Greetings internet dwellers!
It's hard to believe that we have made to the end of 2020. This year has managed to be both the quickest, and longest year ever. Time had no meaning in the year 2020. As we enter 2021, things will still be chaotic. However, with some light on the horizon for the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, I really, really, hope, things will gradually improve. 2020 was a dumpster fire. No doubt. Let's not make 2021 another. We look towards the new year, with a sense of hope and optimism. Probably more so that most of us have ever done. Things have to get better. They will be better. Halloween Horror Nights 2021, is in sight. I am not going anywhere (sorry, haters). The first Topher's Log for Halloween Horror Nights 2021, will be this weekend. While we may not have too much to talk about, weekly uploads will restart. I will also still be doing my in-park vlogs. So, a lot will be happening. I appreciate all the continued support, and welcome anyone new to come along with me. It's going to be an interesting year. A hopeful year. So with that, I wish all a Happy New Year. Stay healthy, continue to follow the guidelines, and be smart. Hasta La Bye-bye for now.
1 Comment
Greetings internet dwellers! We've made it to the holidays in this cesspool year that is 2020. As we churn towards the finality of this year, and to new hope in the year 2021, we must get through the holiday season. Halloween is in the rearview mirror, but it is always on my mind. And probably yours. However, contrary to popular belief, I enjoy some Christmas festivities. Universal has begun their version of holiday celebrations, during this trying time. Of course, they unleashed the first ever Holiday Tribute store. While there is also no parade, they still cobbled together an experience with their floats and balloons, normally featured in the Holiday Parade. I ventured out to the park today, to get a glimpse at some of the offerings. I snapped some pics, and did a vlog. You can see them below. Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving from HHN Legacy! Greetings internet dwellers! It's official. Universal showcased the behind the scenes video that was leaked on Peacock last week, which highlighted Puppet Theatre: Captive Audience. With that, we have our first house announced for next year (hopefully). In the video, Greg Nicotero, Mike Aiello, and Charles Gray, tour the house. They give us a brief glimpse at the story, sights, and sounds, of what to expect inside. I have a feeling this is how next year is going to go. With perhaps most, if not all, the houses returning for next year, it wouldn't surprise me if we get a constant stream of announcements. I sincerely hope, this pandemic is under control enough, so we can get some semblance of a full event next year. Regardless, we have our first house. Hasta La Bye-bye for now. Greetings internet dwellers!
Everyone probably knows by now, that a behind the scenes video was leaked on Universal's Peacock app. Once word spread across the interwebs, the video was hastily taken down from the app. The video showcased the likes of Mike Aiello, Greg Nicotero, and Charles Gray, touring a house "coming in 2021." The house in question, was Puppet Theatre: Captive Audience. Since the video was taken down and was an obvious leak, it is not "official" yet. Because of this I will be maintaining the mantra of nothing is official until universal says it is. I won't be posting the video in its entirety, but if you search around the internet, you can find it if you so choose. It kind of wouldn't be HHN, if things weren't leaked at all. We've all become accustomed to leaks, and Universal themselves have taken a comical approach to them in their own right. For now, it's just a new churro stand. I do have a small glimpse at the video on my Twitter @HHNLegacy, if you want a peak, but that's all I'm doing for now. I will leave you with this comical image from 2014. Halloween was leaked by Publix, and Mike Aiello had some fun with it. Given that we are in a meta situation again, with Mike in the leaked video, it seems appropriate. Hasta La Bye-bye for now. Greetings internet dwellers! It leaked early last week, but today Universal Orlando Resort, sealed the deal. Jurassic World: VelociCoaster will open in the summer of 2021. They released a nifty announcement video, to show off some of what the coaster can do. "Get ready for a new species of roller coaster. Speeding through the jungle, rising high above the terrain, it’s the Jurassic World VelociCoaster. Board your vehicle for a high-speed dash through the park’s raptor paddock. You’ll feel the rush of the hunt as you race alongside these nimble predators, twisting and soaring above the land and water. The Jurassic World VelociCoaster is coming Summer 2021 to Universal’s Islands of Adventure."
Hasta La Bye-bye for now. Greetings internet dwellers!
