Has anyone here been to Halloween Horror yet?

[nile455]

I know last night was opening night. Any reviews? How does it compare to previous years. Best houses? How's the Bill and Ted show? Good parade? Long lines? Is the new 2-park thing a success?

So many questions! Any opinions would be appreciated. I am going next week.

 

[F-L-A]

I haven't been, but every single review I've seen says Ghost Town and Castle Vampyr are the best houses. They all also say Disorientorium is the worst.

 

[hannymom]

can you tell me where you are finding these reviews?
we're going in two weeks and i would like to know what to hit and what to miss.
thanks

 

[Slacking]

I went on Friday Night. It was my first HHN, so I can't compare it to others, but I loved it.

Here's a listing of the houses, from my personal favorite, to my least favorite:

1. Ghost Town - great settings and scares
2. Castle Vampyr- Awesome sets, great cast
3. Deadtropolis- great surprises
4. Horrors in Wax- the 2nd half scared me silly, great entrance
5. Hellgate Prison- Not too many scares, and very short, but very detailed.
6. Horror Night Nightmares- Some good scares, but very disjointed
7. Disorientorium- The best thing about this house...... is its name.

Most people in my group liked previous eyars Bill and Ted shows better, but I loved it. Kind of freaky having John Kerry dancing 2 feet from you, but it was a fun show.

The Parade is fun. I beleive theres only 6 floats, and I didn't see the whole thing, but if you've seen a USF Mardi Gras parade, this is basically the same thing.

On Friday night, the lines were very decent. Longest I saw posted were 30 min for Wax, and 45 min. for Ghost Town. I never waited more than 10-15 minutes though.

I enjoyed the two parks, BUT the layout is not the best, and a lot of walking is involved.

 

[Metallicat]

I had always enjoyed Bill & Teds show up until last year when they made a remark about The Holy Land experience and that bothered me quite a bit. I actually saw people in front of us get up and walk out. IMO, last year was the worst Bill and Ted show they ever put on.
I can put up with alot of stuff, but when religion is brought into it, that is totally disrespectfull and not funny.

 

[Slacking]

Despite it being a big year for Jesus, there were no religious jokes or comments during this years B/T show. Tigger jokes? Yes. Jesus Jokes? No

 

[tricky1]

hannymoon--ther are quitea few reveiws on www.ioacentral.com scroll down to halloween horror nights CAUTION many spoilers

 

[robvia]

Just got back, went Saturday night.
Working on my web site now, resizing a bunch of pics.
Took a video of each scare zone.
It was good, entertaining. My favorite houses were Ghost Town and Nightmares.

 

[AlexandNessa]

I knew you couldn't wait this year, robvia! Can't wait to see your pics!

Any touring guidance you can offer? We are going on a Thursday, and plan on doing stay and scream. We also bought express passes for that night.

Also, what's the best stay and scream area, UO or IOA? Which restaurants/bars are open during that time? Thanks!

 

[F-L-A]

I had always enjoyed Bill & Teds show up until last year when they made a remark about The Holy Land experience and that bothered me quite a bit.

It bothered you that they made a joke about an extremely tacky tourist attraction that just happens to have a religious target audience? Hmm.... I personally think it deserves any heckling it gets. Religious locals make fun of it on a regular basis. I found "Holy Land Horror Nights" to be one of the only good jokes of the entire show.

 

[robvia]

My web site is ready.

http://www.nogodforme.com/HHN14.htm

I've got a couple videos on there, but they're big, 47 and 53 megs each. They were taken at 640x480, not sure I can resize them either.

Go to the USF side for Stay and Scream.
IOA closes at 5pm.
USF closes at 6pm, and that's when you go to the Stay and Scream area near Neutron. When you are there, you can do two houses (Wax and GhostTown), and then wait for the go at about 06:45pm.

 

[Metallicat]

Originally posted by F-L-A
It bothered you that they made a joke about an extremely tacky tourist attraction that just happens to have a religious target audience? Hmm.... I personally think it deserves any heckling it gets. Religious locals make fun of it on a regular basis. I found "Holy Land Horror Nights" to be one of the only good jokes of the entire show.

