Jump to content

Excitement poll: How excited were you, and are you now, for HHN25?


Excitement poll: How excited were you, and are you now, for HHN25?  

61 members have voted

  1. 1. How excited were you for HHN25 around Jack's announcement?

    • 1
      1
    • 2
      0
    • 3
      1
    • 4
      1
    • 5
      1
    • 6
      9
    • 7
      7
    • 8
      14
    • 9
      9
    • 10
      18
  2. 2. How excited are you as of today, knowing what we know?

    • 1
      3
    • 2
      1
    • 3
      0
    • 4
      2
    • 5
      1
    • 6
      4
    • 7
      11
    • 8
      14
    • 9
      7
    • 10
      18


Recommended Posts

From my observations I think the tone has changed for how people are anticipating the event. I wanted to see what you all were thinking. Were you when Jack was announced - and are you now knowing what we know?

I was at an 8. I thought the initial marketing as on point. Made me feel they were returning to form. Add that it's the 25th anniversary and I thought it'd be special.

Knowing what we now know, marketing is really hurting this year. Jack seems to be an afterthought (and I don't think his tone is menacing compared to the grim Caretaker/Director styles), the houses seem corporate driven and we can already anticipate what we will see, the Purge may be back (?), there's an abundance of non-original content (and for the stuff that is coming it seems...not surprising).

Edited by criticalanalysis
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1st off, I'd like to say that whoever was responsible for leaking the house list back in March (possibly earlier) should not have a job at Universal anymore. Talk about dropping the ball completely. I know there are a handful of people here that have had sources over the years who leak this info, but has there ever been a year where the info was dropped this early and been correct? In my opinion, it pretty much ruined the whole season of speculation which I've learned could be almost as fun as attending the event. This also set the tone for what has followed thus far.

It seems to me that the marketing department is more or less set on autopilot mode. I believe they had the chance to make this year something extra special, but now that we're already roughly 1/3 of the way into announcements, I see now that they are incapable of putting a theme together that actually makes any sense so they just have decided not to have 1 at all.  Second, why bother tossing Jack out there as a potential icon if you're not even going to use him throughout the rest of the marketing campaign? No one over there could take the time to come up with a story of how/why he has returned or maybe figure out a way to incorporate him into the introductions of the houses going forward? Also... How much effort does it take to do something a little more interesting than regurgitating similar tweets over and over again? Maybe use more than 1 or 2 of the same picture? Has anyone compared how much more active Murdy is on twitter vs. Mike? 

I'm still excited to go to the event obviously, but I think what bothers me most about this year might be the return of AWiL. This isn't the case because I don't think the house could be decent, it's because of what it symbolizes. I think they chose it to cut costs and because it probably took less effort to just redo it. It just seems like there has been a lack of effort overall in my opinion. Whether it was the failed attempt at keeping the houses secret, the ip copy and paste houses, the weak attempt at marketing Jack, the lack of a cohesive story for the event as a whole, or even our weak twitter updates, I just don't get the feel that there is any creative fire left over there.

When the highlight of the marketing campaign so far has been Mike going to the UK (and getting a free vacation out of it), I think there is a problem. He goes all the way there to share a 1st look at something that he realizes he can't even show when he gets there? C'mon man. 

Universal is just lucky that there isn't someone out there with a lot of money to spend on a Halloween attraction, because if they had any real competition they'd be in trouble.

 

Edited by ThNdIzNiR
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're entirely right. What's even more hilarious is that all they'd need to do to keep the house/scarezone reveals more interesting is to have Jack, as you said, introduce it. Put some sort of story together. Then I'm back on board. Now this seems like a fake return to the glory days, too much corporate involvement, zero marketing, minimal effort, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also... How much effort does it take to do something a little more interesting than regurgitating similar tweets over and over again? Maybe use more than 1 or 2 of the same picture? Has anyone compared how much more active Murdy is on twitter vs. Mike?

 

 

This is so true, we barely get an update yet Murdy is always answering peoples questions and giving everybody over at Hollywood constant updates, I too am sick of seeing the same tweets, may as well post nothing at all if they are just going to keep posting the same thing over and over.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am excited about this event every year regardless of what is announced. People will always complain but the event is always amazing regardless if a house has been there multiple times or not.

That's not true. There's a huge difference between the older event and the newer event - the newer having the benefit of technology, budget, and scale, the older having the benefit of more free reign, atmosphere, creativity, and originality.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My excitement level was high around the Jack announcement, but has steadily dropped as the announcements have been confirming the huge commercial IP content.  I have nothing but disinterest for Walking Dead (again), Scream, Jason and or Freddy, Insidious, etc. 

And Hollywood?  I may totally skip it this year since it's 100% IP.

If I want to experience the movie again, I'll watch Netflix.  At least there's not an hour wait in line that way.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 when Jack was being announced.
I was already waffling on attending.

1 now I'm not going I really don't care.

Don't get me wrong I LOVE HHN. I've been 23 of the 24 years. I, up until recently, had over 100 shirts, glass, and various other tchotchkes. I moderate a site. I run my OWN site dedicated to horror and I report on HHN. I spend half the year building for Halloween and, more than once, I built replicas of things I saw at HHN. I know many of the creator's on a first name basis as well and I covet their artwork. (I'm like the crazy HHN hoarder sometimes)

I just can't support such a cash grubbing cow anymore. Both on principle and quite literally. I hate where it is going. I love the creativity from A&D but I hate the corporate meddling that has become absolute. The crowds are too much and I absolutely REFUSE to buy express passes of any kind (be it HHN or no). If I can't enjoy my time for the price of admission then I will not go. 

