City & suburban folk need look (nor travel) no further to take their beloved gamer skills to life!!!! This place is D-SHIZNITZ!!!! Once you step foot into this arena.... You know someone has got their head on straight. These peeps know what they're doing & love what they do.... & yes, to the childhood of yesteryear they have actually recycled Santa's Village relics (those that enjoyed what it once was THANK YOU for that one!!!!) ^_^ I can't wait to go back (especially to unleash the fury on that creepy clown building....)!!!! read more

I just wanted to start off with a little background on myself. I have been playing paintball for better than 10 years now and I am the Captain of a Chicago area team that has been around since 1994. I have played at every field in the Chicagoland area in every possible way that you can play a field (open play, private games, big games, scenario weekends, in the woods, on the speedball fields and any other way that you can think of). I have put in my fair share of time volunteering my time and services to many local fields. While many fields have come and gone over the years I am confident that Paintball Explosion will be here for many years to come. I can say, without a doubt, that this is the best paintball field in the area. Paintball Play- If you are a beginner they offer games tailored to your skill level. Players in these games will NOT have the fast shooting electronic markers capable of shooting 15+ balls per second. You can get into a game with players of a similar skill level with similar equipment. Referees are always diligent making sure no one is "shooting hot" (too fast) or "overshooting" (shooting opposing players an excessive amount of times). Once you start honing your skills they offer the BEST and I do mean the BEST rental packages in all of paintball. You will be hard pressed to find fields ANYWHERE that offer the selection PBE offers in rentals. Want one of those markers capable of shooting 15+ balls per second mentioned above? They rent them. Want 2 paintball guns bolted together with one trigger to fire both at the same time!?! Yeah they rent that too. Paintball Fields- At the time of writing they offer nine professionally designed fields all resembling something from a movie set. They will be opening a 10th field in the near future. Every field is just amazing. You have real M35 "Deuces", a decommissioned helicopter, a city bus, many abandoned cars, HUGE ammo crates, multiple buildings many with 2 stories, and great themes such as "Nam" -the village with huts looking like something straight out of Vietnam, "Mutiny" -the pirate ship, "World at War" -the modern urban combat zone and "Turmoil" -the battle to control the oil town. Amenities- There is also a netted off staging area out on the field that allows the safe opportunity to remove your mask without having to walk all the way back to the main staging area. On non-big game weekends they have a tunnel netted off that goes through the middle of the park so spectators can get a view of the action without the obstruction of a mask. My favorite part of the field is the drainage. Most of the park is built on a former amusement park and as such had existing pitch and grade that make this a wonderfully dry place to run around- even during a rain storm. The same can't be said for many other area fields due to their low lying land or proximity to waterways. Inside the former "Polar Ice Dome" have an indoor "speedball" field for year round paintball enjoyment. The air conditioned building also houses the pro shop and concession area. There are bleachers overlooking the indoor field that act as a wonderful (air conditioned) staging area. The staff is amazing. The referees are led by the fearless "Thumper" who always makes sure the refs are doing their jobs- keeping us safe and having a good time. The owners TJ and Romeo always have an ear to lend if you think something isn't write right or you have a suggestion. And unlike many small businesses they aren't just paying you lip service. They listen and make changes very frequently. So long story short- Paintball Explosion is the best place to play paintball weather you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player. There will always be something for you here. P.S.- I know many negative reviews are being posted about the "Zombie Safari" experience. It is unfortunate because their paintballing experience is second to none. I hope that anyone turned off by Zombie Safari will give them a chance to win you back with paintball. read more

