ESCAPE ROOM INTERVIEW:
The Escape Room Guys sat down with Angie Curtis, CEO of Escape Room Woodbridge, to chat with her about her location, their rooms, and their current promotion.
ESCAPE ROOM INTERVIEW:
The Escape Room Guys sat down with Angie Curtis, CEO of Escape Room Woodbridge, to chat with her about her location, their rooms, and their current promotion.
ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY
Play if… you get pissed off at not completing the mission and have the cojones to go back for round 2.
Avoid if… you think things should always be easier the second time around.
THE BASICS
Brain Storm Adventure: LOCATION CLOSED
Address: 312 Victory Drive, Herndon, VA 20170 (click address for Google Map)
Contact and Website: 571-375-1123
email: [email protected]
www.brainstormadventure.com
The Room – The Heist: RETIRED
Description (from the company website): An extremely dangerous, criminal mastermind and his crew have stolen Johnny’s – my top client – very valuable diamonds, gold, and more. Johnny has given us the information necessary for you and your team to complete this operation…
Dimitri Chechenkov:
WARNING! THERE HAVE BEEN MANY AGENTS BEFORE YOU THAT HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. ALL HAVE FAILED THE OPERATION TO RETRIEVE MY CLIENT’S STOLEN ITEMS.
Protocol:
BE PREPARED • BE DILIGENT • BE FOCUSED
Be ready:
Difficulty (1-10): not listed, but no one (to date) has ever successfully escaped with all 10 items
Time Limit: 55 minutes
Cost: $30 per person up to 4, and slight price breaks after that. We paid $22 each for 7 people this time vs. the $18 per person discounted rate that was offered. On your second attempt, if you pay $22 up to full price, you are eligible for the whole pot of prize money if your team is the first to complete the room. If you take the $18 per person discounted rate, you are only eligible to win back half of the prize money.
Identifier: R1 (but this room has the clues and puzzles reset every week, allowing you to come back and try again)
Party Size: up to 10 (max), but at least 6 is suggested
Staging Area: This is located in an indoor game room facility (indoor golf simulator, anyone?), and has plenty of seating on couches and chairs. Restroom is right next to the seating area. Food and libations are also available in the Bar-n-Lounge area.
Metro Access/Parking: Not metro-accessible, but it’s out near Dulles Airport and easy access from the Dulles Toll Road.
OUR EXPERIENCE
NOTE: We suggest you read about our first attempt on this room (Better “Safe” Than “Dead”) before continuing with this post.
This is the video we took before we entered the room:
This is the video we took just after we completed the room:
Logistics:
Description of the room: You start in your mission briefing area outside of Dimitri’s house with your handler (handlers for this mission, not Game Masters). After your briefing, you enter the first room…
Understanding of the Mission: Go through Dimitri’s house and accomplish the objectives for each room, solve the tasks assigned, avoid security, make your way to the safe room, and find and escape with all 10 of your boss’ stolen items within 55 minutes, PLUS two secret documents of Dimitri’s that your boss now wants because you didn’t complete the mission last time. So, now you have 12 items to find, and only three clues available to you (versus five on the first attempt).
If your time runs out, you get captured and executed (even if you have found some items). Otherwise, you can abort your mission and escape with what you recovered.
Did We Escape: Well, we escaped this time by the skin of our teeth (aborted said mission) with six items, so we definitely got better this time. And, we did make the leader board again because we recovered 50% of the stolen items and escaped with those.
Time Remaining: 1 second
Our Suggested Party Size: We had 7, and that worked pretty well, but 6 would work too.
Did the room challenge the entire team? Hell, f#$&ing yeah!
Members of our team (other than the ERG): Tara, Eric, Steph, Heather and Mark
Worth the time and money? Absolutely
Where to Eat/Drink Before/After: Try Google. This time, we headed back to Kingstowne for drinks at Fiona’s Irish Pub.
ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY
Play if… you’ve always wanted to re-enact that scene with Catherine Zeta Jones in Entrapment (get your mind out of the gutter… THIS scene… well, on second though… maybe not ALL the way out of the gutter).
Avoid if… you are claustrophobic or get freaked out by Russian criminal masterminds.
