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Halloween Horror Nights 35 (UO) - Speculation & Rumors

  • Thread starter Thread starter Brian G.
  • Start date Start date Nov 4, 2025
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Jordan

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  • Today at 12:33 AM
  • #3,701
queenmetroid said:
After reading all the pages of this debate, setting the communication issue aside, which is a genuine complaint, I think what troubles me most about this debate is the overall entitlement of people in this thread. People who want the option for express aren't losing anything at all. You can absolutely have express every night if you want, but you simply have to pay more for it, and that's really what most people are upset about. I would feel more sympathetic to the people complaining if it didn't boil down to, "I am upset that I can no longer experience this event the way I feel I should be able to at a cheaper price." Regardless of the reason whether it's affordability or unwillingness to pay, that is the core argument being made in totality. Even IU's article can be summarized as the same thing (Sorry, Bryan).

That also underscores the hypocrisy of the position. "It's too hard to see the event in a single night, and therefore I need express." That option is still available to you. The price of two nights of express plus a Rush of Fear is still equal to unlimited Rush of Fear, which is all you would need to see the event at a leisurely pace. People just can't skip the lines every night anymore, so they see that as reduced value to them, even if that's more than they really need. I don't consider this a "cheat code" because obviously one should extract maximum value from something, but you also aren't entitled to that thing indefinitely. For all the claims of loyalty (and I've been going to HHN on both coasts as long as anyone here), it's pretty well known that loyal theme park customers don't drive nearly as much revenue as people who come once; they tend to be less profitable, and that's been evident at Disneyland for years. Express is a pure profit driver, and food, beverage, and merch are not. Giving away express for less money has not been in Universal's interest for almost a decade at this point. Even with the absurd margins at HHN, you probably need to spend at least $400 on those things to equal a single Express pass, and I just strongly doubt anyone is spending $400 every night they go, and if you are, you're not the kind of person who's complaining about unlimited express being removed. This is doubly ironic as express unquestionably makes the event worse for everyone overall, and the most passionate and outspoken fans are likely the largest overusers because they are the ones who know about the passes and will wait in line for it.

This is in no way a defense of Universal constantly raising prices. I'm not defending a corporation for trying to maximize profit, but on the other hand, their hands are tied, and I'd be asking the same question of "Why should some people pay less for the same experience?" and I can't blame them for asking that. I personally have my doubts this will even make the lines better because if they were allegedly only selling a few thousand passes anyway, so it's likely pretty irrelevant at the end of the day.

It just staggers me that people are complaining about a premium product inside of a premium product. This is not oxygen; it is an entertainment product, and as such, you must accept the limitations being offered, and if you don't like it, vote with your wallet. Saying, "Universal doesn't want my money!" is simply not the threat that people think it is.
Click to expand...
I see a lot of unverified assumptions being made here. Like the one about Universal making less money from repeat visitors. Personally, I can already verify that Universal will make significantly less money from myself than they did last year, and I'm certain that I'm not the only one. Far from it. There's already been plenty of talk, in this thread alone, much less elsewhere, of people even cancelling portions of their trips or entire trips over this decision. I'm sure many of us will also buy less food & merch (how can we not, if we're busy waiting in line?), which isn't as insignificant as you assume. Alcohol sales used to be this event's life blood for god's sake. Individually we may all be a mere drop in the bucket, but you really think that doesn't add up overall?

It's also very disingenuous to claim we're not losing anything. Affordability is certainly a tangible something, and technically having the option to spend more than you can justify realistically isn't much of an option at all. That's simply not how finances work.

"I am upset that I can no longer experience this event the way I feel I should be able to at a cheaper price."
Click to expand...
Still makes more sense than complaining about not possessing a premium ticket option that's "underpriced," no?
 
