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In regards to the houses being "the same" at both events... John Murdy (HHN Hollywood) addressed it on Twitter:

We've come face to face with FEAR; pressed our LUCK...now we are in for something that nobody expected... The overall arching-theme and icon for this year will be....MEDIA! So far we (officially) have a music house, a tv show house, and a video game/movie house. Now all we need are a newspaper/magazine house, a stage performance house (P & T), a photography house, an e-reader/book house and of course, the icon house (which could be Comcast corporate headquarters; where we get a terrifying glimpse at MEDIA itself!) I'll be the first to admit, that mainstream media is indeed terrifying. I am definitely looking forward to seeing how Universal personifies it... :)

Why does something automatically have to be scary in order for it to be a house at HHN? That is very 1-dimensional thinking. Why is a show more appropriate than a house? How is it "bit too far"? This whole theory & notion of "ohhh that won't be scary. how can that be scary? thats not horror, thats stupid" way of thinking really needs to stop. Do you realize how many people said "a greek mythology house isn't horror" or "fairy tales aren't horror, wizard of oz isn't horror, cruise ships aren't horror" etc etc.... Here's a little inside tip for you... Not everything is required to be scary. And not everything will be scary to everyone that attends the event. While one house or scarezone may scare the living shit out of one person, the next person might find it boring. Its the same for a horror movie, some will think its scary others won't. But to say something won't be good just because you personally don't think it should be a house, doesn't mean that its true. Especially when you haven't experienced it to begin with nor do you know how exactly it will be executed. Some of the most "oh my god, that house is going to be awesome" houses end up being the worst ones. Do you realize how many people pissed & moaned about an Alice Cooper house in Hollywood & said that it would "suck" & that it was "stupid" for it to be a house... then what happened? The Alice Cooper house was the #1 rated house at HHN Hollywood last year. The point is... stop being afraid of something "new". Expand your horizons and open your mind to a new experience because if you continue to define HHN a certain way, you're going to be continually disappointed.

He owned/designed a successful haunt years ago in Arizona. It was called: Alice Cooper's Nightmare. It actually had the reputation among the haunt industry as being one of the most innovative in the country. Couple his love for haunted houses with his marketing appeal and this is why we will be walking through his attraction in Orlando this Fall.

I have a problem with this whole "worthy" crap people keep throwing around in regards to Orlando's event. The event is not all high & mighty just because there has been 9 more events for Orlando than Hollywood, doesn't make it superior. And to say the event doesn't need to rely on certain "gimmicks", i'd have to disagree because the event will never evolve into something more if it doesn't branch out in different directions. These so-called gimmicks will only help fuel and challenge A&D's creativity (that is until corporate comes in and budget cuts everything like usual). Um... if it wasn't for HHN Hollywood (and Knotts for that matter), we wouldn't have an event. And to say "we're turning into hollywood" just because we have IP houses is amusing considering how many houses over the years were based on IPs (including when Hollywood's event was on hiatus) at the event before. HHN 1992 had "People Under The Stairs" & HHN 1993 had "Psycho"/"People Under The Stairs"... thats 2 IP houses during its first three years. Even the faces of HHN's first year "Fright Nights" were Universal Classic Monsters... an IP... yes.. because a video on youtube allows you to fully experience a house...

Agree. half of the exciting part of halloween horror nights is the website months before the reveal it really gets you excited while you wait for it. This year has to be the weakest site in recent years. even the background of the website reminds of hollywood.

Now for us that are just a tad bit on the older side.....Alice Cooper, Ozzy, Kiss....These guys were the first real big Supernatural/Horror type inspired ROCK. I know there are plenty of people out there who Love the Idea of a Rob Zombie, Slipknot , Lordi, or even a Gwar etc, type house. These guys would admit that without Alice. Ozzy,Kiss, there probably wouldn’t be the type of Music you youngins see as scary or hard core or worthy of a haunted house. Give it a chance; let’s see what Orlando A&D can do with an old school maybe even b-movie type 70's horror house. Remember some of your best Horror franchises started in the late 70's early 80's. I'm actually excited to see what they do. Supposedly it’s going to be Alice Copper Goes to Hell in 3D....that sound pretty 70's 80's Rocker/Classic Horror to me...

