The Massacre Haunted House tends to produce some of the most massive experiences in Illinois. With some of the most high-end animatronics and scenes in our area, it’s no wonder the rating is so high on everyone’s list. I have to say, of all the attractions we have visited this season, things at Massacre got weird in the best way possible. Wanting the best possible experience from every haunt we visit, we tend to agree to get involved in weirdness often, but Massacre left us visually different, to say the least…
Besides a crazy number of large props and animatronics, Massacre also provides a great number of actors for their queue, as well as their attraction. Working the queue, Stitch and Rektal Trauma were hilarious and highly entertaining. They all play off one another with their props. Rektal asked us if we wanted to fire a Nerf gun, then proceeded to stuff a tampon in it instead of a dart. Stitch sprayed a bottle labeled piss for a gross-out. Massacre has pushed the PG level for queue entertainment, and it’s paid off. We had some great interactions in the queue.
Inside the house, the actors would get up close and personal. Doing so really sold the scenes they were in and provided us with a great walkthrough. In the scene with the giant red “SIN” sign, the actors working the room wanted a confession or offered a joke to proceed. We, of course, requested both and were given a blasphemous joke (we already knew the answer… must be a sinner thing). At the beginning of the 3D clown house, we were presented with some paperwork to sign. As we do whenever Apple updates terms of agreement, we signed away without reading the fine print. A few pee pees drawn on our face determined maybe it’s best to read the fine print.
The hospital staff were excited to show us their patients and to let us know what types of procedures we would be getting. They utilized props throughout the scenes well, including gory bodies and medical equipment. One patient followed us through a few rooms, mumbling to himself about medication. Two highly interactive actors would provide a great deal of scares. Both would follow us and crawl along the walls and end up in unusual positions. They really worked incredibly well.
The clowns in the 3D house wanted to talk clown business while they handed us 3D glasses and painted our faces. They provided fun interactions regarding classic clown stuff and cowboys, a great combination. Inside the 3-D clown room, we had fun interactions. The actor on the bungee cord managed to scare us. Most actors tend to pop back right away from the bungee. This actor stayed leaning over us while mocking us.
The makeup department for Massacre produces well-detailed costumes for their actors and scenes. Make-up application is done with an airbrush and provides detail on top of a base. A good example can be found throughout the Clown 3-D rooms, where everything is neon and popping. Small diamonds and classic clown looks are applied to create a fun look. Other makeup applications create a fun old-school style look, and a great example of this is from Rektal Trauma. The actor here paints giant faces on his torso and creates similar looks on his own face. No matter what the weather, he walks around shirtless, and this is his costume.
I always mention Adeline’s costume, as it is one of my personal favorites throughout all the haunts we visit. It is a clash of elegance and filth cradled into one. I will always reference Mothmeister as a great comparison and recommend looking them up if you’re unfamiliar with them.
Masks throughout the attraction are high quality and fit the scenes they are seen in. When we make our way through the cemetery scene, we find this amazing mask that appears to have claws gripping from the back of the head, with the nails facing forward. The eyes seem to be layered over by skin, creating an unsettling look. We also ran into a great-looking vampire bat mask. The details on this mask, such as the pointed ears and pronounced brow line, stood out greatly. The makeup team at Massacre adds a bit of everything to everyone in a great way. There was plenty to be appreciated.
The haunt is located on a shopping strip, with plenty of parking available on both sides of the building. Safety is first and foremost when it comes to both actors and guests at Massacre. Lines can be long, yet they provide a tent for extended lines until guests make their way into the building. To enter, guests must go through a metal detector, adding another layer of protection for both guests and actors. The staff located all around can direct guests to the ticket booth, as well as where to pick up their photos at the end of the night.
Massacre is active on all social media sites, and their website is very easy to access as well. Characters from their show have been known to create trendy TikTok videos throughout the year. The attraction also serves as several different escape rooms throughout the year when the haunt is not running. It’s interesting how the team can run escape rooms inside the haunt, and customers wouldn’t even notice.
Massacre’s prehaunt experience is off the Richter scale! A bar is stationed right after the security checkpoint inside, giving customers the option to fuel up with some liquid courage. The DJ spins party anthems that remind me of my crazy antics in my early 20s. The DJ booth was introduced last season and is a literal work of art. I have joked earlier this year that this place needs caged dancers, like another well-known haunted house in the Midwest… This comment was taken seriously, and the team at Massacre built one for their queue this season! While music was setting the mood, they placed an actor in the cage to dance like in a nightclub setting. 💃🏼
Massacre is known for its highly detailed scenes, and they spare no expense in using the latest props to complete them. In the beginning, we are welcomed into the experiment chamber. Sitting in the dark, senses are heightened, and heart rates are at an all-time high as we listen to a voice explaining what we are experiencing.
