8240 Austin Avenue, Morton Grove, IL
year: 2013
Fear City is a haunt located in the same location as Fables Studios. To be honest, we had heard both good and bad things about the haunt, and not necessarily enough good things to justify the $25 general admission price. However, we had been to Fables Studios before and since Fear City was in the same location and there was a combo deal if one bought tickets for both haunts, we decided to try it.
Visually, the outside of the haunt is impressive, looking much like the entrance to a Chicago subway system. This impression is reinforced by various live actors dressed as CTA employees, police personnel, and other types of workers. Appearances can be deceiving, though, and we have been in our share of haunts that looked visually great but were either too short or somewhat boring, so we were wondering if the inside would live up to the outside. Upon entry, we were lead to a storefront mission and asked top sit in some pews while we listened to a preacher - we have seen this type of setup before (most notably at Psychosis in Elgin and Resurrection Graveyard in Evergreen Park) - it is sometimes successful and sometimes not. In Fear City's case, it was interesting without being over the top. Naturally, during the preaching session, there is an interruption, leading us to the rest of the haunt. It starts out most impressively by leading visitors through a simulated CTA stop, complete with full size CTA car and homeless person who tries to harass you while on the "train" - perhaps it is a tad "too" realistic in this case. However, we still give it an "A" for effort. |
CommentaryMAP
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Following the train, visitors are led through the bowels of an underground city, including sections blocked off by wire fences, abandoned lab rooms, accident scenes, and more. All of it is realistically done, and if we graded simply of set design this haunt would surely be a 5/5. There were several areas where we were simply content to explore the sets in detail. But of course sets alone do not make a haunt, so how was the rest of it?
Well, overall it was very well done, with some creative rooms and excellent live actors. Perhaps our favorite area was an airport terminal setup, complete with full size plane cockpit outside on the "tarmac" - the set was really excellent, and looked very much like an older airline terminal that one might see in a 60's or 70's movie. The terminal was filled with various dummies with white faces and black holes for eyes - unbeknownst to visitors a couple of them were real, and they made for some nice (and hilarious) surprises. Following the terminal, visitors actually boarded a mockup of a plane (not something you see in haunted houses too often) and were greeted by the "pilot", who was also blank-faced - very creepy.
Another excellent area (and again not something you see in a standard haunt setup_ was a section dedicated to the Mexican Día de Muertos or Day of the Dead. This area had psychidelic 3D glowing pictures on the walls, large oddly shaped displays, and even an actor in a huge costume with a tiny little head, who danced to the odd music piped into the setting. Not necessary scary, but definitely different, and we like that! Finally, there was an excellent section depicting the Louisiana bayou country, complete with wooden shacks and lots of voodoo priestesses chanting various spells and incantations.
Overall, Fear City has a lot to recommend it, particularly if you are the type of person who enjoyed elaborate set pieces. While we wouldn't say the scare factor was exceptionally high, there was a good "startle" factor, where actors were able to sneak up on visitors to amusing effect. There was also a good realism and creepiness factor as well. We enjoyed our visit, but we do think that the $25 price tag is a bit high, especially given that the haunt only lasts a little more than 20 minutes from start to finish. If it was longer, or if the price was around $17 or $18 dollars, Fear City would be a 5/5 for us. Still, we did like what we saw, and it's worth a return in 2014.
Well, overall it was very well done, with some creative rooms and excellent live actors. Perhaps our favorite area was an airport terminal setup, complete with full size plane cockpit outside on the "tarmac" - the set was really excellent, and looked very much like an older airline terminal that one might see in a 60's or 70's movie. The terminal was filled with various dummies with white faces and black holes for eyes - unbeknownst to visitors a couple of them were real, and they made for some nice (and hilarious) surprises. Following the terminal, visitors actually boarded a mockup of a plane (not something you see in haunted houses too often) and were greeted by the "pilot", who was also blank-faced - very creepy.
Another excellent area (and again not something you see in a standard haunt setup_ was a section dedicated to the Mexican Día de Muertos or Day of the Dead. This area had psychidelic 3D glowing pictures on the walls, large oddly shaped displays, and even an actor in a huge costume with a tiny little head, who danced to the odd music piped into the setting. Not necessary scary, but definitely different, and we like that! Finally, there was an excellent section depicting the Louisiana bayou country, complete with wooden shacks and lots of voodoo priestesses chanting various spells and incantations.
Overall, Fear City has a lot to recommend it, particularly if you are the type of person who enjoyed elaborate set pieces. While we wouldn't say the scare factor was exceptionally high, there was a good "startle" factor, where actors were able to sneak up on visitors to amusing effect. There was also a good realism and creepiness factor as well. We enjoyed our visit, but we do think that the $25 price tag is a bit high, especially given that the haunt only lasts a little more than 20 minutes from start to finish. If it was longer, or if the price was around $17 or $18 dollars, Fear City would be a 5/5 for us. Still, we did like what we saw, and it's worth a return in 2014.