I have been coming to Activate: Oak Brook since it opened and it is always a fun way to get your…read moreheart pumping, muscles activated, and brain juices flowing! I was here on Good Friday since I had the day off. I made my gaming partner go early because those times were discounted and boy, am I glad I did! By the time our 90 minutes were up, the place was getting PACKED. It made my heart happy to see so many families doing something active and together! Like I stated before, I have been coming since it opened, and I appreciated in this visit that the instruction screens were updated, some of the rooms that we not working on my previous version were up and running again, etc. I also appreciate an upgrade to their reward system! Before, they used to hand you items (a water bottle, a basketball, etc.), but now you earn coins and can "spend" them on the items of your choice. I prefer that so I can pick items that I will actually use! (The aforementioned water bottle and basketball were donated to my local charity shop.) I chose a personal bracelet that Activate uses to track your time and points while you are actively participating in the games. The facilities have bathrooms, access to clean drinking water, free lockers to protect your belongings, etc. This time, too, I wore my fitness tracker for kicks and giggles and I burned almost 500 calories in 90 minutes of fun. I wish they offered a summer pass or a monthly pass like other entertainment options in the suburbs.

I've been to this location twice. We came here on NYE and were able to do the 60 min session. The…read more90 min session was not available but 60 min is more than enough to try all of the rooms at least once. After that, you can choose to go back to your favorite ones. There are free lockers to put your belongings as well as a free coat check. There are restrooms and a water fountain in the very back. There is a lounge area that is used for private parties but you can also just sit in there. You can watch other people play on the big screen. I recommend wearing casual or active attire because you'll get a workout for sure Each game room has a variety of levels and different types of games within that room. The cost per person is cheaper Mon - Thurs. $20.99 for 60 mins. $26.99 for 90 mins. Fri - Sun it's $26.99 for 60 mins and $38.99 for 90 mins. For Mondays and holidays, it's best to check back because the prices do change. I highly recommend booking on the website instead of blindly going there. The slots fill up fast. The games are short so you don't have to wait long to go into that room. The room types are arena, climb, grid, hoops, mega laser, hide, control, mega grid, strike, portals, and press. The staff were all friendly and helpful. There's no issue with finding parking.

Visited with a group of 9 on a Thursday to enjoy 90 minutes of game time! The person working did a…read moregreat job at explaining games and options our group had. We ended up dividing the 90 minutes into (3) 30 minute games so our groups could keep rotating. They have lockers to lock belongings in, rooms can host up to 6 people and have options to order simple beverages while you play. Our first game was Box Party which is their version of a Mario Party. There are a couple of mini game options as you work through the map. This by far was our group's favorite game! We chose the 30 minute game but easily could have played it for the full 90 minutes. Our second game was Floor is Lava. This one was fun but a bit harder than I was expecting it to be. There are parts where you bump into other players so I recommend playing with good friends or family. This is more of a group task game. Our third game was Angry Birds. This overall was the group's least favorite as it wasn't very physical. The game takes on the classic idea of launching birds at towers to get points. This was more individual tasks than team tasks. Overall, this was such a fun experience! They offer games for any aged guest and for any comfort level of players together. I enjoyed having the personalization of our "meeps" to play in each game too.

My husband and I went and enjoyed it. We did the one hour Squid Game experience and it was pretty…read morefun. I was curious how they would turn the games into an immersive experience. I won't ruin it, but I will say it was definitely fun and there was some intensity to it. While it utilized VR headsets, tt definitely was not a full VR experience. You interact with the game on the walls. There was an option to purchase beverages during the experience which we did not do. After the ad popped up a few times it got to be a little annoying. It was just the two of us so we were able to do each game repeatedly, which made it even more fun because it allowed us to figure out how to solve the puzzles. Because of that I wouldn't suggest going with more than four or five people. Overall, I would say it was worth the trip to Oakbrook.

We absolutely loved the game show. We celebrated a birthday there. Adam was an amazing host and we…read moreall laughed so hard. We can't wait to do another event there!

We rented out a time slot for private gaming time. It was just my family of 5 and my kids were…read morePUMPED about going. We had the space for 2 hours and it's included, continuous play. You could choose to wear masks or not since it was just our family in the room but we chose to wear them. Everything was really clean. We saw the guy working the place spraying cleaner on things as we walked up. There was hand sanitizer on the tables. Lots of pinball machines. Maybe 10? My husband and I got a huge kick out of playing those. My kids much preferred the shooting and driving games. I would say the two hours we were there was about what my kids needed (they're 10, 7 and 4). Just enough time to get lots of play in and not be sad they had to leave. Overall it was a great experience and I would totally do it again!

