

I miss those BOGO tickets.

Remember when you got a discount on tickets with a code from a Coke can?

 

[Tbad556]

I miss those BOGO tickets.

Remember when you got a discount on tickets with a code from a Coke can?

I miss the cheap Publix stands

 

[Brian G.]

Massive influx yet prior events had more sell out dates and more express in circulation. Again, sounds like you had a better experience when they weren't as limited, interesting. I remember when they offered BOGO and I remember the start of Express at the event and the years where they oversold it to the point where standard line was a walk-on and Express was the wait.

I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to get at here...? The event's popularity and crowds have gotten crazy since Stranger Things first appeared. Whenever the event reached a new crowd level in the past, they could add a house/show/zone. They haven't done that in 10 years now and have since started fidgeting with tickets and prices.