Safer And Scarier: Basement Of The Dead Adapts To Coronavirus

AURORA, IL — Many haunted houses have been forced to stay closed this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the nation’s top-ranked attraction will be back and maybe scarier than ever.

Aurora’s Basement of the Dead rearranged most of its “haunts” and is limiting its capacity to follow public health mandates and to keep actors and customers safe, owner Jason Seneker said.

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That means fewer people can enjoy the haunted house — which has been rated the best in the world by BuzzFeed — but the smaller groups have created a more “intimate” scare for customers, Seneker said.

In normal years, mixed groups of 10 people would walk through the haunted house together. Groups are now limited to single parties.

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"It’s almost like people are getting a special show," Seneker said, adding many could find it scarier this year for that reason. With fewer people in each room, there's nowhere to hide during the haunts, Seneker said.

Customers must purchase tickets for specific time windows, and everyone is required to wear masks while inside the haunted house. All customers and actors must have their temperatures checked before entering, and actors are screened for any coronavirus-related symptoms.

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Basement of the Dead customers can usually expect an "in your face, get into your personal space" type of haunt, but this year, the actors are positioned at a "scary but safe distance," Seneker said.

High-touch areas, like hanging “bodies” and a claustrophobia-inducing wall that customers must squeeze through, have also been removed to reduce any potential spread of the virus, Seneker said. Hand sanitizer is also available at numerous points in the haunted house.

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Despite the new safety precautions, Basement of the Dead remains a "kaleidoscope of all different types of terrifying sights and sounds," including a "demented" hospital scene and a sewer scene, Seneker said.

"Pretty much everything that you can imagine in your worst nightmares is down there in the basement," Seneker said.

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Basement of the Dead opened last week, and customers have been nothing but full of praise for the safety measures and the quality of the haunts, Seneker said, crediting the actors’ passion and creativity.

With crowds slashed by more than 50 percent due to the coronavirus, Basement of the Dead is opening its doors from Wednesday through Sunday to give more people the chance to make what is an annual pilgrimage for some haunted-house lovers.

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Basement of the Dead operates without actors on Wednesdays, presenting an opportunity for those who are not yet comfortable walking through a fully staffed haunted house to see the hard work that is put into the haunts.

The actorless “Night of Isolation” event also gives customers a better chance to appreciate the “movie-quality scenes” and “grotesque beauty” of the haunted house, since people won’t be in such a rush to get out of each room, Seneker said.

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However, Seneker warned Basement of the Dead is still plenty scary without its actors, with groups getting only glowsticks to find their way through the haunted house.

Starting Friday, haunted house fans in the region can also check out Disturbia in Downers Grove. Basement of the Dead has taken over the highly popular haunted house after its previous owners decided to get out of the business.

Unlike the dingy, cramped surroundings on show at the Aurora haunted house, Disturbia has high ceilings and lots of space, allowing the Basement of the Dead team to create a different style of scare using Gothic castles, forest scenes and much more.

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Disturbia opens for the 2020 season on Friday. The Downers Grove haunted house will offer haunts from Wednesday through Sunday each week until Nov. 1. Costumers much purchase tickets in advance.

Disturbia will have the same safety precautions as Basement of the Dead, Seneker said, adding the haunted houses are “much safer” than large retail stores or other public entertainment options.

“This is a truly safe event,” Seneker said. “We want to do this as safely as possible and make sure everyone has a fun time.”

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