SeventyOne

To play devil's advocate, plenty of people are paying twice rack rate or more for express pass, which is basically a way to experience HHN with less crowding. I could see it working with Potter--don't think it would have a chance again the Mouse's brand-name (and pixie dust addicted fanbois) without that, tho.

Just to try thinking outside the box for a minute ... what about a two-park event with no (direct) cross-over? Say, 4 or 5 houses and 3 or 4 scare-zones/hoardes in each park. Or maybe give IoA 4 houses and Bill & Ted, but the event needs to look evenly balanced to the general public. Dueling icons, each with a themed "signature" house/SZ in their respective park--other houses/SZs could be loosely tied into the theme, or fit the surroundings (admitedly easier in IoA, but I suppose any sort of IP could fit the "theme" of the Studios). End result, ideally, is that the crowds are more or less evenly split. Won't overwhelm IoA--or at least MSHI, TL, JP and LC, the parts I imagine would be open--and wouldn't forced US to be weighted so heavily to the front of the park. Would also eliminate the potential dead space. And, for Universal, they get to sell 2 tickets instead of 1, even if they offer a savings on the second park. Could also use this to justify raising FFP prices. The number of scare-actors would not be that far off from the the number ultimately hired this year. This plan would require more operations and attractions people, but they are already trained, so it's simply a matter of adding more shifts, same as around Christmas. And Universal would have extra cash from members of the general population buying two tickets, parking twice, and spending twice as much time in the parks eating and drinking to offset those costs. The buzz would be phenomenal, easily washing away the mixed reviews of 2012. Thoughts? Would the average HHN guest go for this? What about the superfans?

They are tacos (from Taco Bell) where the shell is made out of Doritos. Since pop culture has long associated Doritos and Taco Bell with stoners, it's sort of the ultimate stoner food. Plus they are just sort of inherently ridiculous but incredibly popular, like Honey Boo Boo or something.

This is going around Facebook, but seems OCD-like complete: PreShow: ... Rock 'n' Roll High School - The Ramones - Rock 'n' Roll High School OST Album We're Not Gonna Take It - Twisted Sister - Stay Hungry Album Barracuda - Heart - Little Queen Album Highway to Hell - AC/DC - Highway to Hell Album I Wanna Be Sedated - The Ramones - Road to Ruin Album Let's Dance - David Bowie - Best of Bowie Album Hanging on the Telephone - Blondie - Blondie LIVE Album Main Show: Tonight - Fun featuring Janelle Monae - We Are Young Album We Will Rock You - Queen - The Absolute Greatest Hits Album Wild One Two - David Guetta featuring Nicky Romero and Sia - Nothing But the Beat 2.0 Album Two Heads Are Better Than One - Power Tool - Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure OST Album A Beautiful Mind - Aceylaone and RJD2 - Mad Men: Music from the Series, Volume 1 Album Men in Black - Will Smith - Big Willie Style Album N***a's in Paris - Jay -Z and KanYe West - Watch the Throne Album Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Leppard - Hysteria Album Working for the Weekend - Loverboy - Get Lucky Album Blitzkrieg Bop (Remastered Single Version) - The Ramones - Ramones Album Gangnam Style - PSY - PSY 6 (Rules) Album Let's Go - The Ramones - End of the Century Album God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You II - KISS - Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey OST Album Eruption - Van Halen - Van Halen Album Payphone - Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa - Overexposed Album Panama (Album Version) - Eddie Van Halen - The Best of Both Worlds Album Dance Off and Post Show: Scream (Exemen Remix) - Usher - Scream: Usher Remixes Album Hit Me with Your Best Shot - Catherine-Zeta Jones - Rock of Ages OST Album Back in Time - Pitbull - Men in Black III OST Album Starships - Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded Album Afro-Circus (Reptile Theme) - Skrillex - Bangarang - Skrillex - Bangarang Album Call Me, Maybe - Carly-Rae Jepsen - Curiosity Album (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party) - The Beastie Boys - License to Ill Album Everybody Talks - Neon Trees - Picture Show Album *Song plays at end of the show*

Still not sure if "communist cakehole" was connected, but it seemed an odd coincidence (was the "regular" Cap that night). And it's not that the Snow scene is shorter, it just doesn't flow as well with two of the actresses ducking out early. Hurts the "public domain" joke having just one Snow, and makes Stacey Jaxx be more forced.

Caught the updated version last night. Best way I can describe it, humor in the Presidential skit has gone from South Park to Simpsons. Or maybe Bloom County to Mallard Fillmore. One, just one, of Romeny's rap lines got a chuckle out of me, but nowhere near the manic energy of "this is what million-dollar nuts feel like!".

Transformers will help, a lot. It should be new enough next year to still be a huge draw. Also, with construction done, that opens up a couple other potential sites for permanent scare-zones, which I expect to return next year, and which should help slightly. Beyond that, I think the only solution would be finding a location for an 8th house (possibly even a 9th). That, or the somewhat similar idea of a two-park event.

Had to leave 8:30 - 9:00ish. Finns was getting too crowded to watch the baseball game comfortably, and we'd long since given up on anything else. Mummy had been at 120 for a while, text said TWD went to 150. I can't fathom waiting 2.5 hours for a 5-minute house. Looking like Sunday and Thursday will be bad, due to various schools being out the next day (and their general business this year). I expect next Friday to also be rough, but Saturday may be more tolerable given all the competition around town (private parties, bar parties, etc.).

