Halloween Horror Nights 23 Wishful Thinking

[King_K.]

^ That's actually one thing I forgot to mention. I really do miss the Arch video screen.

[Mark M.]

2013 Wishful Thinking ...

• Do away with the street experience
• No magic shows
• No Walking Dead
• Use the arch video screen
• 8 houses
• Better website

I agree with all this. I may sound harsh on some of this.

Street Experience did nothing for me, it sounded like a good concept but that as far as it got. Lack of true scare zones made it feel nothing like HHN, having the same skimpy roll out props everyone got very boring, along with all the blue lighting after the first week. This might be good for the GP that attends once or twice, but for us that go multiple nights.. it got old, QUICK. The roaming was OK, sound tracks sucked. Hearing loud chainsaw sounds over the real ones, why? Clanking sword sounds for 40-45 minutes.. ugh! Find a way to bring back true scare zones with nice sets, and some MS and or NA for music!

Enough with the magic shows! What does magic have to do with Halloween or Horror? MAYBE and only MAYBE a P&T show. I rather see RHPS or something along that line again!

Love The Walking Dead (Comic and TV show), wait at least a year!

Bring back the arch video for sure, nothing like seeing that when walking in/out and just seeing people sitting down watching it! 2008 was great with Bloody Mary, give us something like that! Better queue line videos as well. The years where big screens were setup over the lines or projections on a building in EVERY queue was great!

8 houses, yes! If possible use SS20 (2), SS22 (1), SS23 (2), B79/Parade (1), Sprung 1, Sprung 2. SS 23 not an option? I'd settle for another Sprung someplace!

This year's website, minus Horror Unearthed sucked, period! No interactivity, no buildup, no excitement. Reveal on facebook? Really... why? Lame! Let Ray do what he does, and let's get a website like 2008 or 2005!

Again, let A&D (including Ray) do what they do! Marketing needs to lay back a bit! This IS ORLANDO, not Hollywood! Make things different on both coasts, maybe you'd get people that want to attend BOTH events due to them being different! HHN has lost it's way, we must lead them back to glory!

You'll either agree or disagree with me, but this is just IMO!

[danrichard95]

1. A new icon with a good back story

2. A good interactive website to go with the story

3. More houses (8 or more)

4. Original house ideas (I don't mind the odd IP house but I much prefer Original ideas)

5. Scarezones! (maybe the odd roaming horde)

6. Have to agree the arch video screen needs to come back!

Can't think of anything else yet. I'm sure there is loads more things id love to see

[boogeyman13]

Since this is officially the 100th year of Universal horror, I wouldn't mind an IP year of Universal licenses. Give us the AWiL house this year, along with Dawn of the Dead, maybe a "clip show" house, a new fully fleshed out Universal Monsters house (or one with their silent predecessors), and some others.

The icon could either see the return of Julian (since he really only had one year), or maybe a new character, like a Keeper of the Vault-type fellow. Someone who has brought Universal Studios' pantheon of nightmares to life and unleashed them in the park.

You could tie LT into this story as trying to stop him. Not sure how HU could fit, though. And of course, they would have to be careful to not just make it a repeat of XIX. But I think it could be done differently enough to be a new experience.

[LV-426]

I agree with all this. I may sound harsh on some of this.

Street Experience did nothing for me, it sounded like a good concept but that as far as it got. Lack of true scare zones made it feel nothing like HHN, having the same skimpy roll out props everyone got very boring, along with all the blue lighting after the first week. This might be good for the GP that attends once or twice, but for us that go multiple nights.. it got old, QUICK. The roaming was OK, sound tracks sucked. Hearing loud chainsaw sounds over the real ones, why? Clanking sword sounds for 40-45 minutes.. ugh! Find a way to bring back true scare zones with nice sets, and some MS and or NA for music!

Enough with the magic shows! What does magic have to do with Halloween or Horror? MAYBE and only MAYBE a P&T show. I rather see RHPS or something along that line again!

Love The Walking Dead (Comic and TV show), wait at least a year!

Bring back the arch video for sure, nothing like seeing that when walking in/out and just seeing people sitting down watching it! 2008 was great with Bloody Mary, give us something like that! Better queue line videos as well. The years where big screens were setup over the lines or projections on a building in EVERY queue was great!