While there wasn’t a storyline, the multiple types of scenes flowed nicely with a few transitions in between. The feeling of being fully immersed is apparent as we go through the scenes and look up, down, and all over, and even a feeling of claustrophobia as we squeeze through narrow passages. To think that they utilize their escape rooms and efficiently fit them in the walkthrough is a smart move!
The use of oversized items is effectively done to create a sense of uneasiness, such as the Baphomet in the Satanic room, the oversized doll in the house, and the train, which I will not be talking about because it is my worst nightmare.
The 3D clown section is covered from top to bottom with UV paint, and the UV lights illuminate the rooms to create an eye-popping effect with the use of special glasses. The actors even wear UV-activated clothing and face makeup that help them blend with props.
As stated before, Massacre has some of the most high-end props and animatronics in our area. Everything inside is visually stunning and impressive during each visit. One of the most impressive rooms throughout the attraction must be the Baphomet room. Everything about this left us feeling small and insignificant. The Baphomet prop is on an altar and towering over everything in the room to create this hellish atmosphere; we must escape. Proceeding forward, we found ourselves in a clever, brimstone-like corridor that gave a fiery glow while walking through.
Another great experience included in the ticket price is the opening experiment chamber. Guests are guided into a chamber and made to sit down facing one another. Once inside, we are treated to several different effects within the chamber. They need to be experienced to gain a full perspective, but this is a great way to start the show.
If you haven’t caught on by now, rooms throughout Massacre are filled with all sorts of props and effects, and generally are massive. There is a giant-eyed monster girl inside a playroom, which we must walk directly by. It has a deep voice and leaves a feeling of unease. It is one of two doll-like rooms throughout the attraction, and both are great. The second room feels more like an attic space as things are dark, there are plenty of wooden crates around, and the scene feels dusty and old. Life-size porcelain-like dolls are standing all around and left us feeling uneasy while trying to walk by, knowing one of them was bound to be an actor in costume.
The 3-D clown show portion of the attraction seems to be a fan favorite. While walking through, guests are given 3-D glasses to wear to gain the full effect of the neon walls, props, and actors. With a black light in nearly all the areas here, it is a fun area and has its own challenges while walking through, such as the angled room, as well as portions to duck under while walking through.
Further into the attraction, we found some of our favorite areas, such as the elevator and train cart. Both are very effective and use motion, sound, and visual effects to create amazing moments inside the haunt. The actors here also added levels of entertainment by working on these scenes and engaging with us while we were actively on them.
Some behind-the-scenes knowledge we can share is the lack of press pads throughout the attraction. If you are not aware, press pads and sensors are what guests step on to activate an effect or prop. Massacre has removed (no exaggeration) roughly 98% of their press pads in favor of motion sensors. This means there is no way to walk through the attraction without triggering everything! It gives visitors the best possible experience in such a high-end attraction. Massacre does all it can to bring every walkthrough a consistently scary experience. I think the results speak for themselves…
*Editor’s note – we love your giant T-Rex that you left in the haunt!!*
21. How scary was it? (35% of score): 9.4
22. How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? (15% of score): 9.35
23. How predictable were the scares? (25% of score): 9.25
24. How well did they provide a wide variety (types) of scares? (10% of score): 9.35
25. How strong was the ending / finale? (15% of score): 9.35
One of the great things about this attraction is that it is unapologetically scary in some of the themes. The set design and the props enhance the scare factor. The actor’s dedication to their rooms and characters also enhances it. There are several different times throughout the attraction that it is difficult to tell whether what is a full-sized prop or an actor, which adds to the scare level. Massacre is great at playing with nerves and being very frightening. The size of props throughout the attraction takes up so much space and towers over us while walking through.
As mentioned, many of the scenes are dark-themed. The flow throughout the cemetery makes the experience enormous. Plagued with vampires and cloaked figures ready to pop out before we can notice, the actors here work hard for scares. It’s difficult to walk through due to wanting to appreciate things so much and having constant scares distract us (this is a good problem to have, of course).
Our walkthrough time for Massacre was just under the 30-minute mark. With general admission starting at $35, this gives our Minute Per Dollar value 0.86. Considering the quality, detail, and experience, Massacre remains a must-see attraction. The actors throughout Massacre brought a great deal of entertainment and fun to both the queue and the attraction.
We need a moment to acknowledge Stitch and Rektal Trauma. This duo working in the queue must be one of the smartest moves in terms of pure entertainment. The banter between guests and just between themselves is simply remarkable. I think what makes it so genuine is the feeling that they are just trying to entertain one another over anything else. They are a great duo and seem to be a crowd favorite. Overall, Massacre provided another great season for guests, and we are excited for what they have in store next year!
299 Montgomery Road, Montgomery, Illinois 60538