HHN: Scared to Death

[Hunter182]

Confession. Despite living near the Orlando area for awhile now, I've never been to a HHN event. I visit the two theme parks regularly, at least once a month, however.

The reasoning behind me not visiting this world class event? I'm terrified. I am the type of person who get's startled very easily. If I'm laying in bed and I look up to see someone near me, I almost fall off the side. If I'm watching a movie, and something randomly pops out, I jump. If something loud randomly goes off, I freak out. Playing a scary video game? I get wobbly knees. I'm sure you get the picture.

That said, I've followed the event for YEARS. I check up on the site regularly, and read all the info and reviews and trivia I can find about the event. I love horror, but I hate having things jump out at me.

So my question is this. Should I suck it up and go? Stop being such a wuss? I'm an 18 year old guy, 6'3', yet I yelp like a little girl when frightened.

Can't wait to see the responses, haha.

 

[SanFranciscan]

I understand what you mean. I know that HHN is not recommended for the faint of heart so I have always assumed that I should avoid it if on vacation in Orlando. As luck would have it, I now live in Orlando and work at Universal Studios.

The supervisor at the photographer company that I work for has told me that he would like for me to work during HHN! I am questioning whether I can handle it. I was told long before I moved to Orlando from San Francisco that I was "too sugary" for Universal Studios and belonged at Disney. Maybe you and I can suck it up together and I agree to work if you agree to go as a guest and then we run crying to each other here on Disboards about what we "survived" like a couple of wimps after it is all over! Tee! Hee!

 

[Dax]

Confession. Despite living near the Orlando area for awhile now, I've never been to a HHN event. I visit the two theme parks regularly, at least once a month, however.

The reasoning behind me not visiting this world class event? I'm terrified. I am the type of person who get's startled very easily. If I'm laying in bed and I look up to see someone near me, I almost fall off the side. If I'm watching a movie, and something randomly pops out, I jump. If something loud randomly goes off, I freak out. Playing a scary video game? I get wobbly knees. I'm sure you get the picture.

That said, I've followed the event for YEARS. I check up on the site regularly, and read all the info and reviews and trivia I can find about the event. I love horror, but I hate having things jump out at me.

So my question is this. Should I suck it up and go? Stop being such a wuss? I'm an 18 year old guy, 6'3', yet I yelp like a little girl when frightened.

Can't wait to see the responses, haha.

This is one of the biggest draws to me....Stuff WILL jump out at you..sometimes at the least unexpected times...That is part of the fun...and if you look or act nervous...might as well paint SCARE ME on your head...if you dont mind jumping a lot, then laughing about it...GO...but if it truely terrifies you...I would skip it.

 

[Metro West]

So my question is this. Should I suck it up and go? Stop being such a wuss? I'm an 18 year old guy, 6'3', yet I yelp like a little girl when frightened.

Now see...you are the type of person I like to go through the houses with. I love screamers!

Nah...you'll be fine. It's really a lot of fun and once you've done a house or two, you will get used to the scares...somewhat.

You should go with some of us who go every year. We often have meets in the S & S holding area on certain nights.

We'll make sure you're OK.

 

[tricky1]

You should try it, if its to much to handle you can leave. I think you will stay.

Tips: Go to the stay & scream, its still light out when you start.
Wear sunglasses in the scare zones(as long as you can see) They can't see the fear in your eyes.
When going thru the houses try to line up behind a bunch of screaming
teens, they will draw the attacks, as said before you act scared,look scared you WILL be scared.
Go to Bill and Ted show for some comic relief, have a coke and smile.
Have someone who is easily scared lead the way

You will not be the only one there that is scared, jumpy, and shaking, thats
what makes it so much fun.

 

[schumigirl]

You HAVE to go...............it`s so much fun

I love the scares........But last year I did have a 6"2 tall guy in front of me who ended up with sore ribs (sorry Todd ) and my son and husband behind me, but I still jumped like a scared rabbit all night Fantastic fun.

The houses are so well done, it would be a shame to miss them as you`re so close.

It`s more fun than scary though

 

[Marquibiri]

My wife disliked HHN so much last year she will never go again. She was able to go through the first house, hanging on tight to my arm, clenching her fists, breathing heavily, eyes pressed against my back...

When we started the second house, she wanted out... no more....
The next day she stayed at IoA, the poor thing...
It did feel like I wasted the 150+ dollars for her FFP with Express Access... I did use her ticket for a secong go through the express lane..

I have seen older people leave... Two years ago a 40+ year old guy ran back out the entrance to one of the houses... He said something like he simply couldn't do it....

Do you have what it takes.....

Marquibiri

 

[Lou Holtz]

You're in no real danger. Basically, yes you should just suck it up and go.