THE BASICS
Brain Storm Adventure: – LOCATION CLOSED
Address: 312 Victory Drive, Herndon, VA 20170 (click address for Google Map)
Contact and Website: 571-375-1123
email: [email protected]
www.brainstormadventure.com
The Room – The Heist: RETIRED
Description (from the company website): An extremely dangerous, criminal mastermind and his crew have stolen Johnny’s – my top client – very valuable diamonds, gold, and more. Johnny has given us the information necessary for you and your team to complete this operation…
Dimitri Chechenkov:
WARNING! THERE HAVE BEEN MANY AGENTS BEFORE YOU THAT HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. ALL HAVE FAILED THE OPERATION TO RETRIEVE MY CLIENT’S STOLEN ITEMS.
Protocol:
BE PREPARED • BE DILIGENT • BE FOCUSED
Be ready:
Difficulty (1-10): not listed, but no one (to date) has ever successfully escaped with all 10 items
Time Limit: 55 minutes
Cost: $30 per person up to 4, and slight price breaks after that. We paid $26.88 each for 8 people. If you pay full price, you are eligible for the prize money if your team is the first to complete the room. Otherwise, you can search their website for a hidden code that will give you a discount off the price when booking the room (and, no, we didn’t find the code, but we didn’t really look, either). [Update: Jason found the code right after completing his part of the review.]
Identifier: R1 (but this room has the clues and puzzles reset every week, allowing you to come back and try again)
Party Size: up to 10 (max), but at least 6 is suggested
Staging Area: This is located in an indoor game room facility (indoor golf simulator, anyone?), and has plenty of seating on couches and chairs. Restroom is right next to the seating area. Food and libations are also available in the Bar-n-Lounge area.
Metro Access/Parking: Not metro-accessible, but it’s out near Dulles Airport and easy access from the Dulles Toll Road.
OUR EXPERIENCE
This is the video we took before we entered the room:
This is the video we took just after we completed the room:
Logistics:
Description of the room: You start in your mission briefing area outside of Dimitri’s house with your handler (handlers for this mission, not Game Masters). After your briefing, you enter the first room…
Understanding of the Mission: Go through Dimitri’s house and accomplish the objectives for each room, solve the tasks assigned, avoid security, make your way to the safe room, and find and escape with all 10 of your boss’ stolen items within 55 minutes. If your time runs out, you get captured and executed (even if you have found some items). Otherwise, you can abort your mission and escape with what you recovered.
Did We Escape: Well, we escaped (aborted said mission) with two items, so we didn’t exactly fail, but were told that the client was pissed that we didn’t recover everything. However, we did make the leader board in recovering 20% of the stolen items and escaped with those.
Time Remaining: 10 seconds
Our Suggested Party Size: We had 8, but we’d probably recommend 6 since it got a little crowded (and loud) at points.
Did the room challenge the entire team? Hell, f#$&ing yeah!
Members of our team (other than the ERG): Tasha, Tara, Mark, Eric, Matt, and Steph
Worth the time and money? Absolutely
Where to Eat/Drink Before/After: Try Google. We headed back to Alexandria (our home base for most of the Disturbed Friends) for drinks at Portner Brewhouse.
ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY
Play if… you will watch any of the original three Indiana Jones movies at any point when they come on your TV, no matter how far into the movie they may be (especially Raiders of the Lost Ark).
Avoid if… you can’t find true North, even with your GPS.
THE BASICS
EscapeRoom Woodbridge:
Address: 12668 Darby Brooke Ct., Woodbridge, VA 22192 (click address for Google Map)
Contact and Website: 703-910-6015
www.escaperoomwoodbridgeva.com
The Room – Dr. Jones’ Apprentice: RETIRED
Description (from the company website): The famous archeologist has enlisted your help to find an ancient artifact! Your career depends on making sure he finds you worthy for future excavations. Do you think you have what it takes?
Difficulty (1-10): not listed (but they consider this their hardest room)
Time Limit: 60 minutes
Cost: $28 + tax per person. – Use ERGUYS when booking to get either a percentage or set $$ amount off per ticket (whatever promotion is running)
Identifier: R1
Party Size: Up to 10 people.
Staging Area: Simple sitting area with couches. Restrooms are located in the back of the building past the Escape Rooms.
Metro Access/Parking: No metro access. This company is located in a shopping center and has ample parking. Watch traffic delays on I-95 and leave ample time to get there.
OUR EXPERIENCE
This is the video we took before we entered the room:
This is the video we took just after we completed the room:
Logistics:
Description of the room: You enter an ancient tomb with scattered bits of furniture and scattered bits of excavation materials.
Understanding of the Mission: Find the lost artifact within 60 minutes.
Did We Escape: Yup
Time Remaining: 12:46
Our Suggested Party Size: 7-8
Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes
Members of our team (other than the ERG): Jason, Dwayne, Brad, Cornell, Scott, Julie, Antonia, and Melissa.
