Looking for something cool to do as temperatures warm up outside? Recently, some friends and I booked a room at Escape Room Mesa. There are some great group rates on Groupon.com that make it affordable and incredibly easy to check in! Escape rooms are a relatively new phenomenon. You can see celebrities doing it via their Snapchats or Instagram, and popular TV shows putting their characters in quirky situations involving hijacks within an escape room. So we decided to see if it was all about the hype, and here’s what I can say:
At Escape Room Mesa (their website boasting to be the largest escape room facility in the nation) you enter a very old building that looks as though it used to be a hotel. Inside, however, is very modern. You check in through an iPad, while the very enthusiastic staff warns in you in a theatric tone about all the puzzles that are ahead. While the room is prepared, you wait with your group in a lobby filled with games and locks to practice unlocking, for the adventure ahead. It is advised to come in a group of four to six, or even more. The more people in your group, the more likely you are to get your own room.
When the room is finally ready, we are brought in. There are only two rules: don’t use your phones, and don’t rip objects off the walls. Other than that, it’s fair game. You have an hour to get out, and three clues if you get stuck. The theme of the room we went to was Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.
If you are not a fan of teamwork or logical puzzles, this activity is not for you. Without the help of your teammates or patience in the face of a ticking clock and a difficult puzzle, it is very unlikely you will find the key to get out in time. If you need a clue, you simply look into the camera and say, “We need a clue please.” The clue will then appear on the TV monitor. If you run out of clues, but still need help, you can ask for another clue, but it will shave some minutes off your time.
This round, we managed to get out! I have to say, it was very satisfying finding the key and being able to get out of the room with only three minutes left on the clock. For a reward, we got to take a silly picture with props in front of the checked backdrop of the thematically decorated room. We left feeling like we wanted to turn right back around and go for another round.
All in all, the escape room was a success. From the positive attitude of the staff, to the clever puzzles and decoration, this is a fun, relatively inexpensive activity to do when the temperature starts to become unbearable outside. A tip for the Groupon: they’re usually only valid for Friday thru Sunday, so make sure you book accordingly!
