Midnight Terror House Opens For Another Year of Fear This Friday

OAK LAWN, IL -- Striking terror into the south suburbs for 19 years we called Justin Cerniuk to see what sick things has planned this year for Midnight Terror Haunted House, which opens this Friday, Sept. 28 for the Halloween season. Cerniuk has been scaring the wits out of people since he was 10, putting up spook houses in his garage for his neighbors on Halloween. When 6,000 trick-or-treaters showed up one year to walk through his garage, Ceriuk figured it was to start shopping for another venue.

After holing up in the old Beatty Lumber Yard for a few years, Cerniuk expanded Midnight Terror House at 5520 W. 111th St., across the street from Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Named the top must-see haunt in the entire state of Illinois by TheScareFactor.com, Midnight Terror House has added another chapter to the saga of Black Oak Grove, which in the past has featured bloodbath butcher shops, insane asylums and toxic work environments. This year, Black Oak Grove has been taken over by a little demon girl.

“It started out as a hobby and has evolved into into craziness,” Cerniuk says. “We’ve spent the past 10 months designing a whole new layout, with new rooms and every costumed character re-envisioned.”

>>> Oak Lawn's Midnight Terror Haunted House voted #1 "must-see haunt"

The 26,000-square-foot Midnight Terror features a talented cast of 100 haunt actors and 60 terrifying rooms.

"We don't rely on big animatronics. We work hard with our actors to give customers the best possible show," says Cerniuk. "Our actors are given creative freedom versus having to follow a rigid script, which allows them to scare better. Plus, we provide haunt actor training all year long, not just a few days before we open."

Cerniuk is the majority owner of Midnight Terror, but his uncle, Robert Page, also claims a stake in the chilling production. Cerniuk took a 4-year break from his haunting hobby from 2007 to 2011, while he completed two combat tours the U.S. Marine Corps in Iraq and Afghanistan.

During the offseason, Midnight Terror House turns back in Combat Chicago, a laser tag arena along with three escape rooms. Cerniuk will have a horror escape room open during Midnight Terror’s run through Nov. 3.

"We pride ourselves on designing a uniquely terrifying and creatively horrific haunted house experience that keeps the crowds coming back for more," says Cerniuk. "The Midnight Terror production crew custom make every one of our props and sets. And our state-of-the-art animatronic, CGI, lighting, and sound effects are comparable to those used in a big-budget Hollywood horror movie."

Visitors can claim half-price tickets ($12.50 general admission) for opening weekend, Sept. 28 through Sept. 30, when purchased online.

General admission is $25; use the promo code #PATCH3 and get $3 off the ticket price during Midnight Terror’s run; VIP tickets are $35, so you can bypass the line. Other discounts and group rates are also available.

For every ticket bought on site on Sundays, $1 will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project. For more info or to purchase tickets online, visit Midnight Terror Haunted House.

~ Photo courtesy of Midnight Terror Haunted House