Massacre Haunted House 2022
Massacre Haunted House
299 Montgomery Road
Montgomery, IL 60538
https://fearthemassacre.com/
Visited on: Saturday, October 8, 2022
Vital Signs:
Opened: 2010
Number of seasons-to-date: 13
Number of attractions: 1, room escape options, and axe throwing
Size: 38,000 square feet
Number of actors: 50
Fun Fact: Started out at 115 Bourbon Street, moved to Odyssey fun world in Naperville, now permanent home in shopping center that is fully owned.
Since 2013, The Massacre Haunted House has been a staple on our Haunted House Chicago Top 13 list. Located in Montgomery, Illinois in a 38,000+ square foot building connected to a strip mall, the minds behind this attraction are constantly working to redesign and expand their already detailed ensemble. With the sound of screams lurking in the distance, patrons don’t know what they are about to experience until it’s too late.
As we made our way to the entrance on the backside of the building, actors were roaming about in the distance. We met Mabel and all her friends, including Stitch the Clown! While waiting patiently to enter, some of our group members had the honor of receiving a tattoo while in line, pain free, and in some rather unique places (with what we hoped was applied by “Not Pee”). If you’re lucky enough to receive one of these, make sure you snap a photo! Once you enter the building you are drawn into the party. With a room equipped with a DJ, plenty of photo ops, drinks, and even more line actors planned their attacks as patrons waited to enter the attraction.
One thing that we love about the scenes here at Massacre is that they are MASSIVE! The sets here are movie-set quality and range from the floor to the ceiling. Add in their well-designed lighting, fog, smells, animatronics, and other special effects and you’ve got yourself an atmosphere ready for fear. Balance it out with the perfect mix of actors and you’ve got yourself one heck of a show!
We began our journey by meeting the wonderful nurse, Silenzio who made sure our group understood the rules before entering, but even more so, she offered us a special gift. Make sure to hold on to it tight and don’t lose it – not many are worthy enough to get one. We may warn you – there may have to be a dance off involved, but trust us – it’s all fun and games, but what does the winner get? The chance to enter first… and alone?!
As we made our way through some of their iconic scenes including the hospital, swamp, and jungle. We couldn’t take our eyes off the catacombs with the most beautiful stone walls engulfing their massive sets. Another room that we love is the courtyard, equipped with a giant tree set right in the middle of it, this main feature is just one of the many aspects of this room.
What is also enjoyable about Massacre is that it breaks up its show and gives patrons a brief walk through a 3D portion, entering their clown scene. Luna and her companion ask each group some song lyrics to sing or trivia to be able to enter the show. With well-thought-out questions and jokes, this tag-team duo made it fun as we waited on our next adventure.
After escaping the clowns, we were then forced to take an elevator that took us down to the underground CTA tunnels. With a quick, albeit bumpy train ride, our group was able to escape and survive the abandoned town that we encountered.
Throughout its entirety, the team of actors and actresses at Massacre are spot on with their attacks. They are patient and don’t just hit the front of your group. They calmly wait and make sure that every person in your group feels their presence. Not to mention, they are all very playful and if you ask them questions, their responses blew us away! You can tell how much time and training went in during the off-season and the show that Massacre produced this year was amazing. We know that the minds behind the scenes are already coming up with ideas for next year, and we can’t wait to see what they have in store!
Monsters of Note: Mabel, Stitch, Silenzio
The Bottom Line: Each year Massacre is always bringing something new to the table. Over the years, this attraction continues to impress us with all the growing and redesigning that they complete. If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit them, make sure to add them to your must-see list this year and every year!
But, don’t just take our word for it, check out media from our visit:
–Official Haunted House Chicago Review Team Review