As with all of the recent updates, and especially the HUGE major updates (including the one in which we now find ourselves deeply immersed), there are LOADS of opportunities to purchase buildings, decorations, and characters from updates past. Some call ’em “Retreads,” others call ’em “A Second Chance to Get What I Missed,” and still others call them nothing at all…but still pull the Donut Trigger when they are offered.
In this installment of “Should I Buy?” I cover the Shinning Hotel and Maze combo. Is my DTF (Donut Trigger Finger) itchy? Or will I keep the safety locked firmly in position?
Let’s take a look….
I’m going to start with the fact that sometimes EA offers something that tweaks the “Gotta Have It” (GHI) segment of my brain pan, for reasons that at first don’t make a lot of sense on the surface, but then, as the memory tumblers drop, and the bolts of inspiration connect (sometimes you can hear it from across the room), I remember why the GHI neurons are firing. This was one of those.
First…I LOVE the movie “The Shining.” It is one of those horror films that has the “this could actually happen!” vibe to it. I think it is one of Stephen King’s best stories, as it was written in an actual haunted hotel (the Overlook, in Colorado), and has a main character with whom I can relate. I mean, especially in an election year like this, who doesn’t want to take an axe to the bathroom door with a little “Here’s Johnny!” to make the point that you can’t take the pressure anymore? But, I digress…
To add to the “GHI” syndrome, is the fact that I also LOVE the parody spoof that the Simpsons did on “The Shining,” which was part of the THOH from Season 6 (S6E6). It is hilarious. Spot on…and loaded with inside humor.
My favorite scenes from “The Shinning” (Willie won’t let Bart say “Shining” for copyright purposes).
And if that isn’t enough…the exterior scenes of the hotel in the movie version, were actually shot at Timberline Lodge, on Mt. Hood, here in Oregon.
The opening scene of “The Shinning” looks much like the road that approaches Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. I think the design of the building from the show, is pretty much a direct lift.
So…for me…it was a No Brainer! “Must Pull Donut Trigger.”
HOWEVER…………………………………….
As has been pointed out to me in past SIBs, by some of the more arduous “TSTOAddicts Traditionalists,” if I just give you my opinion, without doing the SIB the way it has been presented for eons (three years is eons in blog time), then people get upset, and start calling me names, and before you know it…we are ALL picking up axes to chop down doors, which should be open to conversation and communication! PHEW!!!
So…Here is the “traditional” SIB.
Combo: Shinning Hotel and Maze (Limited Time, Leaves Nov. 1st)
Cost: 11o Donuts
OR…
Shinning Maze by itself- (leaves Oct. 25th)
Cost: 55 Donuts Can Be bought Separately, in addition to Bundle, to create larger maze, or second maze
Details/Earning/XP
Maze- Vanity + 100, Earns 2.25% bonus on all cash and XP, Size: 9×9
Hotel- Indolence +20 (no bonus %, instead earns game income), Size: 16×6
NOTE- Combo Awards 605 MAG points for THOH 2016 Update (when placed/built)
Pros
- Building is an accurate representation of “National Monument”
- Combo Earns Mag Point
- Maze adds 2.25% Bonus
- Comes with a Quest Line
- Permanent task for Willie (4 hour get axe in back) with subtle hotel animation
Cons
- Relatively Expensive for a Building/Decoration
- Doesn’t Earn Update Currency (after initial Mag Points)
- Is Considered “Non Canon” by Simpsons Purists
- No animation for tasks
Final Thoughts
If I am honest, this combo is one of the few things in this update that I really wanted. It will “remind me of home” no matter where I play, and I’m just not that jazzed about a lot of the other offerings for this update, as I have TONS of the stuff being offered from previous THOH updates.
As the MAG points put me into the next level, and awarded me another Trick or Treater, it was a definite bonus. Plus, the Quest Line starts right off with a task that uses all of the extra kids in your Springfield, which is rare these days.
So…as a PREMIUM PLAYER, If you have the Bonuts to Burn…I say Pull the DT trigger.
If you are a Freemium Player, with scant Bonuts, you may want to pass, and get one of the other bundles.
In the end, it’s really up to you. What do YOU think about this combo? Did you already have a maze? Did you buy a second one? Is Homer really going to kill his family???
As I’ve been only playing this from this year (my god, what have I been missing!) if something like the Shinning Hotel, which I really want as a big fan of the book The Shinning 😉 – is gone by tomorrow, does it ever pop up again in something like Black Friday or future offers or do I need to snap it up? As Christmas is my favorite holiday though, I feel I may be better saving donuts for then?
