Hey! No I definitely do not work for UO in any capacity and I definitely don't think you're being a dick, thanks for advancing the conversation! Sorry if this is long, I just dont want to state an opposing opinion without proper explanation and clarification.
That being said, I would like to address a few of your points, because even though I understand what you are saying, you are missing some key issues:
-Supply and demand justifies market value for both sides, in this case UO and attendees. We all all obviously the #1 fans of HHN, but we are NOT the target audience for the people who determine ticket prices. Like you and I said, there is tremendous value in the FF passes, but the VAST majority of passes bought are single night tickets. Because of that, Mike Aiello and the HHN Creative Team might come up with all the ideas, and put all the fun into it, but the higher Executive Team at UO and Hollywood make the final calls. Everything revolves around money and marketability to the people who spend the most (bringing in properties instead of IP's), and that is not the people on this board who care the most.
-The prices for the the FFP, FFP+ etc. (as well as any product in the world) are predominantly determined by cost of goods, demand, consumer market and economy. Basically, the cost of running HHN is high, the demand is high, the USA is 1/4 of the world's economy (and like it or not we are killing it right now), and there is no other competitor in Orlando (HOS has been making money too but it's more like 3:1 in favor of UO... think of it like Disney vs. UO in the 90's). THAT justifies their price increases the past few years, not mine, your's or anyone else's opinion. As long as we buy it and the other current conditions are stable, they will keep on raising it. Also, it's important to realise by having the passes so high and main gate prices high, they are able to sell many discounted tickets per Coke products, Burger King etc.
-Even though HHN brings in significant revenue, Harry Potter paid for Volcano Bay, and the recent land purchase off I-Drive/Sand Lake.
-I know my place, and I know HHN will never get more scary than it is now, and (thinking optimistically) will only get marginally more creative over the years. They have the $$$, power, and creative force to be better than Netherworld, be the greatest Gore Fest ever... but they never will be and we should not expect them to be. They want families to come, they want to sell add-on tickets to tourists in the park that morning. Yes, hardcore horror fans made HHN what it is today, but higher ups took notice decades ago and now steer the ship my friend. I'm not trying to sound like a dick, but if you think that that HHN is NOT 'Cooperate' already, you're jaded and naive.
- If Mike Aiello told his boss he needs an extra $500,000 to make this year bigger and better than the proposed budge, do you think he would get it? No he wouldn't. He does NOT have final say on the budget and has to work with what is given to him, and he stretches the $$$ as far as he can and does a great job with it! Obviously, every year the budget increases, but it hasn't caught up with the massive crowd spike/increase from 10 years ago.
I hope this helps a bit, sorry again if was long, but I feel like the points justified some explanation!