minnesota_jim

I loved Havoc; especially the Scareactors. They were not only intense but graceful; I couldn't believe how they managed to weave between guests and hit different marks. Even though they were everyplace, they gave enough space so you could enjoy the scenery. The guy kicking the Plexiglas was amazing; I don't know how they could build a set that could withstand that abuse. And the women in wifebeater tank tops? Let me just say they were aesthetically pleasing. Havoc shows that even a concept that has been "done" (i.e. doesn't seem too original at first glance) can still be amazing when executed properly.

Thanks for your review! I agree with you on a lot: 1. The website was not as intriguing as previous years. That was a huge mistake considering the opportunity afforded by a 20th anniversary. 2. There is too much dead space…but that’s a simple matter of $$. I sometimes wonder if it would be better to cut a house or two and focus more on Scarezones. 3. Carnival games are ludicrous in a haunted attraction. I understand why they keep them open though: to make money, to keep the crowds flowing, and to protect the games and merchandise. 4. Fear was not the best icon. It bothered me that they made the other icons somehow subservient to him. It doesn’t make sense; everyone likes rooting for their favorite icon and debating why their favorite is the best; making Fear the “one icon to rule them all” devalues the other icons. It’s like creating a league of superheroes that includes the Hulk and Superman and then creating a character called “Hero” who is superior to both. 5. Scareactor posing is a double-edge sword. I have been there on nights when almost every Scareactor is taking a picture with a guest, leaving the Scarezones as nothing more than an empty set. You want the guest to be happy, but picture taking does take them away from other guests. I feel nothing but sympathy for the Scareactors. Think how hard it would be to deny someone that paid $100 bucks a picture…I wouldn't want to be in that position! I disagree with you on few points: 1. The Scarezones at Howl-O-Scream are not better in my opinion. One teenage Scareactor with a Walmart-quality spider on her face came up and said, “Please help me, there’s a spider on my face.” I nearly rolled over laughing. In general, I have seen better makeup and sets at local yard haunts. I’ve seen them do A LOT better in the past. 2. The houses at Howl-O-Scream are not better in my opinion. I’ve never experienced so many drop panels, experienced so many “bang-a-loud-object-against-plywood” scare, or had so many Scareactors say something tantamount to "boo." There were more Scareactors and they were more aggressive overall at HOS (none as aggressive as the Havoc house though; those Scareactors rocked!), but I don’t think that makes them better. I like the range of acting demonstrated at HHN: terrifying, creepy, crazy, silent, etc. Of course, the sets don't even come close in quality. On a side note, I really did appreciate the Alone house; it was a unique experience with terrific Scareactors and an interesting design. It was not as terrifying as I would have liked it to have been, but unique. 3. I do like triggered sound effects and didn’t feel they were used all the time. I think it enhances a scene (in general). Maybe I went when there weren’t too many going off… One last thing: you are the luckiest soul in the world if you go to Florida HHN and have the same conditions all the time. All that said, I want you to know how much I appreciate your opinion. I respect the fact that you aren't just saying "the event sucked" but reasoning out why you were disappointed. Thanks for taking the time to do this; if I weren't so lazy, I'd write a review too.

I have to disagree with you that this forum is filled with with only fans & biased opinions; this board is much more open-minded than most. I find that people just want to hear support for comments & feel that an opinion is well-conceived. You can't really fault someone for saying, "I didn't find (fill in the blank) scary because it lacked (evidence, evidence)." Even if someone disagrees, that's a still perfectly legit position. Sure, some folks will blowup no matter what you say, but that's the nature of a forum: some members are passionate about HHN being the best no matter what; some just like to argue. I love hearing different views on the event; I think there was a lot to like about this year (great scareactors, great sets in most of the house, great effects in some of the houses)....but I think there's always aspects one will find disappointing. (Personally, I was blown away by my first event years ago & nostalgia makes any other event seem lacking in some way.) I thought that this was a good, solid year with some outstanding aspects. I agree, there were disappointments. Here are some of my personal pet peeves: 1. The Icon: Fear seemed to be a bit of a failure. My wife kept asking me what he was all about & what he was up to in the park...and I found it difficult to explain the concept without it coming across as some half-baked idea. Although it was conceived as a unifying element for the 20th anniversary, the character wasn't fleshed-out enough in my opinion. If they could have had some sort of arrival show, it would have helped A LOT for those attending the event. Of course, that wouldn't have helped - in my opinion - his lackluster makeup design and overall ill-conceived persona. Most of the previous icons had a depth to their character (background story, personality) that Fear lacked. Of course, that's just my opinion. 2. Staff in houses. I know they are necessary for safety (can easily spot a problem, can assist if need with medical or other emergencies), but I dislike staff standing in the corners of houses looking bored out of their minds, flashing flashlights, and saying, "Keep moving." Talk about taking someone out of the illusion. I'm sure there's a reason for it, but other haunted houses I've been to around the country had staff in much less conspicuous places. 3. Price. I think we can all agree it's getting a bit expensive. I'd feel better about the price if I could actually see a house more than once a night with an Express Pass; the scareactors & the designers put so much work into the houses, it's a shame to miss it when going through a conga line. Of course, it seems like supply & demand supports the price increase.... 4. Bill & Ted. I think enough has been said about this... 5. Brian Brushwood. To me it just seemed like a 30 minute infomercial for his book & website. The illusions were unsophisticated: anyone that's seen an episode on 20/20 about faith healing will know the trick behind digging in someone's stomach. I have to say that I don't mind it if crowds are a bit thinner than in the past; it's much more enjoyable to walk around without feeling like a bumper car. I also enjoy smaller queue lines. But I understand what you are saying: if attendance goes down, so does profit. Less profit - Less $$ for future events.

I finally figured this out. This audio was running when I was in the Havoc queue line (it's from the queue videos from Castle Vampyr and Hellgate Prison houses at Halloween Horror Nights 14 - 2004): I'm not sure if it was just some freak thing; I was in line really, really early for this house. Perhaps the video was playing some place....

I have a couple of questions about the show. Does anyone know if they still let Express Pass holders get front of the line access to the first show? Does anyone know the show times? Thanks!