HHN

[Captain Picard]

http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com/orlando/news_index.html

[bkroz]

As someone who obsessively follows Halloween Horror Nights (and yet, ironically, would never, ever amass the courage to visit), I'm so optimistic about this year's event. For me at least, the event's "prime" began in year 10 (when they introduced the idea of the icon and overall theme with Jack the Clown) and really improved year after year after year until 2005 (with the incredible, World-of-Warcraft-esque Tales of Terror year, when each and every house was interrelated with the others, full of backstories and imagery and symbolism that was out-of-this-world).

If you ask me, the last four years (during which the event has returned to Universal Studios Florida after a couple of years at Islands of Adventure) have been incredibly lack-luster. HHN 16, 17, 18, and 19, to me, have felt like a "best of" without anywhere near as much originality. Instead of introducing new icons, every year since 15 has featured one giant house that puts all of the past icons together just to get use out of the creativity they spent time and money on in the past. "Scary Tales" was a brilliant house at Halloween Horror Nights 13, but there's been a "sequel" to it most every year since. Instead of new ideas, there was "Scary Tales II: Malice in Terrorland," "Scary Tales III," "Scary Tales IV," etc. Sure it's a good concept, but talk about milking it for all it's worth!

And much to my happiness, the first communication between the creative minds at Universal and the fans this year was all about how this would not be another "best of" year, but instead, every single house (with the exception of Psychoscareapy) is original. They've even mentioned that they've shifted and decided to try to find the next great house franchise instead of continuing to milk the same old ones, and this year's event does not rely on Universal's film catalogue (which was the entirety of last year's event - every single house and scare-zone was movie themed).

Over all, this year sounds like it will be absolutely incredible. I love the idea of Fear being the icon, and being the puppet master between all the past events. I'm one of those new-age kids who prefers it when the event is in Islands of Adventure (or even half-and-half) because, to me, there's a lot more to work with as far as theme and immersion. But this year looks to be off to a good start, with a good attitude that has been missing for a few years.

[Captain Picard]

I agree it hasn't been as good as it was back when I started going. I hope it's good this year or I will have to find something different to do next year.

[Delirium_Guy]

I agree it hasn't been as good as it was back when I started going. I hope it's good this year or I will have to find something different to do next year.

This is my third year attending HHN. My first year in 2008 left me a bit disappointed in what I was expecting from Universal. Last year wasn't much better. Incredibly fun event, but just not what I thought it was going to be. I was able to attend the team member preview for HHNXX on Wednesday night.....I am happy to say that for the first time the event has lived up to what I expected it to me.

For starters, as the UO Creative Team have said, the event is original. No annoying licensed properties this year (i.e Chucky, Saw, Friday the 13th). Instead it is 8 brand new houses and all new scare zones. What i noticed about this year's event is that throughout the entire park there are more little details such as sound effects, projections on buildings and walkways, and overall more scareactors roaming the streets. We did all but 3 houses, which were the 3 that are housed in the large sound stages behind Rockit (which FYI, remains closed indefinitely for anyone who is planning a trip down soon). Apparently the 3 sound stage houses, which are Hades, Legendary Truth and PschoScareapy are the best. I'm going to head back over tonight to try to go through them.

NONE of the houses were bad in anyway, they were all excellent. My two least favorites were Havoc: Dogs of War and Catacombs. Again, they were well done from theming and detail stand point, but lacking in any type of scares. Zombieggedon, housed in the Disaster queue, was surprisingly good. Our two favorites were Orfanage and Horror Nights: The Hallow'd Past. The latter pays tribute to some of the greats of past events like Jack the Clown, The Usher, Caretaker along with scenes from several of the best houses over the last several years. Orfanage, which is housed in the Jaws queue, was hands down my favorite. It was downright creepy with the sounds of children's voices floating throughout the house....some cheerful while others screaming in agony. The scareactors in this particular house were placed in very inconspicuous places throughout, however once your eye eventually picked them up it was incredibly creepy how they would just stand dimly lit and motionless in a far corner of the scene.