I would love to see the electric bill - I can only imagine what it must be for the largest arcade…read morein the world with over 850 playable arcade cabinets. Speaking of, how wonderful is it that this place exists? Far too many modern places are drink-focused enough that games have cup-holders, the games themselves have giant, modern LCD screens with the brightness and color turned way up, and all this for about $1.50-$2.00 a game that lasts a minute, 90 seconds at best, and does not require much skill (with alcohol, I suppose they want something winnable even while a little inebriated). This is to say nothing of the games where the goal is to win tickets to exchange for prizes - don't get me started on the shenanigans at play. Galloping Ghost has arcade games where a simple joystick and a couple buttons is all you need. There are some older shoot the screen games, and other retro games as well. Let's say that none have a modern, flat-screen, and all are old enough to use CRT (Tube) Screens. Given their age, the games are kept in very good shape! I also love that Galloping Ghost is about the love of the games, and not about the love of liquor with games being an excuse to drink. There are bottled sodas available for sale, but not cup-holders, alcohol, or food. Even gum is forbidden. This also has the effect of being a community icon! When I visited, there was a gathering of furries (not something I engage in, but power to you!) I haven't even gotten to the best part: $25 for all day, all-you-can-play access. Open from 11am to midnight (or 2am Friday & Saturday night). The ticket allows you access throughout the day, so you can come and go as you please. Better still, an extra $5 gets you access to all-you-can-play pinball a couple blocks down the street. Also a good selection of fun machines somewhere between retro and modern Stern. Final verdict: While Chicagoland has some arcades with free-play, and some even don't require an entrance fee, these, despite a modest selection revolve around booze. Galloping Ghost is a dying breed that exists to test your skills, maybe set a record if you're that good, and hang out. All this, for a very reasonable entrance fee.

GGA has way over 1000 games. For that reason, a five star rating is warranted!…read more BUT... Many (about 10 percent or more) aren't playable...there either completely out of order, and have been, in some cases, since last year. Many others (another 10 to 20 percent) suffer from having poorly functioning controls. Still, this place is amazing. It's amazing, but by no means perfect. Back down to 4 stars!

ONCE UPON A TIME.......IN LOMBARD…read more This beloved indoor entertainment center is still hanging in there after 40+ years. I'll admit, I didn't have "attend a work outing at Enchanted Castle" on my 2025 bingo card, yet here we are. I found myself reminiscing about birthdays from the past, how many tokens I spent here as a preteen, and what on earth I was doing at a kids entertainment center with a group of engineers. As they've been since 1983, Enchanted Castle on Roosevelt Rd in Lombard is a one-stop shop for fun.  They have party rooms, a large arcade with ticket counter and 7-8 different attractions.  It's like a bigger version of Chuck E Cheese with a medieval theme, a Dave & Busters aimed at kiddos. You can pay for things a la carte, or get a $40 "max pack" that gets you a $15 game card and access to any 3 attractions.  Our large group hit up the arcade, mini golf, laser tag, and go karts.  One staffer helped us out during our time here, and kudos to her for being patient when we couldn't make up our minds on what to do next. I'll start with the best: the go karts ($9/pp).  Although the track itself is small and not terribly exciting, these go karts were peppy and handled well.  You get a decent number of laps, too, and it must be popular enough to warrant having its own dedicated entrance off to the right - Castle Karts. Next came laser tag ($9/pp).  The packs seemed heavy, but the guns were very accurate IMO.  It was a 'capture the flag' objective and despite a small arena, there was just enough space to move around.  They also have Route 66 mini bowling ($5/pp), bumper cars ($5/pp), a scaled down 'Scrambler' type ride ($5/pp), and a playground area with slides ($5/kid). The glow in the dark Black Knight's "Adventure" Golf ($7/pp) was the weak link of the bunch.  9 holes of poorly lit, uninspired putt putt with odd scenery choices - they couldn't decide between skeletons or squires - and lazy hole design led to several in our group bailing partway through.  One girl even twisted her ankle walking around an obstacle!  This is an area that could definitely benefit from a facelift or new attraction. Back in the 90's and early 2000's, Enchanted Castle had a 3D motion theater that played several iWerks films like Dino Island, Alpha One Cowboy, and Red Rock Run.  This wild motion simulator was always the highlight of my visit, but I can't find ANY record of it in web archives..... was this a fever dream?? Their arcade has a mix of new and old, lots of ticket redemption games with flashy shoot-em-ups sprinkled in.  They had Beat Saber VR (for a whopping 24 credits) as well as some vintage games like the one where you use an air cannon to shoot out the clown's teeth.  Many years ago, they had a dedicated area for pinball machines....now they have none.  *sigh* I expected very little from the food and was pleasantly surprised.  The italian beef ($12) was pretty good, no complaints about the fries.  The large appetizer platter ($40) had a little bit of everything: 7 mozza stix, 7 wings, 7 tenders, 12 mini tacos, and 8 pretzel sticks with dipping sauces.  They also had beer on tap @ $6.50 per pint, not too bad. * TL;DR * Enchanted Castle is supposed to be for young'ins, but if you have fun here as a grown-up I won't tell anyone. Being in business for 43 years is no small feat, especially when you consider the sweeping effect COVID had on the realm of indoor entertainment.  I'm amazed (and relieved) that Enchanted Castle's drawbridge has stayed open despite so much volatility in the world.  I don't imagine that the handful of folks we saw on a Thursday afternoon is representative of how much foot traffic EC actually gets. Here's to hoping they have many more years ahead of them, making joyful memories for scores of kids in the western Chicago suburbs.  I'd hate to see an indelible part of my childhood be gone for good. "The handsome prince raced his mighty steed around the go kart track, while the beautiful princess enjoyed several games of Skee-Ball.  And they played happily ever after!"