Worth the time and money? Yes
Where to Eat/Drink Before/After:
ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY
Play if… you like the Flintstones and fuzzy pelts.
Avoid if… you’ve ever been worried about being eaten first in a situation where cannibalism is in play.
THE BASICS
PanIQ Escape Room Washington DC:
Address: 3283 M St NW, Washington, DC 20007 (click address for Google Map)
Contact and Website: (202) 735-0485
https://paniqescaperoom.com/washington-dc/escape-rooms/prehistoric
[email protected]
The Room – Prehistoric Room:
Description (from the company website): You and your buddies are prehistoric cavemen in 6,000 BC. Your group encountered a hostile tribe of cannibal cavemen. They’ve taken you back to their lair where you are being held captive. The tribe is out hunting but will be back before the Sun sets. You have 60 minutes to escape or become caveman chowder.
Difficulty (1-10): 3.5/5
Time Limit: 60 minutes
Cost: $24-36 (+ tax per person) (varies based on number of players)
Identifier: R1
Party Size: 2-7
Staging Area: First, ring doorbell to gain entry. Rooms are on the 3rd floor of the building. Small waiting area with couches and water cooler. Enough space for 1 team to hang out while they wait, but additional seating in stairwell area.
Metro Access/Parking: Rosslyn metro and then a .9 mile walk across the Key Bridge. It’s Georgetown, so parking can be difficult (so definitely carpool and use the parking garage for Georgetown Mall (at Wisconsin and M, head down the hill towards K Street). We suggest Uber or Lyft.
OUR EXPERIENCE
This is the video we took before we entered the room:
This is the video we took just after we completed the room:
Note: The ERG were given the opportunity to try out this room for free, with the understanding that we would continue to provide an honest review and follow the same process we’ve used on all of our other ratings.
Logistics:
Description of the room: You start off in a tribal campground locked in a cage.
Understanding of the Mission: Escape the cannibal tribe’s lair or become caveman chowder
Did We Escape: Yes
Time Remaining: 15:30
Our Suggested Party Size: 6 was good, but 4-5 would have probably been better
Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes, but space – at times – limited the number of people who could work on the different puzzles.
Members of our team (other than the ERG): David, Tara and Steph.
Worth the time and money? Yes
Where to Eat/Drink Before/After: It’s Georgetown, so there are tons of places to have dinner or grab a drink.
ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY
Play if… you think blindfolds are a great way to get the, um, adrenaline pumping.
Avoid if… the sight of even your own blood makes you faint.
THE BASICS
Breakout Games Falls Church:
Address: 1073 W Broad St. #201, Falls Church, VA 22046 (click address for Google Map)
Contact and Website: 571-297-1510
https://breakoutgames.com/dc
The Room – The Kidnapping:
Description (from the company website): The kidnapping begins with you and your fellow captives waking up handcuffed and blindfolded in a strange room. With nothing but collective brainpower, hidden clues and 60 minutes on your side, you have to free yourselves before the kidnapper returns. A heart-pumping thriller from start to finish, you can expect a rush of non-stop fun.
Difficulty (1-10): unlisted
Time Limit: 60 minutes
Cost: $26 per person
Identifier: R1
Party Size: Up to 7
Staging Area: a large lobby with couches and chairs, a water cooler, and a camera kiosk.
Metro Access/Parking: West Falls Church Metro, then a .7 mile walk (about 17 minutes). Location has ample parking out front.
OUR EXPERIENCE
This is the video we took before we entered the room:
This is the video we took just after we completed the room:
Logistics:
Description of the room: A dark room with a cot and a number of pieces of furniture. It looks like a lot of people spent a short amount of time here.
Understanding of the Mission: Escape the blindfolds and handcuffs, and then solve the murders to find the key to escape the room.
Did We Escape: Yup
Time Remaining: 5:30
Our Suggested Party Size: Okay, so we actually had 8 because we bought a Groupon, but their suggested size of 7 will work if you have a few newbies in the room. If all of your team has done a few rooms, then 5-6 should suffice.
Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes
Members of our team (other than the ERG): Wayne, Corey, Brittany, Heather, Mark and Katheryn.
Worth the time and money? Yes
Where to Eat/Drink Before/After: It was later at night, so we didn’t go out. There are a number of places in Falls Church, so use Google.
ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY
Play if… you’ve ever wanted to experience being in a padded cell (without being actually committed).
Avoid if… you are all thumbs.
