HHN 24: It's a wrap!

Where to begin?

Halloween Horror Nights (or HHN) 24 happened very fast. And I mean the set up and run of the actual event. Maybe it was because we were all still so hyped over Diagon Alley. Maybe it was because social media is so much a part of the event now, that it almost feels like you virtually attend it every night. Or maybe it was just because we're looking ahead to 25 so much already. Well, at least I was. I admit it. Even before HHN 24 opened I stated no matter what happens this year, I can't help but to think ahead to 25. It is such a milestone that they're just going to have to do something big! Bring back an icon! Possibly both parks! More houses! More scarezones!

Wait.

You see how hyped up I'm getting myself here? With this line of thinking, can you really blame me for not having the best time at HHN this year? I shared my history with HHN in a previous entry, so you know I'm a seasoned veteran. I have high (and sometimes unreasonable) expectations for every year. I always want to see something new or different. I don't really get scared anymore at the event. Sure, I'll get startled just like anybody if someone yells in my face out of nowhere. But the thought of something at the event or sight of it doesn't scare me at all. I know it's fake. Chances are I know the person who might try to scare me. And I've been going so long, I'm just trained to know where to look to not get scared. I go to watch the crowds and to admire the artistry of the whole thing. From the actor's wardrobe to the sets of the scarezones and houses, there's so much to take in and appreciate. Want to scare me? Have someone come up to me and tell me I filed my taxes incorrectly and the IRS is out to get me or that my HOA is going to fine me for my hedges being out of code. That will scare the hell out of me! Clowns, chainsaws, and creepy dolls don't. If anything, I like to get as close as I can to see the details of those things.

And this kind of brings me back to HHN 24. It is really hard for me to say anything bad about this event. But I will in a minute. And it is really hard to do! Every single thing they had to offer this year was amazing! I only missed the Alien Vs Predator haunted house and the Bayou of Blood sacrifice show (very short lived), but everything else I experienced was excellent! I can't remember the last time a Bill & Ted show was so quotable and memorable! The Purge scarezone and The Walking Dead house were both massive! The wardrobe and choreography of MASKerade was something I really enjoyed! But there was this undeniable feeling that it was coming up just a little bit short. Something was missing.

The park itself has gone through several changes over the last couple years. Some of these changes ultimately altered the face of HHN. With the addition of Springfield, the Transformers meet and greet, and now London/Diagon Alley, there's less space for HHN to operate. This resulting in less scares and just less HHN in general throughout the park. Like I was saying earlier, everything they had this year was awesome! Great details, themes, everything! Can't say a bad word about it. I just can't stop thinking about all the areas of the park where absolutely nothing is going on that's HHN related. Would having it in both parks solve this problem? Yes and no. While they can compensate more scares in more area, you'd still be walking through the previously mentioned "dead zones" in Universal Studios Florida anyway.

So is HHN as we know it dead and gone forever? I remember when just about every inch of the park was something. Scarezones. Freak shows. Something. I have high hopes for 25. Universal Orlando Resort sent out a press kit of sorts to some very lucky peeps today. It contained a USB with this video containing some teasers for next year on it. Here is Theme Park Review's video:

Obviously we're being led to believe Jack is coming back. Jack appearing in the video happens at the same time they show the Giggles & Gore house. He's an Easter egg within that house. But if his appearance in this video is in fact telling us he is coming back next year, then why tell us so soon? And before the previous year's event has ended. Weird, right? Makes me think that maybe we are going to get another video like this in a couple months featuring another icon of the past. But that would be just like HHN 20, and they wouldn't do the same thing so soon would they?

And again. Talking about 25.

HHN 24 was great. Lots of great houses. Lots of great photo opportunities. Lots of great jokes and quotes. There just wasn't enough of it for me. It was too concentrated to one side of the park. Then you had to walk through lots of nothing to get to the most popular house and Bill & Ted. Also, I hope they address the issue of the wait times for the houses. If you didn't go more than once or buy express passes, chances are you didn't see all the houses. And for the price of the ticket to simply walk through the gate, you should be able to at least see all the houses in a single visit. And that's really my only two complaints. Too much "dead zone" and too much time in the (boring) queue line.

Let the HHN 25 speculation begin! (Bringing back all original icons and Freddy, Jason, Leatherface, Chucky, and any other major intellectual properties (or IPs) that have been used for the event over the years.

Until next time, enjoy it!

Mikey

Universal's Superstar Parade: SpongeBob Set

I was never a huge fan of parades. But with the help of my son, there's one parade in town that I enjoy every performance every time I see it. At one point, with the exception of Islands of Adventure, you could find a daily parade at every local theme park(SeaWorld too?). Universal's Superstar Parade is still running daily at USF and is my favorite of all current parades in town. It's underrated, and almost a hidden gem. I know it doesn't have some steampunk fire breathing dragon. But there's another one of those around these parts and viewing it isn't limited to once a day.

The parade is broken down into four different casts:

• Despicable Me
• Spongebob Squarepants
• Characters from the movie "Hop"
• Dora The Explorer

There are two very unique qualities to the parade. Throughout the day, each cast comes out by the Horror Makeup Show and performs 2-3 different routines each time. For example, the cast of the Spongebob set will come out(random time given just for the sake of giving examples) at 11am, they might perform this number:


They'll go back in around 11:25am after a meet and greet with guests, and then the Hop characters come out at 11:30am. Each cast rotates throughout the day, and I believe this area has been dubbed "The Superstar Partyzone". If it's not official, I'm totally taking credit if it takes off. This would be the next performance from the Spongebob cast(not our video):



After that performance, there is just one more meet and greet opportunity before the parade. A couple of the characters will come out right near the gate by the Horror Makeup Show. It's usually one of the stilt walkers, a couple of the dancers in blue (they are called the "Jellyfish")  and Squidward. It will be a quiet meet and greet without any music or performance.

The other unique quality of the Superstar Parade I enjoy is the way it stops and performs as opposed to constantly moving. There are two spots along the parade route where each cast performs a dance routine. There are some aspects that make the dance unique to each cast, so you almost have to see the parade more than once to fully appreciate that. And believe it or not, you can do it in the same day! The parade comes out next to Beetlejuice's Graveyard and finishes next to Horror Makeup. The first dance performance stops with the Despicable Me float in between the entrance to Twister and the corner where Macy's is. And the Dora float, which is bringing up the rear, will be stopped almost in front of Starbucks. Once that performance is finished, it continues around and will stop again right before Mel's. You can backtrack by Transformers and catch another cast perform the dance that you didn't see the first time! Here is the Spongebob cast performing the Superstar Parade dance at it's first stop by Revenge of the Mummy:



There are rumors of the parade changing in 2015. I'll be very sad to see it go because Harry loves the rollerskating fish so much. I'll be interested to see what would be replacing it. The current state of the parade gets a lot of flack because of how scaled back it has become since it's debut. Numerous performers have been cut from the show, as well as pieces of the sets have been removed. Either way, the song is infectious and we love it in our house. It really grows on you and it's one of our most favorite shows in any theme park. Here's a video of the parade from Singapore and a possible preview to what might be coming(not our video):


Until next time, enjoy it!

mikey