HHN Hollywood 2012 Reviews

[Brandon]

So in just the 2nd night the event feels much better.

The scares in the mazes are now happening as they should. All the mazes are pretty awesome except Terror Tram that's basically just like it always is..

Bill and Ted was like a different show tonight than last night (we were really intoxicated the first night so nothing may have changed) The song selection in the finale is really random this year with Madonna and Kelly Clarkson making it in.. loved One Direction. Still no 2010 but if they can shave a good 10 mins off I will like it much more it's clocking in at 48 minutes long.

What did you guys think?

[JesterMn]

Actually... I have to admit, I found it much better than I expected.

That said, I had very low expectations. I couldn't care less about the show The Walking Dead, and felt it was a lazy creative decision to have not 1 but 2 mazes (a walk through and a tram) dedicated to it. Nor do I care about Silent Hill--never played the game in my life. Not to mention about hearing the plans for Monsters Remixed... new lighting and dubstep? I thought they all sounded like cop-outs to me, creatively. Or they were properties I just wasn't interested in.

Maybe it was because my expectations were low, but in fact I was pleasantly surprised. I was growing tired of the Terror Tram, but I thought this was one of the best versions of it to date (aside from a bottleneck crowd control problem early on). The zombies were everywhere on the Bates Motel & War of the Worlds set, and the last "room" had nearly everyone screaming as they come at your constantly from all angles.

If you've been to HHN in past years, you'll certainly recognize old sets, especially in The Walking Dead and Silent Hill. The latter quite a bit. As I walked through it, I was like, "Saw... Hostel... Freddy..." That said though, they do make them fit within the context of the new theme, so it oddly didn't bother me so much. Although maybe because I have never played Silent Hill, but the ending "bunny room" made no sense to me, and was fairly anti-climatic. I thought both mazes were good, although at the end of the day, nothing special aside from the talent in them.

Alice Cooper was good, although with a lot of bits of dead (no pun intended) space. But it's the "newest" of the mazes, sets, and designs, and it felt like a breath of fresh air.

Monsters Remixed was better than I expected it, although keep in mind, I had very low expectations going in. They even managed to find a few new places to scare, which was refreshing. The music won't be for everyone, but I didn't mind it. To me, the bigger problem is that it's not at a consistent volume within the maze. In some places, it's blaring, and in others, it sounds off in the distance. That said, does anyone know if the DJ in the main room is really controlling the music, or is he just for show?

Texas Chainsaw was my favorite by far. They really captured the feel of the original movie, and the dinner scene is fantastic. I was a bit bummed that when we walked in, I was not seeing the infamous metal door being used... but perhaps we just had bad timing.

We didn't get to do La Llorona, as we have a multi-night pass, and we're saving that one for tonight.

Some general comments:

• The biggest general change I noticed was that they have really cut down on the water effects (with the exception of Alice Cooper). Frankly, though, I'm glad not to be drenched as I walk by a zombie "eating" a victim. Although for all I know, they were there, and we just missed them.
• They seem to be having a lot of "bodies" hanging from the ceiling that you have to push through in nearly all the mazes... that gets annoying after a while.
• The line for Monsters Remixed and Terror Tram were walk ons by 11pm, so it'd be smart to save those for the end (although keep in mind the Terror Tram closes by 9:30 on Thur/Sun)
• I would not do Transformers if you didn't have too... the line was way longer than any of the mazes ever were. When we left at 11pm, the longest maze line was La Llorona at 70 minutes. Transformers was 160.
• I'm so ready for anything other than Klownz in the first scare zone. Although I have to admit, a lot of people do seem pretty scared by them. But c'me on, it seems like it's been Klownz for like three years now.

I did see Bill & Ted. In terms of storyline, this was the best one... the plot actually makes some sense, compared to past years. But it was also oddly the least offensive and tame, and it did feel a little long. They were doing lots of audience surveys at the end, so I have a feeling they'll be listening to audience feedback, and tweek the show as it goes along. I actually said it was not vulgar enough! And not as much female eye candy, it leans towards the male eye candy... but as a gay man, I wasn't exactly complaining about that. However, you straight guys (and lesbians) may want a bit of warning.

Keep in mind, HHN does do their best to improve things if they can. Anyone remember last year on the Terror Tram, you used to do a chain link maze section by the Bates Motel? They cut it out after the first week because it was causing crowd control problems. So we may see some changes as we go along.

[Magicguy]

Just woke up from my HHN experience
And might I say it was an overall good night.
I look forward to doing this every year. This being my 4th year and 8th time doing the event, im starting to get tired of things.

