DarthSpielberg

I missed a lot of the scares in this house but that has me worried. Leatherface is the one horror icon who genuinely frightens me to a point. He's not supernatural, just a messed up tall dude with a chainsaw and the reality of that is terrifying, so if the actors were to get me, I feel like I might actually cry. The sets are beautiful, like you have been plopped right into the movie.

it's such a sad sight. I don't blame creative, they are stuck with this turkey at least for now, and they tried. the sets are okay, but you can tell the actors are like "great. I got TWD. Damn it"

My review of this house: hahahahaha no.

This house was amazing. Great sets, great scares and some big surprises I was not expecting. The original houses are goddamn amazing this year.

He wants experience the suckiness fresh without any warning of what will suck most.

There were a few things that were obviously not finished, but I actually like seeing it in this state, I like seeing it evolve, that said I bet people are writing this one off because of some effects not working, which is sad, because it's a house with a lot to give.

I loved this house. Not gonna go into spoilery details just yet, but it got me to scream, which rarely happens.

Houses here are never the same as the ones they have in Hollywood even when we are sharing IPs. They usually don't have as big a budget so they have to be a bit more creative with what stories they tell and how.

I LOVED the Legendary Truth event last year. It was amazing from start to finish, and the VR part of it was truly scary. I am curious to see how much of the style of last year translates to the Repository (since I can't tell if it's continuing the LT story or starting a new one)

the idea of the finale intrigues me. I've always been fascinated with escape rooms, and it seems like a lot of haunts are getting in on it this year (a friend who owns a haunt in NY is doing something similar, minus the VR portion) I'm probably going to do it, because I had a blast doing Legendary Truth last year.

well, I did say "Country" but fair point. their website game is strong. and I agree with that last thing 1000% Usher is the perfect Icon for the IP era.

"Not wrong on any of these" Opinion isn't facts. It's opinion. Let me counter, shall I? 1. The website didn't fail. it does exactly what they want it to. Fancy flash websites are kind of a thing of the past for events all over the country, not just HHN. 2. the event runs for 30 something nights, social media is going to be back in a large way once it kicks off. the official twitter and facebook were amazing last year in terms of guest interactions. 3. The event is starting much earlier this year, and time is short. there will be something to appease the media soon. 4. There are several billboards, some good some bad and holy moly, if a billboard is something you care about in terms of the entire event, wow. 5. I'll give this to you on the basis of it is generic, but it works just the same, and Universal did make the effort to distinguish the two coasts despite using the same base for the ad. 6. Not yet. That won't happen until after Rock the Universe. Like most years. Holy moly, this is an inane complaint. 7. Based on a few construction photos from weeks ago. Things change. 8. Well, duh. but hopefully it's the last time. 9. Chance is doin' just fine as an Icon. Once the event starts, we'll be seeing a lot of her (I know you don't like her, but that's the only reason why you say she's not a good icon. again. Opinion. isn't. fact.) 10. I actually agree with this one fully. I am not pleased about House of Villains. 11. Theme is a hard thing to do with all the IPs they have to bring in. There is no way to tie these properties together with any sense of coherence, and the only way to fix that is to do away with IPs which is never ever going to happen 12. You don't have to do the upcharge thing. It's not a "Haunt" it's a VR experience and not doing it won't take away from the event. 13. Prices increase ever year, nothing new here. Having said all that, I like that you are around. It's nice to have differing opinions on things, even if the whole "guys isn't the worst this has ever been?" thing can get a bit dreary.

Team Member Preview night is a week from tonight, and then it's a straight shot to opening weekend two days later, so there isn't much time for media events this year.

That's better. I love the music in this version. It feels very fitting for the Theater of the Mind theme they got going.