8 houses, yes! If possible use SS20 (2), SS22 (1), SS23 (2), B79/Parade (1), Sprung 1, Sprung 2. SS 23 not an option? I'd settle for another Sprung someplace!

This year's website, minus Horror Unearthed sucked, period! No interactivity, no buildup, no excitement. Reveal on facebook? Really... why? Lame! Let Ray do what he does, and let's get a website like 2008 or 2005!

Again, let A&D (including Ray) do what they do! Marketing needs to lay back a bit! This IS ORLANDO, not Hollywood! Make things different on both coasts, maybe you'd get people that want to attend BOTH events due to them being different! HHN has lost it's way, we must lead them back to glory!

You'll either agree or disagree with me, but this is just IMO!

I have to say completely agree with everything in here. Everything.

I was really disappointed that some of the hordes didn't have music. What you said about the chainsaws is so true... I really didn't get why not use music for that or the Beasts. that was very disappointing.

How long has it been since they stopped using MS? couple of years?

I would love to ask someone at Universal what's with the Magic shows too. I really don't get it either. The magic shows worked in 2007 because it was a carnival freakshow type of year but it makes no sense that Uni keeps bringing the magic shows.

[King_K.]

I would love to ask someone at Universal what's with the Magic shows too. I really don't get it either. The magic shows worked in 2007 because it was a carnival freakshow type of year but it makes no sense that Uni keeps bringing the magic shows.

They've been doing Magic Shows since Fright Nights when they had the really amazing Pendragons. It's something they find synonymous with the event and I don't see them stopping anytime soon.

[TsunamiFox]

Okay - I do understand that the music for the hordes was a bit clunky, but obviously that didn't kill it for me. I love my legions/Horror Unearthed dearly, and I still stand my ground. But, in hindsight, yes music could have been better. Speaking of the debate between hordes/scare zones, it seems you either love them or you hate them...but I really do think that hordes are an idea they shouldn't throw away just yet - to me it succedded, and many others agree/disagree, and to those that disagree, I think if they take in the complaints (music, fog, lighting, ect), have better props, I really feel like it's an idea that will succeed to most everyone. Give it the benefit of the doubt, it's still in its infancy, which means it can still grow and become better.

And they have a year to work with it and improve it.

Another thing that would be delightful would be the queue videos, and yes the arch video.

And if Penn and Teller were at HHN, I think I would die from happiness...I can't even........

I think we will all agree on this, HHN in general needs BETTER ADVERTISING/COMMERCIALS AGAIN! The best HHN ads in my opinion were the ones from HHN 12 to HHN 17 (the one from 18 is debatable). Things fell flat at HHN 19, 20 was eh, and 21 was laughable. 22 did redeem things a bit, but there still wasn't much creativity or over-arching terror to it. HHN 14's ad was damn classic and a perfect example of what an HHN ad should be like. The ones from 12 to 17 were creative and creepy and not to mention fun! Let's bring that back and scare the children staying up late watching TV.

Last thing, I also (like all of you) want a better website. My personal favorite HHN website was HHN 16. The way it started out with the music, the respective icons and their slogans - it was eerie, creepy, disconcerting, and just a fine piece of online goodness! Also, it was DARK. I remember going to that site back in 2006 (I was young then), it would spook me out - but I would come back for more because I loved it so much. But just from going to that website it made the event feel really damn dark and scary; it was very effective. I want to go to 23's website and have my first initial thought be: we're in some deep shit. And not only that, but a better website will really help the newcomers and their first impressions of the event. Also a bloody website as well. And of course the interactivity aside from the games (like the drawers from HHN 16's site). So mainly, more over-arching terror to the site and the event itself.

Edited December 31, 2012 by TsunamiFox

[Mark M.]

They've been doing Magic Shows since Fright Nights when they had the really amazing Pendragons. It's something they find synonymous with the event and I don't see them stopping anytime soon.

This is ok, if you have a DECENT act. 2007's Jack show was cool, because it took on an HHN style with HHN characters. Brian Brushwood is a great guy and all, but the show.. eh! If your going to give us a magic show then give us a SHOW, not someone on stage with a Blackstone magic kit bought at Toys R Us or tricks learned from watching YouTube videos!

We need at least 2 shows, yes. B&T has a cult following, but again.. IMO hasn't been GREAT since 2006. If they want to re-invent something, lets try it with the shows. Leave the streets alone, they work!

