Jakemeister Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 From a guest standpoint, ignore them; from an actor scare point, they're my best friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legacy Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 From a guest standpoint, ignore them; from an actor scare point, they're my best friend. I loved(!!!!!!) my Catacombs Ops. Never caught her name, but she was amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakemeister Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 I loved(!!!!!!) my Catacombs Ops. Never caught her name, but she was amazing. I had a great one in 2009. Was awesome, always there when we needed her and would always chat with us before and after call in and call out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hush Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 I really don't like the people who have always wanted to be scareactors and aren't, so they think they can take it upon themselves to scare/attempt to scare the guests who walk through the houses. Those are the ones who inevitably will steal or block a scare. Those are the op's that need to do their job and stop trying to do mine. I think the people in general who have always wanted to work the event in some way, shape or form are sometimes the worst people there. And if they are hired in as ops, that can be a bad combo...just as you described, they try to do your job and not their own. From a guest standpoint, ignore them; from an actor scare point, they're my best friend. As a guest, the first year I ever really noticed any ops people was back in 2010...before that they always seemed to lay low and you knew they were there but they never had a prescence so to speak. Then the flashlights of 2010 made their appearance...LOL Working the Macy's parade I have to say I love the people who do crowd control and are working in an ops capacity there. They save us from running over people and mowing down small children who wander onto the parade route. Likewise working ops for Mardi Gras, I know exactly how completely moronic people can be. In the end, it's a thankless job...and fortunately the vast majority of them do a great job and help make sure that we as guests have a safe and enjoyable experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atigeg Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 (edited) I understand about the people behind me thing as well as the people in front, and I am very sensitive to that too. I do not stop when there are people behind me, but I've been hurried along even when I was alone in the house with no one anywhere close in the front or behind. There are dead times, which we learn over the course of the event, and we hit the houses at those times, purposely let people go in front of us, then enter when there is no one anywhere in sight behind us. I am careful not to inconvenience my fellow guests, and Ops isn't going to stop me from taking in the detail when there's no one around me in front or behind. But on the flipside, I go enough to see them deal with some real douches. I'd never want to do that job because I'd be arrested for tasing the drunks or sneaking in a billy club and cracking me some skull. I'm amazed at their patience and ability to deal with some of those people (and same goes for the scareactors). Edited September 21, 2011 by atigeg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armyofrobots Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 (edited) as a person who is an ops lead this year, a majority of guests have NO IDEA what ops go through or how ops, well, OPERATES, this includes probably 90% of people on these forums. Respect your ops and don't bad mouth them. They are your friends and are there for specific reasons; More so than just standing in the house. We're told very specific things and it is drilled into our brains. Unless this is a thread that will give kudos or criticism in a manner that is respectful, I would like to see this thread locked because right now I'm just seeing "OMG, OPS SUUUUUUCK" also, thanks to the few who know what it's like to be a house operations team member and gave some kudos, specifically Legacy. Edited September 21, 2011 by armyofrobots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legacy Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 as a person who is an ops lead this year, a majority of guests have NO IDEA what ops go through or how ops, well, OPERATES, this includes probably 90% of people on these forums. Respect your ops and don't bad mouth them. They are your friends and are there for specific reasons; More so than just standing in the house. We're told very specific things and it is drilled into our brains. Unless this is a thread that will give kudos or criticism in a manner that is respectful, I would like to see this thread locked because right now I'm just seeing "OMG, OPS SUUUUUUCK" also, thanks to the few who know what it's like to be a house operations team member and gave some kudos, specifically Legacy. No problem. I love you guys. Hell, I requested one be put in my room in Catacombs. And you are right. Most people don't really grasp what it's like to be an Op or a Scareactor without actually doing it. It's never as easy as it looks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman875 Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 I like having ops in my rooms and in the houses. I have just had a few that I thought weren't doing their job. I apologize if I made it sound like I thought all ops were bad. I don't think that and know that isn't the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hush Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 I like having ops in my rooms and in the houses. I have just had a few that I thought weren't doing their job. I apologize if I made it sound like I thought all ops were bad. I don't think that and know that isn't the case. I'm with Tman, I don't think any of us are bad mouthing ops in general. Hell, I work seasonal in event ops...so I know exactly what the drill is! I think we can all agree that not every single ops employee is out to make our HHN experience a bad one. However, when you come across those random few with flashlight envy, they can make it an interesting experience so to speak. This thread is just everyone sharing their past experiences with ops, it is by no means screaming out "OMG...ALL of ops sucks...they should all be whipped with rubber chickens". I would doubt that there is anything but respect for the ops folks who do their jobs and do it well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atigeg Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 I balanced my complaints with kudos. The flashlights don't even bother me (heck, they're bailed me out a few times early in the year when I got lost). Literally, my only complaint is the "keep moving" BS when no one is ahead of me or behind me. I've been to the event enough to see scareactors and Ops take abuse, and I'm sure what I've seen is just the tip of the iceberg. Without Ops, the houses would be even