Take an “undead” guided tour through realms of Halloween Town at Volo Museum this fall
VOLO — Beware the looming spider dangling from the trees. She’s bigger than a Bentley, and she has her eyes on you.
At least, she will have, if you’re among the brave who embark on a Halloween Experience trolley tour at the Volo Museum this season. The monstrous spider may be the first, but she’s just one of dozens of fabulous, creepy, giant inflatables tour-goers will encounter as they traverse a 75-acre expanse north of the museum. There’s everything from a colossal King Kong to a 75-foot-tall Pennywise, plus alien archways, “Ghostbusters” characters and more.
“We bought out the entire Halloween Experience show that formerly operated in Elgin,” said Brian Grams, director of the museum at 27582 Volo Village Road. “We are taking it to the next level by adding the Volo touch.”
Indeed, the inflatables are only part of the fun that museum officials have in store for families to enjoy on these spooky and spirited tours of delightfully segmented frights. Those taking the full-hour tour will enjoy the animated narrations of a costumed, “undead” guide steeped in the museum grounds’ history of the paranormal, Grams said.
“The first half of our full tours will go into the real haunted stories of the Volo Museum property,” Grams said. “Each of the guides has a background story. For example, one guide portrays a girl who perished on the Titanic. When our Titanic Exhibit flooded recently, her spirit flowed in with the water.”
Passengers will hear — and see depicted on video — engaging tales of myriad metaphysical sightings experienced on the museum grounds over the years, some captured on security footage. Then, it’s time for a sing-along as the group heads out toward the eerie landscapes of Halloween Town. What can go wrong on a sing-along? Be on the trolley to experience the folly.
Grams said it has been a blast to put the tours together, adding that the looming, illuminated inflatables are a sight to behold from U.S. Route 12 north of North Fox Lake Road.
“You come over the hill on Route 12 [heading south] and you see just this towering white, red and black Pennywise with outstretched hands. It makes the Jupiter train look small,” he said. “It’s one thing to see the inflatables from the highway. It’s another to experience riding through them on the trails with a whole group of people sharing the same cool story experience.”
Full tours will be available from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Friday evenings or 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays from Friday, Sept. 20, to Sunday, Nov. 3, for $16.95 each. Halloween Experience Express Tours, which last about a half hour and head straight for Halloween Town with a voice-over production, cost $7.95 each and are available from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, Oct. 8-31.
Tours are suitable for all ages. For either tour, children 4 and younger are admitted free if they can sit on a parent’s lap. Additionally, full tour tickets come with a $5 voucher good toward any Volo attraction admission ticket. For more information, and tickets, visit www.volocars.com/train-tours-haunted-tour.
The Volo Museum — which features hundreds of classic, muscle, bizarre, celebrity and movie cars, and much more — is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $24.95 for adults and $13.95 for children ages 5 to 12, with free entry for children ages 4 and younger. Platinum and Gold passes provide a two-day experience with free admission the second consecutive day. Separate single-day admission to the Jurassic Gardens dinosaur park is $16.95 each; free for children 4 and younger.
For more details, visit volofun.com, find Volo Museum on social media, or call 815-385-3644.