6043 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL
years: 2013
The Catacombs
is a haunt that we Tourers have been visiting on and off since 2009. We missed
last year due to very long lines and a tight schedule, but we were back this
year to see what was new and interesting. Located at St. Pascal’s school on the
north side of Chicago, The Catacombs has been running in some fashion since the
early 1980’s, making it one of the oldest continuously running haunts in
Illinois. Our first visit had some really cool surprises, so we’ve always made
a point to returning to see what clever and inventive things the operators have
in store for us.
The haunt is actually located in the basement of St. Pascal’s church, although the waiting area is in the school itself. Although there are often long lines, they are somewhat made up for by the excellent wait entertainment. The character types range from creepy clowns to crazy mental patients to characters that say nothing, but instead just wander up to you and stare at you. There are always numerous actors walking around, so there is a lot to look at while waiting to get in, and watching visitors get scared and freak out is part of the fun. Once inside the haunt building, visitors are led into a waiting area set up like a funeral parlor, where they are told the rules of the haunt. This year there was a very clever surprise in the waiting room area – it was clever because it was right out in the open, and not hidden at all, and yet it fooled us (and I am sure a lot of other people). This surprise is one that keeps on giving as well, being a combination of odd, creepy, and amusing at the same time. Once the wait is over, visitors are welcomed into the haunt by a live actor, and descend into a boiler room scene. The opening scene is set in a real boiler room, and visitors can hear the strains of the Nightmare on Elm Street theme music playing in the background as smoke and flame effects set up the atmosphere. The night we were there was quite warm, so the boiler room was muggy, which made it the perfect setup for a Freddy Krueger appearance. Unfortunately, though, he didn’t appear, which was actually a disappointment after that great setup. |
Commentary
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After the boiler room area, visitors encounter various traditional haunt scenes, from mad scientists to a mirrored room, to clowns, to zombies. Some of our favorites included the mirrored room with creepy female actor in a doll’s mask who walked backwards through the maze, keeping visitors in sight at all times, a cleverly done zombie area, and a nicely decorated swamp area with some unexpected inhabitants. Additionally, there were scenes featuring hidden actors, an electrocution, and even a jail scene.
Most of the live actors wore masks or had some type of clever makeup. Although the actors are all mostly younger kids, they all seemed to enjoy playing their roles. Some were rather amusing and some were creepy, and all kept us entertained.
Overall, there are definitely some creative scenes in the Catacombs, and enough different stuff to make it a worthwhile trip each year. The fact that it is actually held in a real basement is also a plus, and we enjoyed looking at the various scenes to see what would pop out next. Several of the actors were also quite funny, taunting us as we walked through, and following us from room to room just to creep us out. The scares themselves are more of the startling type as opposed to the intense type, but there are a couple of areas where the creepiness factor gets upped a notch.
The haunt is well worth a look, especially if you can combine it with visits to other haunts that are close by, such as Hair Razor or Scream Scene. However, we would definitely advise getting there at least 20-30 minutes before they open, especially if you are going on a Friday or Saturday. The lines can get quite long quite quickly, and although The Catacombs is enjoyable, we don’t think it’s worth an hour or more wait, especially if there are other haunts to potentially visit in the area. Another option is to get the VIP pass, which does put you in the front of the line. However, at $20, it’s more than double the normal $8 admission price, and you probably will get more bang for your $20 at a higher end professional haunt. Thus, the best bet is to get there early.
Aside from the line issues, though, St. Pascal’s does put on a good haunt, and we’re looking forward to it continuing for many more years.
Most of the live actors wore masks or had some type of clever makeup. Although the actors are all mostly younger kids, they all seemed to enjoy playing their roles. Some were rather amusing and some were creepy, and all kept us entertained.
Overall, there are definitely some creative scenes in the Catacombs, and enough different stuff to make it a worthwhile trip each year. The fact that it is actually held in a real basement is also a plus, and we enjoyed looking at the various scenes to see what would pop out next. Several of the actors were also quite funny, taunting us as we walked through, and following us from room to room just to creep us out. The scares themselves are more of the startling type as opposed to the intense type, but there are a couple of areas where the creepiness factor gets upped a notch.
The haunt is well worth a look, especially if you can combine it with visits to other haunts that are close by, such as Hair Razor or Scream Scene. However, we would definitely advise getting there at least 20-30 minutes before they open, especially if you are going on a Friday or Saturday. The lines can get quite long quite quickly, and although The Catacombs is enjoyable, we don’t think it’s worth an hour or more wait, especially if there are other haunts to potentially visit in the area. Another option is to get the VIP pass, which does put you in the front of the line. However, at $20, it’s more than double the normal $8 admission price, and you probably will get more bang for your $20 at a higher end professional haunt. Thus, the best bet is to get there early.
Aside from the line issues, though, St. Pascal’s does put on a good haunt, and we’re looking forward to it continuing for many more years.