IP BASED CONCEPTS (TRICK R TREAT: HOLIDAY HORRORS - PICTURE NOT FINISHED) TRICK R TREAT: HOLIDAY HORRORS Sam is back and bringing his twisted version of Halloween to every holiday you can think of. Christmas, Easter, Father's Day, and many more will all get a frightening twist as you venture deeper into the mind of Sam and his love for Halloween. Beware breaking the rules of Halloween no matter the time of year or Sam will make sure you never make it out alive. GOOSEBUMPS: SLAPPY'S REVENGE Back with all new fear for 2016! The wicked dummy is back for a taste of vengeance. As he puts on his twisted magic show, you are the unwilling volunteers. Weave your way through a maze of frightful fun monsters and terrifying illusions. Based on the monster hit books, RL Stine's creations are dying to meet you. If you survive, pay a visit to the high speed thrill ride Give Yourself Goosebumps for even more fiendish fun. (Location: Give Yourself Goosebumps Queue, HorrorLand) The Babadook Venture into the terrifying pages of nightmarish pop up book, and come face to face with a new spin on the boogeyman. If it's in a word or in a look, You can't get rid of the Babadook. (Location: Pop up Tents, Adventure Landing) FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S You've heard the rumors of the terrors within, now enter Freddy Fazbear's Pizzera and see if the stories are true. With only a dim light to guide you, try to make it out alive if you can. (Location: Pop Up tents, Mysterion Pointe) FRIGHT ZONES AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENT Terra Landing - Wicked Fairies and Spirits from Beneath the earth roam this hallowed ground. (Mysterion Pointe) Cirque du Shriek - The most terrifying circus has come to town and you can't escape it (HorrorLand) Mummy's Curse - An ancient crypt has been disturbed and it's occupants are out for vengeance. (Pharaoh's Valley) Dragonfyre - The cursed ruins of a medieval castle set the stage for a showdown with fire breathing creatures and other nightmares (Draconia) The Neighborhood - What seems like a normal street in a normal town is anything but. Bloodthirsty trick or treaters roam the streets, looking for their next...trick. (Near Trick R Treat/The Gateway) Bay of Blood - Captain Gore has made port and he is looking to add to his ghoulish crew. (Pirate's Cove) SHOWS CIRCUS OF ILLUSION - Mysto the Magnificent has returned from the grave to put on a stunning magic show using real illusions and more than a little blood to shock and awe the crowd. (Monster Blood Magic Theater) TORMENT: UNCUT - An Annual Tradition! The Collector is back with an all new display of blood and guts as contestants take the stage for the deadliest game show in the world, TORMENT! New acts, new kills, and new surprises await. (Between The Neighborhood and Draconia) PARK MAP SPECIAL EVENTS/DEALS Fright Feast - Don't get scared on an empty stomach! A special extra ticket event featuring an all you can eat buffet and a special performance by the cast of Torment: Uncut. Once the meal and show are done, guests experience priority access to three haunts to get their fright started off right. (Buffet located at Paradise Cove Restaurant) Fright Pass - Get priority access to each haunt once during your visit. Extra costs apply

Way back when HHNVault was a thing, I posted about a haunted event concept I concocted called Nightmare Alley. It was so much fun to sit down and craft my own HHN style event, and every year since I have devoted a little bit of time to creating one. over time the event has morphed into Fright Forest and it takes place at a fictional theme park resort (that I built in Roller Coaster Tycoon 3) This is the ninth year I've mapped out an entire event, so here is a taste of Fright Forest: Mountains of Madness "Fright Forest" Backstory: Fright Forest is the annual Halloween event at the Adventure Gardens resort. The event started in 2007 as Nightmare Alley and was built in an open lot next to the first park at the resort and not actually inside the park. The first year had a carnival themed atmosphere that has sort of lingered through many of the years since. For it's fifth season, the event took on the subtitle Fright Forest, and the following season, Nightmare Alley was no more, with Fright Forest becoming the full name of the event. Like Horror Nights the event uses a mix of original content and film based IPs. The films are perhaps more obscure than what HHN uses, but in some cases wouldn't be out of place at Universal. As with Universal, several iconic characters have led the event. Ruby a demented ventriloquist dummy, Nightshade the Clown, Master Ravenswood (owner of a ghostly manor), and The Collector (a museum curator whose collection houses monsters and mayhem) In 2015, the event finally spread from it's seperate lot into the two parks in the resort, creating a mini park of it's own. The theme was of two differing "realms" The Woods, home to all sorts of archaic ancient horrors, and The Neighborhood, featuring more traditional Halloween settings. This year, the main event was a house based on Trick R Treat and Sam from the film acted as the iconic figure of the event This Year Brings Terror to New Heights when the event becomes Fright Forest: Mountains of Madness. 2016 Backstory For it's ninth year of fear, Fright Forest has taken over Mystic Mountains, the second theme park in the Adventure Gardens resort. Now based entirely in a park, the event will be bigger than ever before, offering more space to frighten and delight the guests of the event. Mountains of Madness is the subtitle for the season, and the madness comes at the hand of the event's three iconic figures, the Sisters of the Mountains. Wicked Fairies who are hellbent on destroying the world of men invite you into their realm, to toy and play with you before they go for the kill. They have their own Fright zone at the entrance to the park called "Terra's Landing" and their own house, Mountains of Madness where you enter their lair at the base of Mount Mysterion, the focal point of the park, and come face to face with the spirits of the earth. This season features 8 haunted houses, Four original concepts, four based on existing IPs. Read on to discover the horror that await you at Fright Forest: Mountains of Madness THE HAUNTS ORIGINAL CONCEPTS THE GATEWAY A team of Ghost Hunters entered 13 Sycamore Lane and never came out. Now it's your turn to see what it is they discovered in the walls of this haunted house that may just be the border between our world and the hell that lives below. (Location: Temporary Building, The Neighborhood) INSOMNIA The Sandman is real and he wants your dreams, or to be more specific, your nightmares, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to get it. Fears and Phobias abound as you traverse a nightmarish landscape of the things that go bump in the night and make you squirm (Location: Wrath of Montiki Extended Queue, Adventure Landing) Nightshade's Carnival of the Dark Nightshade Returns for an Encore! Step Right Up and Come on Down to your doom as you visit a carnival like nothing you've ever experienced. Madmen, Freaks and Clowns await as you enter the blood stained circus tents with no exit in sight. Hurry Hurry Hurry, your time has come! (Location: HororLand Haunt building) (MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS - PHOTO NOT FINISHED) MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS Descend into the lair of the Sisters of the Mountain, the fae spirits who dwell inside Mount Mysterion, but beware, they are out for blood, and yours will do nicely. Beware their beautiful song and enchanting looks, as they are pure evil, and will tear you apart, body and soul inside these mountains of madness. (Temporary Building, The Neighborhood)

