Leesburg

We Ended Up on the Naughty List – Room: Escape Santa’s Workshop – December 9, 2018

~ Mike K.

ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY

Play if… Christmas songs are on your radio or playlist as soon as HALLOWEEN is over.

Avoid if… you ever got coal for Christmas, which led to a deep loathing of the man in the red suit (Claus, not Satan).

THE BASICS

Exit Plan:

Address: 201 Royal St SE, Suite F, Leesburg, VA 20147 (click address for Google Map)

Contact and Website: 703-777-4710
https://exitplanva.com

The Room – Escape Santa’s Workshop:

Description (from the company website): The Elves have gone on strike. They are tired of the long hours and low pay and have hopped a plane to Palm Beach before completing the final gifts for delivery.

You have 45 minutes to complete the remaining toys and save Christmas. It is not that simple, though. These elves were particularly vindictive and have created a series of puzzles to prevent anyone from being able to finish what they started. It is up to you!

Difficulty (1-10): 6/10

Time Limit: 45 minutes

Cost: $29 per person – Use ERGUYS15 to get 15% off per person when booking your reservation for any of their rooms

Identifier: T1 – temporary theme for the holidays

Party Size: 2-8

Staging Area: EXIT Plan has a great reception area (two, actually) with lots of chairs. There is a large flight of stairs to reach the main lobby. Note: this escape room experience is not in their main location, but in a small office that is next to the main parking lot.

Metro Access/Parking: This spot is in downtown Leesburg in the historic district. Lots of street parking, and there is a small lot right behind Macdowell Brew Kitchen.

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 enter Santa’s workshop, complete with presents, Christmas tree, fireplace, and package wrapping area, along with a live “elf” sitting in a chair by the door.

Understanding of the Mission: Find the components to the remaining presents and get them into Santa’s bag before Christmas is ruined.

Did We Escape: No

Time Remaining: 0 – we probably needed another minute or two

Our Suggested Party Size: This room is rated 2-8 people, and we had 4 experienced people, which should have been enough.

Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes

Members of our team (other than the ERG): Heather and Steph

The Escape Room Guys attempted to save Christmas, and failed to complete the last task. Damn those dastardly elves!

Worth the time and money? Yes

Where to Eat/Drink Before/After:

Continue reading →

Winter Sucks, but a Nuclear Winter Sucks Even More – Room: Aftermath – April 22, 2018

~ Jason

ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY

Play if… you have your own bunker or have one designed in your head.

Avoid if… the fear of being locked in an underground bunker by an automated computer system for the rest of your life makes you a little, um, well, uneasy.

THE BASICS

Exit Plan:

Address: 201 Royal St SE, Suite F, Leesburg, VA 20147 (click address for Google Map)

Contact and Website: 703-777-4710
https://exitplanva.com

The Room – Aftermath:

Description (from the company website): Earth’s nuclear holocaust is over and after several years the air is finally breathable again. The shelter Network has unlocked the airlock for one hour. If the airlock is not utilized in that hour, the Network will assume everyone is dead and seal the shelter forever. It is up to you to follow the clues and unravel the puzzles the Caretaker created to ensure his safety. In the end it led to his demise…will it lead to yours??

Difficulty (1-10): 8/10

Time Limit: 60 minutes

Cost: $29 per person – Use ERGUYS15 to get 15% off per person when booking your reservation for any of their rooms

Identifier: R1

Party Size: 2-8

Staging Area: EXIT Plan has a great reception area (two, actually) with lots of chairs. There is a large flight of stairs to reach the main lobby.

Metro Access/Parking: This spot is in downtown Leesburg in the historic district. Lots of street parking, and there is a small lot right behind Macdowell Brew Kitchen.

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 out in a very bare bunker with nothing but a flashing light [Kill me now… -Jason] and a locker and some stuff on the walls, but that changes quickly (in our case, at least).

Understanding of the Mission: A very straightforward mission: find your way out of the bunker into the airlock so that you’re not sealed in forever.

Did We Escape: Yes

Time Remaining: 10:06 minutes

Our Suggested Party Size: This room is rated 2-8 people, and we had 6 experienced people, which should be good number.

Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes

Members of our team (other than the ERG): Steph, Heather, Steph

Team Disturbed Friends (Steph, Mike, Heather, Steph, and Jason) were able to emerge from the hidden bunker before being sealed in for eternity.

Worth the time and money? yes

Where to Eat/Drink Before/After:

Continue reading →

We Thought We Were Going to be Eating CEREAL… Boy, Were We Wrong… – Room: S3R1AL – April 22, 2018

~ Jason ~ 1 Comment

ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY

Play if… a good and challenging investigation into the mind of a serial killer sparks your interest.

Avoid if… you can’t watch an episode of “Criminal Minds” without all the lights in your house on.

THE BASICS

EXIT Plan:

Address: 201 Royal St SE, Suite F, Leesburg, VA 20147 (click address for Google Map)

Contact and Website: 703-777-4710
https://exitplanva.com

The Room – SERIAL (a.k.a. S3R1AL):

Description (from the company website): You awaken to darkness, and realize you are trapped.. a captive in a room you cannot see. You scream, but no one can hear you. Or can they? You hear something move. There is someone in there with you. Is it him?? No, thankfully HE is gone..but HE WILL be back. And you have 60 short minutes to free yourself and your fellow captives from his twisted lair. But HURRY! You remember what happened to the last group he caught trying to escape…

Difficulty (1-10): 9/10

Time Limit: 60 minutes

Cost: $29 per person – Use ERGUYS15 to get 15% off per person when booking your reservation for any of their rooms

Identifier: R1

Party Size: 2-8

Staging Area: EXIT Plan has a great reception area (two, actually) with lots of chairs. There is a large flight of stairs to reach the main lobby.

Metro Access/Parking: This spot is in downtown Leesburg in the historic district. Lots of street parking, and there is a small lot right behind Macdowell Brew Kitchen.

OUR EXPERIENCE

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: Picture the beginning of the first SAW movie (handcuffed to the walk, white bathroom tile, and some blood spatters on the walls, etc.) Yeah, that. But with some chairs.

Understanding of the Mission: You have 60 minutes before your killer comes back and you end up like the last of his/her victims to make your way out of his/her lair to freedom.

Did We Escape: Yes

Time Remaining: 18:54 (we made the leaderboard!)

Our Suggested Party Size: This room is rated 2-8; we had 6 and think that was perfect (if you all have some experience).

Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes (especially one of the Stephs because we left her in cuffs…)

Members of our team (other than the ERG): Steph, Steph and Heather

Team Disturbed Friends (Steph, Jason, Steph, Heather and Mike) took one of the top spots on the leaderboard!

Worth the time and money? Yes

Where to Eat/Drink Before/After:

Continue reading →

Escaping Detention Challenged Our Simple Minds – Room: Escape Detention – March 18, 2018 – PLAY TESTED

~ Mike K. ~ 1 Comment

ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY

Play if… you’re a jock… or a princess… or a brain… or a criminal… or a basket-case… or were a goody-goody in high school who never had to sit in detention and now want to know what you missed.

Avoid if… sitting in detention will bring back horrific high school memories.

THE BASICS

EXIT Plan:

Address: 201 Royal St. SE, Ste. F, Leesburg, VA 20147 (click address for Google Map)

Contact and Website: 703-777-4710
http://exitplanva.com

The Room – Escape Detention: RETIRED

Description (from the company website): Everyone gets in trouble at some point. What you do when you find yourself locked in a classroom with the other unruly students is up to you. Here’s the thing though, in an hour the monitor will return and chances are you will Never. Get.  Out. Whether you are a brain, an athlete, a basketcase, a princess or a criminal, it is up to you to start a ruckus and escape detention.

Difficulty (1-10): 7/10

Time Limit: 60 minutes

Cost: $29 per person – Use ERGUYS15 to get 15% off per person when booking your reservation for any of their rooms

Identifier: R1

Party Size: 2-10

Staging Area: EXIT Plan has a great reception area (two, actually) with lots of chairs. There is a large flight of stairs to reach the main lobby.

