Official HHN XX Reviews [MINOR SPOILERS]

[WWEDUDE]

Wow! That is awesome. Can't wait to see it

 

[nodoubtrock]

Also I don't like the location of the bar tents..My friend gets me into the preview night every year and maybe it was because of drink specials but there is a tent right at the exit of 2 soundstage houses..also other bar lines were really long and some took up a lot of the walkway...

 

[inkkognito]

Still waiting desperately for my in-house footage (wonder if they'll wait till tonight and give it to us on flash drives), but here's a link to some brief scarezone footage hubby shot at the preview: http://www.examiner.com/theme-parks...k-at-halloween-horror-nights-it-opens-tonight

 

[DreamFlight87]

Thanks for sharing that video, the scarezones look great.

On a side note: from watching the video it seem like The Coven is a little too dark and foggy to really take it all in and see the detail.

 

[patster734]

Still waiting desperately for my in-house footage (wonder if they'll wait till tonight and give it to us on flash drives), but here's a link to some brief scarezone footage hubby shot at the preview: http://www.examiner.com/theme-parks...k-at-halloween-horror-nights-it-opens-tonight

Have you gotten your video back. Universal is showing it on the media page: http://media.universalorlando.com/halloween/videos.php?item=19

 

[Metro West]

Went to opening night tonight...did all the houses except ZombieGeddon (which was closed for some reason) but I'm too tired to write a report.

I will write my review in the morning.

BTW...forget that rumour about S & S not be released until 6:30pm...we were released at 5:50pm tonight.

More to come.......

 

[inkkognito]

Patster I found out my video was out there after I'd already left for HHN tonight. Believe it or not, that's from an hour of footage! But of course they're only going to tantilize you. There's stuff from Hallowed Past, Psychoscarapy, Orfanage and I think one more.

 

[Lou Holtz]

Went to opening night tonight...did all the houses except ZombieGeddon (which was closed for some reason) but I'm too tired to write a report.

I will write my review in the morning.

BTW...forget that rumour about S & S not be released until 6:30pm...we were released at 5:50pm tonight.

More to come.......

You old man! Must've left two hours early to be posting this at that time!

 

[Metro West]

OK...here's my account of last night at HHN....

I arrived at the garage around 3:45pm after battling a shower on the way from my house to Universal. There were a few cars waiting to get in but there was no delay. I parked on level 3 and headed over to the Studios.

There was no line waiting at the gates to get in so in I went.

I headed over to Starbucks and had my usual Grande Mocha Frappuccino and walked around...waiting for the storms to return.

At 5pm, I headed to the holding area...on Lombard Street and sought cover just in case it started to rain. The holding area filled up quickly and by 5:30pm, there were lots of people milling around.

At 5:50pm we were released to do Legendary Truth: The Wyandot Estate (which is the S & S house this year). I thought the house was a little cheesy but enjoyable and since it was a soundstage house, it was very well themed.

When I came out, I wanted to do PsychoScareapy: Echoes of Shadybrook but it wasn't opening until 6:30pm so I went through Hades: The Gates of Ruin instead. Except for the thick fog entering the house, it was another well themed and fun experience. Just don't inhale when you walk through the entrance door or you will likely choke on the fog.

Next up was ZombieGeddon but wasn't open yet either. So I headed down to The Orfanage: Ashes to Ashes which had no line. I really liked this house but since it's an outside house, there is no A/C so you might want to wait until after dark for this one.

After a bathroom break, I headed across the bridge to Havoc: Dogs of War. While this house was fun, I wasn't really feeling it so this will deserve another trip.

I then headed for Horror Nights: The Hallow'd Past. This was my second favorite house of the night. Lots of great memories of past events are all throughout the house. Definitely a must see!

Catacombs: Black Death Rising was next on the list but I had an accident just after I entered. This guy in front of me was walking very slowly and it was hard to keep from running him over since I was getting pushed from behind. Anyway...about half way through he stumbled back and stomped on my foot which hurt like a you-know-what! It's still sore this morning! This house is another very well themed house and a must see!

I headed back across the bridge to do ZombieGeddon but for some reason it was closed. The TMs said they had no idea when it would be open so I headed to the last house of the night...my favorite this year: PsychoScareapy: Echoes of Shadybrook. The last house in the series, Home for the Holidays in 2008 was my favorite that year and this new one is right back up there. I used my Express for this one since I was about done and the wait time was 45 minutes. Great house with lots of good scares and again...very well themed.

