WHY THE REPOSITORY IS BOTH A BAD (AND GOOD) IDEA

Greetings internet dwellers!

We are one day removed from the announcement of the surprise VR experience, coming to HHN XXVI. This new upcharge experience, has garnered a mixed reaction on social media. While most of the feedback is positive about the experience, there is a very real anger from people about the price. 

The Repository, will set you back $49.99, if you want to experience the attraction. While it is being billed as a "10th" house by some, that isn't really the case. While it is an extra experience, it's more like a bonus mini house; the 9.5 house, if you will. 

Die-hard fans of HHN, have been asking for some kind of upcharged, intense house experience for years. Truth be told, a more extreme, upcharged experience, has been planned for past events. 2003, was supposed to have one for example, but was scrapped due to legal concerns. It was later morphed into Infestation, a mini show involving that year's Icon, The Director. 

The new VR experience, is actually a nice marketing move for the event. Howl-O-Scream, has been offering their own version of an upcharge experience for a while now. These extra experiences, give guests something different, and unique for visitor's to chew on. In some cases, even more intense solo experiences. 

The problem people are having, involves the price for The Repository. To Universal's defense here, you are not obliged to fork over the extra dough to do the Repository. It's an added experience, and HHN has been doing such things for a while now. 

The event has offered the Unmasking the Horror tours for years. The experience allows guests to explore certain houses of the event, with the house lights on. It provides a guided, unique behind the scenes look, at how the houses are crafted. From the detail in the houses, to the backtories, to how the house was constructed, the tours are a real treat. Prices for that, range from $74 to $119. 

They also started their Scareactor dining experience last year. Similar in nature to how the Mouse does it, guests can have a meal and mingle with HHN characters. The price also includes a photo. This experience will set you back $49.99.

With The Repository, it's the same deal. It's an added bonus that you can dcide to pay for, or not. It's not part of the 9 house line-up this year, despite what some places are saying. 

The question, for me anyway, is justifying the $49.99 to do it. Why is it that price? What is justifying its expensive price tag? Is it the VR? Because if it is, that's a mistake by Universal. 

Virtual Reality, is so easily accessible these days. This isn't some new, fancy thing anymore. I can sit on my couch, and visit Rio for the Olympic Games via VR, with my smart phone. While the experience may be unique to the event, it isn't unique technology anymore. 

With easily accessable VR headsets for your smart phone, The Oculus, The Vibe, and Playstation, Universal has to sell that The Repository is something unique. And the fact of the matter is, they haven't. There is very little info on what separates this, as something anyone can't experience at home. 

Outside of the VR headset, The Repository is nothing more than a bare-bones house. It has sets, actors, lights, and fog. Not uncommon at Halloween Horror Nights. The Legendary Truth angle, is there to entice the die-hards to buy a ticket. Most regular buying folk, have no idea what Legendary Truth is.

Tickets to HHN, are already expensive. If you decide to add express, that gets even more expensive. Offering people an extra experience is fine, but you have to justify your price tag. The Scareactor dining experience for example, that's truly a unique experience. People can't do that from their home. 

The Repository is a cool little extra bonus, but a little too expensive to justify at this point. Having experienced what the team can do at HHN with VR last year, it can easily turn out to be great. However, I can get the same intense scares, from a VR horror game. 

​And that's the problem.