Cons: Took a party of 8 here. Was turned off right away when the rental package for $58 didn't include pods or a belt which was another $15. I own my own gear, but I brought 5 renters who've never played before with me. $73 for gun/mask/tank/500 balls/2pods/belt is PRICY. Add-on $10-$15 on food drink, and you fly thru paint on these fields so another $25-35 on paint. $125-$140 paintball experience. I didn't get chrono'd ONCE. None of us did. I noticed some of the regular's would nod that they got chrono'd and when the ref walked away, giggled about how they haven't been. That seemed a little weak. Then we noticed the QUALITY of balls was TERRIBLE. Even 2 of the employees(One Ref, One Staff) told me that it's a "custom blend". They bounce like crazy and shoot like crap. The ref's weren't great. They did do a good job making sure shot players got out safely, and would hit check when asked more then once, but LOTS of times my whole party noticed people getting shot and kept playing and ref's ignored initial hit check. No woodsball fields. They have 1 that they calls woodsball, but it has about 30ft/30ft square of woods, the rest is a parking lot with a huge bus and cars etc. Still cool, but no woodsball. PRO'S: The staff at first entry was SOLID. Cashier went quick, a friend of mine bought a gun/hopper/tank for over $700 and they moved quick to assist him to make sure he could get out and use it. I also couldn't get my JT lava lens to fit on my mask, and a staff member helped me out. I tipped him $2 for some gatorade. Fields are pretty awesome. Definitely worth trying once as long as you know the $$ you'll be spending. $85 for a case of what seems to be empire 3 or 4 custom blend crap. They are kept up pretty well too. I'm fairly new to my gun, and have never filled my own air before, and the staff member went nice and slow showing me how to do it. Super easy. Very friendly. The flow of the field was nice, music playing but great reminders and announcements for open and beginner games. All staff stayed on masks and barrel covers. A/C indoor speedball area. Nice to sit and watch, and cool off if it's a super hot day out. Conclusion: It's expensive. I get why. But it's expensive. As long as you're comfortable with that beforehand, it can be a ton of fun. The fields are worth checking out once a year for sure. Otherwise I'd skip it. read more

Friends and I Travelled 8 hours to come play at the "Nuketown" map that is advertised by them as one of their main selling points. Spent most of the day sitting around between games waiting to play. Only went out on the field maybe 5 times on the various other maps they have. We were told we could do the "nuketown" map at the end of the day. End of the day comes 30 minutes before they closed and then we are told they already put another group on the "nuketown" map and we wont be playing any more for the day because they were going to start closing the park early. We were going to schedule some private parties with big groups in the future but after that disappointment, no thanks, we wont be back. read more

So just as a background i have been playing the sport for a little over 2 years now and been to a good chuck of the parks in the chicagoland area. Paintball Explosion is hands down the one i most enjoy going to. This place is extremely unique housed on what used to be Santa's Village you'll get a chance to play urban environments as well as more traditional woodsball. If you're into speedball, they've got you covered, as well -- LITERALLY -- with an indoor field. - Check-in/Store Staff - The staff is efficient and courteous. You can be register and set up to play within 15 mins pretty dam fast if you ask me. - Food/Beverages - Normal type food you would expect , pretty decently ( $5 min on cards for food though) then for the 21+ people they got you even more covered ,with a bar no less. - Refs - The refs are aggressive about safety (a GOOD thing) and always seem to be where the action is. Its not uncommon to see a ref ducking under flying paint these refs also have something i havent seen any other parks have they have Viture hand held chronos, so no one is out there with high FPS or BPS. - Pro Shop - This thing is LOADED with all the goodies you could want. It doesn't matter if you're in the $100 ranger or looking for something top-of-the-line; they've got you covered. They also carry Ninja Paintball Tanks, these are some of the best air tanks you can buy , considering the company is located here in IL. - Air Fills - They have 2 Main air fill stations one labeled 3000 PSI for the rentals and one labeled 4500 PSI for the tank rated 4500 PSI, Also they have CO2 fills, all covered in the entry fee. - Owners/Management - This field is led by people that genuinely care about their customers and the sport of paintball, and it shows. They try new things and they listen to feedback. They fix problems and improve on successes. One thing that is always nice to see both owners actually play the sport and are out on the field playing instead of talking which is always a good sign. read more