Tomb of the Ancients has the chance to be really disappointing, as I love the sound of it, but the artwork they revealed kind of leaves me feeling a bit cold towards it. I think, for me personally, the house that will be the surprise will either be Krampus or Lunatic's Playground. I don't really have high expecations for either of them, and they could step in and prove me so wrong, and I'd be thrilled.

I am gonna jump in and defend the commercial for a second. Clearly it's annoying that Chance isn't in it, but I do like the style and visuals in the trailer. I'm a graduate of film school so interesting shots always get me intrigued, and I love the pan back revealing more and more characters (I wish they had gone with Michael Myers instead of TWD, but whatever) and I imagine when I see it in HD not recorded off some dudes TV, it'll look spectacular. I also get the need to minimize budget costs when it comes to marketing, and since we are sharing so many IPs this year with Hollywood, that just makes good financial sense. Disney does the same thing. All the billboards in Orlando refer to their event as Mickey's Halloween Party, omitting "Not So Scary" because it's easier to use the same logo in marketing for both coasts.

They used one of my favorite Midnight Syndicate songs as the entry music to 25 years of Monsters and Mayhem. It really set the mood pretty well, and I was quite stoked to hear it. It's not as present in the streets as it used to be (because they are aiming for more of a party atmosphere I guess. I thought it worked last year, but the year before not so much) but in the houses you can find them still.

1. Halloween: Hell Comes to Haddonfield - The last Halloween house was my favorite of the year (and still pretty high up there) so I am excitied to see them move into the enviroments of Halloween 2. 2. Ghost Town - I love the old west. I love spooky things. Match made in heaven. 3. Tomb of the Ancients - I also love old school tomb settings, so this is pretty high on my list. Could be great, or it could disappoint, but I am excited. 4. American Horror Story - I dont watch much of the show, but last year I caught a good chunk of Hotel and thought it would be perfect for a house. I am thrilled that it's one of the three seasons chosen for the house this year, so I am excited. Also having Twisty in a haunt doesn't hurt. 5. The Exorcist - I love the movie, so this is one that I am very intrigued by. Even after hearing the creatives talk about how they are doing it, I dont' quite understand and look forward to seeing how they translate it. 6. Texas Chainsaw Massacre - A great horror film and It's a perfect theme for a house. I am less excited about it because I just don't find chainsaws all that scary, but the sets will be lovely. 7. Lunatics Playground - I dig me some chance, and I don't mind 3D houses, I just don't expect this one to be mind blowing. I know I'll enjoy it. 8. Krampus - Look, I liked the movie, and I am sure the house will be good, I just don't really feel much enthusiasm for it one way or the other. 9. TWD - I may not even do this house I care so little about it.

Speaking of Publix tickets, I know they are intended for FL/GA residents. I have some friends coming into town and they asked if I could buy their tickets for them, since I live here. If they go to the turnstiles with a Publix ticket, are they going to be asked to provide ID and turned away if they aren't FL/GA? I don't want to offer them the ticket price if they wont be able to use them.

i imagine since it's in the parade building it'll be a combo of last years exterior stuff for TWD and and interior facade (like Roanoke had)

I pledge to audition for the first time ever. If I dont' get a role, I pledge to go more times than I went last year, even if it kills me (and it almost did last year)

HAven't they considered it in the past and the rights were kind of a nightmare? I doubt AHS is an announcement, and if we have a Freak Show/Carnivale style house this year it will likely be Chance's house (mixed with an asylum theme, so it will have lots of AHS-like elements)

First thing that popped into my head after seeing the tease (other than "neat") was how inevitable this post was.