 

[Metro West]

I love the scares........But last year I did have a 6"2 tall guy in front of me who ended up with sore ribs (sorry Todd ) and my son and husband behind me, but I still jumped like a scared rabbit all night Fantastic fun.

That's OK Carole. My ribs healed up nicely.

 

[macraven]

Confession. Despite living near the Orlando area for awhile now, I've never been to a HHN event. I visit the two theme parks regularly, at least once a month, however.

The reasoning behind me not visiting this world class event? I'm terrified. I am the type of person who get's startled very easily. If I'm laying in bed and I look up to see someone near me, I almost fall off the side. If I'm watching a movie, and something randomly pops out, I jump. If something loud randomly goes off, I freak out. Playing a scary video game? I get wobbly knees. I'm sure you get the picture.

That said, I've followed the event for YEARS. I check up on the site regularly, and read all the info and reviews and trivia I can find about the event. I love horror, but I hate having things jump out at me.

So my question is this. Should I suck it up and go? Stop being such a wuss? I'm an 18 year old guy, 6'3', yet I yelp like a little girl when frightened.

Can't wait to see the responses, haha.

i need someone like you in the rip vip tour i want to do.
andy is tired of being the brunt of the group......

he screams like a little girl.
i think you would be a nice additiona.
i could hear stereo screaming.....



try it once.
you might like it.




i was concerned on my first hhn as i did not know what to expect.

i didn't have a heart attack and haven't missed a year yet.

 

[SanFranciscan]

My wife disliked HHN so much last year she will never go again.
I have seen older people leave... Two years ago a 40+ year old guy ran back out the entrance to one of the houses... He said something like he simply couldn't do it....

Do you have what it takes.....

Marquibiri

This is precisely what I was afraid of if I went as a customer. Even if the people whom I was afraid of had the good sense to let me leave, might I still endanger myself or others trying to get away? At least as an employee, I could learn what to expect from those who knew which were the good photo-ops for me to take of those who thought that this was fun as I would refuse to photograph those who were truly horrified by the events. I don't think that I am really as sugary as my critics say, but there is a line that I would never agree to cross. Humiliating people is not my idea of fun and had better not be in my job description if I am to work HHNs.

I want the original person starting this thread to have a good time if he chooses to go. This means that the "scare-actors" need to know when to let him go if he turns out to be like the 40 year old who ran out the back way. May I ask what kind of training they have? I don't expect for them to be licensed psychiatrists or anything like that, but I don't want sadistic nutcases in charge either.

 

[ducky_love]

I went once and never again. You should try everything to see if you enjoy it. I didn't. I even gave away the free ticket that came with my premier pass last year.

 

[RAPstar]

i need someone like you in the rip vip tour i want to do.
andy is tired of being the brunt of the group......

he screams like a little girl.
i think you would be a nice additiona.
i could hear stereo screaming.....

I do not!! Its a very masculine, loud yell, followed by a small jig in a circle.

 

[macraven]

I do not!! Its a very masculine, loud yell, followed by a small jig in a circle.

let me think a sec....


yes, you are correct.

it was modie that screamed like a little girl.





but you do have a cute dance in the houses

 

[macraven]

This is precisely what I was afraid of if I went as a customer. Even if the people whom I was afraid of had the good sense to let me leave, might I still endanger myself or others trying to get away? At least as an employee, I could learn what to expect from those who knew which were the good photo-ops for me to take of those who thought that this was fun as I would refuse to photograph those who were truly horrified by the events. I don't think that I am really as sugary as my critics say, but there is a line that I would never agree to cross. Humiliating people is not my idea of fun and had better not be in my job description if I am to work HHNs.

I want the original person starting this thread to have a good time if he chooses to go. This means that the "scare-actors" need to know when to let him go if he turns out to be like the 40 year old who ran out the back way. May I ask what kind of training they have? I don't expect for them to be licensed psychiatrists or anything like that, but I don't want sadistic nutcases in charge either.

what type of work do you do at universal in the regular season?

you mentitoned photography department.
are you involved in the ride pictures?

i always thought that was outside companies.
i learn something new each day.

last few years in the old boneyard area, photos were taken during the hhn event.




if scareactors backed off everytime someone lost it and screamed, it wouldn't be hhn.

i would not say that the supervisors or higher ups are what you call, sadistic nutcases (your wording, not mine).
they are professionals.

 

[SanFranciscan]

what type of work do you do at universal in the regular season?

you mentitoned photography department.
are you involved in the ride pictures?

i always thought that was outside companies.
i learn something new each day.

last few years in the old boneyard area, photos were taken during the hhn event.




if scareactors backed off everytime someone lost it and screamed, it wouldn't be hhn.

i would not say that the supervisors or higher ups are what you call, sadistic nutcases (your wording, not mine).
they are professionals.