[TsunamiFox]

Would anyone be up for Penn & Teller: Bullshit live at HHN?

[King_K.]

This is ok, if you have a DECENT act. 2007's Jack show was cool, because it took on an HHN style with HHN characters. Brian Brushwood is a great guy and all, but the show.. eh! If your going to give us a magic show then give us a SHOW, not someone on stage with a Blackstone magic kit bought at Toys R Us or tricks learned from watching YouTube videos!

Too bad that the actual Pendragons split and landed into a heap of personal problems and jail time. They were a really fantastic and true magic act, at least back in the 80's and 90's. I think Universal should just give in to the pressure a bit and bring back Rocky Horror, along with a B&T and a third show.

I think most people would know my response to this.

[TsunamiFox]

Too bad that the actual Pendragons split and landed into a heap of personal problems and jail time. They were a really fantastic and true magic act, at least back in the 80's and 90's. I think Universal should just give in to the pressure a bit and bring back Rocky Horror, along with a B&T and a third show.

I think most people would know my response to this.

They're coming to Orlando in January I believe at the Hardrock! I'm going to try to get tickets, but I think it's on a Thursday night, which wouldn't work well with my schedule...but then again, it's Penn & Teller.

[Maggot]

They're coming to Orlando in January I believe at the Hardrock! I'm going to try to get tickets, but I think it's on a Thursday night, which wouldn't work well with my schedule...but then again, it's Penn & Teller.

Thursday, January 31st. Full rows are still available but mostly in the back and on the sides.

[Nintendokid33]

What would I like to see?

1. A new Alice Cooper house or Rob Zombie in Orlando (fingers crossed)

2. Possibility of a house based on maybe one movie. New Texas Chaninsaw or even the new direct to DVD Chucky Movie

3. IOA (but I would like to know why can't they use Harry potter (if they can't use it, I really don't think it should have been built at IOA)

4. Original Icon or characters

5. Better connection between departments

6. A Repo tribute

7. If Simpsons is built, ( with that crazy weird Simpsons style)...CLOWNS

8. More original material

9. If they do a video game, do Resident Evil

[mystiquephreeq]

Legendary Truth may be involved this year.

In case you haven't seen it, there was an update to the LT FB. It's an Advisory Warning and appears to refer to Horror Unearthed.

[boogeyman13]

I am really hoping that LT is involved this year. I would love to be able to participate in a full on LT year, after absorbing what I've been able to find from HHN 18.

Unless, of course, it's to pit LT against HU. Then it's with the Morphans I'll stay.

[danrichard95]

I have to agree with JWFearman about the house situation. I want all Original concepts! Always have been the most exciting houses.

[PeoriaBJJ]

(As Im writing this I guess Im just thinking out loud)

Things I would like to see at HHN 23:

1) More SS houses. (I think this is universal with everyone)

2) Lagoon show. I loved 22's shows, but like someone else said how about a schedule for them? They were all great! And teh bubbles from 16 were AWESOME too!

3) Keep the tributes to the classic monsters. They built Universal and need to be paid respect!!! Plus I LOVE the classics. I was stoked about the house last years and loved every inch of it. So whether its a lagoons show or a house or maybe some t-shirts... KEEP THE CLASSICS INVOLVED!

4) Ditch Alice Cooper. The guy has a great mind and seems like a cool guy but he hasn't been a part of pop culture for decades now and the whole thing just seems forced. Now I know I just called for more Classic Monsters and they are older than dirt but thats apples and oranges. This is a halloween event at Uni Studios! AC (to me) just doesnt fit in, especially in Orlando.

5) Either ditch the zombie genre or do it right. I feel TWD house fell short of what they were trying to do. Im sure that had to do with the restrictions put on the property (obviously A&D know what they are doing!). I thought Zombiegeddon was twice the house TWD was... let A&D do zombies THEIR way and not AMC's!

6) Bring back at least a few scare zones. I really liked the hordes idea, dont get me wrong. But walking the streets seemed kinda blah I guess. the scare zones are a part of HHN. They need to come back in some capacity!

7) Make HHN year round so I dont have to wait a year to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CoreySalyer]

Check this out if you guys would like. Maybe I'll make a wishful thinking blog here soon to give you guys my thoughts, wants, and needs for HHN 23

[Tobias]

Looking at what happened last year, this is what I'd like to see.

