Killdare Haunted City – Full Review

Killdare Haunted City is a Haunted Attraction located in Bridgeview, IL.

8110 S Ferdinand Ave, Bridgeview, IL
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Haunt Type(s):

Links:

Contact:

Features:

Free Parking, Restrooms/Porta Potties On-Site, “Old-School” (Low Tech)

This attraction was reviewed on October 8, 2021 by Team White City Devils.

Final Scores:

(15% of Final Score) Cast: 7.85

(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 7.08

(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 8.6

(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 7.3

(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 7.58

(5% of Final Score) Theme:

(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 8

(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 8.6

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We first met Tim, the owner, at The Unknown World of the Paranormal Convention in 2019 when we stopped at his booth. He was handing out flyers to his home haunt not too far from where we stay. Unfortunately, we could not attend due to scheduling conflicts.

Skip ahead to 2021, Haunt on Killdare has now grown to Killdare Haunted City found at the Bridgeview Park District where the paranormal convention took place. This haunt proves that with a lot of determination, you can get a lot done in a new space.

Cast Scores (15% of Final Score):

(20% of Cast Score) Did it seem like there were enough actors?: 7.5

(30% of Cast Score) How creative, believable and convincing were the actors?: 7.5

(20% of Cast Score) How interactive were the actors (verbally and physically)?: 8.5

(15% of Cast Score) How creatively & appropriately did they use dialogue?: 8

(15% of Cast Score) Was there a good variety of characters?: 8

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The attraction had about 25 actors the night we visited. This averages about 1 or 2 actors per room. This may not seem like much for the area but the actors covered all corners in the room and then some. Between transitions, it may have felt as if you were alone when in reality there were creatures stirring about planning their next attack.

The actors showed a profound sense of enthusiasm or lack of depending on the character when portraying their role. There was an actor who we kept running between scenes and never broke character when he talked about his poop stick. I will not go into detail to not gross out anyone.

We also ran into a familiar face inside the haunt; Bummer the Clown. Bummer is quick and witty with a hint of dry humor, my kind of clown! We were entertained with a few corny jokes that I had not heard of which made it all funnier. My favorite one was; ‘Knock knock. Who’s there? Boo. Boo who? I just told you my name is Bummer.’ If you don’t remember Bummer after that, you were clearly not paying attention.

A few things we noticed were how the actors used some of their surroundings to either distract or keep us from moving forward. As we entered, we saw a few train tracks and didn’t think much of it at the beginning until we reached an outdoor area with a railway crossing bar down. Thinking we were supposed to go around, the actor gave us access and operated the bar to lift. You can definitely say it was a unique use of the given space. In another scene, an actor welcomed us into her trailer. Once inside she was moving around dishes in the sink angrily, the same level as anger as when you come home and see that no one in the house dared to clear away a few dishes. Gives you a not-so-welcoming feeling.

We would also like to point out that a few actors who lost their home at D.E.A.D. Rising haunted house have found their new home.

Costuming Scores (15% of Final Score):

(15% of Costuming Score) How complete / finished did the costumes appear to be?: 7

(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 7

(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 7

(15% of Costuming Score) How effectively did they use masks (if used)?: 7.5

(25% of Costuming Score) How appropriate were the costumes for their scene/s & theme/s?: 7

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It is worth noting that this haunt is on its first year running at the park district. The vibe given is more of an old-school traditional haunted house with a lesser amount of animatronics. Actors were dressed in either street clothes that were detailed with paint or blood, or there were full-body costumes like jumpsuits or costume pieces. The costumes were of average quality and what you would find in costume shops.

A few of the tattered costumes gave a distressed and unkept look that were fitting for this outdoor haunt. The perfect spot was in one of the trailers we were invited in. Another one was of the church choir member that walked us up to this damned church. He was covered in blood, which was unsettling yet so simple.

The type of makeup used was of the face paint kind. Bummer the Clown is a fitting example with the typical cream makeup which completes the clown look. Other actors had a few blood smears on their faces to give an ominous look.