THE BASICS
PanIQ Escape Room Washington DC:
Address: 3283 M St NW, Washington, DC 20007 (click address for Google Map)
Contact and Website: (202) 735-0485
https://paniqescaperoom.com/washington-dc/escape-rooms/insane-asylum-2
[email protected]
The Room – Insane Asylum 2:
Description (from the company website): The year is 1956. You have been kidnapped by the CIA and are being used as a guinea-pig for their mind control program known as MK-ULTRA. Doctors have held you inside a padded room for weeks now.
There was an emergency at the other side of the institution, so the staff is gone for a while. Probably this is your last chance to escape before they completely brainwash you.
Difficulty (1-10): 4.5 of 5
Time Limit: 60 minutes
Cost: $24-36 (+ tax per person) (varies based on number of players)
Identifier: R2 (Note: this says Insane Asylum II, so we’re giving this room the revamped room identifier, even though we did not do Insane Asylum I)
Party Size: 2-7
Staging Area: First, ring doorbell to gain entry. Rooms are on the 3rd floor of the building. Small waiting area with couches and water cooler. Enough space for one team to hang out while they wait, but additional seating in stairwell area.
Metro Access/Parking: Rosslyn metro and then a .9 mile walk across the Key Bridge. It’s Georgetown, so parking can be difficult (so definitely carpool and use the parking garage for Georgetown Mall (it’s open 24 hours) at Wisconsin and M, head down the hill towards K Street). We suggest Uber or Lyft.
OUR EXPERIENCE
Logistics:
This is the video we took before we entered the room:
This is the video we took just after we completed the room:
Note: The ERG were given the opportunity to try out this room for free, with the understanding that we would continue to provide an honest review and follow the same process we’ve used on all of our other ratings.
Description of the room: You enter a padded cell. Clearly the person who inhabited the room has gone a little loco.
Understanding of the Mission: Solve the clues and figure out how to escape the cell before the asylum’s staff returns. You are close to being brainwashed and this is your last chance to escape before they succeed and you become a mindless drone in their spy program.
Did We Escape: NO! [Insert word cloud of expletives here]
Time Remaining: Less than 0.
Our Suggested Party Size: We had 6 and that worked well. We could have added a seventh and it would have been fine. We don’t suggest any less than 4 because there is a lot to do.
Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes
Members of our team (other than the ERG): Eric, Alphonso, Liz and Jill
Worth the time and money? Hell yes, even though we failed.
Where to Eat/Drink Before/After: It’s Georgetown, so there are tons of places to have dinner or grab a drink.
ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY
Play if… you are addicted to Designated Survivor or harbor fantasies of being a hero.
Avoid if… you dislike politics.
THE BASICS
Room Escape DC
Address: 3949A University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 (click address for Google Map)
Contact and Website: 703-865-4178
[email protected]
https://roomescapedc.com/escape-rooms/save-the-white-house/
The Room – Save the White House: – RETIRED (has become Save the White House 2)
Description (from the company website): A radical group has hidden a bomb in the Oval Office in an attempt to assassinate the President. You and the rest of your Secret Service team have intel that the bomb is set to go off in one hour. If it detonates, it will devastate the capital and fling the Free World into chaos. There is only one problem: lockdown has been initiated before you could get the President to safety.
Now, you are all trapped in the Oval Office together. Your only hope is to find the bomb and disarm it. To unravel this enthralling puzzle, you will have to rely on clever strategy and collaboration. Look carefully. Look closely. Everything in the Oval Office is a clue.
The President’s life, and the fate of the United States, rests in your hands. Do you have what it takes?
Difficulty (1-10): 2 of 3
Time Limit: 60 minutes
Cost: $27 per person plus tax
Identifier: R1
Party Size: 2-10
Staging Area: Room Escape DC has a lobby with multiple tables, couches/chairs, vending machines, a sign-in station and two restrooms.
Metro Access/Parking: No metro access, so you’ll have to drive or Lyft/Uber. But there’s plenty of parking in adjacent garages.
OUR EXPERIENCE
This is the Facebook Live video before we entered the room:
This is the Facebook Live video just after we completed the room:
Logistics:
Description of the room: You enter an L-shaped room with the front part mimicking the Oval Office. There is a desk, a long table (for Cabinet meetings?), some other furniture and artwork and photos on the walls.
Understanding of the Mission: Find the bomb and disarm it before time runs out and the entire political landscape is irrevocably changed.
