HHN 27 Discussion

[traveller]

I've been going every year since 04, Have yet to see a fight or a guest getting out of hand. as said before there

is a lot of mayhem , but in a good way. I have seen fights at UO, but not during HHN. This past March there was 

 2 families scraping in Sans area. Security was on it in a flash. The only time I seen someone puke was after

riding the Hulk.  Hulk can make some people turn as green as he is.

[Jediwhit82]

9 minutes ago, BenjaminNicholas said:

My main concern is HHN Orlando being up to speed this weekend.  Full props, full stages, full costuming.  EVERYTHING.

 

We pay thousands to attend this event.  We deserve a 100% show.  Irma was a bitch, yes, but she's gone now...  Work hard to use these few off days to get things where they need to be.  Opening weekend felt like so many things were missing.  They can and need to remedy this.

 

If Uni isn't offering me a discount on tickets or tours, I expect the event to be a finished product when I get there.

 

 

Same.

[DraculaTeeth]

57 minutes ago, ThNdIzNiR said:

I always read about people complaining about how many drunks are at the event. I've been going since HHN 20 and I've never seen 1 drunken fight. I'm not even sure that I've seen anyone get sick (outside a restroom). There are a bunch a of rowdy/loud people all over, but who cares about that? These people are just having a good time and letting loose.

 

I don't get it... I've yet to come across any drunken people problems in all the time I've gone. 

 

Well for me I only started going last year but the second time I've ever been I was there with family & we were unfortunately walking next to a very inebriated couple, one half of which decides to throw her almost empty beer cup across the crowd hitting a lady walking further ahead, but the woman she hit turned around and looked at ME like I did it. 

 

While I know random unfortunate situations like that one are pretty much unavoidable (even if it did go dry, which I doubt it ever will, there's always City Walk) if these changes even possibly deter the people that will act up like that when they drink from going to HHN, then I'm for it. 

[HHN_jsg277]

I will be at HHN in 25 days and look forward to being drunk both nights I'm there courtesy of mystery drinks in blinky cups.

 

That is all.

[Oysterhead00]

13 minutes ago, traveller said:

I've been going every year since 04, Have yet to see a fight or a guest getting out of hand. as said before there

is a lot of mayhem , but in a good way. I have seen fights at UO, but not during HHN. This past March there was 

 2 families scraping in Sans area. Security was on it in a flash. The only time I seen someone puke was after

riding the Hulk.  Hulk can make some people turn as green as he is.

 

I've seen 3 fights since HHN14.  One was at Bill & Ted (MIGHT have been the Bushwood Magic Show or RHPS, was definitely a show and like a decade ago) where a guy stood up an started punching a guy sitting behind him.  Not 100% sure what happened, but the puncher's girlfriend/wife stood up and basically poured beer out of her purse when they were being ushered out and her shirt was soaking wet.  I think the punchee spilled a whole beer on her and her purse.  Second time was some schmuck trying to start something with a group of guys who just ignored him for a while.  Then he flipped off a guy's hat and started to take off and crashed into someone and the guy came and punched him in the face twice....and then just walked back to his group of friends like nothing even happened.  You could argue neither were really fights as they were one sided and, to an extent, justified.  Lastly, saw a couple 18ish year olds fighting outside the SF restrooms by Bill and Ted's...both throwing punches but not landing much.  Then one of the guys either fell off the sidewalk, or tripped on the step up to the curb and went down and the other guy split.  I've seen more fights at at every individual sporting event and large concert I've been to than I've seen at all the HHN's combined.

 

Last year (or maybe the year before) I saw security carrying a passed out girl and recently saw a guy on the ground handcuffed yelling and screaming about something.  Also, last year (according to an event coordinator on a podcast) some 22 year old punks got wasted, somehow stole potatoes from Twisted Taters, and were throwing them at scareactors in SanFran.  Saw someone else getting cuffed at the "old" security with the officer holding a bag full of minibar bottles of liquor.  And, hilariously, some kid who looked waaaay underage had tried to sneak a huge bottle of Jack Daniels stuffed in his shorts and when security called him on it, he took it out and then just bolted into the crowd between old security and ticket swipe.  Not sure if they got him or not.