Most likely… this is at least the 2nd time it’s been offered
Man, they missed a great opportunity to give the twins and Moe a task there… If that had happened, I might have jumped. For now, I will just enjoy it in my hubby’s town.
Quick question, I already had the maze before this Halloween. If I buy the hotel and maze combo am I right in thinking I’ll have 2 mazes then? It seems strange that they offered the maze as a separate item but not the hotel. Not sure why I’d want 2 mazes?
Yup two mazes
So how much income does the hotel bring in per hr or timeframe? I noticed on the breakdown it says earns game currency but not detailed as to how much? I am seriously on the fence on this one… need more details before pulling the DT!
$500 every 6 hrs. Not 100% on time but that’s what it looks like to me.
I got the hotel but I never got a quest for any of my cheaters. Is their something wrong??
The Hotel I don’t think comes with a quest
The maze does though
There is actually a willie task axe in the back
I’m not sure if it’s a quest though
You just tap willie it’s a four hour task
I think it’s just added to willies tasks I could be wrong
But I don’t think it’s a quest
You can always put it away and re place it that always fixes any issues if there are some
You left out a pro: when tapped the noise is either marge’s scream or homer’s iconic (and hilarious) shriek. Makes me glad i bought the bundle for that alone.
When i send Willie to the Shinning Hotel for his 4 hour task “Catch a axe in the back” then the hotel flickers from visible to invisible. Yep Haunted Hotel!
I have talked to EA several times about the issue but no help so far. I dont think it is my device because i have never had problems before…..It makes me think twice about buying anything else thats for sure.
i bought the bundle but my hotel is invisible! i can tap it and move it, but can’t see it!! : (
It’s happening to a few players, you’ll have to contact EA
I contacted EA and all they did was tell me where my invisible hotel was. They did nothing to help with the actual issue.
I am told its been passed on to Technical support so i am hoping for a patch soon!
All play and no work make ellieoftheflump spend more doughnuts on this fabby combo :0)
I already had the maze. I snapped up the hotel and combined them. Also, as an homage to the book, I have a topiary garden set up. One of the bunnies is starting to turn around.
Perfect!!!
I’m passing on this. I’m going to go for Eleanors combo. I think that’s the best deal in this update so far! I have over 50% bonus, and sitting at 5 stars right now, so I’m happy with that.
An all-time favorite episode. Even considering buying an additional maze to make a bigger maze–anyone else do this?
As an aside, I read an interview somewhere with Stephen King who said he never liked the casting of Jack Nicholson in the movie. He said the horror of the story was an ordinary man going insane–he said movie watchers knew from the get go that Jack was crazy just looking at him.
I gave into the pressure and got the building/maze bundle. The building looks so much like Timberline Lodge. I had to get it. (You don’t need to tell me that the building is Timberline Lodge. I already know that). 😉
I’m a huge fan of the Simpsons parody episode and saw it even before I saw the shining. I only saw the shining for the first time last month and well… Masterpiece. They are putting it back in cinemas Halloween night and I can’t wait. REDRUM.
Why offer the maze by itself? A lot of people, myself included, bought it when it came out last year. The hotel I believe is a new addition. So why not offer just the hotel for those who already have the maze?
I am a huge fan of Stephen King and The Shining is one of the few books that gives me the chills when I read it. However I will give this a pass as 110 donuts is steep for a combo without character. Not aware of any existing characters having tasks there. It does look asthetically pleasing.
Willy has a 4 hour task there.
Thanks – But read up there there’s no animation for tasks.
Got a wild idea. If characters have tasks to go into the maze and have that animation… that would be one of the most wonderful animations / tasks all around.
OMG, that would be AWESOME. I’d love to see people walking through the maze!
I have something like a small maze, & it made me happy every time I saw a robot walking through it during the SciFi event! 😄
Should I buy the Shinning and the maze?
For me, that’s a big fat nooooooooooooooo.
Jack Nicholson is in the lowest 5% of actors for me and quite frankly, I’ve never understood the “genius” of Kubrick. The movie itself was only about average. Haven’t read the book, but don’t think it was one of King’s better ones.
“Homer go something,something,something” was classic.
I’m currently doing a film study course at the moment and your comment broke me inside 😱
It is one of his better books. It’s amazing
Except for the endings, I like “It” and “The Stand” the most bestest.
Like I said, The Shining is one of the best horror fiction I have ever read. Give it a chance. Read it at night alone.
The movie has been great too. You must remember that the movie was shot during the 80s. Effects can be cheesy, but Jack Nicholson probably is able to play Jack Torrance (hey they share the same first name!) much better than anyone. He’s got the look.
