Halloween Horror Nights 35 (UOR) - Speculation & Rumors

[Viator]

I'll never understand the hate that the ST houses get on here lol - but regardless, the comparison to TWD at HHN is wild.

TWD was at the event 5 years straight.

ST has been at the event 3 times TOTAL, spread over 5 years. And it's been 2 years since it's been here.

(TWD also got a permanent walkthrough on one coast, but I digress lol)

I think part of it has to do with how much ST was engrained into pop culture for about over half a decade beginning in 2018, especially riding off of ST2 as ST3 was aiming for 2019.

I also think part of it is that, scale wise, it's actually much more difficult to really capture ST in a way that makes the horror stand out. And that, unfortunately in a way; Hollywood's versions of the Stranger Things houses were really not good in a way that actively made HHN peeps on the west more hesitant and more weary on it.

And even with the advancements and time that came from ST2019 to ST4 in 2023, there still lies a weird feeling that Stranger Things...honestly shouldn't be at Halloween Horror Nights? If it was something that came around sooner--I'd argue Stranger Things would've probably of been more ideal for Fan Fest Nights as opposed to the latter (especially if FFN was bicoastal).

 

[TheCodeMan95]

I think part of it has to do with how much ST was engrained into pop culture for about over half a decade beginning in 2018, especially riding off of ST2 as ST3 was aiming for 2019.

I also think part of it is that, scale wise, it's actually much more difficult to really capture ST in a way that makes the horror stand out. And that, unfortunately in a way; Hollywood's versions of the Stranger Things houses were really not good in a way that actively made HHN peeps on the west more hesitant and more weary on it.

And even with the advancements and time that came from ST2019 to ST4 in 2023, there still lies a weird feeling that Stranger Things...honestly shouldn't be at Halloween Horror Nights? If it was something that came around sooner--I'd argue Stranger Things would've probably of been more ideal for Fan Fest Nights as opposed to the latter (especially if FFN was bicoastal).

I don't necessarily agree with it not belonging at HHN - but heck, I've argued that Stranger Things would fit well as a permanent attraction/land at the parks!

 

[Freak]

Honestly my thought on the Stranger Things houses are similar to my thoughts on the show: the first house and first season were great but that’s it. I could go without them doing season 5, especially if it means we’ll get Welcome To Derry/IT or other better IPs that haven’t been represented yet. I get that Stranger Things brings in crowds but honestly just like others on here, I care more about what I want to see

Especially since Welcome to Derry shares so many similarities to each other. Welcome to Derry was everything ST season 5 should’ve been.

I don't necessarily agree with it not belonging at HHN - but heck, I've argued that Stranger Things would fit well as a permanent attraction/land at the parks!

Would’ve agreed if the current year was 2018, but now that the shows over, it would end up like TWDA at USH.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

Would’ve agreed if the current year was 2018, but now that the shows over, it would end up like TWDA at USH.

Oh I didn't mean a year-long walkthrough attraction lol. I mean a legitimate ride/show.

All this said - I would 100% take Derry at HHN over ST.

 

[Neo]

Stranger Things HAS to be at the event. I casually enjoy the show (never would have watched it if wasn't coming to HHN) and loved the first house, but after that loved a few individual rooms and character-specific scareactors, but the houses were pretty lacking.

But you cannot have a series, narratively driven by group of people maturing from childhood to adulthood, fighting the same evil entity over the course of a decade, finally beat the antagonist in the 5th season and be like, "Nah, we're good with just having 1-4." It just makes no sense not to have it. It's a cash cow for Universal in merch alone and just imagine the fanboys and fangirls going through the house and getting to the final scene with Vecna...just breaking out in cheers every time they go through.

Unless Netflix is suddenly refusing to play ball, I don't see any possible way it doesn't come to the event. Timing is less than ideal with the ending coming 9 months before the event starts, but still have to do it. Its an insult to both the fans and the show to not see it through at the event. It's like with all the talk of IT coming, image if they did "It: Part 1" (electing to not combine the two into a single house), it being a smash hit with consistently the longest lines all season long, and then deciding to never do Part 2. Doesn't make sense. When you think of it as, basically a TV Series, and say that the first 42 episodes were represented but the last 8 were ignored is crazy.

Don't get me wrong, I'd personally rather have something else take up 20% of the allotted IP houses, but it's gotta happen.

 

[GentleArt309]

ST has to be a gimme at this point right. This would be the last time to strike while the iron is hot. That IP brings in $$$$$$$$$$$ and Uni loves that. With that said, the crowds are gonna be just like last year, insane.

 

[Freak]

If Stranger Things does happen, and I think Hollywood will likely take this approach as well, is that they will probably take a page out of TWD from 2016 and do a compilation “mega house” out of the entire series, leading up to the final season. I do t think there was anything in the final season that really jumped out for House material that hasn’t already been done before.

 

[LPCaptainDeath]

If Stranger Things does happen, and I think Hollywood will likely take this approach as well, is that they will probably take a page out of TWD from 2016 and do a compilation “mega house” out of the entire series, leading up to the final season. I do t think there was anything in the final season that really jumped out for House material that hasn’t already been done before.