The mazes are good. No doubt about it. But for some reason the mazes are always better the 2nd time through them. My group of 4 did everything twice.
The first time we did the mazes, they werent that scary, it was just cool and creepy.
The second time is when we actually got scared. Mostly because the second time around, I pay more attention to the detail and not the actors jumping out, so they get me.
My opinion my favorite mazes last night were Alice and Walking Dead, the weakest was probably Texas. Terror Tram was def. one of the best overlays for it, but im getting tired of the same thing every year..same for the Klownz scare zone...Something new please.
I was surprised by the Monster Remix it was actually one of the better overlays for HOH.
As for Bill and Ted, i skipped didnt feel the need to sit through it, maybe because of how it was last year?
As for this year it's pretty good.
But im still trying to figure out if it topped last year...
I still say that the best year for me at HHN was in 09 with Saw.
One because it was an overall theme that took over the event. Which I think is better then just individual mazes.
But hey im not disappointed about last night. It was fun

[Linus]

I highly enjoy Bill and Ted this year. I feel like it's good every 2 years...2008, 2010, 2012. I went during preview night and everything was eh. Last night after work, I jumped on Walking Dead right at 2 so i was the last guest. Overall, I think it was better than preview night. I was working the Basketball game last night, and should be there again tonight! Come visit!

[sir clinksalot]

I agree with Bill and Ted. I'd seen it 3 or 4 times in the past and this years was BY FAR the best show.

As for the mazes, I went on a preview night (technically a dress rehearsal) so nothing really blew me away if I'm being honest. Alice was good, Walking Dead could have been better.

Had a chance to go last night but didn't, decided to stay home with the family since I'll be gone tonight. I've heard things were vastly improved over the preview night.

[goldenstate5]

I did see Bill & Ted. In terms of storyline, this was the best one... the plot actually makes some sense, compared to past years. But it was also oddly the least offensive and tame, and it did feel a little long. They were doing lots of audience surveys at the end, so I have a feeling they'll be listening to audience feedback, and tweek the show as it goes along. I actually said it was not vulgar enough! And not as much female eye candy, it leans towards the male eye candy... but as a gay man, I wasn't exactly complaining about that. However, you straight guys (and lesbians) may want a bit of warning.

The Hunger Games certainly gave the show a fantastically simple plot to hang jokes upon. I'm hoping I can see it again (saw it on preview night), to see if there are any improvements.

Same goes with all of the mazes. Saw some videos of Knott's mazes already which blew away everything I saw at HHN, but maybe it's just more polished then what I already saw.

[JerrodDRagon]

I think the best way to go to HHN..is to wait a week to allow them to get feedback and work on the shows and mazes

[Rex Dopey24]

cant wait to read more thanks

[k_peek_2000]

Bill and Ted's was the highlight of this year easily. The mazes just don't do anything for me. They don't seem scary, I am always getting scared by the hooded staff in cloaks, but not by the maze monsters. I give the talent kudos for putting in 110%, Universal has the right idea, it's just missing something. For me it was just another year of horror nights with nothing too spectacular,

I plan on visiting again but am definitely getting the front of the line pass. No maze at any Halloween event is worth a 1-2 hour wait.

[SoCalbma]

Great reviews guys!

Can't wait to check it out next Friday. We always watch Bill and Ted twice everytime we go. Bill and Ted is always our highlight of HHN.

I have ridden Transformers a dozen times already, but was wondering if the ride still offer single rider during HHN?

[goldenstate5]

I have ridden Transformers a dozen times already, but was wondering if the ride still offer single rider during HHN?

Yes, but it fills up very, very fast.

[JesterMn]

Last night, the main line for Transformers was 2-3 hours.

And they're already changing things from the first night to the second. On the Terror Tram, you're now going around the Bates Motel instead of through it. It helped with the bottlenecking of the first night, although it was still slow to go around. But a lot better than the first night.

[Linus]

Saw Bill and Ted again last night. Loved it! Alice was also better last night than it was on preview night.

[Brandon]

I could not understand how Transformers was a 3 hour wait. I went on opening day of the ride when the line was out the building and and took up the entire overflow que and it was around the same posted waiting time. Both nights it didn't look like the line was out of the building but it was posted at 2-3 hours. I went in the front of the line line and it felt like the loading was slower than usual.. Are they running it at a lower capacity to torture people in line? Was the 3 hour wait not an accurate posting? very strange, its an amazing ride but nothing is worth waiting 3 hours for.

[QuiGonJ]

Bill and Ted was interesting, but the "offensive" nature of it misses the point of Bill and Ted. They are/were basically good kids which is why the Wyld Stallyns worked as a band more or less.

I was there last night, and I had fun. Anyone have details on that behind the scenes walkthrough going on in a couple of weeks? A friend bought me a ticket, but I am unclear if that let's me enjoy the entire night again or what that ticket bought me.