Insanity Haunted House 2019

 

Insanity Haunted House
Peru, IL
Reviewed on Friday, October 25, 2019

A relatively new fixture on the HHC season schedule is our annual visit to Insanity Haunted House. They originally made their home inside a nearly abandoned mall in St. Charles, Illinois, and recently made the jump to an even more desolate mall in Peru, Illinois. While some haunted attractions are confined to just a strip mall storefront, Insanity almost gets to take over their section of the mall making a gauntlet that innocent bystanders have no way to avoid! (A haunted house-goer’s dream!)

Just entering the mall doors (which are not haunted), the mood is instantly set that something is just not right here. There are bustling shoppers, and many of the stores are closed with their security bars in-place. The lights are dimmed, and music can be heard in the near distance. As we turn the corner, we are met with the newly expanded queue line. Previously the queue had been inside the storefront space. But, that area has been reclaimed, for the show and guests now line up in the common area. (Which is something we have never seen before!) A light façade adorns the exterior of the storefront and only a doorway separates us from the madness within!

We must mention Insanity’s key line actor, and exterior entertainment. Known as Patient 4707, he is adorned in a stark black straight jacket costume, complete with fully-enclosed head cowl. We watched his performance and found that the best way to describe him is: one part crazy asylum resident and one part maniacal mime. While sliding and scaring some, and making others smile and laugh, his focus was on entertainment and guests loved the interactivity!

As we entered the new first room, we were welcomed into the rules and staging area. Here, guests were given the lay of the land and had one last opportunity to turn back. As the thunder crackled, we embarked on our journey. Through twists, turns, and a number of traditional haunted attraction scenes, actors were creative with dialogue and attacked with passion. Some of our favorite scenes included the library with books from floor to ceiling, and the hallway made of pages from the bible! But, no trip to Insanity could be complete without a visit with the clowns! As they made us laugh and shriek, we finally found a way to escape the darkness. (AND hopefully with our sanity in-tact!)

The Bottom Line: The setting here is right out of Dawn of the Dead, bringing a new environment that the Chicagoland haunt market hasn’t seen before. This is definitely more than meets the eye, and is far more than just a mall attraction. Scenes are detailed, actors are playful, and the environment is set for conjuring all of the demons from the darkest corners of your mind. While the drive from Chicago is just under 2 hours (97 miles), this is a solid haunted attraction in a unique environment that you need to consider as you make your plans this season!

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

 

 

– Official Haunted House Chicago Review Team Review