Scared in the Suburbs
I had the opportunity to visit the Dungeon of Doom haunted house in Zion, IL. A few friends of mine agreed to come and get spooked with me. I hadn't gone to a haunted house since probably senior year of high school, so I was very excited.
Since we are all city dwellers, my friends and I decided no trip to the burbs is complete without a stop for dinner at a chain restaurant. While we loved the idea of going to a TGI Fridays on a Friday, Chili's was closer and my friend, Kelsey really wanted some chicken crispers. I wasn't about to say no to a Southwestern egg roll or the 2-for-1 happy hour margaritas.
Bellies painfully full, we made our way to Zion, IL...which is far from Chicago proper. Finding the entrance to the haunted house was difficult. Several roads that lead to the entrance were blocked. For a while, we felt like the experience was the hell you are in locating the entrance. After several circles, we made our way down a creepy desolate gravel road to the rusty metal opening to the attraction.
The experience of Dungeon of Doom is over an hour! Which helps dull the pain of the 40 minute wait we endured to enter. Trust me...it's well worth the wait! Beginning with a disorienting spin on a carousel-like contraption, you maneuver through hallways of total darkness, sensory-twisting fun house rooms, and themed exhibits of eery butcher shops, mental asylum rooms, a filthy bayou house, and other assorted scenes with live actors who cannot touch you, but get pretty damn close!
After the whole journey, I would say my least favorite part of the attraction experience was the long wait time. I do not want to imagine wait times this weekend, however, the thrill of being scared and giggly are worth the wait! My favorite feature was the Buried Alive experience, which I will not ruin for you...but do it!
If you enjoy a night of innocent, but seriously spooky fun, head to Dungeon of Doom!
Dungeon of Doom Haunted House
600 29th St, Zion, IL 60099
https://www.facebook.com/DungeonofDoom