So far, the house that is getting all the buzz this year is Legendary Truth.....haven't talked to one person that hasn't come out RAVING about how amazing it is. I requested for them NOT to share any details with me, I'd rather be surprised when I go through myself....but I understand they have really elevated Horror Nights to a new level with the special effects in this one.

- Todd, glad to have a Frequent Fear Pass for HHN :-)

[bkroz]

I'm dying to know about Legendary Truth, since I think it really will represent an incredible step for haunted mazes. For those who don't know, it's not a "monsters" type house, but a "ghost" type house. As he said, it supposedly relies heavily on special effects to actually make you feel as if you're experiences paranormal events rather than "jump" scares by people in masks.

And just knowing that feeling you inevitably get after hearing a good ghost story, I imagine that the nervousness within that house alone would be outstanding.

I can't wait to about it.

[Delirium_Guy]

I'm dying to know about Legendary Truth, since I think it really will represent an incredible step for haunted mazes. For those who don't know, it's not a "monsters" type house, but a "ghost" type house. As he said, it supposedly relies heavily on special effects to actually make you feel as if you're experiences paranormal events rather than "jump" scares by people in masks.

And just knowing that feeling you inevitably get after hearing a good ghost story, I imagine that the nervousness within that house alone would be outstanding.

I can't wait to about it.

Well.....we popped back over to HHN for the last hour or so that they were open tonight. Crowds were non-existent, temperatures were amazing tonight, probably about as close to a Fall like setting as we are going to get down here :-) Anyway, I knocked out the remaining three houses that we didn't do on Wednesday night's preview: Hades, Legendary Truth and PsychoScareapy.

PsychoScareapy was the weakest of the three, but thats not to say that it wasn't good. Definitely relied more on stunts than scareactors to do the job and it also features an easter egg of sort. About midway through the house there is a random red button that, if pressed by a guest, will set off another special effect and stunt to scare the people in front of you.

Hades was absolutely fantastic. Very dark in this one, lots of low level lighting and plenty of places for scareactors to hide. In particular, I loved the costumes! The medusa-esq costumes were amazing looking. I definitely jumped quite a few times, which is surprising because it almost NEVER happens at ANY of the HHN houses.

Legendary Truth. OMG. What can I say? It is, hands down, the best house out of the HHN's that I've attended. I'd go as far to say that it is possibly the best haunt I've experienced anywhere! It begins once you enter the soundstage. You see the facade of the Wyandot Estate. Outside the base camp is set up for the paranormal activity team that has settled in. You climb up onto the front porch and enter the house. So many scareactors hiding in every possible corner of the house. Fantastic special effects. As you are walking down one of the hallways, you hear a loud noise and strobe lights set off....what you don't realize is that you are walking over top of someone that has been staring up at you for sometime. They are laying on their backs rolling underneath you down the hallway....the strobes and black lights illuminate just their face, which creates a super creepy effect. At another point, someone is actually hiding in the wall itself and is lit up quickly to appear as a ghostly image. There are definitely a lot of more traditional scares in the sense of people slamming down windows and such. It is definitely about timing, too. Some of the coolest effects can happen either right before or right after you pass. We did this one 3 times tonight, each time I noticed something different. Overall, its just brilliantly done....THIS is what I always expected from Horror NIghts!

- Todd, who admittedly got startled quite a few times tonight....and liked it!

[Delirium_Guy]

Spent a bit more time wandering the scarezones last night. Took a few pictures along the way, not the greatest, but gives you a peek at this year's event.

Saws n' Steam

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Zombie Gras

XX: Fear Revealed

Fear himself

XX: Fear Revealed

Kickin' it with Chucky in HHN: 20 Years of Fear

Esqueleto Muerte Scarezone

Esqueleto Muerte Scarezone

Headed back again on Sunday, hopefully grab a few more pictures of the Twenty Years of Fear, Zombie Gras, and Saws n' Steam scarezones.

- Todd

[Delirium13]

Thank you for these updates! I follow Halloween Horror Nights every year, and hope to get down there to actually experience it sometime in the next few years. It seems to be a very well put together event, deserving of all the praise it gets.

[Colonel_SoB_fan]

I saw this advertising here in Richmond, KY last night