The prizes are too kiddie.I have all these points and can't find anything to buy that's not for a…read morelittle kid

Fun for corporate events or very casual putt putt enthusiasts…read more I visited recently for a corporate event, and the best part of the experience was honestly the food! We all loved the mini bites and appetizers served. Everything was delicious! I especially loved the coconut shrimp and mini sliders! There were a lot of great options for vegetarians, GF and dairy free eaters. The papa itself is a fun time but is pretty quick. It's a fun take on classic mini golf where you're actually trying to get more points and have a higher score versus a low score. The putt putt holes are super short and I can't imagine someone could possibly get over 3 or 4 on a hole unless they were really not trying. I think this worked well for a corporate event because we were enjoying making small talk and being casual about the experience, but I don't know that I would come here on a first date or with a group of friends because we would just move through the mini golf course so quickly. But if you are looking for just a little activity to do before enjoying the food and bar at this location then give it a try!

Me and my wife recently came here since this was a fun little date idea that she wanted to do. We…read morebooked a reservation here not knowing what this place truly was we were going to do both the mini golf and stay for food. We booked a 5:30 p.m. reservation on a weekend and we didn't realize that this place had a really really long line when it came to check again. We booked a reservation online and we assume that our reservation automatically started at set time but really it truly doesn't matter what time your reservation is because you could just show up whenever you want it doesn't mean you automatically start playing at the time you reserve. You more so just book everything in advance and just save yourself a few minutes. The waiting is really long as if you're waiting for your favorite ride at an amusement park but the line is an hour long. There's four different courses in each one is nine holes. I will say that the courses were really fun and is a unique spin on how to play mini golf which is way more entertaining than LIV golf. Sadly I lost but I had fun. The price point just to play is truly pretty fair for what it was worth. Right after booking our golf reservations we tried booking our dinner reservations as well but that turned into a big issue which made us call them to try to make us redo our reservation to dine in and when we were done playing the mini golf we had an issue trying to get our seat but it looked like my name was spelled wrong and I caught it when I noticed on her tablet which was corrected. Dining was a pretty good experience just because the server came up immediately after we were seated we couldn't even look at the drink menu but thankfully he was very friendly. They have vegan options for my wife which was the main reason why we dined in. Food was pricey, I did enjoy their non-alcoholic drinks but if I were to come back here, I might just come back on a weekday where is probably a bit more quiet and less hectic.

This place was cool. We had our company dinner here while in Chicago for our annual meetings…read more It had a little bowling alley area that was being used by other folks, it had a banquet area where we all had our buffet line and ate, and it had a very cool little bar right in the middle of everything. The bar tenders and the wait team was AMAZING and were right where they needed to be when you needed them. They were nice and friendly as well. The food was kind of like bar food but had a little bit of an upscale feel to it and everything was very tasty. I highly recommend this spot for a night out or a company function as they were on point for both the night we were there.

