Halloween Horror Nights 25 Wishful Thinking

[JackTheREAPER]

So, if they have 3 headliners, I think having an icon house, a sequel, and 4 originals would be a strong enough event to shatter attendance records yet again.

I like this idea. It could happen. And don't forget: It being the 25th anniversary, maybe we see a jump to 9 or 10 houses instead of only 8. Then, we get 6 Originals and 3 or 4 IPs. A dominant side for original houses, great scarezones that are as good as HHN14-21's scarezones, the return of icons, and I think we may get a an event that returns us to the "golden ages" style of the event. Some part of me doubts all of this, but a lot of me says it happens. After all, it's 100% possible, Especially since lots of original content including actual scarezones were introduced to the newcomers to the event for HHN24.

Here's my view:

for HHN24, Universal brought back scarezones. NOW, they are bringing back icons. Or at least Jack. This leads me to believe, that we keep getting closer to how the event was originally. The way that we all loved it. I'm telling you, we keep taking steps closer, and that's a good thing.

Edited November 20, 2014 by JackTheREAPER

[Legacy]

AHS is not a lock. Not by a long shot. If you think about the fact they couldn't get it before, then you have to wonder if Uni would bother again. The fact that Jack IS a lock hurts AHS's chances even more. Why would they dare put AHS (and the immediate interest in Freak Show) at an event where they could create their own with an arguably more popular clown as its focus?

TWD and Insideous are the closest "locks" I would expect. But I'm still holding out hope they wisen up a use Z Nation (it's cheaper, synergetic and potentially more varied), so even TWD may be more precarious than previous years. Seeing Ghostbusters on the survey throws the chances of that happening over fifty percent as well. I'd expect Freddy vs Jason at this point, and depending on when the Evil Dead TV show launches, we could see a house based on the original or Army of Darkness. Hell, depending on the story, Purge 3 could become a house as well.

[foREVer56]

That was only if they could even get the rights. If they can't/don't wanna try again, then I'd replace that slot with Insidious, as it's one of the highest rated mazes of all time in Hollywood and the third one comes out next year.

I speculated FvJ a month or so ago and still firmly believe it's at the very least being looked at, especially after they did AvP. Ghostbusters has a chance, but I highly doubt ED would happen again, based on the TV show or original or not. I see Purge staying in NY. Would cost probably very little prop/set wise as they can just reuse everything from this year and maybe add in a couple things here and there.

Z Nation would be awesome to replace TWD, if not only based on the fact that it's NOT TWD. Maybe, if they seriously had to, they could give TWD a break next year and use Z Nation (or neither) and bring it back in 2016 (or just don't bring it back). I'm sure there's a good chunk of attendees who wouldn't mind giving next year a break if it'll have TWD for the fourth time in a row. But then again there's probably even more who will wanna keep it there till the end of time.

[JackTheREAPER]

That was only if they could even get the rights.

Well, Z Nation is a Syfy show. So is Face Off, which they got the rights to. I'm sure they could easily get Z Nation to come to the event.

[Legacy]

Comcast owns SyFy AND the Universal parks. Rights are a non-issue.

[JackTheREAPER]

Out of all the icons we could get, I would choose Jack as one of the last that I would want to see. HOWEVER, If it's Jack or TWD, I pick Jack. I want an icon. I want originals, I want more than a simple IP non-themed year like the past few. And if Jack is the only option, by hell, I want to see him. Jack > TWD = Original > IP

I will honestly only accept 2 IPs for the 25th anniversary. It would be ridiculous to leave out all the amazing original content for the anniversary of the event's golden years. And if we see IPs, (Which we will obviously) I will honestly say they better be good ones. I want to see Freddy Vs. Jason or even Insidious. Just please give us something a little more haunt-like.

I think foREVer56 made a great point. No one came for HHN24 to see Dracula Untold or FDTD. The only properties that had crowds were AvP, TWD, and Halloween. This shows that they only need 2 or 3 IPs to draw in crowds. For HHN25, all they need is TWD and something else worthy of bringing in IP fans. Freddy Vs Jason is a great one. So if we could just get 2 big IPs that will bring in the crowds, then everything else can be Originals, which has to have the upper hand for the 25th anniversary.

Hopefully if we DO get a "New Age" style event for the 25th anniversary, (which was what XX did) then I hope this "new age" is a return to the "golden age". HHN20 gave us a new age. Unfortunately we didn't know that the "new age" would bring us a Walking Dead overload, an overuse of IPs, and a change of technique. I really do hope this 25th anniversary is an event that finally introduces the old golden age style of the event to the newer fans.

