Halloween Horror Nights 34 (UOR) - Speculation & Rumors

[Killer Klown]

In a year where HHN is going to be one of the core selling points Universal uses to get people to still come to the “north campus” parks, I’m not sure if I would do a muted, squished together announcement season for it when building hype should be critical but maybe they see things differently.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

Understandable. But we're also in a very unique year for Universal marketing, so I wouldn't count out any curveballs or even treat this year as the norm for predicting future trends tbh.

In a year where HHN is going to be one of the core selling points Universal uses to get people to still come to the “north campus” parks, I’m not sure if I would do a muted, squished together announcement season for it when building hype should be critical but maybe they see things differently.

I'll respond to these together - but this is kinda where my brain is. Are they going to just stop marketing Epic as soon as it opens/ absolutely not lol

I'm sure the whole summer will be "Hey come to Epic! It's open! Look how awesome it is!" So will they want to shove the entirety of HHN into that as well?

Like @Killer Klown said, HHN will be very important this year for North Campus, although I'm not sure that they're really worried about HHN attendance.

Also curious if they may roll out an HHN/Epic package as well.

 

[Tbad556]

In a year where HHN is going to be one of the core selling points Universal uses to get people to still come to the “north campus” parks, I’m not sure if I would do a muted, squished together announcement season for it when building hype should be critical but maybe they see things differently.

I'll respond to these together - but this is kinda where my brain is. Are they going to just stop marketing Epic as soon as it opens/ absolutely not lol

I'm sure the whole summer will be "Hey come to Epic! It's open! Look how awesome it is!" So will they want to shove the entirety of HHN into that as well?

Like @Killer Klown said, HHN will be very important this year for North Campus, although I'm not sure that they're really worried about HHN attendance.

Also curious if they may roll out an HHN/Epic package as well.

What's the true benefit of announcing anything before Epic opens though? Right now, it's full steam ahead on promoting three new hotels and a brand new park. You don't want to draw away from that and anything HHN related would just muddy the promotional waters. Right now, they seem more worried about trickling out things like "Wands 2.0", "Epic Universe food!", "Details about Helios", etc.

Once June hits, Epic should be more in "advertisement" territory than "announcement posts/blogs" territory allowing them a window to start rolling out HHN and throwing that into the mix (possibly with packages like you mentioned).

Also, like you mentioned, even with a more "muted" announcement season, 2022 and 2023 had massive crowds. It didn't tend to impact things in an overwhelmingly negative manner. Nights sold out, FFP sold out for the first time ever, etc. It's far more important to push the new park that they just spent a buttload of money on that isn't yet a familiar destination/event/brand like Halloween Horror Nights is.

Lastly, it's not like it would even be a big dramatic delay to wait until Epic opens to push HHN. Last year, the first house announcement was May 17th. Epic opens May 22nd. They could easily follow last year's release structure if they just cut the June 27th - July 11th and July 25th-August 7th gaps that slowed the rollout down.

 

[Wesker69]

*meanwhile in Hollywood who has nothing opening except for a poorly advertised new event starting this month... and an unannounced summer hoopla event..

No park, no ride, just extra side fluff

 

[EAS]

What's the true benefit of announcing anything before Epic opens though? Right now, it's full steam ahead on promoting three new hotels and a brand new park. You don't want to draw away from that and anything HHN related would just muddy the promotional waters. Right now, they seem more worried about trickling out things like "Wands 2.0", "Epic Universe food!", "Details about Helios", etc.

Once June hits, Epic should be more in "advertisement" territory than "announcement posts/blogs" territory allowing them a window to start rolling out HHN and mixing that into the mix (possibly with packages like you mentioned).

Also, like you mentioned, even with a more "muted" announcement season, 2022 and 2023 had massive crowds. It didn't tend to impact things in an overwhelmingly negative manner. Nights sold out, FFP sold out for the first time ever, etc. It's far more important to push the new park that they just spent a buttload of money on that isn't yet a familiar destination/event/brand like Halloween Horror Nights is.

Lastly, it's not like it would even be a big dramatic delay to wait until Epic opens to push HHN. Last year, the first house announcement was May 17th. Epic opens May 22nd. They could easily follow last year's release structure if they just cut the June 27th - July 11th and July 25th-August 7th gaps that slowed the rollout down.