I was here with a group of thirteen friends on Sunday of July 4th weekend. They were having a deal, where the only thing that we ended up paying for was the paintballs. We bought a case of 2000 (a little over $90), and split it between six people. It was enough for 2.5 games... the 0.5 is because we consolidated and only half of played the third game. The people there were very knowledgeable, but I feel that the staff could have been more helpful to us, considering we were obviously beginners and only one of us had been there before. I realize it was a busy day, but nothing was ever explained to us. Literally the only information I received without directly asking someone for it was "don't take off your mask." They did allow our entire group to play on the same team, which was really nice of them considering how many of us there were. I would say, given my zero experience, that I thought the maps were really cool, if a little grimy, and that I'd definitely go again on a less busy day so that I could play with just my friends. Tips for other first time players: We played in tank tops and shorts, and honestly (playing only in beginner games) I don't think more protective clothing was necessary, despite most of the people there being dressed as though they were going into actual combat. read more

Super disappointing experience. I spent over $400 bringing 9 tweens there this weekend for open play and we left with multiple injuries due to total jerks not playing beginner rules even though they were explicitly instructed to play beginner rules. The crowd this place attracts in general is super trashy. The refs weren't paying attention at all during the so called beg game and none of the people playing against the rules were reprimanded. One ref apologizes to us and said " oh, sorry that happened - it's hard to manage the crowd when we have over 60 people playing". Yea, no kidding. Than get more staff. When asked if our kids could play just against similar ages/ height kids the answer was no. When asked if we could have a private space we were told that has to be booked " way in advance". Epic fail on my part for brining these kids here. This is a dangerous place and I will never return. read more

I took my sons and their buddy for their first time paintballing -- they're just gamers of the PS3 persuasion. There were a lot of older guys with camoflage and ammo belts and what looked like bullet proof vests -- very intimidating. But the park is large and "beginner games" are announced here and there, so my guys (teens) could get a relatively easy intro. There are referees all over, you have good equipment and good instruction. Even so, they got nickel-sized welts and ended up emptyinghalf their ammo bags in the target practice area, which they enjoyed. Those little paint balls are like, I don't know, frozen grapes! I don't think they'll be heading back but it was (I gather) altogether a satisfying experience. If you know what you're getting into, and you're up to it, and you have the gear, I can see how it would be very much like a real firefight. Conclusion: well managed I think but not for me, thanks. It's bad enough getting killed every time I turn around on the playstation. read more

One of the best Woodsball Paintball parks in the Midwest (they also have one indoor speedball court). Nothing comes close to it except CPX. The fields are varied and waits in-between games are relative short (CPX you have to get in a truck and they drive you to each field). The Call of Duty Maps are nice touch. My only complaint is they charge for use of only their paint (you have to use there paint-rare considering all other parks allow you to bring your own paint). All in all there is nothing like this around the Midwest. Highly recommend you check it out if any interest in paintball. read more

This place is a BLAST!!! I've never been to a paintball park before and was a little anxious before going with my 12 & 14 yr old sons. But the staff treated all beginners extremely well. Even the seasoned guys and pros went out of their way to make us comfortable. The grounds are outrageous! An abandoned amusement park is the perfect place for paintball. They have 7 distinctly different fields, each being very fun. It's a little pricy, but when compared to a day at 6 Flags it's a bargain. And the boys agree! If you are looking for something different to do with your kids... THIS is the place to go. read more

This place is AWSOME!!! I'm 32 and have an MBA, we went with a group of 20 with an age range from 30-55. This would be a great start to a Bachelor party or any other event. If you are close to I90 its only 3-4 miles down on the Rt.25 Exit. I would defiantly wear thicker gear and possibly gloves as you do get hit "and know it" but it only stings for a second. Also each game is run by 3 to 4 staff members that have safety as a 1st concern. So when you are hit and you rise your gun up and a staff member runs over to help you off the field of battle. Speaking of fields of battle, I think there are 6 different courses each one with a different theme and or set up. Burnt out Vietnam helicopters /city busses you can get in and shoot from, overturned cars, bunkers, 2 level forts, oil drums, turrets, room clearing areas, some old Santa's Village relics to hide behind. I can't speak highly enough about this place. read more

Had my 13 year old son's birthday party with his friends here. A couple of dads and I even played with them! Had a great time playing for 8 hours, as they have several different fields/themes and a really fun indoor/outdoor speedball option! Staff was laid back and very helpful. While my 8 year old couldn't play paintball, he ended up playing laser tag with the other younger kids and had a blast. I highly recommend this, and will do it again! PS - Try the burgers! read more