 

That's about it.  That's pretty amazing given the atmosphere and (previous) overabundance of easily accessible alcohol.  And, as my second paragraph of stories illustrate, the worst drunks that cause the few problems that there are will just try to sneak in their liquor anyway.

[traveller]

23 minutes ago, Oysterhead00 said:

I've seen more fights at at every individual sporting event and large concert I've been to than I've seen at all the HHN's combined.

 I agree, I raced at our local dirt track for several years, the only way there was not a fight(s) was if they were closed.

 

[SnuggleKillz]

So now that opening weekend has passed--- what's the deal with the soul collectors?   What was the point in all of that? I guess those damn wallpapers were a must have.

 

Forgive me if this has been touched on already, I may have passed over

 

[Grime]

On 9/18/2017 at 3:20 PM, Oysterhead00 said:

 

Beverages are $12+tax each this year and the discount for refills of your blinky cup is a pitiful $0.30. 

 

Eh? I refilled my $12 for $8 or $9 twice last weekend just like the sign said. It's not much especially considering the alcohol content you get, but it's definitely a few bucks and not a couple cents.

 

Personally I stop at a friends house and throw back a rum and coke before driving in at 6 (to be clear, I don't drive after drinking. I meant this as riding in with friends who are driving). Around 9 I'll go to Finnegans for another (proper) drink on weeknights. If I don't have to work the next day (Friday nights) I'll have a drink around 8 and then another around 10 and be good for the rest of the night.

 

It sucks that you can't hang out at Finnegans, but it keeps the line moving for what is really the best liquor spot in the park right now. It's also worth it to get friendly with the bartenders. I chatted with 3 or 4 of them while waiting for our drinks last weekend and when we came back for seconds they really loaded us up on the good stuff. I'm going to assume because we were courteous, asked how their night was going, said please and thanks, and left a proper tip for quality service.

 

If you help them relax, be genuinely polite, and give them an ear to vent to, even for just a few minutes, and they'll definitely hook you up.

[Oysterhead00]

29 minutes ago, Grime said:

 

Eh? I refilled my $12 for $8 or $9 twice last weekend just like the sign said. It's not much especially considering the alcohol content you get, but it's definitely a few bucks and not a couple cents.

 

Personally I stop at a friends house and throw back a rum and coke before driving in at 6. Around 9 I'll go to Finnegans for another (proper) drink on weeknights. If I don't have to work the next day (Friday nights) I'll have a drink around 8 and then another around 10 and be good for the rest of the night.

 

It sucks that you can't hang out at Finnegans, but it keeps the line moving for what is really the best liquor spot in the park right now. It's also worth it to get friendly with the bartenders. I chatted with 3 or 4 of them while waiting for our drinks last weekend and when we came back for seconds they really loaded us up on the good stuff. I'm going to assume because we were courteous, asked how their night was going, said please and thanks, and left a proper tip for quality service.

 

If you help them relax, be genuinely polite, and give them an ear to vent to, even for just a few minutes, and they'll definitely hook you up.

 

Thanks for the update.  Over on IU someone said it cost $26 for two drinks and $25.40 for two refills.  Must have been a Hollywood person on the wrong forum   Will update my original post.

[zombieman]

Funny stuff reading about the Jello shots, especially considering that because Hollywood is a dry event, the Jello shots are just - Jello...  And people still buy them.

I, for one, am looking forward to the attempt at a dryer event at Orlando.  

 

With so many concurrent changes this year, aside from surveys, I wonder what they will put the blame on in the event ticket sales are down.  Not saying this will be a low attendance year, just asking "what if".  But I would like to point out that Express Passes are still available for all upcoming nights.  In all past years I can recall, at least some Saturdays had been sold out at this point for EP.  In 2005, Thu-Sun EPs were sold out just ahead of the second weekend.  Believe me, I remember that...

 

We have:

• The end of Bill & Ted, which I can only assume will increase turnout, not decrease it
• No icon; lack of an overall theme
• The miserable social media this year
• Difficulty in purchasing alcohol
• Food changes (still not clear what they have exactly changed)
• More original content houses

Why do I see the last one being made the scapegoat?

