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Suburban haunted houses specialize in extreme scares

Round Lake Beach haunted house specializes in extreme scares

You can almost see Stephen Kristof tapping his fingers together with evil glee when he describes the haunted house he created more than a decade ago.

“It's a full-on assault,” he said, pride evident in his voice. “My goal is that when people get to the end, they think: 'How did I survive that?'”

Kristof runs the Realm of Terror Horror Experience, a haunted house in Round Lake Beach that has become known for its gory, R-rated scares. You won't find any friendly ghosts or benign little witches here: Realm of Terror instead delivers heart-squeezing frights via a combination of cinematic special effects, gruesome costumes and well-trained actors who aren't afraid to go for the jugular.

“I always try to push the envelope on what people have to do to get through it, how they have to interact with the environment,” Kristof said. “This year, it's going to be crazy.”

Realm of Terror is just one of the haunted houses that will try to scare suburbanites this Halloween season. Kristof, a Round Lake native whose family owns Kristof's Entertainment Center, a popular local business, said it amazes him how popular these seasonal haunts continue to be year after year.

“Coming to places like Realm of Terror almost seems like an annual tradition for some people,” he said.

Kristof first came up with the idea for Realm of Terror in 2003, when he was just 13 years old. He presented a business plan for a haunted house to his father and uncle, and they agreed to help him develop it.

The first few years were a bit rocky, Kristof said, as he was still trying to figure out what his niche would be. Starting in about 2006, though, Realm of Terror as it is known today began to take shape.

Kristof said that while he's long been a fan of horror films, it was the storytelling in video games like “Resident Evil” and “BioShock” that provided the most direct inspiration for the vivid and extreme scares in Realm of Terror.

“I always looked at this as a way to tell a cohesive story,” he said. “There is a theme to this — everything you experience in one room leads you to the next.”

Realm of Terror plunges visitors into a research facility that carries out some rather ... unusual experiments. To make it through to the end, visitors have to endure stretches of complete darkness, claustrophobic sets and grisly images of the research being conducted in the facility.

More than 40 actors help bring the facility to frightening life, working in tandem with a computerized light-and-sound system.

“Our actors are amazing,” Kristof said. “They really go all-out to be as nasty and grotesque as possible. They practically get right on top of you.”

Kristof and his design team try to make at least one-third of the haunt different from year to year. This year, the new scares make up closer to half of the overall experience, he said.

“It's a pretty big job, putting this all together,” he said. “I'm already thinking about next year's haunt right now.”

Realm of Terror, it probably doesn't need to be said, is not designed for children. Its website, www.realmofterror.com, flat-out states that the haunt is “EXTREMELY SCARY” and not recommended for anyone younger than 16.

“We also have a bar open to serve our 21-and-older guests while they're waiting,” Kristof said. “Though I'm not sure if it would make more sense to have a drink before going in, or after.”

Ready for other good scares?

Here's a list of some of the bigger and better-known haunted houses open for business in the suburbs through Halloween. Dates and hours may change, and some of these might not be suitable for children. So check before you go and have a frightful time! (A full listing of Illinois haunted houses can be found at hauntedillinois.com.)

Antioch

Macabre Haunt presents Antioch Asylum II, 882 Anita Ave. Open from 7 p.m. to close on Oct. 2-4, 9-11, 15-18, 22-25 and 29-31. $20 at the door, $17 online. Go to antiochhaunt.com.

Aurora

Basement of the Dead/Shattered, 42 W. New York St. Opens at 7 p.m. Oct. 2-4, 8-9, 11, 15-16, 18, 22-23, 25, 28-30 and Nov. 1; opens at 6 p.m. Oct. 10, 17, 24 and 31. General admission tickets cost $24.99. Go to 42fear.com.

East Dundee

Nightmare From North Street, 880 E. Main St. Tickets cost $20. For hours, dates and tickets, call (224) 256-8524, or go to nightmarefromnorthstreet.com.

