5501 Park Place, Rosemont, IL
year: 2013
The best thing we can say about Screams in the Park is that it is one of the few pay haunts (in our view) that lives up to the hype. We remember when this haunt came on the scene. It was clear that it was being portrayed as one of the best haunts ever, and given that it was brand new we found that a bit circumspect. We're always a bit skeptical of such claims as we see them all the time. Thus, we avoided the haunt for it's first year. However, we did eventually get there and we loved it, so it's now one of our "must do" haunts each season.
The 2013 version of Screams in the Park was just as good as our previous visit, if not better. The killer aspect of this haunt for us is the set design. It's one of those haunts where you marvel at the sets even if there are no actors in them. There's a great attention to detail (such as including real dirt and trees in scenes to give an outdoor feel to them), a good sense of scale, with large detailed rooms and some huge props, including a towering figure with a giant dog as a pet that must be 20 feet high, and other little things that keep visitors entertained as they head through. The haunt is also about 25 minutes long, which is a decent length for a professional haunt. The variety of scenes is impressive, and the live actors add to the feel. They provide a good mix of humor and gore. However, as mentioned, some of the scenes are so well done that it's not necessary to even have live actors in them. Overall, we'd say that Screams in the Park has more of the feel of an amusement park attraction than a typical haunted house. It's like we've gone to a theme park and visited a haunt inside there. For those who are fans of elaborate sets, this is one to visit. Also, there are often discounts on the ticket prices if you look around or if you purchase tickets early in the season, which will save you some money should you decide to go. We highly recommend Screams in the Park for those looking for some great visuals. One of our favorites! |
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