more vandalized and the drunks would be running rampant in there. I personally think tasers, handcuffs, and a baseball bat should be standard issue for Ops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreeGrizzlyBearRides Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Like stated, it's preemptive. It's better for them to assume no one is going to follow the rules than react too late. The only difference between the two can be determined only after something happens. I have to say the Ops never annoyed me, i mean i grew up in a resort town with the boardwalk and all the rides so i'm used to people having to do things like this. so maybe im just used to it, but it seems like these people have orders to follow, a job to do, and they keep the turds out, if they have to fight an annoying butt hole so i don't have to that makes me happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumboshrmp Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 For those who feel like the Ops ruin houses for them, they should be pleasantly surprised this year. It seems like Universal is getting better at putting them in places that are out of the way because I hardly saw any when going through the tent houses and the parade building. None of them were even waving us through, except for in The Thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cramer Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I've gotten lost in houses by taking a wrong turn into a boo-hole several times while an ops dude just stood there and stared at me...and then AFTER the scareactor pushes me in the right direction giving some "WRONG TURN, YOU'RE DEAD!" type of quip, the ops will yell at me to move along -.-. While they're fun scares, it makes me feel like the ops are not doing anything other than annoying me after the scare. Don't take that as an insult...I'm hoping maybe the ops this year can fix that issue. Instead of focusing on keeping people moving, maybe focus on keeping them on the right track. Don't get me wrong, I respect the ops that take care of the houses, but just like police officers, one bad one will make the rest look bad. Slight change of subject here...does anyone remember the night they put cloaks on the ops in Catacombs? It really made the house extraordinary in my opinion. I don't know how it affected the "mission" of the ops personnel, but it really gave a lot of atmosphere back to the house, and made it feel as if there really was "no way out." Other than the glowing red exit signs, but that's a different story altogether lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 There was an op outside Holidays of Horror tonight screaming "STAY IN A SINGLE FILE LINE. I NEED TO HAVE EVERYONE FORM A SINGLE FILE LINE TO ENTER THE HOUSE." Totally ruined the build up to the house. And last night someone in the In Between had "flashlight envy." Other then those 2 things I think the Ops seem to be less noticeable this year, which is a good thing. I like knowing they're in the house but I don't need to see them every 30 seconds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scaredbenny Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 I too only had a problem with Ops in Holidays of Horror last night. EVERY one was using flashlights and pointing and yelling to move forward when I went in last night and really put a damper on the experience, not to mention there was no room for me to move forward as I was crammed up against the people in front of me at the time. I did wish there would have been more Ops in The In-Between, I got disoriented and walked straight into a wall (OUCH!!) and had the hardest time figuring out where to go, no scareactors or OPs in my very bad at that time sight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LV-426 Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 (edited) To be fair, it's usually not ops' fault. I know many people that do ops every year, and they have been written up before for their supervisor catching them not moving a crowd along, even when there has been a mere 5-10 feet between the guest and the people in front of them. They do their job so they don't get in trouble, don't be too harsh on them. Do they have to be rude about it? No. But it's what they're paid to do. i guess i understand now about not being hash to them Oh Yeah, I would never Ever say something to them personally, ever! i would never be that rude to someone working there, im just venting my frustration here of last year, but, i understand is their job, and i understand is a hard job, but just because they are miserable doing it shouldn't make us miserable as well, is not out fault as guests that they are there You keep saying there was no one in front of you, but how many people were behind you? Just like Dollfie said, it isn't about the space in front of you. It's about the person 100 people behind you. And regarding how they said it, they will say the exact same phrase, upwards a thousand times a night. It gets quite tedious for them, and essentially becomes rote. If that is what "ruined your night," I really hope you can re-evaluate what makes a good night at HHN. maybe i didn't write it clear enough, my fault, But, when i said i was by myself, i mean THERE WAS NO ONE In front of me Or Behind, im not As stupid as to hold 24 people behind me because i just want to see a house, so, no......... there was no one person behind me, like I wrote before, I was one of the first ones to go to this house, no one in front of me, no one behind me, completely alone in the house,dont know how much clear i can put this, look, it was the beginning of the day, park open, i ran my way up to catacombs, i made the line, i was by myself, not that it ruined my night, It just ruined my chance to do Catacombs, (My favorite house of the year) by myself all alone, that's what they ruined, i could have done the house all by myself, since there was NO one Behind me or in front, but they wouldn't stop yelling for me to catch up to nowhere that's all, Edited September 25, 2011 by black mask Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fallow Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 I stand by my opinion that the ops diminish the impact of houses, sorry. I recognize that the ops are following a system - I'm saying it's a broken system. Luckily, this year Universal seems to have listened to some of last year's louder complaints and found better spots for the ops in many houses (yay Winter's Night, Poe, Nightingales, In Between, Forsaken, Saws'n'Steam!) Unfortunately on a handful of occasions the ops did become intrusive. In each case, the person in front of me was literally a pace away (if I walked any faster I'd run into them) or I was completely alone in the house with no one in front of or behind me visibly. I don't mind a little hand motion to indicate what direction I'm supposed to be going (which is actually helpful in a couple of the more labyrinth-like houses this year) but some actually left their little holes, walked straight through a scene and in front of scare actor booholes (making it impossible for