Disturbia Haunted Attraction
Full Review

1213 Butterfield Road, Ste D, Downers Grove, IL 60515
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Haunted House
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Features:

✓-Free Parking
✓-Restrooms/Porta Potties On-Site
✓-Food/Concessions
✓-Gift Shop/Souvenirs
✓-Special Events
✓-“Hi-Tech” Attraction
✓-You will NOT be touched
✓-Original Characters
✓-Covered Outdoor Waiting Line
✓-All-Indoor Attraction


Review Team/Author Info:

This attraction was reviewed by Team White City Devils on September 27, 2024.
Team Since: | Experience: Expert Team

Editor: Team Zombillies (Master Team).


Final Score: 8.91

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Summary:

Our second visit for the season was to the classic Disturbia Haunted House in Downers Grove, Illinois (after leaving Basement of the Dead). It’s always a fun pair, as Disturbia is the sister attraction to Basement of the Dead. These great attractions have similarities but also differ with what lurks inside.

Disturbia goes over the top with many props and mechanics inside, some of which tower the scenes. The scenes here are creative and have included many newly developed sections since last year. Truthfully, we did not expect such new twists inside and outside! Disturbia is exciting this season!


Cast Score: 8.93

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Cast Review:

The queue was fully stocked with different kinds of actors. Sliders, line actors, and stilt actors. The actors entertain you with help from a DJ to get you into the feel of the attraction. Inside the attraction, there was a healthy number of actors as well as highly detailed props to drive the show forward. The lack of actors in certain areas worked somewhat due to actors from other scenes traveling throughout the house. The actors all did a phenomenal job with their characters and commitment to their roles.

The actors in the hotel and playroom scene gave wonderful performances. It was incredibly believable that you were inside a decrepit hotel lobby, and the startle scares were executed perfectly. The playroom actors have you believe they are possessed/ undead children. The voodoo room actors made you feel like you were going into a dark bayou.

Between the beautiful sets, animatronics, and dedicated actors, the show is very well put together!

The actors did a great job using dialogue to fit their scenes and were able to utilize scares with interactive dialogue. The children in the playroom pop up in and out of a beautifully cluttered child’s playroom and keep you engaged with questions. The actors that traveled throughout the house also made it almost like they were taking the journey with you. The actors were able to interact without feeling forced. Throughout the house, the use of dialogue that was used made sense for the scenes the actors were in. Special props to the actors in the playroom and the cultists. The cultists were able to make you feel like you were being recruited with their whispers, chants, and questions throughout the room. The actors in the playroom shine and make you feel like you’re in a very cluttered child’s playroom. The way they follow and look up at you while asking child-like questions such as “Do you want to play with me/us?” Being excited when told yes and using angry child-like dialogue if you say no, was very fun.

The house is full of different characters that all make sense for the scenes they are in. There is everything from cannibal families, possessed children, voodoo and cultist followers, and medical staff both dead and living which is an addition to typical medical scenes. The house does make
sure, there is plenty of variety and that in the outside queue and inside the attraction you are satisfied with the story and actors you are getting.


Costuming Score: 8.91

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Costuming Review:

Disturbia uses airbrush makeup and highly detailed costuming. This unique combo is what sets them apart from other haunts, including their sister haunt. The airbrush makeup enhances distressed faces and doesn’t miss any exposed arms, chest, and legs, completing the whole look according to their character.

The rooms have different themes, and they did a wonderful job of keeping the actors dressed according to the scenes. The doll room had a few creepy doll-like characters wearing cute outfits but their makeup shows a sinister side. The nurses in the hospital waiting room were clean, which was different from the malicious nurses inside the hospital doing unethical experiments.

Out in the queue line, we saw the return of the sharp-teeth pumpkin character! An actor nearby instructed us to take a whiff of the pumpkin, not something you want to be told at a haunt attraction. To our surprise, they smelled distinctly like cinnamon, which perfectly fits the season we are in now. Of course, their name is now Pumpkin Spiced Latte, or PSL for short. We were also astonished that Disturbia hired a custodian named Areusch to keep the outdoors clean and they did such an amazing job!

In the new haunted hotel room, an actor wears a dirty and distressed white sheet ghost costume identical to the other moving ghost animatronics. Thankfully, this is not a spoiler because they can use the whole room to move around and position themselves differently at any given time.


Customer Service Score: 9.2

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Disturbia is tucked away in a large shopping complex, so it may be hard to find for first-timers. When you arrive in the shopping complex it is very clear to see. The outdoor queue is highly visible and the music is blasting with catchy music to pull you in. The outdoor queue is massive and has a lot going on with actors, music, and creative ways of allowing guests to experience a show before entering the attraction. With all of this going on, there is a presence of safety; this is in large part due to the presence of Disturbia staff members and security keeping a watchful eye.

Inside the attraction, it is well-lit and has large rooms. As you walk through the room, the emergency exits are highly visible and easy to access in case of an emergency. Some of the actors did leave their scenes to travel throughout the house and add another layer of security to make up for some of the dead space. The staff is extremely friendly and very helpful. The staff can help people navigate between the houses, the merchandise area, bathroom areas, and through the queue line. Since the shopping complex is massive, it might be confusing but quickly changes. There are plenty of staff members who will help navigate through the whole attraction inside and out. The staff members are visible due to radios, earpieces, and Disturbia gear and watch the guests to make sure questions are answered and problems are solved.

Disturbia has a very large social media presence. Facebook and Instagram are constantly posting sponsored ads for the attraction. If you have previously bought tickets online and have given consent to receiving text messages from them you will get first notice on events, billboards, sales on tickets, and other special promotions.


Immersion Score: 8.81

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Immersion Review:

While waiting in queue, Disturbia does a great job of keeping guests entertained. There are plenty of actors running around and interacting with those waiting. The vibe, of course, is more party than horror, but it has become such a signature to this attraction that I have only ever seen guests having a great time. The add-ons to the queue area do leave a sort of playground-like area for the actors, even more so than before.

Inside the attraction, there is an almost instant immersion, and it is pretty easy to get lost in the moment. The opening scene is a cemetery mausoleum-like area that feels well and complete with crypts all around and tombs we need to walk by to advance. The catacomb area is a great example of losing yourself. The entrance is great a nice arch entry paired with two skeleton torsos with candles centered in the rib cage. Continuing on leads to skull-filled walls and crypts as well. One of the new scenes this year did an extremely good job of creating suspension of disbelief. The room itself is well crafted and looks like a hotel lobby that was abandoned a long time ago. It was an amazing scene and was brought to life by the classic sheet ghosts; however, there must have been upwards of 20 of them scattered throughout the scene. It is worth mentioning as it is easy to tell this scene was done with meticulous details and amped up the show greatly.

Last season held some incredible additions; however, this is a standout for certain. It’s exciting to think about what next season may bring.


Special FX Score: 9

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Special FX Review:

Throughout the years we have gotten to see new additions and changes and they never disappoint. The animatronics and props used are of professional quality. Occasionally, some of the props are repurposed everyday objects and fit their respective rooms.

Every inch is covered to match their respective room theme, and they use every inch of their space. We had a few moments where some of the animatronics popped out and hovered above us, which made us lean back, which was remarkably effective. Different colored lights are used effectively between scenes. The hospital has a red hue, the sewer has a green hue, and the pumpkin room has an orange hue. This created a solid, immersive room in between scenes.

In the new haunted hotel room, we saw loose organ chimes hanging from a railing high above. The actor was able to create an ominous sound when they banged it on a piece of wood conveniently placed near it. This was quite different as they used something organic and simple but effective in creating a vibrantly loud jump scare. This room looks as if someone grabbed an abandoned mansion living room and placed it there. The realistic detail on the cobwebs, antique pieces, and props left us speechless and in awe.


Scare Factor Score: 8.63

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Scare Factor Review:

Overall, the attraction is dialogue and startle-scare-heavy. The level of distraction scares helps add to the scare factor. The actors can build upon the tension and the immersion senses of the guests. Guests are forced to look at beautifully detailed rooms while actors either follow and scare you with dialogue or startle scares. Due to some parts of the rooms, the space is largely furnished with beautiful but often starling animatronics and props. These additions add to the scare factor and help the actors build up the scariness. The scares and timing were very effective. The actors have the benefit of detailed rooms and animatronics to distract the customers so that every guest in line gets a good scare before venturing into the next room. The startle scares and pop-outs work very well because of the way that the rooms are lit and the use of fog machines, so the back of the line does have time to receive a good scare. The outside queue has so many acts going on it is very easy for actors to get scared through distractions, the use of the outdoor setup, and slider scares.

Disturbia has a beautiful setup and it’s evident the actors know their rooms and how to use them. Although some rooms are very animatronic and dialogue-heavy there are still a lot of scares. The actors do make use of this and implement startle, distraction, and pop-out scares. The dialogue and the actors traveling through the scene can be very unsettling and sudden.

Although the scares were predictable in a lot of the rooms it was still very fun and scary. Even if the guest is prepared for what looks like a scare, the actors can execute effectively. All of the immersion with sound, detailed scenes, and actors get you engrossed in the house. The actor’s commitment to their scene’s characters also makes the scary, though predictable, in an effective way. The ending of the house feels sudden as the immersion is so rich throughout the house. It is very fun and will get your blood pumping while making you scream as you run out. Upon exiting the attraction, you are again greeted by queue line actors and staff guiding you to the merchandise booth and say farewell to the monsters until the next time you meet again.


Entertainment & Value Score: 9.01

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E&V Review:

We had a very fair walk-through time of 20 minutes. With tickets for general admission starting at $29.99, it gives us a Minute Per Dollar Value of 0.67. Given all the giant props used and very well-developed scenes, this is a great deal for entertainment. It is safe to say this has been one of the best seasons coming out of this attraction, and that’s saying a ton since they vamped up last year so much. As mentioned in Immersion, the Hotel scene is of the highest talent and just really came out of nowhere. Stuff like this gets us excited as it’s new to our area, and we must have mentioned it to plenty of people to check out as it is well worth the trip.

As far as queues and other aspects of entertainment go, Disturbia shines through with a killer DJ set and top-of-the-hour merch giveaways, just like its sister haunt, Basement of the Dead. It was mentioned before, but it’s easy to tell guests are having fun throughout the entire experience, so much so that there were hardly any VIP guests in line. I do believe this is because the party is on the other side of the area. Who would want to miss out on a party? Disturbia is a must-see this season, if even just to gawk at all the new scenes. We hope you get to experience it!


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9.25/10 (2 Guest Reviews)

Awards:

2023

Best Hospital Room

Awards:

2023

Best Hospital Room

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