Metro Access/Parking: This spot is in downtown Leesburg in the historic district. Lots of street parking, and there is a small lot right behind Macdowell Brew Kitchen.

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: A classroom from the 1980s, complete with teacher’s desk, overhead projector, terrarium, and a chalkboard.

Understanding of the Mission: Solve the puzzles in the room and find out how to escape detention before the monitor returns in 60 minutes, or stay trapped in Detention for eternity.

Did We Escape: Yes

Time Remaining: 4:35

Our Suggested Party Size: 4 was good, but can easily accommodate 6-10. We would recommend 6 if the group has done rooms before, and the full 10 if mostly ERVs (Escape Room Virgins) or novices/noobs/newbies.

Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes

Members of our team (other than the ERG): Heather and Steph

The Escape Room Guys (Mike and Jason) and their escape room gals (Heather and Steph) were sentenced to detention in a 1980s school room. Did we channel all the collective powers of John Hughes’ movies and escape without anyone “cracking skulls?”

Worth the time and money? Yes, but get in there before it’s retired in early April.

Where to Eat/Drink Before/After:

Continue reading →

Interview with EXIT Plan (Leesburg, VA) – March 18, 2018

Video ~ ~ Mike K.

ESCAPE ROOM INTERVIEW:

Check out our interview with Bruce, Kathryn (the owners) and Dan (manager) from EXIT Plan in Leesburg, VA, who told us about their location, current rooms, upcoming new room, and their philosophy in room design and what they keep in mind to give escapers a great experience.

The ERG just completed their Escape Detention room, which is slated to be retired on April 6, so if you want to be able to do this room, book yourselves a reservation ASAP.

Stay tuned here for our review of Escape Detention. Check out and follow our social media channels below to be notified when new postings and interviews are published.

Have you been to EXIT Plan? What was your experience like? You can add your comments to this post.

Are there locations or rooms you’d like us to scout out?

Email us at [email protected] and let us know!

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I Certainly Felt Like a Private Dick… – Room: Detective Office – March 4, 2017

~ Jason ~ 3 Comments

ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY

Play if… you like a good detective novel and have an affinity for the 1920s.

Avoid if… you can never remember the combination to your gym locker.

THE BASICS

Escape Room LoCo:

Address: 2A Cardinal Park Dr SE, Suite #103A, Leesburg, VA 20175 (click address for Google Map)

Contact and Website: 703-468-8538
http://escaperoomloco.com
[email protected]

The Room – Detective Office: RETIRED

Description (from the company website): You and your teammates are a group of Private Investigators back in the 1920’s.  There have been a series of murders recently all with a mysterious calling card left at the scene.  All clues point to the fact that the next murder will occur in 60 minutes.  Try to solve the case and catch the murderer before time runs out!

Difficulty (1-10): 8/10

Time Limit: 60 minutes

Cost: $29 per person

Identifier: R1

Party Size: 2-6

Staging Area: a very simple lobby with a few chairs and a coat rack. This place has a sample of each lock for you to practice on before entering the room.

Metro Access/Parking: it’s in Leesburg, so you gotta drive, but there is plenty of parking.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Here is the Facebook Live video before we entered the room:

And here is the video after we escaped the room:

Logistics:

Description of the room: a small Private Investigator’s office, set in the 1920s… and a whole hell of a lot of padlocks.

Understanding of the Mission: Investigate a series of murders and find the serial killer before he/she kills again.

Did We Escape: Yes

Time Remaining: 4:22

Our Suggested Party Size: 4-6

Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes and no. More on that later.

Members of our team (other than the ERG): Steph, Dalia, Alphonzo

Team Disturbed Friends (Jason, Mike, Dalia, Alphonzo and Stephanie) solved the murder and caught the serial killer!
Team Disturbed Friends (Jason, Mike, Dalia, Alphonzo and Stephanie) solved the murder and caught the serial killer!

Worth the time and money? yes

Where to Eat/Drink Before/After:

  • Dog Money Brewery – stop in for pub food and a flight their brews. Home-made pretzels and dipping sauces are awesome.

Continue reading →