 

 

In any event, I'm so looking forward to this weekend.  Flying out from L.A. on Thursday.  I live 20 miles from HHN Hollywood and will have attended HHN Orlando first this year.  Weird.

[N i c k]

4 minutes ago, zombieman said:

Funny stuff reading about the Jello shots, especially considering that because Hollywood is a dry event, the Jello shots are just - Jello...  And people still buy them.

I, for one, am looking forward to the attempt at a dryer event at Orlando.  

 

With so many concurrent changes this year, aside from surveys, I wonder what they will put the blame on in the event ticket sales are down.  Not saying this will be a low attendance year, just asking "what if".  But I would like to point out that Express Passes are still available for all upcoming nights.  In all past years I can recall, at least some Saturdays had been sold out at this point for EP.  In 2005, Thu-Sun EPs were sold out just ahead of the second weekend.  Believe me, I remember that...

 

We have:

• The end of Bill & Ted, which I can only assume will increase turnout, not decrease it
• The miserable social media this year
• Difficulty in purchasing alcohol
• Food changes (still not clear what they have exactly changed)
• More original content houses

Why do I see the last one being made the scapegoat?

 

Plus Irma. A lot of Florida was damaged in one way or another and I assume there will be some sort of attendance decrease because of it.

[Pandry]

8 minutes ago, zombieman said:

Funny stuff reading about the Jello shots, especially considering that because Hollywood is a dry event, the Jello shots are just - Jello...  And people still buy them.

I, for one, am looking forward to the attempt at a dryer event at Orlando.  

 

With so many concurrent changes this year, aside from surveys, I wonder what they will put the blame on in the event ticket sales are down.  Not saying this will be a low attendance year, just asking "what if".  But I would like to point out that Express Passes are still available for all upcoming nights.  In all past years I can recall, at least some Saturdays had been sold out at this point for EP.  In 2005, Thu-Sun EPs were sold out just ahead of the second weekend.  Believe me, I remember that...

 

We have:

• The end of Bill & Ted, which I can only assume will increase turnout, not decrease it
• No icon; lack of an overall theme
• The miserable social media this year
• Difficulty in purchasing alcohol
• Food changes (still not clear what they have exactly changed)
• More original content houses

Why do I see the last one being made the scapegoat?

 

 

In any event, I'm so looking forward to this weekend.  Flying out from L.A. on Thursday.  I live 20 miles from HHN Hollywood and will have attended HHN Orlando first this year.  Weird.

 

Is it true that Hollywood IS selling alcohol this year??  I always like to read your coast to coast comparisons.

 

I keep trying to wrap my head around Orlando's alcohol decision.  Part of me thinks it's the usual corporate BS and a way for them to peddle overpriced mixed drinks with just a drip of alcohol in them.  But with the decision supposedly being last minute, it's strange.  Legacy made an interesting, and very plausible, suggestion: the County asked them to reign it in for a bit.  Due to the hurricane and so many homes still without power as of Friday, there's a real strain on local law enforcement right now.  They likely don't have the usual manpower to not only work the event, but to handle all the drinking related incidents.

 

Just to echo other comments as well:  I've been doing HHN since 2004.  I've also been a Disney AP holder for many years.  I can honestly say that at Epcot, especially during Food & Wine, there are more rowdy drunks (though mainly limited to the World Showcase area) than I've ever seen at HHN.  People literally go with t-shirts advertising "drinking around the world." They're not there to ride Spaceship Earth.  They're there to specifically get drunk.

[zombieman]

2 hours ago, Pandry said:

 

Is it true that Hollywood IS selling alcohol this year??

 

I knew of no such rumor, so I Googled it (because Google is the most accurate source of information outside of Pravda).

 

From Undercover Tourist HHN Hollywood 2017 Survival Guide: "This year you can buy alcohol (beer) at Duff's Brewery in Springfield."

 

From HHN Hollywood 2017 FAQ:   Is alcohol served at the event?  Alcohol will not be served nor permitted at Universal Studios Hollywood during Halloween Horror Nights.

