Disturbia Haunted House 2021

Disturbia Haunted House
Downers Grove, IL
Visited on: Friday, October 1, 2021

Vital Signs:
Number of seasons-to-date: 2nd under new ownership, multiple before
Number of actors: 50
Size: 12,000 Square Feet
Setting: Indoor/Outdoor
Unique Features: An outdoor DJ
Fun Fact: Part of the Basement of the Dead attractions group

A name well-known in the Chicagoland haunted house community that has been around for quite some time is the subject of our next review, Disturbia Haunted House. With previous residences in Addison and Rosemont, Disturbia has been settling in to their relatively new home in Downers Grove, Illinois, along with new owners and designers taking the reins in 2020. From the minds behind the award-winning, “Basement of the Dead” haunted attraction in Aurora, Illinois, Disturbia Haunted House has gone through a revamp and facelift, making this attraction feel as if it is brand new!

First, let’s start with the waiting area. Approaching from Butterfield Road, it is clear that Disturbia is calling to you like a moth to a flame. The wait queue here and outdoor area are designed for a fully-immersive experience complete with a DJ, party lights, fog, special effect spark machines, and multiple roaming characters (on foot & in mini cars) searching for their next victims. With the base of a fun, party-atmosphere, the actors and actresses keep you on your toes attacking from all directions! We were extremely excited to see old favorites like Mr. Crow and his mini-car, but also just as excited to meet new friends like Chainz and Raggedy Anne. Make sure you keep your hands open and you might just receive a special present!

As we entered the attraction, we were greeted by the keeper. After being told the story and rules behind the attraction we were quickly sent off to our journey within. As we weaved our way from scene-to-scene, we encountered some familiarities from the “original” Disturbia, but all incorporated with a new invigorating twist. From the round walls (yes, ROUND) to the catacombs, the detail here is paramount. No corner is bare or blank, and this is certainly a feast for the eyes! One of our favorites is the cage maze accented by perfectly-timed strobe lights, and some of the most patient actors lurking in the dark.

The most memorable room of this year is their pumpkin room. But, done in the Disturbia detailed-style, this room is floor to ceiling pumpkins! (Yes, this would be a selfie-station if pictures were allowed inside the attraction!) Rounded out with special effect lighting, the main focal point was the large pumpkin king animatronic that will simply make your jaw drop!

The consistency throughout the entire house was spot-on. Perfectly timed animatronics set up precise actor attacks coming from all angles. The actors inside Disturbia are hungry and looking forward to their next victims. You can absolutely see the time, effort, and detail that have been poured into this show in the off-season. Between the sets and the actors, this truly was a very well-executed attraction and we can’t wait to see what 2022 will bring us!

Monsters of Note: Raggedy Anne and Dolly, Drags, Mr. Crow, the pig clown with the hammer, and Chainz

The Bottom Line: With the new owners hands on the reins, we can guarantee that this attraction will continue to grow with each season bringing many more changes in-store for their patrons. This is a fun experience, and an easy recommendation for top-notch detail and non-stop entertainment. If you haven’t had the chance to check out this show, make sure you don’t miss out!

But, don’t just take our word for it, check out media from our visit: