We would be hard-pressed to find an attraction with such a deep history literally built within its walls like the Old Joliet Haunted Prison. OJHP excited the community when they announced a portion of the old prison would be transformed into a haunted attraction, and the public was all for it. They have continued to adapt to the building and blend creative experimental ideas into the prison to produce a riot of a time.
The actors were able to take the prison theme and utilize it to their very best. The Warden and String Cheese had great banter back and forth with customers, giving a small preview of what lies inside the prison walls. A lot of the actors made you really believe you were walking amongst evil, dead prisoners. The mannerisms throughout the house were able to showcase all types of prisoners for different prison wards.
In some scenes, the actors made us feel like we were invading their home and wanted to intimidate us for being where we shouldn’t have been. Further in the actors wanted to show us how we would end up if we didn’t submit. The prisoner versus visitor vibe was very evident.
There was a lot of great prison talk throughout the attraction. One prisoner had his prison outfit on while also wearing a guard’s uniform. It was clear he had to do something terrible to gain those extra pieces of clothing. When he was asked about it, he had a witty remark about how he found it “lying around”. The attraction had prisoners, doctors, nurses, guards, monsters, zombies, experiments, and other ghouls.
The queue line was run by two well-known actors: String Cheese and The Warden. String Cheese opted for a warmer option of a distressed straight jacket and makeup that looked like scratches all over the face. The Warden loses the helmet to show his new haircut and new metal shoulder pads, making him look more dominant.
Inside the prison, the inmates wore striped black and white prison costumes that were distressed to look dirty. The makeup used on the actors shows that these prisoners have been here for quite a while and are possessed by something sinister. An actor stationed inside an open cell had prison bars around their head, which looked like they were trying to pry open, but failed.
The second and third attractions are set outdoors, with the actors wearing appropriate layered clothing to fit in with the dark scenes. While everyone wore layers and had tattered costumes, one of our team members couldn’t get over the fact that one of them had a very distinguished pointy mustache. Still not sure if it was an addition to their face or if it was real. Another actor had a mask on that looked like they had a second face on.
The front of the prison is one of our favorite views during the Halloween season. The façade is castle-like and lit up in various colors, which looks stunning. When pulling up to the parking lot from the street, there are plenty of employees to guide you to the nearest space available. There is a security checkpoint before entering the midway, which used to be the prison yard.
Staff are located in the midway and are available to answer any questions guests may have. Staff are also located at the end of every attraction to guide visitors to the next one and ensure they are in the correct line according to the ticket they have (e.g., GA, Fast Pass, etc.). OJP is accessible on all social media sites, as well as its website. Pro tip: Sign up for their text alerts, as they randomly have flash sales available throughout the week. Their merch booth is also great! They currently have a bunch of licensed Elvira items along with their own OJP merchandise.
As we are visitors to the prison, undergoing a metal detector search is a great start. The high fence with barbed wire is an authentic touch to this one and only haunted prison. A staff member informs us not to wander or close the doors because they do not have all the keys, which I’d imagine is true since I’d imagine making copies of two maximum security doors are easily accessible. The queue line is positioned next to the prison building, with the watch tower in sight and search lights looming over us.
The prison, which is the main attraction, is two floors of pure chaos. A riot seems to be taking place as the actors take sheets and block the view that overlooks the main section of the prison, keeping a sense of suspension. Speaking of immersion, our secret bar wristband led us into a former warden’s office, complete with a desk and a name plaque. The rooms are wide open as either animatronics or actors occupy them to create jump scares. The background music is intense, and the actors run amok; all is not well in this real haunted prison.
With the second attraction losing its laser guns, the attraction has gained a creepy vibe with the announcement reminding us that we have been infected with a virus, and everything we see is not real. Multiple scenes are set up for the actors to hide and perform scares effectively. The recording makes you wonder if what you see is real.
The third attraction is more stimulating than all the other attractions. The wooden maze has blood splatter all around, keeping the sense of suspense as we lose track of where we are since the walls look alike. The disorienting room was lower than the amount of fog we normally experience, but the music and flickering lights still did the job.