Did We Escape: Yes and damn proud of it
Time Remaining: 4:14
Our Suggested Party Size: We decided to see if we could do this room on our own, so we only had the two of us. We suggest 5-8 if you have a mix of newbies and veterans (the more veterans you have, the less the number of overall people we think you’ll need).
Did the room challenge the entire team? Um, yeah… we were challenged out the wazoo (there were only two of us in a room that holds up to 10). It was literally a lot of work.
Members of our team (other than the ERG): Zip, zero, zilch, nada.
Worth the time and money? Oh yeah
Where to Eat/Drink Before/After:
ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY
Play if… you like art and crazy inventions.
Avoid if… you think the da Vinci Code was overrated or have an unnatural hatred for Renaissance Italy.
THE BASICS
Escape Room Woodbridge:
Address: 12668 Darby Brooke Ct., Woodbridge, VA 22192 (click address for Google Map)
Contact and Website: 703-910-6015
www.escaperoomwoodbridgeva.com
The Room – Da Vinci’s Workshop: RETIRED
Description (from the company website): As a rival inventor, you’ve been eager to discover the secrets of this mastermind. Now it’s your turn to get into his workshop and steal his sacred codex before he returns. Can you outsmart Leonardo?
Difficulty (1-10): no rating given
Time Limit: 60 minutes
Cost: $28 per person + tax. – Use ERGUYS when booking to get either a percentage or set $$ amount off per ticket (whatever promotion is running)
Identifier: N1 – replaces the Adventures in Wonderland room
Party Size: 6 people max
Staging Area: Simple sitting area with couches. Restrooms are located in the back of the building past the Escape Rooms.
Metro Access/Parking: No metro access. This company is located in a shopping center and has ample parking. Watch traffic delays on I-95 and leave ample time to get there.
OUR EXPERIENCE
Note: The ERG were invited by Escape Room Woodbridge to playtest this room before opening to the public. We provided feedback once we completed the room. Our review below is based on our experience as it was during the playtest, so some items may have been altered prior to the room opening.
Logistics:
Description of the room: You enter a room decorated like da Vinci’s workshop (plaster walls with some exposed brick) and decorated with artwork, inventions, scrolls of drawings, and some furniture.
Understanding of the Mission: Infiltrate Leonardo da Vinci’s workshop, solve the puzzles, and find his hidden codex (containing sketches of his inventions and plans).
Did We Escape: Yup
Time Remaining: 4:19
Our Suggested Party Size: 4-6
Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes
Members of our team (other than the ERG): Mark, Eric and Alphonzo
Worth the time and money? Yes
Where to Eat/Drink Before/After:
ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY
Play if… you love everything Sherlock.
Avoid if… evil masterminds cause you to lose sleep at night.
THE BASICS
Escape Room Live Alexandria:
Address: 814 King Street, Floor 2, Alexandria, VA 22314 (click address for Google Map)
Contact and Website: 800-616-4880
http://www.escaperoomlive.com/
[email protected]
The Room – Moriarty’s Madness:
Description (from the company website): As Sherlock, you have broken into Professor James Moriarty’s office… and he isn’t happy. What does he have planned and can you prevent it from happening?
The clock is ticking… Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
Difficulty (1-10): 6/10
Time Limit: 45 minutes
Cost: $28 + tax per person but use ERGUYS15 when booking to save 15% off per ticket.
Identifier: R1
Party Size: 6-8 (7 or 8 only if you book the entire 6 first)
Staging Area: Escape Room Live Alexandria has a large, open space complete with cow skin rugs and couches with ample seating located in the middle of all the rooms, so there is plenty of space to hang out if you get there early. The requisite restrooms are in the back and the decor includes extremely wacky artwork.
Metro Access/Parking: King Street metro w/ a .7 mile walk (or take the free King Street Trolley to Columbus Street); street/garage parking.
OUR EXPERIENCE
Logistics:
Description of the room: Professor Moriarity’s office is smaller than Sherlock’s, but it’s not the size that counts here. (HA!) It’s packed with cool stuff, hidden items, and maps.
Understanding of the Mission: Professor Moriarty has planned a nefarious attack and the authorities need Sherlock’s (our) help to sleuth the what, the where, and the how (because we already knew the who, the when, and the why).
Did We Escape: Yes
Time Remaining: 17:40
Our Suggested Party Size: We wouldn’t recommend booking the extra 2 seats, as the room is physically small. 6 is good, 5 would probably be perfect.
Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes
Members of our team (other than the ERG): Steph, Dalia, and Rohan
Worth the time and money? Yes
Where to Eat/Drink Before/After: It’s Old Town, but we recommend: