Disturbia had many new twists occurring both inside and outside of the attraction. There are plenty of new scenes to talk about, as the team here has been super busy revamping scenes to provide guests with a great experience. This could be difficult to see at first, due to not wanting to leave the party atmosphere in the queue. Eventually, we must stop partying with the plethora of actors outside to venture into the attraction!
Both the house and the queue line were well stocked with actors. The outside had a variety of entertainers, including sliders, stilt walkers, and very creative and creepy actors. Inside the attraction was also stocked with actors who made sure to get you at every corner. The outdoor actors also made appearances throughout the haunt. Inside the haunt, there were a ton of actors all utilizing their spaces and filling up the rooms.
The actors did a phenomenal job both indoors and outdoors. The queue line actors are always fun and involved in setting a spooky party tone before you enter the house. All the house actors made sure to immerse you in the different rooms. The church and the catacombs actors made you really believe you were inside a demonic church and going deep into a crypt. The actors in the butcher shop cannibal family area made you feel like you were about to be on the menu. The actors in the playroom truly portray possessed children who just want someone to play with. The ghosts of the hotel lobby were very jarring and able to keep your nerves high.
Both inside and outside of the house are full of audience interaction. The outdoor actors keep you engaged with conversation while setting up another actor to scare you. One of the queue actors was very ghoulish with white eyes. She then managed to stick a fork in her eye, and white pus burst from it; she then tried to get us to eat it. This year, the nurse had a defibrillator complete with light-up buzzing paddles and was more than happy to kick-start our hearts. Inside the house, the actors in the doll room were very convincing as they begged us to join them and play forever. The entire cannibal house and butcher’s shop was very impressive both scenically and interactively. The actors really make you feel like you were next. The set and interactions were great and very realistic. Throughout the house, you truly feel like the actors are trying to make you a part of their scenes.
Throughout the house, a lot of the actors made snarling sounds and screams. In specific rooms, dialogue was well utilized. The hospital and the waiting room had a very good dialogue. The church and catacombs also used scenes to their advantage. The cemetery, playroom, butcher shop/ cannibal house, the hotel lobby, and the walk through the forest scene were also very effective. The house inside and outside has something for everyone. There are possessed children, nuns, priestesses, forest dwellers, hospital staff, cannibals, pumpkin people, demons, cemetery dwellers, and a whole host of ghouls.
This haunt works hard to create detailed looks with the use of unique costumes, talented airbrush makeup artists, and the finer touches of accessories. The use of unnatural contact lenses and supernatural special effects teeth allowed the actors to achieve their disturbing vision.
Disturbia does a wonderful job blending its actors to resemble the animatronics and mannequins. In the hotel scene, mannequins are dressed as ghosts in matching white bed sheets with the same black mouth goo. Occasionally, an actor would stand up to prove their presence was still lingering around. Upon entering the hospital, nurses. In their new church scene, actors dressed as nuns resemble their mannequin/ animatronic cohabitants.
Out in the queue area, we saw a few characters roaming around. A notable one was Mr. PS (Pumpkin Spiced), who, from afar, just looks like a pumpkin that came to life to avenge the fallen victim to this evil tradition of carving them for fun. But if you get close enough, you might get a scent of that nostalgic cinnamon that melts away all the worries in your life. There was also an actor in a black post-apocalyptic armor suit, complete with a gas mask and red LED lights illuminating the eyes. But the best part is the replica teddy bear version of that actor sitting patiently on its back, tagging along on all the scares. Thank you to the beautiful nurse who jolted us back to life with her realistic defibrillator.
Since Disturbia is off Frontage Road, it may be tricky to find for first-timers. Once you arrive at the attraction, it is very easy to spot with the entire front lit up, music pumping, and crawling with actors. Parking is free and plentiful. Once you get out of the car and on your way into the attraction, there is a large booth with glowing letters for VIP admission and to purchase tickets. The area to get into line is very visible, and there are plenty of monsters to direct you. The bathrooms and merchandise area are easy to find. It is also easy to find, as the attraction brings you right to it. There are plenty of staff members and security guards to point you in the right direction. The actors outside are also able to access potential bad behavior by creating an interactive show before you get into the house. There is also very tall scaffolding that actors can perform on, as well as view the crowds.
Going into the house, an actor gives you some basic rules, and they usher you in. In the first room, the house rules are given. All the emergency exits were highly visible and easy to access in case of an emergency. Throughout the attraction, there are wandering actors to provide another layer of security. Although the shopping complex and outdoor queue are massive, it’s easy to navigate due to the staff being extremely helpful and friendly. They are readily available to help people navigate the line, bathroom, and merchandise area. Staff are easily visible due to earpieces, radios, and Disturbia gear.
Disturbia has a very large social media presence. On social media, there are sponsored ads. If you have previously bought tickets online and given consent to receive information, you will get notifications about sales, pre-sale tickets, special discounts, and information about current and future events during the fall season and off-season. There are also numerous billboards advertising the attraction.
