Hells Dungeon Review (2024)

The cast at the dungeon brought an elevated level of believability this season. Overall, they outperformed last year’s performance in nearly every aspect – and this was just opening night! The inhabitants did a great job filling the nooks, crannies, and underground hallways. This crew was also interactive, engaging with us verbally and within their scenes. They had a knack for firing back with witty dialogue whenever we asked a question or refused to comply – which we don’t recommend; Rufus will find out!

Some of the first characters we encountered were the most believable. Right off the bat, we met a lad with an unwavering straight face, no matter what we said. He warned us of our impending doom in a delightfully grave tone. Then there was Mambo Marie, fully immersed in her storyline as she explained her experiments with reanimation – and the missing zombie. Don’t worry, though; we know where he is! Suddenly, a bird cawed at us from the darkness, and before we knew it, the zombie was crawling on the ground, striking at us, while another stalked and stumbled about, growling and groaning.

Other standout characters included Jax the Ringleader, the eerie elevator attendant, the two creepy girls in the orphanage, and the clown with the giant mallet who had impeccable timing. Then there was the doctor demanding our intestines (you already had some – how many more do you need?), the non-animatronic animatronic clown, and the asylum patients, frantically expressing their disdain for their skin! We’re not sure if they had bugs or what… We didn’t get too close!

While some of the hellacious hellions still screamed a lot, it was easier to understand them this time around, thus making them more impactful. We did miss the lunatic in the experimentation room. Hopefully, he was just getting some more enhancements.

Before heading into the haunt, Freak the Clown did some sinister sliding at our feet and got us again later in the parking lot as we left. The sparking slider was a welcome treat!

The dungeon denizens sported a diverse mix of masks and makeup, with a notable improvement in this category. Some of them looked downright sick! Their costumes mostly matched their scenes, though a few could use more detail or better scene placement to enhance the overall effect.

The makeup showed great variety, with boils, blood, darkened eyes, and pale faces adding to the creepy factor. In some spots, we even saw wild, crazy hair that added to the characters’ unsettling appearances. The masks ranged from an alligator and a horned creature with a moving mouth to a furry beast complete with matching claws! Another mask consisted of saws protruding from the face and strings where they could pluck it like an instrument! We haven’t seen that before!

This year, the costumes and attire featured much more distressing and intricate details. One lady wore a skirt covered in green splotches of nastiness that perfectly matched her overall look. And the girl demanding our teeth? She turned around to reveal that she was blood-soaked and covered in what appeared to be human teeth! Yuck!

There were a few areas for improvement. The goat guy could have benefited from more distressing, and while several characters wore morph suits, they matched their areas well enough to be convincing. We also noticed some who were barefoot or wore no shoes, which added to the dungeon’s raw, unsettling vibe, but a few needed shoes to complete their looks. Also, a gator-masked fiend looked really good, but their placement was a bit confusing.

Mambo Marie stood out with her intricate headdress and voodooish accents, while the two orphan girls looked genuinely eerie (the head tilt sent their looks over the edge!). Some characters, like the masked fiend in the courtyard, blended into their surroundings so well that it was hard to tell whether they were real. A lady in a flapper dress with a wounded face was a fascinating look, and the googly-eyed creature had been changed to blend in with their surroundings better.

The most devilish of them all was Rufus and his lovely assistant; they were quite the dapper couple!

Our GPS led us right to the shopping center where Hell’s Dungeon hides beneath, but the signage for the haunt was tricky to spot. Several newbies in our car mentioned they’d have no clue a haunt was there if we hadn’t already known the way. A more obvious sign by the road and additional signs pointing to the back could work wonders!

Once we drove behind the shopping mall, the haunt’s entrance was blocked by a large semi-truck. Luckily, the cluster of parked cars pointed us in the right direction. For first-timers, just remember: Hell’s Dungeon is tucked behind the shopping mall, on the far right side if you’re looking at it from the road. Park in the free lot, then watch for the flailing inflatable to guide your way!

Inside, the haunt was reasonably easy to navigate. There is a set of darker stairs when exiting the vortex, so be sure to watch your step. Other than that, the flooring was mostly smooth. A few times, we were confused about which way to go. At least once, we went the wrong way and found some sort of storage. Oops!

Every staff member we encountered was friendly, welcoming, and eager to answer any questions about our visit. At the entrance, a staff member wanded us for security, which added an extra layer of safety since the line and the entire haunt were beyond this point.

Before our visit, we quickly found their dates, ticket info, directions, and general details on their website. They also post regularly on Facebook, so follow them for the latest updates.