 

So there you have it!  Absolute clarity on the subject.  

I'll check with Alexa when I get home.

 

[Oysterhead00]

2 hours ago, zombieman said:

 

I knew of no such rumor, so I Googled it (because Google is the most accurate source of information outside of Pravda).

 

From Undercover Tourist HHN Hollywood 2017 Survival Guide: "This year you can buy alcohol (beer) at Duff's Brewery in Springfield."

 

From HHN Hollywood 2017 FAQ:   Is alcohol served at the event?  Alcohol will not be served nor permitted at Universal Studios Hollywood during Halloween Horror Nights.

 

So there you have it!  Absolute clarity on the subject.  

I'll check with Alexa when I get home.

 

 

It's definitely clear as mud...that's why I'm trying to keep my summary post updated to at least be a bit helpful.   Everywhere I look I see contradictions on everything from price, availability, if there's wine, someone even posted a picture with a heart jello shot allegedly from Orlando that pretty much is universally posted as not being available, etc, etc, etc.  I'm a beer only drinker so I'm the least affected by this, but a bunch of my group are mix drink people so was trying to put together a clear summary for them.

[DarthSpielberg]

11 hours ago, Jediwhit82 said:

Since I can't/ don't care about alcohol, are the freestyle cups back this year?

 

They weren't out this weekend if they are having them. I know the first year they had HHN specific ones they didn't come out until a week or so into the event. Last year they were there on opening day, but last years were awful quality, so I'd hope they'd stick to the same style they have for the regular/AP/Volcano Bay ones

[Jediwhit82]

I want ones like 25. Last year's worked fine for me, but before I left the last day I got them to give me a new one for keepsake purpose.

 

[BenjaminNicholas]

5 hours ago, Pandry said:

Just to echo other comments as well:  I've been doing HHN since 2004.  I've also been a Disney AP holder for many years.  I can honestly say that at Epcot, especially during Food & Wine, there are more rowdy drunks (though mainly limited to the World Showcase area) than I've ever seen at HHN.  People literally go with t-shirts advertising "drinking around the world." They're not there to ride Spaceship Earth.  They're there to specifically get drunk.

 

But Disney seems to do a better job of handling the drunks. 

 

It also helps that it's a mainly daylight park experience, wherein HHN is not.  

 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, zombieman said:

 

I knew of no such rumor, so I Googled it (because Google is the most accurate source of information outside of Pravda).

 

From Undercover Tourist HHN Hollywood 2017 Survival Guide: "This year you can buy alcohol (beer) at Duff's Brewery in Springfield."

 

From HHN Hollywood 2017 FAQ:   Is alcohol served at the event?  Alcohol will not be served nor permitted at Universal Studios Hollywood during Halloween Horror Nights.

 

So there you have it!  Absolute clarity on the subject.  

I'll check with Alexa when I get home.

 

 

There have been pictures of 2017 HHN Holly with beer being sold in Springfield.  They're out there and it's not an entirely dry event anymore.

[clash]

8 hours ago, Oysterhead00 said:

 

I've seen 3 fights since HHN14.  One was at Bill & Ted (MIGHT have been the Bushwood Magic Show or RHPS, was definitely a show and like a decade ago) where a guy stood up an started punching a guy sitting behind him.  Not 100% sure what happened, but the puncher's girlfriend/wife stood up and basically poured beer out of her purse when they were being ushered out and her shirt was soaking wet.  I think the punchee spilled a whole beer on her and her purse.  Second time was some schmuck trying to start something with a group of guys who just ignored him for a while.  Then he flipped off a guy's hat and started to take off and crashed into someone and the guy came and punched him in the face twice....and then just walked back to his group of friends like nothing even happened.  You could argue neither were really fights as they were one sided and, to an extent, justified.  Lastly, saw a couple 18ish year olds fighting outside the SF restrooms by Bill and Ted's...both throwing punches but not landing much.  Then one of the guys either fell off the sidewalk, or tripped on the step up to the curb and went down and the other guy split.  I've seen more fights at at every individual sporting event and large concert I've been to than I've seen at all the HHN's combined.

 

Last year (or maybe the year before) I saw security carrying a passed out girl and recently saw a guy on the ground handcuffed yelling and screaming about something.  Also, last year (according to an event coordinator on a podcast) some 22 year old punks got wasted, somehow stole potatoes from Twisted Taters, and were throwing them at scareactors in SanFran.  Saw someone else getting cuffed at the "old" security with the officer holding a bag full of minibar bottles of liquor.  And, hilariously, some kid who looked waaaay underage had tried to sneak a huge bottle of Jack Daniels stuffed in his shorts and when security called him on it, he took it out and then just bolted into the crowd between old security and ticket swipe.  Not sure if they got him or not.

 

That's about it.  That's pretty amazing given the atmosphere and (previous) overabundance of easily accessible alcohol.  And, as my second paragraph of stories illustrate, the worst drunks that cause the few problems that there are will just try to sneak in their liquor anyway.

 

 

People on fb are losing their freaking crap over the alcohol and organizing mass calling to complain to uni and figuring out new ways to sneak liquor like hiding bags on their boots or on their underwear lol. 

( some are threatening to cancel their vacation or even their annual pass LOL)

I understand drinking is is fun but some people are acting like if they found out that their car was stolen or something... like if they lost all their savings or something  

 

 

Some people were truly fully panicking,  very funny to see really.

 

I never knew some many went to hhn with alcohol being their biggest motivator for going, 

 

Edited September 20, 2017 by clash

[Alice]

RE: Freestyle, I asked the other night and was told by a TM working one of the stands that 'we aren't doing those this year'. I take it with a grain of salt for now since that's just one person's answer. You're always welcome to re-activate a previous HHN cup to use and I saw plenty of that. 

 

People are definitely overreacting to the alcohol changes. 

 

My only issue is this: from what I heard (officially rumour of course but likely true), all of the 'shot girls' who often do every event we have were ready to go do their jobs and came in to find out they weren't needed. Some were reassigned, others were just let go. To me, that's crappy to see as someone who's directly benefitted from UO's generally benevolent treatment of (some) TMs compared to other places. 

 

Also, it'd be a hell of a waste if all those shots were ready to be served and ended up being destroyed after this decision. That's just a thought of mine, no confirmation to back it up--but considering Disney just did something similar with another type of merch they pulled last-minute, I wouldn't be surprised.  

 

The 'official' word on the changes is that they wanted people to be able to get in and out of bar lines more quickly. If you're ordering custom mixed drinks, it takes longer. Now you only have a few quick beer and wine choices and/or the pre-mixed swill to choose from and you're in and out in 30 seconds. It makes sense, but I'm curious to see the effect on both crowds and revenue. I'm guessing we make more off of a $13 blinky drink than a regular cocktail. Still doesn't explain axing the shot girls. 

 

[Midnight Detective]

1 hour ago, Alice said:

You're always welcome to re-activate a previous HHN cup to use and I saw plenty of that.  

 

 

Are you referring to Blinky cups from previous years? And what's reactivation?

[PeoriaBJJ]

I don't think people caught my sarcasm about the jello shots. Unless you are a sorority girl or 17 just leave the jello shots alone.

 

Also I wouldn't mind at all if HHN was dry in Orlando. Hell I only get a drink to get a blinky cup. But if I can just yanked one out of the garbage at the end of the night I might just do that. I never thought of trash picking one before.... save me a few dollars I can spend on a pin or something.

[Jediwhit82]

8 hours ago, Midnight Detective said:

 

Are you referring to Blinky cups from previous years? And what's reactivation?

No, the freestyle cups.

 

[Ueeediot]

21 hours ago, SnuggleKillz said:

So now that opening weekend has passed--- what's the deal with the soul collectors?   What was the point in all of that? I guess those damn wallpapers were a must have.

 

Forgive me if this has been touched on already, I may have passed over

 

I reached out to HHN Orlando on twitter and asked about this.  There were quotes early in the summer that joining Soul Collectors would gain you special perks, etc.  I was expecting something like a special lanyard or something.  But, it appears they have completely abandoned the entire idea.  They have responded to most twitter questions, but not this one.