As for the Marketing argument, I think original ideas can be just as marketable as IPs; it all depends on the back story and how much detail the creators have put into those original ideas. Is the general public more familiar with IPs? Of course, which makes them so much more tempting to, say, the Marketing department at Universal. Penn & Teller, Alice Cooper, Walking Dead, Silent Hill...it will draw thousands of people in, whether or not the houses actually suck. Personally, I'm not sure how they will tie in Penn & Teller, but I'm not going to bash it before I see it. I can imagine the Silent Hill and Walking Dead...but I can't imagine Penn & Teller.... But in speaking to that, you’ve brought up a good point, especially with your fan fiction comparison: there's something to be said for the undeniable value in the unfamiliar. For instance, let's take The In-Between. I agree, it was definitely a more original experience, if I were to compare it to The Forsaken or any other rip-off. It was also scarier, for me personally, because I didn’t know what the hell I was walking into or what to expect. And 3D/altered vision freaks me out and I’m not used to it…not even at the movies. And that’s precisely the point. As technology and science advance further, so do we as consumers, and so must Universal as an entertainment industry leader. Today, they are practically required to bring us closer and closer to experiencing, what feels like, “real” things in houses and rides. Chasing down the white rabbit, as it were. When I walk into HHN every year, it never fails…I feel nervous and excited and scared (I get through HHN alive every year with the assistance of whatever blood-colored alcoholic beverage they throw at me…don’t judge me). As I go through the first few houses and get scared and scream like a little girl, I feel that addictive adrenaline/cortisol mix rush through me and I laugh and smile and know this is what I came for. But it doesn’t last forever. As the evening comes to an end, I always become numb…to the scareactors, to the sets, to the houses, to the scarezones. And I think the reason WHY this happens to me, is the same reason why we, the HHN junkies of the world, become somewhat obsessed with the argument that “original” ideas are better. It’s because familiarity SUCKS. Biologically speaking, our minds love familiarity. On a completely subconscious level, we connect the dots, recognize patterns, and mold our reactions to the reality around us as quickly as possible…and that’s part of our biological makeup. It’s part of the “survival of the fittest” idea. And it’s precisely these biological facts that work against the A&D team. We live in a generation of been-there-done-that. We absorb so much at once on a daily basis that, if you don’t immediately suck us in with something completely new and addictive and weird and insane, we see right through it. It’s an insatiable hunger for the newest, the best, the most mind-blowing, freakiest, creepiest, goriest, scariest stuff you can throw at us. (It’s also my theory that this is why so many people try and steer clear of the Bill & Ted show every year: while it’s a great break from the constant barrage of chainsaws and scares and whatnot, it almost never delivers an original joke…every joke they tell has already been told. 500 times. In memes. Online. In person. Over and over and over. But still, we sit through it because it feels good to laugh. And the beat goes on.) So, at the end of the day, it’s A&D’s job to figure out what we haven’t seen yet, what we honestly truly fear, and how to put those things together to create an unexpected, unfamiliar experience. And that is probably the most difficult task of all…creating the unfamiliar, just to have it become familiar by the end of the season. So, while it's easy for us to sit here and type away about how much better original houses are, on average, the truth is...as long as creativity and art and technology continue to grow, so will the originality in this event. I don't worry about it too much because, let's face it, if Coachella managed to make a 2Pac hologram...wtf should we expect in the future of HHN? Idk about anyone else, but THAT scares me...in a great way -C

At least you're basing your opinion having gone through it. Can't really argue.

Actually, I believe you guys are getting Welcome To My Nightmare but we will see when the press release comes out..

Did we ever have these type of arguments about IP back in 07 and 09 (or even before)???? I sure don't remember..... But it feels like this year is sorta like 07 and 09. Right now we have our main 3 AC, TWD, And SH, where in 07 we had Freddy, Jason, Leatherface, and 09 we had SAW, Chucky, and The Wolfman. The only thing we are missing is Scarezone themes, show info(except for B&T), Overall Theme, Icon, and a good website.... We still don't have a lot of facts in yet, we have only vague house hints. Even the P&T house may not be all about them, maybe it's just designed by them. This year, in a way, feels like watered down soda, we know it's soda, but it doesn't taste right. Maybe it's the way the event is presenting itself??? I'm happy they are trying out new things, I don't care if it's IP, it introduced me to a great show (TWD) and some music that interests me (AC). In past years they tried something new by having The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Brian Brushwood, and Death Drums (using it as an example) and although I love RH, DD, and despise BB, I wouldn't have known if they were any good or bad. Same goes for houses. Give this year a chance and if any of you think none of this is worthy of being at Universal, bitch to them! They gotta make mistakes in order to better themselves. Nobody's perfect..... Sorry for the long post.....

To Wesker69: Again, I'll reiterate that my thoughts on what the Alice Cooper house was in Hollywood last year is based solely on my experience and, therefore, my opinion. You may love it. And good for you! Hell, I may love it, and good for me! I'm just saying.. I wasn't thriled with this particular announcement. When I say "gimmick", I'm not using the term like you seem to think I am. Please note my comments after my use of the word "gimmick" in which I stated I hope every attention whore with an album doesn't come around trying to cash in. That was more my concern. I fully agree that an open mind is the way to be on this because you just never know what may turn out to be really good. For example at last year's event, based on the premise of it, I thought "The Forsaken" was going to be a stupid house.. (that was the one with the pirate kind of thing, right? Sorry, I'm old.. brain farts). Anyway, I really, really liked that house. When I got to HHN, I was thrilled to be there as I always am.. and my mind is more than open. I go with the INTENTION of enjoying every single minute, and I usually do. So, please, don't try to lecture me about keeping an open mind and please don't put meaning to my words to fit your defensive filter. Do I think Orlando is "high and mighty"? No, I don't. When I say "worthy" I do mean a high standard for Universal.. I go to other haunts here at home. We usually hit a few of the bigger haunted houses in the Chicago area. Some of them do a decent job (Statesville Haunted Prison, for one, is pretty consistent). However, NONE of them compare to what Universal does.. be it Orlando OR Hollywood. I friggin LOVE Universal... I should be getting paid for how much I promote them. Also, another poster here made the exact point I make when I talk about Orlando vs. Hollywood.. Orlando IS more creative. I love the more original ideas they come up with for the exact reason mentioned above.. I can walk into one of these houses and have NO IDEA what I'm in for. THAT is scary. If the house is based on all well-known media - it's true, we already have an idea of what we're getting. It's better when it's not. Although Wolfman and Dracula were two of my fave houses a few years ago.. so, I guess it depends. Anyway, I think you get my point. Take a breath, man. We're all here because we love it.. at least, that's how I see it.