Elgin

Evil Intentions, 900 Grace St. Opens at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2-4, 9-11, 15-18, 22-25 and 27-31. (Closes at midnight on Friday and Saturday, 10 p.m. other days.) General admission tickets cost $25. Go to evilintentionshauntedhouse.com.

Psychosis, 300 Lake St. Opens Oct. 1-4, 8-11, 15-18, 22-25, 28-31, Nov. 1. Times vary according to day. Every Thursday is Ladies' Night; kids matinees on Oct. 10-11 and 24-25. Regular tickets cost $20, children's matinee tickets cost $7. Go to psychosishauntedhouse.net.

Gurnee

Six Flags Fright Fest, 1 Great America Parkway. Open Oct. 2-4, 9-12, 16-18, 23-25, 30-31 and Nov. 1. Hours vary by day. Tickets start at $33.49 online, $66.99 at the park. Go to frightfest.sixflags.com.

Morton Grove

House of Torment, 8240 N. Austin Ave. Opens at 7 p.m. Oct. 1-4, 8-11, 13-18, 20-31 and Nov. 1, 6-7. (Nov. 6-7 are “blackout” dates.) (Closes at midnight Friday and Saturday, 10 or 11 p.m. other days.) Tickets start at $24.99. Go to houseoftormentchicago.com.

Rosemont

Disturbia: Screams in the Park, 5501 Park Place (MB Financial Park). Open from 7 to 11 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays on the following dates: Oct. 2-4, 9-11, 15-18, 21-25, 27-31 and Nov. 1. Tickets cost $25. Go to disturbiascreams.com.

Villa Park

Rob Zombie's Great American Nightmare, the Odeum Expo Center, 1033 N. Villa Ave. Open from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays, 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, on the following dates: Oct. 2-4, 9-11, 15-18, 22-25, 29-31 and Nov. 1. General admission tickets are $25 online, $30 at the door. Go to greatamericannightmare.com.

West Dundee

From the creators of Realm of Terror: The Slaughter at Sleepy Hollow, 999 W. Main St. Open 7 to 10 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays, 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, on the following dates: Oct. 2-3, 9-11, 16-18, 22-25, 28-31. General admission tickets cost $25. Go to starttheslaughter.com.

Zion

Dungeon of Doom, 600 29th St. Open Oct. 2-3, 9-11, 16-18, 22-25, 28-31. Hours vary. Tickets start at $25. Go to dungeonofdoom.com.

Those brave souls who visit Realm of Terror, an intense haunted house in Round Lake Beach, will have to make their way past a slew of ghoulish (and often gory) characters. Courtesy of Stephen Kristof
The interactive Disturbia in the Park haunted house returns to Rosemont this Halloween season. Courtesy of Carol Fox & Associates
One of the unfortunate inmates stalks the Asylum II haunted house in Antioch. Courtesy of Antioch Asylum
Stay away from that nurse! Nurse Bertha is one of the unsavory characters awaiting visitors at the Asylum II haunted house in Antioch. Courtesy of Antioch Asylum
Visit the Firefly House and other frightful attractions at Rob Zombie's Great American Nightmare in Villa Park. Courtesy of Rob Zombie's Great American Nightmare
Horrors await at Morton Grove's House of Torment. Courtesy of House of Torment
Those brave souls who visit Realm of Terror, an intense haunted house in Round Lake Beach, will have to make their way past a slew of ghoulish (and often gory) characters. Courtesy of Stephen Kristof
Visitors to Realm of Terror in Round Lake Beach will have to brave a slew of ghoulish characters. Courtesy of Stephen Kristof
Do you have the guts to visit Realm of Terror, an intense haunted house in Round Lake Beach? Courtesy of Stephen Kristof

Realm of Terror Horror Experience

<b>Where:</b> 421 W. Rollins Road, Round Lake Beach

<b>When:</b> 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday and Sunday and 7 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday from Oct. 2-31

<b>Tickets:</b> Start at $25; see <a href="http://realmofterror.com">realmofterror.com</a>

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