A BBQ food truck is stationed in the midway with real jail courtyard seating still set up to accommodate people who dare to eat some delicious but messy rib tips. A gift shop offers branded OJHP apparel and accessories. A stand is available for additional additions like upgrades for the impatient, a mini escape room, and their newest immersive experience called Phobia. Can’t forget the bar that’s stocked with beers and unique mixed cocktails for liquid courage beforehand or as a treat for escaping the wrath of the prison.
OJHP has three different attractions for one ticket price, and all of which have creative and great scenes throughout. The main staple of the three attractions is, of course, inside the prison. Here we find an amazing blend of reality from being inside the prison walls, along with awesome builds throughout to replicate things such as a prison riot. There is a bit of a trail along the prison walls that we need to venture first. This was met with some newly designed scenes and effects that were tone-setting for sure. There is a sort of greenroom-like structure with the classic flickering light at the entrance, simple yet effective, as it almost felt like a warning for what else was to come.
Once inside the prison, scenes felt tighter and more constricted. This was done by simply hiding stairwells and spaces not within the walkthrough to give us a more restricted feeling. These small changes went a long way. Many props are found in various cells, committing self-harming acts, and are covered in a gory mess. Sounds such as alarms are heard throughout, along with ominous sounds and background music. This is all in addition to being inside an old prison.
The prison walkthrough is also multi-level, so there is a point where we are above the climactic riot scene and view the pandemonium before having to walk through it. During the riot scene, it is designed to feel as if we are walking through crumbled cinder walls. Above one of the pathways, there is a great electric chair prop that illuminates the area when active. At the end of the attraction, one of course has a second great electric chair prop worked with an actor this time.
Attractions two and three are both outdoor walkthrough portions. Attraction Two used to be a zombie laser tag game; however, it is now presented as another walkthrough. The audio throughout suggests we are experimental guinea pigs, and what we see ahead may only be hallucinations and not real. One of the more memorable scenes in attraction two was a fun western-like façade that hides the secret bar, Neon Cowboy.
Attraction three involves a chainsaw maze as well as some great other scenes and effects. Fog covers the air in various areas to hide actors inside and gives them areas to hide. One of the more memorable scenes involves a room that is slanted at a steep angle, giving guests a moment in their walk-through. The steep room should be enough, of course, there is an actor inside creating a more tormented environment.
21. How scary was it? (35% of score): 8.5
22. How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? (15% of score): 8.7
23. How predictable were the scares? (25% of score): 8.6
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): 8.8
If being inside an actual prison isn’t terrifying enough, OJP adds very intense, loud, jarring music. The low-level lighting and general disorientation add to the scare factor. After all of that, visitors still have the inhabitants to deal with. Utilizing body movements and being familiar with their scenes made it easy for everyone in our group to get a scare. Whether it came from above, around a corner, or jumping out of a cell, everyone in our group had a moment of fright.
The prison settling with cell pop-outs, unsettling dialogue, startle scares, and snarling and yelling provided enough variety within its theme. The use of setting, low lighting, fog, and sound was able to make scares fun and jarring. Most of the tense scares are in the first attraction. The other two are very actor-driven but also provide various props and scenes to help continue scares. There is also the new Phobia attraction for an additional price… assuming the prison wasn’t scary enough for you!
Our walkthrough for all three attractions was at the 35-minute mark. Getting the Minute Per Dollar value can depend on the night one would visit, as ticket prices vary by day. The night we visited (Sunday), tickets were slightly less expensive than on a more demanding Saturday or dates closer to Halloween. Based on the night we visited, tickets were $30, giving the Minute Per Dollar value 1.17. Thirteenth Floor Entertainment (the production group behind the attraction) also offers text-message discount alerts throughout the week. These are flash sale deals for the first xxx number of customers to purchase tickets at a great discounted rate. They have deep discounts on preseason with tickets as low as $13.99!
The MPD value on OJP was great as this attraction has been ever-developing and growing season after season. OJP has also introduced a new experience for visitors: Phobia: Sensory Overload. This is a new interactive experience where guests must use their hands to guide their way through, suggesting this is a blind experience. This is an add-on experience, and lines can max out rather quickly. Overall, OJP remains a must-see attraction during the spooky season!
401 Woodruff Road, Joliet, Illinois 60432