Literary

We’re Just Mad about Morty – Room: Moriarty’s Madness – February 20, 2016

~ Mike K. ~ 2 Comments

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

Team Disturbed Friends (Mike, Steph, Dalia, Jason and Rohan) defeated the infamous Dr. Moriarty! Photo courtesy of Escape Room Live's Facebook page.
Team Disturbed Friends (Mike, Steph, Dalia, Jason and Rohan) defeated the infamous Dr. Moriarty! Photo courtesy of Escape Room Live’s Facebook page.

Worth the time and money? Yes

Where to Eat/Drink Before/After: It’s Old Town, but we recommend:

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POEsers Need Not Apply – Room: Poe-ranormal Activity – April 30, 2016

~ Mike K.

ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY

Play if… you are a literature buff in love with the macabre.

Avoid if… you have separation anxiety… or are afraid of the beating of the Telltale Heart.

THE BASICS

Escape Room Live Alexandria:

Address: 814 King Street, Floor 2, Alexandria, VA 22314 (click the address for a Google Map)

Contact and Website: 800-616-4880
http://www.escaperoomlive.com

The Room – POE-Ranormal Activity:

Description (from the company website): You are a team of paranormal investigators from Discovery Channel’s ‘Destination America’ and have been given permission to enter Poe’s old chambers in search of a historian who disappeared several years ago in search of a fabled ‘Lost Manuscript’!

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: 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 is a 0.7 mile walk (or take the free King Street Trolley to Columbus Street); street/garage parking.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Logistics:

Description: This one started off with a twist (which, of course, I will not spoil). The room was well-themed with Poe stuff, which was actually integrated into the puzzles.

Did We Escape: Yes, indeed we did.

Time Remaining: Just over 12 minutes.

Our Suggested Party Size: 6-8 (preferably an even number here)

Members of our team (other than the ERG): Aaron, Shanell, Jess, Dalia, Chris and JoAnne.

Team Disturbed Friends (Aaron, Mike, Shanell, Jess, Dalia, Chris, JoAnne and Jason) found the historian and the lost manuscript! Photo courtesy of Escape Room Live Alexandria's Facebook page.
Team Disturbed Friends (Aaron, Mike, Shanell, Jess, Dalia, Chris, JoAnne and Jason) found the historian and the lost manuscript! Photo courtesy of Escape Room Live Alexandria’s Facebook page.

Worth the time and money? Yup

Where to Eat/Drink Before/After: It’s Old Town, but we recommend:

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Venture through the Looking Glass – Room: Adventures in Wonderland – February 12, 2017

~ Mike K. ~ 3 Comments

ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY

Play if… you’ve always wanted to have tea with the Mad Hatter.

Avoid if… you have problems seeing in the dark.

THE BASICS

EscapeRoom Woodbridge:

Address: 12668 Darby Brook Ct., Woodbridge, VA 22912 (click address for a Google Map)

Contact and Website: 703-910-6015
https://www.escaperoomwoodbridgeva.com/

The Room – Adventures in Wonderland: RETIRED

Description (from company website): The Red Queen has taken the Mad Hatter and wants you to solve an age-old riddle before it’s “OFF WITH HIS HEAD!”

Difficulty (1-10): no rating given

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: 6 people max.

NOTE: we were told that this room is being retired in March 2017 and being replaced by a DaVinci-themed room.

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

Logistics:

Description: The Mad Hatter has been kidnapped and the sadistic Red Queen has issued you a challenge to answer a riddle within 60 minutes, or she’ll lop off the guy’s head… and maybe yours as well (muah-ha-ha).

Understanding of the Mission: Solve the clues that relate to Wonderland and figure out the answer to the riddle.

Did We Escape: Oh, yeah.

Time Remaining: 7:27

Our Suggested Party Size: No more than 6 (in fact, 5 was perfect). The room itself isn’t that large and we couldn’t imagine having 10 people in there.

Did the room challenge the entire team? Yes, there seemed to be enough for the 5 of us to work on without stepping all over each other (despite the small room).

Members of our team (other than the ERG): Eric, Alphonso and Katheryn

Another successful escape for team Disturbed Friends. At the EscapeRoom Woodbridge "Adventures in Wonderland" escape room. Photo courtesy of EscapeRoom Woodbridge's Facebook page.
Another successful escape for team Disturbed Friends. At the EscapeRoom Woodbridge “Adventures in Wonderland” escape room. Photo courtesy of EscapeRoom Woodbridge’s Facebook page.

Worth the time and money? Yes, it definitely was. We used a Groupon for this room so we didn’t pay full price, but the room is good enough to book without the discount and we recommend you get in there fast before the room changes theme (which we were told is soon!).

Where to Eat/Drink Before/After:

  • Fair Winds Brewing Company – We decided to hit up this place (about 10 minutes north of the Escape Room) and have a beer or two. (Well, some of us started with tasting flights THEN got beers.)

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No S&*t, Sherlock! – Room: Sherlock Holmes: A Matter of Time – December 20, 2015

~ Mike K. ~ 4 Comments

ESCAPE ROOM REVIEW – THE QUICK AND DIRTY

Play if… you enjoy anything and everything Sherlock.

Avoid if… you don’t like to be touched.

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 – Sherlock Holmes: A Matter of Time:

Description (from the company website):  Sherlock has summoned you to his study to assist on a case he has almost finished. You arrive to find him missing yet know he was recently there… the scotch glasses still have ice in them. Can you discover where he is in time?

Difficulty (1-10): 7/10

Time Limit: 45 minutes

Cost: $28 + tax per person but use ERGUYS15 when booking to save 15% off per ticket.

Identifier: R1 – Original Room

Party Size: 8-10

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: A recreation of Sherlock’s office, including a desk, fireplace, and bookcase. The decor was all appropriate for the time period.

Understanding of the Mission: Find Sherlock Holmes!

Did We Escape: yes

Time Remaining: Around 10 minutes

Our Suggested Party Size: 6-8

Did the room challenge the entire team? hell yeah. There was a lot to do and people could work independently until everything started coming together at the end, and it was probably more challenging due to the pre-room celebrations.

Members of our team (other than the ERG): Marie, Dave, Ryan, Jared, Becky, and the person in the white beard.

Escape Room Live: Sherlock Holmes - A Matter of Time. Photo courtesy of Escape Room Live Alexandria's Facebook page.
Escape Room Live: Sherlock Holmes – A Matter of Time. Photo courtesy of Escape Room Live Alexandria’s Facebook page.

Worth the time and money? Indubitably

Where to Eat/Drink Before/After: It’s Old Town, but we recommend:

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