this alice cooper house will prob be my least house ill be looking forward to. even if i dont know the rest of the houses. only because i watched the hollywood video of welcome to my nightmare and it just didnt look fun nor scary and the overall story doesnt appeal to me...sorry if i offend anyone just not my cup of tea. between all these ips shared with hollywood was orlando really out of ideas this year? lol plus its safe to say the website sucks so far

I'll be honest, I'm not looking too forward to this year. I feel like we are turning into HHN Hollywood. I'm not trying to be rude when i say that, but i feel like Orlando has always done great coming up with original house ideas and themes. That is what makes me so excited to go every year. In the past, i would have been checking the site everyday but this year, it is completely different. this year, we already have three houses based on other things, all of which i am still skeptical about. the website is not even themed so far and it is already late July. i really hope there is an amazing central theme that ties all these things together. we now have a "horror rock" house, a "TV series" house, and a "video game" house...

Well, I tend to disagree with the statement that a cast is the most important factor on the success of a house, as referenced by my post above. But as you mentioned, that's not really the point of this thread. I mean no disrespect here, and I think it's great that you took to time to do this, but I feel that this breakdown is a little disingenuous, paints the event in too broad of strokes, and eschews the numbers a bit. It doesn't take into account the flavor of the houses. Let's compare two IP houses for example. JP: Evilution is an IP house. But it's IP in pretty much name only. It featured original characters, an original concept and story, and original visuals. It was a very different animal than Saw, which was much more a by the numbers "best of" type of house, with few to no surprises if you've seen the films. Quality and reception aside, while Evilution is based on an IP, it has much more in common with an original house than it does the IP it's associated with. Let's take this one step further with the "rip-off" houses. The Forsaken may have been taken, conceptually, from The Fog, but how was it not an orginal house? Again, new story, new characters, new scares, and new visuals. Body Collectors is another example. Obviously based on The Gentlemen from B:TVS, but I can't just put in a DVD and watch Collections from the Past. I would tend to classify the house more as an original house, even though it had roots in an IP. And as I mentioned above, new and original are not the same thing. Screamhouse Revisitied, while not necessarily new, is still original, and should be listed as such. I can't speak for others here, but I'm personally fine with IP houses, so long as they give me something new. If it's just a "best of" house, then it doesn't give me anything I can't get from watching the DVD, so what's the point? And it's those types of IP houses that I'm not really for. But if you want to put me in the world of an IP and then give me an original story and characters, then I'll be all over it like zombies on brains. You can have original ideas and "stuff" while in the framework of an existing IP. Again, not knocking what you've done here, but to say that a house has to be one or the other as a blanket statement is, in my opinion, not giving a lot of houses their due credit.

Blueprints must be drafted by an architect or engineer. Uni may have one, but they also may not. Building codes can vary from state to state, from county to county, even from city to city. This could make it difficult to use one blueprint for both coasts. Building specs (specifications for the building or area housing the maze) would also have to be accounted for. Not saying its impossible to share the blueprints, but it would be difficult. Layout could be the same or similar, but most likely each coast would need their own blueprints.

I've been around just not as active. I cant wait for this year. I've already booked my flight and hotel for the first weekend...

Very nice find indeed. He just confirmed both parks. Guys lets be civil. We are all are entitled to our opinions.

Just reread what I said, I was kind of harsh. But yes you are entitled to your own opinion. All im trying to say is people need to give P&T a chance before jumping on the hate wagon.

Although I am very curious to see how P&T will be translated into a house, I firmly believe that it can be not only awesome and fun, but scary. Saying that it's a step to far or just not possible is ridiculous, and it makes me question if you've been to HHN before.. lol

It boils down to this, Universal could provide brand new houses every single year, with brand new scarezones, new shows, discount the tickets so they are dirt cheap, add nights, give away free booze and money and people would STILL find something to complain about. I have a very simple solution for the whiners, if you don't think your going to enjoy yourself, then save your money and stay home. That's just fewer people in line for the rest of us to have to contend with.

Glitter Gulch is in reference to Vegas... as in the place they do their show, full of illusions etc... other dimensions is in reference to 3D... there really isn't a big mystery here... no need to alert Mystery Inc.

P&T has not been nuked from the roster. It is 100% they will be there and it's not a show as Legacy said. But I will assume they will bring some of their Glitter Gulch ways with them. They are a magic show after all... but I'm hoping to see other dimensions of what they can do rather than the typical stuff they are known for.

That idea is kinda Dead... but I expose... sure... it could show up.