Disturbia Haunted House To Reopen Friday Under New Ownership
DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Haunted house lovers in the Downers Grove region, fear not — Disturbia is set to reopen Friday.
The team behind Aurora’s Basement of the Dead, which has been rated the best haunted house in the world by BuzzFeed, is set to bring its brand of “movie-quality” haunts with “grotesque beauty” to the highly popular attraction, owner Jason Seneker told Patch.
Things at Disturbia will also look different from previous years due to safety precautions put in place to keep customers and actors safe amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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Customers must purchase tickets for specific time windows, and everyone is required to wear masks while inside the haunted house. All customers and actors must have their temperatures checked before entering, and actors are screened for any coronavirus-related symptoms.
Capacity and group sizes will be limited this year to follow public health mandates and keep actors and customers safe amid the coronavirus pandemic, Seneker said.
That means fewer people can enjoy the haunted house, but the smaller groups have created a more "intimate" scare for customers, Seneker said.
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"It's almost like people are getting a special show," Seneker said, adding many could find it scarier this year for that reason. With fewer people in each room, there's nowhere to hide during the haunts, Seneker said.
Basement of the Dead customers are accustomed to an "in your face, get into your personal space" type of haunt, but this year, actors at both haunted houses will be positioned at a "scary but safe distance," Seneker said.
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Both haunted houses are “much safer” than large retail stores or other public entertainment options, Seneker said.
"This is a truly safe event," Seneker said. "We want to do this as safely as possible and make sure everyone has a fun time."
Unlike the dingy, cramped surroundings on show at the Aurora haunted house, Disturbia has high ceilings and lots of space, allowing the team to create a different style of scare using Gothic castles, forest scenes and much more.
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Basement of the Dead opened last week, and customers have been nothing but full of praise for the safety measures and the quality of the haunts, Seneker said, crediting the actors' passion and creativity.
With crowds slashed by more than 50 percent due to the coronavirus, Basement of the Dead is opening its doors from Wednesday through Sunday to give more people the chance to make what is an annual pilgrimage for some haunted-house lovers.
Basement of the Dead operates without actors on Wednesdays, presenting an opportunity for those who are not yet comfortable walking through a fully staffed haunted house to see the hard work that is put into the haunts.
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The actorless "Night of Isolation" event also gives customers a better chance to appreciate the "movie-quality scenes" and "grotesque beauty" of the haunted house, since people won't be in such a rush to get out of each room, Seneker said.
However, Seneker warned Basement of the Dead is still plenty scary without its actors, with groups getting only glowsticks to find their way through the haunted house.
This article originally appeared on the Downers Grove Patch