We all have our own tastes.
Agreed!
It’s funny how you can comment on something you haven’t read. Read it, then tell me what your informed opinion is.
It’s easy to comment. Having read the best work by King, it’s easy to say therefore it’s probably not his best. Also, my opinion of the Shining book is based on the bad movie, the Shining. Can’t believe that Kubrick would ventured far form King’s work.
Halloween Thought of the Day:-
Does anyone else think that Sherri & Terri would have made an excellent addition to the package of The Shinning Hotel & Maze?
Whenever I look at them I always think of the twins from The Shining.
100% agree
In fact, Sherri & Terri’s Halloween trick or treating costumes in the game are clearly the twins from the Shining. This is the first time I’ve noticed since I only bought them last year during the Black Friday sale.
I don’t have Sherri & Terri, so if there had been a bundle deal with them and the hotel, I’d have been all over that.
Not interested in the hotel/maze combo.
I’m still stuck on the fence. I love The Shining(Book/Movie/Short Series) and The Shinning is one of my favorite THoH skits from back when they use to be good. I just don’t want those to be the only reasons for getting it and they would most certainly have to since the building itself doesn’t do anything.
I have tried all suggestions to fix my invisible shinning hotel. Using the move tool i see a green box but when i put it in storage i can see the hotel in my inventory. So i have it out and my kids go trick and treating to my invisible hotel. Contacted EA hopefully will be fixed soon!
Wdonna, I posted this below, you might not have seen it. If you can afford to pull Willie off of monster fights, his 4 hr task “catch an axe in the back” has made the hotel mostly visible for me! Blinks invisible for a couple seconds when cycling the animation, then it’s back. It’s better than nothing till it hopefully gets fixed!
I picked this up pretty quickly, honestly. The price felt good for me and then the quest was actually pretty neat.
Is there also a questline for the hotel, or just for the maze?
I’ll probably pass on this, as I already have the maze and the building isn’t really that memorable to me.
I wish I had some more space in the Heights for the hotel. Still on the fence on this one. Love the shining! But not so Simpsons-y.
Patric, I’ve really enjoyed your posts. A nice addition to the zoo!
Thanks much! I’m having fun with them.
Hmm…I never had a quest line trigger. There was a quick blurb from Marge but I tapped too quick and missed it, but nothing else. Is there a trick to triggering it?
Pretty sure “DTF” is already taken.
He said “Is my DTF itchy?” Lmao
If you’re a dude, your DTF is always itchy.
Seriously, is there no one else who bought the Hotel and cannot see it?!?! Says it pays out, but doesn’t? I can only view in my inventory and even when I go to move it, it’s only a red square. Maze that came with it works fine.
Yes Fembot this is the first time i have had this problem lol
I got the pkg Shinning deal too!! Maze is fine, but placed the Hotel and there was a beginning of a quest line from Marge but game crashed when I clicked it, when I got back the quest is gone and the Hotel is invisible.
Reboot your device…from complete close down…then visit Krustyland if that doesn’t do it. Both will kill the cache.
Patric, just wanted to let you know that I tried a complete uninstall/reinstall of the game which did nothing, Hotel is still playing hide and go seek!
Also, is great to see you over here, I was a long time lurker at TSTOfriends and have always enjoyed your personal take on things, both the game and life!
Thanks much! Sorry to hear about your hotel issue. It would warrant a call to EA support, as it is a premium item.
Welcome! And thanks. I’ve traded multiple emails with a CS rep who finally passed me to Tech. Whom…just pointed me to basic troubleshooting (all been done to no avail). Yay.
On the plus side, discovered if I send Willie on his 4 hr task, the hotel is visible while it cycles through the animation, then blinks out for a couple seconds and is visible again. I’m happy to deal with that and hope a fix is issued rather than a refund and hoping it comes around again! Maybe the others affected will feel the same.
Yes. Same thing happened to me, and I spoke with an EA representative about it last night. He said they were aware of the problem and are working on fixing it, but you may want to contact them about it as well.
Thanks for this info wolffman! I too have the invisible hotel and have been emailing with a rep who so far just keeps asking for more info and hasn’t given me an answer yet. I started a thread about this on the EA forums, one other person piped up they are experiencing it. Clearly this is not an isolated thing. Glad to know they are working on a fix, if the info you got is correct!
First time commenting! I decided to get the shining hotel bundle but my hotel is invisible. I can move it and store it but i can’t see it. I already contacted EA and she suggested to uninstall and reinstall the game but that didn’t work, also tried going to Krustyland and neighbors but no luck