Description (from the company website): Aboard the beautiful, new Titanic, you are surrounded by opulence on the journey of a lifetime… until you hit an iceberg. Trapped in your state room, can you find a way out using your ingenuity and wits before the water rises above the porthole?
Difficulty (1-10): 8/10
Time Limit: 45 minutes
Cost: $28 + tax per person but use ERGUYS15 when booking to save 15% off per ticket.
Identifier: R1
Party Size: 8-10
Staging Area: This is probably the swankiest location we’ve seen. Tons of seating AND A BAR (wine and beer, for Escapers only). There are also free lockers to stash your belongings before you enter the room.
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:
Logistics:
Description of the room: You enter the room and find yourself in the opulent quarters on the unsinkable cruise ship, the Titanic.
Understanding of the Mission: Simple… escape your quarters and the level before time runs out (and your porthole fills with water).
Did We Escape: No (we needed another 30 seconds (Jason’s estimate) or 2 minutes (Mike’s estimate))
Time Remaining: grrrrrrr
Our Suggested Party Size: 6 should work fine
Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes (Jason begs to differ)
Members of our team (other than the ERG): Whitney, Birgit and Mindy
Worth the time and money? Yes (if for nothing else than aesthetics)
Where to Eat/Drink Before/After: It’s Georgetown. Take your pick
Description (from the company website): For months, Dave has been haunted by a tragic memory. Every time he closes his eyes he is forced to re-live devastation and loss. This room, a specially made experience for two people, is a dark and intense exploration into the mind of our main character, and it is up to you to save him from himself. Enter the dream and help Dave recover, because in 30 minutes he will wake to the greatest adventure of his life. (see House Arrest).
Note: This experience may be intense for individuals who are sensitive to low light situations, confined spaces, and eerie audio/video effects. All minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Difficulty (1-10): N/A, no record or success rate listed
Time Limit: 30 minutes
Cost: $15
Identifier: R1
Party Size: 2 (you CANNOT do this with one person)
Staging Area: The location is downstairs in the strip mall and does not have an outside door to the parking lot (you have to go in through the building and down the stairs). Waiting area is clean, several chairs; place looks nice and cozy.
Metro Access/Parking: There’s no metro or anything nearby, but there is plenty of parking.
OUR EXPERIENCE
This is the video we took before we entered the room:
Logistics:
Description of the room: You are in a mostly-dark room that’s about 3′ x 12’… we can’t describe anymore without spoilers, but even that small space seems… smaller for some reason.
Understanding of the Mission: We set out to learn what’s keeping Dave up at night and how he became a conspiracy theorist.
Did We Escape: Yes
Time Remaining: About 3 minutes (we had some technical difficulties at one point, so we lost about 3 additional minutes).
Our Suggested Party Size: Must be 2 people. It’s physically impossible to do this on your own.
Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes
Members of our team (other than the ERG): None
Worth the time and money? YES
Where to Eat/Drink Before/After:
We had already been to the BBQ joint nearby (less than 100 yards away), Moe’s Original BBQ
Description (from the company website): The Silver Lining computer virus is spreading and the world is now on the brink of total collapse. Alfred Roland, the CEO of Locus Industries, is harnessing its power to locate items of great value without remorse of the destruction it is causing. He is hosting a party at his private manor and Dave has been put on the guest list, thanks to some help from a friend. Jump into Dave’s shoes and sneak into Alfred’s study to disable the core of the virus. It’s a stealth mission, and security is on high alert at this corrupt billionaire’s abode.
Difficulty (1-10): N/A, but the record is 42:15 and it has only a 41% success rate
Time Limit: 60 minutes
Cost: $25
Identifier: R1
Party Size: 2-8
Staging Area: The location is downstairs in the strip mall and does not have an outside door to the parking lot (you have to go in through the building and down the stairs). Waiting area is clean, several chairs; place looks nice and cozy.
Metro Access/Parking: There’s no metro or anything nearby, but there is plenty of parking.
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 off in a library surrounded by books. There’s a desk, a full wall of bookcases, and a podium with a map.
Understanding of the Mission: We had to break into the office and find out how to steal the virus. And then escape.
Did We Escape: Yes
Time Remaining:12 min
Our Suggested Party Size: A slightly larger group (7/8) is great for searching this room, as there’s a lot to look for.
Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes
Members of our team (other than the ERG): Amanda, Mike, Corey, Brittany, Rohan
Worth the time and money? Yes
Where to Eat/Drink Before/After:
We went to the BBQ joint nearby (less than 100 yards away), Moe’s Original BBQ
Description (from the company website): The world is heading for a catastrophic collapse since the release of Silver Lining, a cloud-based computer virus developed by Locus Industries. Dave Benson, Chicago journalist and conspiracy theorist, knows this and Locus will stop at nothing to keep him quiet. Enter his apartment and retrace his steps during the final moments leading up to Locus’ arrival at his door. Does he get out in time? The story is in your hands.
Difficulty (1-10): N/A – website lists a 40% success rate with a record of 36:45.
Time Limit: 60 minutes
Cost: $25
Identifier: R1
Party Size: 2-8
Staging Area: The location is downstairs in the strip mall and does not have an outside door to the parking lot (you have to go in through the building and down the stairs). Waiting area is clean, several chairs; place looks nice and cozy.
Metro Access/Parking: There’s no metro or anything nearby, but there is plenty of parking.
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 a small studio apartment that is somewhat in shambles. Obviously, the person living here has other things to be concerned about than regularly cleaning the place.
Understanding of the Mission: Escape your locked apartment before agents from Locus Industries show up and cart you away.
Did We Escape: Yes
Time Remaining: Roughly 2 minutes.
Our Suggested Party Size: 6 would have been the sweet spot, but 7 didn’t hurt us
Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes
Members of our team (other than the ERG): Amanda, Mike, Corey, Brittany, Rohan
Worth the time and money? Yes
Where to Eat/Drink Before/After:
We went to the BBQ joint nearby (less than 100 yards away), Moe’s Original BBQ
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:
Wanted by all International Security Agencies
Considered Extremely Dangerous
Professional Thief/Assassin:
Historic Art & Jewelry
Precious stones, diamonds, and gold
Classified Documents
Beware:
Travels with highly trained bodyguards
Many connections
Security on Premises
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:
Assemble your team
Report to location
BE PREPARED • BE DILIGENT • BE FOCUSED
Be ready:
Find the clues
Solve the puzzles
Search all rooms
COMPLETE EACH TASK AS DIRECTED!
Don’t set off the silent alarm
Find all stolen items
Follow THE directions
Be careful of the lasers
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.
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.
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:
Wanted by all International Security Agencies
Considered Extremely Dangerous
Professional Thief/Assassin:
Historic Art & Jewelry
Precious stones, diamonds, and gold
Classified Documents
Beware:
Travels with highly trained bodyguards
Many connections
Security on Premises
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:
Assemble your team
Report to location
BE PREPARED • BE DILIGENT • BE FOCUSED
Be ready:
Find the clues
Solve the puzzles
Search all rooms
COMPLETE EACH TASK AS DIRECTED!
Don’t set off the silent alarm
Find all stolen items
Follow THE directions
Be careful of the lasers
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.
Description (from the company website): “Good vs. Evil” is a brand new escape room that challenges groups to race each other. The winning group will be rewarded a special prize at the end: a gift card! Join us for this 45-minute game and find out…who is the smartest group?
Difficulty (1-10): not listed
Time Limit: 45
Cost: $25 per person
Identifier: R1
Party Size: Minimum of 6; max of 8
Staging Area: It’s in an old movie theater that is supposedly haunted, so pretty damn creepy.
Metro Access/Parking: Not metro accessible at all. The theater is in a strip mall so there is plenty of parking.
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: Each team starts off divided into 2 groups with a shared wall between them. You have to help your teammates get out of their room while they help you do the same. The opposing team has the same types of puzzles, but different solutions.
Understanding of the Mission: Get through to the final room to secure your own exit. And let your opponents out if you feel so obliged.
Note: Because we paid to do the other three rooms, and had a lengthy discussion about who we are and our thoughts on the rooms, the GM (this time that’s General Manager…) wanted to get our take on the competitive room and allowed us to go through it for free, provided we give him feedback at the end. We ended up pointing out a few issues with the Evil set of rooms that would have delayed or prevented the team in that room from completing the mission altogether.
We also feel that it is not fair to do the standard rating scale on this room, since each of the different teams would have different experiences, but we have provided our feedback on the experiences in those categories below.