Tacky tourist attraction? what makes it tacky? I just don't get it. it happens to be modeled after a city where my Lord and Savior lived. I don't see why it would deserve heckling.
but then again, it's to be expected. sigh.

 

[PartyofSix]

Hey guys we went on sat night too. I was sort of well no i was'nt sort of i was A LOT dissappointed. Mostly that things where hard to find and the street scared where few and far between. I mean last year you could'nt walk ANYWHERE along the route to a house without looking over your shoulder. This year only certain areas where scare zones in the street i found that just lacking big time for my entertainment. As for the house they where just so so in my opinon. Last year scared the tar out of me this year it was just not there. Yes there are more "houses" but less fright. THe Vampire house just did'nt cut it what's scarey about that? I mean it was like a walk thru with just a few real people try to "boo" you. It was the worst house in my opinon. The first attraction we did was the dist house. I thought it was cool. It was so much better than the clown house that was similar last year. It was a great house and we really liked it. We saw the Bill & Ted show. It was really good this year. A talented group of actors and it was just plain funny and great music and dance numbers too. It's worth your time to get over there. Next we did ghost town this was a great house, we really liked hallween revisited, and hells gate and the wax house was awesome! Those where are favorites. The corn field was neat but a joke for the most part so was the frightyard it was much better than the corn field though. The parade was well five or six floats i would'nt break my neck to see it again or anything the beads where a fun touch and i'm betting that's why most people lined the streets. THe midway bizzare was just that bizzare it was poorly executed and just a stupid side attraction at the best. I was VERY dissappointed i was left saying that's IT? The whole two park concept just did'nt set well with me. It was a pain to walk to all those houses so far like that from ioa. It would have been okay if they would atleast let you exit thru uso. Instead you had to trek all the way back to ioa man that's a pile of walking. I must say the jello shots where excellent again this year. LOL Express where nesscary though so we bought them again this year. Wait's were 45 minutes for most of the houses. It was fun but nothing like last year on a scale of 1-10 i rate it a 6. Last year i would rate an 8 only because i have only gone those two years and have no idea if there have been better ones before. I did'nt even buy a shirt this year. I hated the designs they where way to graphic for me to wear much less bring one home for my daugther. Just disappointed from last year to this year. I'll do a small report on the HRH in a separate trip report later.

 

[F-L-A]

Tacky tourist attraction? what makes it tacky? I just don't get it.

What makes it tacky? It's a religious tourist attraction. Come on... I actually have to explain it? It's no better than the stuff on I-Drive. Give Ripley's Believe it or Not a Christian theme, and you've got yourself The Holy Land Experience! Some things just shouldn't be made. A religious tourist attraction is one of them. If I were Christian, I'd more than likely be offended that it exists. I certainly wouldn't defend it.

THe Vampire house just did'nt cut it what's scarey about that? I mean it was like a walk thru with just a few real people try to "boo" you. It was the worst house in my opinon.

Every other review I've seen has basically unanimously called Castle Vampyr the best house this year. It's whatever floats your boat I guess.

I will say one thing regarding the atmosphere. I hope the people who are new to the event and have only been going since it moved to IOA don't base their entire opinion of the event on the lack of scarezones this year. Too many HHN newbies are confusing a lack of scarezones with a total lack of atmosphere. Those of us that have been going since the years at the Studios can appreciate the atmosphere of even the safezones more I guess. Not to mention last year's scarezones were downright horrible. Hide & Shrieek was the worst in HHN history. If having safezones makes the scarezones better, I'm all for it.

And keep in mind the first weekend is always going to be of a lesser quality than the rest of the event. For everyone who hasn't been, don't let the reviews of people who have gone so early effect your own opinion of the event later.

 

[Motherfletcher]

We went opening night and hit the first Bill and Ted Show. I took notes so I have a ton of spoilers that I'll give up later. I think it came off without a hitch and they got a standing O. We were lucky enough to be in the RIP Tour so we had the best seats in the house. Some Universal honchos were directly in front of us sitting with the Queer Guys that got up and started they bit right in front of us. When we were clapping during the standing ovation my DS16 said to me "This was the best show I've ever seen!" That caught the ear of one of the USO people who asked him to repeat it. They were pumped at his approval. Little did they know that he meant 'all' shows not just B&T.
We went to the 12:30 show too and it was just as good. It is "song and dance" but that is what we have come to expect from B&T. "EXCELLENT"!
Vampyr was my favorite along with 4 other guys from our group and it was the first house that we went through twice. I think it was a 'guy' favorite because of the hot vampire chicks. The one on the bed was very alluring. It was a different one the second time through but still hot.
I liked Horror of Wax as my second place. It was the only place that I was startled. Frankenstein got me with a "Booo". It thrilled my DS16 no end that I jumped.
DS16 got puked on in Deadtropolis.
I missed Eddie in the Nightmares house.
The float riders were having fits trying to separate the beads. One guy in our group got a whole bunch that were still wired together. The result was a ton of broken bead necklaces.
BTW- I think last years Toon Lagoon scare zone was the best I have seen. I wasn't too impressed with this year's Port of Evil and the Field of Screams was pitiful! In Fright Yard I counted at least 3 OPD. It gets my vote for "Best Place to See a Fight".
All in all HHN is worth going to but don't expect too much from the scare zones.

 

[Metallicat]

Originally posted by F-L-A
What makes it tacky? It's a religious tourist attraction. Come on... I actually have to explain it? It's no better than the stuff on I-Drive. Give Ripley's Believe it or Not a Christian theme, and you've got yourself The Holy Land Experience! Some things just shouldn't be made. A religious tourist attraction is one of them. If I were Christian, I'd more than likely be offended that it exists. I certainly wouldn't defend it.


You say "if you were a Christian"
But you see I am one, and thats why our opinions are different. it seems like the Holy Land experience very existance bothers you for some reason... (since you say "you would be offended") and IMO, thats really sad.

Now, thats all I have to say about that matter. back to HHN talk

 

[Motherfletcher]

There are Christians that believe the whole idea of Halloween is wrong/evil. My wife is one. I remember posts of people being upset over the reference to Holyland and didn't take the same offense. I think God has a sense of humor. Ever seen a platypus?
Some might be offended from the references to Tigger copping a feel, the queer guys or Bush and Kerry making out. The show is a parody that pokes fun at everything.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I haven't seen it yet (plan on going the 14th)....but Motherfletcher is correct in saying "The show is a parody that pokes fun at everything."
That is what the show usually is... I am a Catholic & I wouldn't be offened by it... I am part Italian & part Irish...do I get upset about the Italian Mafia jokes ...NO Do I get upset about the drunken Irish with their cob webs ....NO... it is all in fun and isn't ment to offend anyone. If that sort of thing offends one, why are they at HHN... witches & evil goes against many religions..... just something to think about!

 

[Metallicat]

The thing is, I hold high regards for the Holy Lands and believe that a jab at the Holy Land experience is disrespectfull since the attraction is BASED on models and replicas of SACRED places in Israel. I'm surprised you all didn't understand that .

Also, as a Christian, I am very much aware that the HHN's is in no way shape or form "devil worshipping" as many other Christians or religious persons may believe. (or want me to believe, or feel guilty about) I have never seen anybody (at HHN's) wearing hooded robes, standing on pentagrams, sacificing animals, chanting to satan (satanic rituals etc..) and if I did, I wouldn't attend :rolleyes. God knows my heart. thats all that matters.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I can see what you are saying to a point... but then again, everyone is entitled to their opinion and that is what this board is about sometimes. I guess some people just take other things a little more to heart than others... (my thing is the hurricanes...I jump when someone says they were nothing or it wasn't as bad as it seemed etc. & yours is the Holy Land) I do hear you and respect you for your opinion.