After the last house, I wandered through The Coven and HHN: 20 Years of Fear scarezones on my way out of the park. The Coven was very interesting but really hard to see anything because of the amount of fog that was engulfing you. Some of the costumes were really cool so I enjoyed that one. Surprisingly...I didn't really care for HHN: 20 Years of Fear...it was just too many things running around that you couldn't see everything.

I headed for the Universal Studios store and purchased my annual souvenirs of the house t-shirt and tall shot glass. Then I headed to CityWalk and the garage. It started raining a little as I was walking towards the covered walkways but as soon as I got to the moving sidewalks, the skies opened up and it started to pour! This was around 8:30pm. By the time I got to the car and outside, it was a steady rain. As I headed up Hiawasssee Road...through MetroWest and towards home, it rained harder along with lots of lightning. I just thought those people who were still at HHN were going to be miserable in no time.

Anyway...I had a great time but didn't meet up with anyone so maybe next time on October 3rd.

I also wanted to let the newbies know that just about every restaurant in the park which the exception of Lombard's was open last night...including...drum roll please...Universal Studios Classic Monsters Cafe!

Well...that's the first night and there will plenty more this HHN season!

 

[Metro West]

You old man! Must've left two hours early to be posting this at that time!

I never stay until close...I don't need to since I can come back time and time again.

 

[Lou Holtz]

Next up was ZombieGeddon but wasn't open yet either. So I headed down to The Orfanage: Ashes to Ashes which had no line. I really liked this house but since it's an outside house, there is no A/C so you might want to wait until after dark for this one.

Explain how an outside house works.

 

[Metro West]

Explain how an outside house works.

The house is covered but is outside. This one was in the part of the Jaws queue and it's really hot in there if you go through it during daylight hours.

 

[Lou Holtz]

I've heard that a few times, about a house in the Jaws queue. So where do you queue up for Jaws during the event? And how do they fit a house into that area? Having a hard time picturing it.

 

[Metro West]

I've heard that a few times, about a house in the Jaws queue. So where do you queue up for Jaws during the event? And how do they fit a house into that area? Having a hard time picturing it.

It's around the corner a bit...you go into part of the queue that's usually used for storage and is seldom seen.

 

[Clifton]

Got back last night and only used Express on half the houses. The Bill and Ted show is well the same ol but ok. Out of all the houses, the Zombiegeddon and Hades were my favs. Psyhcoscareapy isn't as comical as previous incarnations, just plain scary and no bathroom scene either.

 

[disneyaholic86]

For anyone who did S&S last night or tonight. what houses were you let into early?

 

[Metro West]

For anyone who did S&S last night or tonight. what houses were you let into early?

The holding area at Finnegan's was The Legendary Truth. I don't know which house was open early at the other area.

 

[donaldduck352]

I never stay until close...I don't need to since I can come back time and time again.

I might of missed somwhere in your posting Metro.You sprang for the FFP W/Express this year?If so good choice,I think.I was worried that so many would sell the EP line would be as long as the reg que lines..

 

[muffyn]

Got back last night and only used Express on half the houses. The Bill and Ted show is well the same ol but ok. Out of all the houses, the Zombiegeddon and Hades were my favs. Psyhcoscareapy isn't as comical as previous incarnations, just plain scary and no bathroom scene either.

well that is just fine with me.
lst time I went ( many years ago) they had one house with the "smelly" bathroom & there was no way I was entering. would be gagging all night!
question do they always have a "smelly" room in a house every year & are there any this year in OTHER houses?

 

[phamton]

I went again tonight (Saturday). I started at 7:30 PM and visited every house without express and finished by 11:00 PM. The longest I waited for any house was 30 minutes. Most were around 15 minutes and this is all without express. I'm sure it will get busier each week but yesterday and today, it was not crowded at all. Yesterday, I only stayed an hour (from 8 PM until 9 PM) and was able to do Bill and Ted and Orfanage.

My short review:

My favorite house was Legendary Truth. I loved the concept and the set.

The house with the most talented scareactors was Hades. Their timing was flawless. They were just head and shoulders above the scareactors in all the other houses. They all seemed like pros. Unfortunately I wasn't that impressed with the house itself.

Bill and Ted was blah. It is usually my favorite part of HHN. Hopefully it will improve. The only thing I haven't seen is the Magic Show. I'll try that next week.