1. Drop the synergy

Seriously, I think the attempted synergy between both Hollywood and Orlando hurt more then it helped. If both parks want to do a shared event theme, that's fine. However forcing certain themes and houses on a event which had other plans in mind (Orlando) brings up this issue.

2. Let A&D do the IP's they want

Looking at the footage from both Hollywood and Orlando, it was rather obvious that Hollywood wanted to do houses like TWD, Silent Hill and Alice Cooper. Orlando on the other hand, not so much. As much as I like Silent Hill, I was bummed to hear Orlando had to shelve a American Werewolf in London house to make room for SH. Thinking about it, I honestly feel a AWiL house would have been better then SH.

Orlando has shown they can make a great IP/Inspired-by house, but it has to be one they want. Forcing it on them like what happened last year, it'll be a decent house....but not as good as a original house, Inspired-by or a IP they have the passion to do.

3. Bring back the set scarezones

Orlando was another example that shows Roaming Hordes on their own is a nice idea on paper, but not the best in execution.

One of the biggest issues with soley Roaming Hordes is the sheer lack of parkwide atmosphere, blue lights and a couple graveyard pieces are nothing compared to what the park has done in the past.

Set scarezones help quite a bit with the atmosphere, and personally I'd like to see a return of the really grand scarezones that they've done in the past. (Though don't do the budget cuts that plagued 2011's "blink and you'll miss them" zones)

What I'd also like to see is a mix of set scarezones and a couple hordes to fill in the other areas of the park, if I recall 2008 did that fairly well with both set scarezones as well as both the Chainsaw and Zombie Drill teams.

4. A meatier website

Last year's website was barebones to say the least, it was hard to get hyped up for the event when they just casually announced everything via facebook and had the most simplistic pages and such for each house. I've always enjoyed the build up of previous years with the evolving websites, it always kept me coming back day after day to see if anything new popped up.

Last year however, not so much. There really wasn't anything to keep me focused on it, so I truly hope this years site is a whole lot meatier. The bare bones approach is just really lame since we all know how good it can be.

[LV-426]

This is from another thread I had posted in and felt would be helpful here.

When I went to see TJ at "The Creation of a Horrifying Reality" back in October at Elixir Orlando he was willing to answer any question thrown his way regarding this present year and previous years. After the show, the people that had joined me and I got to spend a good twenty minutes just shooting the breeze and talking about the event with him. One of the questions I asked him that night was "Have you considered doing a two park event again?" and "What's up with HHN at IOA and the feasibility of the event with Potter/Seuss?"

He answered them pretty easily. Regarding the question about doing a two park event, he said "It's always on the table. We've thought about going back to a two park format and just haven't had an idea for an event that warrants doing both parks again. Especially when it comes to Islands of Adventure. It was a fantastic location for the event, especially with it's narrow walkways. When we did the event in '06, we felt the event would succeed more in a realistic setting and have large and wide walkways. Thus bringing it back to the studios. The only drawback and perk of IOA is that the majority of the events we'd like to have over there would preferably have to deal with fantasy related themes. One of the reason Terra Cruentas was such a success for us was because of the setting the park gave to us."

As for the Potter/Suess question, he said "We've been able to do the event in Suess and we've been able to modify the area a bit with fog, backwards Suess Landing music, and even cloaked characters at points. We haven't done the event at Island since the Wizarding World was added."

I asked if they were allowed to have HHN at IOA and use the Potter area. He said, "Super easy answer to that one, haha. We haven't asked them if we can yet."

I don't know. I don't know how they could not try to do an event that would fit IOA theme in 2012 with the lack of space they had.

I mean, I understand what he is saying but I have a hard time seeing it. They rather wait to make an event that makes sense with the IOA settings than give us a proper HHN event in 2012? give us 8 houses and regular scarezones? kinda sounds insane to me.

I mean, if that is the case I guess there is hope but I just don't really buy the "fantasy related themes" bit. Kinda sucks that they will rather give an incomplete event than use part of IOA if that was the case.

Edited January 3, 2013 by Mr. Black

[boogeyman13]

Great vid, Corey! You've got yourself another subscriber!