Idk, isn't season 5 -for all intents and purposes- just a downplayed redux of all the other seasons already?

The Turnbow Trap would play a lot like the Byers House from Season 1 (different characters, sure, but still a Demogorgan in a house that's been intentionally boobytrapped).
The Upside Down lab that Kay runs would play a lot like Hawkins Lab in Seasons 1/2 or the Nina Project Lab from Season 4.
The MAC-Z would play a lot like the Russian Base from Season 4 (lots of concrete and drab military/lab design).
The Abyss is just Vecna's Lair from Season 4 with different lighting.
Hell, they could even reuse Tunnels from Season 2 and Vecna's Lair from Season 4 because they do flat-out reuse both of them in Season 5.
Hawkins Lab could come back in Upside-Down form.
Creel House can come back in Mr.WhatsIt form...
They'd just use them for different scenes with different characters from this season.

The only season ironically getting shafted (again) would be Season 3 because there's no big time-specific 80s nostalgia-bait this time, HOWEVER, you would be able to get us a big-ass gross looking Mindflayer again - so that's worth mentioning.

I personally don't think we'll get a "best of" house for this reason.
Why look for kid actors of characters from Seasons 1 and 2 when we can finally cast adults to play adults playing teenagers. lol

The other 3.5 houses we've gotten have been pretty straightforward storybook style attempts.
I assume they'll do the same for season 5 if it shows up.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

The only season ironically getting shafted (again) would be Season 3 because there's no big time-specific 80s nostalgia-bait this time, HOWEVER, you would be able to get us a big-ass gross looking Mindflayer again - so that's worth mentioning.

Yeah, they gotta have that Mindflayer puppet still around somewhere lol

 

[grlhowl]

I don’t need to walk through an Stranger Things season 5 house to be scared, being reminded of it is scary enough…

 

[Ana Marie]

Considering Labor Day is later this year will that affect the dates for Halloween Horror Nights?

 

[DOOMBOT]

Counterpoint: At least at the beginning, the Walking Dead mazes were good. I’ve yet to go through a Stranger Things maze that I would say that about.

I stand by the 2018 Stranger Things house as a legitimately well-done haunt, primarily because of the strength of the Demogorgon costume and performers. Having creatures that tall, with arms and hands that long to swipe at you with lead to so many great and memorable scares for myself. It kept the darker and eerier tone of the first season. The upside-down particles also felt and smelled just alien enough, which the latter houses never were able to recreate. Not the best house ever, but a personal highlight.

ST2+3 was like a Madame Tussauds gallery. The Demodog scares did not bring it, and the Mind Flayer puppet was a stationary disappointment. ST4 was better, and as a big fan of the show I did have some fun with it, but it was high on my anticipation list based on it being one of the most horror-centric seasons of the show, and in that aspect it didn't quite deliver. Vecna was still not as good at scaring as those Demogorgons were. Too limited in movement, and too goofy-looking in their latex flesh-suits.

I'd be down for ST5 just to properly close this chapter of HHN, but if it doesn't happen I don't know if I'd be crazy bummed like I was when they skipped out on ST4 in 2022. The Demogorgons play a larger role in this season than previous ones, so that would bode well at least. This season leans far more into MCU-style action, and I just don't really believe there's all that much to translate into a great house.

 

[johnathanm]

I stand by the 2018 Stranger Things house as a legitimately well-done haunt, primarily because of the strength of the Demogorgon costume and performers. Having creatures that tall, with arms and hands that long to swipe at you with lead to so many great and memorable scares for myself. It kept the darker and eerier tone of the first season. The upside-down particles also felt and smelled just alien enough, which the latter houses never were able to recreate. Not the best house ever, but a personal highlight.

ST2+3 was like a Madame Tussauds gallery. The Demodog scares did not bring it, and the Mind Flayer puppet was a stationary disappointment. ST4 was better, and as a big fan of the show I did have some fun with it, but it was high on my anticipation list based on it being one of the most horror-centric seasons of the show, and in that aspect it didn't quite deliver. Vecna was still not as good at scaring as those Demogorgons were. Too limited in movement, and too goofy-looking in their latex flesh-suits.

I'd be down for ST5 just to properly close this chapter of HHN, but if it doesn't happen I don't know if I'd be crazy bummed like I was when they skipped out on ST4 in 2022. The Demogorgons play a larger role in this season than previous ones, so that would bode well at least. This season leans far more into MCU-style action, and I just don't really believe there's all that much to translate into a great house.

Agreed with all this actually, including your takes on the first three iterations. 2018 translated very nicely. Also agree with the sentiment expressed by others that we sort of have already seen everything that would be translated from season 5 in past houses, but it feels incomplete from a meta perspective if HHN doesn’t secure season 5.

There’s an energy that comes with having huge, relevant IPs at the event that I will appreciate if Stranger Things comes. But if not, I feel like I got my fill with the past three houses.