We absolutely loved celebrating my son's birthday here! They were so easy to work with and my son and his 9 friends had the best time ever!! They enjoyed every minute of it. They had everything ready for them and couldn't be nicer! We had the best group leader Ari! She was so good with the boys and made sure the had a blast!! read more

Experienced player here. It's a great place. Great maps, but a few maps are slow which I don't mind while some may. Maps where players can go inside and shoot have a great advantage, for they can't be seen from the outside. They're just silhouettes in a dark room which is annoying. Nuke town is cool, but again the dark rooms. About the refs: please equip them with cronos. I honestly don't know how hot I am shooting. If I am shooting 300 fps, the refs will never check me which may be unsafe. Pricing is insanely expensive. You have to pay a $20 entry fee on top of the paint. If you want a case of paintballs, that's $85 for paint. I always have to stay cautious of how much I shoot. This place would be an easy 5/5 if it weren't so expensive. If you want to grow the sport, the pricing will get in the way of it. RIP indoor field. I miss speedball read more

Paintball Explosion is a great place for your parties. We had dads versus sons before the sons went to college. Cayden was awesome!!

I have been to paintball explosion several times. I went on 11/10/2019 and we had Gabe K as our referee. I will say out of the times I have been there, Gabe has the the best. Everyone in my group had fun. He made sure we were happy with the game modes, and most important he made sure we were safe. Hope Gabe can be our Ref again. I highly recommend him as your group Ref fir private games. Hugo. read more

This place is ok. The indoor speedbaml arena is really nice but it is drenched in Paint and is poorly ventilated. I don't recommend it during the summer. The rentals are decent, but like all fields, the paint is expensive. The outdoor areas are also sort of anticlimactic. I much prefer cpx in Joliet. I would only come if it is convenient. I still had a great time, but there are way better options with more friendly staff. read more

Trying to go again soon. Was there a little under a month ago and was in heaven, a little long with the wait between matches but it's a popular packed place so it's understandable. Refs don't mess around and make sure people play by the rules. Fields are EPIC, a little pricey but other than the people on here complaining about it that can most likely afford it I don't mind the price, it's 100% worth it if you are patient!!!!!! If you can't handle people screaming, DONT COME HERE. SIMPLE. paintball isn't for wimps. Highly recommend this place to anyone who has a passion for paintball and large player matches! read more

Wow!!! Every abandoned amusement park should be converted to paintball. They have done an awesome job. Went with a group. Out of pocket was $30 and included my gun, mask, ammo and ammo canteens... All day blast... Heart pumping workout!!! Several different battlegrounds... Can't wait to go back ... And the staff was cool to us. Thank you read more

First time here. First Time for my 10 year old ever doing Paintball. We came by the day before and walked around . The Girls at Check-in were very helpful and Friendly. Today we came back and tried it out. From the Girls up front, the staff walking around, and the referees they were all Great. Helped us out all day with questions and pointers. Most important I was impressed how all the older Kids playing were helpful with my son. I didn't see any Trouble makers. Staff made it clear if you break the rules you leave the Park. We are looking forward to going back! read more

We came here for my husband and sisters bday. We played with 11 people and it was great. The only advice I would give is to please sign the waiver online before you come here bc their computers don't work (it just makes things easier) and just know if you plan to have a private party for 2.5 hrs u will need to buy extra paintballs. We bought the case just in case but it was more than enough. I say maybe just the 500 one is good. Either way, everyone had a great time. It was everyone's first time playing. read more

Paintball Explosion - Paintball Near Me - East Dundee, Illinois

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It was really good. The paintball was really fun. If you're going for a party I highly recommend this place.

