Dungeon of Doom delivers a thrilling haunted experience

The Dungeon of Doom, located at 600 29th St., Zion, IL, is the leading haunted attraction in the area, boasting a 45,000-square-foot experience. This family-owned business has operated since 1997, located 47 miles north of Chicago and 48 miles south of Milwaukee, WI. Thrill seekers will enjoy 60 minutes of excitement with over 100 triggered effects and 100+ live actors ready to jump out at you from the darkness.

When I arrived at the Dungeon of Doom, I encountered a scary clown with an air horn. I probably jumped ten feet. I always love it when the scares start just by getting in line. This alone sets the tone for the whole evening. Before I stepped into the haunted house, I was given a behind-the-scenes tour to see all the secrets of the attraction. Co-owner Anthony (Tony) Relken met me at the entrance and shared his story about how the haunted house tells his story. I loved learning that Tony builds all of the sets by hand. His attention to detail makes this a unique attraction. They believe in customer service and ensuring guests have an experience they will never forget.

During my tour, I visited the mask and wardrobe room. Tony shared the process of how they create all of the masks. Incredibly, these are all one-of-a-kind made in-house. That's a real commitment to the story they are sharing here. I had a chance to meet special effects artist Tristin Cook, who creates the prosthetic masks and does the makeup for the actors. He's a true artist, bringing all of the characters to life.

Once I stepped into the Dungeon of Doom, I knew there was no turning back. This year's attraction has a brand new Dead Clown Alley and a 5,000-square-foot Sanctuary. It was my first time visiting this haunted house and I was impressed with the immersive special effects and light shows. "We have been redefining 'scary' for our guests for the past 27 years, and this year, I feel like everyone will be blown away by some of our creative ideas that will be brought to life by our 100+ seasonal employees," shared co-owner Peter Koklamanis in a press release from Dungeon of Doom. "We believe our ticket to success is developing the science behind the scare and are thrilled for our guests to experience 60 minutes …yes, you heard right… SIX… ZERO minutes of terror and fear complete with amped-up technology, theatrics and special effects."

They also have a new horror experience called Buried Dead or Alive. I do not want to give away the surprise, but I will bet you can tell what happens by the name of the attraction. This was one of the scariest things I encountered here and if you get claustrophobic, I would go ahead and skip it.

Dungeon of Doom Haunted House runs now through November 4. Ticket prices begin at $25 for general admission when purchased online. Are you looking to upgrade your ticket? There are fast passes, VIP and Platinum VIP tickets available. For more information, call 847.262.3666 or visit dungeonofdoom.com