From the outside, Hell’s Dungeon seemed unsuspecting. When looking at the building, the only thing that told us this was a haunted house was a red logo on the window. But it was on as soon as we descended the stairs beneath a possessed-looking cabin! We were transported into a much darker, lair-like environment with skeletal remains, rocky walls, and other devilish decor. It didn’t take long for one of Rufus’s cohorts to spot us, sliding across the floor at our feet!

The waiting area has transformed into a neon battlefield. While it was primarily aliens and bright colors and was not entirely terrifying, it still offered a darker vibe than the previous queue. In the areas leading to the haunt’s entrance, random items took us out of the immersion, starting from when we walked in the front door. It seemed like things needed to be hidden and tucked away.

Inside, we felt like we were transitioning into their demented labyrinth, with some odd transitions here and there, a few open doors/walkways that should have been hidden, and a few things that took away from the experience. We’re sure as the season progresses, these things will not be seen anymore.

Things have changed this year, and Lord Rufus is not where you would think he is. We don’t want to ruin the surprise completely, but we were greeted by someone else who gave us the storyline. With this change, the storyline feels more cohesive with the chaos inside. Several denizens even referred back to Rufus, adding an extra layer of realism to the experience.

Upon receiving our judgment, we landed in a gift shop at the haunt’s exit. This is convenient; all guests can walk through this area, and printed photos can be purchased!

The dungeon is vast, with countless scenes that grow more detailed with each visit. This time around, we noticed fewer unfinished and exposed elements. However, it was relatively quiet in many spaces. At times, the characters did help fill these gaps, but we would love to see an addition of more ambient sounds throughout.

As mentioned, the dungeon underwent many changes this year, with several scenes rearranged, removed, or entirely replaced. We also noticed that it became much darker in some areas, while multi-colored, ambient lighting was noted in others, such as the cemetery. A former office cubicle has been transformed into something much more effective, and it vibed – that was a great idea!

We’re unsure if some things weren’t working correctly during our visit, but we missed the crazed monkey and the exploding aircraft. However, the giant spinning saw blade and life-sized meat grinder have returned, as well as the addition of some real, furry critters!

As we made our way through, we found ourselves in a disorienting entrapment, blocked by a cattle gate, a disturbingly well-decorated children’s area, a haunting courtyard, and plenty of colorful corridors in the circus! Near the beginning of the circus, there was a perfectly timed animated scare – we bet it’ll get you, too!

The animations were very effective. The giant clown didn’t seem to be working to full effect, but the pumpkin sure was! And if you see a Volkswagen Beetle… Beware!

What? Who doesn’t want a giant spinning saw blade to the face? The scariness ante was increased this season as we screamed and jumped about. Better hiding spots continue to be implemented, and we quickly figured this out!

If you fear dolls, spiders, rats, the dentist, medicine, clowns, elevators, tight spaces, or even being trapped… you’ll want to make sure you have fresh undies in your car! Not only did they pluck at common fears, but they also blasted us with unsuspecting air, tricked us, and were camouflaged with their surroundings (yea, you, neon bushman!).

One of the best scares of the night was a clown who was good at pretending to be something else. While we questioned whether they were real or not… They waited just long enough to reveal themselves that we had let our guard down! In addition to the better hiding spots, they also had good timing – they knew we were coming.

They did focus on the front of the group more than the back. They have a little something to target just about anyone, though, so we’re sure you’ll encounter something that gets under your skin. The two zombies were so believable that we were backing away from them!

While we will not be disclosing the elements of the finale, our group didn’t get to leave the same way we went in. And we’re going to just leave it at that! Poor Trevor…

You’ll need to present $26 and possibly your soul to enter Hell’s Dungeon. We are delighted to say that, unlike most haunts, they did not increase their prices this year! It took us about 27 minutes to escape damnation, bringing the MPD (minutes of entertainment received per dollar spent) to 1.04 – which is above average. Fast Pass options, VIP (straight to the front of the line), and group rates are also available this year!

While there was no wait during our visit, we did get some additional entertainment from a few roaming characters. Remember how we said their queue had been turned into a battlefield? They recently added Dungeon Dartz to this location, where you can rent this area out for game nights. Also, you can play gel blaster against the Rejects from Hell’s Dungeon on Fridays and Saturdays from 7-7:30.

We will repeat what we said last year. This was the best version of this haunt yet, and that’s a good thing. They get better and better every year! We can’t wait to see what they have up those dapper sleeves in the future!

If you’re in the Dayton, Ohio area, pay ol’ Rufus and his Rejects a visit – “You’ll never want to leave!”