They have a wonderful and rich past that isn't all about bringing the damned Walking Dead back again and again, rehashing AWIL that we just had, and whatever else is the Soupe du jour currently. But that doesn't attract more people (and therefore money) to the already insanely saturated fiasco HHN has become (and to an extent the theme parks themselves).

When I add it all up, it just makes more sense to spend the money events I will enjoy (even if it means I miss out on a few things i could potentially enjoy). I will inevitably do more, see more, stress less, and enjoy more without HHN.

Edited by JDW
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 when Jack was being announced.
I was already waffling on attending.

1 now I'm not going I really don't care.

Don't get me wrong I LOVE HHN. I've been 23 of the 24 years. I, up until recently, had over 100 shirts, glass, and various other tchotchkes. I moderate a site. I run my OWN site dedicated to horror and I report on HHN. I spend half the year building for Halloween and, more than once, I built replicas of things I saw at HHN. I know many of the creator's on a first name basis as well and I covet their artwork. (I'm like the crazy HHN hoarder sometimes)

I just can't support such a cash grubbing cow anymore. Both on principle and quite literally. I hate where it is going. I love the creativity from A&D but I hate the corporate meddling that has become absolute. The crowds are too much and I absolutely REFUSE to buy express passes of any kind (be it HHN or no). If I can't enjoy my time for the price of admission then I will not go. 

They have a wonderful and rich past that isn't all about bringing the damned Walking Dead back again and again, rehashing AWIL that we just had, and whatever else is the Soupe du jour currently. But that doesn't attract more people (and therefore money) to the already insanely saturated fiasco HHN has become (and to an extent the theme parks themselves).

When I add it all up, it just makes more sense to spend the money events I will enjoy (even if it means I miss out on a few things i could potentially enjoy). I will inevitably do more, see more, stress less, and enjoy more without HHN.

Precisely right. I've gone to other haunts that are honestly better than HHN at this point. Hell, in Howl-o-Scream even though they repeat houses I STILL have a better time. HHN lost its touch. They misunderstand the fans come because of the first X number of years that put them on the national map. The General Public absolutely do care about the event - many times the "favorite" is the original. If you look at their Twitter most of the feedback is pretty negative this year. I don't even spend half as much as I used to  - no merch, no alcohol, nothing.

It's like the company that just assumes they're always going to dominate. Sure, they may hit the top, but competitors will come. There's going to be a point with HHN that if they don't get back to what makes them fantastic (true creepy horror and originality) others WILL take their place. It may be slow, it may be over time.

I only go because I don't want to miss a year. But I buy a ticket. Nothing else. If they would have more originality, more adult themes, and less IPs (use ONLY good IPs like Halloween, AWIL, etc - but no repeats, please) fans will not only come, but they'll have more to anticipate and speak about since they won't know what original horrors they'll face.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

This is usually the time of year when my family and I vacation. We found HHN by accident in 2005. We visit florida in the fall because of the smaller crouds. In March we pick the week we go, and we make the best of it.

Here in the Philadelphia area, haunted attractions can run you $40-$60 a person for one attraction or house. That's without express or anything else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm thoroughly excited as I usually am around this time  of year. Although some houses have been a hit or miss in the past, I still enjoy the attention to detail that goes into each one. I am super psyched to see a Feddy/Jason house as I didn't start going to HHN until 2008. Hopefully, Run will be a house this year as well. It certainly looked like the Run "ring of lights" in the Construction thread (the photo with Jaws in the Disaster que). I hope I'm right!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They didn't forget anything and they don't misunderstand anything. They figured out a way to make more money and they're going to keep doing that. The problem with that is they don't seem to want to realize what they're doing is going stale because they want to keep making as much as possible. To them, getting recognizable, familiar, established brands is their way of doing that. It will work, but eventually it will hurt them if they don't keep things fresh. People do get bored after being even slightly unimpressed repeatedly, and lets face it, they definitely don't have the stellar reputation that they once had and were so proud of.

Also, those ticket prices are insulting. They're going to repeat material for years and up their prices? No thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They didn't forget anything and they don't misunderstand anything. They figured out a way to make more money and they're going to keep doing that. The problem with that is they don't seem to want to realize what they're doing is going stale because they want to keep making as much as possible. To them, getting recognizable, familiar, established brands is their way of doing that. It will work, but eventually it will hurt them if they don't keep things fresh. People do get bored after being even slightly unimpressed repeatedly, and lets face it, they definitely don't have the stellar reputation that they once had and were so proud of.

Also, those ticket prices are insulting. They're going to repeat material for years and up their prices? No thanks.

Well, to reconstruct a house isn't cheap. They also hired twice as many scarezone actors. I'm sure the quality of the houses is up a bit more, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I was sold when Jack was announced. I LOVE LOVE LOVE carnival themes. One of the first local haunted house I worked for did well on their first year and I convinced them to do a carnie theme year after and that just blew the roof off the joint almost with how popular it became. I had so much fun and I was hoping on seeing some insane circus/carnival theme around the whole area almost. The atmosphere I just adore. But then it went bye bye. Now I don't even know whats going on.

And I'm also very disappointed that the leaked list was pretty much on point for the entire event. Leaves all mystery out pretty much. You couldn't speculate anything because it was all "No THIS is what's happening" And well.... it was..

I'm still hoping they bring a lot more to the table than everyone thinks. You really won't know until the sets are fully up and people are fully in costume to really see how it all turns out. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...