Midnight
Terror Haunted House in Oak Lawn, which opens for its fifth season on September
28, was recently ranked
the top “Must-See Haunt” in the entire state of Illinois by
TheScareFactor.com, based on votes by fans. Midnight Terror beat out many other
well-known Chicagoland-area commercial haunts in earning this honor.
Now
in its third straight year at its larger location (5520 W. 111th
St.), Midnight Terror Haunted House is riding a wave of increasing popularity,
visitor acclaim, and strong word-of-mouth. Visitor counts have increased
exponentially every year since the haunt relocated to its current site in 2016.
Positive ratings online and via social media have certainly helped, and the
site has been ranked in top 10 lists from the Chicago Tribune, Fox News,
Haunted House Chicago, Illinois Haunted House and more. Creator/co-owner Justin
Cerniuk attributes this success to several factors.
“We
don’t rely on big animatronics. We work hard with our actors to give customers
the best possible show,” says Cerniuk. “Our actors are given creative freedom versus
having to follow a rigid script, which allows them to scare better. Plus, we provide
haunt actor training all year long, not just a few days before we open.”
Secondly,
he notes that the industry norm is to merely update a few rooms in a haunt during
the offseason. “But we’ve spent the past 10 months designing a whole new
layout, with all new rooms and every costumed character re-envisioned.”
Additionally,
Cerniuk says he runs Midnight Terror as a family, not a corporation. “We build
every aspect of the show as a group of friends who share the same passion and
vision of the haunt industry,” he adds, noting that he and his managers also
don costumes and scare along with the crew, which keeps morale high.
What’s
more, every year Midnight Terror offers a great array of value-added promotions
and discounts. In 2018, visitors can claim:
·
Half-price tickets ($12.50 general
admission) when purchased online at midnightterror.com and on opening weekend
(Sept. 28-30).
·
$5 off for students with a school ID every
Thursday or Sunday.
·
$5 off when you bring in any
other haunted house ticket stub.
·
$5 off for military
personal
with a valid ID.
·
Free souvenir (Midnight Terror
button, sticker or headband) when you take a picture at the on-site photo booth.
·
The clowns take over on
Nov. 3 – The haunt is entirely populated by
evil circus denizens for one “Clown Takeover” night, with a limited supply of half-price
tickets now available (only $10 when purchased online).
·
Santa goes psycho on
Dec. 14-16. That’s
when Midnight Terror transforms into “Christmas Fear,” with a limited supply of
half-price tickets now available (only $10 when purchased online).
·
Take
a photo of you and a Midnight Terror actor stalking the waiting line, share the
image on social media in October (using hashtag #MidnightTerror), and you may win two free tickets to Christmas Fear
(Dec. 14-16).
The
haunt has earned considerable goodwill in the community, too. Midnight Terror
partners with different charities every year and rewards its patrons. New for 2018:
·
For
every ticket bought on-site on Sundays, $1 will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.
·
Free trick-or-treating
for kids 12 and younger (who are accompanied by an adult) on October 31 from
3:30-5:30 p.m.; this annual tradition is appreciated by area families, whose
children are given candy and a fun “lights-on” tour of the haunt by actors
appearing in friendly mode.
Lastly,
Midnight Terror’s scares truly satisfy. Visitor reviews continually hit on a
prevailing theme: the fright factor at this haunt is exceptionally high.
“We pride ourselves on
designing a uniquely terrifying and creatively horrific haunted house
experience that keeps the crowds coming back for more,” says Cerniuk. He notes
that Midnight Terror benefits from more than 60 rooms, over 100 actors, and 26,000-plus
square feet. “The Midnight Terror production crew custom make every one of our
props and sets. And our state-of-the-art animatronic, CGI, lighting, and sound
effects are comparable to those used in a big-budget Hollywood horror movie.”
Midnight
Terror Haunted House is located at 5520 W. 111th St., Oak Lawn,
Ill., 60453, just east of the intersection of Central Avenue and 111th
Street. Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office on site: regular
admission per person is $25 at the door (discounts may be available online);
VIP admission per person, which provides faster entry without having to wait in
the general admission line, is $35 at the door. The attraction is wheelchair
accessible and open, rain or shine (an indoor waiting area is provided), from:
7-10 p.m. on Sept. 30 and Oct. 7, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28, 30 and 31; and from 7-11
p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays (Sept. 28 and 29; Oct. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26,
and 27; and Nov. 3). Visitors can park for free at the Oak Lawn Metra station
parking garage (located at 9525 Tulley Ave.) and take a complimentary
round-trip shuttle – with costumed characters aboard to entertain passengers –
to the Midnight Terror site.
For
more information, visit midnightterror.com
or email midnightterror.info@gmail.com.