Yes, I do work for what management calls a "partership" with Universal Studios. We photographers know that Universal Studios is where the real power lies, but we have nothing too gain reminding our managers that we know this so I call it the "photography department" at Universal. I think it makes them feel better. It makes me feel better too to know that I am not rubbing their noses in it.

I would like to work in guest services at Universal Studios. I am often approched by people who are unhappy with their visit and unhappy when we photographers appear to be passing the buck because as far as they are concerned I am Universal Studios when they are talking to me. I sure would like to be in a position to make an uhappy guest happy, but what can I do?

By the way, I am not involved with the ride photographs although I think that I would enjoy that too. I work at the front gate.

 

[rewok]

I am so easily scared it's not even funny. Even at work, when I'm fully concentrated on something and someone come to my desk, there has been a few instances where I've screamed a bit. My heart rate also jumps to the roof, and I shake for a few minutes afterwards. Sure sound like I won't be able to handle that event... I wanted to go for DH, who would love that type of thing, not expecting it would be that hard on myself. Now it looks like I'll save some money! I don't think DH will want to go by himself, maybe I should look for someone to go with him!

 

[tarrbear]

Confession. Despite living near the Orlando area for awhile now, I've never been to a HHN event. I visit the two theme parks regularly, at least once a month, however.

The reasoning behind me not visiting this world class event? I'm terrified. I am the type of person who gets startled very easily. If I'm laying in bed and I look up to see someone near me, I almost fall off the side. If I'm watching a movie, and something randomly pops out, I jump. If something loud randomly goes off, I freak out. Playing a scary video game? I get wobbly knees. I'm sure you get the picture.

That said, I've followed the event for YEARS. I check up on the site regularly, and read all the info and reviews and trivia I can find about the event. I love horror, but I hate having things jump out at me.

So my question is this. Should I suck it up and go? Stop being such a wuss? I'm an 18 year old guy, 6'3', yet I yelp like a little girl when frightened.

Can't wait to see the responses, haha.

This was my exact attitude towards it, same with HOS at Busch Gardens, I've only been attending for two years now (yeah, its pretty lame considering this is like the 14th year for some people I know.) Thing was, I loved horror movies and what not and a few years ago I went to ZooBoo at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa where they set up little haunted houses and what not, I FREAKED out. Thing is, things weren't even scary here now that I think about it.

Flash forward a few years and I decide I want to go to HOS and HHN, I followed the events for the past few years and I finally decided to suck it up and go, well, I had a blast! It was so much fun, yes it was scary, but I didn't do any major freak outs.

So I think you should just suck it up and go and have fun, you might think you'd look silly because your a tall guy who screams like a little girl, but I've seen worse. Last year in front of us in one of the houses there was a group of about 7 guys, all tall and probably in their early 20's, the one in the middle started crying the moment they entered the house, another was crying by the time the exited and through out the whole house they were screaming and pushing each other to the front of the group. As horrible as this sounds, it was probably a terrifying experience for them, but an amusing one for me.

 

[phamton]

I would like to work in guest services at Universal Studios. I am often approched by people who are unhappy with their visit and unhappy when we photographers appear to be passing the buck because as far as they are concerned I am Universal Studios when they are talking to me. I sure would like to be in a position to make an uhappy guest happy, but what can I do?

Every team member should know how to address guests complaints and concerns. Each and every team member is part of the guest service experience. You don't need to work at GS to make a guest happy or to address their concerns. And if a guest has an issue that you can't answer, you find the person who can answer the question. We are all in this together whether you work for a third party vendor or not.

I work at the front gate.

And I work very close to where you work.

Humiliating people is not my idea of fun and had better not be in my job description if I am to work HHNs.

I want the original person starting this thread to have a good time if he chooses to go. This means that the "scare-actors" need to know when to let him go if he turns out to be like the 40 year old who ran out the back way. May I ask what kind of training they have? I don't expect for them to be licensed psychiatrists or anything like that, but I don't want sadistic nutcases in charge either.

As far as HHN, it's hard to say what the average guest experiences unless you have gone yourself. Try it out this year and I think you will find that the scareactors are very professional. But every guest who goes should expect to be scared. There are no dancing pumpkins at Universal's HHN. You'll have to go to another themepark for that. People pay to get scared at HHN. We need to give them their money's worth. HHN is one of my favorite things about Universal!

 

[Planogirl]

I'm the Mom of a teen and this older person revels in this type of thing. We visit all of the nastiest and scariest haunted houses in the area and we even traveled to Philadelphia to see the haunt at the Eastern State Penitentiary a few years ago. I just scream and giggle and feel completely terrified the whole time. I love it!

My point is that you can feel scared and still have a blast if you have the right mindset. I've always enjoyed being scared by haunts but I can't do certain rides. (Mostly free fall.) That might not bother you even though you still get a charge from it.