I am curious, what does a HoS audition look like. Do you hide behind a curtain and scare the people interviewing you?
Howl-O-Scream 2019
- Thread starter Gavin
- Start date
I think they check for a pulse and your ability to grunt really well.
Edit - SS and RR have some very talented staff and some of the new scare zones were decent. The house actors though... sigh.
Edit - SS and RR have some very talented staff and some of the new scare zones were decent. The house actors though... sigh.
If you can’t grunt, they just tell you to yell, “It’s a bat!” (Sorry, dated joke there...)
Some of us were hired for our ability to quietly follow people down dark hallways.
I think the thing about SS that made it interesting was that most characters were doing something not traditionally scary but in the context of the theme it was creepy. The marionettes and wind-up Doll saying "My name's Wendy" over and over was great.
I remember in 2013, the actors in Vampire Point put on what was almost a small skit every so often. It gave that area some life. Even Wendigo Woods was fun because the actors were acting out a part. They were doing things that people in that situation would do. Imagine if they had just hid and jumped out or grunted and snarled at you when you walked by?
They could even through glitter on people and it would be better than nothing.
I remember in 2013, the actors in Vampire Point put on what was almost a small skit every so often. It gave that area some life. Even Wendigo Woods was fun because the actors were acting out a part. They were doing things that people in that situation would do. Imagine if they had just hid and jumped out or grunted and snarled at you when you walked by?
They could even through glitter on people and it would be better than nothing.
One year I was wearing one of those zip up jackets that go all the way up over the hood too and the character was captain america. One of the Wendigo Woods actors approached me and stated “are you gonna save us when this thing gets out captain america” easily the best interaction i’ve had during HOS at the park.
So today is basically 9 weeks until opening night. I want to be positive but seeing as how nothing has been released, my assumption is they aren't doing much. At least not much different.
That said, I wanted to think about this from a different point of view, or a couple really. in the past few years as info becomes more readily available, maybe this does more to hurt the experience. When Star Wars came our in '77, no one had a clue what it was about and they were genuinely surprised and entertained by it. Today, we expect to know every detail about a Star Wars film before the first trailer. What if less teasers and less promo is better for the overall experience?
Also, what if BG makes very little change to last years event, but instead decides to actually take the criticisms and suggestions to make the existing areas and houses better. What if FB is still a house but they actually put some effort into the sets and the characters and it is amazing? Just because it's not new doesn't mean its not better and vice versa.
That said, I wanted to think about this from a different point of view, or a couple really. in the past few years as info becomes more readily available, maybe this does more to hurt the experience. When Star Wars came our in '77, no one had a clue what it was about and they were genuinely surprised and entertained by it. Today, we expect to know every detail about a Star Wars film before the first trailer. What if less teasers and less promo is better for the overall experience?
Also, what if BG makes very little change to last years event, but instead decides to actually take the criticisms and suggestions to make the existing areas and houses better. What if FB is still a house but they actually put some effort into the sets and the characters and it is amazing? Just because it's not new doesn't mean its not better and vice versa.
Or maybe the park is simply not teasing HOS right now because they want the focus to be on the teasers for MMXX?
In my opinion, they did just that with Root. It was much better the second year.
Not sure if it was said yet, but the one thing that detracts from any house for me is running into the group that entered before you.
I noticed last year that when the lines got super long, the timing decreased so that people were entering every 15s which created a long line of people in the houses vs groups.
The worst part is that the scare actors (way too few for what there should be IMO) have no realistic way to reset to their hiding spots without being seen by most people in the line.
This leads to either that awkward grunt/scream thing where you know they're there and it's not surprising or frightening, or that they'll stay in their hiding spot super long so that the scare is fresh.
Maybe they'll work on that this year...
I noticed last year that when the lines got super long, the timing decreased so that people were entering every 15s which created a long line of people in the houses vs groups.
The worst part is that the scare actors (way too few for what there should be IMO) have no realistic way to reset to their hiding spots without being seen by most people in the line.
This leads to either that awkward grunt/scream thing where you know they're there and it's not surprising or frightening, or that they'll stay in their hiding spot super long so that the scare is fresh.
Maybe they'll work on that this year...
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Along those lines, here are some thoughts I had a few years ago about inconsiderate guests during HOS.
Also, if a guests hits or gropes a scare actor (according to my friend that worked a maze last year, it was an almost hourly occurrence) the scare actor is to follow the guest out of the maze so security can deal with the guest. This of course doesn't help at ALL with actors being given enough time to reset.
I remembered a great Norm Macdonald joke this weekend - "In my opinion, if we’re going to fight the War on Terror, a good place to start would be our country’s haunted houses."
I have enough member friends who dislike beer to get a good buzz off of their free beer. If they just extend the free beer through HoS, I'm set. It also helps that Blue Moon is my favorite beer.
Right, because the belligerent ones make the experience so much better. HOS drunks, I know I love 'em.
It's more immersive when a guy with a Dale Earnhardt shirt is escorted out of the park.