ABSOLUTELY DO NOT GO HERE! we went in a group of around 16, and where kicked out after the first game. There reasoning was that we made "sexual comments to the ref" but we didn't even talk to the ref at all. They then would not say what or who said it, only that we where banned for life and would not get a refund. Then after talking to the manager, they changed it to a 1 day ban and a 50% refund. This place is completely out of order and a mess. If you do go, make sure to not get the girl ref, I would recommend specifying that you want a male as a ref, because she is a flat out liar. On top of that many of the other refs where extremely rude, and disorganized. They all seemed to be telling us different things and could not make up there minds. They took advantage of the fact that we had no adults with us and, treated us with absolutely no respect. read more

I visited Paintball Explosion last summer (2015) with my friends and had a great time. It was my third time paintballing, but first time at Paintball Explosion. The facility is amazing, theres really nothing else like it. Like others said, you do have to buy your paint at the field and its a tad pricey, but most fields are that way. The paint I used that day seemed to be of fine quality. I had no ball breaks or jams. The park was pretty crowded the day I was there but it was not excessive. There was also plenty of air filling stations for everyone. The indoor speedball arena is cool, but the floor covering was really soaked with paint and past due for replacement. The Nuketown scenario was really fun. At exit they give you a pass for free admission if you return within a certain number of weeks. I was not able to use it because of other obligations, but I will certainly be going back this year. read more

Called a week in advance. Asked if we needed to make reservations and they said no they would be open and would put us in the rotation of games. Get to the location and they tell us they are now on there fall hours so they are not open on Fridays. Drove 2.5 hours just to be told they aren't open. No apologies or anything. read more

BOOM HEADSHOT! BOOM HEADSHOT YEAH!!! There's no respawn points in RL, but this is a lag-free experience. This place ROCKS! If Jerry Bruckheimer opened a paintball place it would look like this. Such a great variety of 'maps' that have very different themes and terrain. Well trained and informative staff and with the Yelp deal I purchased, this is a STEAL of a price. I plan on pwning some noobs this weekend. read more

I am no paintball pro -- in fact, Paintball Explosion (PE) not-so-gently took my paintballing virginity -- but once I got my first hit out of the way, I was able to relax, not be so petrified about what getting hit by a paintball would feel like and fully enjoy the experience. I've since been back for a second go-round and plan to go again within the month. PE offers eight distinct playing field sites with another batch in the works. Turmoil and Nam are easily my favorite as they both have plenty of places to cover yourself with and strategize around, yet you don't get completely disoriented like I seem to always be on Biohazard... (I've yet to leave that field without receiving a giant welt from the opposing team; I'm an easy target on that field, apparently!) PE really ought to update their website with new field photos as many have been expanded upon with new objects and fun distractions. The staff and other patrons (newbies and regulars alike) are all extremely helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. I've felt welcomed on both my visits and look forward to talking a good game with the other customers again, then comparing and laughing at stories of all our proudest shots and complete failures. PS, make sure you shoot the hotdog with all the fury you can muster. read more

6 stars out of 5. I have a Tippmann TMC paintball marker and it was leaking O2 really bad. I recently opened it up to clean it and replace an O ring. Instead of trying to Google what was wrong with for an hour, I set out to find professional advice. One of the employees not only gave his opinion on what was wrong; he helped me open it up to fix it. Anddddddd he not only helped me fix it, he explained why it was leaking and gave me some other useful tips. Thank you Layton, you saved my day. read more

Just took my kid and some friends to this place. They do an excellent job from start to finish. They teach the kids safety and have plenty of employee's who make sure the safty proceedures are enforced. All the employee's were very helpfull and friendly. Really laid back. I would do 5 stars except these two points. 1.) It quite expensive for the paint. 2.) As a beginner you get put into the same field/games as experienced players which would not be so bad except they have high end guns that give them a great advantage. It would be nice if they could set up some games exclusively with the people with the stardard rental guns. The rental guns are good but the high end guns with scopes, longer range and accurancy make it so you just can't stay in the game that long with this disadvantage. Thanks to all the employee's who made it a great experience. read more

The place is fun! I've been here a few times, for both the airsoft stuff and of course, paintball. The people who work here are very nice. My recent visit though, I came here and spent around $750 on a big party of guests. We had a few problems along the way, we almost didn't get our time and we called way in advance. The place is good, but not sure if I would recommend coming here with such large parties. read more

Although this place was chaos when we first got here, boys had a blast! Staff was so so nice and accommodating to the beginners. You will see VERY serious players here, but staff is focused on making sure the newbie kids have a great time. We will be back. read more