them to scare me or anyone else), and then told me to hurry up and flashed their light in my face. Saw a couple keeping the lights eternally on and waving them around, which in my eyes is a no no unless someone's really lost. Overall, though, the ops were better (so far) this year. They're a necessary evil and I do my best to ignore them. Thank you, A&D/Universal, for building them spots to chill for the most part unseen unless there's an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copperfield13 Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 So far this year I only had that issue once. It was pouring on the 23 and we were literally the last three to come in literally got every scare cause I so little people; actors are having fun but Uni staffer told us to keep moving literally when Arbor day girl made her jump backwards. Um...do you want us to knock the girl over? Same when I tried to check the video screens. Could understand if I was holding up the line but no one was going out in that downpour. My only complaint so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armyofrobots Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 (edited) I stand by my opinion that the ops diminish the impact of houses, sorry. I recognize that the ops are following a system - I'm saying it's a broken system. Luckily, this year Universal seems to have listened to some of last year's louder complaints and found better spots for the ops in many houses (yay Winter's Night, Poe, Nightingales, In Between, Forsaken, Saws'n'Steam!) Unfortunately on a handful of occasions the ops did become intrusive. In each case, the person in front of me was literally a pace away (if I walked any faster I'd run into them) or I was completely alone in the house with no one in front of or behind me visibly. I don't mind a little hand motion to indicate what direction I'm supposed to be going (which is actually helpful in a couple of the more labyrinth-like houses this year) but some actually left their little holes, walked straight through a scene and in front of scare actor booholes (making it impossible for them to scare me or anyone else), and then told me to hurry up and flashed their light in my face. Saw a couple keeping the lights eternally on and waving them around, which in my eyes is a no no unless someone's really lost. Overall, though, the ops were better (so far) this year. They're a necessary evil and I do my best to ignore them. Thank you, A&D/Universal, for building them spots to chill for the most part unseen unless there's an issue. so much to say, but I just can't. Edited September 26, 2011 by armyofrobots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fallow Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 so much to say, but I just can't. Look, I know you're a house lead and there might be factors I'm not fully aware of - but I still find it detracting from the houses. I highly dislike the "sprint through the houses" stressful mentality that the ops are required to push. That's my opinion. It IS better this year (so far) but it's still a problem in some cases; I apologize if that upsets you, but unfortunately the opinion stands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LV-426 Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 yeah I have to say this year is been good so far, they still look like they want to die but i haven't been told to keep moving by anyone, have to say that you are right, it is a lot better this year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armyofrobots Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 (edited) Look, I know you're a house lead and there might be factors I'm not fully aware of - but I still find it detracting from the houses. I highly dislike the "sprint through the houses" stressful mentality that the ops are required to push. That's my opinion. It IS better this year (so far) but it's still a problem in some cases; I apologize if that upsets you, but unfortunately the opinion stands. . Edited September 26, 2011 by armyofrobots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HHNFreak88 Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Look, I know you're a house lead and there might be factors I'm not fully aware of - but I still find it detracting from the houses. I highly dislike the "sprint through the houses" stressful mentality that the ops are required to push. That's my opinion. It IS better this year (so far) but it's still a problem in some cases; I apologize if that upsets you, but unfortunately the opinion stands. From what I understand, it's not so much a "sprint through the house" mentality that the Ops team wants done, it's to get a lot of people in and out of the house in order to a) reach capacity and keep wait times as low as possible. I know at Winter's Night when I went through Saturday, the Ops team did an exceptional job with getting guests in and out, only waited 10-15 minutes during peak time of the night, and there was absolutely no sense of being "rushed through" or being told to "keep up with the party in front of you." I am not sure how it is at other houses since I mostly ignored the Ops there, but Winter's Night Ops really stood out for me as being among the best I have encountered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 While I understand why Ops are needed, and while you could never pay me enough money to do their job, they need to use some common sense. I've learned to tune them out when there's no one else in a house in front of me and I'm admiring the details. Yeah, I'm sure some people stop and do something destructive, but puh-leeze! I'm a middle-aged woman, not some punk guy drunk on booze and testosterone. I'd think they'd have the ability to distinguish between a likely threat and someone who is simply admiring the artistry. Please forgive me if I'm wrong and am just unaware of the marauding bands of 40-something sober women who love to tear up the houses. I loved the Ops in the robes last year, and props to the one who even petted my cat one time when I went through (remember the cat combing?). I lol'd. ^^^ Roving bands of 40-something sober women wreaking havoc on props Seriously though, we've all had bad experiences with ops. There's always a "that guy" in these situations. Not every ops member is guilty of this. Yes it is ops job to keep the lines moving, but if I'm already in forward motion 3 feet from the guy in front of me, I expect to not see some derp frantically waving his arms telling me I need to move faster. I've had this same grievance for the last 6 years, I don't care what they're paid to do if they're downgrading the guest experience it's a justifiable issue to complain about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Director of Horror Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 (edited) Last night, I noticed that the ops acted exceptionally well! I never really had that bad of an encounter with one. Edited October 8, 2011 by The Director of Horror Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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