1. Dead Man’s Pier - incredible sets, story, scares, and a completely immersive experience. “Haunting” in the best way. This one is quintessential
HHN.
2. The Weeknd - I was skeptical of this house, but it won me over. Scary and fun at the same time. A “trippy” house in the best way. Makes a lot more sense though if you watch the videos first for the featured songs. Also surreal watching a thousand or more people dancing and singing along in an HHN queue.
3. Bugs - Eaten Alive - another fun house and more dark comedy/gross factors than scares.
4. Halloween - very good house and great scares. You’re gonna see Michael - a lot. Interesting use of a “prologue” at the start of the house and later on putting you in the “middle” of the action
5. Universal Monsters - great sets and interesting story, but feels a little familiar. On par with Bride of Frankenstein but not as good as the first Monsters house. Very Mummy heavy if that makes a difference
6. Blumhouse - I’d have put this at the bottom based on expectations, but this was really good. Separate sections for each movie and we’ll paced. Great section of curtains/SIF where you’re just waiting for something to happen. I preferred Black Phone to Freaky
7. Descendants of Destruction - good house and good scares, with great luminescent visuals at the end, but leaned a little heavy on the post apocalyptic Mad Max style survivor element than scares.
8. Hell Block - if you know the history of how this house came about, you’ll appreciate that they did as much as they did in a short time. But it still feels thrown together and incomplete. You’ll see some old favorites from past HHNs - including a few from Legendary Truth and past scare zones.
9. Fiesta de Chupacabra- this has potential to be amazing but falls kind of flat. Drab where it could have been colorful. Many more villagers coming after you than creatures. And the creatures - well, I’ve never seen Chupacabra that mostly look like werewolves. Great puppet work but not as many as would make it great.
10. Spirits of the Coven - another house with potential but doesn’t go anywhere. The witches aren’t particularly scary and the story isn’t terribly interesting. Decent sets but the house felt dead in places. Maybe a bad walkthrough but it felt like it was trying too hard.