Did We Escape: Jason’s team did (and eventually let Mike’s team out)
Time Remaining: The experience lasted about 35 minutes until Team Good solved the last puzzle and won the game.
Our Suggested Party Size: We had 8 (2 teams of 4). That was pretty perfect.
Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes
Members of our team (other than the ERG): Alphonzo, Mark, Katheryn, Eric, Eric.
Team Good: Jason, Eric, and Alphonzo
Team Evil: Mike, Eric, Mark and Katheryn
Worth the time and money? Yes, especially if you’ve got a group that’s done a few rooms before and is really competitive. Like ours.
Where to Eat/Drink Before/After: We’re not familiar with Laurel, so we’re going to have to leave you to Google for a recommendation. But we did go to a Five Guys for lunch beforehand that’s 2 blocks away.
The Room.- Resident Horror: RETIRED (Room is now Rising Dead)
Description (from the company website): Come experience our newest escape room “Resident Horror”. Work in a specially-designed laboratory to help find a cure for the un-dead break-out before it’s too late. Hit the wrong button and you’ll let the zombies loose!
Difficulty (1-10): Not listed
Time Limit: 25 minutes
Cost: $15 per person
Identifier: R1
Party Size: Up to 8.
Staging Area: It’s an old movie theater that is supposedly haunted.
Metro Access/Parking: Not metro accessible at all. The theater is in a strip mall so there is plenty of parking.
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 off in a lab with a zombie chained up in the inner room.
Understanding of the Mission: You have to figure out how to get to the next room without getting killed by the zombie and then find the antidote to the zombie plague.
Did We Escape: NO. We needed like 3 more minutes.
Time Remaining: See above
Our Suggested Party Size: 6 (our 8 was a little crowded)
Did the room challenge the entire team? No. There were times that 1 or 2 people were standing around.
Members of our team (other than the ERG): Alphonzo, Eric, Eric, Mark, Katheryn
Worth the time and money? It’s cheaper than a normal room because it’s only 25 minutes. Probably worth tacking on as a second room of the day, but I wouldn’t go specifically for this one.
Where to Eat/Drink Before/After: Just call it a day and go to Five Guys.
Description (from the company website): “Escape the Movies” is all-new in 2017, with revamped puzzles and features. You and a group will experience four distinctive rooms, with iconic scenes from your favorite record-breaking horror films, including Halloween (Michael Myers), Purge, Saw, and The Conjuring 2. Solve intricate puzzles and race the clock to escape. Your limits will be tested in an attempt to truly Escape the Movies… or become our next victims trapped inside the haunted theater!
Difficulty (1-10): not listed
Time Limit: 45 minutes
Cost: $25 per person
Identifier: R3
Party Size: Up to 8.
Staging Area: It’s in an old movie theater that is supposedly haunted, so pretty damn creepy.
Metro Access/Parking: Not metro accessible at all. The theater is in a strip mall so there is plenty of parking.
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: The theater didn’t look as creep-tastic as it did last time, but they still do a yearly haunted house.
The rooms were just as well done as they were last year, probably even better this year. The themes were more clear than last year too. Made no mistake about which movie was which. (And no, you don’t need to have seen the movies to get through, which is good.)
Understanding of the Mission: Make your way through the 4 movie themed rooms with (or without, if you’re a dick to the GM) help from the GM. All you need to do is escape. With your life.
Description (from the company website): Take a trip back to 1966. You are convinced your fashion model friend’s death was actually a murder. Can you solve the mystery before the police close the case?
Difficulty (1-10): N/A
Time Limit: 60 minutes
Cost: $28 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 8
Note: We were told this room is being replaced in late June.
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: Your friend’s murder is about to become a cold case file and you’ve taken it upon yourself to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Understanding of the Mission: It’s up to you to figure out the pertinent information to go back to the cops with. The case is being closed in about an hour, so hurry!
Did We Escape: Yes
Time Remaining: 4:31
Our Suggested Party Size: We did this room just the ERG ourselves, but we recommend 6, tops.
Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes
Members of our team (other than the ERG): None!
Worth the time and money? Yes
Where to Eat/Drink Before/After:
Fair Winds Brewing Company – We hit up this place on a previous visit. Great place for beer flights, beers and some food truck grub.