Wonderverse entertainment center opens at Oakbrook Center

Hundreds of guests, many decked out in “Ghostbusters” costumes and fan club gear, turned out Wednesday night for the grand opening celebration for Wonderverse at Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook.

About 50 members of the Windy City Ghostbusters, including Matt Goeltenbodt and Jessica Schunck of South Elgin, were among the guests checking out the new attractions at the entertainment-themed bar and restaurant.

“This place is awesome,” Goeltenbodt said. “For a Ghostbuster fan to have some place that caters to us, this is huge. Not a lot of fandoms can say that.”

The 45,000-square-foot space opens to the public Thursday and features attractions inspired by Sony Pictures Entertainment properties, including films, television series and video games.

Guests suited up with proton packs at the "Ghostbusters" virtual reality academy to capture ghosts or hopped into the Ecto hovercraft for a high-speed chase. A virtual reality game based on "Jumanji: Reverse the Curse" allowed participants to join the pursuit of a stolen jewel and a quest to stop the spread of evil. Other options include "Uncharted" escape rooms, "Zombieland" bumper cars and racing simulators based on the "Bad Boys" films.

Themed dining experiences include “The Ghost Trap” – a hidden speakeasy taking guests into the “Ghostbusters” universe with hidden gems from the franchise incorporated into every inch of the space.

Entry to Wonderverse is free, but attractions are individually priced. Guests are encouraged to book tickets to their favorite attractions in advance.

Guests under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult 21 or older. Guests under 21 years of age will not be admitted after 7 p.m. Wonderverse becomes an adult-only experience after 8 p.m.