Disturbia, like their sister haunt, creates a fun and exciting atmosphere with a DJ playing upbeat dance music from different genres. If dancing is not your thing or it’s out of your age range, there is a tradition when the actors dance and toss branded shot glasses and shirts at the top of the hour. They know the wait can be a bit long, so they do their best to keep the crowd entertained. The actors also walk around, either interacting with the crowd or with each other. The actors also love to take pictures with the customers, so be sure to tag them on social media!
We have been attending this haunt before it came under new management, so we are familiar with the yearly progress and the changes. This season has proven to be their best season so far due to their many improvements. The rooms feel more packed, which can easily trigger claustrophobia. We noticed there is a smoother transition between the different scenes, which helped execute successful immersions.
Once we finished our walkthrough, we were brought out to the opposite side of the building, where a staff member in a trailer offered a variety of shirts and other merchandise for sale. We happened to show up on the same day Frankenfuel had a booth offering samples of their regular energy drinks and a sugar-free choice. We did cheat and grab a can before entering, which may have contributed to a lot of the scares.
There is plenty to talk about when it comes to the special effects Disturbia has been working on. The attraction itself feels more compressed. Previous seasons felt more open and breathable, yet this season, it feels like everything is on top of itself. The catacomb area feels a bit more difficult to maneuver through, as well as the pumpkin area. It’s funny how such a small change in placement makes all the difference. Making this change and still having enough space for towering monster props makes things a bit more terrifying.
More evidence of this plays out heavily in the doll room. When walking in, there seems to be a dozen plus different things happening at once. It feels overwhelming and creates a discombobulated moment of panic. Oddly enough, if you take a moment to breathe, you can appreciate the chaotic feeling in this scene.
Shortly after exiting this room, we were led into several corresponding scenes, which felt like we were transported into a back-of-the-woods rural type setting. One of the bigger new scenes involved a meat-packing scenario, including a 1950s meat-hanging conveyor belt with rotating slabs of meat on display. The walls here are all wooden and really complete the countryside feeling. It’s appreciated that the theme here is not confined to one scene but plays through a few different ones, considering how well this was done.
The hospital check-in area is simply classic. It is a fun transition from the previously mentioned rural area to a great-looking experimental area. The doctor’s experimental surgery lab feels bigger than other rooms, with props sitting as high as the ceiling. There are plenty of nurse props around here to create a great area, and the actors work on the scene well.
Last year, visitors were introduced to one of the more elaborate scenes Disturbia has produced to date. The entire scene is a clever hotel lobby setting, and the area is adorned with numerous creative props. Several actors blend in as everything flows elegantly and with fluid-like motion, and the actors placed in the room match the pace. This is a must-see scene, and we hope for some extension to this in the future!
21. How scary was it? (35% of score): 8.6
22. How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? (15% of score): 8.8
23. How predictable were the scares? (25% of score): 8.5
24. How well did they provide a wide variety (types) of scares? (10% of score): 8.6
25. How strong was the ending / finale? (15% of score): 9.15
The attraction itself has highlighted moments for this category, with some rooms being on the scarier side. The animatronics lend themselves to the scare factor by creating a distraction for guests and enabling the actors to get in some good scares. The set design and the actor’s ability to immerse visitors in the rooms are well worth it. The actors do a lot of startle scares, drop boxes, and hang from set pieces. This year, the actors utilized higher spots and can now scare from above! Some of the dialogue is also very jarring. No matter what one’s position in their group, they will inevitably get scared.
The cast utilizes their environment by lurking around dark corners and jumping out. Some of the actors relied solely on snarls and screams, but these sounds are effective for customers if they are jumpy. The set pieces and animatronics lend to sudden startles and drop box scares. The actors who used dialogue also created a scary ambiance. Although most of the scares were wonted, they were still a lot of fun. One of the most effective scares happened in the hotel lobby. There aren’t a lot of actors in the room; however, they use the beautiful set to get visitors’ guard down. In a lot of ways, the scenes and animatronics become another way actors can create a memorable experience for guests. The finale is the last time you feel fully immersed in this house, and it wakes you up to reality with a classic chainsaw chase situation. Upon leaving, you are immediately greeted by the monsters you met earlier and directed to the merchandise/concession area, and some photo op stands. Overall, a great experience, and the haunt provides something for everyone to fear!
Disturbia had a walkthrough time of 23 minutes for our visit. With general admission tickets starting at $30, the Minutes Per Dollar value comes out to 0.77. Much like its sister haunt, Basement of the Dead, Disturbia not only provides a great walkthrough experience but also provides plenty of entertainment in the queue with tons of actors, a live DJ, and giveaways at the top of every hour.
The overall experience provides a night of entertainment for groups big and small. There were some new surprises, as we weren’t expecting some great new scenes and new opportunities for their actors to play. Disturbia really packed a punch this season with new scenes, plenty of actors, and tiny adjustments that went a long way. We can’t wait to see what Disturbia has in store next.
1213 Butterfield Road, Ste D, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515