What to expect in The Haunted House of Alice, Belleville’s live-actor escape room

The Haunted House of Alice is Escape 618’s scariest room, built around jump scares and a live actor, not blood or gore. It’s an hour-long game for ages 16 and up, groups of four to eight, and every exit stays unlocked the entire time. Here’s what actually happens once you walk through the door.

What makes this room different from a typical escape room?

Escape 618 sits at 102 E Main St in downtown Belleville, Illinois, and it’s the only escape room business in town. Owner Tyler Renner and his team design and build every set themselves, piece by piece, out of a basement workshop on East Main. The Haunted House of Alice is the result: a room with a real actor playing the part of Alice, which makes it Belleville’s only escape room with a live performer built into the game.

That detail changes the experience compared to the business’s other two rooms. Detention and The Jail Cell rely on props, locks, and logic puzzles. The Haunted House of Alice adds a person reacting to your group in real time, It also carries the highest age minimum of the three: 16 and up.

What’s the story setup?

Without giving away how to solve anything, here’s the premise: your group has been dared to step into Alice’s house. Inside, you’re asked to light a candle, join hands, and say her name three times to call her out. From there, you have 60 minutes to track down a small heart-shaped necklace before time runs out. If you don’t find it in time, the story’s ending is that you become Alice’s permanent companion.

That’s the whole setup. Escape 618 doesn’t publish an escape rate for this room, unlike Detention (about 75%) and The Jail Cell (about a third of teams), so there’s no public number to tell you your odds going in.

How scary is it, exactly?

This is probably the most common question before booking, so here’s the direct answer: expect jump scares, not gore. There’s no blood and nothing graphic. What you will encounter is strobe lighting, sudden changes in lighting, and loud sound effects, on top of the live actor interacting with your group.

Escape 618 recommends against this room for anyone with epilepsy or sensitivity to flashing lights, given the strobe effects used throughout. If that applies to someone in your group, it’s worth calling ahead at (618) 416-7300.

How do clues and exits actually work?

A common hesitation with escape rooms is the fear of being stuck or genuinely trapped. Here’s how Escape 618 handles that: every room’s exit door has no lock on it at all. On top of that, there’s an emergency release inside each room that opens every electronic lock at once if needed. A game master watches your entire game and can talk to your group the whole time, so help is never more than a few seconds away.

On the puzzle side, teams get three standard clues to use during the hour, and the game master will offer more if your group starts falling noticeably behind. If your group would rather go without any help at all, you’re free to ask for none. Choose the no-clue route if your group has played escape rooms before and wants the full challenge; ask for help early if this is anyone’s first time, since a stuck group can lose momentum fast in a scare-based room.

What should you wear, and who can play?

Closed-toe shoes are required for this room. Beyond that, Escape 618 suggests wearing clothes you don’t mind getting a little dirty, since some rooms involve crawling.

Every player needs to be 16 or older for this specific room. Anyone under 18 needs a parent or guardian to sign a digital waiver when you arrive, and that waiver gets completed at check-in, not ahead of time online. Groups need a minimum of four players to book this room, and the maximum is eight. That minimum isn’t arbitrary: the puzzles are built around the group talking through problems together, and smaller groups tend to get stuck more often.

Plan for 75 to 90 minutes total for your visit, even though the game itself runs 60 minutes. That extra time covers checking in, signing the waiver, a briefing from your game master, and a free group photo afterward, whether your team escapes or not. Arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled time, since arriving late eats into your actual game time and the next group’s slot can’t be pushed back.

One more rule worth knowing: no photos or video are allowed during the game itself, so leave your phone in your pocket until the group photo at the end.

What does it cost, and how do you book?

Tickets run $35 per player plus tax, or $30 with a valid military ID. (The $25 kids’ rate applies only in Detention.) You only pay one $35 deposit per booking up front, not per player, and the rest gets settled after the game, split however your group wants, cash or card.

Escape 618 recommends booking one to two weeks ahead, since weekends and holidays fill up first. You can book online at escape618.com/booking/ or call (618) 416-7300.

Tips if someone in your group scares easily

If you’re bringing a friend or family member who’s nervous about jump scares, a few things might help. First, know going in that this is a jump-scare room, not a gore room, so the fear comes from timing and surprise rather than anything graphic. Second, remember that the exit is never locked and the game master is watching and listening the whole time, so stepping out is always an option.

If straight-up horror isn’t the vibe your group is after, Escape 618’s other two rooms skip the scares entirely. Detention runs with no scares or lighting changes at all, and The Jail Cell, while tense, doesn’t include a live actor.

Before you book

A few last practical notes: parking is free, with a lot right behind the building (the old Ben’s / Belleville Public Library lot), unmetered street parking nearby, and another free lot behind the Lincoln Theatre. Afterward, there’s an outdoor patio with picnic tables out front if your group wants to grab food together, since food isn’t allowed in the lobby during regular hours. A handful of restaurants and bars sit within walking distance on Main Street, including Bennie’s Pizza Pub right across the street.

Frequently asked questions

Is The Haunted House of Alice appropriate for kids?

No. This room has a 16+ age minimum, making it the most restricted of Escape 618’s three rooms. Detention allows ages 10 and up, and The Jail Cell allows ages 13 and up.

Can my group get physically trapped inside the room?

No. Every room’s exit door is unlocked at all times, and there’s an emergency release that opens all electronic locks at once. A game master also watches and can communicate with your group throughout the entire game.

Do you publish an escape rate for this room?

No. Escape 618 publishes escape rates for Detention (about 75%) and The Jail Cell (about a third of teams), but not for The Haunted House of Alice.

What if someone in my group has light sensitivity or epilepsy?

Escape 618 recommends against this specific room for anyone with epilepsy or sensitivity to flashing lights, since it uses strobe effects and sudden lighting changes. Call (618) 416-7300 with any questions before booking.