[TsunamiFox]

I'm on vacation and today I did a maze - apprently the largest in the world, haha. Anyways, this is the first legitimate maze I have done (as far as I can remember). It reminded me a lot of the Field of Screams scarezone in 2004. If I remember anything from that year (I was in elementary school at the time), one of them was the Field of Screams scarezone. It was very neat! A similar concept was executed in 2006 - Harvest of the Souls. Harvest of the Souls. I didn't attend 2006, regardless, doesn't that name just sound bad ass!! These are only two of the several instances where HHN has incorporated traditional/harvest Halloween into the game! I'm a huge fan of traditional Halloween (one of the reasons I am a Morphan), but it would be really cool to see a house or zone that was again, a corn field and possibly a legit maze. That'd be fun!

Let's do something where they take Halloween back to it's sacrificial roots as well!

[PeoriaBJJ]

Looking at what happened last year, this is what I'd like to see.

1. Drop the synergy

Seriously, I think the attempted synergy between both Hollywood and Orlando hurt more then it helped. If both parks want to do a shared event theme, that's fine. However forcing certain themes and houses on a event which had other plans in mind (Orlando) brings up this issue.

2. Let A&D do the IP's they want

Looking at the footage from both Hollywood and Orlando, it was rather obvious that Hollywood wanted to do houses like TWD, Silent Hill and Alice Cooper. Orlando on the other hand, not so much. As much as I like Silent Hill, I was bummed to hear Orlando had to shelve a American Werewolf in London house to make room for SH. Thinking about it, I honestly feel a AWiL house would have been better then SH.

Orlando has shown they can make a great IP/Inspired-by house, but it has to be one they want. Forcing it on them like what happened last year, it'll be a decent house....but not as good as a original house, Inspired-by or a IP they have the passion to do.

3. Bring back the set scarezones

Orlando was another example that shows Roaming Hordes on their own is a nice idea on paper, but not the best in execution.

One of the biggest issues with soley Roaming Hordes is the sheer lack of parkwide atmosphere, blue lights and a couple graveyard pieces are nothing compared to what the park has done in the past.

Set scarezones help quite a bit with the atmosphere, and personally I'd like to see a return of the really grand scarezones that they've done in the past. (Though don't do the budget cuts that plagued 2011's "blink and you'll miss them" zones)

What I'd also like to see is a mix of set scarezones and a couple hordes to fill in the other areas of the park, if I recall 2008 did that fairly well with both set scarezones as well as both the Chainsaw and Zombie Drill teams.

4. A meatier website

Last year's website was barebones to say the least, it was hard to get hyped up for the event when they just casually announced everything via facebook and had the most simplistic pages and such for each house. I've always enjoyed the build up of previous years with the evolving websites, it always kept me coming back day after day to see if anything new popped up.

Last year however, not so much. There really wasn't anything to keep me focused on it, so I truly hope this years site is a whole lot meatier. The bare bones approach is just really lame since we all know how good it can be.

It sickens me to think we missed out on an AWIL house.... i love that dang movie so much. I was excited about Silent Hill to but IMO it fell flat. I hope they do teh AWIL sometime. Just not this year bc Im pretty sure I have to miss the event. I will have a 5 month old by that time. Not sure if I can swing it... maybe I'll tell my wife Im going to get her ice cream and come back 4 days later????

[boogeyman13]

I'm on vacation and today I did a maze - apprently the largest in the world, haha. Anyways, this is the first legitimate maze I have done (as far as I can remember). It reminded me a lot of the Field of Screams scarezone in 2004. If I remember anything from that year (I was in elementary school at the time), one of them was the Field of Screams scarezone. It was very neat! A similar concept was executed in 2006 - Harvest of the Souls. Harvest of the Souls. I didn't attend 2006, regardless, doesn't that name just sound bad ass!! These are only two of the several instances where HHN has incorporated traditional/harvest Halloween into the game! I'm a huge fan of traditional Halloween (one of the reasons I am a Morphan), but it would be really cool to see a house or zone that was again, a corn field and possibly a legit maze. That'd be fun!

Let's do something where they take Halloween back to it's sacrificial roots as well!

I'm absolutely for anything that uses traditional Halloween motifs or iconography. I'd still love to see Esqueleto Muerte make it into a house. Dia de los Muertos has some great visual appeal that you could base a great house around.

[King_K.]

I'm absolutely for anything that uses traditional Halloween motifs or iconography. I'd still love to see Esqueleto Muerte make it into a house. Dia de los Muertos has some great visual appeal that you could base a great house around.

A Dia De Los Muertos house would work perfectly if done in a 3D motif and as a serious house. Like In-Between.