Let us not forget the actors wearing masks. There were many varieties of masks to be mentioned. A few costume shop-style masks covered the face leaving the rest of the head exposed while others had a wig to create a full head mask, which is effective to hide straps and give a realistic look. I also want to mention a particular actor that wanted to carve my face to use to cover his disfigured face. I am sure he didn’t need it since he had a piece of skin hanging off that he snapped back in place. Maybe he just liked the idea of having fresh faces. One of the more fun costumes with a mask would have to be the mayor himself, Mayor Macabre. He has a sort of Jack the Ripper vibe with the cape and hat along with a good-looking mask, but my favorite part is he has this small speaker attached to his belt somewhere and he has his own ominous theme music quietly playing as he approaches. I’ve never seen that before but sure did love this!

Overall, there were many strong and solid pieces with a few areas of improvement. With the way everything was put together, it is clear the haunt is going in the right direction.

Customer Service Scores (10% of Final Score):

(25% of CS Score) How easy was it to locate the attraction, park, and navigate the premises?: 8

(30% of CS Score) How safe was the attraction?: 8.5

(25% of CS Score) How professional, helpful and friendly were the staff members?: 9

(20% of CS Score) How easy was it to find their information before* arrival?: 9

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Tickets are available online or on-site. Facebook and IG is going to be your best bet to buy tickets since they don’t have an independent website yet. QR codes are easily visible on their posts. Punch in the address on the GPS and you are ready to go.

While we are familiar with this location, it seems they have had issues with customers finding the haunt. The park district is a large section and we ended up on the opposite side of where the ticket booth is which thankfully had a sign pointing us in the right direction. Once in the parking lot, we were directed into a parking spot, which seemed to be plentiful but it kept people from scattering around. The ticket booth was found inside the park district building where we were greeted by a lovely woman working the front desk. We were directed towards the entrance with a flashlight, never being left alone to wonder where to go since there were a few visible signs.

Since this is an outdoor haunt with a few indoor scenes, you walk through different floors and pavements. The trailers have stairs with marked yellow tape and handrails. The street pavement outside has a few inclines and declines and is dimly lit but enough to know where you are going. In an open outdoor space, there are clearly marked signs pointing you in the right direction. While this haunt is not wheelchair accessible, there are many safety precautions taken into consideration.

Atmosphere Scores (10% of Final Score):

(60% of Atmosphere Score) How obvious was it that you were at a haunted house before entering?: 7.5

(40% of Atmosphere Score) How well did the atmosphere prepare you for what you experienced inside?: 7

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Walking towards the entrance, there was something that caught my eye. I wasn’t sure if it was a black bag rolling around in the dark since there wasn’t much light to illuminate down the path. As we got closer, I realized it was an actor rolling around with a wig on covering their entire face. This person would not leave us alone until we gave an offering, a scrunchie was sufficient. If that didn’t frighten me enough, then I guess my other friend would. I must admit I kept looking at this creature’s mask and admiring how detailed it was. Naturally, I needed a selfie with this person. Once my self-illumination flash went off, the actor screamed so loud I was scared enough to catch a bit of my reaction in the picture. Not my best picture, but honestly, I wasn’t focused on myself that night. Also, grab a hot cider with a big cinnamon stick while you wait.

While the atmosphere is technically everything outside of the haunt, I will have to add our friend Not Blade here. Please do not call him Blade! He clearly does not have a blade but a plunger instead, which I’m afraid to find out what he uses that for. He gave us the house rules and put us in our place if we cracked a joke. Follow his rules and you will be ok.

If you noticed, there was no mention of music’ until now. We were so distracted by the creepy actors at the entrance that we forgot to pay attention to the music. Well, we met an actor on our way out and let me tell you about his energy. His name is Sticky the Clown and he is a drummer. Sounds weird but there is a drum set on top of a building in the middle of the city. He scares, jumps on the drums to play along with whatever music is on then jumps off to scare again all within a few minutes. His energy is like nothing we have seen before. He takes requests and will play anything besides Slayer. We caught him playing Skrillex- Cinema and just like the lyrics ‘I could watch you forever.’