2 Star's: The maps are absolutely stunning and fun! 1 Star: Its the only paintball place anywhere near here, that is any good. -1 Star: The pricing is horribly, especially with the price of paint balls. -1 Star: Setup and layout of the place is kind of confusing. read more

Great Park!! so many field!!! my favort field so far is Nuke Town!!!! Awesome park, Kind and knowledgeable worker. read more

Matt was our party host and he was a jerk, answering our questions with short answers as if he didn't want to be there. His attitude brought the mood down one level and considering it was a birthday celebration, we disliked the experience. The ladies at the counter were professional. The female manager was accomodating. read more

Amazing paintball field, and so close to where I live! They have every type of field, from indoor speedball, city landscape, forest, outdoor speedball, and base play. I have been there three times, never disappointed and always walking out smiling(albeit with a few bruises). Very helpful staff and they seem to attract some good(as in friendly and not rude) players to the fields. Always a good time. read more

Love!! I come here for airsoft open play alot with my boyfrend and we love it! The fields are fun and the refs are really nice. I take pics when we airsoft and have gotten alot of good shots here as well. Haven't played the indoor arena yet as it just reopened for Lazer tag but I can't wait to play it!! read more

Paintball Explosion - Paintball Near Me - East Dundee, Illinois

I didn't spend over $1000 on airsoft guns and gear to wait 4 long months of quarantine and social distancing to see that Paintball Explosion is Open Play and back in business on their website to then drive 45 minutes there to hear "there's only reservations because of COVID-19" and drive 45 minutes back home. I saw some other people leave too that probably left for the same reason. If it's not Open Play, TAKE IT OFF THE WEBSITE! I haven't even been at the place before but I read everything online for updated rules and the waiver before going and now I have to wait longer for MIRTactical to post next weeks reservation. Not a good first experience seeing that all I got to experience was an angry drive home after being excited and hyped up the past few days to go. read more

i went here for the first time and had a blast! I stayed there for 8 hrs and got addicted to it. The staff members were cool and laid back. The maps were amazing and the games and heart racing! Favorite part: SPEEDBALLING!!! read more

I wanted to play paintball on the first weekend after the winter thaw. I called CPX and was informed Bedlam and Armageddon would not be playable. I called PBX and was informed all field were playable. I headed out. I have looked forward to playing PBX for a while. To say I was impressed is an understatement. The investment in the fields is significant. Considering they are not dealing with the acreage other paintball parks have, they do it very well. PBX delivers high end closed quarter paintball action. I played numerous fields and each one was worth lauding. Everyone knows about nuke town. Bio hazard and Nam are also great maps. The range needs a chrono. In the end, you pay more to play the kind of maps you do not get everywhere. Negatives: The staff, as friendly and helpful as they were, just sickened me with how they pander to their regulars. You run into it everywhere but this experience was off the charts. The regulars get the kings treatment at PBX at the expense of others. I and a group of open players waited 15 minutes after last call because a large group of MILSIM regulars were not ready to depart yet. The refs referred to them by group and call names. When the group finally joined us a head count showed there was imbalance of players on one side. The refs asked for volunteers to play on the other side and amazingly the K-heads refused to split up. It took another 5-10 minutes to balance the teams. This happened more than once Saturday. From the conversations going on at that point in the crowd, this type of scenario is common at PBX. Now that I have shared that story, I feel obligated to offer a solution. If a group wishes to not split up, understood. Require them to be available for head count at second call. Therefore the rest of us do not have to wait. Any group arriving after last call should be automatically split up. Just my thought. At the end of the day, PBX is an outstanding place to play paintball. You will get closed quarters action most parks cannot provide. At a time when other parks were unplayable, PBX was in great shape. Safety was not an issue. Those who wished to play in beginner games could as long as they were in semi-auto mode. Is it pricey, yes. For good reason. Paintball explosion is a destination park for avid players and casual attenders. Tighten up your procedures and 5 stars easy. read more

We are booking all day play pinballs here. We pay for the all day booking fee. But we just play 30 min they let we leave. The reason that let we leave was in our group have one person not allow the rules. Just one person not allow the rules but they let our all group leave . Also the pain was so cheep. Make my group people's gun was destroy. I will recommend you guys don't choose here to play. read more