Not a fan of restaurants that kick you out while you're eating. We went for the brunch buffett and…read morewe're planning to order another round of drinks, one person wanted to have an omelette and went home hungry. Just not a good experience after being told there was no time limit originally they told us our time was up and brought us the bill. Don't come here if you're planning to visit and relax because apparently your expected to shovel down your food and drinks and GTFO. I also felt very bait and switched I called and was told the Galentines special would have vendors so we can go shopping. I was excited to think we would have food, visiting, plus activities but we only had 3 vendors one of which had already left by the time I went looking for them. They did have lush who had a crafting station for your own bath products plus a goody bag so they were definitely a high light. But I'd really anticipated something different from the advertisement especially when I called and asked questions about the event. There were no jewelry, nails, crafts or anything other than one vender with purses and watches. So this could have definitely had more variety. The DJ was in a completely different room so it wasn't like you could ask for songs and get to sit and enjoy them. The omelettes were decent, chocolate fountain had good strawberries, although I think they use melting chips. The buffett felt very carb forward. Two pastas, pizza, fries with a very small carving station compromised of what looked like two very small dried out looking pieces of meat and chicken strips and chicken in the buffet. So not much variety. I would say there's definitely better buffets with better selections where you can get your money worth and not be given a time limit so you can actually visit the people your with rather than feeling like you need to rush as even the bottomless mimosas are time limited.

Now this has something to be excited about as for an indoor amusement park they sure do pack a ton…read moreof fun in a small place! Like you know those places that you'd want to have your party at back in the day because it's what the cool kids did yeah that's what u get coming here was that vibe but then again I wasn't cool I just wanted to go to the park and ride rides! Hahahaha Pretty much they have a ton of party rooms some flat rides a roller coaster and a ton of video games like how can you go wrong? Their roller coaster is super fun as it's perfect for all ages to enjoy as it's not too intense but just enough to give a good ride and who doesn't love riding a coaster inside! Overall super cool place if I lived in the area I would totally come here just for the coaster alone!

Brought my 7 yr old for a visit during spring break. I went with the AYCR wristband for $35 plus…read more$20 game card. We got lucky and met another little girl with grandparents so they rode rides & played games together which was awesome. I kept a tally to see if it was worth it for the wristband. Which I think it was but if there's a next time I think I would opt for the 10 attractions for $25. Roller coaster was ridden 6 times, tilt a whirl was ridden 5 times, and bumper cars 2 times. They were too big for the monkey jumper or Carousel and weren't interested in the bouncy house. There's also a climbing area they were 2 inches too tall for. They have an affordable food area. Icees were $3.20 which was a great price compared to slick city where 2 icees was $13. They have nachos. Pizza and I'm not sure what else. They have a bowling area which we didn't do but it looked fun. There's also a bar and gambling area for adults. Overall it was a fun couple hours and well worth the $50 spent.

This place is great! Very friendly employees and clean encouragement. They have food and drinks…read moreavailable. A great place to golf no matter the weather and something fun to do in oakbrook. If you aren't super into golfing I highly recommend to book a bay where you can do the golf arcade games. It makes it so much more fun and engaging! The more people you have for the bay you book the cheaper it will end up being per person. This is a great activity to do with a group of friends. Golf, drink, eat, socialize!

Really look forward to the days booked here. We typically have 6 of us play a scramble and everyone…read morehas a good time. We'll grab coffee next door and maybe a couple of drinks from the bar. They tend to have a deal like buckets or bloody mary's. I've tried the food and not blown away but for having the option while you're there... not bad. As far as golfing, I think the simulator is great. The leveling platform is a fun element. It's fairly intuitive as far as tee height, changing your putt lineup, etc. I'm a beginner and have felt comfortable golfing horribly here. The putting green is a nice way to end the day on the way out or if you're not able to be seated immediately- take the chance to practice! Their staff is often busy but I would say reasonably so considering they're serving and helping with the simulators. Super kind and have seem them go the extra mile a few times now. Order early and I'm sure you'll get your fill Unless you're Joe, the guy who left that review sucks.

What a great little neighborhood brewery! From the outside, this would pass as a dive bar but…read moreactually offers so much more! The inside is cozy with a large bar and tables to sit at. They have board games, darts, touchtunes, and more for entertainment. They had 9 of their own beers in tap as well as some guest beers. They also house fuse malort with flavors (11 to try)! My two friends got a beer and I got a whiskey/ginger ale. Pricing was very fair and pours were a good size. Both of my friends enjoyed their beers and I thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. Check out Lunar Brewing when in the area!

Lunar Brewing is not just a local brewery, but it's a fun little after hours bar as well…read more They offer a crazy amount of beer option. That's a good thing, but it can also become overwhelming when you're trying to decide on what to drink. I don't think I've ever eaten here, so I think they more or less offer bar snacks. I've never had bad service here. Although you may have to order your drinks at the bar if you're sitting at one of the tables. The times that I actually sat at the bar, the service was obviously better. The servers know their beer menu and can hold a good conversation if it's not too busy. It's a great place to stop in and enjoy a pint with friends and play a few rounds of darts.