Saw the first show. Almost the entirety of Romney's introduction is gone---no "million dollar nuts", no apology to women. Obama's rap was cleaned up, no more use of "bitch". Romney had an entirely new rap--which the actor basically forgot and had to ad lib his way through (he did an incredible job, and it's to be expected, having only learned it today). Whole segment has been neutered. Hunger Games/Obamacare joke (and Planned Parenthood) joke are still in, for what it's worth. The segment is so much shorter that two of the Snow Whites have to duck out early (to do a costume change), throwing off Stacey Jaxx's ending lines. Not sure if it's related, but Captain America quit using "Communist cakehole" as well. Said something like "unpopular geek." There's no question but that someone high up did the cowardly thing and caved. My guess is someone in GE rather than local to Universal Studios, but it's a real shame nonetheless.

You had my sympathies for a tough job before, but that's just insane. Honestly, I wish they'd do more than trespass--bring some of these punks up on battery charges, and hope the Orange County States Attorney and judges have the balls to throw the book at them. A few stories of "my friend punched a zombie and he went to jail for 6 months" would do a lot to help a year or two down the road.

And here comes the $hit$torm ... http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/18/universal-studio-comedy-skit-lauds-obama-laughs-at-romney/

I don't doubt it, but how so?

Saw him. In a word, no.

SPOILER Saw it last night, line still gone, but now replaced with: "I'll put you in the binder." Which, for this week at least, is a pretty funny and topical ad lib. Dancer not nearly as funny in the new costume, tho.

SPOILERS AHEAD Saw it Friday, not since. The Mormon wife dancer changed outfits so now she's in a "Capt. America"-esque leotard matching the other back-up dancer. But the rap was unchanged--I listened carefully because I was curious after the wardrobe switch--and he still made the "posse of wives" joke at the end. Did they change it further Saturday/Sunday? As to the alleged bias, as a far right-winger, I still don't think it's all that pronounced. The skit begins saying ObamaCare requires children to kill each other, and I somehow doubt the President would appreciate being called "Insane in the Hussein". In other words, the show gets some digs in. I think the problem is Obama is played by a dancer most likely cast because he (sort of) looked the part, while Romney is played by one of the more gifted comic actors this show has featured in years. Romney gets more jokes--and they stick with the audience better--because he's the funnier actor.

This. "Security" (I use that term loosely) seems far more concerned with finding liquor and weed than searching for things that could actually do harm, like mace.

This times 100. I tweeted it half-jokingly a week ago, but I now I really wonder if the increased security is due solely to lower alcohol sales. Seriously, not that the person who did it doesn't deserve jail time, but I'd also do a top-down clensing of the gate security team. It's easy to hire new rent-a-cops in this economy, send a message.

That's funny, Mr. Black, i think The Naked Mentalist is the highlight of the show, found everything after except the guillotine trick a bit of a letdown. Even that has a convuluted build-up--I'd rather something that points out, hey, this thing really has a sharp blade on it. No denying that Ringmistress Penny is a 10-car pile-up hottie, tho. I'd probably sit there and watch her read the phone book for 20 minutes.

All schools statewide out 10/19, so 10/18 and 10/19. Also at least Osceola is out Monday 10/22, no doubt making Sunday 10/21 hellish as well.

Hate to give away the secret because I might not get a bar stool next time, but Backwater Bar in IoA has happy hour even on HHN nights. You can get your drinks at a reasonable price starting at 4, then use the crossover in Seuss Landing around 5:45. Friendly staff, too.

Sorry, gonna call you on the attitude. Not everyone is spoiled like we are getting to go 20 times in a year. HHN opened last Friday to paying guests--the house should have been ready. Transformers construction is going 24/7, should've done the same here if necessary.

The spider motifs threw me off at first, but upon reading (here) that "Steven" considers himself a spider, the house actually made total sense the second time through. If anything, the plot is a bit cliched, the same as countless 80s slasher movies. Little boy is abused by everyone in his life, until "No More Mr. Nice Guy" when he becomes a serial killer and murders everyone who wronged him. "Alice Cooper" is at the end for the same reason "Poe" was in Nevermore.

It did feel busier, which surprised me, given this is the earliest opening yet (generally casual fans don't seem to show up until Hell Week). I think it's a perfect storm--no scarezones, 7 houses instead of 8, no Jaws, a lot less open space to wander. And, of course, the event gets more and more popular every year--after last year's amazing house line-up, I imagine anyone who went will bring at least a couple new people this year (or make it a point to come earlier in the season). Re: the event overall, purely anecdotal, but Facebook reactions from locals who look forward to this event every year have been largely negative (with the exception of Gothic). That's not saying no one should come to the event, and it doesn't mean HHN should be cancelled from here on out. It simply is recognizing it isn't gelling for a lot of fans this year. Nobody hits a home run at every at bat.

Saw quite a few vampires and zombies work the bar at Finnegans last night. One vampire in particular did a great job, sitting at a table with an oblivious woman, then getting her when she turned to face him.