Basement of the Dead Review (2026)

BotD can be a bit tricky for first-timers to find; however, there are plenty of signs to help. One can also follow the music and guests running back to the sidewalk. Parking can be tricky because it is a populated area with the casino and businesses, but there is street parking and garages available within walking distance.

Information about the attraction is readily available on their website, billboards, and all social media platforms. Navigating the haunt grounds is easy because of set areas for the line queues. The outside of the attraction has a DJ playing loud dance music, and the whole setup is like a club.

The staff is very friendly and ready to help with any directions or questions guests may have. There are plenty of event staff and Aurora police on site. The queue is organized and has plenty of staff to direct visitors where they need to go. The ticket area, concession, porta potties, and merchandise areas are clearly marked and easy to spot.

Before heading inside, the DJ plays a variety of music while the queue line actors get close and personal with the guests. There’s never a dull moment when it comes to waiting in line here, and the roaming actors are amazing!

Considering the name of the attraction, we walk downstairs into a dark pit of the unknown. Once given the house rules, we walk down a path of many themed rooms. While this isn’t a single cohesive theme attraction, the rooms are decorated heavily to create their respective themes very well.

The hospital scene is bright, with nurses in bright blue uniforms that stand out against the grim setting. The nautical scene is a standout due to its immersion with the use of props, costumes, and colorful lighting that is not normally used at any other haunts. The massive Cthulhu is worthy of a bit of groveling, and the scene is beautifully put together. Toward the end, we go through a blackout maze with very little light for guidance and many loud sounds to throw off the senses. This haunt does a great job balancing low- and high-impact scenes.

Moving on to Shattered 3D, we were given special 3D glasses to wear while we walked through the brightly painted paths. This made everything feel closer than normal. Actors blended in with costumes that matched the scenes, which effectively didn’t help us differentiate between actors and props. The Dubstep music inside makes it a bit quirky and light compared to the previous attraction.

After making it out without any casualties from the clowns, we walked towards the entrance after checking out the merch truck. The fun is still going on whether you are waiting or leaving, with a crowd of people enjoying their time hanging out and watching the crowd and actors.

BotD packs a ton into its walls and gives guests great experiences throughout their trip! Many scenes are fast-paced and provide excellent backdrops for the attraction’s scares. One of the newer scenes from the past few seasons is the nautical room. This scene has plenty of great effects, including large animatronics, hanging tentacles, screens with videos, and lighting to create an underwater ambiance. The giant Cthulhu really ties the room together and is the centerpiece for this scene. Within the attraction, there is an uneasy room that used to house a themed 60s bomb bunker and is now covered with several hanging bodies. There is something about this presentation that feels a bit on the real side of the spectrum and adds to a creepy factor overall. The final scene also plays out with some great effects.

Shattered 3D is a fan favorite. This classic portion of the attraction allows guests to use 3-d glasses and features blacklight and neon-painted props, walls, and actors to give the eye-popping experience. The music here is a mix of carnival melodies and a slower dubstep-like bass throughout. There is plenty to see throughout this portion and some cleverly done effects, especially on the actors. The team at BotD shows they can provide some high-end effects and also provide a classic haunt side as well.

BotD actors are super entertaining and create a great party atmosphere for guests throughout their visit. Many queue line actors were running around scaring guests or simply just dancing and entertaining the guests. When we were in queue, we were greeted by a mischievous clown; he introduced himself and made us think he was going to shake hands, but slid back and laughed. He then said, “Never trust a clown,” advice we will carry forever. From clowns to creepy stilt walkers, they keep guests on their toes before entering the attraction.

Inside, we encountered either several actors delivering scares or a single performer who knew how to command the room. The doll room stood out. This room sent me screaming and wanting out so badly. The actors blended into the room, making it hard to tell where they were hidden among the dolls. The actor crept out slowly, making my heart skip a beat and making me think all the dolls were coming to get me! The doll character did an excellent job with not only the movements but the effects and costume, bringing everything all together. Each room had the same effect; from the dolls to the nurses, they did an excellent job bringing it to life.

After we survived the BotD attraction, we were gathered up by clowns and sent to our next adventure to enjoy the circus fun in Shattered 3D. The 3-D rooms really make it hard to know where the actors are coming out of, as the colorful neon rooms help blend their costumes so well. They did a wonderful job popping out at various scenes and running up to us with their menacing laughs.

Once we finished, we were greeted by a clown petting her fish named Fishgerald. She was so proud, holding this flapping fish. She asked if a single drop of water was enough to keep this fish alive. She said it does, just a drop or sometimes two. When asked if it was hot water she was using, she made a face and replied, “Nooo, that’s terrible.” It was a scary, fun time with everyone at BoTD. All the actors here knew how to use the environment to make the scenes come to life.

Scares start from the moment guests enter the queue and amp up once they enter the attraction. The rooms are equipped with beautiful set design and animatronics. The actors utilize the props well and take that into their scares. All the scares have their own level of intensity, which is helped by loud sounds and other ways to distract and terrify the guests.

Given how well the actors know their rooms, it’s hard to pinpoint when you’ll get scared, which keeps guests on their toes. Some areas seem predictable, but as soon as we turned a corner, we were scared unexpectedly and laughing nervously until the next scene. BotD targets everyone in the group and delivers a variety of scares. There are so many things to look at and listen to; it sets the stage perfectly for the actors. We’re going to use the doll room again as an example. The room is loaded with children’s playthings, including a playground-type carousel that has the possessed little girls riding. There are several distractions throughout this scene, which allow for easy scares. Shattered 3D is another great example of using illusion and strobe lights to confuse and disorient you, then frighten you with a clown jumping around the corner.

The design of the house and the impressive types of props lend their own variety of scares. The sounds also contribute to setting up scares, as actors are able to use growls or ominous dialogue depending on the scene. The ending of BoTD is always so much fun. After Shattered 3D, guests jump right back into the outside queue of line actors. The designs in Shattered are beautifully painted and designed, allowing the stark reality of leaving for the outside world to hit.

Our walkthrough for our visit lasted 17 minutes for both attractions. Tickets were priced at $29.99 for GA, $39.99 for VIP, and $49.99 for Instant Access. While MPD is a bit lower than the national average at 0.57, this is an attraction that’s filled with immense props, highly detailed scenes, and actors with intense scares. Prices also fluctuate depending on the day and peak weekends, so planning is the smartest move.

BotD does offer a combo price of $44.99 for GA with Disturbia, the sister attraction to BoTD, which is a 20-minute drive away, which saves you about 30%. Signing up for text alerts is also an option to get off-season date alerts and special codes for tickets. We can’t wait to come back next year to see what other new rooms this production team has up their sleeves!