Edited November 21, 2014 by JackTheREAPER

[criticalanalysis]

I think foREVer56 made a great point. No one came for HHN24 to see Dracula Untold or FDTD. The only properties that had crowds were AvP, TWD, and Halloween. This shows that they only need 2 or 3 IPs to draw in crowds. For HHN25, all they need is TWD and something else worthy of bringing in IP fans. Freddy Vs Jason is a great one. So if we could just get 2 big IPs that will bring in the crowds, then everything else can be Originals, which has to have the upper hand for the 25th anniversary.

Hopefully if we DO get a "New Age" style event for the 25th anniversary, (which was what XX did) then I hope this "new age" is a return to the "golden age". HHN20 gave us a new age. Unfortunately we didn't know that the "new age" would bring us a Walking Dead overload, an overuse of IPs, and a change of technique. I really do hope this 25th anniversary is an event that finally introduces the old golden age style of the event to the newer fans.

Absolutely agree. And by the way, Catacombs was awesome

EDIT: And for people who don't believe me the event was different, look at these two pictures of the Body Collectors' queue line (notice the eerie ambiance and video):

http://www.hhncrypt.com/gallery/2005/slides/HHNXIVi041.jpg

http://www.hhncrypt.com/gallery/2005/slides/HHNXIVi042.jpg

Also, please let it be known that I think the older years had WAY too much variance in it. Some zones and houses were low budget and beyond cheesy. I appreciate the newer events' theatrics, but miss the cohesive atmosphere of the old. That said, I love some of the darkness, innovation, etc of the newer years. However, I will refuse to admit 2012-2014 HHN exists (sans Halloween, AWIL, Gothic, Dead End).

Edited November 21, 2014 by criticalanalysis

[JackTheREAPER]

Also, please let it be known that I think the older years had WAY too much variance in it. Some zones and houses were low budget and beyond cheesy. I appreciate the newer events' theatrics, but miss the cohesive atmosphere of the old. That said, I love some of the darkness, innovation, etc of the newer years. However, I will refuse to admit 2012-2014 HHN exists (sans Halloween, AWIL, Gothic, Dead End).

Well, because of the improvement in theatrics and new technical effects (such as puppets, sets, costumes, etc), if HHN brings back the atmosphere and ambiance of those older years, imagine what the event would be like. It would be amazing. I will say that the event has without a doubt improved in sets and effects. We haven't seen any majorly cheesy or low budget houses since HHN22. Everything has been higher budget and quality. So imagine if they brought back the old atmosphere of the event and applied these elements to it. That being said, I have high hopes that HHN25 brings this.

[Johnny Topside]

Well that took a turn... anyway I'd like to see a Shining house. Or a house about the history of halloween in different cultures, sort of like the halloween tree but not necessarily based on that book.

[Guest]

Removed some posts that were off-topic. Let's please keep things civil or I will have to start handing out warnings. Thanks!

Why don't we have separate Wishful Thinking and Speculation threads this year?

We wanted to try something different.

[JackTheREAPER]

So... back to HHN25... I think we get a both park event. Not sure if we already went over this but any thoughts? (Just to get back on track)

[HHN UK]

Things I don't see coming to HHN 25 - Hannibal , Hitchcock , the strain and AHS. Things I do see coming TWD and a Purge house .

[IheartNARWHALS]

Interesting about the Purge house. I think this IP will only be a success in the streets. Maybe the first movie would work in a house but I can see that getting old and dull very quickly. Just going through a literal house as people jump out of rooms and stuff. Not much variety. I don't keep up with these movies but I know there is one coming out next year. Does anyone know where the film will be taking place?

Edited November 22, 2014 by IheartNARWHALS

[Arsik_22]

What Id love to see:

- Director maze (possibly doing the Hitchcock mash up since they mentioned him in the survey? I'd prefer other properties though)

-American Horror Story: Freakshow

-Freddy Vs Jason

-Insidious (Scenes from all 3 movies)

- Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Loved Hollywoods version in 07 and it was my first year so it'd be cool to see Orlando's take on my second year at Orlando's event.)

- Storyteller maze (Don't know much about her but she always intrigued me. A fairy tale type maze if it hasn't been done with her involved before?)

-Caretaker maze (I basically just want to see original mazes/icons since it's the 25th and I loved Dollhouse and Roanoke this year - Id love to see more of what the creative team can do)

-Jack the Clown maze (maybe - but I know it'd be an issue if freakshow happened)

-Walking Dead - loved the maze and I know it's inevitably coming back so might as well accept it.

[Ecto_Freak]

I'm a Veteran of HHN and have been going for a LONG time; do I want it to go back to its glory days? Yes and No...

I just want corp and marketing to allow A&D to try NEW things, the AWIL puppets were new and were AMAZING. The event the last few yrs is very very cookie cutter.

Hell HHN Singapore screams old skool HHN but it has a modern twist to it and its cool.

