Top 5 Tips for an Enjoyable Escape Room Adventure

So popular that even Big Bang Theory wrote an episode on Escape Room games

Escape rooms have become my newfound favourite pastime.  I've only been to 3 at this point, but each experience provides such a unique perspective that I find myself drawn to these adventures.

A quick search on Google would reveal an abundance of Escape Rooms that have crept up in Toronto over the last few months.  Some are of better design and quality than others.

If you think about it, it is a business with a low operating cost and potentially high profit margin.  Other than the initial design and construction of the room, and the rent/ utilities cost thereafter, there really isn't much to it.  No wonder then, that the quality of escape rooms are so vastly different.  

From a business model perspective - you are not really looking for "repeat" customers.  Yes, satisfied clients would return to for the other rooms, but once they have completed a mission, they will not return to that same room again.  This is different from the restaurant or even the amusement park model where you can hope for the same customers to return again and again.  Because of this, there are many escape rooms that would cheap out and try to minimize the cost, by the time you realize it is a "rip-off"  (who would want to spend an hour picking various combination locks…), you have already paid into that "one-time" cost system.

Which is why it is so important to do your research beforehand and get feedback from others that have gone before you.  I rely a lot on internet research and speaking with friends.

Here are my top tips to enhance your escape room experience:

1. Research your venue

This is a must.  There are some escape rooms that are better than others.  Don't get caught paying $20 and being stuck in a poorly designed rooms with a series of combination locks.

2. Look for Groupon deals

Competition is fierce so there are an abundance of online deals available.

3. Keep the # of players minimal

I have been to escape games where we maxed out the number of players.  It was not a lot of fun- inevitably you will have a few that will have to sit out.  Think how much fun it is to have 8 people trying to read from the same piece of paper at the same time.  There is no cost benefit anyways.  You pay by the person, so why not split the group up?  Do not exceed the recommended # of players to maximize the experience. 

4. Facebook check-ins are for suckers

Personally I find it annoying that you have to "check-in" or "like" on Facebook to get a discount.  But I also want the discount. So what I do is I went ahead and do what they asked, but unlike or delete the post afterwards.  It actually doesn't really matter to me to have the post there, but there is some measure of satisfaction to defying this annoying requirement that most of the escape room venues seem to be asking for.  

5.  Think backwards

I've come to the realization that once you get into the designer's head and think from their perspective, the puzzles become a lot easier to solve.  It's a little hard to explain it, but find your next step to solving the puzzle, then work backwards.  This will minimize the amount of time you spent on clues that are meant to throw you off.

There you have it.  My top 5 tips for an enjoyable escape room experience.  Do you have other tips to share?