Clive

Clive

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  • Today at 12:54 AM
  • #3,702
Jordan said:
I see a lot of unverified assumptions being made here. Like the one about Universal making less money from repeat visitors. Personally, I can already verify that Universal will make significantly less money from myself than they did last year, and I'm certain that I'm not the only one. Far from it. There's already been plenty of talk, in this thread alone, much less elsewhere, of people even cancelling portions of their trips or entire trips over this decision. I'm sure many of us will also buy less food & merch (how can we not, if we're busy waiting in line?), which isn't as insignificant as you assume. Alcohol sales used to be this event's life blood for god's sake. Individually we may all be a mere drop in the bucket, but you really think that doesn't add up overall?

It's also very disingenuous to claim we're not losing anything. Affordability is certainly a tangible something, and technically having the option to spend more than you can justify realistically isn't much of an option at all. That's simply not how finances work.


Still makes more sense than complaining about not possessing a premium ticket option that's "underpriced," no?
Click to expand...

They’re calling your bluff. And even if 60% of the people threatening to cancel trips actually do, Universal is willing to bet they’ll make up that money in other ways (including single-use Express).

Also, your food/merch argument doesn’t check out at all. If I’m about to go wait in a 30+ minute line, you know what I’m going to grab beforehand? A drink. You know when I’m not going to get one? Right before joining an Express queue that might force me to chug.

You know where I might visit if I don’t have Express and all the lines are long at the peak of the night? The Tribute Store…

I know it’s a bummer for those who’ve come to rely on it, and I say that as someone who very frequently bought Rush of Fear with Express over the years. But queenmetroid is spot on. (And Universal could have communicated this much sooner.)
 
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J

Jordan

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  • Today at 1:08 AM
  • #3,703
Clive said:
They’re calling your bluff. And even if 60% of the people threatening to cancel trips actually do, Universal is willing to bet they’ll make up that money in other ways (including single-use Express).

Also, your food/merch argument doesn’t check out at all. If I’m about to go wait in a 30+ minute line, you know what I’m going to grab beforehand? A drink. You know when I’m not going to get one? Right before joining an Express queue that might force me to chug.

You know where I might visit if I don’t have Express and all the lines are long at the peak of the night? The Tribute Store…

I know it’s a bummer for those who’ve come to rely on it, and I say that as someone who very frequently bought Rush of Fear with Express over the years. But queenmetroid is spot on. (And Universal could have communicated this much sooner.)
Click to expand...
Does it not negatively affect your likelihood of buying event merch if you're having such a miserable time that you have to visit the Tribute Store out of necessity? I don't know about you, but I'm more likely to buy something advertising the event if I'm actually enjoying myself and not thinking, "Can't do any houses. Lines are too long. How do I burn time?"

You probably won't get a drink before waiting in a 30+ minute line, because these days you have to wait in a 30+ minute line just to get the drink in many locations. Me personally, I like to enjoy my drink with a snack (you might as well, if you've just waited at one of the food booths), which I'm not taking in line with me, but your mileage may vary.
 
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Clive

Clive

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  • Today at 1:13 AM
  • #3,704
Jordan said:
Does it not negatively affect your likelihood of buying event merch if you're having such a miserable time that you have to visit the Tribute Store out of necessity? I don't know about you, but I'm more likely to buy something advertising the event if I'm actually enjoying myself and not thinking, "Can't do any houses. Lines are too long. How do I burn time?"

You probably won't get a drink before waiting in a 30+ minute line, because these days you have to wait in a 30+ minute line just to get the drink in many locations. Me personally, I like to enjoy my drink with a snack (you might as well, if you've just waited at one of the food booths), which I'm not taking in line with me, but your mileage may vary.
Click to expand...

What are you talking about? I’ve never waited more than 10 minutes, max, for a beer at HHN in my life. Maybe 15 minutes for Finnegan’s at the peak of the night.

The reason you visit the tribute store is 1) it’s usually really well designed and an attraction unto itself and 2) you get to see all of the merch on offer, so you know what to look for later if you don’t buy right then.

I buy merchandise if it’s cool, the price is right, and I have fun at the event. That usually happens. I don’t know why you’re assuming you’re going to have a miserable time. If you don’t want to plan around lines or wait too long, buy single-night express as necessary.

Again: They’re calling your bluff.
 