Lets make the event scary again...

[JackTheREAPER]

The one reason I was hoping that HHN25 was a two park event, is for one reason in particular. Jurassic World. I know, this has been brought up for a maze idea. I'm thinking a scarezone. In the Jurassic Park side of Islands Of Adventure. Here's a short description for the 2015 Jurassic World movie:

Set 22-years after the first film, the new film finds that John Hammond’s (Richard Attenborough) original vision has finally become a reality. The park, on Isla Nublar off the coast of Costa Rica, has become the number one tourist destination in the world. Not only are there dinosaurs, but there is also just about every other amenity you could hope for in a resort like this, including rides. When a new breed of genetically manufactured dino breaks free, it wreaks havoc on the park.

Definitely sounds good. Imagine a scarezone for this. Since Jurassic Park at IOA is very forest-like and somewhat narrow, it makes for an awesome scarezone. Especially for this new film. I can definitely see loads of fog, lots of plantation (which is already provided from the pathways), and some good scare spots. Add some scary growling noises, and some dark but fire-like lighting, and you have a scary jurassic world scarezone. The plants and bushes on the sides of the walkways make greta hiding spots for actors. Now, for the actors, I can see them being injured victims from the dino. All scratched up, or missing limbs. As for the dino... I wonder... A scarezone Puppet? That would be amazing. A giant dinosaur puppet coming out of the "forest" of narrow walkways. Coming right at you, with a loud roar! This is all ideas coming straight from my head, but this would just be awesome. Even for a dinosaur scarezone.

[Legacy]

They had raptors hiding in the bushes in 2002 (the island was a zone). It was basically the upper portion of the dinosaur and they would pop out of leaves. It was fun.

[IheartNARWHALS]

I'm not sure if calling me out was a mean-spirited barb or a complement. I just try to keep things in the wheelhouse of realism with heavy dosages of cynicism.

Logistically, Treehouse of Horrors is possible. Plausible is where I have to throw up my flag (at least as a ride) because voices are expensive. A scarezone is far more feasible... I just don't think it would be any good.

Definitely a compliment. I don't make fun of people intentionally. But that was my thinking on the overlay. I remember you saying before that they tried to make the overlay when the ride first opened but a disagreement with some voice actors brought it to a halt.

But thinking about it now it would be kind of weird. It would just be people with yellow skin or something like that. Bad idea. Moving on xD

[IheartNARWHALS]

Announcing Jack so early makes me nervous for seeing AHS. Freak Show especially. FX might see that as a conflict of interest. Unless in some twist of faith, AHS ties Jack into the show in someway shape or form. This is some very wishful thinking but I am just starting to watch Freak Show. Literally watching the first episode as I'm typing this. xD

[JackTheREAPER]

As of now, there is a very very small chance we see AHS for HHN25, unless it's all the seasons and not just FreakShow. I say we see an AHS season combination house somewhere up the line but not for this year, especially because of Jack. But don't forget: HHN Hollywood AND Orlando have tried to get the rights to AHS numerous times but the creator of the show is very protective of it. I doubt we get it because of that.

[Johnny Topside]

I think doing AHS as a whole would be cool and a good why for some awesome scereny changes. I would also like to see another house based in history, I know Roanoke wasn't too well received but I enjoyed it. And it would be cool to see another house with real historical roots. Maybe like Chernobyl or Poveglia.

[ForeverEvil1]

I think doing AHS as a whole would be cool and a good why for some awesome scereny changes. I would also like to see another house based in history, I know Roanoke wasn't too well received but I enjoyed it. And it would be cool to see another house with real historical roots. Maybe like Chernobyl or Poveglia.

I would also like to see another history house. Roanoke was okay, but the sets got a little boring and the house just wasn't really scary besides the ceiling scare that somehow got me everytime. The problem is that cannibals are sort of meh if you already have zombies in the event, considering the zombies are already sort of meh.

[JackTheREAPER]

history house = Nightengales 2

[Johnny Topside]

I'd like to see:

History based house

Nightingale 2

Nightmare on Elm Street (or FvJ)

Halloween house (the holiday not the movie)

The Shining

Jack/past icon maze

An Urban legends house

I really enjoyed the all night Die-in idea that was said earlier.

Oh! More Universal Monsters please!!

[JackTheREAPER]

I'd say we get multiple icon houses since it's an anniversary.

I'm hoping to see a Jack house that takes place at the Giggles N Gore clown factory, where the clown minions have rebuilt him. "Giggles N Gore Inc 2: Jacked Up" or "Giggles N Gore: hiJACKED". A generic Jack house could also be a 3D house.

As for a history based house... what could be used besides Nightengales 2

Edited November 24, 2014 by JackTheREAPER