As to people who cannot hold their liquor and cause issues. I believe this to be a very thin percentage of people.  it should be made clear to anyone that if you act like an ass you will be banned.  As mentioned earlier, some patrons plan for a year to take this vacation and it can cost several thousand dollars for this week of relaxation and entertainment.  If you act like a jerk and ruin my night, I want to make sure that you dont get to come back.  How to do this is the issue.  I think they should invest in upgrading the fingerprint scanners to palm scanners and then you could actually ban specific people for a 3 or 5 year term.  (I do think people should be given an opportunity to mature and have a second chance)   

But the whole topic is quite the misnomer.  Yes, only one location is now selling quality mixed drinks.  But, so does all of City Walk.  The marketing answer that it takes longer to make a mixed drink than to sell you a beer or the specialty drinks is a misleading answer.  The real answer is that they can much better control the pour per drink if only one bar and a handful of well trained bartenders are controlling the pour.  Plus, they premix the specialty drink to ensure accurate portions.  Over/under pouring and over serving are the things, it appears, they are looking to eliminate.  Plus, they still sell beer and wine, so it is quite easy to pregame and maintain and enjoy yourself.  

 

 

21 hours ago, HHN_jsg277 said:

I will be at HHN in 25 days and look forward to being drunk both nights I'm there courtesy of mystery drinks in blinky cups.

 

That is all.

So, just curious......lightweight or rich beyond caring?

[Badge]

18 hours ago, zombieman said:

 

I knew of no such rumor, so I Googled it (because Google is the most accurate source of information outside of Pravda).

 

From Undercover Tourist HHN Hollywood 2017 Survival Guide: "This year you can buy alcohol (beer) at Duff's Brewery in Springfield."

 

From HHN Hollywood 2017 FAQ:   Is alcohol served at the event?  Alcohol will not be served nor permitted at Universal Studios Hollywood during Halloween Horror Nights.

 

So there you have it!  Absolute clarity on the subject.  

I'll check with Alexa when I get home.

 

 

I saw a picture on Twitter about the Duff Gardens area in Hollywood. They ARE selling alcohol at Hollywood during HHN, however it comes with some STRICT rules which is what was shown in the picture!

 

The ones I can remember off the top of my head are:

 

1) No speed drinking

2) Valid ID must be shown to ENTER the Gardens and then again when purchasing the drink

3) A STRICT two drink max PER NIGHT

4) Absolutely no sharing even if both people are over the age of 21

5) You are allowed into the area ONCE, must consume your entire drink inside the blocked off area, and leave. No drinks can leave the area and you can't come back later in the night if you want your 2nd drink 

 

Honestly I wish they would do something like this with Orlando. I have witnessed my far share of drunk people walking around the park and it really kills your night when your around it. Once had a lady VERY drunk next to me at Bill and Ted that kept standing up and yelling back at the cast. Problem was, she still had a drink in her hand and every time she stood up, people around her (myself included) would get some spilled on us. 

 

I'm totally against them making the whole event dry because I like to have a little "liquid courage" to get me through the houses. However, having bar's all over the place makes it WAY to easy for people that don't know their limit to get totally wasted. I feel like a great solution would be wristbands. Have the tents setup outside the gates (like they do for AP night's checkin) and laptop's hooked up to a database. The worker will type in some data (maybe name and last 3 or 4 digits of your ID number) and then give you a wristband. The band will have 2 or 3 boxes on it. When you purchase a drink, they mark off one box. When your boxes are filled, your cut off for the night. Since they have your name and part of your ID number on file, you can't throw away your band and go get another that night.

[QueenoftheBunnies]

4 hours ago, PeoriaBJJ said:

I don't think people caught my sarcasm about the jello shots. Unless you are a sorority girl or 17 just leave the jello shots alone.

 

Speak for yourself, man. I am neither of those but still love jello shots. It's part of the event. 

I'm definitely not mad at the lower number of drink stations. I had drinks spilled on me a couple times in the scarezones. Does anyone know if they're still selling alcohol in the lines for the mazes?