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Jordan

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  • 57 minutes ago
  • #3,705
Clive said:
What are you talking about? I’ve never waited more than 10 minutes, max, for a beer at HHN in my life. Maybe 15 minutes for Finnegan’s at the peak of the night.

The reason you visit the tribute store is 1) it’s usually really well designed and an attraction unto itself and 2) you get to see all of the merch on offer, so you know what to look for later if you don’t buy right then.

I buy merchandise if it’s cool, the price is right, and I have fun at the event. That usually happens. I don’t know why you’re assuming you’re going to have a miserable time. If you don’t want to plan around lines or wait too long, buy single-night express as necessary.

Again: They’re calling your bluff.
Click to expand...
Most guests are getting the specialty drinks from the main bar or the food booths, not getting beer at Finnegan's. That's why you're not waiting.

The Tribute Store was well designed. It's clearly tumbled down the list of priorities these days. Yes, I still take a look, but if I'm going in there because I have to and not because I want to, there's a problem. I'm assuming a miserable time because that's exactly what I have whenever the lines are long and I don't have Express -- a miserable time.

Trying to find ways to kill time, like looking at merchandise, is not "planning around lines." It's just killing time. There is literally no way to plan around long lines once everything has a long line, and I wish people would stop pretending this is a thing, like they have some secret strategy that negates the event's biggest flaw. When you ask them what their master plan is, it's usually some variation of, "I get a head start with Stay & Scream, then once the crowds come in I sit around doing nothing for most of the night, then I do some more houses at the very end of the night because it's dead." That's not a plan, that's masochism. Regardless, defaulting to reminding us that we can still spend an arm and a leg on single night Express won't actually solve our complaints or the event's flaws.
 
queenmetroid

queenmetroid

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  • 34 minutes ago
  • #3,706
Jordan said:
I see a lot of unverified assumptions being made here. Like the one about Universal making less money from repeat visitors. Personally, I can already verify that Universal will make significantly less money from myself than they did last year, and I'm certain that I'm not the only one. Far from it. There's already been plenty of talk, in this thread alone, much less elsewhere, of people even cancelling portions of their trips or entire trips over this decision. I'm sure many of us will also buy less food & merch (how can we not, if we're busy waiting in line?), which isn't as insignificant as you assume. Alcohol sales used to be this event's life blood for god's sake. Individually we may all be a mere drop in the bucket, but you really think that doesn't add up overall?

It's also very disingenuous to claim we're not losing anything. Affordability is certainly a tangible something, and technically having the option to spend more than you can justify realistically isn't much of an option at all. That's simply not how finances work.


Still makes more sense than complaining about not possessing a premium ticket option that's "underpriced," no?
Click to expand...
I'm sitting here waiting for a deployment to finish, and I've got some time, so I'll pick up the gauntlet. No assumptions were made in my post, so here's the math.

1784267826098.png

After just a single week of use (and this is the EASIEST pass to break even on because of the cheaper express nights), you already need to be spending a minimum of 100 per person, per night to make up for what Universal is "losing" (assuming express does not sell out). Plus, the "assuming 100% margin" is doing an insane amount of lifting. Obviously, you'd need to spend anywhere from 1.3 to 2.0 these numbers. And for the sake of argument, let's say you were spending that kind of money per night. I would contend the following:
  • If you choose to reallocate any money to single night express, then you're purchasing a higher margin product anyway.
  • In Universal's eyes, you're very likely to spend at least some money anyway on food, beverage, and merch anyway because you'll probably still need to eat at the event.
Plus, It's a pretty well documented fact that people use more of something when it's available, and everyone here is talking about expressmaxxing, so the usage of these passes is likely higher than average.

At the end of the day, I'm just some random dude on the internet running numbers, and I can come up with the basic math that shows that Universal doesn't need to do this anymore. And, if at some point they do, they will bring it back. Affordability is simply not a concern to Universal if they have the ability to replace you with someone else with higher margins (and right now, they do). At worst, this impacts, what, 3000 people, if not a single one comes back? Somehow, I really doubt that is the case. I suspect it will be more like this:

1784267954892.png

At the end of the day, I'll be waiting in the regular lines anyway, so...
 
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