Common Locations and Experiences has all the time been a robust contender within the theme park house. Nonetheless, the corporate is in a significant push to develop its share, with all the things from the brand new Epic Universe park in Orlando to Common Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas and even a brand new UK Common park on the horizon.
A a lot smaller, however no much less essential, new addition to the Common listing of choices began this previous weekend with Fan Fest Nights at Common Studios Hollywood. In some ways, it’s designed as a non-scary different to Halloween Horror Nights, Common’s marquee occasion of the 12 months. Nonetheless, after having visited Fan Fest Nights, I can’t think about how Halloween Horror Nights may probably be nearly as good
I’ve By no means Been To Halloween Horror Nights, And Now I’m Afraid I’ll Be Dissatisfied
As a severe theme park fan, however not a severe horror fan, I’ve by no means been fairly certain what to do about Halloween Horror Nights. As anyone who’s very prone to leap scares, to the purpose that I’ve ended up with multiple drink throughout me whereas watching a scary film, I’ve by no means been too enthusiastic about going.
However I’ve seen HHN. I’ve seen the movies on social media and YouTube, I’ve considered total walkthroughs of lots of the HHN homes over time, so I do know what occurs there and what it appears like. It has loads of the soar scares I dread, however the homes additionally include unbelievable design components that I’ve all the time wished to view up shut.
I’d all the time deliberate to go to HHN finally. It was on the listing. However now, I’m actually far much less involved in checking it out. I’ve been to Fan Fest Nights, and it was such a terrific expertise. I’m unsure HHN will ever maintain up.
Fan Fest Nights Improves On The HHN Components In A Main Means
Two of the points of interest at Fan Fest Nights are, no less than in construction, just like an HHN home: Star Trek: Crimson Alert and Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets and techniques of Waterdeep. These are fully built-out areas that friends stroll by way of. Nonetheless, Fan Fest Nights does one thing very totally different with these as a result of it tells an precise story.
To make certain, HHN homes have tales, however to a big extent, the main points of them are discovered exterior the home itself. The home is only a liniear path of setpieces, props, and scareactors who soar out at you and say boo.
Crimson Alert and Secrets and techniques of Waterdeep are constructed way more like trendy points of interest. Every has a pre-show room the place a narrative is about up, giving the friends the main points of what’s purported to occur. Nonetheless, as an alternative of transferring from this to a trip automobile, we merely transfer to the subsequent room the place actors are available to truly converse with us and react to what’s taking place round them because the story unfolds.
It’s not in contrast to the John Wick Expertise in Las Vegas that I additionally lately tried out. Utilizing actual actors who don’t simply transfer round however play a job within the story provides an power to the entire expertise that simply wouldn’t be there in any other case.
Star Trek And Dungeons And Dragons Ended With Unbelievable Set Items
The tales of every of those points of interest have been way more engrossing due to the best way they’re introduced, however every additionally ends with a finale that’s so unbelievable, it blows you away.
Within the case of Star Trek: Crimson Alert, the story ends on the bridge of the Enterprise-D. This isn’t merely a recreation. The bridge set that was used within the finale season of Picard was introduced over and rebuilt on web site. There’s no Star Trek fan price their salt who wouldn’t love to have the ability to merely stand on the bridge of the Enterprise.
For Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets and techniques of Waterdeep, the excessive level is the reveal of Xanathar the Beholder. Common had beforehand revealed photos of this creation of the Henson Creature Store, however no image does justice to seeing Xanthar transfer, converse, and blast away at us together with his varied eye stalks. The truth that both of those is just a short lived factor is each mind-blowing and disappointing.
Vacation spot Hill Valley Let Me Go Again To The Future And Go to A Piece Of Film Historical past
Common Studios Hollywood, whereas being the primary Common park, is commonly essentially the most neglected. It’s the smallest park, crowbarred right into a nook of the Common Footage lot. Nonetheless, due to that, it additionally has one attraction that permits it to shine above another theme park on the planet, the enduring Common Studios Backlot Tour.
I’ve jumped on board the tram for the Studio Tour extra instances than I can depend. My favourite half, with out query, is all the time when the tour goes by the Hill Valley Clock Tower, as seen in Again to the Future, considered one of my all-time favourite movies.
So it made excellent sense that a part of Fan Fest Nights devoted to Again to the Future would happen proper there. Visitors board the identical tram, however then exit exterior of Lyon Estates, and stroll proper into the Clock Tower sq..
The Terror Tram is one factor at Halloween Horror Nights at Common Studios Hollywood that Orlando can’t recreate, and as such, it is all the time price testing. However it’s given friends this type of second.
Getting off the Studio Tour tram to truly stroll across the backlot is one thing often reserved for the VIP Tour, which prices considerably greater than a ticket to Fan Fest Nights. Not solely did I really feel like I used to be inside Again to the Future with Doc, Marty, Biff, and extra strolling round and interacting with friends, however I obtained to face in entrance of the “actual” Clock Tower, actually a particular second for this fan.
HHN Is Going To Want To Up It’s Recreation
Possibly we’ll see extra from Halloween Horror Nights going ahead. It’s doable that Fan Fest Nights is one thing of a check or a tease for the way forward for Common Studios’ larger and badder occasion.
If nothing else, the best way that Star Trek and D&D work seems to be the best way that Common Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas will work when it opens in August. These homes will, in accordance with the designers, have extra story components constructed into the expertise and can be introduced to small teams of individuals.
I nonetheless wish to go to HHN. It’s an unchecked merchandise on my theme park to-do listing, and that bugs me. Having mentioned that, I am actually hoping Fan Fest Nights comes again subsequent 12 months as a fair larger occasion. That is one thing I actually will not wish to miss.