HHN Orlando Review 2010 - Spoiler free

[KingEric]

So I had the pleasure of going to Halloween Horror Nights last night, and sadly I got but one photo, and that photo was of me and a friend, so it is of no use to this review. So without the photos I will keep my review as short as possible, and as spoiler free as I can.

I attended last night with a couple from Idaho. 1 a long time friend, she had been to WDW numerous times, but this was her first trip experiencing Universal and Islands of Adventure. Her husband, first trip to Orlando, so Disney/Universal all new to him.

First off it was CROWDED. For a thursday night it was packed. All the Haunts advertised a 45 minute wait, but when you actually got in line it was closer to 60 or 70. I purchased Express, but even with Express some of the waits were around 20 mins.

Scare Zones: WOW, and Kudos. If you saw my photos of them setting up, let me just say that the night time effects, and the new effects really took things up a notch! The use of fire this year was epic.

Haunts: Let me just say, that they out did themselves this year. With new technology, new effects, new costumes, and the great re purposing of old characters... just WOW.

I want to express why this year was so great. Each house had a different and original theme, which was great. However what truly made it stand out, and just made it great was that each house approached Fear. Each house approached it from a different angle... and that is what made it truly scary.

So in short how do I rank this events value and experience.

Value: If you go on a non-peak with a discounted ticket ($34.99), and buy Express ($39.99) I think that this event is WELL worth the price. Even if you had to pay the full amount it is still worth experiencing... but I like to find as much value in an experience as possible, and that is where I find the most value.

So how would I rank the Central Florid a Halloween events on a scale of 1 to 10?

Halloween Horror Nights: 9.5
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party: 4.5
Shamu's Halloween: (haven't experienced it yet this year but in the past it has been a 3, but brilliant for little kids)

Halloween Horror Nighs is fresh and new every year, begging for you to explore.

[aimster]

Did you see Bill & Ted? I'm still disappointed they didn't bring back the Rocky Horror tribute show.

[KingEric]

Oh totally forgot to mention Bill and Ted's. It was great. Not as good as some years past... 2007 and 2008 really stick out, but still WAY worth it!

I was very sad about the RHPS Tribute not being there. The other shows they had were not compelling enough for me to spend non-haunt time to view them.

[Dustysage]

Excellent review. Universal Hollywood also knocked it out of the park this year with phenomenal quality. Universal seems to be firing on all cylinders these days.

[DannyLand]

uhh.. i really want to go now!! but can't. But I'll just go next year. I'm sad.
But I did go to knotts. That was ok, they tried to scare me but they just cant. lol.

[TDLFAN]

This being the 20th anniversary of HHNs (I went to the very first one back in 1991 when they only had 2 scare mazes) i would love to go. But in recent years.. I have found the crowds unmanageable and i don't enjoy the heavy drinking all over the park, which the last time I attended, made waiting in long lines a very trying and unpleasant experience. Reason why I have not bothered to return.

But I love how you said.. the event is fresh and worth doing every year.. My thought? just like Halloween at TDR, minus the booze.

Thanks for the review Eric.

[Disney Romantic]

But in recent years.. I have found the crowds unmanageable and i don't enjoy the heavy drinking all over the park, which the last time I attended, made waiting in long lines a very trying and unpleasant experience.

I've always heard how bad the alcohol problem is at Horror Nights, but never understood the full problem until I saw the park during the day. I don't think I could stand in most of the park without having some booze stand within eyesight, and this isn't even considering all the alcohol available at park restaurants and City Walk outside the gate. I saw enough drunk guests during the day that I can't imagine the horrid chaos at night.

[wumbology]

One picture?!?