Halloween will be sticking around the Universal Orlando Resort. In a teaser video posted live on their Facebook page, Universal confirmed their "test" is no longer a test. Revenge of the Tooth Fairy and The Bride of Frankenstein Lives!, will be reopening this weekend. Starting on October 3rd, the houses will be open for daytime guests on a regular basis. The Halloween festivities will continue through November 1st. Based on the wording on the site, it appears, you may be able to enter the house queues without a Virtual Line. However, the Virtual Line will still be available for the houses. Sticking around as well, are the Scarecrow Stalk, trick 'r treating, the Skeleton Bar, and being able to wear costumes. Also included are the Tribute Store of course, the Horror Make-up Show, and Beetlejuice meet and greets. This should come as no surprise, especially given how successful this weekend was. Anyway, there you have it. You can experience the houses all season long if you wish, and get your Halloween on at Universal. Hasta La Bye-bye for now. Greetings internet dwellers! Many Halloween and HHN fans, got their wishes granted this past weekend at Universal Studios. Friday, Universal allowed Team Members and Premier Passholders, access to two HHN houses during the day. Saturday the houses were opened to regular guests, with Virtual Queue access. The resort also had a plethora of seasonal activities, and decorations around the parks. Saturday, was very busy. It was so busy in fact, that all three Universal parks closed due to their limited capacity. Many people arrived at the parks dark and early, to attempt to snatch up spots in the Virtual Queue. I personally, wasn't able to get their early and had to wait and see if the parks would reopen. They did indeed reopen, and I made my way down. Universal is calling this a "test". If the demand on Saturday is any indication, I would say the test was successful. Besides the houses, Universal also adorned parts of the park with decorations. The La Bamba Cafe, was also transformed into a walkthrough themed bar, called The Skeleton Bar. There were food trucks, with some traditional HHN fare, like Twisted Taters. Islands of Adventure allowed trick r' treating for kids, and anyone could dress up in costumes. It was nice to have all of this stuff. I don't need to stress how shitty 2020 has been. I've said it a million times. HHN, is a lifestyle for a lot of people. Myself included. To have just a small smattering of Halloween and HHN, is a nice welcome sight. However, I do have to make some personal observations. I was able to do both houses, thanks to a lovely gesture. My favorite of the two, was The Bride of Frankenstein Lives!. I am very partial to the Universal Classic Monsters. Last year's house was my favorite for the event. I love the twist on the Bride story going on. It's a bit of a pseudo sequel, or continuation of The Bride of Frankenstein movie. The scenic was really top notch, and there were quite a few effective scares. There were some really neat nods, to other Classic Monsters as well. Revenge of the Tooth Fairy, was an interesting original take. There is definitely a Scary Tales vibe, and I love the dark and twisted take that's happening. The "facade", or first thing you see, is really nifty. I went through the house during a cast change, so I missed a lot of the scares. The scenic is really great, and the house is solid. While I appreciate everything that Universal, Art & Design, and the Scareactor's did to allow us to experience all of this, the houses just don't hit like they usually do. It's understandable with the pandemic and the precautions that have to be taken. For me, seeing Scareactor's behind plexiglass, just hurts. It's a constant reminder of how fucked up everything is. That's not to say the experience, isn't great. It's a welcome breath of fresh air to be able to walk through an HHN house; hell, any haunted house. My thoughts are in a constant battle. I really love being able to do all of this. However, at the expense of the pandemic, I just can't help but feel a little sad. The state of affairs, continues to be awful. I worry about next year with all of this. The crystal ball is still murky, and it's hard to say what HHN will look like next year at this point. People are still losing their jobs. It's nice that the houses will offer at least, some financial benefit. However, I feel like this should be it. Just these two houses. Keep others in the back pocket, but cap it at these two. Yell at me all you want. I don't care. That being said, if able to do it again I probably would. I really want to do Bride again. For a brief moment this weekend, I was wrapped in a bit of joy. Even if the shadow of darkness that is the year 2020, stalked me from behind. Hasta La Bye-bye for now.
Greetings internet dwellers!
"Seasonal Experience Testing" is what they are dubbing this weekend. Universal Orlando will open two HHN houses, that were supposed to be featured at HHN 30. Both The Bride of Frankenstein Lives and Revenge of the Tooth Fairy, will be accessible to daytime park guests. Universal will also offer some other seasonal options, like trick or treating at Islands of Adventure, and being able to wear costumes at the park. TM previews for Friday, are already at capacity. I think it will be busy and very difficult, to try and access these houses. Universal will be utilizing their virtual line option, to allow guests to experience the houses. We shall see. Anyway, I will be down there this weekend to try and see if I can get in. May the odds ever be in your favor. Greetings internet dwellers!
While I am still recovering from my bout with diverticulitis, I hobbled my way down to the studios briefly today. The HHN Tribute Store, has already been a huge hit. I think most people already got the word, that there was supposed to be two more rooms in the Tribute Store. However, hope may have faded when word spread, that those rooms may be modeled after certain IP's. Obviously, with the event cancelled this year, and no announcements of houses, Universal couldn't just let the cat out of the bag so quickly. It seems the powers that be, worked hard to allow guests to feast their eyes on an entire room, dedicated to Beetlejuice. While I won't confirm, nor deny anything, it's a room dedicated to the 1988 Tim Burton film. And it's kind of glorious. That being said, there is also another room right before that, where guests can purchase some food. It has a lot of sweets, including sour gummy beating hearts. The room also has a lot of easter eggs, dedicated to HHN's past. There is also a hallway littered with past HHN posters and images, one has to traverse to get to the food room. It's nice to have this. I said it a few times this year. It's nice to just breathe, and wrap yourself in something familiar. I'm so ready for someone to finally yell, "Jumanji!" Hasta La Bye-bye for now. Greetings internet dwellers!
HHN 30, we know, is not happening this year. We know 2020 sucks balls. It will continue to suck balls. I've been dealing with my personal dish of 2020. Two back-to-back hits of health problems. Vertigo, and Diverticulitis, which put me into the emergency room. So I sit here, trying to stay positive. It's hard; not just for me, but a lot of people. The HHN Twitter feed, has suddenly reawakened. With a decree of sorts: #HHNForever. They released a graphic with a little bit of...something. In it, it reassures fans that, horror never dies, and neither does the event. What they are planning, well, we'll just have to wait and see. They mention invading our screens. Perhaps we will be getting some walkthroughs of some of the houses. A virtual visit perhaps? Maybe announce what will be awaiting us next year? Or past walkthroughs? The possibilities could be anything. Hell, it could just be a contest. We've been down that road before. Sitting in my chair this afternoon, with what I have been dealing with personally the last few weeks, and having this flash across my Twitter feed, hit me. I need, we need, something, anything. Spirits, for lack of a better term, need to be awakened. And I think a lot of us, need it now. Anyway, hasta la bye-bye for now. |
TOPHER PICCOLOHHN LEGACY OWNER Archives
December 2020
|