This is totally logical and sound, and I hate it.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

What's the true benefit of announcing anything before Epic opens though? Right now, it's full steam ahead on promoting three new hotels and a brand new park. You don't want to draw away from that and anything HHN related would just muddy the promotional waters. Right now, they seem more worried about trickling out things like "Wands 2.0", "Epic Universe food!", "Details about Helios", etc.

This was kind of of my point that I didn't convey well - that I don't think there's a benefit to doing it either before or after. Announcing an HHN house or 2 prior to Epic opening won't make people forget Epic exists - and vice versa. Waiting until Epic opens won't affect HHN either lol

 

[jseal777]

As somebody who is planning on double dipping epic and HHN this year since I live 6 hours away, a package ticket would be pretty neat.

 

[FaceBagman]

There’s a small part of me that wants it but a larger part of me that knows it won’t happen & that Scream, Conjuring, or even Scooby Doo would be more obvious & a bigger “get” for the event:

Ghost Behind (spy)Glass symbol on the spec map representing Thirteen Ghosts would be fun.

 

[Wesker69]

Everyone has wanted a Thirteen Ghosts house ever since that remake came out.... YIKES. We don't need to acknowledge the year/age of the movie

 

[EAS]

Everyone has wanted a Thirteen Ghosts house ever since that remake came out.... YIKES. We don't need to acknowledge the year/age of the movie

FNAF + Thirteen Ghosts + Scream = Matthew Lillard HHN Extravaganza. Would personally be very down for that!

 

[Lucky Planet]

FNAF + Thirteen Ghosts + Scream = Matthew Lillard HHN Extravaganza. Would personally be very down for that!

Scooby Doo scarezone ( all the actors in the zone play monsters from the show. )

 

[truejonas]

Any confirmed info on why there’s no HHN scheduled 9/18?

Nothing confirmed that I’ve seen, but I’d assume a buyout. Thankfully my group’s doing the Wednesday/17th this year, we’ve been doing that Thursday for a few years.

 

[Tobias]

Any confirmed info on why there’s no HHN scheduled 9/18?

Nothing confirmed that I’ve seen, but I’d assume a buyout. Thankfully my group’s doing the Wednesday/17th this year, we’ve been doing that Thursday for a few years.

Oh...well that sucks for me since that's the day I arrive for my trip (and it's the only week I can have scheduled for it.) Might as well make a full day at Epic on that day.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Maybe they want to wait until the economy is REALLY bad before they put tickets on sale. Gotta love a challenge!

 

[Captain Spaulding]

Nothing confirmed that I’ve seen, but I’d assume a buyout. Thankfully my group’s doing the Wednesday/17th this year, we’ve been doing that Thursday for a few years.

Maybe the are switching to this date for the Premium Scream event? I thought there were a lot of people not wanting to do it last year because the event didn't start yet.

 

[Chumpieboy]

Maybe the are switching to this date for the Premium Scream event? I thought there were a lot of people not wanting to do it last year because the event didn't start yet.

I’m there if that’s the case.

Thing is, I can’t find any large conference/gathering scheduled for that week that would be large enough to justify a buyout.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

Maybe the are switching to this date for the Premium Scream event? I thought there were a lot of people not wanting to do it last year because the event didn't start yet.

Having it mid-event is honestly a good move imo

 

[kristenabelle]

Maybe the are switching to this date for the Premium Scream event? I thought there were a lot of people not wanting to do it last year because the event didn't start yet.

Having it mid-event is honestly a good move imo

that would happen, especially since I switched my trip to labor day week

 

[Itsprettycurz3d]

I am honestly not expecting or wanting anything until Epic opens.

i think its a horrible idea to wait until probably june to announce anything. the last time something like this happened was in 2017. but at this point for how big the event is. they genuinly have to make 1 annoucemnt at least in april for people not to forget hhn is happening. also. if hhn announces something. its just going to feel like a normal announcement, nothing will be lost from either hhn or epic.

 

[Legacy]

They should wait and announce everything 30 days prior to the event starting like they did in the Before Times.