Special Effects Scores (15% of Final Score):

(20% of SFX Score) How effective were the sound effects?: 7.5

(20% of SFX Score) How creative / original were the scenes & props?: 7

(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 8

(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 7.5

(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 8

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While Killdare Haunted City is in a park, they effectively used the open space placed with trailers and makeshift buildings. Between scenes, we walked through paths which felt a bit confusing but realized it is done on purpose since the actors would pop up and guide us along to the next scene.

All scenes have speakers placed inside playing music. My favorite and most memorable was entering the corn maze. It was a path with walls and ceilings which I’m sure were pallets covered with corn stalks since the actor was able to reach through the openings. Walking through, the music playing brought me a deep sense of nostalgia since the background music was from the Left 4 Dead 2 soundtrack which was super creepy.

The rooms were creatively adorned with props fitting to their respective scenes. There were a few rooms with torn plastic hanging from the doorway when entering or leaving. I would love to have seen more creative transitions instead of just plastic hanging. A scene that stuck out to us was entering what looked like Area 51. We noticed a display case with an alien head placed on a pedestal. We wish there were more to this story, which makes us look forward to next year.

Theme Scores (5% of Final Score):

(30% of Theme Score) Could you tell what the theme was?:

(50% of Theme Score) How well was the theme carried throughout the attraction/s?:

(20% of Theme Score) How well does their location authenticate the theme?:

This score is left “N/A” when we believe the haunt is trying to target a random variety of themes or phobias, rather than a single overarching “Theme” or “storyline.”

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There was no specific theme at Killdare to score on. They just offered a bunch of fun, different scenes!

Scare Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):

(30% of Scare Factor Score) How scary was it?: 7.5

(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide scares to the entire group?: 9

(25% of Scare Factor Score) How predictable were the scares?: 8

(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide a wide variety of scares?: 8.5

(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 7.5

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As mentioned above, this haunt has an old-school haunted house vibe. The actors ran the show and were placed well with their scenes and props. Walking outside in a dimly lit path doesn’t give much opportunity to see where the actors were hiding. A few times inside the scenes I was too distracted by the detailing to get a clear view of the standing props that were in reality actors. That is effectively using a distraction and following through with a pop scare. Though a bit predictable, it’s always fun to see using a variety of scares.

We also love interacting with the actors. They get a kick out of our different sizes and make us feel equally creeped out. An actor had mentioned wanting to carve our faces to replace his disfigured face. He looked at me and said my face was lovely and pretty but looked behind me and admired the bigger skin on the big guy. Just goes to show you that no one is ever left out.

As we got through to the end, we were abruptly escorted out of the last trailer we were invited into. As we were walking down the hall towards the exit, we passed a room that displayed a grotesque scene with a chopped-up body and the weapons that were used, which I assume we were not meant to see. We were given the ‘Get out!’ and followed through to avoid any more conflict.

Entertainment & Value Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):

(30% of E&V Score) How satisfied were you with the entertainment received during the main attraction/s?: 8.5

(25% of E&V Score) How satisfied were you with the entertainment that’s available with* the ticket price, excluding the main attraction/s?: 8

(30% of E&V Score) How appropriate is/are the ticket price/s?: 9

(15% of E&V Score) Have they effectively used their available space?: 9

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On our visit, we timed the attraction at 25 minutes which is about the average amount of time for this area. At $20 a ticket, which is the only option given, it averages to 1.25 minutes per dollar. Given the large amount of space and areas, this was a decent deal. This is one haunt you never want to rush through and take your time to take in the scenery.

We were lucky to show up at the time there wasn’t a line so we completely skipped the queue line. On our way out we heard someone drumming, which was louder than the music. We were able to check out the drummer (Sticky the Clown) on top of a building, playing whatever music was requested. On October 23rd, the band Bachelor’s Grove will be performing live in the same spot. We highly recommend checking this out since this is quite a unique event.

Overall, we enjoyed our visit and love to have been here for the first year. We do see a lot of potential in the future and hope Killdare Haunted City keeps that Halloween spirit alive and the car dealership gorilla afloat.

How Did We Get These Scores