Midnight Terror Wreaks Holiday Havoc in the Windy City

Chicago’s Midnight Terror is one of many haunts to open a special holiday edition with “Christmas Fear,” but manages to set themselves apart with an expert use of claustrophobia and emphatic scareactors.

Midnight Terror is a veteran in the industry, first and foremost. Owner and operator Justin Cerniuk began home haunting at the tender age of 10 years old; and 18 years later, Midnight Terror has earned it’s place as one of Chicago’s largest and best haunts. Cerniuk, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps with tours of Afghanistan under his belt, even picked right up where he left off after four years in the military, with the haunt not even missing a beat.

The scale of Midnight Terror is absolutely massive, and even with its holiday event only using about half of that size, it’s still an imposing and intimidating locale. The ironic juxtaposition is just how claustrophobic the haunt becomes. Like Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, hallways have a habit of growing smaller the further one ventures through them. Expect to be squeezed by narrowing corridors or to crouch by a lowered ceiling.

Even when the hallways aren’t narrow or short enough to induce panic, there are numerous obstacles to hinder the progress of eager guests, sometimes even taking the form of disembodied heads that guests must push past. Between the length of the maze and the intentionally cramped conditions, it’s easy for a feeling of delirious hopelessness to set in, like this may well be a nightmarish trap.

But just when you think things might be getting too intense, the mood is lightened (just a hint) by two cheeky elves standing high above the scene, launching snowballs down at unaware guests and beckoning them to return fire.

And therein lies the secret: Midnight Terror plays head games expertly, creating an ideal setting for twisted Kris Kringles and demonic gingerbread men. Whether it’s the haunt itself or the adjoining escape room, the ambiance is a melange of fear and delight, of creepiness and wonder.

For Christmas, what could be more appropriate?

For more information on Midnight Terror, visit http://midnightterrorhauntedhouse.com/