Halloween Horror Nights 34 (UOR) - Speculation & Rumors

[TheCodeMan95]

One thing I'm curious about - with HRRR gone, would they consider opening something else during the event to try to mitigate that? ET maybe?

 

[Casper Gutman]

Incredible bit and dedication to the character, never change. Following up "I’d rather have one or even two fewer houses then lose the Store" with "what the event really doesn’t need are fewer things to absorb crowds". No notes.

That’s… my point. The event doesn’t need fewer things to absorb crowds, whether that’s fewer houses (which I’d personally prefer) or a smaller store. I thought about including another sentence reiterating that, but I decided the level of reading comprehension here was high enough that such a sentence would be redundant.

As for being consistent, I’ve been consistently upbeat about HHN. I thought 2024 was great (despite the issues with the streets) and the criticisms about the IP lineup were unwarranted. In 20 years Ive only truly hated ONE house (Chucky - and I generally like Chucky). Exactly how many positive comments do I need to make to earn a criticism?

 

[TheCodeMan95]

In 20 years Ive only truly hated ONE house (Chucky - and I generally like Chucky). Exactly how many positive comments do I need to make to earn a criticism?

 

[Casper Gutman]

Chance certainly wasn’t a highlight but it entertained me at the time. I’m willing to be pretty forgiving of HHN mazes - there’s 10 a year and there’s always several I love even if a few underwhelm. Chucky was the only one that just felt embarrassingly awful.

 

[Tobias]

One thing I'm curious about - with HRRR gone, would they consider opening something else during the event to try to mitigate that? ET maybe?

It's most likely Transformers which wasn't open last year during the event.
And as I've mentioned before, having some major heavy hitters like FNaF and Terrifier to pull the crowds into those lines can help to a degree.

 

[Jake S]

The worst and second-worst house every year would have to be much worse than they typically are for me to trade them for a full-sized Tribute Store. That said (warning, series of Ifs incoming), if the Tribute Store is truncated this year and if it's because of H:RRR deconstruction... well, I can live with that. It's not my preference! I think it's a mistake! But if by 2026, or 2027 at the latest, normal service is resumed... I'll survive.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

The worst and second-worst house every year would have to be much worse than they typically are for me to trade them for a full-sized Tribute Store. That said (warning, series of Ifs incoming), if the Tribute Store is truncated this year and if it's because of H:RRR deconstruction... well, I can live with that. It's not my preference! I think it's a mistake! But if by 2026, or 2027 at the latest, normal service is resumed... I'll survive.

This is really what it comes down to. It'll come back and everything will be fine lol

Then in 10 years someone will make a YouTube video about all the Tribute Stores, and they'll mention the mythical "downsized Tribute Store" in 2025

 

[Casper Gutman]

The worst and second-worst house every year would have to be much worse than they typically are for me to trade them for a full-sized Tribute Store. That said (warning, series of Ifs incoming), if the Tribute Store is truncated this year and if it's because of H:RRR deconstruction... well, I can live with that. It's not my preference! I think it's a mistake! But if by 2026, or 2027 at the latest, normal service is resumed... I'll survive.

Personal opinion warning and all that, but I enjoyed the 2023 tribute store more than any house that year except Yeti - and I thought the house lineup that year was great! Now, that was an exceptional store, but I’d probably rank the 2022 Store above about half the houses as well.

Maybe it won’t happen and all this teeth-gnashing is for naught. If it’s just for this year - well, that’s better than the alternative. But we did the “accepting less because of additions elsewhere,” thing with the streets last year. If Uni wants to knock a couple bucks off the ticket price because they’re stretched thin, that’s fair - but it’s not gonna happen. If they want to charge full price, it’s fair to expect corners not to be cut.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

Personal opinion warning and all that, but I enjoyed the 2023 tribute store more than any house that year except Yeti - and I thought the house lineup that year was great! Now, that was an exceptional store, but I’d probably rank the 2022 Store above about half the houses as well.

Maybe it won’t happen and all this teeth-gnashing is for naught. If it’s just for this year - well, that’s better than the alternative. But we did the “accepting less because of additions elsewhere,” thing with the streets last year. If Uni wants to knock a couple bucks off the ticket price because they’re stretched thin, that’s fair - but it’s not gonna happen. If they want to charge full price, it’s fair to expect corners not to be cut.

I can wholeheartedly say that the 2022 Tribute Store was better than at least Coven and Hellblock lol

 

[Brian G.]

Maybe it won’t happen and all this teeth-gnashing is for naught. If it’s just for this year - well, that’s better than the alternative. But we did the “accepting less because of additions elsewhere,” thing with the streets last year. If Uni wants to knock a couple bucks off the ticket price because they’re stretched thin, that’s fair - but it’s not gonna happen. If they want to charge full price, it’s fair to expect corners not to be cut.

I’m sorry, but what?

 

[Casper Gutman]

I’m sorry, but what?

If I recall, the rush to complete EU was offered as the explanation for the clearly underdeveloped streets and Transformers removal from the event in ‘24. My understanding is that the potential downsizing of the HHN Store can be substantially attributed to the coaster construction. I worded my comment poorly - this is not really a case of the company being “stretched thin.” It is, however, a cut Universal (may) be making based on developments they have chosen to prioritize elsewhere in the parks, which is the point to which I was ham-handedly gesturing.

 

[Circ]

I can wholeheartedly say that the 2022 Tribute Store was better than at least Coven and Hellblock lol

It's funny how catching these houses underneath different circumstances can either completely sink them or make them magical, hah. Hellblock was definitely something they had to smack together on the fly but I honestly consider it one of the highlights for the year just to how I experienced it.

A friend and I hit HHN 31 by using the hotel guest entrance to get into the park. We didn't realize that it was a Stay and Scream area, so we went up to the TM at the front, asked about it, and they were all "Yeah, we just opened, go in!" So we go in... find ourselves going through queue... "Huh, are they directing us to the exit near Fallon to bypass the entrance crowd?" Then it turns out, no, we're entering through a house, first thing we do, before we even hit a scarezone.

I know Universal tries to sort of have a gauntlet at the front to go through for guests, and I know it'd be a nightmare to send everyone through a house to enter the event, but Jesus Christ that was a glorious surprise and a real way to get our feet wet for the evening. Never going to forget Hellblock for that.

Coven was a bit of a disappointment (that I'm looking forwards to having rectified with the New York scarezone this year...) but I did like the gradual progression of the witches within. Didn't get enough 20s for me.

... That Tribute Store that year absolutely ruled, though, beautiful beautiful experience. I'll be disappointed that this year's store is smaller, but at least it's still there.

 

[Brian G.]

If I recall, the rush to complete EU was offered as the explanation for the clearly underdeveloped streets and Transformers removal from the event in ‘24. My understanding is that the potential downsizing of the HHN Store can be substantially attributed to the coaster construction. I worded my comment poorly - this is not really a case of the company being “stretched thin.” It is, however, a cut Universal (may) be making based on developments they have chosen to prioritize elsewhere in the parks, which is the point to which I was ham-handedly gesturing.

The streets were not affected by Epic. They just missed the mark.